Operation "Fit back into my pants"

Ryan here!
Aly showed me how to blog so here we go...my first post.
Just recently Aly and I have begun a new journey in our lives. It is called: "Operation Fit Back Into My pants". Why did we begin this new journey? Very simply, our motivation for this change in our lives derives from two factors: A. our pants don't fit right and B. we are too cheap to buy new pants.
Oh Ryan, c'mon on, your pants fit fine. they don't look bad at all.
Thank you for thinking this, but it is not the aesthetic appearance of our pants that concerns us, it's the fact that they hurt, especially when I'm driving. I have recently begun unbuckling my jeans when I drive! How did it come to this?

You know you're in trouble when you are thinking of ways to build a case with your boss that basketball shorts are indeed professional enough to wear to the office.

So yes friends...our pants do not fit right... they are downright uncomfortable and this needs to change.

okay, so why not buy new pants. comfort is important right?

uh...no...wrong! Not spending money is important. Not having to go shopping is important! I did consider getting new pants. I even went to Savers (our local "I take all my crud clothes and give them away and then Savers sells them for two bucks" store) and found a virtual ton of old used jeans and pants that fit my new size. But then I'd have to spend money on them, and NOT spending money is important. I'd have to try them on look at them in the mirror, ask the question: "honey does this make my butt look big, is this too tight on my large calves (thank you father for this inherited trait); and these questions fall into a certain class that qualifies me as SHOPPING. I don't Shop. It is one of the most emotionally and physically draining activities I can engage in.
So........ I didn't buy new pants. And why should I! There are two painful paths here. One is the path of defeat and painful it is (because I have to spend money and go shopping). The other road is the pain of WAR!!! I will wage war against my bulging "Omentum" (medical term for the fat layer that forms under your abdominal section and sends toxins into your blood stream- see "You on a diet"). I will fit back into my pants. I will not give in. My body is too bootylicious for me and it's time to engage in a precisely well oiled mission to fit back into my pants!!!
So we decided we were going to do this. There are several easy directives for this mission:
1. Soda go bye-bye.
this is not easy. I drink about 100-150 ounces of straight up Coca Cola a day. Add to that the fact that chocoalte is one of my three main food groups along with burritos, and burgers; and you've got yourself a one way ticket on a big smog belching bus destined for "Adult onset diabetes land". So cola needs to go bye bye.

2. We must eat better.
This is easier said than done. remember when I told you about my three major food groups. yes, none of those fit into the "Eating Better" category. We have chosen the abs diet to help with this. The food is great and i still get to eat fruit. I do like fruit. especially covered in chocolate. but Fruit alone will do.

3. we must exercise.
No, chewing is not enough exercise. I actually have to run, lift weights. Greg Stump and I are going to play tennis twice a week. I will also be going to the beach to swim. Aly is working out with Charity every morning.

So it's been five days and I can honestly say, we've exercised, but the diet is still a work in progress. my hope is that we can get structured and we will leave occasional updates here. the point is to fit in our pants and stay in our pants forever, so we never have to buy clothes again...or go shopping! :0 Hahaha. Alyssa is shaking her head right now..

vacation...

Hey all!! We are officially on vacation!! After all the celebrations, bbqs...etc...post graduation stuff...we are settled. There is a bit of construction going on in our apartment again this summer, but only for this month of june (thank GOD!) and they put us up in the lido apartments (where students live off campus during the school year) in a two bedroom while the hallway is abated (sp?) for asbestos. they are going to:
1) move our front door in about 8ft creating a little alcove and along the new wall, a fuse box for the new ethernet (yeah better internet for hart!!) as well as
2) a bedroom closet for the kids! they don't have a closet, we made them a closet out of the hallway closet. i'm sooo excited and can't wait to see the plans that were made translated!!

okay...so now we are truly on vacation!! it's soo nice over here at the lido! we had to bring a TON of stuff over, but there are couches, great internet connection, the kids are sleeping on mattresses on the floor, but we set it up sort of like a fort and they are just loving it! we are still super close to campus, so i can make it to my morning workouts with charity!! (third day in a row! yeah! tomorrow she is workin my abs...arms were monday, today was my toosh and legs. oh, i'm sore!!) just soooo thankful to not be living with my in - laws again. i LOVE them, but it was just not our space and we were not near our friends!!

