My name is Molly and I'm a closet eater (Hi Molly!)

I love to eat. Who doesn't? Nathan likes to eat too. It's one of the things we bond over. We love to eat out - in fact, we'd rather eat out to celebrate a birthday than get a present. We love to eat in - Deans French Onion Dip and Dr. Pepper used to be staples in our house.

Fortunately we like to eat healthy things too. We are both fans of most fruits, vegetables, and well-balanced meals. Not being a fan of a vigorous exercise routine, we have both managed to put on some pounds since getting married. (They say that to put on weight after getting married is a sign of a happy marriage - or just being lazy!) I would like to point out that I have had two small people use me as their home for 9 months and I wonder what Nathan's excuse is... sympathy weight?  :) After 7 years of marriage, Nathan was about 40 pounds over where he should be, and I just wanted to get back to about 10 lbs under my pre-Cash weight.

I have had a distinct advantage in my weight-loss journey over the last year. 1) I got a part-time job at a fitness facility. We have a family membership and I took advantage of it. 2) I only work part-time (I have another part-time job but they still don't equal 40 hours a week) so I had more time. 3) Once I turned 30, I got all sorts of motivated to do things I've never done athletically.  I tried spinning, I ran a 5k, and in 4 weeks I'll complete my first triathlon.

Nathan has had a harder time because 1) he works full time, plus more hours if need be! 2) He plain old wasn't motivated. After several issues with his back, and a few rounds of gout (that story is for another time!) he decided it. was. time.  So far he's lost about 20 lbs. He works out about 5-6 days a week. I even got him to spin class once a week and he'll start an awesome arms class in the fall. He (for the most part) sticks to his diet and doesn't cheat... much.

I, on the other hand, have become a closet eater. I can't drink pop around him (because I want to support him) so I have to get it during the day when he's not around. If I want something bad for me, I have to choose wisely when to eat it. I shop healthier, sending longing looks to the Doritos, and telepathic promises to the raw cookie dough. I'm usually not a candy eater but even the Hot Tamales and Startbursts (now they have an only pink/red bag!!!) are calling to me. Take me with you Moooooolly... He doesn't have to knoooooow....


On the upside, I work out a lot now, including training for my tri, so I think it's all a wash. But I do look forward to the day when Dean can come back (sans shame) into our household.

Here's a picture of us from Beaver Island. I'll post another when he gets farther along but for now he's doing so well and looks amazing!  I am very very proud!

I had to fire my maid.

Unfortunately, I recently had to fire my maid.  She's really a terrible house cleaner. She hates laundry, and it's constantly piling up, never to be folded and put away. She never vacuums, and since we have two little boys who love to play in sand, this is a problem. And she hasn't shown up in weeks. I mean REALLY! She gets here after I leave, leaves before I get back, I never see her. In fact, come to think of it, I haven't actually seen her for months... or is it years??

I have never been a 'have-to-have-the-house-spotless' kind of girl. My room was always messy growing up. I was definitely not the neat freak of all of my college roommates. And I consider myself very lucky to have found a partner in life who is equally as disorganized as me. :)

There's nothing like a clean house that smells like lemons. I'll give you that. A clean set of sheets is nothing short of heaven to slide into. A scrubbed-down kitchen makes me want to cook elaborate and tasty meals. And let's be honest - a clean bathroom? That's just a good idea at all times!

As I have gotten older, I have perfected the super quick house clean. Used to be that Nathan could call me and tell me he was on his way home (a 45 minute drive) and I would mega-clean the whole (tiny) house and he would be so impressed that I had been so productive all day! *insert day-off filled with Taco Bell, Facebooking, and reality TV.

Since having children, Nathan and I do make an attempt to pick up the house every night, even if it is only for 10 minutes. I still do my super clean, or employ strategies such as the  "10 minutes of cleanup, then 30 minutes of resting."   In the end, it doesn't really matter. If I was on my deathbed tomorrow I would not regret not keeping my house cleaner. My ability to overlook goldfish crackers on the floor and a huge pile of clean laundry behind the recliner is uncanny. Most days I'm thankful for the little socks that don't ever seem to have a mate, the toys that I step on in the middle of the night, and the cat barf that has accumulated in the corner (totally kidding on that last one!).  If the biggest thing in my life I have to complain about is a messy house then I'll take it.

We have a very happy, mostly healthy family and we have everything we need. (But don't get me wrong: I wouldn't say no to a maid if one appeared!)

PS - here is proof that at one time, those little socks DID have mates... where did they all GO!???

I love Beaver!

Woopsie - guess that title should have read "I love Beaver Island!" Oh well... it got you to read this, right?

It's been awhile since our last family vacation. Over the 4th of July, we were lucky enough to go to Beaver Island to spend time with Papa and Grandma Letta (Nathan's dad and step-mom). They usually live in FL but have some property they are building on. We hope this is the start of many trips there! We imagine summers where the boys can spend weeks at a time with their grandparents camping and exploring.

We took the ferry over, a 2 hour ride that was fun, if not a little long, for a 1 and a 2 year old. When we got there we got to see how the cabin is coming along, take lots of rides on the golf cart and gator, and get settled into our apartment above the cafe/bakery that is in town.

Mostly it was just relaxing, beach time, and having fun with Papa and Grandma Letta. Aunt Nicole got to come too so we always had her to play with!  Of course the busiest day was the 4th. We went to a parade, a carnival, the beach, and also got to see fireworks! I always appreciate the military and everything that they do for us, especially since I have so many family members that are/were active.  But there is something about seeing them marching down the street in a parade, with everyone standing, showing their respect, that gets me. So silly that a parade would make me cry, but (here comes the cliche) I AM proud to be an American. I'm so thankful that my children will be growing up in the land of the free. Where they can make their own decisions and have the freedom of speech that so many others don't have in this world.

We took the little plane back over to Charlevoix. It was an amazing trip, the boys were wonderful, and we look forward to many more!