Mommy and Claire

We didn't plan this...if I remember correctly, Chris dressed Claire while I was getting dressed. We coordinate so nicely!

Just me and my kiddos

After the Cincy family vacation, it was time for daddy to return to work. Unfortunately he could not take off the whole week and fortunately I was already on leave, so it was going to be me and the three kiddos by myself for three whole days. I have to admit that I was dreading it because I would be severely outnumbered, but we ended up having a good time!

The first day, I knew the boys would be ready to hang out at home after three fun, fast-paced days. I set up the water table and the kiddie pool for them to play in and they spent most of the day either in the water or playing inside with their trains. We also realized very quickly that we needed a bigger pool...

By the second day, they were ready to return to their normal pace. About 11am, I threw all three kids in the car in hopes that it would stop the whining from at least one of them and accomplish a couple errands. The boys were relatively good for errands so we grabbed McDs and headed to Garvin's Park for a picnic lunch. After our lunch, my sister and her family rode up on their bikes and all the kids had a blast on the playground. After a fun-filled afternoon, we headed home to meet daddy and we could report that we had a good day.

For the third and final day, we had arranged a playdate with a good friend and classmate. We met them at the Zoo and another friend also joined in. The four boys (and Claire) had a pretty good day at the Zoo, although it was a lot more visiting with each other than animal viewing. It was a very hot day too, so we were glad to go home to a BIGGER pool for the boys to play in!

Here are a few pictures from our three days...

Mother's Day Fun

The week leading up to Mother's Day, I heard all about the gifts the boys were making for me at school. Also, Brady said that on Mother's Day "all moms everywhere get to sleep in while the kids get the gifts and breakfast ready". Very sweet - I couldn't wait! Plus, this was my first Mother's Day with Claire!

Mother's Day morning, I did get to sleep in (if 8:30 is the new sleeping in) while the boys were very quiet in the house. I received my Mother's Day presents from my precious angels - homemade and the ones that daddy picked out. Connor made a decoupaged pot for planting some pretty flowers. Brady had a personalized photo frame and earlier in the week I had also received a bird house from Brady. Daddy picked out a new necklace charm to represent Claire to add to the necklace with the boys charms. He also got me a new CD player that my MP3 player could be connected to (Yay!). They were all very nice presents from a great group I get to call my family.

That afternoon, we spent a relaxing afternoon at Mimi's (Chris's mom) and Papa's enjoying the beautiful weather with the family. The boys learned how to fish and enjoyed spending the afternoon with their cousins. That evening, we ventured to Grandma Darla's (my mom) for dinner. It turned out to be a very nice day and Mother's day.

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends and family that are moms! We are lucky to have so many of you in our lives! I hope you had a wonderful day with your loved ones!

Sicknesses, Sicknesses, Go Away....Don't come again another day

Over the last week or so, our family has had their share of sicknesses circulating around. I have to say that we have been very lucky this season so far, but it definitely put some dents in the holiday plans. Last weekend, Papa Terry and Aunt Julie both were inflicted with some sort of flu bug and our Christmas get together has been postponed until post-Christmas. The Weds. before Christmas, Connor was home sick all day with a fever. Good thing I was done with my Christmas shopping, but it did postpone some other activities I had planned that day.

Over the Christmas weekend, I had some major hip pains (pregnancy related) that have prevented a good night's sleep in several days. This in turn has potentially led to me catching the winter crud that Chris had all week since my defenses were down. On Saturday, Brady willingly went to his bed for an afternoon nap. That evening, he seemed to be fine and put on a good show for our visitors. On Sunday morning, while Chris was making breakfast, he disappeared back to bed and took a 2 hour nap. The rest of the day, we cuddled with Brady who had an off/on fever throughout the day.

At this point, hopefully this is behind us. The boys are back at school, daddy is back at work, and mommy has seen her beloved chiropractor for some adjustments. Hopefully the sinus crud will be short-lived as I return to work on Tuesday.

