2017 has been quite the year! Josue has continued with his new position at Lazy Dog. He really enjoys working for such a fantastic family-oriented company, it's a rare find in the hospitality business. When he became a manger there late last year they sent ME chocolate covered strawberries to welcome us to the Lazy Dog family. He really hopes to climb the corporate latter within the company. Which would be great for us financially as I continue to work one day a week at Macer Medical while the rest of the week I'm able to be home with the girls. Which brings me to my next announcement. I've been thinking about ways I could contribute a small income while still being home with the girls which has always been our dream. After much consideration I've decided to become and Ambassador for Poppy & Dot, and a Senegence distributor!! Both of which will get there own blog posts :)
Our girls, Olivia and Elizabeth are doing so well. Olivia who is four now just LOVES school, she makes tons of friends, is fun, creative, sweet, sensitive, and loves to snuggle. She really is my best little buddy. She enjoys ballet class, playing with her friends, and getting her way! Currently she's dealing with sleep apnea and all the not fun things that go along with that, but we're hoping things will improve for her after a smooth tonsillectomy in August.
Elizabeth who will be two in October is so much fun! She will try to talk your ear off, and is so incredibly funny! She still loves her Paci, and definitely loves to eat all the sweet things in life but she is just a bundle of joy and we so enjoy her every day!
Our family doesn't quite feel complete just yet but we LOVE our lives and can't imagine things any other way right now!
I've personally taken this year to take care of myself. Both mentally and physically so that I can be the best Mom, Wife, and friend, by being the best possible me. We joined the local YMCA, and I 've really enjoyed taking many exercise classes. I've kept up with exercising 4-6/week and I don't plan on giving that up any time soon. I've lowered my sugar intake and gone gluten free. I feel so much stronger, and happier with myself. I feel like a better example for my children. I still have a ways to go but getting 30lbs off has been incredibly gratifying. Since my diagnosis of PCOS in 2008 I packed on way too many pounds between taking the Celexa, the hormone imbalance, and poor habits I just couldn't seem to get it off. Pregnancy certainly didn't help, but in the last 6 months I've managed to really make significant changes and get things back on a healthy trajectory. I've started journaling, praying more, and researching/reading more to help me mentally. I've restarted this blog in an effort to help me keep a positive outlook on life too. I can use all the help I can get because after my more recent diagnosis of the Auto-Immune disorder Sjoren's I've really felt down in the dumps. But through prayer, and venting I've been able to really see all that I have been blessed with, worked hard for, and the mostly good health we have. This diagnosis will not get the best of me and I plan to be the cause of continued awareness, and research. I want to learn how to work hard when I can, and take it easy and say no if I need to. I hope it doesn't come off as incredibly selfish but I've realized I need to take care of me too. I can be a generous, and giving person like my heart wants to without giving all of myself away!
I'm planning to add in some of my new favorite gluten free recipes, updates on all of us continually, travel, and lots more fun! Hopefully you will take the ride along with us :)
I need to take a new family photo. I realize we haven't had a good one of all four of us in Months!!
