trying a new tactic

A reoccurring issue, nice way of saying all-the-freakin'-time issue, is that I have to repeat myself over

and over

and over

and over

and...you get the idea.

I get tired of hearing the sound of my voice and repeating myself.

Believe it or not I get sick of talking, shocking I know.

For me, one of the most frustrating things is having to repeatedly ask my kids to pick up something.

I think they are just too used to the fact that I will in the end pick it up so why should they?

Well, kiddos, no more.

This mama is going to attempt something new.

What you say?
Well, I saw something online a while ago and for the life of me I can't remember where.
Update: my friend, Jennifer, found it! Thanks friend! I knew I had seen it somewhere!

What happens is this~
I will ask for something to get picked up.

If it does not get picked up when I ask it will become mine.

I am planning on putting said confiscated toys in a basket or something.

To retrieve said item an *extra* chore will be chosen at random.

Once the extra chore is competed the confiscated toy will be returned.

As you can see in the picture above I made extra chore cards.

I have since cut them and am currently trying to find something to put the cards in as well.

I did something like this before with behavior.

Bad day at school = 1 toy going in a storage tub

Good day at school = picking 1 toy out of the storage tub

I'm really hoping this will work.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, I will keep you posted!

P.S. Since writing this but before posting it, Adison came home, went through the cards and picked some chores to do *JUST BECAUSE* 

Praying this continues!

Love this

Source: k2d2vacaphotos.blogspot.com via Danna on Pinterest

Insta-Friday

or maybe it's more like insta-month.

I feel like I haven't done an Insta-Friday post in forever!

Link up and share your phone pics from the last week!

This morning Adison and I went to our first Zumba class.

I felt uncoordinated, awkward, uncoordinated and well, awkward.

It was fun, I had a blast.

Adison thought it was okay, not sure if she wants to do it again or not.

Jennifer and I then did BodyPump afterwards, holy smokes.

I l-o-v-e coffee.

Nothing new.

But still true.

It's delicious.

How cute it she???
Seriously, melt my heart precious.

She loves to look at herself in the mirror and make silly faces.

I love to take pictures of her staring at her goofiness.

I'm convinced that it's her sweetness that makes the world go round.

I spy a mermaid.

Lee likes to lay in the tub and have mermaid hair like Ariel.

She likes me to take pictures of said hair and show it to her.

This one makes me smile.

She was playing peek-a-boo with K after he wrapped her up like a burrito in our quilt.

Good times people.

That's a little snapshot into our daily lives.

Head on over, link up and share!

Have a great weekend my lovelies!

The Good, the Bad and the Funny

The Good: Pilates, while kicking my butt, is starting to get better. My friend, Jennifer, and I went this morning and while h-a-r-d wasn't as bad as it has been. K and Adison had the opportunity to go to a baseball game with my dad yesterday. They both had a blast despite the fact that it was 107 yesterday. I have been doing more reading lately, it makes me happy. Yay library! We are going swimming tomorrow, we haven't been able to go due to the heat lately, sadface.

The Bad: I took the kids to the library yesterday, it was bad. Not a little bad but super bad. I can't tell you how many times I heard the word "no". At one point Abby was running around the kids area saying, "I going to run, you stay there!". Um yeah, not so much kid. Nice try though. Then as we were leaving she decided to stay behind and hide under a computer desk while the librarians laughed. It was awesome, or not.

The Funny: okay, so this isn't technically a funny, but I love this!
He has some other pretty funny videos, the lady that fell in the fountain video cracked me up.
 

Workin' out, workin' hard

So, I felt like it was time to do a get-my-booty-in-shape workout update.

From where I started a couple of months ago to now I have noticed a change.

A change in how my clothes fit, how my body feels.

I have no idea weight wise what's going on, we don't have a scale. 

I don't think that anyone else could tell {besides my mom, hi mom!}, but that's a-okay.

Before: occasionally walking

keeping busy keeping up with three kids

Now: working out on average five times a week, some weeks less due to scheduling

Pilates anywhere from one to three times a week

Taking the kids to the pool five days a week weather permitting

A different class every once in a while

I've come to a very important conclusion, this stuff is hard.

Ouch.

Not a fan.

At all.

At all at all.

The hardest right now is the Pilates.

Holy moly.

This is nothing like the Pilates I took in college, this is like boot camp Pilates.

I'm talkin' body hurting, sore for a couple of days afterwards.

I can tell though that it's working, stomach muscles are getting stronger.

{They need a lot of work, hello 3 kids}

Goals: run another 5K and *hopefully* a 10K

make it through a Pilates class without feeling like my abs were going to revolt

Get healthy, I really want to be a good example to my girls

leave the cold, i'll take the heat

Remember this white, fluffy, freezing stuff?
Yeah, me neither.

Nor am I ready for it to return.

I was thinking about hawt it is right now and how much hotter it will get in the next few days.

I think I will take the heat and remember it for when we are living in a frozen tundra again.

Other things I am not ready for yet...

enrollment at Adison's school next week

school starting in less than a month

the return of schedules and being busy again

we're gong to be starting birthday season soon: 10, 5 and 3

an end to our lazy afternoons at the pool

Things I am ready for...

a return to schedules {yes, I'm confusing}

celebrating my kiddos turning a year older, looking back at pictures at how much they have changed

Fall coming, the leaves changing colors

Blue jeans!

Weekend ramblings

This weekend I have spent a lot of time thinking about what happened in Colorado.

My mind cannot process what happened.

What families, the lives lost, the forever changes because one man did a horrifically horrid thing.

I found out on Friday that my cousin and her boyfriend were supposed to be at that theater at the same showing.

They decided to attend a theater closer to home instead.

While I am so incredibly relieved that my family is safe I also feel so sad for the families whose loved one isn't with them any longer.

This post is by a woman who was in the theater with her two daughters, they all made it out alive and free from harm.

Read it, please.

We have taken life pretty slow this weekend.

The dynamic duo that are the little two kept K and I on our toes all weekend.

Sorry to the shoppers who were at Target when we were.

Yep, they were loud and throwing fits.

The joy of young 'uns.

Adison was a gem while we were there.
Poor girl though is starting have an awareness as to how loud and attention grabbing two screaming children can be.

Yep, it's loud and embarrassing, but it's also life.

Sigh.

I made the mistake of staying up way too late the last two nights reading and took a nap this afternoon.

It was much needed after the sleep deprivation and the stress of the weekend.

Throughout all of it though I was freshly reminded of how blessed we are to have these crazy, punky, rambunctious, amazing children.

Even in the loud times of sibling screaming matches and tag team temper tantrums I am so very happy to call them my own, my three precious miracles {although I may have ended my night with a glass of wine :)}

Today is my step-dad's birthday today.
Happy Birthday Pappy Guy!!!