Cute New Bedspread

Isnt it cute???? We finally decided to go out and get a new comforter. We have looked and looked and everytime we go to the stores we can never take the plunge to just buy one already. So my good friend Jenny watched my boys for us last weekend so me and Craig could go on a date. We had a lot of fun. We went and had a nice dinner and then went to Ikea. I used to not like that place so much, but I really do now. Ive changed my mind. So we found this duvet there and we both agreed on it. There were a few cute ones there and they are pretty cheap. We figure for this price we can change out the comforter any time we want. It was nice getting to go out on a date with my hubby. I always enjoy spending time with just me and him. Its a rareity (sp?) these days.

This weekend we went to my moms in San Antonio for Grahams birthday and had a lot of fun eating cake and homemade ice cream. I swear, one of these days I always say I want to open a little ice cream shop and make my grandma's recipe for homemade icecream. It is to DIE for!!! I can never resist it. So of course, I kinda went off path from my diet this weekend and I have been doing soooo good. I have dropped a few more pounds and am finally really starting to see some new results. One thing I have been doing is running. I think this has been a key ingredient to sliming and toning my thighs and helping me drop these last pounds to reach my goal. Im going to keep it up. I always dread it when Im pulling out my treadmill, but then once I am running Im thinking....well, this isnt so bad. Especially when Im watching Oprah or catching up on some of the shows I never get to watch during the day. Its the only way to make it something to look forward to.

Well, I better run and get these boys in bed for the night. Then Ill have some time to myself. YEAH!! Thats what I like to hear. HAHA ...ME TIME. :)

Sick Day

Everyone is sick! YUCK!!! I hate it when the kids are sick. It started by Preston saying he had a stomach ache on Monday evening and quickly turned into a vomiting/you know what episode alllll night long. Then, finally when he quit throwing up at about 2 am I laid down and my stomach started turning knots. Needless to say, yesterday was spent laying in bed with a fever all day long with 2 kids by my side. Preston was still sick and stayed home from school, but Payton was rearin' to go. So it was all I could do to just put one movie on after another to try to keep him occupied. Craig got home from work and then a couple hours later started saying his stomacher was hurting. OH GREAT! Sure enough, he couldn't even make it to work this morning. Whatever we are all passing to each other is one nasty virus!

Here is a picture of Payton not feeling good. He wanted to try Preston's skateboard and of course fell off and hit his chin on the pavement. Ouch! If you look closely he has a thermometer under his arm. haha. He loves to try to take his own temperature.

Well, hopefully we will all be better for the weekend. We are going to go down to San Antonio for Grahams birthday. The boys are going to go skeet shooting on Saturday morning and then we are going to grill out in the afternoon. It should be fun, the kids love to go and see "namma."

Here are a few pictures we took up in the hills.

Week update

Well, I'm already getting behind with this whole "blogging" thing. We have been busy but really doing a whole bunch of nothing. The kids are constantly keeping me active and running. We went hiking a couple weeks ago and I took this picture and thought it was soooo cute of the boys. Payton likes to keep up with the "big boys" and wont have it any other way. He and Preston are actually really good hikers!

Craig went to the doctor...finally...last week because he has constant allergies and a stuffy, runny, sneezey nose. He found out that he has such severe sinus problems that he is going to have to have surgery. I really wasn't surprised though. I just feel sorry for him because I know he must feel miserable all the time but he doesn't even know what "normal" feels like. So I am very anxious for him to have this done. He will have his tonsils out and his septum fixed. It is 100% blocked on one side, meaning he can never breathe out of his nose. Poor guy. He will have a total of 5 things done on his sinuses. Hopefully he can get the time off work to have this done in the next couple weeks. He needs it asap! He is a bit of a work-a-holic and has never asked off work, so getting him to do this is like pulling teeth. But, the doctor told him he will feel like a completely different person after the surgery. So I cant wait :) haha!

So that was pretty much the news of the week. I am doing good, still working out and "trying" to diet as usual. I had set a goal this year that I wanted to do a figure competition. I'm really thinking I am going to do this and I'm stressing a little about it. Its a very ambitious goal that takes extreme dedication. I am just trying to gear up for the training and a very meticulous and strict diet. You have to be extremely lean and muscular for these competitions. I love lifting weights and seeing the benefits of it, but the diet part is not so fun. YUCK! I'm thinking about hiring a nutritionist/trainer to get me it tip-top shape and hey, its bonus because summer is right around the corner and I can be bikini ready. Hey, after a compeition you have a bangin' body......all the more incentive! :)

They boys are doing great and are happy and healthy. Here are some pictures of Payton and his markers. This kid is addicted to markers and colors on pretty much everything including himself and is so amused by it.

