A few firsts and changes...

Greetings from what seems to be the LONGEST WEEK EVER. I mean seriously how is it only Wednesday this week when the last 6 months seem to have gone in the blink of an eye, this week just drags it's slow butt out of bed and thru the day.  Okay yes, I haven't blogged in over 6 months. WOW! It really does feel like just the blink of an eye but time flies when you are having fun, right?

Life on this end has had its up and downs over the last 6 months but we are forging ahead and in the right direction. The end of 2012 proved to be super stressful for me at work. We were understaffed and the workload of about 3 people was the responsibility of yours truly. As much as I tried to keep my normally upbeat and positive temperament, it took its toll and not only mentally but also physically. Looking back I can see that ever so clearly now,  but true to my nature...I survived.

I am happy to say that we are "staffed" at work now but our team is still quite busy but I guess that's an okay problem to have when it means you have a job and an income coming in.

Things around here are also changing. 9 weeks ago, Clay and I started exercising for the first time in YEARS. We went all out and decided it was long past time to do something and get in shape. (The aforementioned stress also took a toll on my weight and I was unhappy about it.) We joined a "gym" for Farrell's Extreme Bodyshaping. It's an initial 10 week commitment, working out 6 days a week, and following a "nutrition plan." Sounds crazy, right? Well we LOVE LOVE LOVE it! In fact we signed up to be FIT members and will be doing it the next year. It's quite the balancing act with schedules but I go every morning (M-Sat) at 6am and Clay goes at 430 after work. We are loving the results and not only the weight loss but the energy and mental improvements. I'll try to post more after the 10 week challenge is over and may even get brave enough to show our before and after pics. (Yes I am going to try to blog more now. And by more, maybe I can pull off 1 post per week.)

Other things have changed a lot in the last 6 months too.

For starters....

This lil guy turned 1 and started walking. NOW he runs everywhere and gives his big sister a run for her money. BTW he's grown even more since that picture and now looks like this:

True to what my friend Liz said, I look back at old pictures and can't believe how long we let his hair get before a haircut. Now I take him every 6-8 weeks and he does such a good job sitting still. He even lets our hair lady use the clippers.

The little lady of the house is also growing and changing so fast. We started potty training recently again. After our failed attempt last May and the pooping problems that followed for months after I was a bit hesitant but I'm glad to report we are doing better this round. I'm excited about the progress as it changes a lot of things. It changes the Sunday School room she can go to and the level of swim classes. She loves swim lessons but she's about grown out of the "baby and me" class and ready for the Young 3's class. Just have to hurdle the potty training.  In addition to our first trip to Sunday school (in my effort to go back to church regularly) she also had a first trip to the dentist this year and did FABULOUS.

The kids aren't the only ones experiencing firsts. Besides working out for the first time in years, the older Brockmans had our first official night away from the kids and our first stay at a bed and breakfast. I won an overnight stay at the Vrooman Mansion here in town so last weekend we booked a room to celebrate my birthday.

It was fun to stay there and I'd love to do it again. They have 5 main rooms in the mansion and just did 2 rooms out in the carriage house. We will stay in the carriage house next time because those rooms out there are super swank. Notice the hats in the picture above...well they just begged to be tried on for a picture.

Clay looked pretty cool but my head must be on the large side because it only sat on top. Oh well. We didn't wear the hats out to dinner. You may have seen the awesome food we had for dinner. We do get to "cheat" or have a "fun day" on the eating plan one day a week and it's usually on Saturdays. The dinner for my birthday celebration was YUM YUM YUM.




Okay, there you have a small taste of what we have been up to over the last 6 months and the changes.  Hope I still have a few readers out there who enjoyed this.

Until later....(and hopefully not 6 months from now!)