tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358801832024-03-14T00:29:03.597-07:00Lillie's BlogLilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.comBlogger937125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-19725140891297888672017-06-03T00:41:00.000-07:002017-06-08T14:26:43.590-07:00I Have a New Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Or two.<br />
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1: Some version of this delicious bowl of greek yogurt and cottage cheese topped with all the best chopped fruit and almonds and mini chocolate chips and a drizzle of honey.<br />
2. MACRO COUNTING!<br />
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I started counting macros Novemeber 1st... 7 months ago! And I'm obsessed. If you're already annoyed because this is not your thing, you are relieved of reading. I totally get it. But for me it's been a game-changer. It's just made me look at food so differently and it feels like such a sustainable way to hit and maintain my fitness goals. And that feeling of sustainability is EVERYTHING-- Do you know how much more productive I am when I'm not thinking or stressing about what and how much and when I should eat?!<br />
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That's misleading because I'll always think about the next time I eat and what it's going to be, let's be real... but now I have this perfect formula for my day so the STRESS is taken out. Legwork yes. But stress no. A totally worthy trade. Let's move on.<br />
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This was my experience:<br />
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For about five years (minus a pregnancy) I'd been using intermittent fasting to help me maintain my weight and health. I'd really liked it for the most part. I would fast twice a week for 24 hours. Anyone who hadn't done it would respond like that was crazy and impossible... NOW I AGREE!! But at the time it worked for me and made me feel good and like I could always keep my week in check without having to obsess every day about what I ate. I love to cook and eat--- and I love all the carbs and treats. Let's just get that out in the open.<br />
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But last summer I had a gallbladder issue and the doctor told me that fasting could have been a contributing factor. Since I kept my gallbladder, I decided maybe I should find a new "plan"... that catered to this new little problem. A friend introduced me to macro counting (which I'd heard about but never had the slightest clue what it referred to.. anybody else?) She'd used a coach and insisted I go that route so I gave in! Which was really unlike me. I'd always thought: Of course I have tons of room for improvement, but I know how to do it, I just don't always WANT to do it. I know I should be sticking to lean protein and veggies and limiting my carbs, and cutting out sugars and processed foods. I know I shouldn't be eating a giant bowl of ice cream every night or baking weekly batches of cookies. I know I should be having my burgers wrapped in lettuce instead of white butter-topped homemade buns... er... maybe I should stop eating so many burgers?<br />
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But I didn't want to. It wasn't worth it to me-- is what I'd decided. That extreme level of commitment it took to be a little leaner or fitter was out of my realm. And that meant I was more balanced. So there.<br />
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Except here is something I've learned about myself. I'm not balanced dang it. I think about food a lot. And I DO care if I feel gross and overfed or wake up feeling like I really took two steps back. And if that happens a few times in a week, I could feel so angry at myself and frustrated and then I'd feel like I should do something extreme... But I wouldn't because I don't do well at extremes, and then I'd feel like a failure all the more!<br />
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But anyway--- I gave in to peer pressure and hired Amber of Biceps after Babies (although now it sounds like I should have hired a therapist). I LOVED USING AMBER! I felt like she just genuinely knew her stuff and was such a steady voice of reason if I was ever frustrated with the scale etc. She made herself super available for questions and sent weekly tips and recipes. And maybe mostly it was just kind of a game changer to be accountable to someone. Anyway. HUGE fan. I wanted to know that if I was going to put in this much legwork, I had my goals lined up right. She also offers just the custom macros for $50 now, along with some helpful info if you're not into the commitment of coaching. There are online calculators out there but those set me at higher and overall different numbers than she did... don't know if I'd trust those. (This is sounding like an ad sorry... just full disclosure for those who are into this stuff!)<br />
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Anyway-- I ended up using her for 12 weeks. I thought for sure I'd only use her for 6 to get the hang of it but then I couldn't bare to let her go. I shared my goals with her and she gave me a custom set of macros - <b>(macronutrient goals: how many grams of Carbs, Fat, and Protein I should eat in a day. Essentially it's a step farther than counting your calories... which I used to think was nuts.) </b>My goal was to hit them all within five grams. NOT to just stay below them. I think mentally this was one of the best things for me. Food was fuel-- a good thing-- not a habit you have to kick and something you try to BEAT and resist all day. Less wasn't always better, I just wanted to hit MY goal for cutting a few pounds. That made it doable, and generally just a really positive experience for me, so I actually had no desire to cheat. I skipped tracking on Thanksgiving day and once around Christmas and was anxious to get back to it the next day. I was instantly seeing subtle results, I loved waking up every morning knowing I had a plan and hadn't set myself back the night before. It felt like this amazing, doable formula. And it could be MY food. I could build burgers and tacos and even pizzas without having to pretend lettuce was bread or a tortilla because it's not. I could create meals I still loved and craved, as long as I hit the right combinations of everything each day and didn't blow my carbs or fat on things that weren't valuable enough. I was a little hungry in the beginning because that's what supposed to happen if you're eating less than you burn. And you've got to eat less than you burn if you want to shed a few right?<br />
