Fitness Challenge!!

WEEK 4!

Without all of you .... I would never have survived last week.
My house has been all sick for the past two weeks...and although I did not get a workout in...I ate great all week!
Yippee...
I am at a proud 28 points!!

How did you do this week?

BFIAR-The Snowy Day!

I have started alternating between FIAR book studies and BFIAR!
This is our first BFIAR...and it is perfect for this time of year!

The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack Keats

The kids mainly got to play in the snow...building snowman, snow angels, snow forts, and sledding up hill!!!
(Okay that was my picture error....it would be pretty cool, if they could get the sleds to take them back up the hill...that is usually Luke's job!)

Catching snow flakes!

Painting our own snowflakes with a cool new paint mixture I got from my friend Christy, over at superheroesand princesses!

It's salt paint!
Dries to look like crystals...super fun!

1/4 cup liquid laundry soap
I/4 cup water
2 TBS. paint...you choose the color
1 cup salt

Making tracks in playdough....we did find tracks in the snow, but the kids seemed to enjoy this even more!

One day after reading the book, I didn't want to get the kids all dressed in snow, so I brought the joy inside!

A couple hours later, and many dishes of snow later, every kitchen tool was being used to it's fullest potential!

We played mitten match up games, hide and seek mitten games...all kinds of fun with way too many mittens!

The kids were most excited about putting a snowball in their pocket for safe keeping, just like the boy in the book!
I convinced them to put it in a bowl, for better observing....and Luke loved that it melted.

He has been collecting snow balls ever since!

Fitness Challenge!!!

3 weeks completed....3 weeks to go!
I got 25 points this week!

The whole reason to even do a Fitness Challenge is to give us mothers motivation to get in better shape, so that we have more energy for our fun loving always moving kids! =)
and to provide a healthier life style for ourselves and our kids!

Here are some of the things I have heard this week.....

"Mom, I really need a carrot!" (Luke)

"I found an article on how important water is to us....can I read it to the family?" (Brooke)

"I hope we have oatmeal for breakfast!" (Annika)

"No, thank you!" (Chelsea...in response to ice cream)

There has been many more as my kids try to become aware of what they put in their bodies...so that they can have strong muscles and bones!

This is what makes me feel successful!

How did you do this week?

Experimenting with friends!!!

As Brooke gets older, the activities that she does with her friends change!
One of her favorite things to do is experiment with food!
I remember doing this at my best friends house, all the way through high school!

I just let them have at it!
If they can find it, they can use it!
(unless, I have a specific need for that ingredient!)

This time they made mini marshmallow skewers!
They dipped them in peanut butter and then chocolate...
or caramel and then chocolate!!!

They were actually good!

we may not have a dog...but we have our own clean up crew!!!


What are some ideas that you kids do with friends???

Going different directions!!

This weekend was the first time that Mark and I had to go in separate directions.
Mark took Brooke to her Basketball game, and I took Chelsea to her swim meet!

I am sure this will happen often, as all the kids start to get into sports!

It was hard on Chelsea, she is use to having her big sister their...she was "lonely" without her.
I also think it was good for her, to do her own thing, not always be in the shadow of Brooke!

Brooke took it hard, she cried and cried, because I missed her game.

It's going to take some getting use to!

My Super Heroes!

My three youngest all got Super Hero capes for Christmas!
They LOVE them!
They wear them everywhere!

Over Pajamas, snow gear, and swim suits!

I couldn't resist using One Charming Party's Super Hero's sandwich picks,
to make them a fun Super Powered Lunch!

Fitness Challenge!!

Week 21

How did everyone do???

I only got 15 points!
OOPS!

I have lots of great excuses....but the bottom line is I will do better this week! =)

I Can Read PARTY!!!!

Luke is so excited to be reading...that he is waking up super early...and bringing me books, for him to read to me!
He can't think of anything else!

It came to NO surprise that he decided he needed to throw an....
"I Can Read...PARTY!!!!"

He made his own invitations...I wrapped a little ribbon around them...

He wanted to do a Letter Factory Party!
Brooke, Chelsea, Luke, and I spent the next week drawing each letter to match the Letter Factory!

The girls helped him set up stations...or "rooms", for each letter.
They went through the whole movie...almost word perfect!

The whole thing was so adorable...I wish I could post each and every letter...but you would get bored!

Here are just few!

Finally ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

I Love Celebrating Life with my kiddos!

Feeding the Birds!

Luke has been asking to feed the birds!
We made these simple ...easy for little ones...bird feeders!

We scooped out the oranges...
spread peanut butter on the inside...
and filled with bird seed!

I have one Super Duper happy guy...

Now we will see if we can get some Pretty, Happy Birds????

Sewing!

I bought a sewing machine!
I have no idea how to sew!
BUT...
I wish I did!
Luckily, Brooke and my sister Kim know some basic sewing!
So Kim gave the girls their first official sewing class!

They made pillows for their American Girl dolls!

The next day....
Brooke and Chelsea had friends over...
they were able to sew pillow by themselves!

Fitness Challenge!!!

