Decapitated Elly...

Poor little Elly!  This is Caleb's beloved Elly.  Actually, Elly was given as a gift to Alaina at her baby shower but she never paid much attention to it.  Caleb, on the other hand, has loved it since he was a little over a year.  Elly is classical conditioning at its best.  Caleb ONLY sucks his thumb when he is touching Elly.  And the minute he feels Elly, his thumb goes in his mouth!  So anyway, Elly has had better days!  LOL!  The other day his head came off!  Then, I realize just how much my kids watch what I do....first Caleb exclaims "OH NO!" which sounds much more like "ahhhhhh naaaaa!"  Then what does he do?  Does he cry?  No.  Does he bring Elly to me to try to fix?  No.  He runs to his room, gets his toy camera, and starts taking pictures of it!  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!  I just wish I had been faster to get my camera so I could take pictures of HIM taking pictures.  But, I missed it but once I was ready to go Caleb was happy enough to pose with his poor little decapitated Elly.  Jason sewed his head back on so all is good...for now.  I decided that I would see what I could do about replacing it.  I was scared, though, since we got it four years ago and it isn't like the toddlers of the world are busting down toy stores for ugly green elephants!  But I got online to see what I could find at the company website.  I actually found the toy but it said that it wasn't available in the US.  Strange, since that is where we got it...oh well.  So, I wrote the company and asked them if they had any suggestions of where I could purchase it.  To my surprise, they wrote back right away and told me that it was discontinued a few years ago but that they do still have one in stock.  They told me to call them directly and I could purchase it!  YEA!  So that is on my agenda today.  A new Elly...let's hope Caleb doesn't mind the newness.  Otherwise we will have one brand spankin' new ugly green elephant that will be very unloved.

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So, my hubby is the best!  Yesterday the plan was for him to take the kids out for a few hours so that I could get some work done.  Well, he went above and beyond the call of duty -- they were gone ALL DAY -- like from 9:30 to almost 6:00!   He took them first to the bakery to pick up some bread for me and he got them some powdered doughnuts to snack on.  Then they went to the library...the kids love it there.  They have a great doll house and train set and you can check out the stuff that goes with it.  They love to just play.  Then they stock up on new books and videos.  After the library, they drove to a town we have never been to and went to the Kool-Aid museum.  They actually have a lot of exhibits and the kids just got to play and explore.  What a good dad!  It helps that our kids are very good when we go out....for the most part they do what we ask and when it is time to go they get ready to go, etc.  I am so thankful, though, that Jason is so involved and just loves hanging out with the kiddos.  He even takes pictures!  Now, they aren't the greatest and they all have the date plastered on them because he took our little Nikon that I won from the Scrappy Awards and we cannot figure out how to take it off.  I also realize that these awesome photo frame clusters really cannot be rotated so I know the shadowing is all off...but hey, does it really matter?

So...my day was wonderful!  I got a nice quiet house all to myself.  I enjoyed and extra long devotional time.  Then I had a nice long hot bath and read more of my Hudson Taylor biography.  Then, it was off to work...well, just as far as my computer!  I made some definite progress on some stuff and am excited for Thursday to come -- Thursday is my six month anniversary of selling my templates and I have some super fun stuff planned and lots of new products.  All of this should have been done like a week ago but hey, better late than never, right?  I still have a ways to go but I feel like progress has been made.

Since Jason and the kiddos got home so late we decided against our Indian dinner and will do it tonight instead.  Two of our dorm girls are coming to stay the night so we will let them enjoy a yummy meal with us.  Should be fun!

Alaina had really wanted to go to the fitness center so after she agreed that it was okay to not go swimming, I told her I was willing to go.  I really needed to run but after sitting at my desk all day I really didn't FEEL like it.  She kept telling me I needed to go exercise so I could have "strong muscles".  I gave in knowing that once I start running I love how it feels.  Now all you non-runners out there...don't roll your eyes.  You are listening to the ramblings of the non-runner of all non-runners!  I was the kind of gal that would play sick on the day in school where you had to run the mile.  As in...I NEVER did it.  Not once.  I HATED to run.  I even skipped it in college and went as far as making up a story about being REALLY sick...like mono coming on (no, I am not proud)...so that my professor wouldn't make me do it ...EVER.  Once, when Jason and I were engaged, we decided to go run together.  There was this big loop around my college campus and I thought that maybe I could do one loop.  I ran for not more than 15 SECONDS and I thought I would die.  We never did it again. 

Then, when we were in Malaysia and I went on Weight Watchers the first time, I was determined to get some exercise.  I found a great program online called Couch to 5 K.  That sounded like me...well, at least the couch part!  LOL!  It is a really great program though...takes you literally from the couch to running 5K in nine weeks.  It starts off really slow...more of a walking/jogging program and then builds up slowly.  I found it difficult at times, but it worked!  I DID it! 

Fast forward almost two years and 15 pounds of baby fat and American food later.  I have restarted the program.  I found that doing WW alone feels so much different.  I really need (and want) the exercise.  I am on week three and am finding it MUCH easier this time.

So anyway, Alaina pushed me to go last night and I am glad I did...felt so good!  She happily played upstairs in the fitness center with me.  They have a little picnic table for kids with books and puzzles and she alternated between that and doing her own exercising.  She was so adorable...pink shirt, pink shoes, pink skirt, pink baseball cap on backwards (can you tell she picked out her outfit? LOL!) with these fluorescent green two pound weights!  She kept saying, "See mom...I am getting soooo strong!"  So sweet!

Well, since after my work day yesterday my house is in a state of disaster, I must say farewell.  I need to get things picked up and then start marinating my chicken for tonight.  Then hopefully this afternoon I will have some time to get working on some of my scrap stuff before the girls come over. 

Have a great day!

Comments

[MandaKay]

OH poor little Elly! So sad! :(

Sounds like a great day you had - what a great hubby! Can't wait to see your goodies in the store!

[HaleyW]

OK - I've got to go check out this running program. Running is one of those things taht I really don't want to do, but I think I would enjoy it if I could get it going. I am so out of shape, it is just sad. So after reading Lauren Reid's blog about spinning (which I used to do and LOVED) and now this, I think that the good Lord might be trying to tell me to get off of my duff and exercise! I think it will help me shake this winter blahs, too. BRING ON SPRING!! It has to be getting close -- my younger DD wore her capris to MDO today!! Have a great day!!

[Whitney]

Thanks for the link...I'm always on the lookout for programs to get me motivated :) DH is a runner...I would love to be too!

Hopefully Elly's new head will last this time :) I don't know what my middle one would do without his beloved blankie (and thumb!).

Have a good day!

[Melanie Kendall]

OK, I'm going to give this Couch to 5K a try. I love to walk on my treadmill, but I dislike running! Maybe working up to it slowly will work. Thanks for mentioning the link.