Balanced vs. Healthy

Well, so far we have been in public school for two days and Kirstyn and I have had to have several conversations about the difference between a "Balanced" meal and a "Healthy" meal. Just to be clear, the school serves "Balanced" meals to the children. Kirstyn has been taking her lunch and it is a "Healthy" meal.

On day one our conversation went like this:

Me: Kirstyn, how was your first day of Kindergarten?

K: Mommy, they serve gravy for lunch! And the gravy came with chicken. Not like we make but the kind that Daddy gets at 'chickalay'!

Me: Kirstyn, remember that is not healthy to eat gravy. That is a food you get to eat sometimes when you go to Dee Dee's house.

K: I know Mommy, but they said it is a "good" meal....a...ummm, a ummm, not messed up, no, not crooked.... um. Do you know what I'm saying?

Me: Did they call it a "balanced" meal.

K: Yes. Does that not mean healthy?

Me: It should, but apparently it doesn't.

And then today on day two:

K: Mommy, today I saw gravy at breakfast time.

Me: What else did they have with the gravy.

K: Scrambled eggs...but I can't eat those.

Me: Right. Good thing you ate a good breakfast at home this morning.

K: Yeah, Mommy, thanks.

To compromise we are going to look at the school menu and I am going to let her buy her lunch sometimes. I will let her decide... I don't want to dictate and control her decisions but I do want to POSITIVELY influence them. After all, I was very overweight in elementary school and I don't want her to suffer the same fate.


Any suggestions for me?

Kindergarten and more...

It seems like just yesterday we were sending her off for her first day of mother's day out and now my BABY is a mature KINDERGARTNER!

This morning went very smooth. James took it upon himself to wake Kirstyn up. I heard him come out of his room and then David went to look for him. He was no where to be found. I told David to check Kirstyn's room.... and there he was! He was in her bed under the covers with her telling her "no tool sissy, no tool". Apparently all of our talk about her going to school worried James. Anyway, she was patting his hair and telling him she was going to love Kindergarten and that he would love preschool at her old school. So grown up and so sweet. David and I thought we might have to have her give us a pep talk too.


After breakfast, Kirstyn wanted to pose by the front door with Daddy. Then we sat together and prayed that she would have a great day.



David took Kirstyn to school. She was very excited. When her teacher asked her to come in the classroom and sit on the letter mat. Kirstyn made sure she sat on the "K".... the best letter, of course.




We took these pictures at "Meet the Teacher". Kirstyn was very excited about having her very own grown up locker. She was also excited to find this pink scarf in the home center and was even more pleased that her teacher wanted to wear it too! We love her teacher and KNOW that she is going to have a fabulous year!





I picked Kirstyn up from school this afternoon and she was super excited about her GREAT day! One of her friends from the gym childcare was even in her class..... I am excited about that because I have been getting to know her mom! Yeah for new friends for both of us!!!

We have a tradition of going for ice cream at Braum's after her first day of school. This was our 4th ice cream date since she did 3 years of mother's day out. We had a great time talking about her day and her many new friends. Yes, I enjoyed my favorite low fat frozen yogurt... cappuccino chunky chocolate! Yum.



In other news, my mom's doctor appointment went well. He did an ultrasound of her heart and said it looks good. He thinks that her blood pressure medicine caused the problem and he is changing that. To be safe she will be doing a stress test with contrast as soon as they can get it scheduled. She plans to return to work tomorrow. Please continue to pray for her.



Tomorrow we have James' "Meet the Teacher". He wants to go to "tool" but he really wants to go to "sissy's tool" so hopefully he will be happy with going to the preschool that Kirstyn loved for the past 2 years!

Pending Nervous Breakdown

So, here I am again telling you about the craziness that is my life!

The biggest recent highlight was that my nephew, Logan, asked Jesus into his heart and was baptised today! We were able to go to my sister's church to watch and then back to her house to celebrate over lunch. And because I am working very hard to be the best aunt ever I got him a cool shirt!

My mom and dad were not able to come down however because my mom is at home "resting". Last Wednesday on her first day back to school with kids there, her blood pressure bottomed out and the school nurses sent her to the hospital. They are in a very small town and medical things are limited but she is seeing a doctor tomorrow that we are expecting to run more tests to find out what happened. My sister and I being college educated with access to WebMD are pretty sure she had a minor stroke but will have to wait and see what the real doctors say...

Also, tomorrow is Kirstyn's first day of Kindergarten! We met her teacher last Thursday and LOVED her! Tomorrow night David also goes to school for his last semester of work on his MBA (he will be taking 2 graduate classes this semester!). Then later in the week James will start 2 day a week preschool. I will be the only one NOT in school but will be the one doing the most work with the most stress! Ah, the life of MOM.

Hopefully all of these changes will help us get into a good routine and will allow me to get back to my Weight Watcher meetings and a regular blogging schedule.... we'll see. Wish me luck!

Movie Grill

So I realize that the blog has been a little James heavy lately so that seems like the perfect reason to tell you about Miss Kirstyn!

Last night and early this morning Kirstyn (with a little 'forced' labor from James) has been setting up our dining room for a "Breakfast Show". She had puppets and stuffed animals all over in a very organized chaos.

My special chair was right beside her stuffed dog Kia. Notice Kia is sitting at a table with a drink. Yes, Kirstyn worked very hard to make her show much like the Studio Movie Grill where she and I often go on dates! I though this was a very smart set up!

Her puppet show was fabulous and James was in stitches! David and I were laughing too but more at James and his reaction to his sister's puppet show! And we kept noticing more and more details all around the room! Her cabbage patch had a bowl and bottle... and many more!

Speaking of Movie Grill time... I am so excited to be going tonight with some ladies from my Sunday school class to see the new movie Julie & Julia! I won't be eating there because my weight is steadily going in the right direction right now, but I think a Girl's Night Out is just what I need!

Are you excited about this movie too? I mean food + blogger = perfect subject matter for me!!!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Our Interesting Airplane

Usually our short drive to church is pretty routine but yesterday was HILARIOUS!


James was making his usual boy noises "vrrrrrmmm, vvvvrrrmmm, bumbumbum, veroooom..."

James still making noises "sssssssssssstttt... oh, ti ti! yeah ti ti. ssssssssstttttt."

Then more "vvvrrrrmmmm, bumbumbum, veroooom!"

David asks, "does he need to potty?"

Me, "I don't know... James, do you need to potty?"

James, "NO MOMMA" (yes, we are very much TWO!)

Then, he did it again, "sssst...yeah, ti ti... ssssssssttt".

And Kirstyn speaks up (must be said with sarcastic all knowing big sister voice!), "Bubby... your airplane DOES NOT have a PENIS!"

WHAT?!?!?!?!

James, "uh hu sissy.... LOOK!"

All I can say is... he has a point! ***snicker***

I swear... this boy keeps me busy... and laughing!!!