Baby Bump Update - 4 month mark

Below are pictures of the baby bump...hard to believe how little I am showing at the 4 month mark. I am still wearing regular pants and shirts, but I have started venturing over to the maternity wear some days. The first picture below is one I had Chris take. The bottom two I had done when we were getting our holiday pictures done. I freaked the photographer out when I suggested getting a picture with the baby - he started looking around to see if he had missed a family member for the pictures. Apparently, I must not be showing enough to be obvious to strangers yet.

Baby Bump

Okay, it's time to admit that the baby bump is making its appearance. The funny thing is that it is pretty high up, because I am still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans with no problems and no button extenders. However, the shirts are making the bump known.

Everyone at work has obviously been very nice about making comments that I am not even showing yet (except for the one comment from my boob-envy friend). Last week, I ran into a lady I know that I haven't seen in 6-7 years. She glanced down at my belly, then looked at me and asked how my children were. When I proceeded to give her an update on Connor and Brady and then told her I was expecting, she exclaimed "I thought so". I went back to work and called my co-workers bluffs!

Time to get the maternity clothes out of storage....they just aren't that fun to wear!

Happy Anniversary - 10 years down, several more to go!

Last weekend, Chris and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary. We had the opportunity to go out for a nice dinner and then we went to see a hilarious movie. Since we hadn't been out in awhile, it was nice just to get out with just the two of us (while the boys had a sleepover at Grandma Darla's).

It's hard to believe that it has already been 10 years, but then again, the years seem to have flown by. Chris and I are very lucky to have found each other and I am especially lucky to have him. He is very good to both me and the boys and plays a strong role in our family. Chris and I also have a lot to point to in the last 10 years...following are just a few! I look forward to many more years with Chris and making memories with our family!

• Two wonderful, toddler boys and one baby on the way
• 3 houses - we survived the first fixer upper and survived not just building 1, but 2 different houses. We also survived the temporary residences in between (one of them with my parents).
• We each completed a 2nd college degree - I got my Master's and he got a 2nd Bachelor's degree (which he had to finish after the boys were born).
• We have went on three cruises - Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, and Baja. We have also went on several family vacations and hope to go on several more with the kids. We didn't get to vacation much with our families, so we hope to experience vacationing and the various sites across the country through our kids.

Seaton Family (before we are five)

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day kind of started on Friday evening when the boys were picked up from school, as they both had made something that they were very anxious to give me. Connor made a mini birdhouse that was decorated with decoupage. It was very cute! Brady made me a "Mommy and Me Care Package" of juice boxes, popcorn, and napkins for clean-up.

On Mother's Day, the start of my day couldn't have been better. The boys were so EXHAUSTED from the day before of all day bike riding that they SLEPT in! They never ever sleep in! I actually had already pre-arranged to go to Hot Yoga (my favorite form of me time) that morning. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, so I woke Connor up at 8:30. He was super excited that I woke him up and immediately remembered it was Mother's Day. I left and apparently Brady slept until 9:30. The boys went to the grocery store while I was at Yoga and we were all together again around noon.

That afternoon, we went to my mom's house to hangout with my mom, my grandmother, and all the siblings and cousins. The boys had a blast riding bikes all afternoon and I had fun relaxing and visiting. That evening, we decided to make the popcorn from Brady's care package which we all enjoyed except Brady. Apparently, he doesn't like popcorn and was a-okay with that.

It was a great Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all the important women in my life!

Good thing about travel...catch up on reading, but miss my boys!

On Sunday, I left for DC for a conference on all the hot topics in my field of work, tax. Sounds like fun, huh? Spent about 7 hours on Sunday doing the airport scramble. From Monday morning until Wednesday morning, spent exhausting amounts of time rushing from seminar to seminar, regretting that I didn't provide my own caffeine since the hotel skimped in this area, upset that I had no blackberry service during the seminars, and looking forward to alone time in my hotel each evening. Wednesday late morning, I repeated the airport scramble all over again arriving home about 6 hours later. I had a co-worker with me, so that made the trip a little more bearable. I also got to see the Cherry Blossoms again this year, which I learned only bloom for about 10 days.

