Zucchini Chips: These are delicious!!!!http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/28/recipe-zucchini-chips/#more-1551

This is my second attempt at bread...it looks a little prettier every time.

http://www.food.com/recipe/kitchenaid-whole-wheat-bread-142352

Dear Blake,

I would like a bread machine for Christmas.

Love,

Alisha

We finally got Claire's chest of drawers out of layaway. Glad we have room for her things now.

Her room is complete!

Will she be a gymnast?

4th of July Fun

We had a fun 4th of July. Jackson had a little tummy virus, so we didn't do everything we planned on, but we still celebrated our wonderful nation. We missed out on Pops on the River...maybe next year. Monday morning, Blake took Jackson to a car show at the lake. We went to my parents for lunch, but he didn't feel like going swimming, and then it started raining. We then went to Blake's grandmother's house and sat around and the guys played a few games. Jackson slept for a couple of hours. We then went to the fireworks at the lake. The people watching never fails to disappoint. Hooray for red, white, and blue!

Some Random Pics

Fixing to clear the memory stick off of the camera tonight...here are a few that never made the ole blog. All dressed for church.

Creative Discovery Museum with the Coffman's.

My own Captain Jack.

He loved the Bob the Builder exhibit.

Me and my best girl.

The super fun elephant pool.

Blake and Jackson doing "The Thirty Day Shred."

There will be no pics of mama doing these poses...or any photo ops while I am doing "The Shred," for that matter.

Claire scooted herself under the train table, and got stuck. Jackson and I laughed..but she didn't think it was too funny.

His trains and train table are still his very favorite toy.

Road Trip: Time with my BFF

A week or so ago, we took a road trip to see Tiffany and her family. We had a great time as always. I went to a whole foods class that her play group was having at her house. It was alot of good information about healthy eating, and about eating the foods God has given us to eat. We are slowly incoorporating some of these things into our family's diet. Our babies had a BLAST playing together. So awesome to see your children making memories with the person who has known you practically your entire life.

Freedom Festival

Our church hosted a Freedom Festival on Friday night. It was a great evening...lots of inflatables, a water slide, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fun with friends and family. The Voices of Lee sang, and a fireworks show for the finale. Awesome time.

Simply Saturday

Blake got some toys out of the attic today for Baby Claire. She is loving this toy...it was one of Jackson's favorites.

A Day in The Life: Series Finale

4:11: Claire woke up. Hungry. I fed her. She went right back to Sleepytown.
6:45: Claire was hungry again. I fed her. She went back to sleep.
7:15: Jackson was sandwiched between Blake and I, and woke up. He wanted to watch PBS kids. We watched a little bit of a show, and I put on my running clothes.

Blake watched Jackson so I could go run. I ran/walked for an hour, and talked to two friends while getting my exercise.

I came back, fed Claire breakfast (rice cereal/applesauce), chatted with the hubby, and cleaned up the breakfast dishes, unloaded the dishwasher, and cleaned the kitchen. I started a load of laundry,

We decided we were going to have another pool day. We made the beds and did a toy pickup.

Drove to CVS, bought more sunscreen.

Got to my parents' house to swim, and Blake found our old marching band videos. We watched the shows from our sophomore and junior years. I, for real, looked like a 12 year old when I was 16.

Swam. Swam. Swam. Blake put together a swing for my parents, since we use their pool a whole lot in the summer.

Kids out of the pool, and I bathed them. Put Jack in a Pull Up so I would not have to spend the evening washing bed linens. Fed Jack lunch. They may have both rode home in a diaper/Pull Up.


Layed the kids in their respective beds. I took a 20 minute power nap. Blake woke up me, I was sleeping so well, I am confident I had drool all over the side of my face.

I showered, got dressed. Picked out Claire and Jack's clothes. Blake got J dressed. Claire was still asleep...she may have rode to P.F. Chang's in her diaper.

We met some friend's for dinner at The Chang's...I nursed Claire and put her clothes on in the parking lot.

We ate dinner, and decided to walk around the mall for a little bit.

Had a great time. Blake's parents came back from vacation, we went to visit them. We all got some pretty cool souvenirs from Disney World. Claire had a meltdown.

Came home. Some type of drama was going on at the Hometown Inn. Every police car in the big SD was there. Hope everyone is okay.

Got the kids ready for bed. Everyone is asleep, for now.

I probably won't do a series of posts like this for a while...it takes too long to type it out! But, it is funny to look back and read things as life's seasons change. I read a post I had written the other day, about when I went back to work when Jackson was a baby. I remember trying to balance both was really hard, but I eventually figured out how to balance both. I remember getting to work, all dressed up, and having crusty rice cereal on my shoulder...sippy cups in my school bag. Having Claire changed our family dynamics to a new normal, too. The most challenging thing is making sure I am giving both children plenty of attention...not wanting Jackson to feel any less important. I guess you just make a "new normal" every time life's seasons change. With much prayer and grace, God walks you through whatever you are doing, and takes you where He is wanting you to go. I think sometimes we (women, in general), are too hard on ourselves. I am trying more and more, to lighten up, take a deep breath, and just give each day the best I have. I am thankful for these days. And I am thankful for the days to come, all the new normals...I anticipate those with great joy, too. Thank you, Jesus, for your grace, your mercy, and your love that never fails.