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I'm off track.<br />
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My goal? I wanted to lose five pounds. That would put me at a weight where I felt great, it was also the lowest weight I'd ever been as an adult. So I certainly wasn't thinking beyond that.<br />
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THE BEST PART!<br />
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For me once Amber had me at my goal weight, we started increasing my carbs and fat each week and shockingly, I kept losing weight! I got lower than I thought I even wanted to (I can't believe I just wrote that) while eating what felt like more than I used to... like 2400 calories by the end! Once I started gaining a little bit, we knew we'd found my maintenance. Where I wasn't eating in a deficit (for cutting) or in a surplus (for bulking.) I settled in at a macro breakdown that adds up to around 2200 calories a day, and a weight that I'm happy with as I try to build more muscle... and I feel like I'm eating a ton! And I never have to think, "I guess I don't need ice cream tonight, I'll be good..." because I WANT to hit my macros and keep my body fueled for my workouts. So if I've planned for my nightly treat, you better believe I'm gonna eat it. And the scale won't even know it tomorrow. It's amazing.<br />
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<b>YES SOMETIMES IT WAS HARD</b><br />
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Did I mention my start date? November 1st... right as the holidays rolled in. What was I thinking!?<br />
Ok so I did feel like that occasionally at the beginning for sure. Especially when I'd peruse the Costco Christmas treat isles and I just wanted to cry seeing all the chocolates that just wouldn't "fit my macros." I felt annoyed at all of the girls who boasted donuts and pop tarts as part of IIFYM (if it fits your macros). ???? HOW is a scoop of peanut butter on top of everything she eats fitting her macros when I don't have enough fat for a drizzle of olive oil?? Sure I could have a chocolate... even lots, but I was now aware of all of the other food I'd have to give up if I did that (assuming I wanted to hit my goals). And that just wasn't worth it. I dreamt of having all the chocolate sitting in jars around my kitchen and just grabbing them nonchalantly because "it's the holidays! I deserve it"... but it's my budget and my goals. And that's the magic with macro counting. It just keeps you totally honest with yourself. <br />
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If we were saving for a new house (that I really wanted!) and had a specific budget that allowed us to reach our down payment goal within six months, sure I might want to be like, "I deserve a new pair of shoes, I need to feel cute on a date night. It's for the sake of my marriage. (?)" etc... but the bottom line is, if you really have a well planned out budget and you know and trust the end result of sticking to it, YOU get to decide what you value most. The shoes or the house. Yes you can have both... maybe you give into a splurge here and there and get the house a little behind schedule and maybe that's worth it to you. Maybe you budget in the shoes and shave off some clothes for the kids (you're awful). But once you KNOW exactly what it will take to hit your goal.... what you can't do is pretend to be blind to the fact that the more you spend, the slower you'll get there. And the key is making that budget realistic so you don't just throw it out the window in frustration.<br />
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Was that analogy worth it? I don't know. But it's been a long time since I've written on this blog and remember how I maybe should have hired a therapist? But I didn't and sometimes I think this kind of typing with all of my fingers instead of my thumbs is therapeutic. Thanks. ;)<br />
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SO MACROS:<br />
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Yes it's crazy at first and there is a huge learning curve as you figure out My Fitness Pal and how to weigh everything and how you like your day divided, and how to ever get to the table while your family is still eating, and where the macros are worth it and where they aren't. You might be used to eating a lot of food early in the day, and find you hit your macro goals too early in the evening at first and THAT'S depressing if you're still hungry right? Or maybe you're not a night-time eater so that's perfect. (But you're weird.) OR you might be like me, so afraid of running out and going to bed hungry and crying OR... throwing in the towel and taking down a gallon of dreyers..... that you hoard your macros through the day at first to make sure you've got plenty of room for a dinner you haven't fully calculated yet or snacks you might want after the kids are in bed. (might - ha.) In the beginning, occasionally I'd go really light during the day to be able to eat a whole personal Blaze Pizza at night with my family etc. (Because who wants half a pizza?) And of course my huge bowl of ice cream. (Have I mentioned I pre-log my dessert before anything else. It will always fit my macros. Always.)<br />
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Either way, these early kinks work their way out and it gets so much smoother and easier. And then it really can be such a freeing feeling.<br />
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Whole foods are best. Ice cream isn't nutrient dense. Micronutrients matter too. Eat your veggies! All of this seems to me like it goes without saying. You'll feel better and fuller on whole, nutritious foods. And I really admire people who eat super clean all the time! Of course if I was was one of them, I would probably be so much healthier and shinier and my teeth would probably be whiter and my hair longer and more luscious with less pony-tail breakage ... my house would probably be cleaner.<br />
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But for now, I love good, real, food with plenty of micronutrients and vitamins... and also plenty of flavor. And I love bread! I approach meals with some new mindful substitutions and choices that make them fit my day better ... and I love that I can enjoy treats without guilt and gain.<br />
