Random things

1.  I tried using Coconut oil as a sunscreen and it kind of worked (see this post to learn more)

2. I'm on a mission to grow giant "Mammoth" sunflowers.

3. I just became a hippie. Not really but I did just start using doTERRA essential oils and am loving them. Actually I'm not sure who loves them more, me or the kids.

4. Kenzie started a summer swim team and is loving it. 

She pretty much was built to swim (since she is part giant).

5. We have been having so much fun checking things off our summer fun list. Yay for summer!! 

6. Speaking of summer, I plan on letting the kids wear swim suits all day everyday. 

It's all part of my summer dream of not having to spend an entire day doing laundry. 

7. Play makeup is the easiest thing to make. 

Just pour nail polish into your old makeup containers and become the coolest mom ever. 

8. Proof that my kids (and mommy) don't always do their chores with happy hearts. 

9. Tomato season is my favey fav. 

10. This kid is offically walking. 

 11. Do yourself a favor and make these browned butter Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies. 

Now. 

12. This brush is magic. I don't know how it works but it does.

And trust me we have tried every other no tangle brush on the market.  

13. Hudson is Aaron's mini me. 

14. Our future jack-o-lanterns are growing like crazy. Why didn't we ever grow these before?!

 15. How cute is this ice cream garland my friend made for us? So fun! 

 16. Can you guess where we went on our latest camping adventure? 

Spread some cheer today

Happy flowers make Mondays better. 

Go spread some Monday (or Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, any day!) cheer. 

 Ralphs has 5 stems of gladiolus on sale for $1.99. 

Seriously, go put a smile on 5 of your neighbors faces. 

It's so easy and so fun. 

I think sneaking things onto people's front doors is one of me and the kids favorite things ever. 

Lost

I am severely directionally challenged.

I'm always getting lost.

Thankfully me and the maps app on my iPhone are BFFs so I seem like I know what I'm doing 

most of the time.

But the other day I got really, really lost.

While. I. was. out. on. my. morning. run.

Like 2 miles in the wrong direction lost.

It takes a very special person to do that.

By the time I realized that I was really lost and sought help from my BFF to get home it said I was 10 minutes away by car and 36 minutes away by walking. 

So I called Aaron and asked him/told him to come pick me up (because I had already been running for over 30 minutes).

After he laughed at me he told me there was no way he could come get me because the kids were still sleeping and he had to get ready to leave for work.

So I ran home. Fast.

Because I had to.

And I did it.

People, I ran 5 miles!

On week 8 of the couch to 5k program when I was supposed to run for 28 minutes (which is around 3 miles).

And I was so proud of myself.

So I write this post to lighten the mood (feel free to laugh at me because it's funny and pathetic. Seriously who gets that lost that close to their home) and to encourage you that you might be able to do things that you would never imagined possible if you just try. Or get lost and are forced to. Whatever works.

*I should also add that I was trying out a new route that Aaron had described to me before. Hopefully I've got it down now :)

My poor hubby

My poor hubby just found that he is allergic to everything. 

Well I don't want to be overly dramatic.

He's only allergic to 39 different foods (and like every grass, mold, tree and weed). 

I mean seriously who is allergic to lettuce?! 

I posted this list on the fridge so we can cry every time we look at it. 

I went to the grocery store today and started reading labels and then cried even more. 

I think it's impossible to find pre packaged/store bought things without soy (I hate you soy. You are in everything), yeast, onion, dairy or corn in it. 

I was already having a hard time meal planning when we ate like normal humans. 

And now this. 

It seems so overwhelming. 

But I'm sure there has to be some really creative people with cooking skills out there. 

Anyone?!

Please share some easy recipes that don't have anything listed above (the things with a one by them are ok). 

Pretty please. 

Thank you!!

  

I posted the full results below so you can see what he CAN eat. Everything is based on a number scale. 4's are the most severe and 1's are the least. If it's blank it means he's not allergic at all.

Praise God coffee is blank. 

*I'm sure someone is going to ask...after an endoscopy Aaron found out he has esophagitis (it was sometimes hard for him to swallow) which led to the thought that he has allergies, which lead to all the allergy testing and the results above. 

Cargo bike

Have you guys seen these awesome cargo bikes?

