Saturday, July 30, 2016

Project: Playroom {the vision}

Projects

Project: Playroom {the vision}

A play room for the girls is in the works!
We figured since we don’t have guests stay with us all that often, we should turn the guest room into the girls main play area.  Our living room is seriously getting taken over by toys.  We know that we can make it work when people do come to visit.  [So don’t worry, mom, we’ll give you our bed next time you’re here]!  Rather than have a room go unused for 48 weeks out of the year, we’ve decided to transform the space into a fun play room for the girls.  I’m excited!
IMG_2429
Today, I sold the last piece of furniture that needed to go in order to make the room work.  The bed sold a few days ago, and a friend said she’ll buy the night stands when she returns from Europe next week.
**Side note**
Everything in the room was furniture that was given to us at some point before/during our marriage. So thank you Aunty Judy & Uncle Walter, the Chupps, and the Sauls for your part in helping create this awesome space for our girls, haha.
IMG_2525
IMG_2506
IMG_2513
The first step was to get rid of the furniture.  C H E C K.
I went right to Facebook for help on this one.  I joined this group a few months back called Online Yard Sale (for two zip codes in our area).  It’s awesome and super easy.  Easier than Craigslist in my opinion. Especially since (most) people I know have FB.  Three different items, all sold within a day of being posted.
And now I have my playroom budget. B A M  ðŸ™‚
My vision isn’t complete yet, but there are a few basic elements that I want.  Next on the agenda is to play the layout.  So far, I have purchased two of these white organizers from Target and some purple bins to go in them from Amazon.  Also, these pieces of material and cute lettering from Walmart.  So far, I have broken even almost exactly to the dollar.
white cubespurple bins
IMG_0309
Stay tuned for what’s to come.  I’m thinking a new play kitchen, organized toy bins, bookshelf, and maybe a reading nook with some sort of canopy.  Like I said, I’m still working out the details in my head (and the layout)! Just thought I’d share…
April ðŸ™‚

Friday, July 29, 2016

Emma is Seven Months!


Family Updates

Emma is Seven Months!

I’m just a few days late with this post, but I can’t believe baby girl is already 7 months!  It feels like I was just pregnant with her…
7 months
Emma Bear.  You are my sweet heart!  I simply cannot get enough kisses and hugs from you.
Your loveable smile and laugh is infectious.  You are our JOY.  Truly.  I don’t feel like much has changed from last month.  You’re a little stronger I think and starting to get a bit leaner.  Your rolls have tan lines since we’re at the beach so much.
You’re eating solid food more often and trying to pull up on things.  I haven’t fed you anything you didn’t like!  You still don’t crawl yet, but you sit up well.  I’m sure it will be soon, so there’s no rush.
You like to babble a lot these days.  Mostly “mamama”.  I taught you well, my daughter ðŸ™‚  Or maybe it’s “Mum Mum Mum” since you love to eat.  Either way, I win.
You get happy when you see daddy come home from work and you love to stand now.  You can be pretty fussy if you aren’t getting the attention you want, but if we pick you up you are usually pacified.
I’m sure you’ll be crawling all around next month!  Slow down, please…
We love you very much, Emma Joy!