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Macros for the win.Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-17863136032840770692015-10-15T20:37:00.003-07:002015-10-15T20:42:20.797-07:00Dear Knox, You're Nine Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Knox Hardy Biesinger,</div>
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Tomorrow you'll be nine months. That means you've been here in our arms and in our home, rolling around and eating and giggling and spitting up almost as long as you grew in my belly those nine months before. It seems like a significant age for that reason. Which makes sense because you are more of your own person every day right now. More teeth, new hair, new faces, more giggles... new tricks. Nine months is good.</div>
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-You aren't fully crawling yet but it seems like you've had the skills to crawl for at least a month or two. You might be my first official army crawler, pulling with your elbows and pushing with your feet and dragging your belly along for the ride. You're not all over the house yet, but when you see something you really want (like dad when he got home tonight) those elbows can really pick up the pace. I'm crossing my fingers you don't get too ambitious too fast, I'm appreciating that you'll still hang out on a blanket with toys while I lay by the pool, and you're not yet cruising the house looking for things like crickets and dishwasher detergent to put in your mouth. This phase is good.</div>
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- You have four teeth on top and three on the bottom, kind of a lot of teeth for your age, and yet you might be my least interested in food. Feeding you real food is my least favorite baby "chore", although I'd take my least favorite chore with you over pretty much anything else. You could make a root canal kinda sweet. Well I don't know those are brutal. But back to you, you don't reach for and seem to love food quite yet. But we go through the mandatory-ish baby food a few times a day. You like oatmeal and applesauce and sometimes yogurt... we offer you everything and you eat some but mostly I clean up a highchair and floor covered in banana, cheese, salmon, hot dogs, grapes, crackers, berries... you name it and it's stuck in the cracks between our hardwood I'm sure.</div>
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- Sometimes I worry you'll hardly know I'm your mom since a few months ago, you discovered the bottle when I was at an appointment one day and it's been your favorite ever since. I officially stopped nursing you when you were about 7 and a half months and you certainly didn't miss it. I think I was forcing you to snuggle with me a bit longer but you just wanted to lay free and hold your own bottle and down it at your own pace. I think you'd be happy if we skipped food and just gave you bottles all day. You love that thing. </div>
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- You love your sisters and your brother so much. They come home from school and every one of them looks immediately for you. Finn says "where's bubbas?!" I wonder if he'll still call you that when you're older. Your sisters are so helpful... you must feel like you have three moms. They love to hold and play with you and let you hang on the floor in their room while they play. Mila loves to make you a bottle all on her own.. they're going to be expert babysitters since they could pretty much take care of you all day just fine... you're a lucky boy to have these siblings, and they're so lucky to have you.</div>
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- Lately I feel like people are constantly telling me how good you are. I wasn't sure if you'd be one of my easier or harder in the beginning... I think I wasn't making as much milk as you needed and you weren't sleeping nearly as much as your siblings had. Your naps were short and it felt like you were hungry all day. Besides that you were always sweet and even tempered. Your cycles throughout the day were just short. The bottle turned that around and while you still don't always take a 3 hour nap like Finn did, you are so even tempered and easily entertained. So sweet and content-- I almost don't care how long you sleep. Which is definitely a first. You go down when you get fussy and when you wake, you come join the herd of action. You sit and lay and roll and army crawl amongst the throngs of homework, piano, and a revolving door of neighborhood friends. I wonder if you'll always like being around a lot of people because that's what you'll be used to.</div>
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I wish I could stop time and forever feel your face burrowing into me when you're tired and about to be laid down, and the weight of your little 23 pound body when I lift you out of your crib with wide but sleepy eyes. There's nothing better in the world. But every day there's a little more of you to love and that makes the loss of the youngest days bearable. I'm so excited to see what you'll be at a year, 18 months, 2.... 5...8 .... there are so many precious moments and phases ahead Knoxy and every person in this family will be hanging on to every one of them. </div>
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Someday you'll have a chubby heaven- sent nine-month old and only then will you know how much I love you.</div>
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Love, Mom</div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-57220813220681292482015-09-12T21:47:00.000-07:002015-09-12T21:47:04.396-07:00We Have Four Kids<br />
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The other night something made me look up this old blog. I haven't been here in a while and once I stopped in, I couldn't pull away. Instagram has taken over that spot in my life for documenting and sharing pictures. If I'm "wasting" time online, I'm perusing pinterest or instagram. But never reading blogs. Gone are the days of getting on each morning and checking in to see what ventures my friends and their new babies were on... and gone are the days where I'd sit down and start typing all of the current thoughts of this mommy of one baby.... two babies.... a boy! I never even touched the surface of our fourth. I hardly use to miss the opportunity to post a good meal I made, and now I've missed an entire pregnancy and the first 8 months of Knox's life. <br />
