So a little history on me and my food issue, I love food, I love bread, butter, anything with chocolate and peanut butter combined, and my list could go on and on. I also NEED to be healthy, which to me is to feel good and be strong not just for me but for my kids. Unfortunately finding the right balance is a daily/ hourly challenge. For example we had a play date this morning and I made some healthy cookies but I proceeded to eat FIVE of them. Yes they are healthy but not 5!!! I just can’t stop myself!!
Do to this food problem I have to exercise a lot to be able to eat, but again it is a daily struggle to push myself. I have been running and proud that I just did my first race, a 10k with my kids and husband cheering me on! (By the grace of God I finished it in 54min.!!) It felt good but I can’t seem to budge the muffin top that I’ve discussed in a previous post.
So I’m going to get really serious and see if I can budge it. I will be doing two things, I’m going to write down everything that goes in my mouth and I’m going to do my Insanity tapes by Shaun T that I do love, but also hate because they kill me. I am going to chart my progress for myself to look back on and if nothing changes in one month, I’m done. I will except my muffin top and maybe just tattoo it with some frosting and sprinkles!

Our summer started at the beach in California for my sisters wedding and it ended at the beach in Ocean City, Maryland with a million wonderful memories in between! I am so terrible at this blogging thing but to be honest I need to do this for my kids. Reading back over my old posts makes me smile even if I only sign in once ever six months, something is better then nothing. I am going to take the time to write a little letter to each of my babies!

Dear Trey,
How quickly you have grown from my sweet little baby to the coolest little boy! Your little brother looks up to you so much and when you’re not looking he watches everything you do and is taking mental notes. (Both the good and the bad things, by the way) Your little sister loves you so much that ever time she wakes up from her nap she says, “Where’s Trey?”, shrugging her shoulders with hands in the air and a curious look on her face. You started the summer on a real soccer team and it wasn’t your favorite sport but you stuck it out and got a medal at the end and I promise I won’t make you play soccer. The best activity we did every Tuesday was swimming lessons. You are such a fish that they didn’t have to teach you anything because you let them know that you “already know how to swim”. I’m a little embarrassed that my 4 year old swims better then me, maybe they have some adult swim classes. I think you have finally given up your thumb: your friend, your comfort, my enemy. I’m sorry that I gave you such a hard time about sucking your thumb; you are so tall and look so big until you sucked your thumb (all day long). I will forever miss the baby in you but I won’t miss your thumb, let’s pray that your sister won’t keep this terrible habit.
You are amazingly smart! I can’t teach you, show you, Google you enough information. You’re favorite TV shows are the history and the science channel and you love going to the library to check out hundreds of books about space, science experiments, and dinosaurs. I love watching you grow and learn, and seeing you teach your brother and sister so much. You are full of energy, love life, and are the best big brother in the world, I love you!!

Dear Evan,
My little artist and musician that I adore!! You have such a gift and passion already that is shocking! Today as you were coloring me a beautiful picture you said “Mommy, I am going to be an artist when I grow up” and I have no doubt that you will be. You also asked for a “real electric guitar for your birthday with a speaker (it must have strings and no buttons). Amazing!! You are so sweet that I’m not sure you have a mean bone in your body. You love making your sister laugh and love wrestling with your big brother. Trey might be bigger then you but when you guys wrestle you would never know it. You took piano lessons and loved it, you took swim lessons and just liked it but you are ready to be on a real soccer team as soon as you turn 4! You are the best helper and a great listener, if I need something you are the first one I ask, I love you!

Dear Taylor,
I still can’t believe you are a girl, and such a girl at that. Having two older brothers and playing with trucks since birth has not stopped you from caring for all your baby dolls as if you gave birth to them yourself. Today you took toilet paper and were wiping your one babies behind and saying “good job” like they just went on the potty. You have taught our family how to love someone more then we ever knew possible. You are sweet beyond words, you make us laugh all day long, and if we are honest you definitely run the house. Some of your highlights this summer was the knock knock joke your brothers taught you in the back seat of the car “knock knock”, “who’s there?” “Pizza”, “pizza who?”, “pizza butt” LOLOL…. I know you don’t get it but if you could hear your delivery it makes us all laugh every time even after the tenth time you’ve said it. You are also potty trained and when you have to go to the bathroom you come running saying, “I have to go potty, soooooooo bad!!!!“ You should hear the drama in your voice. We all adore you and love you so much!!

XOXOXO
Mommy