Payton got a short hair cut.

Easter

We had a wonderful weekend at grandma and grampa's house this Easter weekend. The kids didn't want to leave on Sunday and enjoyed eating a lot of candy! The boys had so much fun coloring Easter eggs and wanted to do more and more. Payton wanted to carry the crate of eggs around all day and kept calling them "baby eggs." Then, on Sunday morning, Payton found his Easter baskets without us knowing and just started dumping out all the candy. They had a lot of fun! We headed down to San Antonio on Friday and came home late last night. Saturday we pretty much stayed indoors because it was pouring down rain ALL day long and it turned freezing cold. Its so bizarre, this Texas weather. It was just 80 degree's last week and then we came home to it being 50 degree's inside our house and had to start a fire and turn on the heater. Its always nice being able to actually use the fireplace though. Its supposed to be in the mid 80's again later this week and summer is quickly approaching! I'm not sure I'm ready for the sweltering 100 degree heat of the summer. We pretty much spend every day at the pool. Its the only way to get through.

Well, just wanted to update the blog and say we had a great Easter and are so thankful for our family both here and far away. Hope everyone had a great holiday!

Boys and Outside

I am figuring out that having boys and ALWAYS wanting to play outside goes hand in hand. We just came in from the hot, sticky, humid Texas weather we are already having in March in the picture above. I just thought it was kinda cute because it shows what we do every single day of our lives. Play outside and get sweaty, come in for a drink and then go straight back outside. It really kinda stinks right now though because we are renting and don't have a back yard. So its not like I can just turn the little rascals loose in a fenced back yard...every outing requires mom! So by now I'm kinda getting used to throwing on my grubbies and getting ready to sweat from jumping, throwing and running chasing after payton, who will not slow down to save his life. I cant imagine what it would be like to have girls. Man, boys are ACTIVE! I cant complain though, I'm so grateful they can be active and they are healthy and that I am able to keep up with them. I wouldn't have it any other way. I have to say, I wouldn't mind a break every once in a while, ohhhhh, a vacation sounds nice too, but, I think this exhaustion is all just part of a "moms" job. No wonder there is the saying that having 2 kids is like having two full time jobs. Some days I can definitely feel it, and I totally agree. I'm sure many mothers agree with that! I'm just going to try to enjoy this time when my kids are small and still think its "cool" or "sweet" as Preston says, to play with mom. I know this time in their lives is going to fly by, as it has so far. So in the mean time I'm just going to keep taking my ginseng for energy and just enjoy their little giggles and laughs when they throw the ball and it hits mom in the face...hahahaaa...all comes with the territory of having BOYS I guess! :)

Award Day

Well, Preston got his first award at school today. A few students were chosen from each kindergarten class who were "shining stars" and Preston got one for being a "star student" in his music class. Imagine that....way to make mommy proud Preston! Its even cuter because he also has his first "teacher crush" on his music teacher Mrs. Shepard, so to get an award from her made it all the better! He looked so cute walking up to the stage when his name was called and he had a big grin on his face. He was surprised to see his dad and I there because we were supposed to keep the award a secret. He is doing so well in school and is learning so much. He never likes to miss a day which makes mornings much easier on me too! I hope it always stays like that, although, I'm sure it wont when he is a teenager never wanting to wake up...I remember those days! Well, I'm off to make some dinner for the hubby now.......can you believe that, he actually wants dinner when he gets home from work. Uggggghhhhh! I hate cooking. HAHA Better get a crackin'!