so...another thing about being on vacation, not having any school whatsoever...is that one of the things on my list of things i wanted to do upon graduation...was...to learn how to sew! i picked out a sewing machine today and hopefully, once my in laws approve...that will be my graduation present from them!! that may seem sort of dorky to y'all...but i'm sooooo excited! my daughter, emily, is beyond creative (i'm a bit creative too!) and she makes these dresses out of her blanket. she's amazing! i'd LOVE to learn how to sew with her and we can create all kinds of fun things! so, i talked to her about it and she is just so excited. i might actually take her with me to pick out some fabric with my joann's gift card (thank you HEATHER! your card is forthcoming!!) and make some simple skirts (hey heath...can i get that pattern from you!?) and learn how to make them. the place we are getting the sewing machine from also gives me classes on how to use the thing. brilliant!! i have sooo many ideas and there are so many fun blogs out there on how to sew and what you can repurpose out of something to make it into another something, i can't wait!!

another thing that i'm sooo stoked on besides working out (finally have time!) and sewing is all our other summer plans that seem to be happening! we might go camping next week (have yet to talk to ry about it!) as a family for the first time, i'd LOVE to try to get away for a night or two to just be with ry w/o kids to celebrate being done and i think i might be close with some graduation money-just need a bit more-and i'll be able to get a new camera. sooo excited!!

okay...can you tell i'm excited to have some free time!! i LOVED school, but i'm sooo done!!

i'm sure there is a ton more that needs to be communicated, but i'll sign off for now...no new photos, i forgot my camera at the house and we can't get in till the weeks end. saturday we as a family are going to julian to celebrate heather and luke getting married (i think this is the third or fourth wedding so far this year for us)!! heather is em and will's dear babysitter and our former RA and dear resident. we love them and can't wait to celebrate them!!

okay...signing off...what are you excited about for your summer? any plans, trips, anything?

More graduation photos

The two brothers I never had...but now do!! Todd (left) and Jeremy (right). I love them so much!! They are in the same program I am (or was!).

My mom and I

The Low/Weatherill Clan

My Ed! (my father in law!)

Ahhh!! The Woods!!

My hunny..we made it!!! sigh...

The babes...

Such a surreal moment..Dr. Coe just announcing my name...walking across the stage and Dr. Dirks cheering me on...it was like no one else was there...I didn't even hear the crowd (sorry for those who cheered me on!)

Am I actually done??

After the baclaurette with Dr. Dennis and Karen Dirks. He is the dean of the seminary I went to and i've actually known him and more specifically his daughter, Jen (Hey Jen!! here's the photo I promised!) since I think 5th grade...maybe 6th...I love them and their family sooo much. It was so special to get a photo with them...I wonder if i can find one of us when I was little...i'll have to hunt...

oh...Baclaurrette (sp?) is a special hooding ceremony for graduate students. Talbot hosts a dinner at Knotts Berry farm and you can choose who hoods you (I chose a professor that I loved (not that I didn't love all of them) and who reallly walk my road with me...) My whole family was there to watch it and it was just amazing and pretty sacred. It felt more like the graduation to me than the actual graduation...




Lauren and Lindsey-two super good friends from my program


Dr. Betsy Barber and Dr. John Coe-two other professors from my program. Dr. Coe is the director of my program...sort of a nutty professor type-but wise, loving, compassionate and one who loves the Lord. I guess that would make us all a bit nutty, wouldn't it??!

Ah...Linsdey!! We made it!!

Megen...who the next night got engaged!!

Dr. Judy TenElshof

Megen and her fiance, Andrew

Ry and I...we have been at each other's graduations since High School...

Ry and his grandfather

The whole family who came-minus Daniel and Marisa

After Judy Hooded me

Getting hooded

Ry came up with me to also be honored as a spouse and for his love and time in supporting me through this program

waiting to get hooded

Daniel and my sister, Marisa

Cool photo of me walking in on my way to get hooded (thanks Daniel!)

