Anxious for school...

Well we're getting close!  School starts on Monday for me and while its just one class, I'm getting quite excited about it.  I have realized that I love learning and I miss the school environment.  I know I did quite well in my Master's level courses so I'm intrigued to see how intense this Anatomy and Physiology course will be.  Part of me knows and is prepared for a difficult learning curve and whatnot; yet, another part of me doesn't hold a very high expectation for the course since 1) it's the general level and 2) I'm taking it at the tech school.  Not to dis on tech schools, since obviously I'm taking my courses there, but I am somewhat skeptical that its going to be as difficult or intense or demanding as the courses I took at Gustavus.  But we will see I guess!

Anyways, today I went and found the books we need for the course and did what any veteran student would do...found them on Amazon for about 25% of the cost listed on the bookstore website.  Seriously...I got the $225.00 textbook for $30.00.  I haven't ordered any yet, but have them sitting on Amazon waiting for me...I guess I want to see if 1) Broghan has these books or 2) I actually need them.  Again, we will see!

I'll keep you all updated as the 8-week course progresses.

Until Next Time...

Water Park Fun!

This past weekend we were lucky enough to get to take our boat out on Lake Chetek for the first time with both kids.  It was super hot, but it was a great way to start the summer season and we even got to take a little dip into the water to try to cool off.  Fishing wasn't successful at all, as we only caught weeds and I managed to get a line stuck and almost lost a bobber and lure (don't worry, Broghan successfully recovered it).

Being on the boat all day was fun, except it certainly makes for some tired kiddos the rest of the weekend.  We welcomed rain and storms Sunday morning and early afternoon since that kind of cooped us up inside for the day - forcing us to relax.

Monday this week is where this blog post really gets going.  Broghan's mom, Janet, was speaking at a Public Health conference at the Wisconsin Dells Monday and Tuesday and so she had a hotel room with extra space and since two free water park admission are included with the stay, she invited our little family down for some water park fun.  The kids had a great time (as did dad and mom) and both took super long naps that afternoon AND double naps the next day!

Anyways, it is always more fun to look at picture than read, so I'll just finish this post with picture from the water park!

Until Next Time.....

Bye Bye Breastfeeding Benefits :'(

Okay, so not ALL of the benefits of breastfeeding are now lost...only the most important one (to me - selfishly).  I've recently realized that as Lucy weans down to just a few nursing sessions a day, those sessions are more for comfort and not for food. Which is exactly as it should be (IMO) as we push through this second year of life.  But this also means that the milk I am making has less caloric density and in turn, doesn't use as many calories to make. :(  So there goes my weight management program!

Not that I've packed it on in the last few weeks, but I've certainly noticed feeling as though the weight loss train has parked itself at the station and now any weight management/loss is going to be due to me being intentional and actual physical activity and yes...even a watching of the calories.  Ugh. SO not fun!

As I came to the realization of where I'm at, I also realized that it has been more than four years since I've had to do this - be in charge of maintaining a certain weight.  Simply because I've either been pregnant or nursing for those four years.

During my B.C. era (before children as I like to refer to it as) my weight was of minor concern since I seriously loved working out and as most young 20-somethings, it was quite easy to consume crap, drink alcohol, work out and still look and somehow feel great.  Plus, free time seemed to be in endless supply...oh how that seems like just a dream now.

 Now as that first wave of creating and growing children phases out, I'm going to be faced with the challenge of finding a new and probably improved way of managing myself knowing full well that free time is limited to 2-3 minute spurts of time when the kids find themselves somehow self-entertained and miraculously not hurting one another.  Or as I typed that...putting random objects in their mouths...ahem..Lucy...

Anyways, I'm excited for some independence from the little Miss and am already having some pangs of longing for more of the snuggles and close contact (such a catch-22!) but it is for certain that the calorie loss benefits are gone and only will return again with the coming of another child (NOT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON! BTW!!)...ahh so bitter sweet!

Until Next Time...

Besties

Part of our parenting "philosophy" so to speak is to create an environment and keep reinforcing the idea that our children are each other's best friends and that those relationships take priority over that of their other friends.  I guess we feel that laying the foundations now and training, honestly, ourselves to keep our language about the two of them positive and encouraging is important.  So it is always exciting to me when I see them, already, able to spend a serious block of time playing together cohesively and really enjoying each other's personalities and companionship.  Plus it just looks so darn cute in the pictures!

Splish Splash Fun!

Sitting here now, you'd never realize how incredibly nice it got last week.  But with sunny skies and temperatures in the 80's, we as always, tried to take advantage of the weather and get outside.  The kids had a lot of fun with our small blow-up pool for the first time and Lucy got a water table for her birthday that they've been having fun with as well.  Here are the pictures from last week:

Until next time....

