Happy Valentine's Day 2013

Mommy decided to take Valentine's Day off and just be a Mommy.  My day was packed full of fun activities with the girls, and it was much needed medicine for what has been a stressful couple of weeks in the Nix household chocked full of house showings, packing boxes, moving things to storage, selling things on Craig's List, donating to Goodwill, etc...

The girls woke up to their Valentine's treats from us and to a home cooked breakfast.  Then, off to school!

I volunteered to man the "bookmark making table" at Claire's Valentine's party.   I had a blast making bookmarks with Claire and her friends.  I headed to Harper's class party after Claire's.  Harper's little class was precious too.  Most of all, I had a blast being with two of my loves.  :-)  They were excited I was there, and I am very thankful to have taken the day off.  After the girls went to bed, Daren and I enjoyed a nice, home cooked meal and a glass of wine or two.  It was a perfect day full of the three most important blessings in my life - my girls and my man.

Claire and Harper before school all dressed up in their cute Valentine's outfits from Mimi & Papa!

Mrs. Scace chose Claire to begin the Valentine card pass-around.  She did a great job giving them out and telling everyone "Happy Valentine's Day!"   She chose Barbie Valentine's with a Ring Pop.  Every time she gave a boy the Barbie card and the Ring Pop, she said to him, "Just giggle about it, ok?!  I know you don't like Barbies or rings, but just giggle."  Cracked me up and caused quite a laugh among the other parents there!

Mommy and my valentine

She's so excited!

Casen, Ava and Claire being silly on the Kindergarten couch

Harper's classroom door was decorated with these signs that each child answered.  I love Harper's answer.  :-) 

Harper patiently waiting to see what's inside her Valentine's shoebox.  She was so excited!  I don't think this picture quite does justice to showing the self control it was taking for her to wait for all of her friends to receive their shoeboxes full of cards. 

Harper and her bestie, Abby

Mommy and Harper enjoyed a little quality time playing outside before we went back to Hill to pick up Claire.  She's such a fun loving, smart, silly little girl!  We had so much fun playing and hanging out.

Every day when Harper and I pick Claire up from school, she climbs this tree in the front of Hill.  Valentine's Day was no different.  This time, Harper decided that she wanted to join.

Daren came home from work that night with roses for his two sweet girls who LOVE their Daddy so much!  I love that Daren thought of his sweet girls in this way.  Warmed my heart.  (He came home with flowers for Mommy too.) 

Putting it out there

Whether anyone reads my blog or not, I feel that I can hold myself more accountable if I publicly post this. So, here's my story...  I have a deep need to get fit again and show my girls that they have a strong, healthy Mommy.  For Daren, I would like my body to look a hint of what it did when he fell in love with me at age nineteen.  For me, I want to be fit, healthy and strong.  I want to feel proud of myself.  My excuse has always been about time.  The record in my head plays like this, "I work all day.  I want to be with Daren and the girls after work.  I don't have any energy left after I put the girls to bed.  I don't have time."  I was tired of the excuses because women around me do it all the time.  I saw this online and it hit me.  I have to change my life!  But, I did nothing.  I just saved the photo and thought about it a lot. 

 Then one night, I saw this Facebook post from a friend of mine who is a Crossfit Coach.  It resonated with me and I decided to change my life.  I look at this photo every morning when my alarm goes off at 4:45 A.M.

In the past, I get excited about exercise and I overdo it.  I get hurt early and this the routine fades out.  I did a bit of research and decided to start really slow.  I set my alarm for 4:45 A.M. to begin the Couch to 5K program. It was perfect.  It allowed me to feel really successful at first while the habit formed for the 4:45 wake up call and for exercise.  My 8 weeks on the program ended just in time for a 5K.

For a while, my running felt a lot like this:

 Then, I just settled in to the routine and it got easier and easier.  I signed myself up for the Jingle Bell 5K as a finish point for the Couch to 5K 8 week program and I ran it alone.  I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I didn't want the pressure of having to pace with anyone else. Guess what, I did it!  And, I ran the entire way.  For some, that is not a big deal.  For those of you who read this and think, "I can't believe a 5K is hard for her?!"  Well, guess what?!  I did great!  It was hard, but I did it.

 So, my promise to myself in 2013 and moving forward is that I will maintain this healthy way of life.  I will continue to push myself and work to keep my body healthy.  It is a struggle for me, for some reason.  Call me lazy.   I don't know what it is.  I am my own worst enemy.  I feel great when I exercise.  No excuses anymore.  Just gonna do it!

 My next goal is the 10 for 20 in Austin, TX on April 13 that I am running with my good friends, Jen and Stacey.  I started the training program for it this week.  Eye on the prize - 10 miles, the finish line, a healthier me!

Goldilocks and the Teddy Bear Picnic

At bed time, Harper LOVES story time.  Her most recent favorite is "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."  In all seriousness, I think we have probably read it a thousand times!  We showed up to her school one Monday morning, and her teacher had transformed one corner of the room to have 3 beds, 3 bowls, and 3 chairs (big, medium, and small) to replicate the story.  Harper flipped.  Harper was ecstatic, to say the least!  It was an amazingly fun surprise for my silly 3 year old who loves Goldilocks so much!  To top it off, the class was going to have a Teddy Bear Picnic that Friday where each kid brings their favorite teddy bear and a packed lunch for a picnic with all the friends and their respective teddy bears.  Heaven on Earth for sweet Harper Ann!

Goldilocks ready for her picnic!  She brought her ballerina bear to join her along with her princess lunch box.