My Family!

Me and my good friend, Charity

just before leaving, Emily was soooo excited for me. I just thought that was so cute and cool!

A week ago tomorrow I graduated from Talbot Seminary with a Masters Degree in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care...how did that happen? Didn't I just start this program??!! How is it possible that I actually completed 66 units of coursework while attempting to maintain a home with two babies (both of whom some how managed to get potty trained! amazing grace how sweet the sound!!) who are now no longer babies but full fledged kids...
I don't think I can ever express in this little update the impact of this program on my life. I hope to share a bit each time I log on to also aid and help me process what in the world just happened these past three years. In the meantime...enjoy some photos from last week

for hire...

Ry always takes a photo of the couple from his perspective as a pastor

Look at that beautiful little lady

my handsome blue eyed babe

'mom, we know what to do, stop telling us how to be a flower girl and ring bearer, we know mom, we know what to do'

mr and mrs woods

prepping beauties!

after getting her hair done

at bucca's for the rehearsal dinner...

my two sweeties!

our kids are professional flower girl and ring bearer now ! they just did their third wedding!! okay, just kidding...but they honestly ROCK it. they make it down the aisle, they smile, they are pretty adorable in a tux and dress...and this time around, as Emily tossed daisy's on the ground, Will decided he'd follow behind her and pick them up, only to throw them all back down on the ground at the end. VERY funny!

This wedding was our dear dear friends, andrew woods and courtney 'phillips' woods. we were so blessed by their hospitality (they paid for our family to have a hotel room up at the site so we didn't have to do so much driving! thanks you two!!) and enjoyed the weekend away from campus to be together as a family. ry bought one extra night for us and let me sleep in, took the kids so i could have some time alone as a mothers day gift to just lay in bed...it was awesome!! and it was awesome to be together to celebrate our friends. we knew almost 1/2 the wedding guests b/c at one time or another they were connected to Hart Hall...it was a sweet reunion.

soccer

How did our kids get old enough to be in an organized sport??!! Our Emily and Will are on the "fireballs" at our church's indoor community soccer league. We thought it was a great introduction to them being at our church and in a small league to see if they even enjoyed soccer. Will took a turn yesterday and decided he'd like to play (Ryan had to be in the game with him each week helping him play) but Emily loves it. she just runs around trying to get the ball. i'm so proud of both of them!!

The whole team

I think i can...i think i can..!!

here i am....

okay...so it's been over a month since my last post...it's been that kind of month-ish. here is a re-cap
1) coughed for about one month till they figured out that it was bronchitis so, i'm way better now
2) school has been consuming. i suppose that happens since it's my last month
3) the kids are just amazing and really troopers considering i feel as though i've been totally preoccupied with school
4) ry gave me flowers and a beautiful card for mothers day. it was so thoughtful. i don't think he has purchased me flowers in about 7 years. he's not a flower guy. BUT...he is a word guy so i always get words...and he gave me such a gift this year of words. thanks, babe.
5) the kids began their first organized sport, indoor soccer. ill post photos and explain next post
6) we got to witness the marriage of our dear friends courtney and andrew. ry married them, we sang and em and will were the flower girl/ring bearer. yes, again. i'l post photos next
7) last night was the first of a week of goodbyes for me. in my graduate program, as you finish, the professors and your peers gather for a night of prayer and blessing over you and you receive a ring that is engraved with the words, "abide in me". i can't convey in words what this night was like last night. how can the past three years be over??!! i have a HUGE two part comprehensive old test. final tomorrow and i'm soooo very thankful that i didn't even think about it last night. i was sooooo able to be present to receive all the amazing words and prayers of my dearest community. i will forever be changed by their sharpening, encouragement and love.

so...that is what we've been up to. i know there has been a ton more...but i'll post photos and add captions to explain more...pray for me this week as i study all day and night today/night for this Old Test. comp. final. it's at 9:30am tomorrow morning.