The Next Taylor Swift ;-)

sorry the pics aren't clear..

Caleigh has participated in Eastwood Idol for the past 3 years. This year was the first time she did a solo performance and she won 1st place!!! We were sooo excited and proud! I think it was also the most nervous I have ever been in my entire life!!! The first 4 finalists that they called were all singers ( & 3 of them were her best friends that were having a slumber party afterwards) so I was certain that they wouldn't choose another singer. I was just sitting there thinking ' I can't let her go to the party when she would be the only one that wasn't chosen as a finalist' and then they called her name. RELIEF!!! There was some serious competition this year... very talented kids... so I was especially proud of her just for making it as a finalist. And then winning ~ YAY!!! I think my dad and my brother were both fighting back a tear or two and I know Mimi Vicki was crying. She was so happy!! Congratulations, Caleigh!! We are all so very proud of you!

*i have been trying to upload the video for 2 weeks now but it just isn't going to work ~ i will try again later but wanted to get this post up since it has already been a month*

Moment of Truth

I seriously cannot believe that I am doing this! I have been waiting for 18 months now for my baby weight to just fall off and I think it is finally time to face facts. I have never really been one to have willpower so what better way to motivate than a really horrible swimsuit pic out there for everyone to see. I am hoping that it will help me to work harder to reach my goal and quickly replace the pic on the bottom with a much improved one.

The picture on the top was made in 2005. This was the biggest I had ever been aside from being pregnant. I remember being so self-conscious and upset about the few pounds I had gained that year (sidenote: I am 5'3" so a few pounds really does make a big difference). It's so sad because right now I would love to be that size. I have always been extremely critical of myself and feel really foolish now for not just being content. Hopefully I will learn something from this. I have already learned to be careful what you complain about/wish for/say about others... it just may come back on you. I remember the first time I was going to meet Cody's family. It was Thanksgiving and I was having the hardest time finding something to wear because everything I tried on was too big and looked sloppy, for lack of a better word. I remember crying before-hand because I really wanted to look nice and "why did I have to lose weight right then?". Want to take a guess what size I was?? A zero or sometimes a 2!! ZERO!! Well, I don't have to cry about that anymore!

The picture on the bottom was taken in 2007. That was before Heidi, but basically the same size I am now. In fact, I didn't lose my baby weight from Zoe Anna until after I became pregnant with Heidi. I guess I can't really complain considering I never actually tried to do anything about it. I suppose I thought it would just be easy like it was after I had Caleigh. I remember at Caleigh's 2 week check-up I cried while getting ready because I had lost almost all the weight (50 lbs!!) but my boobs were huge and I looked like Dolly Parton in my pre-pregnancy clothes. Again, be careful what you complain about.

I realize now that I'm no spring chicken and my metabolism has changed and I can't eat taco bell everyday and be a size two. And to be honest, I don't really care if I'm a size 2. I just really want to get rid of that dang muffin top and look like I have a normal body again. It really is amazing how things get moved around and redistributed differently after each baby :-)!

WISH ME LUCK!!!

Missing the new man in our life..

Sweet baby Rowan

This poor little guy has been sick and now the little girls are sick so we are missing our weekly visit. This little man belongs to my SIL, Kyla, and we all love him so much. I think Heidi just might love him the most though. In fact, right now I am having a hard time typing because she is in my lap with her face as close to the laptop as she can get staring at his picture. She even took her paci out so that absolutely nothing was obstructing her view. I believe she thinks that Kyla had him just for her. And since there will never be a little brother for her, or sister for that matter, we try to spend as much time with cousin Rowan as possible. He is such a sweet, happy little baby and such a joy to be around! We miss you, Rowan, and hope to see you next week.

Yesterday Zoe Anna woke up at 5am with a fever. I don't know how bad it was because I didn't have one single thermometer that would read her temp properly, but she was burning up. She also had a really horrible sounding chesty cough so I dosed her up with Motrin and Vazobid and prayed that would give her some relief. Her fever went away (and came back later) but she was just so, so pitiful. She just wanted to lie on the couch and "rest her eyes". She refused all food including ice cream, popsicles and coke... the good stuff too, not the caffeine free sprite. Heidi has had the sniffles for the past day or two and even though she's just as spunky as always, I make them both an appointment with the doctor. They both checked out ok and we left with a princess sticker and a script for cough meds.

I have to tell you about Zoe.... remember how I said she was just lying around...could barely hold her head up all day.... well, all that changed when she found out she was going to meet someone new (our regular doc was booked so we had to see his partner ~ just as wonderful though). She perked up and turned on that Zoe charm as soon as he came in ... introducing him to her baby sister, answering all his questions in her best 'Big Girl' voice and asking him how he liked her socks "They're Hello Kitty, you know". And then there is Heidi, giving him The Look ~ I don't know who you think you are but Nobody talks to me or "checks me out" unless I want them to!! Oh, how I love their unique little personalities and how they still shine through even when they're sick.

I am behind again on my posts but intend to catch up in the next few days...BIG news for Caleigh!!!