January's Off To A Good Start

I mentioned before that I was starting the South Beach diet a few months back.  We've done really well, Daddy and I.  I am proud to be back to eating healthier and setting a better example for our kids.  It's been an off year with getting settled into a new life again.  But we're back!  Eating well and managing money are big on my list this year.  Anyway, I am so glad to have Dad's support in this, there is no way I could have done it without him.  He did ALL the cooking for phase 1, and if he hadn't I would have quit.  No question about it!  We did 2.5 weeks on phase one and I finally didn't feel like I was going to split the seams of my pants.  Phase 2 is much easier and feels like something I could do long term.  I haven't eaten real ice cream in about 3 months now and I don't plan on going back - well, until Nelsons opens!   I even made it through the holidays without too much back tracking.  I lost 12 pounds total and maybe put one back on.  I am happy with that.  Now I have to get back on track now that Ty's Birthday party is over.  Not sure I'm up for the whole phase one deal again though...

Daddy took a bunch of time off of work at the end of 08.  It was so nice to have him home.  He's been working hard to organize the unfinished side of the basement, so that someday we can build rooms and things down there.  Also while Daddy was home, he decided it was time that Aubree got potty trained!  I was not convinced that she would be a willing participant and had decided that it was not worth my trouble to fight with her.  But, a different parent, different relationship, I figured it could work.  And if he wanted to try I sure wasn't going to stop him.  Much to my surprise, it took!!  Even after the first week of 'training' I thought it was too stressful and she'd give up.  But after a few more days she really got the hang of it.  She is so very proud of herself.  It's been 2.5 weeks since we first started and she's wearing undies every day and is doing GREAT!  After Daddy's time off, potty training and the Gramma's visits, it's nice to get back to our normal routine.  I really love our pajama Mondays.  

Last week I got to have a girls night out with my 3 best friends here in MN.  Melissa's birthday was on New Years Eve and we all went out to a fabulous restaurant in downtown Stillwater called Stones, I think.  We all put on real people clothes, and make up and did our hair and put smell good on.  The girl all wore black boots - a must have for going out in the winter in Mn, which of course I don't have.  I'm sure I've had a pair in the past, but I'm not sure what became of them.  Melissa's boots even had stiletto heels.  We were a good lookin' bunch.  We all either split dishes or got just appetizers to keep the bill down, in true Mom fashion.  We had the most wonderfully yummy dessert I've had in a very long time.  (I obviously didn't stick to my diet on this outing.)  It was like a brownie with chocolate ganache (sp?) wrapped up like a pastry with chocolate drizzle and real vanilla ice cream on top.  And whatever you're thinking, it was better. 

 We were done before 7pm and couldn't think of a thing to do that wouldn't cost a fortune.  Movies are long and expensive and no one really drinks so a bar is out.  We are so awesome, we went to Target!!  Yippeeeeee.  I needed a few things, and Target is a whole different experience when your kids are at home with Dad.  We still had a good time even at Target.  I'm so grateful for my girlfriends.  It's been a long time since I've had good friends and my life is much happier with them in it.

Ty's Birthday party was yesterday.  It went really well, we had Tucker, Jake and Katie, Dylan and Lauren, Leah and Owen, Sailor and Allie from Preschool.  Daddy made amazing snacks for everyone.  And Ty and I spent the previous night cooking up some BLUE cake that we frosted just before the party.  Two years ago he really wanted a blue cake and when I asked the store if they could do it, to my surprise, they said no!  I finally feel like life has calmed down enough that I was ready to try and make him a cake.  I thought I would always make my kids' cake, but my first try before Ty's first birthday wasn't very impressive.  I'm sure my standards have lowered since then, but I think that's a good thing.  I stress too much.  So, I was super excited to finally give Ty his blue cake.   It was 2 layers.  The bottom one was dark bright blue then a layer of white frosting and a layer of light blue cake.  Then blue frosting, for water, and chocolate for land.  Then we put a shark in the water with a creepy skeleton pirate dude riding him, and a treasure chest on the shore guarded by a saber tooth cat and a pirate and some other cool stuff.  At the party the kids ran around and squealed batting pirate balloons around the basement.  Ty raced through presents faster and more excitedly than anyone had ever seen before.  He shrieked with excitement and screamed thank you at people around him.  And let me tell you he got some amazing gifts.  We will be practicing his writing for thank you notes to all his great friends.