I survived day 1, day 2 is another story!

Asher's school started last week.
Lily's school started Monday of this week.
Bensen's school started Tuesday of this week.

And today is the first time I have shed a tear!  I have totally been composed and happy and excited for my 3 kiddo's to go to school.  We've had so much anticipation regarding what this year will be like. How much homework we will have, and how Lily will do in Preschool, and how Bensen will do in Kindergarten?  And all has been well until today.  I dropped Lily of today and let it loose! I cried and cried.  Then composed myself and cried just a little more!!
I am better now, thank goodness and I can't wait to share the moments that were important to my 3 best friends.
First Asher:
He was so excited for school, that he walked like 50 steps in front of me and Lily and Bensen and I were waaayyy to slow! Then to get a picture was like pulling teeth so this is all I got of him.  He's totally a 9 year old boy.

Lily was the next to start school:
She was excited and nervous too! She loved putting
on her new school outfit.

 

Bensen: So Ready for Kindergarten!

 He loves every minute of school :)

Do you remember your firsts day of school? I do, I always LOVED the first day of school!

 

Loves, Jill

The Chandy is done!

It is done! It was a fun project and now is so happy in my Master Bedroom (and we are so happy to finally have a light in there again!)

This is what we had before.  Not to bad, and great for air circulation, but had to bail on it, cause it was definitely not in the ultimate plan!

I found this baby at a garage sale for $15.  I have been looking for a loooong time for a Chandy that I liked.

So I got to work!  I primed it three times with a spray paint primer that I already had in the garage.

I then bought the "Heirloom White" spray paint from Home Depot, and sprayed it 2 times.  I realized that I loved the color, but not in my master bedroom (or house, really).  The color is more of an off-white color, and I am drawn to more of a true white (especially in my Master).  So, I went back to the store and bought a White spray paint, and went at it again.  I waited a day or so in between each coat, so it has taken me awhile to get this project done! Especially with all the fun summer stuff we've been doing.
After I got it painted the white that I liked, something still wasn't right!  It was just to perfect for my liking.  So I started to antique it.  I got a fine sandpaper and sanded every edge to see a little bit of the previous color pop through.

Here it is before the sandpaper technique:

 

And here it is after:

  

 Here she is after and hung!

 And here she is again! I know, I still have those stinking drapes and dark blinds.  

They will be gone someday soon! 

All in time right??

School starts tomorrow! And my 9 yr old is finally excited!

Loves, Jill

While the boys are away the Girls will play...

Father's and Son's campout was this past weekend.  I was excited to take Lily to buy a new school outfit, (since she is starting pre-school in a couple of weeks!) and I couldn't wait to tell her!  When Friday came and the boys were loading up to go camping, I told her that I was going to take her shopping and get her a special outfit and ride on the carousel at the mall, and buy some fries (she loves them!), and on and on I went.  After my big schpill she looked at me and said..."Mom, I can't go camping??" 

What can I say??? She takes after me.  Camping is a lot funner then shopping at the mall, but I couldn't exactly tell her that!  Everything worked out and we had a blast shopping together and riding the carousel and enjoying some "Girl Time".  I love this girl to pieces.  Her smile gives it all away...she had a blast!

 

We are a family of CURLY hair.  Not one person in our family has straight hair.  We go through A LOT of conditioner.  But today for church, and just for fun, I straightened my hair and Lily's hair too.  I love having a little girl to dress up and do her hair.  I actually don't get to do it "my" way very often.  She is quite opinionated and always has input regarding her outfits and hair.  Oh and have I mentioned that her outfits consist of swimming suits only?  She has it on before she even gets out of bed in the morning, and it is on until she goes to bed.  Ya never know when your gonna get wet I guess.

(Blurry phone pictures!!)
I am all done with my chandelier and my next post will be the reveal!
Loves,
Jill

Run then Stretch

On Monday morning, my hubbie and I went on a run.  I used to not enjoy running, but over the last 3 years I have grown to like it a lot more.  Summer morning runs are better then chocolate!  No I'm serious!  Winter runs on the treadmill are as good as Liver and Onions (and that's when spin class starts up again).
This post I decided to share my post-run stretch routine.  Quick, easy, and soooo important for the running muscles and joints.  You always take time to stretch after your run right???

On my outdoor runs, I always have my Garmin watch or my Polar training watch (depends on if I remembered to charge my Garmin or not)  I'm obsessed with knowing how long I have been out and if I was faster then last time etc.

I learned the lesson of what wearing the wrong shoes will do to your feet, a couple months ago, and believe you me, you don't want to learn that lesson. SO wear proper running shoes.

 My stretching routine:

Quad's first. Keep your knee pointed straight down.

 Outer thigh (abductor's).  

You could squat lower then I am in this picture to feel more of a stretch. This is also a great stretch for the IT band

 Runner's Lunge (stretching into hip flexor)

 A little deeper into hip flexor

 Hamstring and Calf stretch

 Then back up to the lunge.

 Inner Thigh stretch.  

From here I go to the other side for the other inner thigh stretch, then work the reverse on the other leg.

One of my fav's. Low back stretch and spinal rotation. This feels sooo good. Stretch both sides.

Then drop it and get the back of the legs (ham's) again. This also stretches the low back.

I love to finish with chest expansion.  All day long we are bending forward to pick up something, or working on the computer etc.  Usually when we run we have a natural little hunch forward.

This stretch reminds our body that we do have posture and remember what an upright, chest open, back straight feeling, feels like.

And there it is!  Next post will most likely be fitness related as well BECAUSE tonight is my Zumba Master Class Training.  It is Saturday Night Fever based and oh man is it going to make my night :)
Loves,
Jill