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Weekly Update #10

Random Updates

Weekly Update #10

July 16th – 22nd, 2016
I’m a little late posting this one, but with the blog transfer I kinda forgot about it.  I can’t believe it’s already week #10 since I started this thing.  I’m proud of myself for making it this far!
The Wolfepack had another wonderful week.  I am truly loving this season in life!  I know it won’t last forever, so I’m just soaking up every beautiful (and crazy) moment.  Lily girl is talking so much more these days.  She’s such a sassafras.   Emma just turned seven months, and she’s as cute as ever ðŸ™‚  I’ll post her update soon.
Let’s recap our week.
Saturday and Sunday were spent at Rest Camp.  We loved staying in the cabins.  Our guests that were visiting from IN came out on Saturday and hung out most of the day.  We went to the beach three times and then to Hercules Rock and Yoks for a quick dip.
We loved waking up at the beach and I was even able to surf early on Saturday before the girls woke up.  Not much to surf, but at least I was out there!
IMG_2316
IMG_2322
IMG_2331
IMG_2318
IMG_2335
IMG_2339
IMG_2343
When we finally returned home on Sunday afternoon, our guests had set a tea party for the girls in their room with all the stuffed animals.  It was so cute!  They even made signs!
IMG_2356
IMG_2358
Monday, I believe we recovered from our weekend and just did laundry.  I also had a dentist appointment so Mike had to watch the girls. Tuesday, we headed to Pearl Harbor to pick up my ID.  While we were there, we decided to hit up at park on Hickam Air Force Base.  Later that afternoon, we went to a friends house to play and swim while dad played soccer.
IMG_2373
IMG_2374
IMG_2383
IMG_2386
Wednesday, we got ready and tried to be sweet to each other.  Emma wasn’t into it.  But I thought it was funny!
IMG_2389
Then, we met up with some friends at the park.  Afterward, we headed to the summer dollar movies to see Peabody and Sherman.  It was super cute, but of course we didn’t finish it.  Emma actually slept in the theater and Lily made it about an hour (until her popcorn ran out).
IMG_2391
IMG_2392
IMG_2398
Thursday, we headed to Ewa Beach for an EMS Ambulance Field Trip.  We got to look inside the ambulance!  Each of the kids got gloves and they even monitored one kid’s heart for the rest to see.  It was cute.  They brought out cold and hot compresses for them to touch, then showed how the stretcher goes on the ambulance.  At the very end, they had the kids cover their ears and did a siren demonstration.  After that, Lily accidentally drove the golf cart loaded with boys.  She got freaked out and ran to me crying!  No one realized the key was in it…
ems
IMG_2409
IMG_2412
IMG_2414
golf cart driver
Friday was SURF Club, but we didn’t have a huge turn out.  It was a terrible day for surfing anyway, so I’m not too upset that I didn’t get to. No pictures from this day.  It was a rough one.
Until next week!
April ðŸ™‚

Monday, July 25, 2016

Oh, Crap! {literally}

Family Random

Oh, Crap! {literally}

So, our weekend got off to an interesting start.  Mike came home from work around 2pm, and shortly after Lily woke up from her nap. Seems normal, right?!  Let me elaborate.
When Mike came home from work, he peeked in the girls’ room because he thought he heard something.  I’m glad he did.  It turns out that Lily did NOT end up taking a nap.
Instead, she pooped her diaper…
After sheLily at Beach pooped, I guess she couldn’t fall asleep.  I mean, who could fall asleep with something like that trapped in their pants?!  Anyway, I guess she couldn’t handle it.  So she took matters into her own hands… literally.  You can probably see where I’m going with this.
Lily then proceeded to deal with her situation.  Not by taking her diaper off, but by trying to adjust what was inside it.  Sorry if this is TMI.  I just want you to understand the scope of the situation.
When Mike found her, she had blessed:  the bed (sheets, frame, & mattress cover), the rocking chair (butt padding & armrests), her stuffed animals that hang in an over-the-door shoe rack, the shoe rack, the door, the wall behind the door, Emma’s crib, a side stool and two books. In case you were wondering, she read every single page.  Ask me how I know.
Somehow, Emma slept through it all.  Even after Mike retrieved the poopy girl and gave her to me (just picture Mufasa holding Simba in The Lion King), sleeping beauty didn’t stir.  I kinda felt bad leaving her in the room.  I mean, the air wasn’t fresh.
I had to deal with poop girl first, so the room would have to come later.  After a 30 minute soaking bath, Lily emerged as a clean child again. Another hour or two later, after some deep cleaning and laundry soaking, we were able to put the whole ordeal behind us.
And that was just Friday afternoon.
I truly love being a mom.  In moments like these, my earthly purpose is clear.  Clean the girl.  Fix the problem.  Save the day.
But I know it won’t always be that simple.  I pray that as the problems evolve– attitudes, defiance, rules, boys, school–I can have the same grace and patience as I had when I cleaned up poop.  Weird thought, right?
Seasoned moms (and dads) out there, what’s one mess your child made that you remember most clearly?

