Multiplication Tables

I distinctly remember learning multiplication in third grade.  I had Mr. Little for math and we had to be tested every week to see if we could pass off a new set of multiplication numbers.

I was shocked when last month Aiden, who is in first grade, brings home is math homework and is flying through multiplication problems.  He does not need help at all, he knows them perfectly.  I am so amazed at how quickly he learns and how much more advanced his school is compared to when I went to school.  I would not be surprised if he surpasses my knowledge in the next few years and I loved math.

I love you Aiden and congratulations!

Taylor's Cheerleading

We have a friend who is the cheerleading coach for Highland High School.  She invited Taylor to attend a kids cheerleading camp.  Taylor was so excited!  She wanted to learn cheers and dance with other girls her age.  As soon as we got there she became very reserved and quiet. 

When Taylor gets nervous she wants mom.  I sat behind her during the cheers and keep my hand on her back the entire time, except for this short video I tried to get.  I don't blame her for being scared.  She did not know a single girl there.  The poor cheerleaders had no idea how to help Taylor feel more comfortable.  I stayed with her and we had a good time. 

She learned a couple of cheers and dances.  At the end she even got a t-shirt and pom-poms.  She was going to perform at a basketball game but it was the same night as her Princess Ball.

Aiden and Austin came with us and sat and watched the whole time.  Actually Austin tried to join in so he could get more treats.

My Little Reader

Taylor is growing up so quickly.  I can't believe she is starting kindergarten in the fall.  However, Taylor can't wait to go to Kindergarten and get her own lunch box.

At preschool she has been working hard at learning all of her sounds and starting to read. Last week she progressed to bringing home books.  So far she has read six full books.  She does amazing!  After we read each word she gets a high five, and a great big hug and kiss. 

Yesterday was her Parent Teacher Conference.  Taylor has progressed so quickly the last few months.  She knows all the sounds for each letter.  She acutally calls the letters by their sounds then the acutal name.  She can count to well over 100.  She is playing violin so well at school and at home.  Taylor has always been a little more reserved.  At school she is opening up more and participating.

I love my Missy Moo, Princess, Baby Girl, Sweet Pea Taylor!

Week One a Success

The first week of my 29 day challenge has been a success.  I love my spinach smoothies every morning and I have some amazing snacks.  The kids and Thad have been eating them with me.  Lunch and dinner have been a little harder.  We have found a number of items that I can eat but full meals took a couple of days to figure out.

Here are some of my favorite snacks:
Larabars - I love the apple pie and the chocolate coconut
Funky Monkey - Freeze dried fruit
Beanitos - black bean chips, delicious with fresh salsa

Since I had melanoma a couple years ago and since then I had basal cell twice, I am really concerned about how my diet affects cancer growth.  I have never been a huge meat eater. I actually stopped eating all beef for about 10 years.  My reason was not as an animal activist.  I lived in England during the Mad Cow scare.  Ever since then I have not enjoyed beef.  I still ate chicken, turkey and fish.  After Aiden was born, I realized how my diet affected him.  He refused to eat meat.  This made me worried so I started eating beef again when I became pregnant with Taylor.

My downfall is dairy products.  I love milk and cheese.  I have missed these the most on my diet along with breads.  However, last night at my weekly 29 day challenge meeting we had a vegan mac and cheese.  It was really good.  They used nutritional yeast instead of cheese.  I am going to try and make it for my family this weekend.  I am not having the kids or Thad follow the diet as strictly as I am.  They both have daily products and occasionally chicken.

Last night I watched the movie "Forks over Knives".  It was very interesting.  It promoted a vegan diet to help prevent and treat a lot of diseases including heart disease and cancer.  FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. If you are interested the movie is streaming on Netflix. 

Week 1 Stats:
Lost 2 1/2 pounds
Lost a total of 2 inches

29 Day Challenge

I love Pilate's!  I feel so relaxed and refreshed after working out.  Thad has been so kind to let me go to a Pilate's studio three times a week.  He watches the kids for the hour I am gone and helps them finish their homework and even gets them ready for bed. 

Last week when I was finishing my class, they had a 29 Day Challenge planning meeting.  Without telling Thad that I was going to be late, I stayed for the meeting. Unfortunately, Thad became really worried as I was over an hour late returning home with no phone call.  I am usually really good at calling if I am late so this made him concerned. However, I am glad I stayed. 

For the month of February, I have committed to improving my overall health by changing my diet and exercising more.  I will continue to go to the Pilate's studio three times a week and run at least three times a week.  In addition to my exercise routine I am changing my diet completely. 

The challenge consists of changing to a plant-based diet.  This is a completely vegan diet.  I am not very well informed on vegan diets, but with this diet I avoid all meat, dairy, soy and gluten. This has been challenging.  I have lots of smoothies with pea protein mixed with fruit and veggies. Surprisingly, the kids really enjoy the smoothies.  They ask me to add spinach to every smoothie and they want it for breakfast and a snack after school.

The purpose of the 29 day challenge is not to lose weight, but to learn how to eat better.  The process should help me lose the belly I gained from having three kids. Two days in and I am down 2.5 pounds.  Thad is doing this as well and he is down almost 5 pounds.

After the 29 days I can start adding lean proteins and dairy back into my diet.

Dance and Hip Hop Classes

Last week Taylor and Isabella started tumbling and dance classes. I love the studio and the teachers are former Jazz dancers. It is so cute to see these little girls dancing around the studio.  Taylor loves the class because the room is pink and there are mirrors.  After every walk on the beam, dance across the floor or any move at all she checks herself out in the mirror and fixes her hair.  She is my little four year old diva. I can't wait to see her perform at her recital in June.

Since Taylor and Isabella loved the classes so much we decided to let the boys try hip hop.  Aiden, Alexander and Jaxson all went to an hour long hip hop class.  They focused really hard and started to learn a new routine.  The girls sat in the waiting area and talked and played. 

Family Activity - Relax at Home

This weekend we decided to spend our family activity relaxing at home.  I realized we don't need to plan extravagant activities for our activities. The most important thing is the quality time we spend together.  We are a family and it is so important that we love and respect each other.
We are extremely lucky to have a family that loves to spend time together.  Aiden and Dad played Lego Universe, which is shutting off today.  Aiden and Taylor played Halo with little figurines, not the video game. We all played cars with Austin and built castles out of blocks. We curled up on the bed watching movies and ate popcorn.

We will do anything for each other.  As a family we have good times and bad times, happy and sad moments, but no matter what we love each other.  There are times when life seems difficult and as long as we stick together and support one another we will all get through it.