Love, love, Love them....

I have to put this post in pink. Just for Lauryn.

Dalton has a friend Keaton. They are really good buds. Like best friends. Keaton has a great sense of humour and is so kind that sometimes it gets him into trouble. (ie. he does something wrong, knows it and tells on himself. LOL) He comes from a great family. Over the years we have all become friends through our kids. Keaton's mother is a very creative woman.

Creative in so many ways. She scrapbooks for a major American magazine, she works for a scrap booking company, she does demonstrations all over the USA, and she is a photographer. Just recently Leslie has started her own business. It was a long time coming and she is such a talent at it.

Stephanie and Todd went to the funfair with us back in May and Leslie was offering a photo shoot as one of the silent auction items. I told Steph it was so worth it because Les is so good at what she does. So she bid and she won.

Well Leslie definitely didn't disappoint. She posting just a few pics so far on her web page. I am so in love with them. She did a fabulous job! I am sure that Todd and Steph are not disappointed either. Steph told me what a good job Les did before she even saw any of the pictures.

Leslie is coming to the east cost in August so if you want her to take some pictures for you call her and book her quick!!

Here is her link!! Check our all her beautiful photo's and of course the little pumpkins photo's too!!

http://leslielightfootphotography.com/

Thanks Les for doing such a wonderful job. I know that Todd and Steph will cherish them forever.

( photo is copy written and is used for advertisement for Leslie Lightfoot photography only)

It all takes an effort.

Did you ever notice that anything that is ever worthwhile in your life takes an effort?

• Your kids bring you so much love, grief, comfort, pain, happiness, unhappiness but most of all Love. They take so much effort. They need people to take the time to make them into good human beings. Caring human beings. Not selfish, not hurtful, just all around good people. It all takes time. In the end if you have taught them right it will be worthwhile.

• Your job. If you don't put some kind of worthwhile effort into it and you don't enjoy it and then your unhappy, struggling and miserable. It takes an effort to be happy and good at it. No matter what the job may be.

• Friendships. If you want a friendship to last for a lifetime, you have to put an effort in. If you don't the friends distance themselves and the friendship fades and people move on. Friendships are 50/50 both people need to make the effort or it won't last.

• Marriage. It works alot the same way as a friendship. If it is going to last then you have to make an effort. It has to be 50/50 whether it is money, kids, time, housework all the things that come in a relationship, it has to be an honest effort by both people or it just doesn't work. And divorce is inevitable.

My health is finally one of those things that I am going to make an effort. I have been making an effort. It is a priority. Pain or no pain, if it is worthwhile then I have to make and effort.

So I guess with that being stated that I must think......

THAT I AM WORTH IT!

It takes a lot to admit it but as I have been feeling better I think I have become better at all the things I said above. whether it is because I am not tired, sluggish and exhausted I don't know but whatever it is I am glad that after 38 years that I am finally not afraid to say it!

9.5 inches...

9.5 inches....

Do you measure yourself? I have to admit. I normally don't. I haven't in the past. I have noticed though that since the new year when I decided enough was enough and that I wanted to get this done, accomplished and start reliving and enjoying all my life. That I figured I would just take some measurements to start out with.

Well. since January 7Th it would appear that I have lost a total of 9.5 inches over all.

I have lost 6 in my waist. hips was 1. Neck was 1.5. And my arms were 1. I knew that my pant were loose but holy am I happy about that.

Steph has been keeping me going. I have walked everyday this week with or without her. My feet and one calf are giving me struggles but I am going to win. I have to win. She is a real goer which I love, but holy. My feet are glad to shed those shoes once we get home. THANKS STEPH!!

I just think. 9.5 inches. That's something to be proud of.

And I am.

Looking forward to summer...

Summer has always been my favorite time of year. We spend lots of time outside. LOTS. We have a pool and the kids bug to go everyday, rain or shine. Which is good easy exercise. Lots of days while they play and swim I jog around the outside of the pool. They think that I am doing it for their benefit, and for many reasons I am. My health, easier on the bones and joints and they love the cyclone effect they get.

I have to admit though, I think that even though I look terrible in pictures. I am feeling much better even when I put that swimsuit on and it is loose. Not tight sucked to every inch of my body.

I still don't look good in a swimsuit. Compared to last year at this time, I certainly feel better in it. I feel better in it and I feel better emotionally in it.

It's no bikini body, and I am not ever wanting it to be. I just want to be comfortable in the skin I wear and whatever I wear over it.

Then...then I'll be totally happy.

pictures....

Pictures..... Why is it in pictures that large people look larger and small people look the same?

Does it have anything to do with the way we see ourselves? Do we really look that bad? I know that all my life I have been a bigger girl. I know that all my life I have hated having people take my pictures.

I know that I have made progress, I can see it in my shape, my clothes, and the way I feel. my pants are loose, my shirts are too big, my gut doesn't hold my breasts up, my bra cup is too big but still...

Somehow though I am still not happy with what I see in pictures!

Drop me a comment , click on the little "comment" below

Amanda The graduate!

This is Amanda. She is such a wonderful young woman. Hard to believe I can say that now. We have had the privilege to be a part of this wonderful girls life since she was just 4. It is amazing over the years how the kids have grown and become their own people.

Well she graduated from Loyalist college this week. She had excellent marks. She has finally finished her child and youth worker and has already found a job.

Her parents had a small party for her on Thursday night. This was her opening her gifts.
She will unfortunately be moving out of Ontario but she will be with Ethel's family ( her Mom's) she has already got and apartment and is starting her life. One day her parents will move down east and be with her again when the retire but until then we look forward to seeing her when she comes home.

So Amanda. We cannot tell you how much you mean to us, how incredibly proud we are of you and what a wonderful young woman you have turned out to be.

We all love you very much and will miss you!

Sweet Baby Lauryn!

Sweet Baby Lauryn. We finally got to meet her. Nine days late but totally worth the wait. We had Todd and Steph down for supper. She was born last Thursday, we saw her at the hospital on Friday. Dalton was in school and Tyson spent and hour with Nanny, they weren't allowed on the maternity floor anyway. They were so pushy to see the pics we took of her at the hospital. SOOO Cute they said.

So on Tuesday that is all I heard all day. When is she coming. What time are they going to get here. Is it time yet. Can you text Steph. and so on.....



So they got here and as you can see from the pictures I had two super excited boys. Tyson couldn't wait to hold her. Steph didn't even have her in the house and they were all over them. He told Todd that he is going to marry her. Todd just said figures, better get my shotgun now!! We all laughed.

Dalton was the exact opposite. He held her like a pro. He was so attentive to her. Coddling her and making sure she was safe. He recently did the babysitting course so he knows all about what to do. I said he was just securing himself a job. (LOL) But he kept an eye on her all evening telling Tyson to stay away.

Regardless, I think that we all think she is pretty neat. I don't think she knows yet but she has a ton of fans already. I also don't think she knows yet how many people love her and what great parents she has. Someday, someday she'll know.

But in the meantime, we'll be spending all kinds of time together. Tell Mom to get that stroller out we have to get that pre-baby body back! Her and I both ( even though my baby will be five in August).

So to our friends new little pumpkin... we look forward to watching you grow and be a part of our lives. And can't wait to give you really loud toys!!

Love you Lauryn ( and your Mom and Dad well, :) they ain't so bad either )