There's a First Time for Everything

So I just signed up for my very own website and blog!
I’ll admit it — I don’t know what the heck I’m doing.  For the last 12 hours I’ve been pretty frustrated trying to set up a design and layout.  Sifting through articles and support forums on custom CSS, HTML formatting, making your “brand”, and other gibberish that makes no sense to me.
I do know one thing though.  Something inside of me really wanted this.  I’m scared because it’s new, and so much is still unknown.  But here I am.  Casting my fear aside and taking the plunge.
Will you join me on this journey?
I want this to be a place where I can encourage others, share my heart, brag on my achievements and humbly admit my shortcomings.  A place to update my family, and just chronicle life for a while.  My very own corner of the internet to call home.
I’m not sure what it will morph into (if anything), but I have to try…
Let this Wolfepack Adventure begin!

cropped-Wolfepack-Logo-e1468913878891.jpg

Sunday, July 24, 2016

New Blog--come check it out!

Hi friends,

So, I have some exciting news!  Drum roll please...

I started a new blog!

It's something I've been wanting to do recently.  It's still in the works, and I'm sure it will evolve over time as I add more content.

For now, I'll be posting there which means I'll be taking a break from my Google blogger account.  Who knows, I may be back here though in three years, so I won't get rid of it just yet!

Come check it out and sign up for email updates!

Much love to all five of you who are reading this :)

April

wolfepackadventures.com


Thursday, July 21, 2016

Simplifying Dinner

Food

Simplifying Dinner

So, in an effort to shed a few more pounds, Mike and I have decided to eat healthy and exercise for a couple of months.  We can’t commit to anything super long-term or a regimen that requires going to the gym several times a week.
We can, however, workout in the garage together for at least 20 min a day after we put the girls to bed or at the very least–do something active each day.  We can also eat foods that are fuel to our bodies. I’m no health expert, so please don’t quote me.  I’m just saying that this works for us.  We did this back in March, and each lost about 15 pounds.  For the most part we’ve kept it off, but now we’re ready to shake things up a bit and lose those last 5-10 pounds.
Here’s what I usually do:
Meal Plan – stock up for the week on food that’s semi-healthy.  My meals look very simple lately. Here’s a typical day:
Breakfast – Special K Cereal and a cup of coffee with creamer.  Nothing crazy, right?!
Snack – Fiber One bar, fruit or veggie (this week I cut up a giant watermelon into bit sized pieces and put it in the fridge in a huge container to snack on).
Lunch – I’ve been doing egg and egg white scrambles lately.  Leaves me feeling healthy and satisfied:
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 2 cups raw spinach
  • 1/4 cup Rotel (Can you tell I like spicy?!)
  • sprinkle of Feta Cheese
  • spices
Snack – more fruits/veggies or maybe a low-fat yogurt if I need protein
Dinner – I’ll usually cook up a few chicken breasts or tilapia fillets with a little olive oil and some of my favorite seasonings like: Tony’s Creole Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, and Cayenne Pepper.  In addition to the protein, I’ll make a veggie side–and that’s it!  A large portion of a veggie side mind you.  We aren’t trying to starve here!  Usually, dinners will be very simple (yet flavorful).  Chicken and steamed broccoli with buffalo sauce or Fish and roasted carrots with garlic.  We feel satisfied, but not stuffed. Also… my taste buds don’t do bland, so I have to add those spices!  Not the lowest in sodium, I know, but I try not to use a ton.
Dessert – If you’re like me, sometimes you NEED dessert.  Namely chocolate…  I don’t deprive myself.  I bought a bag of York Peppermint Patties to stash in the fridge and I’ll eat one (or maybe even two) at the end of the day if I’m having that craving.
costco
Stay Active – plan something everyday, even if it’s just going to the park with the kids.  And make yourself do that workout.  Mike plays soccer on Tuesdays, we surf at least once a week (taking turns with the babes).  The other days we’ll do something in the garage or the yard (like circuits).  Base it on your ability level.  If you’re able to walk the neighborhood for 20 min, do it.  Walk briskly to get your heart rate up.  If you feel like you need to run, then go for it!  I’d just alternate cardio with strength exercises.  The main thing is that you’re doing something!
And that’s it!  Like I said, it’s no Whole 30 or 21 day fix, but it works for us and we’ve seen results.  It’s doable.  That’s the bottom line. What’s your favorite healthy go-to-food?

