life or something like it

School is going to start soon....Horray!!

I'm ready to reclaim my house.

Did I mention that I will be a student this year as well?

I'm going to college....I'm nervous as all get out, even though I'm only taking a few classes.  It's not that I don't think that I can do it...it's just that with all I do around the house and with the kids, I'm wondering how it will all work out.  I'm guessing about the same as when I was working part time.  Only this time I have to find every opportunity that I can to study and let's face it, this house is prettttty noisy, so I'm not sure how that will pan out.  We shall see....

Nathan learned how to ride his bike without training wheels.

He was so proud of himself.  The funny thing was Rich adjusted his training wheels one day when Nathan wasn't looking and they weren't even touching the ground when he was riding.  But they gave him support and helped him balance when his bike was stopped.

Well, one day last week, Rich took the wheels off and Nathan was upset because he thought he couldn't ride his bike anymore.

Then, he went out to play one afternoon and after about 20 minutes he came inside with this huge smile on his face and exclaimed that he could now ride his bike.

I absolutely love it when they learn something new and how totally excited they get when they do it.

I can't keep these three out of the little pool we got Nathan for his birthday.

swim, swim, swim...all day, every day.  they love it!

We've had some freak storms...one that blew the roof off their play fort.

Seriously just put this on and within two weeks it was blown off.

Yep, still on Nutrisystem ... :)

Been making lots of these to sell in my etsy shop....

 

Made one for Sarah to take to volleyball tryouts too...

Poor Amanda tripped and fell and busted her head open, had to get stitches.  So I made her this treat to cheer her up.  And Nathan made her a get well soon card too.  We are probably going to visit her later today at her apartment.

Kinda sad that summer is almost over...

I love when school starts, but I also love summer and the sun, it never seems to last long enough, does it?

Hey Mom, Look What I Did (#44)

Welcome to the 44th Edition of

Hey Mom, Look What I Did!!

here's a look at some of my faves this week

Faux Sand Art



(we love making salt art and this colored salt is super cool!)

Elephant Watering Can

(Can you believe this is made from milk jugs?! - Neato!)

Clothespin Jungle

(such a cute idea, that can be used to make other fun play sets)

Herman the German Friendship Cake

(interesting.....I have never heard of this before, but it looks and sounds like a cool idea)

Now, it's your turn to show us what you've been working on this week and I can't wait to see it!!

Please share your craft projects, baking activities and other fun kid friendly adventures. Grab the link button and put it on your blog, if you like, so that others can find us and share in the fun too.

There are no requirements, but I would love if you would follow this blog via GFC.

I also would like to invite you to come hang out with me on facebook and twitter, where I feature and share some your fabulous projects during the week.

Thanks for joining us....Hope to see you again soon!!

<center> <a href="http://adventures-in-mommy-land.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/jfamilyofeight/art_supplies-3.gif"/></a></center>

My 15th Week on Nutrisystem

Today wraps up my 15th week on Nutrisystem.

Can you believe I started this journey 15 weeks ago?

It's been an incredible ride and no where near over (thankfully!!!).

I have some pretty exciting news to share, I not only lost 20 pounds so far, but I also worked my way out of the "obese" bracket.  At 160 pounds, I am now considered "overweight".

I struggled a bit with whether or not I was going to share that I was considered obese....because it seems like such a horrid word, not to mention embarrassing.

Obese

Seriously, I never thought I was obese at 180 pounds.  I thought I was just overweight.  I mean, I'm not stupid and realized that at my height (5'2 1/2") that I was pretty heavy (still am), but never in a million years did I think of myself as obese.  I mean obese people are the ones on The Biggest Loser, right? The ones that have to lose hundreds of pounds? Not someone who is 50-60 pounds overweight....surely, I wasn't obese? Yep, there was a whole lot of denial going on in my mind. 

Obese

That sounds like a scary word, doesn't it?

You know what's even scarier?

Morbidly Obese

With six children and a husband to take care of I can't afford to be morbidly obese.  I have seven people depending on me to take care of them.  How can I take care of them, when I can't even take care of myself? What if the "morbid" part came true? Who would care for my children? My disabled husband? I couldn't do that to my children anymore.  I couldn't do that to myself anymore.

I still have a long way to go to get to what is considered a healthy weight for my height...but I have faith in myself that I can achieve that goal.  It might take some time, but anything worthy in life is worth the time and effort.

