Join Me in June (Strong is the New Skinny)

I love having goals.
They keep me focused when life gets too busy.
They help me feel good about myself when I accomplish more than dishes and diapers in any given day.
And I don’t know about you, but when I give myself an hour a day to get healthy, it makes me a better mommy and wife. 

After a swim suit, cupcake and beer filled weekend at the lake this past weekend and meeting a fellow St. Louis mom like myself, who loves all things fitness, I felt motivated to step it up a notch.  After three kids in less than four years, nothing will ever look like it used to.  And that’s ok. 
I can still feel good about myself and have energy to keep up with all the kids in my life. 

I owe it to my girls, as well as myself, to be the best possible ME each day.
To give them the happiest and HEALTHIEST mommy possible.

With my home daycare and side business of creating party favor buckets, I will never have the time to work out all day and be a fitness model.  I barely have time to shower. 

However,  if I give myself an hour a day to make fitness a priority, it will add up.
An hour a day = 365 hours in a year.
365 hours in a year =  less fat on your body and more energy.
Less fat on your body and more energy = a life with more joy and  purpose.

You get the point.

So, what do you say?
Do you want to get in shape with me this June?
Reveal a few more ab muscles?
Let’s do it together!

Join me on Instagram, if you have that app or on Twitter (@hausofgirls is my name on both sites) and post your daily walk or run using the hash tag #40milesinJune.
Everyone participating will be able to click on the link to see who is posting and cheer them on!

I think this will be a great way to feel accountable and get motivation and support from others.
If you are not on Instagram, get the app asap. 
If not, post your run or walk on twitter or on my  Haus of Girls Facebook fan page. 

Party favor buckets and running = the perfect combination, right?! 

Finally, if you don’t have Nike+, another fun way to keep track of your miles is an app called MapMyRun GPS Running.  It’s free and tracks your pace, route, distance, calories and elevation. 
Pretty awesome.

So if you’ve been wanting to get back into shape, get your blood pumping and stop making excuses,  take reading this post as a sign.  A sign that it’s time to make a change.  Not only for how you look on the outside, but how you feel on the inside. 

And I’m even going to make a batch of some fun tank tops for anyone who’s interested.
If you’re going to go run you might as well look cute while doing so, right?
I’m thinking white tanks with this phrase…

If you think you may like a tank top, let me know.
Trying to get a count on how many to make.

Let’s do this.
Are you in or are you in?

Go Daddy!

 

We were able to catch a few innings of one of Steve’s games the other night.
This is rare as his games start at 4:15 and I work until 5 everyday so it was extra exciting when the girls found out we could make a game since they were playing right up the street.

After spotting daddy coaching in the dugout they all starting waving and yelling “Hi Dad!”

 

Three cheers for the Mustangs!

Playing a little catch on the sidelines.

Action shot.

Cartwheel time.

Soph and Gracie’s attempts.

More gymnastics.

Love this shot of them “falling” off the edge.

Sophie loved cheering for her daddy’s team.

Jump for joy.

And right after the game when Steve came out…

One…..

Two…

Three…

Four….

Five!

Happy kids because they get to ride with Dad.

#25 of course.

A perfect April day cheering for our favorite guy.

Springtime Photo Shoot (My first photo shoot ever!)

For my first ever photo shoot with my girls, with a real camera (thank you to my sister Haley for letting me borrow her Cannon) I took them to one of our favorite parks, in some super cute digs (thank you Julie for swapping with me) at my favorite time of day. 

After all my clients picked up their children at five, I had the girls grab a snack, get dressed and hop in the car.  Off we went on a spur of the moment Monday night adventure with the promise of earning many marbles for their marble jar if smiles were extra puuuurty  Bribery at it’s finest.

Right before the sun was setting I had the girls frolic around the grassy hill that we took our first family photos back in 2009.  They ran, jumped and played patty cake. 

They also saw a few deer mid shoot!  I bet you can guess which photo that was.

Overall, I think I did pretty well for my first shoot. 
If I knew anything about cameras, I think I would have done a lot better, but Julie gave me a few tips and I will forever have this day frozen in time. 

Which ones are frame worthy?

Write it Down.

You know those cute things your kids say that you swear you will remember forever?
Well, I’m sad to say, you will not.
Take it from this mom who thinks she remembers everything.
You will forget when your three year old says, “Will you microphone my salad mom?” meaning microwave.  Then you’ll ask your hubby five minutes later what she said so you can write it down because you already forgot. 
Crazy. 