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Weekly Update #8

July 2nd - 8th, 2016

The weeks just keep flying by and I don't know how we're keeping up!  My girls are absolutely adorable and my heart is so full of love for my little Wolfepack -- daddy Wolfe especially :)

Saturday started off with a long and tiring hike to Hamama Falls over in Kaneohe.  It's a lot of incline and all the little hiking legs were struggling just a bit.  Our friends the Sauls joined us, but we were outnumbered by the children 3 to 5. It was fun, but exhausting.  When we got home, we hosted a pool party for our hanai nieces (close family friends).  It was a cute little party, and it seemed like everyone had a good time.  Later that evening we had game night and stayed up a little later than we should have!









Sunday was lovely.  After church we had a birthday party at Nimitz Beach.  Lily jumped to her heart's content in the bounce house and we played by the beach while Mike {tried} to surf--although the waves didn't cooperate.





Later that evening, super daddy swooped in and let mommy have some girl time with a dear friend!  We went to see Kelsea Ballerini at Schofield, then watched a chick flick together in our PJs.  By the time I got home, the boys were having a game night and the girls were fast asleep!  We didn't speak too much of the evening events.  I just know it involved a long walk in the neighborhood, Lily wiping poop all over her room and Emma not taking the bottle from Mike.  I didn't ask many questions.  It was a great night!


Monday, the 4th of July, was spent at Rest Camp with Robbie and Drew.  Although it was blazing hot, it was a BEAUTIFUL day at the beach.  We stayed until after lunch and headed back home for nap time.  Later in the evening (after I put Emma to bed), I took Lily to a friend's house to let her watch the Ko Olina fireworks from their balcony. They weren't loud, but we had the headphones just in case.


Tuesday was spent lounging around and cleaning.  We also ran some errands in the afternoon while daddy played soccer.  The girls were so cute in their matching Bears cheer leading outfits.




Wednesday we hosted a Pool Party Potluck at our house.  It was a nice time with friends and tons of yummy food!  Later that afternoon we ran errands at Home Depot and had dinner at Wendy's.



Thursday morning, we went to Green World Coffee Farm in Wahiawa.  Lily loved spending time wandering through the coffee shrubs and getting lots of energy out.  Later that afternoon, we met up with some friends at Hau Bush so daddy could surf.





Finally on Friday, we hit up the park for Club Connection, then ran some more errands.  Lastly, we prepped the house for our visitors that are here this week.  Here's to another fun-filled week!!


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Weekly Update #7

June 25th - July 1st, 2016

Another busy week in the books.  We started last weekend with a potluck at Bellows.  The girls loved the beach!!  We took them both out in the waves and they did great.  



After church on Sunday, we went to Hau Bush and surfed with Mitch, then went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch.  Mike bought the girls a Jeep from Craigslist and they tested it out.  Emma wasn't impressed with Lily's driving skills.


We went to a play group and took a trip to the dentist on Monday.

Tuesday, Emma had a a well check up and some shots, then we went to Ko Olina for beach day and hung out with some friends we hadn't seen in a while.


Wednesday, we went to McDonald's play place with some friends, then to Minions at the $1 movie.  

We also had lots of tea parties.


We went shopping.


We made (and ate) chicken pot pie.


We walked to the park.


Enjoyed some daddy time.


And Lily climbed the bars by herself!


Friday night we had the Stewarts over for a BBQ.