The best part about losing 20 pounds so far is the amount of energy that I have now.  I am doing things that I haven't done in years.  I rode a bike for the first time the other day....the last time I rode a bike I was probably 16 years old.  I was always afraid to ride bikes with the kids, because I didn't want to look foolish (you know like my butt would look so big that it swallowed the seat haha), or like people would stare and say look at that fat chick on the bike. 

But a few nights ago, I took the kids with me on a walk and they rode their bikes.  I looked at them and thought to myself, why not and said "Hey Sarah, let me try riding your bike."  She jumped off and I hesitantly climbed on and started pedaling.  I was a little shaky at first, but I got the hang of it.  Then Sarah started running beside me with this huge grin on her face.  She said "it's all about the balance Mom, do you want me to hold onto the seat while you ride." LOL!

There are so many emotions about that one silly moment of riding that bike.

One, was the look on her face and the little boys' faces when they saw me riding.  It's a look that I have seen alot lately.  

a look of pride

a look of love

a look of awe

Two, was the pride in myself that I am letting go of fear and embarrassment and living in the moment.

Three, was the feeling that I actually can do things that I thought I couldn't do anymore....and it sure feels awesome!

I am realizing how much I enjoy playing with my kids and how much they love playing with me.

playing foursquare

These kids and their smiles......makes the whole journey worth it!

Do you want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

4/27/12 - 180 (starting weight)

5/04/12 - 175 (week one)

5/11/12 - 174 (week two)

5/18/12 - 172 (week three)

5/25/12 - 170 (week four)

6/01/12 - 169 (week five)

6/08/12 - 169 (week six)

6/15/12 - 168 (week seven)

6/22/12 - 166 (week eight)

6/29/12 - 166 (week nine)

7/06/12 - 166 (week ten)

7/13/12 - 164 (week eleven)

7/20/12 - 164 (week twelve)

7/27/12 - 165 (week thirteen)

8/03/12 - 163 (week fourteen)

8/10/12 - 160 (week fifteen)

*Disclosure ~ I am receiving access to the website and food in exchange for reviewing the diet plan. All opinions herein are my own and not influenced by Nutrisystem.

Meet Megan of Cow Patties Cloth Diapers

Introducing

Megan

of

Cow Patties Cloth Diapers

Tell us about yourself......I'm a work at home mom with a cloth diaper business. I have 3 kids; H is 6, M is 4 and S is 3. We also have a family farm.

 What do you create.......Cloth diapers and accessories

 Why do you create.......When we started cloth diapering our oldest, we were poor and so it was cheaper to make my own for him.

 Do you sell your creations? If so, how?Yes, on Fb and then a website

 What are your favorite materials to work with......minky and funky prints

 When do you find time to create....
After the kids are in bed. Trying to sew while they are awake is a disaster

How do you balance your business with your family life......
I mainly attend to my business after the kids are in bed for the night or during quiet time. There are times when they are up and they help with things. I think it's good for them to realize that my business helps us put food on the table and that sometimes it does come first

How did your business get started and how long did it take for it to grow.......
Started in 2007 as I mentioned before and really hit it's stride within the last year

Any advice you would like to share.....
Don't think that your business will be some over night success, it takes lots of hard work, time and word of mouth to get yourself out there

 

Please take a few minutes and check out Megan's site:

Cow Patties Cloth Diapers for pricing and policy information.

And to see all of her cute diaper covers and custom orders, visit

Cow Patties Cloth Diapers on facebook.

 

Fashionable Fabrics GIVEAWAY - CLOSED

So, I recently shared on my facebook page that I have a new blog sponsor and that I was going to have a fun giveaway to celebrate. Well, Fashionable Fabrics has graciously offered a $35 gift certificate to one lucky winner!!

Fashionable Fabrics is an online fabric store filled with the latest fabrics, trims and notions.  They also have a wide selection of novelty fabric.  I just purchased some super cute fabric from this section the other day, so I can tell you first hand how huge the selection is.  Their fabric by theme section is easy to navigate and locate your favorites quickly. 

Not looking to buy a whole yard? Then the remnant section is the perfect place for you. 

Looking for a great deal? Well, their sale selection is updated on a regular basis, so check it out.  I do, almost daily.

They have affordable prices and ship not only in the U.S, but internationally as well.  And right now they are offering a flat rate shipping price of $4.95 or less (open to U.S. orders for a limited time).