So about five years or so ago I bought these journals.
One for each girl to write to them throughout their little lives.  I write the fun things we do and the hilarious things they say, so that I will never ever forget. 

I will give each girl their special book when the graduate high school. 

Gracie will always know about the time she said this….

 

and how she loves to do “piles” with mom and the time we went to see “Chip WRACKED” at the theater.

She will get to read my memoires of her.  What a gift.
I feel if I had my parent’s written words about who I was as a toddler it would be one of my most precious possessions.

 

I write about their latest wardrobe trends….

their favorite activities…..

 

and how special they make every day for their mommy.

Steve writes in it as well.  So it will be double the fun to read on graduation day.

I write about their accomplishments….

  

 

and their courage.

I write what they learn about Jesus….

and random Wednesday nights.

I write about their favorite things…

and favorite memories that they talk about all the time…

 
  

Just in case these memories fade a little, they will always have our written words to remind them.
Remind them of who they were at age 1, 2, 3 , 4 and so on, but also remind them of where they come from. 
No matter where life takes them they will always have a piece of their past to reflect on at any time giving them the roots they need to soar. 

Here are a just a few things I thought were funny that I wanted to share from each of their journals:

Mia:

-September 2008, age 4: While flexing you say to me, “ I eat onions and tomatoes and am so healthy!”
-October 2008, age 4: After school one day you were eating lunch and you say, “Mommy I said a prayer at school today because my friend is sick.”
-October 2008, age 4: While watching ET you kept saying “This really freaks me out!”
-December 2008, age 4: “Gracie you look like your Daddy with all your bald!”
-November 2009, age 5: “Mom, I’m serious, very serious that you’re a good cook.  I gave you two seriouses!”
-August 2010, age 6: “Wow, Mom! These cookies are so good.  You’re going to be a good cook when you grown up because you are still young and have time to work on it.”
-July 2001, age 7: “No offense” often prefaces statements.
-Nov 2011, age 7: The day after Aunt Maggie’s wedding you were bawling.  Teary eyed you came up to me and said that it was such a special day and you wish we could do it all over again.

Sophie:
-October 2008, age 2: “How about tockolate milk today?”
-November 2008, age 2: “My belly doesn’t like butter toast, mom.”
-December 2008, age 2: “Cooby Doo!”
-July 2009, age 3: “My belly is still hungry.”
-Aug 2009, age 3: After I was crying when Mia got on the bus for her very first day of school you looked at me and said, “Mommy, don’t cry. I’m still here.”
-Sept 2009, age 3:  You always say “long kisses!!!” and kiss me for like 10 seconds straight!
Dec 2009, age 3: When  I was singing you looked up at me and said, “Mommy you have a good Boice.”
June 2010, age 4: “Mia your ice cream is Huge-E-Mongus!”
Aug 2010, age 4: Mr. Rogers show came on and you looked at me and said, “Mommy I’m afraid of this show because of the creeeeeepy clown.”
July 2011, age 5: “I feel guilty without my earring.”
-Sept 2011, age 5: “I would love to be a sponge.”
-Dec 2011, age 5: When drinking my coffee while driving the girls somewhere she says, “Mom you know you are not supposed to drink and drive.  It’s illegal.”

 

Gracie:
-April 2009, age 10 months: You do this fun game called Crazy Piggy where you snort and laugh!
-May 2009, age 11 months: Your first word is Uh Oh! You said it every time you drop your toys.
-July 2009, age 13 months: You fold your hands to pray.
-Feb 2010, age 20 months: You yell TOPICS after prayers are said to remind everyone that they have to say their own topic to discuss at the dinner table.
-Aug 2010, age 2: “You have to brush your nose, mom.” Instead of blow your nose.
-Nov 2010, age 2: “Grandpa’s house is cool.”
-July 2011, age 3: “I don’t want to go night night yet mom.  I promise I won’t be cabby.”
-Oct 2011, age 3: “Mom I can really chug!”
-Nov 2011, age 3: Taptoo = Tattoo
-Nov 2011, age 3: “Yuck mom, your breath smells like a raccoon!”  (PS I almost peed my pants after this one!)

So my assignment to you this week is to go to Target and buy some journals.
Start from the beginning.  Tell them about your pregnancy.  How you were feeling. 
What it was like when they entered your world. 

Then every month write down what your family has been up to and what adorable or crazy things they have done to make you smile or make you cry. 

Wrap it up on their graduation day and cry your eyes out. 
Are you in?