Good things about travel...I read two really good novels during my travels (Everyone is Beautiful and the Last Lecture), I got a break from the boys, watched some "live TV" and got lots of great goodies from the vendors. I hope I get a call about that Wii or IPhone I won...wishful thinking.

Bad thing about travel is that I missed my hubby and boys terribly. My oldest was telling people that I left...and failed to finish the sentence with the fact that I would be returning in a few days. I think he was a little upset with me in the beginning.I did get to talk to the boys on the phone, which I think they really enjoyed even though they were trying to talk all at once.

I am very glad to be home (with my boys and in my own bed), but welcome travel at least once a year for the opportunity to catch up on my reading! Cause it ain't happening with two wild boys!

Mommy's Weight Loss Journey Update...

Just an update on my progress..from my last posting.

I have stuck to my guns for the most part and have continued to see progress. On the days I don't have lunch or dinner plans, I keep the calories low, limit myself to one soda for the day, and drink LOTS of flavored water. My new favorite...Crystal Light Metabolism+ Peach Mango Green Tea. It is really good and is supposed to increase metabolism also. I find myself drinking 128 ozs.+ of water with ease.

I am down 16 lbs since Jan 2008...6 lbs since Jan 2009. I would like to lose about 6 more. To increase the exercise, I have worked out an arrangement with Mimi that will allow me to go to Hot Yoga twice a week instead of Sunday only. Thank you Mimi!

To be honest, it is so easy to call it quits at this point. Does that extra 6 lbs really mean that much to me? I have potentially hit another road block...is the extra effort needed worth it?

I'm going to try...please send motivation vibes my way!

Mommy's Weight Loss Journey

I am going to take a partial departure from my typical postings about the family happenings and the boys' adventures...

With Brady's 3rd birthday quickly approaching (9 months on, 9 months off - I wish), I decided that I need to get serious about my "baby weight" because I don't want to be talking about it when he is 5, 10, 15 years old (and the obvious reason of wanting to feel better about myself)!

Last year, I had signed up for the Biggest Loser at work in Jan and was successful in dropping the first 14 lbs by April but then gained 5 of it back which stuck around the remainder of the year. In August,I started attending Hot Yoga again on a regular basis. Once a week (I wish I could fit it in more), I get a cardio and stretch workout in a 101 degree room where I am burning 600+ calories. While doing that for 5 months, I started noticing a difference in how the clothes were fitting but the scale was still not changing.

Last week, I cut out all soft drinks (even though it was diet, I think it was taking away from my water intake) and I reduced my calories. Most of my calorie reduction was related to eating at my desk for lunch instead of going out (JH is a bad influence here..but I held my ground). I am back down to where I was last April and I think I have the motivation to keep going now that I saw the results in 1 week!

Just so you know, the soda replacement also included cutting out all my caffeine and I was consuming about 48 ounces of Diet Mt. Dew daily. Oh no - how can you get through the days you ask? Not sure, but somehow it is working and even though my buddy CA believes that caffeine increases the metablism, I can't risk reverting back to sodas until I reach my goal.

My goal is to lose about 10 more lbs and I will be back to my pre-pregnancy weight with Connor (that I haven't seen since June 2004). I know I can do it because I did it before in early 2003 when I decided to expel all the "marital weight". Keep me in your thoughts and send good vibes my way!

My motivation picture...May 2004 before I found out I was pregnant with Connor!

What is my story...including Tidbits About Me

What is my story (the more recent version)...

