Picture update

It's been a while since I put some pictures on here, so there are quite a few!



Me and James ready for church.  

 The crew right out of bed.  I love how Miles binky is upside down.  He is addicted to them and it is going to be a challenge to take them away.  He always finds them and puts them in upside down.

 Dallin's parents came and visited us this month.  They brought Alex's cousin Gavin.  We took them to a pumpkin patch, this is the best picture we got of them.  At least they were both looking at the camera right?

 Alex trying his hand at mini golf, we need to practice :)

 I love this picture.  Gavin loved sticking his head through these boards.

 Well, we tried.

 Teething anybody?

 Alex was a pirate this year for Halloween and when I came into the family room this is how I found Miles.  He didn't seem to mind.

 This was this past Sunday all ready for church.

 James had his first injury.  He fell face first on a spiral notebook.  This was a few hours after the incident.  It happened on Halloween, we could have made him a frankenstein really easy.

 Alex Halloween 2011

Miles got himself all turned around in his high chair and he was pretty proud of himself.

Financially Fit

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I love budgeting. I love 'playing with the numbers'. I have been using my same budget for almost two years. I just use Excel, it's nothing fancy, but it works.

I was talking with my little brother a week or so ago about being financially fit. We were talking about career paths and income levels with each career. I told him that anybody can make it on any income level....if they're smart.

Being financially fit is a lot like being physically fit. If we want our bodies to be healthy, what do we do? We diet and exercise. It's the same thing with finances. If we want our finances to be healthy sometimes we have to diet. Is it fun to diet? No. Dieting is simply denying yourself something you want for a better good. We want to eat brownies and ice cream, but we know in so doing we will sabotage our physical fitness goals. Does this mean we can never eat a brownie? Obviously not, same with finances. We have to sometimes deny some of the things we want to maintain the financial health we are striving for. Sometimes we splurge? You bet.

I know of some families that have been in financial cardiac arrest before they realize something needs to change. It will be so much harder to make changes when we get to that point than if we just keep up with it and don't allow it to get out of control.

For most of us, there is a limit to our income. We get our paychecks each month and that is it. There isn't any more income coming, but for some reason we don't limit our spending. If your income is limited, shouldn't your spending be too? Hence the reason for a budget.

Our budget has changed a lot during the course of our marriage. It continues to change as life changes. That is why we have a budget in a spreadsheet so as things become adjusted you can see the entire picture. I love to look at my budget and look one or maybe even two months ahead to see what is coming up. I know that the month of October I have life insurance due, so I can begin preparing for it and setting a little aside each paycheck for a couple of months rather than waiting until the bill comes and realizing I don't have the money to pay that bill. If it is all laid out in front of you, it will help a lot.

Every two weeks when Dallin gets paid, I first go to the budget. The budget has what comes out of each paycheck. So I immediately know when we're paid which bills need to be paid. I also with each paycheck have a predetermined amount of cash I withdraw. I use cash for my groceries, household and miscellaneous. When the cash is gone, it's gone. It's hard, it has been particularly hard lately with the price of food being so high to stay in budget, but we do it. I have pockets in the wallet of my purse that I hold the cash in and I know which pocket is for which category.

I know that we have been told to budget for a long time. It has been counseled to us for years, but for some reason people pass it off like it's not for them. They think that they are exempt from doing a budget, or they are scared of doing one so they simply choose to ignore it. I know it has helped my family so much to stay within our means and have financial health to be proud of instead of embarrassed of. We aren't perfect at it, but we continue to exercise it and just like with physical goals, it gets easier.

I read a little tidbit of a book coming out about finances the other day. It seems like these books are all the same, yet they sell thousands of copies with common sense ideas. Anyways, the author was interviewed and during the interview the interviewer asked what is the hardest part of staying on top of your finances. The author replied "peer pressure". I totally agree, it is peer pressure that often gets us to spend money we otherwise wouldn't spend. It's peer pressure that makes us feel like if we aren't spending such and such amount on such and such we must not be successful. I have fallen into this too, it's impossible to compare one household's budget and finances with another's. It is important that we take care of our own and when you know your limits, you can stay inside them.

Getting Fit

Yesterday marked 6 weeks since I decided to get fit.  For six weeks, I have woken at 5:15 a.m. Monday-Friday and attended a fitness class.  The class is offered at a nearby church....and it's free!  I was so excited when I found out about this.  I was at a little barbecue and a lady I don't even really know was mentioning that she was sore from a workout she started.  I started listening as I was feeling particularly chubby on this day.  She told me about this class and the next morning at 5:30, I crashed their party.   I didn't know a single soul, but I just told them I had heard about the class and wanted to join them.  It's been history since.

5:15 comes so stinking early!  It has by far been the hardest adjustment for me.  I am not an early morning person.  I like to sleep until 7:00, so this is way out of my comfort zone.  However, I haven't missed one class since I started.  I made the commitment I was going to do this, and I have.  Nearly every morning when the alarm goes off I want to sob into the pillow for more sleep, but I pull myself out of bed and get dressed.  Sometimes I arrive at the church still asleep.  There have been times I have even made wrong turns on my way to the church in my sleepy state.

The class is pretty intense.  The people who attend, there are about 5-7 of us, are all really in shape.  At first I couldn't keep up with them at all.  I never let myself get embarrassed, I just did what I could.  Now, for the most part, I keep up.  The first few weeks were miserable.  Every muscle in my body screamed with any movement.  I was so sore, just lying in bed I could feel everything.  I would cringe when a sneeze was coming on because I knew my abs would hurt.  Getting up and down with the babies was pure torture too, but I've pushed through that.  I now just feel the muscles we worked and it takes about 2-3 days to work it out.  Mondays are boot camp.  I think that sums it up...it's brutal!  Tuesdays and Thursdays are yoga...power yoga.  Wednesday are kickboxing and Fridays we do cardio/weights.

Last night I was lamenting to Dallin how tired I am.  It wouldn't be so bad, but when I get home at 6:30, the kids are all starting to wake up.  I would love to just lay down and get 30 more minutes of sleep, but I have early rising kids.  They are awake when I get home, or within minutes of me getting home.  It's difficult to start in on the day that early.

Dallin has been great to help out in the mornings.  If he has to work that day, I have to leave 15 minutes early so he can get to work.  He has started to run and exercise again too.  He has to do it in the evening, so I feel bad for him after a long day of work he has to work out still, but he does it.  We have been really trying.  We started off with an original goal of losing 10 pounds each.  Dallin has lost 5 and I have lost 4.  I know it's slow progress, but we are just doing it the right way.  I haven't changed anything in our diet.  I know that the progress would be better if I did, but I don't want to make changes I can't keep just to have the weight come right back when we got back to eating certain foods.  So, we pretty much eat the same way.  I have made small adjustments here and there, and we definitely watch our portions better, but for the most part, we still eat what we want. 

I am proud of myself, and hope to keep it up.  I want to lose the 6 pounds of my original 10, and then I would be happy to lose another 10, but it's going to take time.

Opposites

This is a picture of Alex as he was about to walk across the street for a birthday party.  He was so excited.  This was the first birthday party I haven't gone with him to, it seemed like he was so grown up.

The boys after church yesterday.

This movie is so funny.  It totally captures James' personality.  This had been going on for about 5 minutes when I finally grabbed the camera.  James is always ready to laugh.  He laughs with wreckless abandon, where Miles is the complete opposite.  You can hear Miles in the background crying.  He doesn't like loud noises and lots of activity.  James relishes it.  James is our laugher, Miles not so much.  He will laugh, but not as easily.

Alex put these sunglasses on Miles and he acted like nothing happened.  He continued to play with his toys like he didn't even notice.  It was hilarious.

This picture was last sunday.  We were supposed to have family pictures, we got everybody dressed and ready and the photographer cancelled.  What a bust!  I love the drool hanging from James' chin.  He got two teeth a couple weeks ago and the drool has been abundant!

Here we go again...catching up

Once again it's been a while since I updated the blog. I don't know why, I think about it all the time and write several posts a day in my head, but it never seems to get done. So here is a series of pictures we have taken over the last few weeks.



My boys early in the morning 

 First time taking the babies swimming

 Alex's last day of swimming lessons....hanging out with dad.  We decided to go as a family since we hadn't been much this summer.  Alex loved it.

 Alex was able to ride one ride at the fair.  It cost $3.  I about choked when they told me it was three bucks to ride a 30 second ride.  Alex was really good about only getting one ride.  He searched for the perfect ride, and of course he chose the race cars.  He loved all 30 seconds of it.

 We went to Utah at the end of August to visit Dallin's family.  On the way home we stopped to see our friends.  We went from having 5 kids when we left to having 10.  It was great to get together again.  We sure miss everybody!

 On our way home from Utah.  Alex was so tired he rode over an hour in this position. 

 Alex started preschool this week.  He was so excited and so was I.  It sort of seems like the beginning of the end though.  I cried the night before, but the morning of I was well put together and excited for his new adventure.  He is such a great kid.  When I picked him up, he said, "mom, I found the perfect girlfriend."  I said, "why was she perfect?"  He said, "she had perfect lipstick".  So there you have it ladies.  For all of you looking for a boyfriend, all it takes is nice lipstick.

 The babies started sitting up.  Miles has actually sat up for a few weeks, but James joined him this week.  I love this stage.  Best ever, they sit and play but can't move around yet.  It's great.

 Every picture I take of James his eyes bug out of their sockets. :)

 James has been bypassing his evening nap.  They usually take about a half hour nap between 5 and 6, but James seems to think he's a big boy and doesn't need one anymore.  So, this is what he looks like every night when Dallin feeds him his night bottle.  He just sacks out, doesn't even wake up to be wrapped in his blanket.

 A little blurry, but this is James' best look.  All you have to do is give him a smile and he smiles right back!

Check out those eyelashes!

We have been doing great.  I am all alone today.  Dallin and Alex are at the ward campout.  I brought the babies home last night while they stayed up there.  Alex was in heaven with all the other little friends from the ward to play with.  It was fun.

I am enjoying the peace and quiet.  I forgot with babies how quiet the house really can be.  I should be getting some things done.  Oh well.

I weaned Miles this week.  I'm a little sad about it, actually a lot sad about it, but it's okay.  It is sad to see it end, but it is nice to be able to have Dallin feed both babies once in a while and I get a little break or can be doing something else while it's happening.  Dallin gets a little bit more time with Miles now as he feeds him a bottle.  Miles hasn't skipped a beat, he drinks the bottle just fine. 

Last week was their 6 month doctor appointment.  I never put their 4 month stats on here, so I guess I will just put both.

                                                    Miles                                     James

4 months weight                    13 lbs 4 oz                               13 lbs 11 oz

                height                         25.25 in.                                      25 in.

6 months weight                     14 lbs 3 oz                                   16 lbs

                height                           26 in.                                      26 in.

They're both a little small.  Miles was in the 2% for weight and James was in the 25% for weight at six months.  Their height is about 25% too.  They're just little guys. 

A Day Off

The last five months have been great. I have loved being with my babies, but I have been in need of a day off.

Every other Friday is Dallin's day off. It's also payday. This is the day I run all my errands and do my grocery shopping. It has been hard to get done anymore and especially needing to nurse a baby every 4 hours.  So Dallin and I came up with a plan.

Every other Friday is my day off. Seriously. A day off. I think most people after working a 168 hours a week would like a day off. I have had two days off now. I have loved them. Alex does not understand why I need a day off. He asks me all morning, (my day off starts right away even though I am home) why I need to have a day off. He is very concerned as to what I will be doing and when I will be home. He usually ends up crying at the door when I leave, which I don't get because he needs a day off from me just as bad as I need it.

Anyways, so starting Friday morning until around 2-4 p.m. I am off. Dallin will feed Miles and James both bottles for one feeding which gives me 8 hours without having to feed a baby. It's pure heaven!

I really don't do anything spectacular. I still just run my errands, buy groceries, the regular stuff for my payday. But, I get to each lunch alone, I get to walk through the aisles of the stores alone, I don't have anybody in the car with me asking questions, crying, or begging for a different song/movie. It is really nice.

I have really enjoyed these days and appreciate Dallin being willing to let me do it. I know it's hard to stay home with three kids, but it's a good opportunity for him to have some time in my shoes and for the kids to get a lot of daddy time in.

I also love that when I get home and clock back in, Dallin appropriately declares, "I don't know how you do it!"

Catching up.

I have been having a hard time finding a few minutes to add a blog post the past couple weeks. Here are some recent pictures of the kids.

This picture was taken this morning. Miles was more than ready for his breakfast cereal!

This was this morning too. My mom found this toy at a garage sale this week. It has been hours of entertainment at our house. It has a little battery powered drill and you can make three different kinds of vehicles. He has not stopped playing with it. It is the first thing he asks for when he opens his eyes in the morning, and that's saying something since he is usually in the fridge before he's fully awake.

James sitting in the high chair this morning. He was waiting patiently (or not really) for his cereal and was fussing. Alex kindly put his binki in and gave him his two toys to cuddle.

These two pictures are pictures Alex has drawn the past couple days. The first one says, "I, Alex love mom G Rushton" I told him the letters for Rushton, but he figured all the others out.

I love this next picture. You can't really see it, but the stick figure to the right has a yellow thing on her chest. This is a picture of me and my sister Megan. I was talking on the phone to Megan at the time of the picture being drawn. Anyways, Alex wanted me to guess what the yellow thing on the chest was. I guessed a ribbon, a pair of glasses and he says, "no, it's the thing that covers your nipples!" Apparantely he has seen/heard too much in the past 5 months!

Alex and James chilling out in the morning. James looks less than pleased.

Big smiles!

My two early risers.

I found this helmet at DI for $1.50. Alex is in love with it, even though it's quite a bit too big for him. I don't care, I just want the habit established of wearing a helmet while riding a bike.

Alex has been doing swimming lessons the past two weeks. His last day is tomorrow. He got these goggles and of course, his dad had to try them out.

We have been doing really well this summer. Time has flown by and the babies are now 5 months old. I don't know how it can go so fast. I have loved it so much though. It has been hard, oh it's been hard, but I have loved having them in our home. I can't remember how it was when they weren't here. It seems like it would have been too easy.