Snow Day

We finally got the snow we've been missing all winter.  Eleven inches and still slowly coming down.  Steve ended up getting a day off from work, but went in for a little bit this morning to do some paperwork (the advantage...or disadvantage of living a mile from the school).  While Steve was at school and Bode was taking his morning nap, Maggie and I ventured out for some fun in the snow.

The snow was perfect for a snowman.

 We made a little baby snowman that she cradled in her arms and had to bring over to the mommy snowman.  We ended up making a daddy, too.

It was so much fun to be out in the SNOW!

Maggie wanted to wear Daddy's orange hat.

Asia had a blast, too, of course.

 When we came inside, we enjoyed some freshly baked banana cookies from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  We'll be bringing some over later for a friend that just had a baby.

 Maggie also found a cozy place to snuggle up between the wall and the couch.  This is so something I loved as a child!

I think today's fresh snow made up for the rest of the winter. :)

A Split Weekend

This weekend was a busy one. Our niece and nephew had a birthday party on Saturday (Happy Birthday, Eli and Lily!) while a dear old friend of mine had a baby shower back home.  So Steve and Maggie stayed back to help celebrate while Bode and I went to Fairmont.

Some of my sweet childhood friends celebrating Heather and her baby, due April 1st.

We always laugh when we're together.  :)

 I missed helping celebrate birthdays, and Steve and Maggie were greatly missed in Fairmont, but Grammy, Bapa, and Aunt Aimee had fun spending a little more one-on-one time with little Bode.

Bode entertained Grammy and Bapa with his love for fingers.

Bode loooves Grammy.

We all had a wonderful weekend, but it was great to reunite our family of four.  So thankful for family and friends!

Smelling Pumpkin Bread

Maggie loves to help me bake.  She usually loves the finished product even more.  I just had to share the following video of her smelling some freshly baked pumpkin bread.  She practiced self control and only smelled, not touched, the bread while we waited to share it with friends.

A 30 Day Challenge

As I write this, I'm still sweating from my 30th day of The 30 Day Shred.  Yep, I did all 30 days!  Whereas I was able to do P90X the summer after I had Maggie (ok, techinally just 60 of the 90 days), Jillian's 25 minute workout is a bit more doable to fit into my schedule with two kids.

I started out trying to work out when both kids were sleeping, but this usually ended with me getting frustrated as I'd have to stop midway to tend to Bode.  I have found the better routine is to work out during Bode's morning nap.  For the most part this arrangement has worked pretty well, but it has not been without challenges.  For example, Maggie would often keep asking me the same question over and over until I was able to huff out an answer or acknowledgement in between gasps and grunts.  Then there was the time I kicked her in the face while doing butt kicks (when I told Steve about this, he responded, "On purpose?"  What???).  Overall it has been somewhat successful, and I was able to power through with the best encouragements from Maggie.  "I'm so proud of you!"  She even joined me sometimes.

Situps

"I'm so strong!"

I'll spare you the before and after photos, but this has been a good start to getting back into shape after baby.  Other resources in this journey have been the My Fitness Pal app which helps me keep track of calories in and calories out...

...and of course, Shaklee Cinch shakes for breakfast.  Lots of protein and leucine to maintain muscle mass.

 Here's to staying healthy!

First Haircut!

Bode was blessed with lots of hair as a newborn, just like his sister. Even though it's getting longer, he's going through normal thinning up top and rubbing spots in the back bare while sleeping. The sides were the only part on his head where the hair stayed thick and kept getting longer. It was starting to look a little goofy, and I never knew whether I should comb the long hair back, tuck it behind his ears, or let it go wild. I decided it was time for a haircut.

I love his crazy curls up top, so I only trimmed the sides.

I think he looks pretty handsome!

And We're Back

Ok, take two on this whole blog thing. I just realized my last post was over a year ago. So much has happened this past year! I need to start documenting this stuff, not just for friends and family, but also for my own memory.

Well let's start a year ago. Last January (the 29th, to be exact) I discovered I was expecting again. In May we learned it was a boy, and we welcomed sweet Bode Christian on October 17th, 2011 at 12:10 pm. He was 8 lbs 7 oz and 21.5 in long.

Taken by Lemon Peel Photography

Slightly lower maintenance than his sister as an infant, he still loves to be held whenever possible. We *almost* perfected the jiggling, swaddling, white noise routine for baby soothing as suggested by Dr. Harvey Karp. Maggie has stepped up to the plate as a very loving and helpful big sister, and despite Bode still not sleeping through the night at 4 months, we're all adjusting quite well to our precious addition.

Other notable occurrences of 2011:

• Just over a year ago Steve accepted a job as Assistant to the Principal at Isanti Middle School/Minnesota Center (basically Assistant Principal on teacher contract). It has been a good fit for Steve as he finishes up his administrative license. He has brought PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) to the school and works hard to emphasize what kids are doing well rather than focusing solely on the negative behavior. Below is an example of his dedication to his job!

• Maggie turned 2 in September! She continues to be a constant source of entertainment in our family, and we are perpetually amazed by her energy. She loves singing, animals, and going to ECFE on Tuesdays.

Dora-themed birthday celebration.

The happy 2 year old.

• As for me, I'm enjoying being a stay-at-home-mom. I still love sharing healthy living with Shaklee. My online teaching gig fell through for this year, but I sub on the side a few times a month, when possible. I stay plenty busy, trust me.

I'm inspired to keep this blog going, so stay tuned!

Kisses

Maggie loooves giving kisses. If we're saying good-bye to anyone(and I mean anyone), she has to kiss that person. Okay, we don't let her kiss EVERYONE. No grocery store cashiers, coffee shopt baristas, etc.

Bedtime is no exception. When I say it's time for bed, she has to run back and forth to Steve and I and give kisses upon kisses. And she has to make sure that every single stuffed animal gets one as well. Love it.