We're #1!

We are the champions, my friends....of Madesn's Monday Night Madness Bowling League. Here's me with my Spare Me team mates in the dark and dingy bowling alley with our shiny new trophies:

I can add this purple beauty to the green 2nd Place trophy from two summers ago.

I LOVE my team mates! Thanks to you for being great friends and great bowlers! Finally FIRST PLACE!

Crazy Clematis

Thanks to all the rain and warm weather our clematis has gotten crazy big already.

I need to plant four or five more of these things. Not even I can kill it!!

Check out two of the prettiest purple "flowers" I know...

And, of course, the defender of the yard...

Guess Who

Guess whose legs these are...

And whose back...

Someone has gotten hot in her old age...

My photographer friend needed a model for boudoir photo promotion.  Who better to pose for sexy photos than a married mom of four??  Amanda sees in me the hot mom I don't see in myself.  Well, I didn't see it until she took the photos anyway.  Now I totally see it. 

Birthday Party & a Tornado

Birthday party #33 was definitely a little more interesting than the parties of previous years. This year Nebraska was under an enormous severe thunderstorm/tornado threat. Of course, the one party I get to have a year gets threatened by bad weather. Undeterred, my friends and family ventured out to celebrate. My sister-in-law, a working mom of two boys, said, "It'll take more than a tornado to keep me from getting a night out." I love that girl, and here's a photo of me with her and her husband (Colby's little brother):

We started out at Green Gateau, where we've met for supper for the last 4 birthdays. My friend Amanda, a professional photographer, brought along her camera and took some photos for me. We also took some with my $100 camera, so between the two of us we took plenty of photos!

My favorite birthday present this year and every year...

Here's me with Amanda, my personal photographer and amazing friend:

Me and my girls getting a little bit crazy...

One of my friends from back in the day who has still hung around, Cody:

Someone had the great idea to try to lift me up, and the first attempt ended with lots of laughs...

But they did get me up!!

Me and Colby's little sister (I'll be the matron of honor in her wedding this year):

My long, long, long time friend, Sara. It couldn't be my birthday without her!

Me and all my girls right before we headed off to bowling:

Up to this point the weather held out. There weren't anymore storms, especially no severe storms and heavy rain like we'd had earlier in the day. So, we headed out to bowl. I did not get too drunk and drop my bowling ball backwards this year!! Here are some snapshots from bowling:

I was best bowler the first game with a score of 142!!

We bowled two games, and then we all headed home. It was perfect timing: right as we were pulling into the garage the tornado sirens started blaring. Fortunately, there was no tornado or storm damage, but there was a funnel cloud sighted very near our neighborhood. Everyone arrived home safe and sound. It was another very happy birthday for me thanks to all my amazing friends and family!

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

I hate to bore you with another post about my healthy body challenge, but I do have a few updates to share.

#1: I now weigh in under 150 lbs. I weighed myself today at the gym...148.2 lbs. Last times checked my BMI (two weeks ago) I was still classified as overweight. I think if I recalculate it now, I might be "normal". I find it hard to believe, however, that someone who is a size 8/10 is overweight.

#2: I will be subbing 3 yoga classes next week along with teaching my own. It seems crazy to me that I will be working a real job 4 whole hours next week - that's me actually earning a paycheck! How exciting! I can be a full time mom and a part time yoga master (haha). Our membership to the YMCA is now also $50 cheaper thanks to my employee discount. While the perk to my job is reduced cost gym membership, the perk to Colby's job is reduced cost bacon. Sort of counter productive.

#3: I've started a food journal, something I've never done before. So far I have definitely found myself much more accountable for what I'm eating. I have pretty good eating habits anyway, but I have a big problem with portion control. I'm also counting glasses of water. I know I don't drink enough, and it makes me feel tired and gives me headaches. Hopefully being more vigilant about my fluid intake will lead me to make drinking more water a habit.

Happy Easter!

Easter was a laid-back affair this year since we just had to travel down the road to Seward. Of course, we started by finding out what the Easter Bunny left us:

Dade looks so excited to get that neck pillow he was begging for and all that candy...



Evelyn and Soren show off their traditional chocolate bunnies:




Brody got a few handfuls of mini Cadbury eggs:



We left some celery for the Easter Bunny, which she appreciated very much.




We headed to my dad and step-mom's house for lunch and egg hunting.



The most fun was figuring out what was in all those eggs...




We walked over to the park to play since the weather was so lovely. The school playground has the coolest climbing thing ever. It looks a little like the Eiffel Tower.





The school also has some fun playground equipment of which we took advantage.










It wouldn't be a great day without my hubby by my side...




Happy Spring to all!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Another year has come and gone, and I must say that this past year was incredible! Let's review what has happened since April 2, 2011: Colby and I went on a glorious vacation together to New Jersey and New York (and took a few steps into Pennsylvania).



My bowling average went up to 120, and my weight went down to 150. And at this point in my life I don't even wish those numbers would trade.

I became a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Here I am baking cookies with Evie and the troop:



I learned how to bake kolaches and yeast bread (with my sisters-in-law).



I became a yoga instructor.



I grew out my hair.



And although there were a lot of great changes this year, one thing stayed the same: I still have my healthy, happy, crazy Vescapades family.





And for this election year I now have a special new landscaping decoration courtesy of my hubby: