Found something I want today. Ohh, how I'd love to have this.... Anyway, I worked in the two's room today. It was fun being in there, doing crafts and singing songs. We went outside for a little bit but it was kind of chilly so we packed it up and went inside after 30 min. Jack stayed home today as his collar bone was hurting. I'm taking him to the orthopod in the morning so we can get some stronger pain meds for a little while. Joe made it back to school today. Yay! Kate is working the ever popular sidewalk sale at Wrapsody. It turned out to be a beautiful day. I've been working outside clearing away overgrown plants. I hate doing things like this but it looks a lot better already. Rick will be home tonight. Yay! Can't wait to show him what I want. I'm sure he will not be as excited as me.

Found out today that Jack will be following in Kate's footsteps right into law academy at HHS! He is excited. I told him it is super hard and he'll be expected to do as well as Kate has. I know he'll bring his own unique talents to the table. Kate has done a wonderful job making a nice path for her brothers to follow. We've met some great teachers because of Kate's class choices. Also found out JOe has strep. It was so weird, he threw up again in the middle of the night. I took him to the dr. this morning and yep, he tested positive for strep. Easy breezy treatment. He never had a sore throat or a fever. I made it to bootcamp today. Umm, it was soooo very hard! We did all kinds of insane things and when we were done with those things, Tatum made us do another ridiculous set of insane things and then we moved on to the circuit! I was thinking in my head "why in the world do I pay this woman to do this to me?" ha. but now that I'm home, I'm happy I did it! Kate has been enjoying getting back to the gym too. I'm glad she has a good work out that she does. Lauren is really good about eating healhty and exercising too. I truly believe that if teenagers exercise on a regular basis then they'll most likely take those habits with them throughout their life. I'm not talking about organized sports or dancing, I mean, truly exercising, making time for running, lifting some weights those things. Those are the things that are important as we age. LIfe gets in the way so often after high school and a good foundation of basic exercise is always a plus to take on to college. I know I've mentioned my friend who still takes ballet. I love that she is dedicated to it. It shows, she looks so great. Most girls don't continue with dance once they're married with kids and when cheerleading and football is over, that is when the basic exercises come in handy. I think I've taught my kids how to eat healthy, they don't always choose healthy foods but they know what is good for them and what is not. I know once they're on their own, they'll have to learn how to handle portion control and all that good stuff. When Rick and I were first married, we would order out all the time. Oh goodness, ha to look back at those pictures is soo not funny. Yikes! Maybe being one who has to work hard at staying in shape will eventually pay off. Hopefully, I'll have strong bones as I age. Ohh speaking of aging. I invested in a really good eye cream. I've been meaning to do that for some time and I did it today. It has all the good stuff in it. They say the eyes are the first part of the face to show age. I have to agree. I can see the underneath eye skin is changing and I don't like it one bit!

random pix from prom weekend

Ended up having a good day. Got my hair cut. i was worried I was turning into Ma Ingalls!!! I will not have long yucky hair. So, Brittney did her magic and it is fun and cute and not short but I love it! Also, found several chairs that I might go back and buy. I was in a hurry this morning so I have to think about it. all the kids are feeling better. Thank goodness. I ran two miles, did some arm weights and abs. Tomorrow will be a good day! Jack has his law academy interview. Kids are posting pics from prom and I have to say, Kate's group sure had fun. They're dancing and smiling and singing. I love seeing that!! I'm so glad she is making the best of high school. It's going fast!

Sick kids today. All three of them. Joe and Kate threw up last night and Jack is just tired from having to deal with a broken collar bone. So hopefully today will be a recouping day for them and they'll be back to normal tomorrow. We were doing so good with not being sick until this week. I need to make Kate's eye dr. apt. I'm thinking her prescription for her glasses has changed. I'm hoping to pop into several consignment shops today. I'm looking for chairs for my family room. Lauren and I shopped in Homewood on Sat. and I found several chairs I loved, they were all different but the fabric was similar. They were all very expensive too. So I was thinking, why not just purchase used chairs and have them redone in the fabric like the ones I saw. I guarentee that I won't spend 1635.00 on one chair! So, I have a new mission and it'll be fun to see what I find. This week is cloudy and chilly. We were getting spoiled with sunny warm days. This is def. more like spring. I'm def. a summer girl! I slept right through bootcamp yesterday. I came home from work and ate lunch and took a nap and woke up at 3:05 right before the bus dropped Joe off. I must have needed the rest. No skipping bootcamp tomorrow though! Holly Paige turned four yesterday. Aww,I can't believe she is four! I love her so much and she is so fun. I know she'll be rocking the cowboy boots!

Kizoa slideshow: Arriving at the Farm - Slideshow

Success Times a Billion!!!

Even though the things we do in this physical world may continually misrepresent who we are, let's never forget for even one second that the divine spark that is God resides within each one of us.

prom prepping!

Lauren arrived right on time yesterday. She is here and we are enjoying her so much. Kate asked her to go to the soccer game last night which was so nice. I know Kate loved showing her off and her friends have heard so much about her the past four years. I let everyone sleep in this morning. Jack has a dentist apt and I thought I'd give JOe a few more min. to sleep.  The prepping begins at 1:45 today at Ohair and then off to the MAC counter. I know everyone is so excited to see the kids all dressed up. I dropped the snacks and water off at the Gilberts for the after party. We are ready! It's going to be a beautiful day today thank goodness!!!

I think today is going to be a great day! Lauren is packed and ready to head south. The weather looks great for today and tomorrow. I'm not too worried about Sat. I just want it nice for prom. Joe was sick last night, not sure what the deal was but he slept good and seems to be better today. I'm keeping him home from school to rest. Hopefully, he is done throwing up!! We don't have time for pukers. Bootcamp wasn't as hard as Monday. thank goodness! all the girls were talking about how hard Monday was. Kate worked yesterday and helped with the new Vera set up. She was excited b/c they finished early and she didn't have to stay til 8 which meant she could go to the soccer game. I have several things to do to get ready for Lauren. Her towels are washed and put away but I need to change the sheets and straighten the house. We're excited for her to get here!!

Sleep, Drink and Gossip Your Way to Health

saw this on aol this morning. don't hit the snooze button, just set the alarm for 20 min. later.. totally okay to gossip as long as you're not spreading rumors, sharing stories is actually healthy! ummm duh, girls already knew that! and drinking alcohol whether it be beer or wine or whatever with your dinner will probably help ward off food poisioning. Also, drinking coffee has been shown to help prevent liver disease and parkinsons. Forever we have been made to feel guilty for all of these. Ugh! I'm over the guilt, just stop with it. Enjoy th sleep, drink and gossip people, in moderation of course... :)

Watched Biggest Loser last night, I like that show but its sooo long! Like maybe an hour would be good. Also watched teen mom. Watching that show, makes me know I made the right choice so many years ago. The sweet babies are tossed between teen parents, and grandparents. Every child deserves to have a stable home as heartbreaking as it is for the mother, it is the most selfless thing she can do, let go and know that your child is getting the best of everything. Rick's bday was yesterday and I reminded him his birth mom was thinking about him. Maybe someday before it's too late, he'll find her. She let him go and he has had such a wonderful life and upbringing with unconditional love from Midge and Bob. I know she would be so happy for that. Lauren and I know that we are truly unique in the fact that our relationship is so special. We know that most don't turn out like this and we know that 23 years ago, the characters in the story were all placed there by God. It's amazing to look back on the prayer service with Fr. Mike and the blessing of the baby clothes that were sent with Lauren. Each piece of the puzzle and the story finally fell into place four years ago. Knowing Lauren and her mom and dad and sister is truly amazing and I know that she had an amazing childhood with parents who were truly committed to loving her no matter what. Adoption never means not loving someone, it really means loving them so much that it hurts.

if ever there was....

"if ever there was a dress that was perfect for a girl, this dress is the one... Kate looks amazing in it."
Mary @ Mary's alterations. I cashed in our 401k to pay for the alterations and the dress is perfect! yay! yay! yay!!!

Saw a good friend there too. She was being fitted for her wedding. I'm so very happy for her and she is really glowing! Funny how life has twists and turns. A lot has changed since we moved here eight years ago. Friends have come and gone, kids have grown, couples have divorced and remarried and we've even lost a good friend, Donna. I miss her every single day!!

Happy Birthday Rick!

Today is Rick's 41th bday. haha. :) Oh no wait, he is actually 42. wow. He is getting old. I have to pick up a cake and some ice cream for tonights celebration. He is on his way home from GA right now. I'm working on laundry and cleaning around the house as I don't have to work today. I noticed yesterday the pollen is starting to take over. Soon, we'll all have yellow every where! Kate gets so mad when its all over her car and I can feel the allergies coming on. I'm definitely feeling the affects of yesterdays bootcamp. I think we did 500 pushups and 100 ball toss with a "deep" squat as Tatum says. It is brutally hard doing bootcamp but I think it is paying off, I'm starting to see some results. Hopefully today I can get a gentle jog in. I was researching polarity healing. It's pretty cool. Midge had something similar to this when she was going through her chemo. I think it is really a great idea to incorporate holistic healing with modern medicine. pulling the negative energy out of the body can only help someone feel better and allow the person to heal. I would love to learn more about it. I'm going to check out the massages at massage envy today. The website is pretty informative and they have several packages to choose from. I wonder if treating myself to a massage once a month would really make a difference in how I feel, helping to relieve stress of every day life. I might just sign up and find out for myself! Kate tried her prom dress on yesterday and she said it fit perfectly! Ummm, it better, we won't be eating for a week due to the alteration fees. OMG! I suggested to Kate that she might want to consider wearing this dress for beauty walk next year. She thought that might be a good idea as it has cost more than my wedding dress! Not that she isn't worth it.. Speaking on Kate, Rick bought her the iphone the other day. He was so funny, he said, that girl has me wrapped around her finger. Oh yes she does, he is right. He loves buying the kids things, all three of them and he even loves it when I buy Lauren things. Joe wanted and iphone but obviously, that would be a bit over the top for an 11 year old. He got his new phone last week and its perfect for him. Jack isn't due for an upgrade for awhile. Kate loves her new phone! I'm quite happy wiht my old samsung, I don't need a data package on my phone. But Kate really did. She can now pull her work schedule up and receive Hoover Belle information right away. I have to finish a chip/dip set for a customer. This piece has quite a history. The first one I did, the lady bought at Christmas for her mom in law. I shipped it, she got it they all loved it and then mom in law dropped it.... So, daughter in law bought a new one. I did it, I shipped it and even insured it through usps and it broke in route. Ugh, totally annoying and I will never insure anything again through usps b/c basically its stupid. Sooo, I'm doing this one for free! It has taken me forever but I'm determined to finish it and get it out of my house and on its way to Iowa. OMG! Just not feeling the creative energy these days. Praying for new thoughts and creative juices!

exactly why....

Exactly why I'm scheduling a massage for me! If I'm not in working order, the Leventrys do not function properly!


If you are allowing your physical condition to block you from doing the things that you want to do, you're not being of loving service to yourself.







A cornerstone of my teaching is to "Take care of yourself so that you can help take care of others; don't hurt yourself and don't hurt others; and use everything for your upliftment, learning, and growth."

Back to Work!

Ohh it is always so hard going from spring break back to work. I was excited about seeing everyone today and it was a good day but I felt like I was in a fog. And on top of that, I found out how much Kate's alterations are costing and I had bootcamp!!!! ahh! Oh well, whatever. It's all just life right? We had a wonderful spring break, now we are moving on to prom. Yay! so excited for Lauren to be here and to see Kate in her beautiful dress. she has a gorgeous tan to compliment it. Boot camp was tough today but I made it. Whoo!! My neck hurts like crazy, I think its just the let down of stress from spring break. I'm a worrier and of course I worry about being a worrier which doesn't help anything. I think I might look into getting a massage on Thurs morning before all the stress from prom begins although Kate is so happy that I don't think they'll be any crazy drama just the usual prom stress. I'm posting some pics of spring break, ones that have been uploaded a little late and I have a few more on the memory card to get on here. Kate had a really great sb, she walked in the door talking about next years spring break.......

Such a gorgeous Saturday!! Rick did a little turkey hunting this morning and I actually made french toast from scratch! So yummy. There was tons of laundry to do from the beach and I have to say I finished all of it. Yay!! Rick and I walked at the high school. Sometimes, It's just nice to walk some where different. I should have ran but it was nice catching up and chatting with Rick. Kate left the beach around 3 and finally got home around 8. She had the best spring break ever!! I'm so glad. All the girls in the house got a long perfect and she said they're all closer now than ever before. The child is sooo tan! Her dress will look so pretty on her on Friday. Me Rick and Joe went to a movie tonight or I should say this evening. It was fun just doing something a little different. I really need to work on my weekly menu because if I don't, this family will be eating cheese pizza forever! lol. Kate introduced us to a guy she has been talking to. He is very nice and we really liked him.

Fridays during lent are not supposed to be exciting. Thank goodness there is pizza hut cheese pizza. I'm a terrible mother as that is what we are having again! the crazy thing is, the kids and Rick are super excited. I bought Mahi Mahi to grill but I just can't get into it. I know this is way better than being in the desert fasting and being tempted by satan himself. there are worse things to feed the fam than cheese pizza. right?

Very ready for Kate to come home. I think she has had a really great spring break in Destin. Whoo! I'm so glad for her even though I know she has had a chest cold. I can't wait to hear about everything and I"m sure she has a beautiful tan to go with her beautiful prom dress. Prom is next week! Lauren will be here and we'll all be busy getting Kate ready. I paid my portion of the limo so Kate will be driven around in style and she'll be safe. I hope it is warm but I checked the extended forcast and it looks like its going to be in th 60s. It is supposed to be 82 today. That would be perfect. Really as long as it is sunny that will be nice. Rain makes it tough for prom hair! I'm sitting here waiting for the bug guy to come spray the house. I have to go to the bank and the grocery store. I worked in the yard for a little bit yesterday but I don't know. I think we need to hire someone to help with the gardens. Just to get it ready to go. I hate doing that and it is hard to garden here. The soil is tough and rocky and if it isn't rocky, its red clay and I hate that. I'd really like to have the underneath garden in shape and I'd love to have several tomatoe plants and pepper plants. I'm not getting my hopes up b/c with our travel schedule things seem to die. I'm wearing green today. didn't wear it yesterday. I loved seeing all the pics of my Peoria friends on facebook. I forgot how big St Patty's day is there. Good times were had for sure by all!

Relax. Then relax some more until you know that letting go completely is the way. Then you are entirely available for God to reveal His grace upon thee.

How to Banish Cellulite Legs With A Cellulite Massage | eHow.com

How to Banish Cellulite Legs With A Cellulite Massage eHow.com

I have no idea if this works at all just thought it was interesting. I think some of us just have cellulite!

Pray Now!

Had an extremely overwhelming urge to sit down and pray today. Like, sit down right now and pray. I have no idea what I was supposed to be praying for so I picked up Joe's rosary, its a glow in the dark rosary that he got in 2nd grade and I grabbed the "how to pray the rosary" booklet out of the laundry room. I mean, I know the basics of the rosary but I wanted to really do it right and it turns out I forgot a few glory be's in there but I think that's okay. I prayed a different prayer intention for each Hail Mary and Our Father. Hopefully they covered all the bases for "Pray Right Now!" I wasn't sure if I was supposed to pray for Japan so I did, I prayed for safety for my children and health for my family. I prayed for everyone who is ill, for the middle east, for our country, for my friends, my grandparents who are in heaven and for my grandma here .  Mary, Jesus' mother has come up recently in several conversations, and when I read Heaven is For Real, it was noted that she sits at God's feet. I love how special she is and I love that I've been raised to know her. She was a mother, do I believe she only had one child, nope even though as a Catholic, I should believe that. I've never professed to being a great Catholic, there are several positions the church holds that I don't fully agree with. That is obviously a totally different post, different day and week. But I'm happy that I have a way to meditate and pray and stay focused on my prayers as God listens. Praying the rosary today reminded me of the pink rosary I received at my first confession. I wish I still had it. I really wanted the jewel toned one that Msg. Rank was handing out. He went every other one with the pink and the jewel toned one. I remember figuring out  not long after he started down the line of us girls that I'd get the pink one. It's funny that I was disappointed b/c I love pink but I remember to this day that I LOVED the other one. I think Alicia got the other one. It's also funny that today, I  prayed the rosary not on a beautiful stone one, but a plastic glow in the dark one which I think is quite cool. I love glow in the dark things!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the road rise up to meet you,

                                                     May the wind always be at your back.


                                                     May the sun shine warm upon your face,


                                                         and rains fall soft upon your fields.


                                                             And until we meet again,


                                               May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Four Seasons on the Big Island!!!!

The Four Seasons on the Big Island! Whoo!!!

It was announced on Sunday that Rick nd 6 of his reps earned Gold cup! He is so very excited. From the frist day he and his team launched the drug they did awesome. They never took their eye off the ball and it paid off! We are headed to Kona, Hawaii in May. We've been on several incentive trips before and they've all be great but this should be one of the best although, Paris was pretty cool and Nevis too oh and St. Thomas and I really loved the spa in the Lake LasVegas Ritz. :)

We had a wonderful time at the beach. Our weather was better than expected and we all came home with some sun kissed skin, even Sam was just sun kissed. I am always so careful to be sure he has enough sun screen on! Jack and Tristan caught lots of fish and Joe and Sam had fun running around the condo with Nicco and new friends. Jayne and I enjoyed just hanging out and doing nothing!  Now that we've gotten the official word on Hawaii, my goal is to run three miles at least 5 days a week, continue with boot camp and really keep up the healthy eating so I will feel super great on our trip.

Our Last day turned out beautiful! Jayne and I took our time getting down to the beach. We had lunch together in the condo tiki bar/restaurant. It was fun. I love how we just laugh at the same things. Tonight is the bachelor finale so we are having a little girls night here in our room. Who will Brad pick? I think our group is rooting for Chantal

Emerald Coast!

Absolutely beautiful weather on the beach! All the boys are being great. We went to the back porch last night for dinner with he Marteh's and tonight we are going to the Crab Shack with everyone and hoping to meet up with the Suttles. Haven't heard from Kate so that is a good sign that things are going okay. So far so good. Jayne and I sat on the beach today and enjoyed the sun. Got a little sunburned as it was breezy and comfortable. I think the heat in June keeps us hopping and we just don't sit so long. here is a picture of me, Jayne and Lina from last night and the boys. Didn't snap  one of Sam and joe. Hope to get one tonight. I know the little boys are wanting to go to the track. We'll see. Tomorrow night is the conclusion of the bachelor so we are having a girls night and watching it here at my condo!

Sun is shining!!! Amen!

Thank God for the sun! I think its been almost a week since we've seen the sun here in the Ham. I was doing okay until yesterday. I ran some errands in the morning, called Lauren, we chatted for a bit then I went home ate lunch and crawled back in bed. I was there about 2 min, and got a text from Lauren saying she craweld back in bed too all the way in IA! ha, we are so much a like it is crazy, love love love that girl. I didn't stay there long but it was warm and cozy and Ralph and Owen snuggled with me. I figured it was probably the last cold day we were going to have so I just honored it and snuggled under the covers! Joe had his field trip today to the Ironworks cival war site. He was pretty excited about it.I think he was more excited about taking a Mt. Dew to school for his lunch, wearing his hat and gym shorts. ha. Thats my Joe! We had some time in the car to chat and I was talking with him about Lent. I explained why we recognize it and about Jesus spending 40 days and nights in the desert fasting and praying. I told him that it isn't always necessary to give something up. Sometimes its good to add something to your life, something positive that is a struggle. He decided he'd work harder in spelling. He hates spelling so I told him that was definitely a sacrifice. We talked about not eating meat on Fridays. He said, "mom, does this go into football seaosn?" I was like, dude, its only 6 weeks. He said he was glad b/c he needs to eat meat during football. We are pretty much packed and ready to go to Destin. Bought Kate a couple more suits. I swear, girls are expensive! "mom, I"m going to be at the beach for 7 days and I only have 4 suits."  "oh and mom, I think I need a green suit for the 17th" She says that every single year. So, we bought a couple of suits, a big floppy chocolate brown hat that brings her brown eyes out and all the stuff to fill her make up bag. I'm glad she is cognizant of sunscreen. I know I wasn't at her age and wow, I wish I had been. When I was her age though, we didn't really know about sunscreen. We called it tanning lotion. haha, cracks me up to hear my dad call it that still. I burned a lot when we went to PCB in the '80s and I watch my skin closely for changes. I don't want her to worry and have to think about that. She has learned that she can still get a golden tan by being careful and using sunscreen every day. You can always use bronzer on the face! Jayne is on her way and we are ready for her to get here. I think our weather is going to be great and I know the boys are excited. My next post will be from the Emerald Coast!

kids in Sendai!

Before I sign off... I'd like to say that prayers are definitely with the people of Japan. Sendai is where Karyn and Rick spent several years while playing baseball. I'm sure it is surreal for her to watch the footage on tv. I remember talking to her on the phone while an earthquake was going on. So scary. She always said they worried about the "big"quake. I wonder if this was it. I hope there are no more.

         Joy and Happiness are

Attributes of

God and

the

Holy Spirit!



Low Fat Cheescake!

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. It is so yummy and it is guilt free, unless of course you're like me and eat the whole thing! I've changed it around a little bit. Instead of the cherry pie filling, I use sugar free pudding. Also instead of using butter for the pie crust, I use melted virgin coconut oil and I always use a third dless fat cream cheese and not fat free. The fat is okay, we all need some fat!

12 whole grahm crackers (crushed w/ rolling pin)


3 Tbs. sugar

3-4 Tbs. liquid Butter Buds



FILLING:

8 0z. Philadelphia fat-free cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 Egg Beaters (1/2 cup)

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 Tbs. flour



TOPPING:

1 can cherry pie filling (regular or lite)

1 package prepared Dream Whip

2 Tbs. Grape Nuts Cereal



Directions:

Press the graham cracker mixture, after well blended, into bottom of a 9 1/2 X 11-inch casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-fat cooking spray. Beat all the filling ingredients together until smooth. Bake 350 degrees in oven for 20-30 minutes. Insert knife to see if it comes out clean. Cool. Spread cherry pie filling over top. Top with Dream Whip. Sprinkle Grape Nuts on top.



Serves: 16Per-serving Fat:0.37 g Calories:60

onut oil.

Thought for Lent....

"All life is a cry to God. Happy are those who know the need for God. Give your incapacity to God. If God is not center stage then you are in the wrong play."
-Gerard Thomas Staub, Thoughts of a Blind Begger...

No work for me today! I have a lot to do to get ready for Destin. I saw that Publix has some good bogo free items. I need to go back and stock up. I said I'd send a lasagna with Kate's group so I need to figure that out too. It's still cloudy and chilly here, I'm so very much done with this. I need sun!! Jack has a track meet at Vestavia tonight. He is feeling a little better so he is going to school. Poor guy, caught quite the cold. :( I'm feeling sore from yesterday's boot camp work out. Tatum really pushes us through the whole session. I guess thats what we pay her for. Hopefully today I can run in the subdivision. The Leventrys are very ready for break!!! Come on SB'11!

Loved seeing all our sweet babies today! They were all there as I'm sure their mama's were taking advantage of today b/c next week is spring break. I defnitely felt the hunger pangs as snack time came and went and I bypassed all gold fish, animal crackers and vanila wafers. Jack is still home, trying to feel better. Boot camp is in an hour! Cheese pizza for dinner tonight and I grabbed several good booklets on Lenten prayers.

Oh goodness it stormed all night long and Ralph was a complete mess. He was up and down and then he wanted to go to the basement and then he was barking and wanted to come back upstairs. I see a nap in my future before bootcamp! Rick is off to GA, hope he gets there safely. My sweet Joe is off to school via the bus and my sweet Jack is sleeping in as he has a spring cold. I need to get some airborne for him. Just had a great chat with Kate. She is so very happy right now and that makes my heart happy! yay!!!! We are excited for spring break. Jayne will be here in 2 days. The weather looks good. Got several emails about prom and pictures and such. I'm glad things will be organized for that day and all of us parents are working hard to make sure the kids arrive to each destination safely. Can't wait to see all the kids dressed up! yesterday was fat Tues. I did great not eating too much until like 5 and then bam! I went to bed with a tummy ache. I'm giving up snacks for lent. each time I want to reach for a snack during the day I will say a prayer and think about Jesus' time during his 40 days in the desert.

Ahh, yes another gloomy day! Not sure what happend to the sunshine but it disappeared this morning. Even so, I still enjoyed being with the babies. We only had 3 today which was nice. Vonnie and I always find things to talk about and I love everyone at the playschool.  We were talking today about how as a teacher you spend a 9 months with the children and they love you and you love them and then, bam! They totally forget you. haha. I always say that we plant seeds of love in their hearts to take with them as they grow up. We are all ready for break. I know my kids are ready. Its like they've hit a wall and thats it! Junior year is the hardest year academically in high school. Kate pushes herself and I think at this point in the game, she is done. I'm ready for her to get to the beach and just chill. Jack is a fuzzy 14 year old. Like I've said before, it is painful to watch him walk. He is growing and chaning every day.  It's reassuring to look around at Kate's guy friends and see they made it through being 14. Joe is easy breezy. It's great being 11. No hormones yet, he's still little and super super cute. I know he will be changing a lot in the next 2 or so years. We were laughing the other day about the family picture of the Leventry's. Rick is probably 14 and Ellen is maybe 10. Rick is sporting the biggest baddest zit in the middle of his chin! haha. If I were his mother, I probably would have canceled the picture session but she didn't. She trudged through and now Rick's lovely crater zit is there for all of us to see every time we visit Athens! I remember being that age. Oh goodness, I hated it! I was never fat or chubby but I remember feeling so awkward and just lumpy. My teeth were a mess. Thankfully, I never had issues with acne and Rick really didn't either. It's tough being a kid. Bless their hearts!

Heading to work this morning. I get to see the big babies. yay!! Just finished 30 min. of lower body yoga. I'm hungry and I do not need to be eating. I had a yummy bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon with some coconut oil. Did you know that coconut oil is a medium fat chain and you do not store it as fat but your body uses it as energy?? It is so good for you! Also, a tsp of cinnamon has as many antioxidents as a half cup of blueberries! The sun is shining and that makes me happy! Just learned the breakfast for Jack's hall has been post poned until the beginning of April. Thank goodness b/c I didn't really need to be doing that on Thurs. Today is fat Tues, tomorrow is Ash WEd. I'm thinking about Lent and what it all means. Lots to think about.

boot camp!

Made it back to boot camp today at the high school. Ahh, good ole boot camp! Gotta love some push ups, squats with the medicine ball, plank ups, inverted hamstring curls, pelvic thrusts, haha and a few laps around the court yard. This session will be great for getting ready for summer and shorts and tank tops.

Had a great day with the babies. They're all growing and doing fun things. I get to work tomorrow with the older babies and then Wed. is our last day before spring break! Yay!! I'm ready for a change of scenery preferably beach scenery. Rick is excited because he can hunt turkeys as much as he wants for 4 days straight! Knock yourself out Rick L. :)

senior pics

Got a call recently from a photographer that wants to take Kate's senior pics after spring break. Hard to believe its almost time to think about senior pictures!!

Just ran a couple of miles this morning before I have to head to the playschool to play with the babes. It would be wonderful if the sun made an appearance today. I've missed it.

We walk with our Beloved within.




If we walk with the Beloved in this outer physical world, we can become discouraged because we are looking for something perfect that is in our minds. That's why the Beloved does not walk with you physically, because it's too easy to become disenchanted on the physical realm.



The Beloved always walks with you spiritually.

Here's some pics of last year's visit to the crab shack! Love love love the beach area they have.

A week from tonight, I will be hanging at the crab shack with friends, four precious boys and one sister! yay! I'm ready. I'm definitely in need of a change of scenery. All junk food has been tossed in the trash for the week. I totally forgot that bootcamp starts tomorrow. I told the instructor that I'd do this session. Yikes! I have to get psyched for it b/c its tough. It's worth it though.

Family Visits

So yesterday was blah. It rained and rained and rained. Everyone who knows me, knows I hate rain! It totally demotivates me. I finished reading the book, Heaven is For Real.  I loved it! Rick's parents came over around 3:00. We visited for a long while and when Kate got home from work, we all went to dinner at Lucia's. The food there is so yummy, I'm not a fan of the actual dining room but the food is worth it! Kate and I split the veggie pizza and I think everyone else enjoyed spaghetti. We saw friends of ours there which was fun and we made plans to see them next week at the beach. After dinner we went to the Whole Scoop for dessert. I saved up all day by not eating so I could enjoy dinner and ice cream last night. It was well worth the sacrifice. We got home, Kate changed clothes and went to a friends house, Rick's parents went to their hotel and I crawled in bed with a very full tummy. Thankfully, the rain is gone but it is one of those typical dreary cloudy, cool March days. Rick and I drove to the high school to walk, sometimes it's nice just walking/running some where a little different and its a mile around the high school. We did two miles. It was a little windy for me. Owen scratchd my right eye this morning on accident and the wind was irritating it. So, I was happy to get a couple of miles in and then we went to Publix to buy this weeks groceries. Since we are leaving in 6 days for Destin, this week is the battle of the bloat. There is nothing worse than going to the beach feeling fat!  So, I bought some weight watcher dinners for me and lots of lemons and veggies. Now, once I"m at the beach, I will definitely be enjoying yummy food but this week not so much. We saw a good friend of ours at the store this morning. She is so happy and she shared some wonderful news with us. Yay!!! Kate is at her ACT class today. She is so ready for a break! I think all the kids are. This week coming up is going to be busy. I'm working Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs is Jack's breakfast at school and Friday is busy with appointments. Hopefully the sun will come out and make everything happy!

So not a fan of rain and I'm really not a fan of rainy Saturdays. Just dropped Jack and Tris off to fish, I hope they get some fishing in before it really starts raining. Joe is in hog heaven with his bb gun. I have no idea what he is going to shoot with it but he is jazzed. Kate had a great night with friends last night, I think the girls did some spring break shopping. Rick loves checking the account on line like every five min. and he came upstairs asking who was shopping at Urban Outfitters. Umm, duh, who do you think?? One week from today, we'll be headed to Destin. I'm ready to get there. I am in need of some beach scenery. This week coming up is going to be super busy which will be great. I love that! I'm working Monday and Tuesday, and Wed. Thurs, I will get everything for Kate's trip organized, Friday is chiro and hair apt. and then I'm picking JJ up at the airport! whoo!!! Lots to look forward to. :) I love that!!

Perfection

Keep in mind that perfection is not achieved on the physical level.

