My Little Ham

16 months already! The time is going by quickly and each time I see him he is maturing more into a little boy. He is quickly losing the baby look. He is the heart of our home.

On Easter Sunday we spent the afternoon at my mother-in-law's house. She had a wonderful luncheon prepared. After lunch Val and I decided to go take a cat nap, but Nathaniel had other plans. He got a burst of energy and started running and jumping all over the place.

Here he is jumping on Kathy's ottoman. He was jumping so hard his little arms were swinging high and low. Several times he caught air. I was impressed with how well he was able to balance himself.

Before going to Easter lunch the kids decorated eggs. Nathaniel had to get in on the act. He was tye-dying eggs. He wasn't too keen on coloring them, he wanted to eat them instead.

We had a wonderful day. It was a quiet Easter with great food and great company. This year again I wasn't with my family. I missed them dearly. They were at the compound probably pigging out and making fun of each other. I'm sure my name was thrown in on a few jokes here and there. LOL

I hope you all had a great Easter!

xoxo,

Marlo

Happy Easter!!

Enjoy your day with family and friends! We are heading to the in-laws for a wonderful Easter luncheon. James and Tiffani love going to Grandma's and Grandpa's for Easter. My mother-in-law is a great cook and spoils us with lots of wonderful dishes. I'm sure she'll have a new dessert to delight us with.

Happy a blessed day!

He has Risen!

xoxo,

Marlo

SPRING BREAK!!

Well, it's that time of the year that the kids are off for two weeks for spring break. It's kind of odd that they are off way before Easter. It's a nice break though and much needed. We'll be heading down to Long Beach for a few days. Jim has a big show that he has to be at so the kids and I will enjoy do some fun things. The kids want to go to the beach and the aquarium. Should be fun. We'll also see the famiy while we are down there.

The weather is suppose to be wonderful which will be nice.

I'll be sure to take pics so I can scrapbook them sometime in this lifetime. Have a great week!

xoxo,
marlo

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

I'm amazed at how quickly we have approached the middle of March. Springtime is just around the corner. The birds are chirping away and my trees are beginning to sprout little buds. The weather is warming up a tad and it stays daylight longer. Gotta love the springtime and all it's newness.

We've been busy around here as usual. Jim has been traveling every week for the last month. They just increased his territory so that means even more traveling. I'm getting used to it now, but Tiffani is still struggling with it. She still cries. James, well, he's just James and 13. No care in the world at the moment. I have to try and not complain about all the traveling. I'm just thankful he still has a job.

As for me, school is in full force. I was expecting my master's program to be quite difficult, but so far so good. Work is light, but more frequent as I'm in school more nights a week now. I was rushing to that I can quickly get my own classroom, but from the looks of it, that won't be happening for a while. Our teachers are struggling to keep their jobs. Our school districts are a mess thanks to all the cuts our state issued. It's really sad to see how this will affect our children and our community. I am thankful though that I still have my job. I may not be the head teacher, but I'm still in the classroom teaching.

My scrapbooking group meet this past Friday. I'm always amazed at how much I enjoy spending time with them. We sometimes talk about the same things but it's always refreshing to have someone agree and laugh with you. It's like, "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." I made lasagna for dinner and didn't realize that all my friends are Catholic. LOL So, they couldn't eat meat. Well, I should say, they are suppose to refrain from eating meat. Only one did. I have to say that Angie is one of these gals that really lives her life in accordance to her beliefs. I like that. So, she waited until well passed midnight to have a little bit of lasagna. LOL

It was a gorgeous weekend. I spent it with Valerie and Nathaniel. We did some shopping and more shopping. Bath and Body Works was having a great promotion so we had to hit there. I hadn't bought BBW for a long time. I love their new fragrance, Dancing Waters. Had to get that. We went to Victoria secrets and tried on their new bra. HORRIBLE! I just can't use their bras. But, we fell in love with one of their body scents, Candy Baby. Oh, smells like cotton candy. Yummo! We did other fun shopping and then headed to my friends for some Gold Canyon Candles. I love them. I got 10 new scents and can't wait to light them all up. LOL

I'm always sad when Val and Nathaniel leave, but I know they have to get home and have their own life. I just wish it were here with me.

Thanks for stopping by and keeping up with me.

XOXO,
Marlo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SON!!

