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Here we are again.  A new year.  A new(ish) set of goals. Lose weight - I am looking to lost at least another 20-30lbs this year.  I lost about 25lbs last year but I want to keep going.  I've been stuck in a rut lately and need to dig myself out of it and get back on track.  I also want to eat healthier and live healthier all around. Budget - we have never had a budget.  We have never really needed to have one.  Now that I am not working and we are surviving on one income, a budget is in order.  I need to get this done.  We are so used to just buying whatever we want and not thinking twice about it but we really need to sit and think about what's important with our finances. A new house - this was on my list last year and we were able to move.  But we aren't really feeling settled were we are now.  So, we have a new goal.  We are planning to renovate our previous home (which we still own and rent out) and move int...

My 2014 goals in review Lose weight - yes, it's the typical resolution but it's a good one.  It's one I need to have.  It's one I need to achieve.  I don't want to carry around this extra weight anymore.  I want to be healthy.  I don't want to diet, I want to make lifestyle changes.  It has to happen now.  Plus, if I want to get pregnant with another baby this year, I'd like to be healthy. ~ YES!!!  I've lost about 25lbs this past year.  I still have a bit yet that I'd like to lose but I've made some good progress.  I've become a Beachbody coach and have been using the Beachbody programs like crazy.  Drink less - less soda, less alcohol, less anything but water.  I drink way too much soda.  My husband and I like to have some alcoholic beverages every now and then as well.  We used to only drink on weekends but now we find ourselves having a cocktail or two on any given week night.  Not a big deal, just ...

We started our Christmas Eve with our first annual Christmas Eve box.  This is something I had seen online and wanted to start doing.  This year, I filled the box with matching PJs (kids matched, parents matched), a Veggietales Christmas DVD, some popcorn (salted caramel for me) and some little polar bears for the kids.  I want to do this box every year but change it up.  Next year, the kids might not need new PJs because I bought bigger sizes this year.  So next year we might do a Christmas ornament instead.  I want the box to be fun for everyone every year.   Christmas Eve is always spent with my Mom's side of the family.  This year, it was my Mom's turn to host.  We had and Italian theme this year.  Baked ziti, lasagna, meatballs, pork BBQ, chicken BBQ and all kinds of awesome desserts.    Cousins   This is my Uncle Earl.  These two are best buds. This girl loves her Nana so much! ...

My kids.....yea they have crazy hair.  They were both born with a full head of hair and never lost a single strand.  Ashlyn's hair is long and curly and crazy.  Bryan's hair would be the same if I hadn't been cutting these past months.  I've cut his hair SIX times in the past 14 months.  SIX!  I finally decided it was time to have his hair cut professionally. I'm not sure we'll be doing it again.  The hair dresser was great.  It helps that I've been going to her for a very long time.  But he just wasn't feeling it.  He didn't want to sit still.  He didn't like the cape.  He didn't like the scissors.  He just didn't like it. She did a good job regardless.  She cut his hair and didn't make it all choppy and weird like I always do.  But I'm not sure I'll be taking him back.  I always follow him around to cut his hair.  I cut some in the bath tub when he's distracted.  Then I cut a little more when...

If you follow me on IG you know that we spent a very long weekend at the hospital because my little man had pneumonia.  It sucked hard.  It was a long, scary hospital stay and we never want to do that again.  Friday, Decemeber 5th - Little dude went to bed as usual but he woke up around 12:30am and did not want to go back to sleep.  I laid him in my bed and tried to get him to sleep but he wasn't having it.  We were awake until about 4am.  He didn't seem too bad that day, just tired.  Worst part is that his sister woke up too and played around in my bed the whole time.    Saturday was fine and they both slept ok that night.  Bryan was pretty restless and coughing all night long but he never woke up or anything.    His cough was pretty bad and Ashlyn was complaining that her ears hurt.  With her previous history of ear infections, I decided to call the doctor and schedule an appointment.  I waited too long...

Ashlyn doesn't have her three year check up until later this month but I wanted to post about her third birthday party now. We decided that we throw a big first birthday party for the kids but the next big party wouldn't be until five.  For Ashlyn's second birthday, we just had my parents come over to our house to give presents and have cake.  This year, Ashlyn made her own list of people she wanted to invite to celebrate.  The list was small (about 15 people) so we were ok with it. We served appetizer type foods like mozzarella sticks and meatballs.  We had snacks like chips and pretzels.  And of course we had cupcakes.  We didn't really do any decorations or anything since it wasn't really supposed to be a party. Unfortunately we started our day at the doctor because she and her brother were sick.  That didn't keep her down, though.  Ashlyn had a blast.  The party was full of adults, aside from my nephew who is 12.  The only...