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This kid is so cute. What if I finally print this blog someday and he's not in it? I think I'm back. Knox needs stories about his first words, his favorite foods, the crickets he eats...<br />
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Not to mention these other three just keep changing! I die when I look at old posts and see Sophia as a little girl. I don't know when it happened but she is practically a young woman. She turned ten a couple of weeks ago and it blows my mind.<br />
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I think I said this in my last post a year ago. But I don't have time to look back at it. But I'm making a new resolution to write again. Instagram has made it super easy to document and save some photos. But I can't help but be dissuaded by that unwritten rule that everyone is annoyed if you post too many pictures and one a day or less is just not always enough. And sometimes there is so much more to say than is appropriate to put in someone's instagram feed.<br />
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So again, I think I'm back. I'm writing to myself now and later. I can't imagine anyone else will check this which might make it a little harder to be motivated because those blog days were fun when we were all back and forth with comments. I'm not above that and for sure all of that validation gave me all the more fire to write. But along with nobody checking in comes incredible freedom. Like right now, I'm not even re-reading this. I don't think I will. Who has time? It might be pure gibberish and I'm quite confident it is, but I think it's worth it. I don't have time to words and I don't have time to edit photos... I don't even have time to edit thoughts. I probably don't have time to write at all since every night once my kids are in bed I think of a million things I wish I'd done better while they were awake. My life has a chronic MOUNTAIN of things I could be improving on. But maybe that's exactly why I want to write. So that all of those thoughts and goals and wishes and regrets can be documented somewhere. To either help me remember and better myself.... or at least give my kids proof, later, of my good intentions. :/<br />
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For now, I'm tired and not sure I actually said anything in this unedited mash of words but I'm hoping this will crack the door to that part of my brain so all of the stories and conversations and moments that are happening in this amazing family and life of mine will start pouring out and be recorded.<br />
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This is it. I used to be a new mom and it feels like yesterday. But now I'm a 34-year-old woman with four kids ranging from 8 months to 10 years. I still do diapers and baby food and lullabies but now I do homework and soccer and volleyball and piano and friend problems and FableHaven and chores and sometimes I just don't know when my brain is going to catch up with these crow's feet between my brows. I'm not sure it ever will-- but I know this is it. I'm IN my life. It's not like leading up to it anymore. I'm in it. Making the forever memories for my kids. More than halfway done raising Sophia under my roof. I'm in it.<br />
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It's so overwhelming but so wonderful. And I'm just so grateful for these four personalities I scored.. and for such a solid partner in Ross to cross our fingers together and hope we do it right.<br />
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And for prayer.<br />
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Life is still super good over here.<br />
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<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-6685410794650161542014-09-23T00:56:00.001-07:002014-09-23T00:56:35.520-07:00Kauai 2014!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There. I did something with the pictures I took when I decided it was worth it to bring the big camera. A trip like this deserves a real showing. <br />
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Never in a million years did I think we would take our kids to Hawaii at such a young age. I was lucky enough to go as a babysitter in highschool, and then again for college. But we never went on a family vacation there growing up. We never went anywhere that would have required air fare. That would be crazy with six kids. Only spoiled kids get that. My kids are now officially spoiled and I think it was worth it.Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-44553590062950873722014-09-22T11:51:00.001-07:002014-09-22T12:17:01.559-07:00Kauai Family Vacation Video!I've recently really been missing this. A place to write down my thoughts and records of our family. I wish I was disciplined enough to keep a personal journal but it's just not pretty enough to keep me going-- let's be honest. And I'm sure nobody will stumble over here anymore, but that's ok... just relieves any pressure that might have been!<br />
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Now to see if I can remember how to post a video....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HmzAgN9T8Zs" width="560"></iframe>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-37316442209369036792013-02-25T21:47:00.002-08:002013-02-25T21:48:13.990-08:00An LA Temple Wedding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I keep thinking I'll find time to blog the shoots that filled up my holiday season... but instead I decided to start with <a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-wedding.html">this wedding</a> from the tail end of it all... because weddings are extra pretty... and so are Megan's freckles.</div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-89451931042627383852013-02-16T01:06:00.000-08:002013-02-16T01:14:19.799-08:00It's February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been forever since I've updated over here. Every once in a while I drop in just to see if it still exists. Tonight when I dropped in, I felt like the least I could do was throw up a shot of my family from the Christmas card that happened two months ago... it's all just going by so fast already...<br />