My name is Misty and I am a wife to a great husband and proud mother of two wonderful toddler boys (DOB: 1/2005 and 6/2006). I am friends to many great people I have met over the years through school, work or common interests. Daughter to two great parents (married since 1975) that never stopped preaching the college and work hard mantra. Sister to 2 younger siblings. Aunt to 3 nephews and 1 niece on my side and Aunt to 2 nieces on my husband's side. Hard worker in everything I do especially my career. CPA (thank goodness I got that out of the way years ago).

I have been married over 9 years (the big 10 next year - doubt I get my Italy trip like we talked about 10 years ago) to a wonderful husband that I met my Sr. year in college through a close friend. It was a reluctant blind date that turned out to be an instant connection - our 3rd date was a family Christmas party if that tells you anything. On our 1st date we won a trip to French Lick at a Fast Eddy's party and said that we would go in 6 months if we were still together. We were engaged a year after our 1st date in December 1998 at Opryland Hotel (we were there for Chris's birthday) and married in September 1999. We have had an eventful beginning - we started out remodeling a small house, built 2 houses (2000 and then in 2006), and continued our schooling while building our careers as Accountants. I obtained my Bachelors and Masters in Accounting, while my husband received his Bachelors in Accounting and a 2nd Bachelor's in Computer Information Science (he doesn't use this one).

We got through the first 6 years without killing each other and now have two wonderful boys that keep us on our toes daily! The youngest was born 2 weeks after moving into our newly constructed house in 2006 - while pregnant and the home was under construction I had taken on a new role at work, we were living in temporary housing with Connor, and hoping that the timing of the house completion and Brady came in that order. I think we are FINALLY settled into a routine around our careers, our boys, and our home. Wait - settled and routine might be too strong of a word.

Life is good right now. I'm happy with who I'm with, I'm happy with where my life is, I love spending time and making memories with my family, and I look forward to what every tomorrow brings.

I always love reading my friends "About Me" postings, so here is my listing of Tidbits about Me that you may or may not know.

1. I am the oldest of 3 siblings and live a completely different life than they do. It is hard for me to understand how siblings growing up in the same household with the same set of parents can turn out so differently, yet still have a sibling bond.

2. I lived in the South for 5 years (Alabama and Louisiana). My southern accent still comes back every once in awhile. My best friend in Alabama was from Michigan and believed my Indiana accent was southern. I never understood why she called Coke or Soda "Pop".

3. I have an obsession with Days of Our Lives. I have watched it since I was in grade school and have been taping it religiously since college days. Granted, I do a lot of fast forwarding through story lines I don't care about or story lines I can recite without watching.

4. I wish I could be more motivated to fit an exercise routine into my schedule like my co-workers. I feel like my time is limited between work, hubby and 2 boys. My co-workers have decided to give up extra sleep for their morning workout - I haven't convinced myself that it is worth it. (Okay - this is not entirely true. See #16)

5. I have always been very proud of the fact that I was the first one in my family that went to College (on both sides of my family) and obtained a Bachelors and a Masters in Accounting. A few years ago, I was gathering family history info and learned that my great-grandmother was a graduate of Lockyear Business College and was a bookkeeper for many years. Apparently, it was in my blood and that I am not the first.

6. My entire family (and my husband's) is located in my hometown with the exception of my Grandfather that has lived in Las Vegas since the early 70s. Anyone who has left (usually for military reasons) has returned. My mother likes to point this out to me regularly and threatens that we aren't allowed to take her grandbabies anywhere.

7. My mom is a twin and my dad had siblings that were twins. However, we have not seen any twins in the generations after that. We keep wondering when it will happen again...not sure if I am going to be the one to test it next.

8. I found out when I was 15 that I have an older sibling. I was so excited to drop from the oldest to a middle child, until I got to know her better. She lived with us for one year and I quickly realized that she was not someone I could relate to...I still consider myself the oldest child.

9. I have never owned a car outright - I have had a car loan since 1992 when I purchased a grandma car for $2,000 (this was my 3rd car by the way). Since then I have traded in and started over with car loans and new vehicles every couple years. (My co-worker recently pointed out to me that I have had more cars than his 70 year old uncle).