First Blog

Well, this is my first blog and I think its finally time to jump into the blogging world. I have to admit I have been putting it off and ignoring my friends about getting one. I think I was just feeling like I already have so much to do and not enough time to do it all that this would feel like one more thing I have to catch up on. I was already feeling like where the heck would I start? So much has happened in our lives these past couple years that its hard to go back. So, I'm just going to re-cap quickly for friends and family we haven't talked to in awhile, and then just start anew!! That sounds good to me. I'm going to try to figure out this whole picture thing too. My friends page has the cutest pictures on them and I just think this is a great way for all our distant family that doesn't get to see us or the kids often just take a peek and see whats going on with the Smarts. Not all that exciting most of the time, but hey, there is something appealing about taking a look inside someone else's day for once. Its kinda nice to see a friend having just as hard a day as me for some reason, it makes me feel a little better. HA!
One of my goals this year is to take more pictures. I think I was so busy and distracted last year I didn't stop and capture the moment enough. And really, isn't that what a pictures is all about? So this blog will be a good way to keep me on top of that so I can capture moments of the little things that I love. I really love my life and adore the people in it, so I'm really going to try to "pause" more often.
One word that describes how I have really been feeling this year is "grateful." I feel so grateful for my life, my family, my awesome husband, my adorable kids, our good health and our happiness together. We have such a good life and I am so thankful for that.
Ok, now for the re-cap...the part I hate, well, dislike, so...here it goes. Last year we moved from Dallas to Austin, Tx. Craig got a job transfer and we had to sell our house. It was very sad for me because that was very first home and I loved it! I have since come to miss it even more only because we are in "temporary housing mode"...(rental) and there is nothing like the feeling of owning your own home. It just feels different. O-well. Even though I miss my house/having a yard for the kids, this has been the best move for us. We are closer to my mom in San Antonio and the kids love that. It definitely has its perk too, she is right around the corner from 6 Flags and close to Sea World. We have been to both and love it! We might get a season pass this summer to 6 Flags for me and Preston. He loves roller coasters.
Craig is doing so well at his job here and is staying so busy. He is a great provider to our family and supports me in all my crazy idea's. I love him! He is such a trooper for taking us to San Antonio every weekend as I'm sure many husbands wouldn't want to see their "in-laws" that often! He is such a great dad and loves his boys so much, and they adore him! He is such a hard worker and NEVER complains. I don't know many people who don't complain, especially when they have to get up at 4:30-5am every single morning for work as he does...and I have never once heard him complain about how he doesn't want to go to work or he is going to stay home. I can never convince him to stay home and he has never missed work or called in sick. He is a very dedicated business man and he has that same dedication to his family. That's one of the many reasons I love him so much!
I am staying busy constantly "workin' on my fitness" as Fergie says. I have high fitness aspirations that have grown this past year. I did a weight loss transformation with the company MuscleTech and ended up getting an endorsement contract with them. I did a couple commercials for them (one is out now) and went a few different time to do photo shoots for them. It has been such a life changing experience for me in that I have finally learned what it means to be truly fit and healthy for the rest of my life now. I made the transition from "dieting to lose weight" to lifestyle change and being healthy for life! I love it. I have definitely caught the fitness bug and am just getting started on my new life as a fit, healthy, vibrant person. It just makes me regret not knowing about this whole fitness world earlier. I'm 29 and going to be the big 3-0 this year...aaahhhh...Im a little sad about the number, but I'm going to go into my 30's with a BANG! I'm so excited for this year and what it has to bring for me. I have so many idea's and ventures I want to start and I know this year is going to be a good year!
Okay, now for the boys....oh those boys! Wow, I love them to death, but some days we say they are going to be the death of us. HAHA! Craig and I say all the time how much fun it is to have 2 boys. They are so dang cute. Its so fun to see the world through the eyes of boys. Its all about sword fighting, playing outside, skinned knees, dinosaurs, star wars video's games etc... and they want to include mom in all these activities everyday and so you can see some days, mom just wants to collapse.
Preston started kindergarten last year and LOVES school! He is doing so great. He can read now and its so exciting for him and me too! He loves to be active and is such a good boy!
Payton is 2. Enough said. HAHAHA. Lets just say he is a little firecracker! What a different kid he is than his brother was at his age. TOTALLY opposite. Its like he wants to experience everything life has to offer every single moment of his little life. Its so fun to see, yet at times, exhausting! When I say he is active, that is an understatement. He just has a vigor for life that comes with being two, which we love, but cant wait to see what 3 and 4 and 5 brings us. He is adorable with his flyaway blond hair and BIG blue eyes. He loves everything his brother does and doesn't know that incapability's of his little body yet. He is learning as all the bumps and bruises can attest too on his legs.
Well, that pretty much sums up the last year. Not as painful as I thought. Now the test will be to see if I can keep up with my writing. I'm going to try to figure out how to put pictures on now.