Anatomy and Physiology - SUPER FUN

Just a short post to update on my progress towards a BSN-RN.  I have signed up for my first pre-requisite course that needs to be completed no matter the path towards that end.  Yippy skippy - Anatomy & Physiology.  Okay, so I'm not all sarcastic - I'm actually quite excited for this class since it will help me understand what Broghan is talking about!! Course is in June and July!! If all goes well you'll see an update at the end of the summer saying I've signed up for Anatomy and Physiology II. :)

Until next time....

Marathon - Here I come!

Okay, Okay...that title may be misleading.  I am not running a marathon or in any kind of marthon-ic life-symbolic race.  But I did join and start a Mom's on the Run group! Tonight was my second session and for the second time I've been extremely pleased with the way my body has handled these interval-type runs.  We cover roughly 4 miles in just over 30 minutes by doing sets of fast runs and then medium jogs.   It has been a great reminder of how much I love (and miss) being in shape and working out and particularly...running!

I've been fortunate enough to at least play hockey on Friday nights throughout much of the year; however, I don't always work as hard as I should.  It's probably because I take my ability to skate for granted...it's hard though when I literally have more grace and balance on a pair of skates on than in my tennis shoes..haha.  But seriously now, it really comes down to my fear of becoming sick again.  I'm not even sure if I've ever blogged about my battle with asthma, but seriously, its frustrating, annoying, scary and did I mention annoying?

I try not to make it the center of my life, but it (my asthma) has a way of pushing its way to center-stage whenever it feels ignored (through the lovely -thats a lie- thing called walking pneumonia).  This is especially true when I decide my body is able to perform and function physical tasks such as skating at sprint speeds or running. However, over the past four months I've been making changes.  I've changed medications (boo...someone invent a cure already! and not one that includes me never eating ice cream again..); changed eating habits (always a work in progress); changed supplements; changed my adjustment schedules (I've been adjusted more these past few months than many of you have ever in your life...that is, if you've ever actually been adjusted); changed mentalities; changed behaviors and changed schedules.  So you can see, I'm working.  I want to run, I want to race and I want to compete again.

And this Mom's on the Run (MOTR from here on out) is my gateway to that.  I already feel more on track and hope that by the end of this summer, running has once again become part of my daily life.  I miss my long jogs and the races I competed in a few years ago.  I really need to do another MUDDY BUDDIES race and I keep hearing about the Warrior Dash.  I'd love to actually place in my age/gender group in a race and heck, why not add a marathon (there I said it!) to my bucket list (maybe...later..haha).  Okay, at least a half marathon (I've at least done one of those before).

But I feel that I'm on my way, and its exciting.  A new (but old somehow) adventure.  I'll try to remember to update on this down the road...

Until next time...

All about LUCY!

Lucy Ann Reilly 

She is such a ham! I can't even express how much I love this little girl and how much I am loving the little person she is becoming.  I feel like its always hard at first to really understand the personality of your kids because let's face it - when they are babies, they don't do a whole lot.  Granted I knew from the beginning she's determined and smart.  She seemed to figure me out rather fast.  But as she approached her first birthday and has now zoomed right on past it, her personality is beginning to really peak through and it's a blast!! She is hilarious and loves to play games.  She has mastered what our family calls the "puff kiss" and blowing on your arm, stomach, cheek, hand, whatever to make that fart noise.  She can say "hi", "mamma" "dadda" "ball" "uh-oh" and attempts to say "buhbye" and even "keller" (it sounds like a krrrrrr noise..but she only does it when I ask her to say Keller).  She also growls whenever I make a grrr noise out of frustration. Which stops me instantly and makes me laugh.  

She loves Keller probably as much, if not more, than Keller loves her.  She is always going after what he has and oddly loves to play with his ears (maybe a trademark obsession she gets from her dad?!)  She also tried to DO everything he DOES! I.E. climb UP the stairs, climb UP the slide, stand ON the rocking chair...this little girl is fearless.  

She also has in common with her big brother that she loves the dog food.  Seriously, what is it with the dog food?! 

She is better at sleeping than I could have dreamed a child to be.  While a few months back I posted about sleep training, she has become a pro at putting herself to sleep.  She is a solid 2 hr/twice a day napper, just like her big brother was; however, all we have to do around nap time is give her a squeeze and a kiss, then lay her down with her blankie and off to dreamland she goes.  This same routine (mostly) works for bedtime too...although true to how she has always been - she is a night owl.  While at this age Keller was going to bed early (6/7ish) she heads to sleep around 8/9ish.  Which works fine for her since she sleeps in a little later than him (he's up at 6:30 - she's up at 7:30).  

