The Thrill of the Hunt

Tomorrow we will start looking for our very first home. I am so very excited! We have been looking through many listings and may be a little overwhelmed but we are ready to jump right in. We are meeting with our realtor and going to look at a few homes!!!!! I feel so anxious. It's like the first day of school. What do I wear?!? I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight.

Hopefully we don't look this distraught...

I told you... there are BIG things in store for our little family! 2011 is off to a great start! :)

Popcorn Trees & Spring Break

Spring has Sprung in Texas! The weather isn't quite warm enough for me yet but the temperatures keep climbing higher and higher. The sunshine is also blooming some of my favorite trees, Bradford Pears. I love the white blossoms and trees that look like clouds which line the streets.


Walking out to recess one day we passed a Bradford Pear tree and one of my sweet Kinder babies yelled out, "Look! A popcorn tree!" How perfect.... my heart was happy and from now on I will call them Popcorn Trees.

Spring has also spring in our backyard. Mr. H may feel the opposite of me because it means edging and mowing the lawn now that the grass is no longer dormant. I am loving all of the blooms which reminds me daily of God's creation and beauty.

Here are some of the pansies my mom and I planted this fall. I thought they had died with the snow storms we had this winter, but they are more perky than ever!

We have a real Pear Tree in our backyard. It just started blooming this week! I cannot wait for some juicy pears to appear. Bring on the Pear Crumbles....


These crazy looking blooms intrigue me. I am curious to see what they turn into. Right now they look like crazy green caterpillars crawling out of the branches.


School is out and Spring Break has started. This is just one of the million reasons I love being a teacher, we still get Spring Break! :) My beautiful college roommate, Jenna, came to visit us. I finally got to meet her adorable baby girl, Anleigh Jo. I had so much fun catching up with these girls and Jenna's mom and sister.

Ready to shop the Allen Outlet Mall... what a sweet girl!

And why in the world are there no pictures of me and Jenna?!? I don't have an answer, we will just have to get together sooner than later. I feel so blessed to call her my friend. She is the best mother and I am so grateful for a friendship like hers.

Spring Break is off to a great start and it will only get better! :) I wish you love, sunshine and a whole lotta "Popcorn Trees!"

First Friday

Getting crazy on a Friday night... first weekend with no wine for the month of March. Laundry and a new read sounds good to me. Too bad I only got a chapter in. I guess the cut back on caffeine was getting to me :)

March Madness

Our gym's 60 day Paleo challenge is almost over. Tomorrow marks the 50th day... only ten more to go. Or so I thought. On a wine crawl after a tough Friday workout a few fellow crossfitters and myself were discussing the paleo challenge and some struggles and a new challenge was devised. This is not one for the light hearted, in fact it has me shakin in the sheets as I think about it tonight.

It's not as long as the first. 30 days, the month of March.
It starts March 1st which rolls into the last few days of the 60 day challenge. And I may only teach Kindergarten math, but 60+30=90 which also equals a LONG time.

Here are the guidelines: This is from my crossfit coach :)

Start: March 1st

End: March 31st

March 1st weigh in and tape measure total (hips, waist, mid thigh, bicep) add together for total

* NO weigh-ins during the month. If you get near the scale I will yell. We are taking weight out of it. Only measurable means will be how your clothes are fitting.

Dos and Donts:

1. Do: Lean meats- Chicken, grass fed beef, free range eggs, lamb, fish, lean pork cuts

2. Don't: Sausage, bacon, salami, etc. even if its nitrate free

3. Do: Green and Colorful veggies

4. Try to limit fat addition other than fish oil

5. Don't: Fruit in any form or fashion

6. Don't: Sweet potatoes, winter squashes**

7. Don't: Anything white (minus cauliflower)- bread, pasta, cereal, grains, legumes, dairy

8. Don't: Sugar- both artificial and real

9. Don't: Alcohol, coffee, caloric drinks

10. Do: Drink tons of water (this will be the ONLY allowable liquid)

11. Do: Eat within 30 minutes of waking, protein emphasis try to get 30 g protein

12. TRY to get 8 hrs sleep per night

** Only allowed on re-feed days

Since we will be pretty much "low carb" it for the month we will do "re-feeds" every 7 days minus the first 12 days. A re-feed is a large jump in calories and carbs to keep your metabolism cranking so it doesn't slow down during this period of caloric restriction. It will be calorically restricted due to the fact that it will be hard to overeat on protein and veggies. The goal on a re-feed day will be to eat a sweet potato and/or winter squash with every meal with added fat to the meals. Consider it a "binge." Below is the schedule for the month.

