Healthy Habits

When I think of making healthy habits, excersice and eating fruits and vegetables comes to mind. But there is something else that I need to remind myself of: reading Gods truth is just as important for healthy living. 

When I think to the times that I struggled the most, it isn't my eating habits or lack of excersice that stand out. It's my emotional well being that was on the rocks. And how did those times get remedied? Seeking God, reading his word, and talking to Him in honesty and hope for the future. He has restored the hard times, to good. No one ever told me this life would be easy, and I'm aware that even if I am diligent in my pursuit of knowing God deeper, things won't always be sunshine and rainbows, but staying close to Him during the hard times and good will build my character and make me a healthier mother, wife, daughter and friend.

I'm renewing my commitment to healthier living - mind, body and spirit. I'm making a promise to myself and my family (and you, my friends), to stay on track with healthy eating, excersicing at least 30 minutes 6 days a week, and getting into Gods word every day, even if only for a brief time. With the change of the season I feel the need to put my focus back on being healthy, in all conceivable ways. Writing it here, I hope to be kept accountable.

So I put this to you, what are some ways you stay consistent in your health routines? Do you excersice at a certain time of day? Eat a set meal plan? (If you are inclined to a relationship with God,) do you read your bible at certain times if the day? Have reminders to pray or meditate on His word? How do you work towards a healthier you?

Crispier Days Ahead

Or, soggier days, if you live in the Lower Mainland as I do.

It is officially Autumn. We had a great, hot, sunny summer, and I am quite happily accepting Autumn's arrival. Pumpkin patches, and Apple orchards and beautiful colors await us in this season. Sweaters, and comfy boots, scarves and cozy blankets. It's a dream come true after months of hot, and shorts, and tank tops. Believe me, I love me some hot weather, but it is quite time for a little change. I will regret this accepting of change once it snows though. I could live in a world of Spring, Summer and Fall. Winter is a miserable season. 

Back on topic; Autumn. I've pulled out our fall decorations, and have begun putting them up. The colours of our walls compliment the seasons change very nicely. Thomas and Hannah helped me decide where various decorations would go. It feels a little cozier in here now, as I find autumn decorations often make it feel that way. 

I'll probably pick up a few more things to make our home feel a little more seasonal. And of course we'll be getting some pumpkins to carve and put out on our steps. I'm looking forward to soups and homemade apple butter, apple cider, roasting pumpkin seeds, and hopefully we'll get the chance to play in a pile of leaves in the yard... if they don't get too wet. 

I'm also looking forward to the view from my our yard to be all orange and red and yellow. Some if the leaves are turning already, and in just so excited for all the gorgeous colours to make their appearance. 

Do you like to decorate for the season? What season is your favorite?

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday.

1. Cuddle babies. I love to snuggle with Gracie Lou while the big kids play. 

2. Movies with Matthew McConaugheyheyhey. Yup I said it. Sometimes you just have to be thankful for a handsome actor in decent movies. I hear he doesn't wear deodorant, so I'm fine to appreciate his talent from afar. 

3. Long pants and cozy sweaters. If you know me, you know I'd prefer summer over anything else, but as I'm getting older, I'm finding fall is a close second for me. We've had a good summer, and that makes it easier to look forward to some cooler, crisp weather. 

4. Potty training. Elliott is mostly motivated, and trying, and interested in the potty. I can feel the diaper freedom on the horizon. Yay!

5. Bubbles. More for the kids than for me, but man do they love bubbles. So does Echo. We had at least 45 minutes of entertainment with everyone playing. 

6. FaceTime. I have a few friends who live far away, that I don't get to see, and with this I can see them, catch up, visit. It's wonderful. It curbs the ache of missing them. 

7. Fall nail polish colors. Every season brings new nail trends, oooooo it makes me giddy. I love nail polish. I always feel appropriately dressed when wearing the right nail polish. Yes it's vain, but sometimes you just wanna feel a little more put together.

8. Peanut Butter. Yum. 'Nuff said.

9. Apple sauce in "drink pouches". So much less messy than apple sauce in a cup. The boys love the novelty of eating it from the pouch, and I love that it doesn't get spread all over the kitchen table like paint. 

10. Fabricland being sooooo close. It's bad, but it's good. I could wander fabricland happily for hours. Might even wander a bit today with the kiddies. 

Big News!!

I was in no rush to potty train Thomas, but he was in even less of a rush. He was content to use his diaper, and often said no to the potty, just to use his diaper minutes later. But once he finally decided to do it, he got it completely, all day and all night. It was like a switch turned, a little before he turned 4.