At her 1 - year check up her stats went like this:
Height - 28 inches - 3rd %

Weight - 18lbs 4 oz - roughly 18th %

Head Circ - 46.1 cm - 78th %

True to our family - short, healthy weight, and BIG head!! haha. The pediatrician says she's perfect!  Which I totally agree with...especially considering I grew her. ;)

Now onto the fun part - pictures. :)  And I'll throw in a video or two just for kicks. 

By the way...notice she is never looking at the camera...she has a tendency to look away JUST as the picture is snapped...;) I never worry..she's still cute!

Future Chef.

Recently, okay, well a few weeks ago, Broghan and I got onto the topic of what we thought our kids would do in the future.  Okay okay I know, they are VERY young and have a LONG way to go with this stuff, but I honestly feel that there are pieces of their personalities that will stay consistent throughout their lives.  Or at least we hope they do.  For instance, Keller is very outgoing, happy, open and loving to people.  He is physical and active and loves to play and learns new skills quickly.  All parts of a personality that could do a huge variety of things in the future.  So why this backdrop to this post??

Because he also loves food. Haha. He loves to help me prepare it, he loves to pick it out at the stores and knows basically everything we buy.  He likes to eat it of course but his palate is happy to try practically anything.  Seriously, he's a two year old who loves salads!

Anyways, the picture here is of him helping me cook!  He has his own (okay it's mine but as any good two-year old does - he has claimed it for himself) step stool that he very excitedly asks to have set up everyday.

Until next time...

Hanging with dad.

Nothing is better than getting to spend time with dad - at least from my children's perspective.  Broghan works extremely hard for our family and for his patients and the community too.  He's involved in the Open Door Clinic and helps take care of a local semi-pro football team - the Crush.  He also plays racquetball and refs hockey.  Busy busy man but the best dad I could imagine for my kids.  Anyways, we often get small windows of opportunity where he gets to spend some quality time with the kids.  The great weather these past few weeks has really added to that since we've been able to do things outside.

The first picture is from a day when Broghan came up with a great game called - try to touch Keller while he is trying to spray you with the garden hose...super fun...really...I love getting soaked by my two year old.  Haha.  Anyways, the best part was when Keller had Broghan pinned behind the tree in our yard.  If I wasn't so fearful of my phone getting completely ruined by the water, I probably would have video taped it.. 

These next few pictures are of Broghan and Lucy and then Keller when we got to go to a park near our house for some fun.

Broghan and I both tried the duck as well...it seemed to work much better for Keller. :)

I can't resist photos of when they nap together...just tooo cute!

Ahh teaching my son something I've always dreamed of (yea...right...picturing broken bones and casts...).  Obviously Broghan is standing behind him but he was happy as a clam up in that tree!  A good sign for when he gets old enough to be up in a deer stand!! 

More pictures to come!

Until next time...

Starting Easy - PHOTO UPDATE!

This is the part everyone comes here for anyways.  Pictures of the kids.  So here ya go!  It appears I haven't done a dutiful update since early March - yikes!  So here is a barrage of pictures - Enjoy!

We attended a kids fair at the YMCA and Keller got to have his face painted for I believe the very first time.  He would ask for days after this "where did fish go?".

March brought on some fantastic weather for us here in Wisconsin - so we got outside a TON!

Lucy got to go swinging and discovered how much she LOVES going down slides. 

I love how well they play together on this thing.  They have spent many hours already this spring entertained by the grass and twigs found underneath their slide!

Just a boy and his best friend.  He really does love those cowboy boots!

She's a stroller loving gal too.  And check out those teeth! They surely took their sweet time but she's rocking FOUR (two top - two bottom), making eating food so much easier!

All of the other pictures I have will have to go into their own posts. :)

Until next time....

It's been a while.

Just a short note here.  Sorry I've been so absent from Blogging! :/.  I just logged into the blogspot.com and noticed how different it is! It's awesome, I love the statistics - it says my blog has had over 11,000 page views!!! Makes me feel oh-so-popular! haha.  But I'll work on being more diligent.  Some things have changed over the past few months (in such a good way!) so hopefully I'll be able to spend more time on here updating everyone on our lives.  It is definitely true that kids change everyday.  Sometimes I take a second to look them over and get hit with those "woah" moments when I realize just how much they have grown up.  Sad, I know...considering Lucy JUST turned 1 and Keller is only 2 1/2.  Ahh what will I do when they start school!?!???

Anyways, more to come today with pictures, videos and of course the wonderful written commentary by me. :)

Until next time...