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-Finn turned two in December and is the most amazing, snuggly, funny, handsome little boy I've ever met. He's also terrible. Because he's two. And has to do everything himself and demands gum and junk food all day which is a new challenge because the girls weren't introduced to it at such a young and insane age. He's obsessed with the Lion King and watches it every day. Maybe even a couple of times every day. And I kind of love it because it's sweet and classic and not an obnoxious tv show--- somehow I never get sick of it. Or the way he knows and repeats lines from it. And I'm thinking my lack of tv-guilt has something to do with him being the third too. Eh. He loves to be sung to right now and asks me for a song at bed time... it's become my favorite part of the day to snuggle and rock him for a song or two while he burrows into my chest. <br />
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-I had Mila's first parent teacher conference for Kinder and it kind of blew me away. She can test us a lot at home... still throws quite a few fits and has a hard time when she doesn't get her way. But at school she's an angel, and it gave me a glimpse of what she's capable of. She's smart and clever and social....she's obedient and can be so sweet and thoughtful. She's so full of love and affection and gives really good squishy kisses and has real opinions and emotions about things. Ross thinks she's me. I'm excited to see what her personality grows into as she learns to manage her frustrations... love this wild fire.<br />
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- Sophia is 7 and is as kind and gentle as ever. She thinks of everyone around her before herself and has the burning desire to always do what's right. She is anxiously awaiting turning 8 in September and getting baptized. She has such a pure understanding and testimony of her Savior and of the gospel and she sees the whole world as it relates to what we learn at church and through the scriptures. Her perspective seems beyond her years. She can forgive and apologize faster and more sincerely than I can, even when she has a right to feel upset or wronged. She just hates to see anyone suffering. She can be overly sensitive and emotional sometimes.... which we're glad about... it makes it so she fits in with the rest of us flawed Biesingers. She's a gem.<br />
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Life is really really good.Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-24377176433587707862012-11-13T21:16:00.002-08:002012-11-13T21:16:30.026-08:00Prunty Family- Lillie Biesinger, Coachella Valley Photographer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some more of this family and their PERFECT LITTLE TWINS over on t<a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/">he other blog.</a></div>
<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-19159238737402098242012-11-01T14:20:00.002-07:002012-11-01T14:20:34.719-07:00Halloween 2012!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Halloween 2012. Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Waldo, Wenda, and obviously.... the biggest, scariest, meanest Hulk you've ever seen. It was a fun one. Finn is at such a fun and ADORABLE age and LOVED every bit of the celebrations. He walked the whole neighborhood last night, never complained, and never wanted to get in the stroller. His little buns have got to be burning today. </div>
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He insisted on carrying his bucket (by it's side almost) the whole time and left a trail of candy every time we weren't looking. He's full of moments I wish I could freeze right now. I'm always just so grateful I have Ross so that one other person can be as obsessed with him as me so I can talk about all of the cute things he does all day long if I want. </div>
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I'm having a moment with my family. I just feel so blessed. These kids are rock stars. And even though we still have a few 90 degree days ahead of us, the holidays are here and it feels oh so gooooooood.</div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-55446127089961967732012-10-24T20:18:00.003-07:002012-10-24T20:18:58.840-07:002 0 1 2 H o l i d a y C a r d s !<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"> A M o d e r n a n d S i m p l e H o l i d a y C a r d C o l l e c t i o n</span></div>
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A little more info over<a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/2-0-1-2-h-o-l-i-d-y-c-r-d-s.html"> here.</a></div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-12531389171749124902012-10-23T20:23:00.002-07:002012-10-23T20:23:46.634-07:00It's that time of year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are a few from a recent shoot. More over<a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/"> here.</a></div>
<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-24106074403682882282012-10-09T21:29:00.001-07:002012-10-09T21:39:31.045-07:00If you know any High School Seniors in need... let them know!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A regular session with me is $300 without any prints included... So if you know anyone in search of a photographer for their High School Senior photos, let them know I'm offering a special right now! </div>
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I've got a few spots open for seniors in the Fall, but am also booking for the beginning of 2013. </div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-40158957497883501452012-10-03T22:16:00.001-07:002012-10-03T22:19:20.382-07:00A Weekend in SF with the toughest mudder I know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thanks to my sister in law, Tere, my parents, and Ross's parents... our kids had a fabulous weekend while weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... wandered San Francisco with nothing more than my purse in tow.<br />
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- Ross did the Tough Mudder with a bunch of guy friends... He swam in mud and bashed up his shins and grunted and yelled a lot (I have video to prove it) .... while I shopped. Next time I'm in Ross. For real this time.<br />
- We got to stay with GREAT old friends Tyler and Ambyr for a night and enjoy their most darling home/neighborhood/family.<br />
- We visited the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts where Ross took me back when we were dating and I waited for him to drop the LOVE bomb. He didn't that night... so he told me lots this time.<br />
