Progress?

Lately, we have been trying many new things in our household.  I have started back to work, started to exercise, started to get back to cooking more, and trying to be better organzined in general, but also around cleaning.  I have gotten some good suggestions on the cleaning front.  I know what to do, I just need to be better at doing it.  I need to continue to get out and exercise so that I am healthy for my husband and my children.  I need to plan my meals better so that our family eats healthier.  These are all things that I need to do so that we have a better life as a family.

I can't wait for the weather to cool off.  I know I'm probably one of the few that feels that way, but I hate the heat and my kids don't do well in it either.  Once the fall comes and things cool off a bit, I will definitely be getting the kids back to the park.  Maybe there will be more playgroups once summer vacations die down.  I know that the kids love the park, but it is just too hot out there now.  My kids are all so physical!  They all need to run and climb on things that are appropriate, not things like the kitchen table, or hanging on the curtains.  I think they will sleep mcuh better once the weather cools off too.

Since I have gotten some great suggestions from my other posts, any good ideas on organizing your time, especially now that I am back to work, even if it is only part time?  Any good ideas on getting dinners planned for my husband?  Hopefully, I can get some organization so that I can work on getting back to being creative.  I have plenty of projects to work on and plenty more that I want to start.

Even though life is getting crazier every day, I love the life I have.  I have 3 beautiful children, my older son who is 10 1/2 month older than my twins.  The three of them are extremely physical and always on the move.  I am able to be home with them for most of the day and when I do have to go to work, they are home with daddy.  Even though life as a wife and mom of 3 small kids so close in age, I love being a wife and a mom.  I love my family and hope that some day my life will get organized so that life will be a little easier.  Right now though, I am enjoying my time with my family!

Amy

Cookies!

A while  ago, I bought a book called "Cooking For The Whole Family" cooking with whole foods.  I had totally gotten that I bought it til recently.  I decided that I wanted to make cookies for the kids and looked for a good easy recipe.  I found an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe that looked easy.  It was amazingly simple and left out a few of the ingredients that I am used to.  It replaced sugar with maple syrup, but I used agave nectar (first time I have used it), no eggs, and no baking powder or baking soda.  I wasn't sure how it was going to come out, but they are not that bad.  Actually, they are good.  The best part is that the kids love them!  I love that I can make a cookie at home and have it be healthy for a cookie and that the kids will eat them!  I definitely have to try more recipes from this book.  Also, on my other blog, http://thehandmadeandnaturallife.blogspot.com, I asked for good cookbook suggestions.  So far "The Joy of Cooking" has won.  Ok, so only 2 people have responded but they both suggested the same book.  I have it put aside for me at B&N and just need to pick it up!  I'm hoping to get more creative in my meals and snacks!

Amy

Trying To Raise Healthy Kids

I have another blog (http://thehandmadeandnaturallife.blogspot.com) where I write about the lifestyle that I wish to lead vs this blog where I wrote about the kids.  While writing on my other blog, I got an idea to write on this one.I have been struggling to get myself to a good place health wise.  The last few years have been pretty crazy.  Spring of 2006 I applied for grad school and was accepted.  A couple of days after my acceptance, my grandmother who I had been living with died.  A couple of months later I started grad school full time and planned to be done in 1 year.  Christmas that year, I got engaged and we planned a wedding for June 2007, with my graduation being May 2007.  I was pregnant 1 month after we got married, and we were thrilled and my MIL ded just after I found out I was pregnant.  3 months after I delivered my son, I found out I was pregnant again.  This was not a surprise as we had hoped to have our children close in age.  Oh, and with my first pregnancy I got pre-eclampsia, was on bed rest for 6 weeks, and continued on blood pressure meds through my next pregnancy.  11 weeks into my 2nd pregnancy, I had a little scare and we found out I was pregnant with twins.  I then went on bed rest at 23 weeks with the twins, til I delivered them via c-section after my blood pressure went up to 188/111, yes on meds.  Then the twins got RSV at 2 1/2 weeks and 3 1/2 weeks (Son and daughter respectively).  Then I had to get used to 3 kids.  Now, life is just crazy, but in an absolutely fabulous way!

Why am I writing all that?  Life has been crazy for the last 4 years, but now it has settled and I need to get myself back on track.  I need to lose weight, start exercising on a regular basis, and start eating healthier.  There have been lots of things that have spurred me on to this.
Some of them are:
1.) I have 3 children and want to ensure that I am healthy for them
2.) I am married to a fabulous man that I want to share my life with for a very long time.
3.) I am getting closer to 40 and my mother's brother died at 42 from a heart attack (given my past BP issues I feel like I need to really get on track with my health, never mind that I have big time heart disease and cancer in my family)
4.) I have been watching Losing It with Jillian and it is totally motivating me to make big changes in my life.
5.) I just want to feel good about myself, how I look and how I feel!

I'm sure there are many more reasons, but these are the biggest ones right now.  My biggest goal is to not buy food items that will get me into trouble.  I may need to look to others for help with finding tasty foods to create so that I can keep on track with out wanting all those foods that are bad for me.  I am going to the MD for my annual physical in a couple of weeks.  I want to be able to tell her that I am moving in the right direction even though I may not be exactly where I want to be.  So if any of you reading this blog want to share any good healthy recipes or cookbooks or any other resources, send them on!  I know that a few of my followers are really good healthy eaters and I know that they will be a great resource for me!

Thanks for taking the time to read this and send forward any resources!
Amy

Thanksgiving 2009

I had a really great Thanksgiving.  I am so thankful for my beautiful family.  I have a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful children who have absolutely made my life wonderful.  This was the first holiday that we had to get the 3 kids out of the house along with all sorts of extras.  We went to my sister in laws (1 hour 15 minutes away) for Easter but the kids were so young that it wasn't as difficult (if you can imagine that).  We only went 15 minutes away to my sister in law's, brother in law's, but for some reason it seemed like it was so much more difficult to get things together this time.  Dinner was delicious and as always it is wonderful to get together with family.  The kids had a really good time and were really well behaved.  After we left Peter's, we went to Tom's aunt and visited for a short time (the kids needed to go to bed at this point).  Unfortunately, we got a late start to bed time, but will be back on schedule tomorrow.

One of the best parts was how well the roasted nut and white chocolate bark went over.  I had a lot of fun making these and also making the box that I brought them in and the wine bag.  Tom made delicious Cranberry nut bread also.  I can't wait to make more nuts and bark and even the packaging!

Amy