In the Soul, you are already perfect; everyone is. In the body, emotions, and mind, you are working to bring yourself into balance so that you can more readily see the Soul's perfection.

Ooey gooey brownies are fabu!! love them. :)

oooey gooey brownies!

Rick comes home from Dallas today so I thought I'd bake these brownies to celebrate. I love that the ingredients are so simple and maybe even a little bit healthy. :)

Ingredients

Serves: Update

1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick) plus additional for brushing pan



2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate



2 ounces finely chopped unsweetened chocolate



3/4 cup sucanat



1 teaspoon vanilla extract



2 large cage-free organic eggs, lightly beaten



6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour



1/2 cup dessicated coconut



1/2 cup toasted pecan halves



1/4 teaspoon salt



Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan.





Melt butter with chocolates in a heavy medium saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, just until chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in sucanat and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time until each is combined well. Stir in flour, coconut, pecans and salt until combined well. Spoon into prepared baking dish, smoothing top.





Bake in middle of oven until brownies are set (top will look slightly wet but will absorb as it cools) and a toothpick inserted in center is clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan and cut into squares.

One week til spring break! We are all ready for a break. Is Destin, FL ready for Hoover to descend upon it? Ha! I can only imagine the drama that will occur while we're there. Honestly, I'm seasoned at this and I can pretty much handle anything. The moms who are staying with Kate's group are also seasoned even more than me and they have seen it all!! Im making a lasagna dish to send with Kate and I also need to get some of her easy breakfast foods to send. I know they're not going ot want to mess around with too much grocery shopping and cooking. Kate and I finally got in to the seamstresses yesterday with her dress. Her dress is so pretty. I have no idea how much these alterations are going to cost but I know the dress will look great. At least its there and Mary can start working on it. She said girls are starting to get their dresses in. Prom is 3 weeks from this weekend and Kate will be gone for a whole week for sb so hopefully she can get in for her 2nd fitting before she leaves.

Joe is trying hard to talk Rick into buying him a bb gun. He has a couple of friends that have one and he wants one now. He just texted me reminding me to talk to dad about the gun. Oh goodness!! We'll see. I'm taking Jack shopping after school for new shorts and shoes. He is growing like crazy right now.

Ahh! It's almost Friday. Yay! and almost one week til we leave for the beach. I have been checking the weather in Destin and it seems to be very similar to our weather which is fine. Although, two years ago, we had perfect weather. I'm praying for lots of sunshine and warm temps. Last year was not so warm. Even so, we'll have fun and I'm definitely looking forward to eating at the Crab Shack and the Back Porch! I had the strangest dream this morning. I dreamed the Kenny Chesney asked me to be on dancing with the stars with him. Ha! What a hoot. I don't even watch dancing with the stars. I do love KC though. I love that he is short and that he is bald and he loves football and he loves the islands and he is southern and his favorite college  team is an SEC school. I told Rick a few years ago that KC made it cool to be short and bald.

I am heading up to SSC to sit in Joe's room while his teacher goes to the teacher's lunch. I emailed the parents a couple of weeks ago and one of my friends had already commited to watching her kindergardener's class. Not sure about the other parents. I really don't mind as it gives me an opportunity to see Joe and to get to know the kids in his class. Next year, at Bumpus, I won't be needed so this is my last chance. Thankfully, Teresa came yesterday. She does a great job and I'm so happy she has worked out. If I ever go full time to work, I'd love to have her once a week. It would be worth it!

relo to Peoria?

So today, Rick texted me and said that he was offered the Chicago speciality district. The guy offering the job to him had done his homework. He knew we were from Peoria and said that we could live there. For a second, I thought, wow, it would be so great to be close to everyone and then I thought, there is no way I can live up north again. We promised Kate when we moved here that we wouldn't move her again. We are pretty rooted in the Hoover community and we really love it. I just want everyone to move by me. :) I understand that its hard to up and move so I'm always thankful for the easy ways we can communicate like we never stopped chatting. I'm sure Rick was flattered to be offered the job, there was a time when we would have entertained a big move but for now we are staying.

Just got done working out. Ran the hills again and they're getting easier which is so great! I've always been an exerciser, pretty much ever since forever. Seriously. I remember doing exercises with my mom when I was 8 years old. I danced for a long time and then in the '80s while I was in high school, I did aerobics at the gym. I'm glad the habits I had then have stayed with me as I've gotten older. I have a good friend who still takes ballet at least twice a week. I love that! I took several classes with her a few years ago but I just wanted something that wasn't so advanced. I'd scoot out when we went to center. I had to tease her b/c she said that it was an adult ballet class and I know 18 years of age is considered an adult by the military's standards but not really by mine. I just felt like everyone was a little more with the program than I was. I would definitely consider taking a ballet class again if it were truly adults, like moms, like my age!  Kate is an exerciser. She loves it and is like me, she is happier when she is in a good exercising mode. I told her that she will most likely have to exercise her whole life just like me. That isn't a bad thing. Most people do. I'm happy she has good habits now so she will take them with her as she goes to college and beyond. Lauren inherited the crazy food and exercising gene from me. She is the same way, always watching what she is eating, and careful to  budget her time for a work out. I hope the boys do the same as they get older. I want them to enjoy working out and feeling good. I love seeing the kids adopted healthy habits.