- We ate and ate and ate. But I wish we could have fit many more a meal in.<br />
- And slept in 'till a ridiculous hour each morning thanks to hotel black out shades (or I did while Ross read or ran in crazy mad-man races.)<br />
- We walked and talked and dreamt of what it would have been like to live the city life before we started our family. But then that got us thinking of our family and all we wanted to do was look at pictures of our kids and kiss the screen and forget about the city and get home.<br />
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The perfect ending.Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-78347783479744316872012-09-19T21:03:00.000-07:002012-09-19T21:03:07.467-07:00Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a few from the phone. Finn turned a corner a month or two ago and is such a happier, sillier kid. In hindsight... it feels like his first 18 months were ruled by sleep and food. Now he's funny and goofy and so boy-y.... talking and growling and giggling the day away. Tonight he was awful. So there are exceptions. But this boy is fun.</div>
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Soccer started last week and while it's still MISERABLY hot and hanging at the field for TWO games is ... twice as long and miserable as one... it's pretty awesome. Watching Mila wear her uniform with such pride now that she's finally old enough to play, even if she does mostly just look at her feet and then over at us while the ball rolls by--- is amazing. And so entertaining. And watching Sophia go full-on athlete on the field-- flying past the other team and getting herself in the mix at every moment makes me so excited for the future (when she can also control the ball enough to have a say in where it ends up), especially because of <a href="http://biesinger.blogspot.com/2010/10/you-just-never-know.html">how it started a few years ago.</a> Oh my gosh that was fun.</div>
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Date nights are my favorite part of the week. I look forward to those few hours with Ross (and none of our darling, wonderful, captivating kids) like nothing else. Those hours with Ross-- and food I don't have to eat in between cleaning smoothie off the floor and replenishing waters.</div>
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Is October really right around the bend? Praying for double digit temps....</div>
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Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-10664886838995839282012-09-10T15:44:00.001-07:002012-09-10T15:44:39.015-07:00As of Late<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember when we blogged almost daily? I miss those days. I knew it'd get harder as my kids got older, and greater in number :/, and the diminishing interest in blogs hasn't helped. And like all of us, I certainly know that living my life is more important than blogging it. But I still catch Ross laughing and tearing up at old blog posts from when our girls were babies, and I know it's all been worth it. I hope I can keep it going enough to record the good stuff.<br />
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The summer was so busy and SO fun. Full of trips to San Diego and Orange County and a whole lot of fun in the sun here in the desert. We did the library and the museum and the local hotel pools and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">McDonalds</span> :/ on almost a weekly basis... We watched Finn grow a curly mullet and turn to one nap and become a wild and happy boy. We used up every last bit of life in our three-year-old blow-up slide. We stayed up too late and watched too many movies and ate too many desserts and didn't work on any site words. :/ But we did get a lot of our first long chapter books in... Wizard of Oz when mom did bed-time and Evertaster when it was dad. We colored and painted and crafted till we dropped and played with friends almost every single day. Summer was a hit. <br />
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And now it's September and we are back to school and carpool and homework and routine... the other kind of routine. Not the one that involved daily popsicles and movie-family-room picnic time. But so far so good. We got wonderful teachers and the girls are loving school so far. Sophia gets nervous about it getting difficult... this girl's hard on herself and so aware if she doesn't get something right away. Mila's feeling like a big girl since she's only four 'till November and technically in a "transitional kindergarten" program, which is in a normal kinder class.... don't ask... I've got tons of questions myself and no one seems to really know yet. But she's got Sophia's awesome kinder teacher and two of her best friends and the transition has been seamless...<br />
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Above we have the beginnings.... some first day of school shots, Sophia's birthday morning, some our trip to Disneyland to CELEBRATE Sophia's birthday with Tanner and Kate, some happy Finn with food, and happy Finn who climbs into the tub clothed regularly, the girls trying on school clothes, one last hurrah at Tanner and Kate's pool before school started... and a bowl of cookie dough because it never fails to make everything better when life get's stressful. Never. The second I stir in the chocolate chips I always feel a wave a happiness wash over me. Seriously. There's something there.Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-18922705363076569092012-08-28T14:51:00.000-07:002012-09-07T21:38:16.734-07:00Ali and Josh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Been working on this gorgeous pair of love birds lately. LOTS more on the <a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/">other blog.</a></div>
Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-36347431164572963412012-08-12T12:18:00.000-07:002012-08-12T12:18:12.168-07:00Beach House with Homecs 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After San Diego, we headed up to San Juan where we did our annual beach trip with the Homecs. Gorgeous weather, yummy food, happy kids and great freinds--- it was perfect.</div>
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Finn snatched a bag of popcorn from the neighbors and rationed it out to the other kids. Naturally.</div>