Let's get this giveaway started.......


how to enter:

Like Fashionable Fabrics on facebook

Follow Fashionable Fabrics on twitter

Follow Fashionable Fabrics on pinterest

Like Adventures In Mommy Land on facebook

Follow Adventures In Mommy Land via Google Friend Connect

Follow Adventures In Mommy Land on twitter

Tweet about this giveaway on twitter

Share this giveaway on facebook



That's 8 ways to enter....Please leave a comment for each entry (and make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win).

Contest will run until Monday, August 20 at midnight est.  Winner will be chosen via random number generator and will have 24 hours upon notification to respond.  I will announce the winner on my facebook page.

Good Luck!!


This giveaway is now closed, thank you to all who entered.

Flat Stanley is going on vacation....

Nathan's first grade classroom did a Flat Stanley project this year and Nathan absolutely loved it.  He asked me if we could do one as a summer project, I figured why not.

So, Flat Stanley is taking a trip around the U.S.

He's traveling to Florida, Alabama, New York and even as far away as California.

If you would like to host a visit from Flat Stanley as well....email me (jfamilyofeightAThotmailDOTcom) or message me on facebook. 

The boys would love to see Flat Stanley travel to as many places as possible.

And of course, we'll share his adventures with all of you.

Stay tuned....

Hey Mom, Look What I Did (#43)

Welcome to the 43rd edition on

 Hey Mom, Look What I Did!!!

here's a look at some of my faves this week...

Olympic Cheer Masks

(Such a cute idea and you can use these for other fun times as well)

Painted Bread Art

(what an interesting idea)

DIY Fishing Game

(Love this!!!)

Lots of Letter O Activities

(love the little octopus!)

Now, it's your turn to show us what you've been working on this week and I can't wait to see it!!

Please share your craft projects, baking activities and other fun kid friendly adventures. Grab the link button and put it on your blog, if you like, so that others can find us and share in the fun too.

There are no requirements, but I would love if you would follow this blog via GFC.

I also would like to invite you to come hang out with me on facebook and twitter, where I feature and share some your fabulous projects during the week.

Thanks for joining us....Hope to see you again soon!!

<center><a href="http://adventures-in-mommy-land.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/jfamilyofeight/art_supplies-3.gif"/></a></center>    

My 14th week on Nutrisystem

 Today wraps up my 14th week on Nutrisystem.

After being stuck at the same weight for weeks and then last week's very slight gain (from medication), I'm happy to say that a little hard work and some determination have paid off....I lost 2 pounds.

(163 pounds)

 

This whole process is unbelievably hard and it tries your patience and it can be a slow process, which will make you want to just throw in the towel and quit sometimes.  But then again it's worth it.  Anything you want to achieve you can....you have to believe in yourself and just keep going.  That's a lesson that I have learned quite a few times in my life, but for some reason it never quite hit home, until now.

Seeing how proud my children are of me....makes me want to keep going.  Seeing them smile while I'm walking with them and running along while they play makes it worth it.  Knowing how happy they are when I play frisbee and I'm willing to go outside and be more active with them, makes me feel like a better mom....and that is totally worth the effort and hard work.

As I sit here and say these things, I think, I must sound pretty silly saying that I now play with my kids.  I played with my kids all the time, but not in the sense that I do now.  In the past, my idea of playing with my kids meant rolling matchbox cars around on the floor.  Or sitting in a sandbox building sandcastles.  Or setting up train sets and then pushing a remote to make it go.  Or playing pretend with Little People sets.  Yes, that is playing with them and spending time with them.  But when it came to running outside or playing hopscotch or jumping rope or anything active, really, I wouldn't or simply couldn't do it.  I was tired of sitting on the sidelines and watching life pass me by (and something tells me that you are too).

I remember years ago, when I first got married and started gaining weight, Rich wanted to play tennis with me.  So he bought me a racket and we went to the tennis courts....and as he ran back and forth hitting the ball to me, I just stood there.  I complained when he didn't hit the ball right to me.  I complained when I had to run after the ball.  I complained about being hot and being outside and just not liking the sport at all.

I think back to all that complaining.

It wasn't that I didn't like the sport.....I didn't like the me that I had become.  All that extra weight not only weighed me down physically, but emotionally as well.  I was miserable.

Now, that I am losing weight, I not only feel physically better about myself, but emotionally better too.  I am letting go of so many feelings that weighed me down and made me feel unimportant, made me feel like a bad mother and wife.

I still struggle, but the struggle is different now and it's totally worth it.

When my husband walks past me and whistles at me.

When my kids smile at me when I'm playing with them.

When my friends and family tell me I look happy.

It's ALL worth it!

So many people think that you need to starve yourself to lose weight...or go on extreme diets....or exercise til you can't feel your legs.