Whoo Hooo!!!
Week 1 is over...and I am thrilled to have so many of you participating in the fitness challenge!
If you would like to join us...here is the point system...as we attempt to become healthier mommies!!!

It is possible to get 35 points in a week.
I try to give myself a goal!
I was trying to get 30 points this week...and I got 29!!

My goal for next week is 31!

How did you do????

Question asked last week:

Do you need to eat 3 fruits and 3 veggie?
NO...you only need three total, but make it a combination. Example: 1 fruit, 2 veggies.

How long is the challenge?
6 weeks!
Last year 1/3 of us went ahead and extended it another 6 weeks.
For right now we will just focus on the first 6 weeks....
5 more to go! =)

Spotlight!....Annika!

Annika is amazing as she tries to keep up with her Big sisters and brother!
Out of all my kids she is my adventurous one!
There is nothing too tall, messy, hard, or scary for this little girl!

We all love to draw, and do all sorts of art.
Annika has showed zero interest in art!
I was so thrilled when she brought me her first masterpiece!
I knew this would have to be her spotlight!

*After highlighting Brooke's poem....all the kids have been bringing me things that they wrote!
I realized that if I highlight one...I must highlight the others.
I am going to try and highlight something that I feel is truly special for them!

Laundry....Do you have any???

My sweet darling sister,
spent hours contemplating my laundry,
after I told her that laundry was my number one headache!
It really does not matter how fast I do it...there is always a MOUND!!!

So she came up with this system, to help me get the kids involved!
I am telling you....it works!!
I LOVE it!

Everyone's laundry room...and laundry load is different...but I think this could be tweeked to work for all households...unless, you have already mastered laundry....then what ever you do....
do NOT change it!

She brought over a master laundry basket for me!
Two medium baskets for the girls...Brooke and Chelsea.
Three small ones for Luke, Annika, and Brady!

She made this chart to go on the wall....wherever, you store you laundry or baskets.
For me it is just a small closet in the hallway!
After the kids finished their laundry, they would mark the day off with a smile..and at the end of the week, we would have a family activity!

In every basket she put a small treat!
Then we went through the laundry .
As I folded it, I would put it in the designated basket.
After, I had all the laundry folded, then I put the basket on each child's bed!
They put the clothes away...and when they are down, they get to eat their special prize!
Then they return the empty basket to the closet!

She even put a treat in the bottom of my basket!
I told her, I don't need one, and that I can get my treat early...I'm the mom!
She made it very clear....that my basket had to be emptied in order to eat my treat!

I have been doing this for two weeks now!
I absolutely love the help....all the kids put their clothes away...except Brady...which the others race to put his away...and earn the treat!
The kids actually ask me to do laundry!
Whooo Hoooo!
My laundry has NEVER been better!

Gigantic Thank You!!

The kids wanted to send a Gigantic Thank you to their Grandparents!

After a lot of thought and hard work...they created three of the cutest Thank you notes, I have ever seen!
Then they rolled them up, and put them in the Christmas wrapper rolls...
Well, that was the idea...
After completely mutilating all their hard work...we bought larger mailing tubes!

Fitness Challenge!!!

My sister Kim and my wacky self!
Enough goofing around...it is time to buckle down...and get FIT!
Are any of you interested in doing a Fitness Challenge with me??
Last year I lost 10lbs with the fitness challenge...and now I have that same 10lbs to loose again...and a few more!!

Here is the plan:
You can earn a total of 5 points a day!

1 pt. for 8 8oz. of water
1pt. for 3 servings of fruit and veggies...("and" is the key- must have both)
1pt. for 30 min. of daily exercise (you can do more...but you still just get 1 pt.)
1 pt. for no eating after 7pm
1 pt. for not eating sugar (you don't have to read ingredients....we are talking the obvious sugar....cakes, cookies, candy, brownies....)

I am starting today....you can start now...or tomorrow...or jump in at any point!
When you start give yourself full points for the days missed....

We will report on Monday mornings...you can comment or email me!

The winner gets to be healthier...it's just fun to do with others!

Happy New Year!!!

We welcomed in the New Year with a Taco Bar and CRAZY HATS!

I was proud...everyone came with a crazy hat....all 16 kids....and 8 adults!
Chelsea won the hat award...she wore hers until 11:00pm!

We played all kinds of games!
Twister was a big hit...each Dad played with his daughter...
would you believe all the Dad's won!

We also played ...
Charades
Cro Magnon

The kids made up these Party Favors....
(They stuffed toilet paper rolls with candy)

I taped numbers to the floor....1-12...
Every half hour I would whistle and they would find a number then I would draw a number...
If you were standing on the number I drew...you got one of the prizes!

At about 10:30...we decided to pump up the music and play freeze dance...
See how many wee ones we could get to last until midnight!

All these kiddos made it to midnight!
(Annika too, she wouldn't get in the picture)
I am sure we will have some super tired kids for the New Year!

Toasted to each other at the strike of midnight!

Then ran outside to see how many neighbors we could wake up?????

HAPPY NEW YEAR!