4th of July

The 4th of July always comes with a lot of excitement, and a hint of sadness for me.
The 5th is my birthday!
And where as I love celebrating with my family I hate knowing I am one year older.
I celebrated today with family and lots of laughter!

As the day started out we had a big breakfast and John and Kylie Jade made me a birthday cake.
Wishes were made and the fire was out.
It was fun watching my girls enjoy my birthday cake with chocolate smeared all over there cute little faces!
The day was just getting started.

It was a gloomy, rainy day most of the firework displays had been cancelled but that was alright with me.
The girls and I decided to get festive and make the most of this rainy day.
First we did lots and lots of crafts and then my mom came over to drop off some paint (for the crafts) and my birthday present.
We had a blast!

As we finished making our American Flag my brother, his wife, and my sweet nephews and nieces stopped in.
Boy did it get wild and crazy!
4-8:30pm was filled with noise, laughter, competition and screams!
My brother and his wife (and a few of the kids) all played cards and it got heated (in a good way)!

Unfortunately bedtime was passed for my kids and some of theirs so we had to call it a night, but it was a blast!
My little brother is now on his way with pizza and movie so the rest of my night will be awesome.
Saturday and Sunday we plan on seeing the fireworks, because their display is AWESOME!
I hope everyone had a GREAT 4th of July!

I'll leave you with a few pics from the last few days:

She's just a little diva 

Game night every Monday at our house 

Playing Where Is Hello Kitty?

Ready for Gymnastics 

Posing 

Sprayground 

She actually went down the slide 

Beautiful 

Swimming 

Sprayground playdate with Samantha 

Our community pool on the first day of summer 

Just walking downtown with Doc 

The water steps downtown

She's RABID!!! 

Got new necklaces and bug juice spoiled rotten! 

Just downtown at Chilis with Grandma 

Froyo 

My sweet little girls 

Pump it Up playdate with Adrian 

Kylie Jade and MJ at pump it up 

Doc Mcstuffin painting 

DIVA 

Kylie Jade with Hello Kitty painting 

She loves it 

Playing with Madilyn's new Doc toy (Kylie Jade got a coloring purse) 

Watching Doc with her Doc shoes on of course 

Pretty 5 year old 

Ice cream for dinner! 

Icees after playing at the park 

Potty training in panties and Doc Mcstuffin shoes the only way 

Birthday party for Kyleigh and Brianne 

Madilyn playing with so many balloons 

Beating up stephen in a balloon fight 

Pretty girls already for gymnastics 

red, white and blue snack 

Drinking lemonade 

Happy 4th 

Coloring the American flag 

Kylie Jade colored pictures! 

She's a nut

She thinks she's all that...DIVA 

Whipped cream with strawberries and blueberries (red,white and blue) 

Part of their dinner 

Pretty girls ready to paint! 

Making the American Flag 

Madilyn helping out 

So proud of their flag! 

The Start of a Healthier Lifestyle

I am on a new adventure so to speak of eating healthier and losing weight.
I know I keep coming back to it, but I will never be comfortable in my own skin until I take charge of my life.
Now that I believe I am officially done with pregnancy and having more children I feel like it is time I put my foot down and begin my long journey to a healthier lifestyle.
We have already started eating organically and I have since convinced a few friends of mine to branch out into the world of organics.

It's not about the label of "I eat only organic blah blah blah" it is about the fact that we will begin to be healthier.
I want my kids to have every opportunity in life and if I continue to fill their bellies with fast food, non organic fruits (which have pretty much every ingredient BUT the fruit intended for), all these greasy non healthy meats and processed crap my kids have no chance.
I grew up in a household with limited fruits, veggies and about every kind of snack cakes, chips, and sweet you could possibly think of.
John grew up in fast food central (I believe when we got together he ate out breakfast, lunch and dinner from what I recall).

When we became husband and wife naturally our terrible eating habits followed.
I was a mere 98 pounds when John and I got together and with the terrible eating, the pregnancy's and what have you I am nowhere close to that weight.
We agreed, together, after many years of fighting weight issues, hunger after we had just eaten a rather unhealthy meal, and having our two spawns that it was time to make the switch.
I was hesitant because I don't like to branch out in the new food department, however I was eager to make the switch to organic.
We lived near Earth Fare the healthy supermarket and we began to explore.

As I learned more about their meats, dairy products and so much more we decided to start slowly I got milk, eggs, and some fresh fruits.
The milk was amazing, I could taste the difference and it was so pure.
I vowed never to buy non organic milk again (which can be hard I buy about 4 1/2 gallons of milk per month), but it was worth it.
The meats came next and it was just the same the taste is so much purer.

As we now buy at Whole Foods and Earth Fare mainly we do still use our "filler" foods at Bilo or Walmart.
I am happy to say that we buy a lot less junk (no soda! rarely sweets! no chips!)
As I see us all transforming to healthier living I can't help but feel like adding workouts in my life wouldn't hurt.
I have been back and forth with zumba, wii fit, and numerous other attempts, but I think I have decided to just go with any kind of workout I feel that day.

Life doesn't have to be this hard, it is what we make it.
You choose how you want to live and I want to live a long and healthy life for my girls.
I know what is important and I am going to bust my butt making it happen.
And it will happen, determination is power.

Start of healthy living Gymnastics once a week 

Swimming in the summer 

Healthy breakfast, lunches, dinners and snacks 

Healthier snacks 

Banana Smoothies 

My little bit shopping at earth fare 

Cuties as drinks!