BYU random

As a BYU family, we continue to enjoy a lot of amenities on campus (besides games!) We have started going as a family to the Smithfield House to workout on the track, doing pull ups (I am pathetic! The boys all bust out 5-10 and Jared can do 35), even little Ruby wants to run with her brothers. I feel the support though as I do my slow laps with my post baby speed, and that makes my heart happy. A family that sweats together, stays together! We enjoyed a scrimmage game with my mom, a few BYU banquets for dates and we also posed for some MPA marketing pics with our entire crew. Jared also got to go meet Elder Anderson of the quorum of the 12!

St Pattys Day

Per tradition, we had the leprechaun visit us again this year (Isaac finally said after he saw the prints on the toilet, "This can't be true!") It was tricky this year b/c I am sleep deprived with my newborn, getting to bed late and up by 5am for gym time. So, there left little time to prep! I took Ruby and Rex to Old Navy and got matching green shirts for everyone to wear to school. They found their treasure after a simple treasure hunt around the house (it's tricky when half the boys don't eat sugar, so no chocolate coins, Lucky Charms, skittles, etc. I had to be creative with flip flops! It's a simple holiday, but the boys enjoy it. The green garage backdrop was perfect for our pic too.

Fast Metabolism Diet

Sarah Tanner and I enjoy being domestic divas together. She told me about a Fast Metabolism Diet to help me with my post baby blues. So, we have ventured together to create some fun recipes, meal plans, snacks and ideas: brown rice tortillas, turkey jerky, garden vegetable meatballs, salsa, olive oil mayo, sprouted wheat bread, etc. It is messy, takes a lot of prepping and planning...but, I am happy to say that I have enjoyed it.  I have some balance where I will choose to enjoy some treats on the weekends (white rolls on a fast Sunday or pie for Easter is balance!), but the planning out what I am eating and being mindful of it all has really been good for my spirit. I don't want to be a victim to addictive behaviors, which happens when I indulge on sugar and this way I can be more aware and discerning of what goes in. Food journaling is also important. The scale is not always my friend, so Isaac and Austin have hid it from me, and I am trying to be patient with myself as Rex is only 2 months old and exclusively nursing (don't want to lose that milk supply!) I just want to fit into my old clothing again and feel good in my own skin. So, this is a long journey. Good thing Rex is worth it.

dates

I started going on "dates" with the boys back when I was prego, and now that I have some flexibility with feedings (bc of the bottle option), I am back to doing these! Austin was up first, he needed a new backpack. He was a true gentleman, even changing out his clothing to look nice for his mama and opening up my door. He didn't mind holding my hand in public either. Frozen yogurt was great after our trip to Burlington. Mom/Dad are also taking out one kid a month to go with us on a date (Rex in tow also). Isaac was up first where he chose the Wilkinson Center at BYU for bowling and a slurpee afterwards. That was fun taste testing at the local 7-11. Jared also treated everyone with a Redbox afterwards (the other boys are always sad when it's not their turn for a date, so I am glad we could watch a movie together at least). These traditions are great and I hope the boys don't feel left out, but special and important.

preschool days

Now that Rex is over 6 weeks old, I am venturing out into the "real world." It's tricky tho! Timing is everything and so I am grateful that he takes a bottle so well. For example, I no longer go to the 9am gym time (it's 5am now!), so I can take Levi and Ruby to our awesome story time at the Provo Library. But, if Rex needs to eat, sometimes I don't have time to sit and nurse...I can have a bottle pumped and ready to go. So, I then prop it up during the puppet show, can keep him in his seat and give Ruby the one on one that she craves. Levi also enjoys going to his "big boy" preschool class where they have a separate story hour. Levi is also in his last year of preschool (although Kinder is only 1/2 day as well). He loves going to Ms Wendy's class, just four houses away. He loves his friends Cole and Henry Degraff (a set of triplets), he enjoys the treats they make, I love seeing the paint artwork, and the fieldtrips are fun too. We went to Thanksgiving Point where he rode on a horse and enjoyed the petting zoo. I was grateful that Rex slept for most of it (again I had a bottle ready for him) and was grateful for his help on the ride home when babies were fussy. He is easy going, loves to smile, is kind and sweet to his baby Rex and puts up with a demanding sister. I love his morning cuddles in the big blanket and is a creature of habit (always wants the same thing for breakfast; red bowl, life cereal...or turkey and cheese plain sandwich). He also LOVES stuffed animals, putting them inside his clothing or taking them to school.