Kate said the boys are getting fitted for their tuxes tonight. I can't wait to see them all dressed up! They're going to look so great. Her date's mom is going to order the boutonniere and corsage together so they'll match. She said she is going to do daisies and sweetheart roses with rhinestones for Kate's corsage. It will be soo pretty and match her dress beautifully. Yay!!

Ran the hills today and added a half a mile to my run!  A lot of times while I'm running, or exercising, things I meant to write or post earlier that I forgot, come back to my thoughts. This particular question was posted on one of my friends facebook pages. I found it interesting.

Did you wake up with everything you thanked God for yesterday? 

Lots of little laughs

Just had a very yummy lunch consisting of pb&j on a bagel. My favorite sandwich ever!! Had to run a few errands this morning. I bought several things from tjmaxx the other day and I didn't like two of the three so I had to return them. Also, got my order from VS and surprisingly, the jeans were too big so I sent them back and ordered the smaller size. I also returned one of the shirts b/c I won several really cute tops off ebay. I reallly need new summer clothes. I haven't bought any in a while and it is time! I think I'm noticing some success with my 1200 cals  a day and my running. It takes time and its been about 5 weeks now. Finally! I'm proud of Rick too b/c he is working hard to get in shape for Hawaii. That is his motivation and he is doing great. Kate has got to sleep in this week b/c of graduation exams. This morning we both sat outside to get some sun. We had a really nice chat about spring break, boys, friends, prom, and college. She is excited for all of it! What fun to have so much to look forward to. Rick and I are so happy she has such a strong sense of family. I love so much that she interested in what her brothers are doing and what Lauren is doing. I know she is looking forward to college and we are so excited for her. She really has her ducks in a row and we are so proud of her!! Joe heads to Bumpus this week for the tour. He has been at that school a million times so it won't be new to him. He is really excited about 6th grade. The child already has girls calling him. Ha! He was telling me last night that so and so called him and so and so likes him and so and so likes his friend Sam. What a hoot. I don't think he is really into girls yet but I think he is enjoying the attention. He is bringing his friend, Sam on sb with us again this year. They are two peas in a pod and we always enjoy having Sam with us. Jack is really enjoying track this year. He has another meet today and this one is at HHS too. I don't think it will be as long as Friday's as there won't be as many schools there. Thank goodness b/c I just cannnot do that again. I'm not cut out for tournament type things. I used to think I could be one of those tournament moms but sadly, I cannot. Kate is going to try and come to the meet today and I'm looking forward to seeing Jack too. He is growing like crazy right now and just getting so big. He is eating me out of house and home! I came home from shopping the other day and opened the trash can and noticed there were three yogurt cups in there. He is like the hungry caterpillar right now. The endo increased his dose from 100mg to 125mg so I bet he'll start sprouting soon. I've also noticed a littel stache. lol. I wonder when Rick needs to teach him to shave. I do not know if I'm ready for this. He is a sweet boy and doing well in school. I love his sweet heart. Owen got out last night. The front door blew open from the storms. Obviously, Joe did not close it tight when he came in from talking to one of the girls. Anyway, Owen got out and he is crazy when he gets out. Ralph doesn't go down stairs so I never worry but Owen, oh geez. he was everywhere and he has no idea that cars can hurt. So Joe and I were trying to catch him. He ran up big bertha so I ran up big bertha. We finally got him but grr, I was not happy!! Rick's in Dallas for a meeting this week. We miss him.

Beach Ready!

 I  read that caffiene is great for reducing the appearance of cellulite and with spring break and swimsuit season just around the corner, I thought this was kind of interesting. Haven't tried it yet.
You can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite with an easy, do-it-yourself coffee body scrub. You will need:



One cup freshly brewed coffee grounds (any brand)

One egg white

One tablespoon olive oil

Note: The egg white can be substituted with one-half cup brown sugar.



Mix the ingredients to a paste (experiment with the quantities to create a texture you like), and then proceed to the nearest shower.



Apply a small handful of the paste to your cellulite zone (most likely the backs of the legs, thighs, and butt), and rub the mixture in gentle, circular motions. Feel free to increase pressure to a vigorous, brisk scrub (however, this should not be painful at all).



Rinse completely, or allow the paste to sit on your skin for five to 15 minutes. This would be an excellent time to show your hair some love with a deep conditioning mask. The wonders of multi-tasking beauty!



Each ingredient plays a crucial role in producing soft, smooth, and most importantly, firmer skin.



The coffee grounds are a fabulous manual exfoliant due to their natural texture. If you add skin-smoothing brown sugar to your recipe, this will double your exfoliation benefits.



The application process itself contributes to the exfoliation. The pressure on your skin is a form of massage. This increases blood flow and circulation to the area, leaving your skin glowing and happy.



The olive oil has moisturizing and skin-softening properties, and egg whites are a fantastic for tightening the skin. Maybe even throw on an egg-white mask while your coffee scrub is working it's magic.



Most importantly, the caffeine in the coffee grounds should temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite for many women. Caffeine draws fluid out of your fat cells, causing them to temporarily shrink. Caffeine has been used for decades in anti-cellulite products. Most pills and creams available today contain caffeine.



This recipe is well known, loved and even approved by Dr. Oz.