MIA

Wow, has it really been 8 months since I last updated my blog??? Where the heck has the time gone. I swear time has been FLYING by. In the last few months a lot has happened. I have been working my butt off trying to get my website up and running, working in the shop and keeping the household together while trying to raise 2 very active preschoolers! Busy momma to say the least. I need to start updating this blog more so that I can actually remember this time! It seems like it is all a blur.

 I need to take a step back and enjoy the ride.

Tyler graduated in May and moved out to California to live with us. It has been great having him here. He has been helping us in the shop and will start school at RCC in a couple weeks. Talan and Gavin are in Summer School and will start the Fall Session in a couple weeks. Talan is going to be in Pre-K!! He will be 5 years old in a couple months!! I can't believe I am going to have a 5 year old! It makes me sad to think how fast my babies are growing up.

Barstow Toys for Tots 250

In the beginning of December, Mark and AJ raced the Barstow Toys for Tots 250. This is the same one that they won last year. We headed out Thursday night so that they could have all day Friday to prerun the course. Well all that preparation paid off because they won again this year! I am so proud of them. All of their hard work paid off. This is what they love to do and it feels good to be good at it!

This is AJ's class 5 racecar. Isn't it pretty? Like the new graphics? Those are courtesy of  Sunset Wraps (wink, wink)

It is so beautiful out there. It is crazy that it is only about an hour away but feels like we are out in the middle of nowhere.

Cade, Brodie and Gavin. These boys LOVE the dirt. Check out Gavin's pants.

They play for hours upon hours in the dirt.

Cade taking Talan for a spin in the rhino.

It was FREEZING that weekend. I had a beenie, hoodie and big jacket on all weekend.

Here is AJ about to get into the racecar and head to the starting line.

 

Waiting for them to start.

Santa collected all the toys for the Toys for Tots drive.

Cruisin in the rhino.

 

Fun in the pit. I swear these kids have so many toys, but they play with everything else besides their toys.

My boys. <3

Mark getting into the race car for his part of the course.

Crossing the finish line, 1st Place Baby!! Martin Brother's Racing takes it for the 2nd year in a row.

1st Place!

Ralph (co-driver), Mark and AJ

 

Cheers to you babe!

This and That and Some More Organization

For the past 2 weeks, maybe even 3, we have all been sick in our household. It all started the week before Christmas when Kiely and Tyler came to visit. They must have caught something on the plane ride over because the morning after they got here they were both miserable. Then sure enough our whole house took turns having the cold. Last week, after I thought we had all recovered, Talan came into our room in the morning complaining that his throat hurt. Sure enough, he had a fever and a huge lump on his neck. I took him to the doctor right away and they tested him for mono and cancer (eeek) but it ended up being tonsilitis. She said he must have had an infection of some sort and it settled in his lymph node. After a few days on antibiotics that was all cleared up, thank goodness.

Then this week, of course, after I thought I had beaten my cold, I woke up with a horrible sore throat. I have had strep so many times and I just knew that it had to be strep. When I looked in the mirror my tonsils were bright red, inflammed and had white spots all over them. YUCK!! I went straight to Urgent Care. I couldn't even swallow water. It was so painful. She gave me antibiotics and told me to take advil for the pain. Well, advil has nothing on this pain. I had some leftover vicodin and that didn't even take the pain away. I had to have my mom come over and help me with the boys because all I could do was lay there. It hurt to move, let along take care of two busy boys.

Well, flash forward to this morning and I am feeling better...not 100%. It still hurts to swallow but at least I can swallow now. I am hoping a few more doses of the antibiotic and the pain will go away and I will be as good as new!

Anyways, on a lighter note, the weather here in so cal has been AMAZING. So gorgeous! It feels like late spring, early summer. It has been in the 80's here all week. I even let the boys swim in the heated spa yesterday (It's not that warm yet!)

In keeping with my resolutions, today I decided to organize underneath my sink. I keep all my cleaning products, dish soap, sponges, air freshener, etc. under there. Lately I have been just throwing stuff in there and hoping the cupboard closes and hides the mess. It has been bugging me for a while but I haven't made the time to just do it. So today I had enough. I took everything out. I found so much stuff that was expired. Did you know cleaning products go bad?  I wiped out the bottom and cleaned the containers that hold all the bottles. I put it all back in, sorting it so I know where to find everything. Now, to KEEP it that way!

Party Rock

Santa brought the boys a jumper for Christmas. Let me tell you, that is the BEST thing he could have brought for them. They love it and mom loves it because it wears them out. It is perfect size so I can move it into the garage or outside.

These boys crack me up. Here is a video of them on it...and yes they are always like this.

Forks Over Knives

So the other night at my dad's birthday dinner, my brother told me about a documentary called "Forks Over Knives".

FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. (from forksoverknives.com)

I thought it was really interesting and it really made me think about my food choices and the food that I feed my kids. My boys drink so much milk it's ridiculous, like a gallon every 2 days, and to think that the milk that they drink is actually doing them more harm than good is kind of disturbing. The idea that the elimination of meat and dairy can actually reverse heart disease and cancer? Yes, please!

 If you get a chance to watch it I definitely recommend it...I watched it on Netflix.

I am going to try and make more meatless meals in my household and see how it goes because I know I couldn't just go cold turkey (ha, no pun intended) on the no meat and dairy.

 Mark is definitely a carnivore and loves his steak and red meat.  If anyone has any yummy vegan or vegitarian recipes to share let me know!! I already eat lots of fruits and veggies and I don't drink milk so that will be easy. The hard part will be cheese because I LOVE cheese!!!

Pantry Reorganization: Before and After

So in sticking with my 2012 resolutions, today I chose to reorganize our kitchen pantry. I didn't realize when I started what a task it was! I should have taken pictures of the "during" because that sure was a sight to see. My kitchen looked like a bomb went off! It's amazing the things you find when you start taking everything out. I won't need to grocery shop for canned goods for a while. I literally found 15 cans of diced tomatoes! I always buy more at the store every time I shop because I think we are running low. Ha, we won't be running low any time soon. It feels so nice to have that done. It was bugging me every time I opened it up to find something. Now I know where everything is. I even used some extra baskets I had from the dollar store to put loose snacks in (granola bars, fruit snacks, etc)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all!

I have made 2 Resolutions this year

1. Update my blog at least once a week. I really want to make a blog book eventually with all my blog posts in them and at the rate I update my blog it would be a really small book. If I set my goal for just 1 blog post a week I think that would take the pressure off me of posting everyday! Plus I have been horrible at keeping the boys baby books and scrapbooks up to date so this will be a good way to keep track of big events in their lives.

2. Get Organized. I am so bad. My house is so unorganized. I am the type that just throws something in a drawer and then can't find it so I buy a new one and then end up having like 5 different pairs of scissors. I think by getting organized it will help me in so many areas, it will save me time by not having to search for things. It will save me money by  not having to buy new! It works all around. I have decided that I will just do a bit a day. Yesterday I organized a few cupboards in the kitchen, today I organized and cleaned my desk at work. Bit by bit and it won't be so overwhelming! Now, if I can just KEEP it organized.