The Cardboard Box Diet: Week 1

  So the wonderful LFT had the amazing idea to start up a weekly health group called The Cardboard Box Diet. You can read about it HERE!
This week:
Weigh-in: Starting point.
Exercises completed: Completed the first two runs of the week for my training for the Chosen Half Marathon. Today, I will be doing attempting Yoga to loosen my muscles and try something I've never tried before. Saturday, I have my long run planned and hope to get another Yoga session in before Sunday.

Splurge/Guilty Pleasure: I enjoyed cheeseburger last night.

Success Story: Both of my runs this week, I ran without using my phone to watch Netflix or to listen to music. I was able to run with just my thoughts. I'm trying to prepare myself for the mental challenge of running long distances. Both runs were my best yet.

Recipes: Starting my day with a healthy breakfast, always prepares my body for the day. I love oatmeal. Take 1/2 cup of oatmeal and add 3/4 cups of hot water. Place a plate over the bowl and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then add fresh fruit, honey or agave nectar, and cinnamon. Sometimes I add a small scoop of peanut butter as well. I added fresh blue berries this week and it was delightful!

Photo: Sorry, no pic today.

Adventures of the Splash Pad

Saturday afternoon, we promised the kids we would take them to the Splash Pad. Grandma, Aunt Anna and cousin Faith joined in the fun. Before we left, we had to get pictures of the kiddos in their bathing suits. This is Peyton's first bathing suit and she is just precious.

 Peyton, Taylor and Mason anxiously waiting for me to finish taking pictures so we could leave.

 Sisters and best friends.

 Peyton

 The cousins

 The rest of the pictures were taken by Grandma, who sat in the heat and watched the kids play and tire themselves out.

 Peyton wasn'ts ure what to think, but was such a trooper.

 Three little goofballs.

Chosen

Adoption has always been very near and dear to my heart. My father adopted my sister and I as his own February 23, 1990. My parents adopted my little brother two years ago this month. Adam & I have always said that we would love to adopt when the Lord will's it in our lives. It never fails to amaze me how many children who don't have a home or a forever family.

Back in 2010, I had high hopes to run my first race in Santa Barbara. I started training and sadly gave up. I decided in May that I wanted to get back into running. I started looking online at upcoming races in the fall. I came across the Chosen Half Marathon. This is a race specificallytargeted to help orphans and adoptions. I immediately knew that I wanted to run this race. I prayed about it and gave it a lot of thought before mentioning it to anyone.

I posted on facebook to see if anyone has run the race in previous years or if anyone would be interested in running it with me. A friend of mine, Ashley, immediately commented that she had been looking at this race for awhile and we decided to run it together.

Funny site note: I have never met Ashley face to face. Our husbands worked together in the past, so I have only met her husband. We became facebook friends about two years ago. This race will be the first time we meet face to face.

After corresponding with Ashley about the race, I learned that she and Craig are in the process of adopting a child in Cambodia. So, I am running in the Chosen Half Marathon in New Braunfels, TX on Oct. 27th in order to raise money for my friends adoption. There are already a few on our team, however, the team with the most runners signed up by 6/30 will receive an extra $1000 in their adoption fund. Now who wants to run for Team Alexander?!?!?!?! If you're not a runner, not to worry...you can walk the course! They would greatly appreciate anyone interested in helping us bring their baby home!

www.chosenmarathon.com

Pierced Ears

Today, I took Peyton to get her ears pierced. I have been wanting to take her since she turned 6 months, but we have been busy lately. I know everyone has their own opinions on if and when you should pierce a child's ears, but I also have my own opinion. I first got my ears pierced at the age of 6. My grandmother took me and didn't tell my mom. My mom was certainly surprised and not very happy, but agreed that I could keep them as long as I took care of them. Well I did take really good care of them, but I have very sensitive ears and they became infected and closed up. I didn't get my ears re-pierced again until I my senior year of High School. This time they didn't close up.

My theory has always been that it's better to get the ears pierced when the girls are young, so they don't play with them or remember the shock of the experience. Peyton only cried when we had to hold her head still and her hands down, so they could mark the spot on her ears. Thankfully, my sister came with me, so I had help. She didn't ever cry as they pierced either ear. She was such a brave girl. Taylor actually did the exact same thing.

 Before

 Still not sure what is going on, but loves looking at all the sparkly jewelry.

 Right after getting her ears pierced.