We celebrated yet another birthday. This time is was James's 13th. I'm shocked that he is now officially a teenager. He's always been very mature for his age and has always acted older, but it just seems that the time has flown by too quickly. James is my spoiled brat, well wait, they all are. But James has this special bratiness about him. He knows how to get his way with me. All he has to do is call me 'mommy' or tell me he loves me the mostest and I'm putty in his hands. James is alot like his dad when it comes to being handy and fixing things, he's also very funny like his dad.

James is alot like me, his mommy, when it comes to procrastinating, he's also really good in math like me.

James is alot like Valerie, SPOILED ROTTEN and stubborn.

James is alot like Tiffani, fun loving and active.

Having a wonderful son like James has been a blessing and a joy.

Happy Birthday My Son! I love you the mostest!!

xoxo, Mommy

Another Catch All

I promised I was going to update my blog on a regular basis, but time just keeps getting away.It's been a nice beginning of the year. The kids had been enjoying cool, sunny days. They spend most of their time outside riding bikes with all the neighbor kids. We have kids coming for streets over. My front porch is usually covered with kids from 3rd grade to 7th grade. I'm having to jump over bikes. The last two days we've had tons of rain, wind and freezing temps. The kids are not happy. We are suppose to get snow tonight and tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We are off school and work tomorrow so a snow day would be fun.

James had braces put on last Tuesday. He's not liking it. His mouth and jaw have been really sore so he has not been able to eat. LOL He's lost 6 pounds. He didn't really need braces, but if we wanted him to have PERFECT teeth, then it was recommended. He'll only have them on for a year. Not to bad.

Tiffani also started her Orthodontic work. Her upper jaw needed to be expanded so they started her on this horrible contraption that is cemented to her upper back teeth and sits at the top of her mouth. It has this turning device that we have to turn once a day. It is not pleasant for her. Poor thing hurts like heck. She too has not been able to eat. She's living on soups. She will have that for 3 months. She will get her braces on before that. I feel horrible for her, however, we have noticed a difference already.

There's a new book that I'm reading called, Eat Right 4 Your Type, by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. This book is amazing. Basically what it comes down to is that there are four blood types; O, A, B, AB. Therefore, there are four diets. These are diets like the 3 day or the protein diet. These are ways of eating for your blood type. It has been an eye opener and it makes so much sense. Several girls at work follow this regligiously and have always been able to maintain their weight. There are also some people from church that follow this and said it's been the best thing. Apparently each blood type should avoid certain foods due to the make up of that blood type. Just like each person's DNA is different, so is blood type.

Jim is O, that is the good blood. He started to following this new way of eating about 2 1/2 weeks ago. He has had some huge results. First, he is down 15 lbs. Second, he has way more energy than usual. And third, the major one, his blood pressure is down to 110/70!!! He has never seen it that low. For 13 years Jim has suffered with high blood pressure. He takes two pills daily. At best his pressure is 145/90. He went for his yearly physical last week and it was the best ever. Jim says he can feel the difference.

I haven't followed this diet to a T, but I have omitted several of the AVOID foods for my blood type. I'm A, which is the BAD blood. The foods that I have omitted have made a difference in the acid reflux. About 3 weeks ago I was up to taking 3-4 pills a day, which is a NO NO, but I needed them. Since changing a few things I'm only taking one pill before bed and that is just as a precaution, my insurance so to say.

My in-laws have also started this and they have seen dramatic results. It's pretty amazing and I highly recommend this book. I answers alot of questions about weight gain, fatigue, blood pressure, cancer and much more.

Besides home life, work, and reading, there is school. I started my master's program last week. I'm in school two nights a week now. The first week wasn't so bad, but I'm afraid by the 5th week I'll be dragging. I'm just excited to finally be at this stage in my education. It was a long, long journey, but so worth it.

To all my TCC friends, I miss you girls. There is no posting going on, very sad. I'm hoping this year finances will be better so that I can go visit some of you or participate in a TCC event. I'm going through withdrawals.

XoXo,

Marlo

Happy Birthday Tiffani!

Seemed like yesterday that I was pregnant with my baby girl, Tiffani. She was a little pink thing with blonde hair and eyes like a cat, grey. Today she is my 11 year old, smart mouthed bright pre-teen.

She's creative like her mama.
Loud like her daddy
Loves name brands like her sister,
And enjoys the outdoors like her brother.

She loves to be with her family more than anything.

She is kind and loveable.

She is friendly and popular.

She is my little baby girl.

Happy Birthday Tiffani!

Love, Mom xoxo