Christmas Story Run December 2013

Last December 2013 we got to participate in Cleveland's 1st Christmas Story Run.

It was a 5K Run held in the beginning of December 2013 

The Run took place in downtown Cleveland & ended at the Christmas Story House.

The Christmas Story Movie was originally filmed in Cleveland. Clevelander's love this movie. I used to think it was possibly the worst repeated Christmas movie ever to be played at Christmas time. However, now that I have lived in Cleveland for 7 years I have come to appreciate the movie & knew we had to run this run. 

Last year we ran the run with Dave's Dad, Dave's brother & a few other friends.

Here are a few pictures from our run.

I am hoping that we are able to incorporate more fun family runs into our year.

Exercising & Eating Healthy Update ~ Week 2

It's time for another update on my healthy eating & exercising challenge.

Technically it's week 3. However Week 2 we had technical difficulties (our laptop had a computer virus) & I was unable to blog. 

And since last week was a little crazy I am going to call this week 2. 

Week 2 Update: 2.1 lbs lost

Total lbs lost: 5.8 lbs lost

Over the past few weeks I have been exercising regularly & getting to the gym. I have been really trying to stick to recording everything I eat but night times still go out the window but we are trying to fix that too. 

October 1st starts this week so new month means challenging myself even more. 

My trainer suggested I cut back on the pepsi/coke. Ugh!!!

I love diet pepsi/coke!

It's my little caffeine addiction & stress reliever after a long day.

I love my diet pepsi/coke with extra ice. 

I know it's the worst thing to drink but I love it. 

I justify it b/c I don't drink juice, coffee, tea, alcohol or really any other beverages.

 BUT... they say diet pepsi/coke makes us fat.

So for October I am going to try cut it out for the whole month.

 I know I can do it. 

I still love it but I want results more so this is my challenge for October. 

For November I may just drink it on special occasions :)

But for now I am cutting it out for October. 

Here's hoping we have a diet pepsi/coke month. 

Alana

Apple Picking Fall 2013

We love Apple picking. This past year I got a groupon to visit an Apple Orchard. 

We had a lot of fun but it was a very cold day so it was a very quick apple picking trip.

Here are a few pictures of our Apple picking adventure from Fall 2013.

I am determined to catch up on blogging soon. I hope.

The great thing about Apple Picking with Daddy is that he is able to help us reach the apples on the top of the trees. Some of the best apples are only meant to be picked by people over 6 feet tall.

Myles & Daddy picking apples in the tree.

Bryant & Daddy picking apples in the tree.

Hudson picking apples:

We love the fall season.

Exercising & Healthy Eating Accountability ~ Week 1

It's time to add a little extra accountability to my healthy eating/exercising lifestyle.

There are no more excuses b/c summer is over & Dave has gone back to work. 

The boys & I are officially in routine mode with school, the gym & extra activities.

I have been using all my Gym Apps, Workout Apps, Healthy Eating Apps & Pacts. If there is an App for Working Out & Eating Healthy I/m pretty sure it's on my phone & I am using it.

I also started working out with a personal trainer at the gym a week ago.

You would think I would have this all under control.

BUT I needed some more accountability.

B/C I love cheating & Dave loves cheating. We are a bad combo when it comes to treats & sweets. We both LOVE treats. 

A few years ago a friend of mine posted her weekly weight losses on her blog & she was/is a major motivator b/c she did an amazing job. I loved reading her weekly updates.

Now it's my turn. I am going to add even more accountability to my life by blogging.

I figured since my trainer did all the "lovely" measurement info a week ago I would use last week as a baseline & weight myself  weekly on Tuesday mornings. 

Week One: 3.7 lbs lost

Many more weeks to go.

Alana

Our Mini Sandusky Ohio Vacation ~ September 2013

When Dave started commuted to New Washington Ohio I found a Groupon for a hotel only 45 minutes from his work. We decided to get the groupon & spend a night at the Maui Sands Resort. The Resort had an indoor waterpark, a family suite with bunk beds for the boys & the groupon included a pizza dinner & breakfast with pancakes, eggs & other yummy breakfast food.