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<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-39666194663022100732012-08-09T13:44:00.000-07:002012-08-09T14:20:11.869-07:00July In San Diego<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Lacy and Joe came in town all the way from Florida, which meant</div>
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it was time to party.</div>
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We all squeezed into Nana and Papa's house for a little over a week and slept and walked on top of each other, (mostly Nana and Papa with four kids at the foot of their bed climbing in with them at the crack of dawn... that's love)... ate lots of yummy food, watched a lot of olympics, and filled our days with activities that would knock our kids out come bed time. We did...</div>
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- The zoo</div>
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-Legoland</div>
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- Swimming 'till our hair stayed crispy even when clean and matched the grass. Yikes.</div>
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- A girl's only 8 mile walk in the most beautiful San Diego weather where we wandered the most charming farmer's market in Little Italy (hence the overload on pretty-produce photos.)</div>
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- Point Loma Seafood where I could eat every day.</div>
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- A birthday party for Joseph's 7th complete with a pinata, swimming, and pony rides!</div>
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- The tide pools in Point Loma which were really just beautiful but terrifying cliffs overlooking the water since it was high tide. </div>
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- The zip line. Many a time.</div>
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- The trampoline with no enclosure. We like to live on the edge.</div>
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- A girl's night celebrating my step-brother, Kirk and Janice's upcoming baby!</div>
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- The beach. Oh the beach. You fill up my senses.</div>
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- A date night to enjoy delicious food and ghiradelli down town with Lacy and Joe and no kids</div>
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- And ANOTHER in Coronado. We were spoiled.</div>
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- And Nana and Papa's younger-kid cousin's camp complete with a beach day, arts and crafts and a Dinosaur Hunt! Obviously Papa found huge oversized cardboard dinosaurs to scatter in the yard while scary dinosaur growls were pumped out the windows on loud speakers. Obviously.</div>
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It's like 115 today back in the desert. Seemed like a good day to download my phone pics and dream of 75-degree heaven. And cry.</div>
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<br /></div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-55191589220256978202012-08-06T21:28:00.004-07:002012-08-06T21:28:28.125-07:00Mila<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh Mila. You are really giving us a run for our money these days. I think I might finally have to read a parenting book which I've managed to avoid all these years.... It's a good thing you still have the cheeks of a chubby 9-month-old and a smile that melts all of the frustration away...<br />
<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-89010522867506374402012-07-23T14:54:00.005-07:002012-07-23T14:55:35.622-07:00Still Taking Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's rare in the summer out here. But every once in a while, you meet a family that can handle the heat. It's not mine. More on the <a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/">other blog.</a></div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-78126357583927225972012-07-16T11:45:00.003-07:002012-07-16T11:45:57.115-07:004th of July... a little late<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We started in San Diego at my mom's house where we piled in their house with my brother, sister in law, and their 6 kids. We had big plans to meet some more family at ski beach for wave running fun on the fourth... but decided to avoid the insane crowds and enjoy a day by Byron's pool. It was cold! But that never stops the kids from swimming... and food and good company is all I ever need. So it was a success.</div>
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After a couple of days there, we went up to San Clemente to play with Ross's sister Brooke and her family for a few days and THERE, we got our beach and blue skies. Heaven. </div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-19636265430122526302012-07-11T15:38:00.002-07:002012-07-11T15:38:43.245-07:00Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a love/hate relationship with pinterest. I think I have a love hate with most things. There's just always two sides. I think it's the most incredible way to get ideas and save and organize them. There is so much visual inspiration and it's far more efficient and cost-effective than buying magazines or even searching blogs.</div>
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But sometimes I think my head is going to explode with all of the ideas and sometimes I think my sense of worth is going to disappear as I add up ALL of the ideas I will never ever have the time to realize. I pinned a picture of a garage door (the little one that goes into your house) painted black and thought... "should do that-- my white door gets so filthy. Better pin this to do it some day." But then I thought.... "seriously, of all of the rooms and walls and projects in my home that I see every day that aren't done, like I'm going to spend time on what was always meant to be an ugly, functional door. Who cares. WHO cares. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(please don't tell me if you care.)</span></div>
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Going into this summer I felt so much pressure (self-inflicted) to make it so organized-- so we'd be sure to get in plenty of reading time, swimming time, craft time, cooking time, quiet time, family time.... etc. We got a white board so we could calendar our weeks for the girls to see and I bought weird things like borax to make slime.... and special colored pencils you can paint with water to make look like water colors. We have tons of art supplies, but somehow buying something new I saw on pinterest made me feel like I was better prepared for the summer. I'm such a sucker.</div>