 I didn't even know something this wonderful existed. 

*thank you random lady in this picture for showing me what this bike is capable of

See that big giant tub thing in the back?

It has two bench seats that you kids can sit on (with seat belts!). 

Genius.

Finally something I can fit all 4 of my kiddos into. 

And it comes in aqua no less. 

Match made in heaven. 

Now all I have to do is start saving. 

And exercising. 

Pulling 4 kids in that thing will be awesome and heavy. 

i hate running

I hate running.

These e cards sum up my feelings on the subject.

But running is free
and good for you. 

So reluctantly I started the couch to 5K program (app) again. 

This is my 3rd time doing it and as much as I hate running this program actually makes it possible (the running part).

Trust me if I can do it, anyone can.

So I'm running. 

3 times a week. 

And I literally sleep in my running clothes so all I have to do is wake up and go (can you tell I'm not a morning person?). 

And I haven't died yet. 

Thank you Jesus. 

And as much as I hate the actual running part

I have been enjoying the alone time first thing in the morning. 

And the crisp fresh air. 

And the quiet.

I find myself noticing the beauty around me that I'm normally too busy to see. 

And getting some time to prepare my heart and mind and attitude for the day. 

So those are good things. 

Anyone else tried the Couch to 5k app? 

fun vs. messes

I'm not that old but geeze sometimes I can act like such an old fart. 

I posted this cute pic on Instagram and wrote

"Trying to embrace this fun moment instead of freaking out that they are getting all of my pillows and blankets dirty. #realmomz "

Because seriously this moment of fun and adventure is way more important than dirty pillows or blankets. 

Don't get me wrong I love to have fun! 

Especially with my kids. 

But I have a really hard time with the mess part of it. 

It's so lame but it's the truth. 

But even though it bothers me, I don't let it stop me. 

Because this is the stuff I want my kids childhood to be about. 

adventure, exploration and of course fun!

  Messes and all. 

jumping beans

 We got the kids a little/big (8 ft) trampoline for Christmas. 

Let me tell you, it was the best investment ever.

 The kids spend most of the day outside bouncing like little jumping beans.

They get their wiggles out, exercise and have fun.

And I get a peaceful house. 

happy kids and happy mama.

It's the perfect size for our crew ( kids ages 1-6). 

It's big enough 2-3 of them can go on it at a time but it's small enough that they can climb in and out of it themselves (even our 2 year old).

I'd say that if your kids like to do flips or crazy stunts you may want a bigger one, but our kids aren't into that stuff yet.

Plus it doubles as a baby play pin. 

Just stick some toys in and zip er up. 

What are some of your kids favorite toys? 

Happy Monday

grocery shopping and laundry.

That's what our Mondays look like.

So exciting, right?

What do you do on Monday?

 This is how we do grocery shopping (Kenzie was at school and Hudson is on me in the Ergo).

I have a love/hate relationship with those kid carts! 

I usually start by letting Wesley use his own cart as long as he is showing me he can be self controlled (stay by me, be mindful of other people, don't put things in his cart without my permission, etc.).

Some days he does great and other days he loses privileges and has to ride in the back of the big cart with me. 

This is Maddie's favorite way to ride in the shopping cart. 

 laundry!! 

You are the main reason Mondays are my least favorite day of the week. 

I know everyone has their own way of doing laundry. 

I do ours once a week. 

The main reason is because I hate laundry so much I don't want to be doing it everyday. 

That just sounds like torture. 

And the second reason is when you only do 6 people's laundry once a week there is so much of it you are forced to put it away because it literally overtakes your whole house.

And the putting away part is the hardest.  

So it's good to have some incentive. 

Like if I want to sleep on my bed tonight I HAVE to put away the laundry. 

Some of my other laundry secrets-

I don't separate colors. 

I know. gasp.

And I hang all of the kids shirts. And the girls dresses. 

Everything else goes in drawers.

And Oxyclean is my BFF. 

And to spread a little joy this Monday we surprised a friend with a card and flowers. 

 And dark chocolate filled with Speculoos cookie spread.

Because we really love her.  

And when you love someone you give them that chocolate.

(please tell me you guys have tried it)

Hope you guys had a happy Monday!