Last year was like living inside a tornado. Every time I thought I would escape that spinning vortex I would get sucked right back in. I couldn’t seem to balance my life. I went back to work after taking two years off, I had continued weight loss goals, my husband left his job at UPS after eight years to take a job where he now works from home and travels less, our daughter began her first year of preschool, I seemed to be working more, the house in my eyes was always a disaster, the kids would cry if I told them I had to work, we were eating out more, I was working out less, my blog was forgotten, friends would inquire why I was always MIA and I beat myself up a lot, mentally not physically of course!

 But out of all that so-called “bad”, which wasn’t really bad at all, we became happier as a family. We managed to pay off my car, my debt will be completely gone in a few short months, Jim’s car will be paid off in a few months, student loans are starting to dwindle (not mine, that will take a lifetime), I went gluten-free in September, I managed my 2012 weight loss of thirty pounds and added nine additional pounds lost in 2013. While my social life might have sucked a little (okay, a lot!) we had to make sacrifices in 2013.

2014 is already looking brighter. On New Year’s Day it felt like that looming aftermath of that tornado’s dust had cleared. We have several family goals set, we started cleaning out closets, ridding our house of unneeded toys and food. I had never felt so good going into the New Year (despite the on-going cold we’ve all had).

Sixteen days ago we started a challenge as a family, this challenge is to follow The 30 Clean program. I’ve already been gluten-free for four months so following a clean eating plan just seemed like a great thing to do for the New Year. Along with the program I am challenging myself to take 15 classes at TDM. This might be the most challenging part of the 30-days since I had a rough ending to ’13 with my knee and illnesses.

I cannot wait to see what 2014 brings.

And, because a post isn’t a post without pics I leave you with a few family pictures of one of our two sessions.

It’s a Christmas miracle, er, a Spring miracle…a post! I know your probably in shock right now. I have been a bad, bad blogger, I have thought about this blog ‘o mine everyday and every night as I lay in bed but I just couldn’t post. As a blogger I’ve hit many dry spells, many uncreative days and plain ‘ole posting road block. Since returning back to work I have re-prioritized a lot of things in my life. This blog has taken the back burner as I got back into a working routine and I hope you understand that. Hell, I don’t even go on Facebook any longer and that in itself speaks for itself. It wasn’t until the last week or so when I started receiving e-mails and texts asking if I was ever going to blog again that a “I am alive” post was needed. So, as you can tell I am alive…yay! We have been very busy, the kids are non-stop and I mean non-stop. Days are spent running errands, dates at the park, endless hours of backyard exploration, attempting to get the house in order (keyword attempt) and then I rush off to work. I am working more than I had intended but it has been good for everyone…except for Brayden who has apparently hit the separation anxiety stage so poor Jim has to deal with Brayden running around looking and calling for me. It breaks my heart.

Speaking of Brayden, it’s crazy that my baby will be one and a half next week. We finally had his fifteen month appointment last week since we missed it back in January. He is finally growing and has inched away from the teens in terms of percentages to 55th for weight and 95th for height. He is speaking like crazy, everyday is something new and he copies everything his sister says. Our newest words are: “ta-tule” for turtle, “me, me, me”, no and Easter. He has started piecing two and three words together and says about twenty-five words. He understands almost everything you tell him and he usually replies with a nonchalant, “yeah”. Like, Brayden did you poop? “yeah, mama”. We’re also getting emotional reactions, cue terrible two temper tantrums, excited woo-hoo’s, yeah’s and woah’s. He loves any cleaning tool and any attempt of me going into the laundry room results in the biggest meltdown ever when he can’t “play” with the mop, broom and/or vacuum. I might have to remind him of this when he’s fourteen…and I will also have to remind him that pulling up his shirt and sticking his hand into his diaper started way before I had imagined. There is never a dull day with my charming, intelligent, dare devil of a little man.

Payton is no longer a baby in any way, shape or form. I now get “duh” and “are you joking? you’re joking right” after many statements. She is more than ready for school and luckily for everyone involved she is finally starting preschool in the Fall. While I am excited for the social interactions I am sad she’s growing up. She really is my best friend and I look forward to our conversations everyday. Last week when we were at Brayden’s appointment Dr. Martinez and I were chatting about how fast she’s growing. She’s now a 5T or XS in the big girl department and still a size 10 shoe, Dr. Martinez said that she is the size of a five-year-old and she’s not even three-and-a-half. As bad as I want her to get older, I still cannot believe how big and smart she has gotten. Her imagination and memory is incredible…like you can’t put anything past her, cue that glass of wine! Last week Mr. Todd (from Peter Rabbit) was secretly hiding in the house and followed me all the way to work, we had to “hurry up” because he was on to us. Or, she will ask to wear a dress she hasn’t worn since the Summer and gives you the whole back story on where and whom purchased it. She’s crazy, in a good way. She can be found singing her ABC’s non-stop, ordering her baby bro around and loving on everyone. She’s an angel.

Okay, so as you can see, we’re all alive…including Jim who didn’t get any spotlight except for this mention and that’s only because I am tired and want this post to be published. He’s still traveling, not as much as a month ago, but he’s closing deals he has been working on for what seems like forever. We’re working on small house projects and he is Mr. Mom when I am away. We’re swimming with our heads above the water for now…

The store’s commitment to locally-sourced products was evident by it’s offerings from more than 100 local vendors and farmers from nearby Orange, San Diego and Los Angeles counties including: Homegrown Meats, Archi’s Acres, Be Wise, Stehly, Suzies Organic Farm, Carlsbad Aquafarm, South Coast Winery and Fallbrook Winery.

The store was also designed and built with the environment in mind, the store interior is influenced by the prominent geographical and natural landscape features of the immediate surrounding area: the bluffs, the Torrey Pines groves, chaparral laden hillsides, and the lagoons. In addition, significant local venues and cultural amenities like the horse culture and golf courses inspired the graphics and other creative design elements in the store environment. I was truly blown away with the design elements, Whole Foods Market hit the ball out of the park once again! 

Located directly off CA Interstate 5

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market Del Mar. Regardless, I only recommend products/services that I personally use.