 She looks a lot like Taylor in this picture.

Lately

This past week, the kids and I attended our church's VBS. The theme was Amazing Wonders and it was everything the kids had hoped for. It's usually entering Kindergarten thru 6th grade, but if you are teaching or volunteering, then the younger kids get to attend too. I taught 2nd grade and we had a fantastic team. Overall, there were more than 1600 kids last week at VBS. Everyday, Mason came home and told me every detail of his day. By the end of the week, he asked if he could go to church everyday for the rest of his life. Haha, maybe he will be a Pastor. I wish I had taken pictures of the kids in their VBS shirts, but we were so focused on getting everyone up, fed, and out the door each morning that my camera didn't make a since appearance until the weekend.

Mason & Taylor made these goggles at VBS, so they were pretending to be Superheros. Taylor even made a cape and said she had pink power.

We have started a weekend tradition of having Bagel Cafe on Saturday mornings. This time, Adam & Mason picked it up and brought it home for us. Taylor & Mason love their Cinnamon Crunch Bagel with cream cheese.

This weekend, we surprised my Gram with a 75th birthday party at my parents party. Family came in from Dallas and we made sure to spoil her. I didn't get a chance to take a picture with the birthday girl, but I did get a couple of the kids.

My cousin Taylor and I are very close. She is like a sister to me. Mason loves any chance to take a picture.

Taylor & I at Mimi & Granddad's house celebrating Gram's 75th Birthday.

Of course, we had to make silly faces.

The party started past Peyton's bedtime, so she only lasted for about 30 minutes before calling it a night.

With Taylor

Taylor & Taylor. This is how Taylor Reese poses for pictures now. She always has her hands on her hips.

 Peyton with her Momo.

Daddy & Taylor. I love this one.

Adam had a great Father's Day. After church and a short nap, we headed over to Adam's parents house. His Grandma & Grandpa O came over and the kids had fun playing with their cousin Faith and seeing their Aunts and Uncles.

Start of Summer

My favorite season has always been Summer. I love everything about the Summer, with the exception of Houston humidity. Growing up, I spent my summer outside everyday and in the water. I loved the pool! We don't have a pool, but we have spent several days at the Splash Pad. I'm pretty sure that is there favorite aspect of summer so far.

This past weekend, Taylor & I had a mommy/daughter date. My niece, Faith, had a dance recital and I thought Taylor and I could make an afternoon out of it. My parents always made it a point to have one-on-one time with each of my siblings, and I always look back at those dates fondly.

Taylor is everything girly. She loves clothes, shoes, accessories, and absolutely loves to dance or entertain. She picked out her dress and shoes to match. Then we headed out to the recital.

Taylor & I before we left for the recital.

I loved watching the little girls dance. Taylor was in heaven the entire time. After every performance, she would clap her hand and say "bravo!" Everything about that afternoon spoke to Taylor's love language.

Taylor & Faith after her ballet recital.

While we were gone, Peyton took her afternoon nap and Mason & Daddy spent time playing with all of his toys. Adam told me they had a great time, but Mason was missing us. He waited eagerly for us to come home.

The little man in my life.

It was a pretty low key weekend. Yesterday morning, we were at church and Peyton is having some serious separation anxiety. This is the second week in a row that I got paged to the nursery. I only made it through part of the first song during the service before I got paged. Apparently, she won't let anyone else feed her the bottle and she isn't happy unless she is strolling the halls. I know it's just a phase, but it breaks my heart. She will have to get over it soon, because next week I am teaching VBS and she will be in the nursery everyday for 3 hours and I won't be able to get her.

Last night Mason spent the night over at his cousin, Connor's house. Mason & Connor are only 16 months apart and the best of friends. Connor actually spent the night at our house last week. After we dropped Mason off, Taylor kept asking when we would see him again. She didn't understand why her brother wasn't coming home with us. She really missed him and kept asking for him before bed. When I went in her room this morning, the first thing she asked was when Mason was coming home. I'm so glad that they love each other and want to spend time together.

Not having Mason home has somewhat prepared me for what it will be like in August when he starts school. It will just be me and the girls. I'm looking forward to it, because I know it's only going to strengthen the bond between Taylor & Peyton. They even cuddle on the couch together.Peyton now has 2 bottom teeth and when she smiles, you can see them. I caught this picture on my phone this morning. I just love this toothy smile.Notice that Taylor wanted to hold Peyton's hand.