Everyday Moments

Life...unedited. 

These random iPhone photos are dark, blurry, and untouched,

but they capture everyday moments from this weekend.

On Saturday, the girls and I had a park playdate with our friends Amanda and Tyson. It was a hot day in the 90s, but we enjoyed playing outside, as well as riding the train and carousel:

While Hadley was supposed to be napping, she colored this masterpiece on her bedroom wall:

The girls had a "picnic" with their dolls on the living room floor:

Savannah was so proud of herself for reading this 205-page book in less than 24 hours!

On Memorial Day, I woke up and found Savannah and Hadley watching their shows inside their living room fort:

Our AC has been broken for over a week, and it's about 85 degrees inside our house. To cool off, today our family went swimming in the Y's outdoor pool for a couple hours:

Savannah and Tal enjoyed going down the water slide at the Y:

After we got home from the pool, Hadley fell asleep upside down in her chair:

Everyday Moments

Life...unedited. 

These random iPhone photos are dark, blurry, and untouched,

but they capture everyday moments from the last couple weeks.

The girls and I used a gift card from one of my students to get an after school snack from the Dunkin Donuts in our neighborhood:

On May 10, we drove downtown, set-up our beach chairs in the street, and listened to some live music while we ate cheesesteaks from a food truck. It was a fun community event, where we saw many people we knew from school and F3.

For an after-dinner treat, the girls got sno-cones...

...and warm mini donuts. Yum!

On Saturday morning, Hadley and Savannah made Perler bead crafts:

Our family celebrated Mother's Day by enjoying some frozen yogurt in our neighborhood:

On May 14, our family attended Savannah's recorder concert! Savannah and her 4th grade classmates played seven songs that they'd practiced over the last few months in music class at school:

On May 16, our family went to a local mall, where we enjoyed listening to live beach music while we ate Chick-fil-a for dinner:

Hadley drew stick people for the first time!

Savannah is 5 feet tall!

Savannah has grown about an inch over the last two months:

After church on Sunday, the girls and I enjoyed swimming at the Y pool. We're looking forward to swimming in the Y's outdoor pool over Memorial Day weekend!

Our air conditioner and kitchen faucet broke this week. The bad news is that our air conditioner won't be fixed for a few days. The good news is that tonight Tal replaced our 19 year old kitchen faucet with the new one below:

One Year, 100 lbs

On May 19, 2018, Tal and I started our weight loss journey. Over the last year, we've lost 100 lbs together! Tal has lost 40 lbs and dropped three pant sizes. I've lost 60 lbs, dropped five sizes, and lost 25 inches.  We've been controlling our portions, eating vegetables and lean protein, and drinking a gallon of water each day.

Losing weight isn't easy. It isn't fun. However, it's been worth the effort. Having more energy and getting healthy reports from our doctors have made the million moments of discipline and self-control over the last year worthwhile. Tal and I have already started the next phase of our healthy lifestyle...maintaining our weight!

Training Wheels

Over the last month, Hadley's biking skills have improved so much! She has learned to pedal hard and turn corners.  Hadley is ready for a bigger bike and no training wheels!

My Birthday

Today is my 43rd birthday! Our family celebrated my special day by shopping for clothes, looking at produce at the state farmers market, and eating lunch at Texas Roadhouse. Cheers to another year!

Mother's Day 2019

On Mother's Day, Savannah and I participated in the Run Like a Mother 5K in our neighborhood. Our goals were simple: have fun, get some exercise, and eat frozen yogurt after we crossed the finish line. Thanks to Tal and Hadley for cheering for us at the start line and finish line...and to Savannah for sharing in a fun mother-daughter event. I'm so thankful for Savannah and Hadley who gave me the greatest joy of being a mom.

Savannah made this Mother's Day card for me:

Our 12th Wedding Anniversary!

Today Tal and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary! Over the last 12 years, Tal and I have made some wonderful memories and look forward to many more happy years together.

To celebrate our love, Tal and I enjoyed a family day with Savannah and Hadley. We ate burritos and empanadas at a newish food hall in downtown Raleigh. The food hall was an upscale food court with concrete floors and industrial decor. Today was a fun family day!