July's Round up

I don't know how this blog has become a monthly thing- but I am trying to change that! I guess it's good that we're busy doing fun stuff! I can always go back and write and scrapbook, but I will never have those moments with my little ones to do over again. Oh boy! We're in for some trouble!! Livi is only 20 months, and is quite the girly girl!:) I love it!- She loves tutu's, phones, purses and shoes!!

 Jacob and I are "training" for a 5K. I found an app on the iphone called "couch to 5K" So now, we're on the 5th week out of 8 weeks.The program is only 3 days a week. It's going pretty well. I'm still sticking with it and my legs are still intact! That's good!;) I have never been a runner or really aspired to be one. But it's kind of a nice feeling once you go a little bit. Now it's nice to have a goal and to be able to do it together. I got my run in this morning.  I got the Disney Cinderella for Bella at the library. She's never seen it- and she loved it. So that was my "inspiring motivation" to run today! Usually I listen to music. I need some upbeat music so I was listening to more pop/ top 40 stuff, but if you ever really listen to some of those words to the songs it's pretty appalling! So then I moved on to contemporary Christian, but I'm finding that is hard to find upbeat tempo music. TobyMac seems to be a good start. (That's my Pandora radio station) Any other suggestions??

We had a great morning today. I think getting up and getting my run in helps me to get more done. Better than lounging around in my pajamas! Slowly we're getting better about doing school on a more regular basis. It helps when we don't have an activity every morning! Today we did some review on the chalk boards. Livi even got in on the action today with finger painting with us and drawing with chalk while Isabella practiced her writing. 'S' seems to be a little tricky for her, so we made a bunch of them to trace and I think she's getting it. Now she'll be able to write her whole name by herself. She's starting to do it more and more on her own- even know what letter comes after- which I think is pretty good when your name is Isabella! I'm seeing so many great ideas on Pinterest that I'm trying to get together and use. I'm thinking of starting with these "busy bags". I want to bring them on our long beach trip coming up in a few weeks.
 
  http://mysmallpotatoes.com/2012/07/21/a-busy-bag-round-up/

Isabella wrote her name & practiced some shapes. Olivia's creation on the right:)

Hmm.. what else have we been up to? Oh! The Olympics have been our nightly activity for Jacob and I to watch. Now that my favorite- swimming- is over, it's not as good for me. Still it's so inspiring, as well making me want to go to London ( and Paris!) even more!  I've been reading Emily Giffin's new book, Where we belong. It's about a girl who turn 18 and sets out on a discovery about who she really is. She is adopted and goes out to find her birth parents. Something Blue, Something Borrowed and Baby proof were especially good. Those were the first ones I read a while ago and now I'm a devoted fan.:) I devoured this book in about 3 days. It always surprises Jacob to see me read a book so fast. Honestly, it surprises me a little too;) I love when I can just get so into a book. I have 2 more waiting for me by a new author I really like, Sarah Strohmeyer. This one, Kindred Spirits is the new one I started.

We have about a million apples this year on our tree, so I about to make a large batch of crock pot apple sauce! I tried last week to make some in a pot on the stove. BAD idea! I burnt it worse than I burnt anything ever before! It took about 3 days to scrape the bottom of that poor pot! Little cooking tip for all those aspiring chefs- "simmer" does NOT mean, leave at high for 30 min!! Yikes!