The boys had so much fun & Bryant still talks about the Waterpark hotel all the time.

It was also a nice little break from a very long commute for Dave.

We love Groupon deals.

Here are a few pictures from our mini family holiday.

 Bryant is our little fish. He loves the water so much!

Hudson loving the water too.

Dave chasing & playing with Hudson around the kiddie water park.

Myles loves the water as long as it's not too cold!

Bryant & Myles running around the watermark. These two are best buddies.

 All 3 boys taking a break to watch Daddy go on a big water slides. These boys thought it was great for Dave to go on the big slide. 

After lots of water fun & pizza we went upstairs to our hotel. 

The hotel bunk beds. 

Such a fun night away! Night!

Getting Ready for Christmas 2013

We are now getting ready for Christmas! Our boys love Christmas! They love helping decorate the tree, they heaping daddy put up the Christmas lights! They love going for drives listening to Christmas music & looking at all the Christmas  lights! The also love the snow & we had lots & lots of snow last year! Which was perfect b/c Dave had lots & lots of snow days which made his very long commute a little easier. 

Here are a few pictures of us getting ready for Christmas!

Shopping at Toys R Us for Christmas fun!

The Christmas Tree!

The Christmas tree Chain that Aunt Mary created for all of us! We counted down to Christmas by opening a Chain each day & doing whatever activity was on the chain!

Shoveling snow with Daddy!

This past year we decided to try counting down the days to Christmas by wrapping up Christmas books & opening one each night. It was a lot of fun wrapping up all our Christmas stories & reading a different one each night. I hope to try this tradition again this year. 

Playing with the Little Kids Manger scene.

 The Christmas wish list! I had the 3 boys cut out pictures from the Toys R Us Christmas flyer! They loved picking out Christmas presents & they carried these lists around everywhere with them

We loved getting ready for Christmas!

Halloween October 13, 2013

We are slowly continuing to catchup. We are looking at Halloween October 31st. 

This past Halloween was Hudson's 1st official Halloween running with the big boys.

All 3 boys decided they wanted to be Captain American for Halloween.

Thanks to Grandpa & Grandma Roy the boys were set with their costumes.

The night of Trick or Treating it was poring Rain but Dave's family came to celebrate trick or treating & we all ran up & down our street to trick or treat.

So Much Fun!

Hudson's 1st Real Trick or Treating!

Running from door to door! Showing us his candy & then sleeping with his candy!

The 2 Big Boys! They know the routine this year!

Getting ready to trick or Treat!

The 2 Big Boys Running in the Rain from Door to Door!

Daddy helping all 3 boys! Our boys were the cutest Captain America's!

End of the night photo with All the Captain America's.

It was a great night :)

We really do have some cute little Captain America's. 

Halloween Continued…. Our Visit to Toronto/London

In October we got a chance to drive up to London & then Toronto for the week. We went for the Canadian Thanksgiving week. During the week we stayed with my parents, played at the parks, visited McDonald's play land & visited my Grandpa's house. That weekend we went to Jenna's Halloween party & visited Lego Land.

Here are a few pictures from our fun week.

Introduced the boys to the Bulk Barn. Such a great candy store.

Hudson had just learned to walk so he's walking the halls of my Grandpa Leo's apartment.

Myles & Hudson checking out the rocks & dirt at my Grandpa Leo's apartment.

Lego Land. Dave actually flew into Toronto to meet up with us at Lego Land.

Playing at Lego Land with Grandma.

Josh & Jenna came to LegoLand with us.

We got a few pictures of Jenna's fun Halloween Party.

While in Toronto we also got to stay at my Aunt Darlene & Uncle Steve & Granny Scott's House.

It was a very fun but busy week/weekend.

We love our visits to Canada.