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Monday, January 18, 2010

Casa Bonita

We LOVED Casa Bonita!! It was such a fun place to hang out, watch some performances, eat some awesome TexMex, play some games and just have a blast as a family.

We ate first so here are some pics at the table...




A fire juggler at the top of the waterfall.

Look closely and you'll see it's a waterfall with a pool at the bottom. While we ate there were performers being pushed, diving and all kinds of other stuff going on here.

This was in a cave. A longish dark cave. There was a loud noise at one point so the kids held their ears the rest of the time.

At the pool at the bottom of the waterfall.

Peace dude!

Not the best picture quality but such an awesome pic...truly captures "James"!!

Another Tooth Gone

I truly have a problem balancing blogging and facebooking. I have to remind myself that there are blog readers out there that are not on my facebook. I hate uploading pics and tend to only post on one or the other. I will try to be better at doing both!

That being said...JAMES LOST ANOTHER TOOTH!!!




He was much braver this time and did most of the work himself. He got a little weireded out when it was just hanging there so I stuck my finger behind it and flicked it....then we had to search the carpet to find it! You can see he doesn't look nearly as stunned in these pics.
I have to say that I love getting him to say Silly Sally! I love his little lisp. It makes me want to stop time for a little while though. I love this stage. But like time has a way of doing, it will move, and his adult teeth will come in and he will keep growing and growing and becoming more and more independent. Makes me a little sad. These are the moments that I try to treasure!


South Beach Diet-Phase 1

So Jim and I are back on South Beach. We are actually on Phase 2 now (ya, blogging more was obviously NOT one of my New Year's Resolutions!) but I wanted to show you some pics from Phase 1. My Jimmy turns into a Chef on this diet. We're allowed a lot of eggs and Jimmy makes a ton of omelets. I'm not a huge omelet person but seriously, when someone puts this in front of you, how can you not eat??

His yummy chili omelet...

A delicious veggie omelet...

Yesterday he made South Beach's Asparagus and Goat Cheese omelet for me. SOOO good! So sad I forgot to take a picture of it for you.
I think I just might stay on this diet forever so I don't have to cook anymore.....

Monday, January 4, 2010

New Years Artcile for Brighton Blade

How can it be that New Year’s is right around the corner? Didn’t 2009 just start? How is it that when I was 12 it took 10 years to get to 13 to be a teenager but now the days are flying by and next thing you know my own children turning teenagers is right on the horizon?

I read a quote in Reader’s Digest many years ago that said something to the effect of “when you have children the days can seem endless but the years fly by.” My first child was an infant when I read that and my days absolutely seemed endless. I didn’t get, until now, how fast the years would really fly though.

It’s New Year’s Resolution time. I made a resolution a couple of years ago to read through the Bible in a year and I actually did. This year I was going to stop using credit cards and use cash only. I failed after a week! However, I ended the year by taking Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and cut up all of my credit cards and do really only use cash now. So, while there was a hiccup, I did ultimately complete the resolution.

The problem is, once I started actually completing the resolutions, I have to now be much more careful about what I’m going to say. I mean I don’t want to say that I want to get back into shape and then have to spend a whole year working out…that would suck! I’m not going to give up my beloved fountain cokes and then really have to give them up for a year!

Also, with the years going by as quickly as they seem to be and my children growing up way too fast, I have to prioritize. I like picking a resolution that will make a lasting change in my life. I want something that will grow me and my character and that I’ll feel empowered by. It has to be hard enough that I have to discipline myself to complete it but easy enough that it can actually be done.

2010 will be a big year for the Clinton house. Our youngest child will turn five and start Kindergarten. My oldest will be in her last year of Elementary School. We are taking a family trip to Zion National Park in Utah and Disneyland in California. It will be another year of growing and my children becoming ever more independent. But the truth is, every year is a big year, every year my children are becoming more independent and every year my family is my only focus.

So, this year I am going to try to find balance. I will always put my children at the top of my list. However, this year I am going to put more emphasis on two things: my husband and myself. This year I resolve to love my husband like never before and make sure our marriage doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. I also resolve to try new things for me. Let’s face it, the kids are going to grow up and I need to have something that I like doing. So, while the kids are away, this mama is going to play and find herself a hobby!

Happy New Year!!

So....blog readers...what are your resolutions for 2010??