My hopes weren't high for Elliott to train any sooner than Thomas did, but I guess the peer pressure (from Hannah and Thomas) is really working on Elliott, because he has now peed on the potty on by his choice, twice. So today, I've decided, is the day to let him try to go diapers, and we'll hit the bathroom every 15 minutes or so. 

This is exciting, folks. The possibility that my second boy could be potty trained by the age of 3?! Freeeeeeedom! I am so done with diapers. We cloth diapered Elliott right from the start, but once we started to get busy packing the house up for our move, I switched to disposables. And that's just been easier, since the move, because washing diapers takes a lot of time when there are 4 kids to attend to. 

So here's hoping this isn't just a novelty and that he wants to be done with diapers as much as I do!!  Cross your fingers for us, please! 

Thankful Thursday

What a week it's been! Thankful Thursday time already!

This week, I'm Thankful For:

1. Thomas not losing an eye yesterday. He bailed hard on some bricks surrounding the garden in the back yard, and got a nice goose egg just above his eye to prove it. I'm so glad he didn't trip just 1 inch closer, because it would've been his eye!

2. The wind. We've had a few windy days here, and I'm just always so amazed at the wind. I like to think of where it's come from. The wind also makes the boys giggle a ton, and I love to see them hold their arms out while the wind passes around them.

3. Sweaters. Brr! It's been a little chilly here, what with the wind. (Sorry Alberta folks, I know we don't have it nearly as cold as you do!)

4. Tylenol. I've had quite a few bad headaches the last couple weeks, and tylenol is really the only way I can get through them. It doesn't completely get rid of them, but it takes the edge off of them for a little while.

5. My Husband. Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. He works hard for us, makes us all laugh, and loves us completely. He is my very best friend, and I adore him. And I'm so glad he puts up with me when I'm unreasonable, or hard headed.

6. Eggs. Everyone in our family LOVES eggs. Omlets, scrambled, frittata, you name it, we love it.

7. Thomas being old enough to help with things around the house. With my headaches (it hurts to bend over with the blood rushing to my head), Thomas has taken on the roll of feeding the dog his breakfast and his dinner.

8. The boys getting more adventurous with different foods. Thomas has always been pretty picky, but Elliott used to eat anything and everything we put on his highchair tray, but for about the past 6-9 months, he's been more picky that Thomas. For some reason, they've both gotten better with eating their dinners in the past couple of weeks or so. It makes meal planning so much easier, not having to consider what I'll make the boys vs what I'll make for Josh and I.

9. "Full" preschool. By full, I mean 2.5 hours. It's not really long enough to accomplish any great task, but it does the trick for getting a few little things done before I head off and pick Hannah and Thomas up.

10. free-tv-video-online.me We don't have cable, and not everything I like to watch ends up on Netflix, so I watch some stuff off of ProjectFreeTV. It has basically every show ever made, and its awesome. A bit of a learning curve at first, but once you figure out how to use it, it's great.

Pretty Kitchen Windows.

Oh boy it feels good to finish a project! I got my kitchen window curtains finished last week and I LOVE them!! At first, I didn't really think they looked nice, but now that they've been up for a few days, I think they look pretty good for my first set of curtains! Yay!

Without further ado, photographic evidence :

(Pardon the food in the photo , Thomas was lovingly assembling our dinner when I took this shot). 

Ooooooooooo it feels so good to have gotten those done! Now I'm hungry for the next project -- recovering our dining chairs! And then I'd better get started in making the capes for Thomas' super hero birthday party in November (can never plan too far ahead!!) Oh, and I can't forget that I have duvet covers to make for the boys for Christmas! Weeeeeeew! It's gonna be crafty around here!!

What's on your "project list"? Do you sew? Or scrapbook? Or paint? Let me know what you've got planned in the comments :)

And have a great week!! 

Xoxo Beth

Thomas goes to Preschool.

It's hard to believe it's already been over 4 years since Thomas joined our family. He is such a clever, funny, sensitive, loving boy. He has learned empathy, which at 4 I think is pretty remarkable. He loves to help around the house; emptying the dishwasher, putting his clothes away, helping with the cooking/baking. Just before I dropped him off for his second day of preschool, I confided in him that it made me a little sad he was big enough to go to school. He threw his arms around my neck and squeezed my tightly saying, "I'll make you happy with my hugs, mamma!" I teared up a bit at how much he didn't want me to be sad he was growing up. My big boy.

I made a small interview video with him just to be a marker for his growth as the years go by. I'm sure I'll get better at asking questions, but the majority will stay the same to see what changes for him as he ages. It's pretty cute, you've been warned. 

He says his teacher is very nice, and is now his best friend. He can't remember any of the other kids names yet, but I'm sure he'll learn them fast and not stop talking about them ;)