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As it turns out: </div>
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-They like their normal crayons and water color paints better. Like they'd rather just choose one or the other and not some fancy hybrid. </div>
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- They found slime at the dollar store for.... a dollar, and my 12 dollar box of borax sits in my laundry room. Maybe the creation would be super fun... maybe some day.</div>
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- Reading time is harder to make happen than I hoped. We have incorporated the library in our routine this summer. Maybe after I spend lots of dollars on pinterest inspired "great books for girls from 4-7" we'll read all the time. No-- I know it's me. I try reading aloud in the afternoon while Finn naps and I almost always doze off a few pages in. This forces Sophia to take over so I can "rest my eyes". So maybe it's a good thing in the end... thank goodness I can count on Ross to read at bed time...</div>
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- Between friends' pools and hotel pools, we swim several times a week... and it doesn't always leave tons of time for other stuff... but when it's 112 degrees outside, we've decided it's the priority. Who wants to be cooped up inside, even if you do have a cupboard full of pinterest-inspired super-mom crafts?</div>
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- They still default to drawing and painting and glueing and taping every afternoon when we're home. I think I've decided it's ok if I'm not there monitoring a new and awesome craft. They're creating and they'll do it on their own. Am I really going to mess with that?</div>
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- "Cooking time" consists of them playing with a miniature ball of dough when I make bread, cracking an egg any time there's an egg to be cracked, stirring the waffle or pancake batter while I add to it, and eating cookie dough when it's done. They don't care much beyond that and frankly I cook much faster without them. Am I awful?</div>
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- Quiet time happens when they watch a movie after a morning in the sun and water, while Finn naps. I think quiet time is supposed to be a time for reading and reflection. We've got room for improvement there. At least it's quiet and we can all recover from the fast paced morning.</div>
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- Family time is all the time. Maybe this needs to be scheduled in when they're teenagers. But they can't do much without us now.... so by default, we rock at family time. </div>
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So mostly-- we're just going with it. We fill our weeks with friends and swimming and chaos and fill in the holes with whatever we feel like. It works for us. I guess this is my public declaration that I'm letting myself off the hook for any list of 101 things to do this summer. I am a horrible planner and I'm afraid of commitment-- but I love to be busy and happy. So I'm soaring with my strengths.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(p.s. If you are organized and fabulous enough to have done some incredible summer plan with a check-off list, I am obviously just super jealous. )</span></div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-5958142619116908202012-07-10T17:21:00.002-07:002012-07-10T17:21:48.365-07:00A New Photo Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Posting here used to be such a regular event... I'm missing it. Life is busy! Fun/crazy/summer busy. When did my kids get so old and demanding? </div>
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Even more rare is a post on my photo blog. It always feels a bit silly that I have a'nother' blog when I long to have time to update this one. But when I first got into photography it seemed like it should be separate. Who knows. But for the record... there's a new photo post over <a href="http://www.lilliebphotography.blogspot.com/">there.</a></div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-48665612759715334532012-06-24T22:54:00.006-07:002012-06-24T22:54:50.790-07:00What I would do for post-pool hair like Sophia's.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35880183.post-75500497729014646952012-06-18T16:24:00.001-07:002012-06-18T16:48:41.253-07:00Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thanks pinterest for our little ideas. They did my little interviews completely independent of each other and didn't know the other's answers. I love how many are the same. He's a basketball watching, cross-fit obsessed, water drinking, kind and playful giant. They're pretty spot on.</div>
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Father's Day weekend for us meant:</div>
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- Nana and Grandpa took the girls to Orange County on Saturday to play with their cousins for the day, so we had a babysitter stay with Finn while he napped and Ross and I took a vacation day at a nearby hotel pool. Ahhh... that's when this desert heat doesn't seem so bad.</div>
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- we did breakfast in bed for Ross of course. And it wouldn't have been the same had I actually used the powdered sugar for his french toast and not accidentally corn starch. It's true. He ate his whole plate before he came downstairs and said... "that was delicous.... buuuut.... that wasn't powdered sugar." huh? I looked a the box I'd been sifting from.... 100% pure corn starch. As if it was rubbing my insane mistake in my face. Luckily he likes a good story.</div>
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- Blue cheese crusted steak for dinner. All in all, a more successful meal than breakfast. Which isn't saying much I guess. But it was good. Any red meat with blue cheese is a hit with me.</div>
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Did I mention I covered our father's day french toast in corn starch? Best father's day ever. </div>Lilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12386200698373621371noreply@blogger.com4