Tuesday March 1- Friday March 11: Low carb no refeeds until Saturday March 12

Sunday March 13 - Friday March 18: Low carb- Re-feed on Saturday March 19

Sunday March 20-Friday March 25: Low carb- Re-feed on Saturday March 26

Sunday March 27-Thursday March 31: Low carb

2nd weigh-in and measurements will be done March 31st.

Oh good grief..... my stomach instantly started hurting when I read that email. I am anxiously nervous and excited at the same time. I already feel different after the 60 day challenge so to change it up with this, something new, it will be interesting.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. No fruit. If you have been looking at my food log I have some every morning for breakfast. And the biggest worry.... NO COFFEE! When I decided to give up my first true love, Diet Coke, B.C (before Crossfit) my addiction turned to a new caffeinated love coffee. I cannot tell you the last morning I started the day without some java. And if I waited too long I was greeted with a "Good Morning Neglector" caffeine headache. So I may be a bit edgy and cranky for the next month. Those kinder babies better watch out in the mornings. I wish I would have listened a bit closer so I could've weaned myself off slowly instead of the cold turkey that will be greeting me tomorrow.

I went on a bit of a binge before the March Madness started. A little red wine and some paleo orange chocolate scones to go with the Oscars tonight. Gotta get it in before saying "Sianora" for the next month. Cheers! :)

Jodi, my sweet friend, was the coconspirator in this challenge. Follow her here: http://mymarchmadness.blogspot.com. (I stole her clever blog name for the title)

The boy band crazy girl showed her face again last weekend. I have been dying to see the Justin Bieber movie ever since his pre pubescent voice has become my go to tunes while running. It may be the hair flip, or the neon high tops, but this boy speaks to the middle school girl in me.

I couldn't drag Mr. H to see this one with me, no matter how many horror movies or batches of Paleo cookies I promised. This movie was meant for only one special person.... the seester!

So while the husband was sleeping after a long night at work we went to an Early Bird matinee showing of Never Say Never. It is never too early for the Bieber Fever! My sweet sister wasn't even ashamed to sit next to me in my Justin Bieber shirt I got for a Christmas present. Even though I didn't stick out with all of the other shirts that filled the seats.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't singing along with all of the other little girls in the theater. The movie was awesome. I will say the 3D effects messed with me at first but I learned to love and appreciate Justin pointing at me while being serenaded with "You Smile."

I would highly recommend the movie, but make sure to where you Bieber shirt, it adds to the overall experience :)

Reason # 103,287 why living in a house is better than living in an apartment....

You can vaccuum at 11:15 at night.

In an apartment vaccuuming at these wee hours of the night would get you cranky neighbors and a warning note on the door from management. But now I only get the dirty looks from this lady.

"What the heck are you doing lady...."

Kali was totally unamused. She did not appreciate being woken up as much as my apartment neighbors did. Never mind the fact that I have a husband who sleeps the day away and 11:15pm is prime cleaning time when the hubby heads to work.

My only hesitation in telling you this... well now you know the excitement of my crazy Saturday night. Vaccuuming at 11:15pm. Hey, there was coconut ice cream and a chick flick too! :)

Happy Saturday!

I've Got the Fever. Bieber Fever!

Did anyone catch the Justin Bieber episode of Glee?!? Pure Love....

I'm for seeing a matinee showing of the Justin Bieber Movie in 3D this weekend. YES PLEASE!

Bieber Fever.