10. I went to 3 proms - 1 with a friend, 1 with a boyfriend, and 1 with a friend that became a boyfriend for a week. I had the most fun with the friends.

11. I have been working full-time since my senior year in high school and some years I had multiple jobs. Early retirement is looking very attractive, but who am I kidding. I am a spender and I like to work!

12. I joined concert band in 5th grade playing the clarinet and proceeded on to marching band geek status in high school. It was actually a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. I think we spent more time on the field than the football players. Band camp was the best..but as they say in Vegas "What happens at Band Camp, stays at Band Camp."

13. I have pencil lead (or at least the stain) in my right palm from 3rd grade. I had just sharpened my pencil and it snapped off when I got back to my desk. I am sure there was some clumsy stumble involved somewhere in there.

14. I decided to get braces when I was in college as preparation for the job interviews that would come later. During the consultation visit, I got really flushed and ended up fainting on the walk to the vehicle. My dad said the bill must have put me into shock - that is the only time I have ever fainted in my life. I actually had the braces during the interview processes and got them out the DAY BEFORE my wedding. Luckily, there were no markings from where the braces were for the pictures. That was my biggest fear to have white squares on all of my teeth like when you remove a piece of furniture and that is the cleanest carpet in the room.

15. As I am reading this to my husband and asking him if I failed to mention any critical tidbits, he said that I didn't mention my obsession with making lists. This of course is a list that I could go on and on about...I also make grocery lists (yes-plural because there is one for walmart, target, and Sam's), I make to do lists at work that end up being the same to do list on more than one notepad, and let's not forget the honey-do list. Hubby gets so upset with me if I take away his privilege of crossing off something he accomplished on the list.

16. Back in 2000, I was introduced to a new form of "exercise" that had came to Evansville - Hot Yoga. For those not familiar with this, this is a usually an hour and half of stretching and holding poses in a 101 degree room. The heat is supposed to allow you to go a little further with the exercises and also introduce cardio to the routine. I have been going off and on since 2000 as I have always let my "life" get in the way of going regularly. I am proud to say that since September 2008, I have been going every Sunday (or another day if Sunday was a conflict). I would love to go more than once a week, but I am proud to say that I at least have been going regularly. As I was having Chris take pictures of me doing poses, so that I could see where I could improve, Connor decided that he would join in. He was also making comments of "that is easy - I can do that"

"My Mommy Doesn't Cook"

On Sunday night, we were at my mom's house for dinner. While my mom was making dinner, Connor decided to strike up a conversation. He asked grandma if she was cooking dinner and then commented that his daddy cooks dinner. My mother, knowing the answer to this already, asked if his mommy cooks. He said, very seriosly, "No because she burns herself when she cooks. She does sometimes use that (as he points to the microwave)."

A few weeks ago, Brady received a sucker from school. I told him that he couldn't have it until after he ate dinner. We arrived home and as we pulled into the garage, he realized that daddy was not home yet. His immediate comment was "Daddy's not home - who's going to cook my dinner?"

Yes, I will admit it, I don't do any cooking. Not even my fair share - I have opted for laundry and bill-paying duty instead. Something with more then 2 steps or 2 ingredients makes my head spin. Hearing my friends talk about trying new recipes just doesn't excite me, except for the possibility of trying the results or passing the recipe on to hubby. My co-workers have even witnessed my lack of comfort in the kitchen - I have been officially signed up for chips and soda duty for all future food pitch-ins.

I want to believe that we are preparing the boys to be a great husband to their future wife by not following the typical stereotypical roles. Perhaps one day, I will find my way into the kitchen and dabble in making a yummy dessert. Anything else just doesn't sound worth it! The picture below was taken by hubby when he found me in the kitchen operating an appliance - he couldn't resist due to his shock and concern that it would be awhile before it happens again.