All you need is your own body and some determination and 30 minutes a day.

You don't need a fancy treadmill or a gym membership.

God gave you two legs....use them.

Look at your watch, set a timer and start walking.  Walk 15 minutes, then turn around and walk back.  That's all you need.  Eat more veggies, more protein, less carbs and sugar.   And drink plenty of water....and yes, when you first start drinking lots of water, you will have to flush it out.  But, you can consider all those trips to the bathroom just another form of exercise LOL!

Most importantly,

Get moving and Don't quit!

 

4/27/12 - 180 (starting weight)

5/04/12 - 175 (week one)

5/11/12 - 174 (week two)

5/18/12 - 172 (week three)

5/25/12 - 170 (week four)

6/01/12 - 169 (week five)

6/08/12 - 169 (week six)

6/15/12 - 168 (week seven)

6/22/12 - 166 (week eight)

6/29/12 - 166 (week nine)

7/06/12 - 166 (week ten)

7/13/12 - 164 (week eleven)

7/20/12 - 164 (week twelve)

7/27/12 - 165 (week thirteen)

8/03/12 - 163 (week fourteen)

Do you want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

*Disclosure ~ I am receiving access to the website and food in exchange for reviewing the diet plan. All opinions herein are my own and not influenced by Nutrisystem.

Hey Mom, Look What I Did (#42)

Welcome to the 42nd edition of

Hey Mom, Look What I Did!!!

here's a look at some of my favorites....

Make Your Own Parking Lot

(I can think of alot of little boys who would love this idea)

Olympic Crafts for Kids

(celebrate the Olympics with kids by making these cute crafts)

Olympic Painting

(more Olympic fun for little ones)

Now, it's your turn to show us what you've been working on this week and I can't wait to see it!!

Please share your craft projects, baking activities and other fun kid friendly adventures. Grab the link button and put it on your blog, if you like, so that others can find us and share in the fun too.

There are no requirements, but I would love if you would follow this blog via GFC.

I also would like to invite you to come hang out with me on facebook and twitter, where I feature and share some your fabulous projects during the week.

Thanks for joining us....Hope to see you again soon!!

<center><a href="http://adventures-in-mommy-land.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/jfamilyofeight/art_supplies-3.gif"/></a></center>    

Nathan's Cheeseburger Birthday Cake

I made this for Nathan's birthday.

I found the recipe here

The recipe looks a lot more complicated than it actually is.

The Ingredients

2  18.5 ounce boxes chocolate cake mix

8 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup green decorating sugar or granulated sugar

8 spearmint leaf gummy candies

1 yellow sugar sheet made by Wilton's

1 16-ounce tub vanilla frosting

1 16-ounce tub chocolate frosting

3/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring

5 drops red food coloring

2 tablespoons crispy rice cereal

*their recipe calls for orange fondant to make the cheese....but I used the sugar sheet to make it easier.  Also, instead of using the food coloring, I used Wilton's brown food paste coloring (just a tiny bit, because honestly when you add the chocolate frosting to the vanilla it makes a nice light brown color anyway).

The Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl and two 8-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray. Beat the cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer.

Divide the batter among the bowl and pans; bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes for the pans and about 45 minutes for the bowl. Cool in the pans 15 minutes, then unmold onto racks.

Make the lettuce: Sprinkle some green or white sugar on a cutting board (I used wax paper). Roll out the spearmint candies to 1/8 inch thick with a rolling pin, sprinkling with more sugar to keep the candies from sticking.

Cut each flattened gummy piece into 3 strips. Fold each strip accordion-style to make ruffles; pinch the ends together.

Trim the top of 1 round cake and the flat side of the bowl cake to make them level; crumble the trimmings. Mix the vanilla frosting, 4 tablespoons chocolate frosting and the yellow and red food coloring in a bowl to make a light brown frosting.

Make the bottom bun: Put the trimmed round cake on a serving plate or cake board. Frost with some of the light brown frosting. Arrange the gummy-candy ruffles around the edge of the cake.

Make the patty: Spread the remaining chocolate frosting over the top and sides of the untrimmed round cake. Press the crumbled cake trimmings into the frosting.

(this is what the sugar sheet looks like, in case you were wondering)

Assemble the burger: Put the chocolate patty on the bottom bun, then drape the sugar sheet on top. Frost the bowl-shaped cake with the remaining light brown frosting; place on the patty. Press the rice cereal into the frosting.

This makes for one Very Happy Birthday boy!