cookie pizza and other things that make me fail

I used to be a serious gym-aholic.  I went religiously, I even taught classes, I was was pretty happy with the way my clothes fit.  Then, I moved here.  I slacked off and then lost my motivation entirely.  My muscles vanished and my clothes were snuggish.  It was sad.  I was sad.  I enlisted a few friends into a weight loss challenge and we are going to look famous by the time we're done.  I type this here, so if you see me eating  candy, milkshakes, cheeseburgers, gravy, anything like that, you can call me out on it.  It's pressure, but I clearly need the pressure.  Don't make me cookie pizza.  I know that's kind of "my thing," but if you ever feel like you want to make one, don't.  It'll be better for everyone, and by everyone, I mean me.  'Cause that way I'll win the challenge and take my friends' money.  It'll be great.

Scouting: not for the apathetic

Gavin is 10, he's been 10 for 364 days.  In that time, he had the opportunity to earn his Webelos badge for Cub Scouts.  For 300 days, he had little motivation to do so.  He likes scouts, but was not motivated to really progress on his own.  Clint lit a fire under him and he trudged through more than half of the requirements over Christmas Break.  We're proud to report he finished it and earned his Webelos Badge at the last pack meeting.  Now he'll move own to real Boy Scouts and it will be more fire-lighting for Clint and I to get him motivated.  If Boy Scouts has amazing things like marble shoots and pinewood derbys, we may just be able to get him going.  I guess campouts and show-shoeing will be viable alternatives.  Congrats, Gav-o, we're proud of you!

Great Wolf Lodge-iness

I am someone who doesn't believe in pulling my kids out of school for things.  It's your birthday?  You're going.  There's a friend in town?  You're going.  We have tickets to Hawaii? You're going.  You get the idea.  Anywho, there's a place that is the stuff that dreams are made of right here in WA, but you'd be crazy to go on weekend.  Crazy.  It's like $100 cheaper to go during the week.  I mean, if that's how you roll, spend on, my friend, but we're way too cheap for that.  We've heard so many fantastic things about the Great Wolf Lodge and we really wanted to take the kids.  They are the perfect age for amusement park type venues.  Still young enough to enjoy the magic, but not too little to ride all the rides.  Perfect.

We decided to take them and keep it a secret until we pulled into the parking lot.  We're sneaky like that.  They were totally surprised and ridiculously excited.  It was fun.  Really, really fun.  I'd love to go back, mostly because it boosted my self image (there's always someone bigger than you in a smaller swim suit), but also because it was so much fun.  And yeah, I pulled them out of school.  Worth it.

The Happening Hoskins 2011

Boo.

Yes, I know it's January.  I would just like to illustrate what happens when you take a little time off.  Your kids get big.   Man, I miss those little babies.

This is how we do it.

Cambria played soccer for the first time last year and thought it was fabulous.   I love those commercials where the kid playing soccer gets a grass stain and the doting mother pours on a little Tide to wash it right out.  Puh-lease, here's what we, in the PNW,  look like after soccer.  Put THAT in your commercial.

Hiatus Over

Call it what you will (slacking, sabbatical, laziness, busy-ness), but I'm done.  Break over.  I'll blog, you'll read; it'll be like old times.  And since no post is complete without a picture, here you go.  Delight in this boy's crazy.