Just a Jumble of Things

 Another Snow Day...blech

 This is what I woke up to this morning.

You can't really tell in this pic, but it's "pouring snow".

I'm not one of those people who get excited about "snow days" (as you probably already know if you've followed my blog or Facebook for a while now).

I wrote a post about my "winter blues" last month, and how weather like this affects my overall mood.

So today, I'm feeling "bluesy". 

I feel trapped inside my home, and almost claustrophobic.

Seriously...once again...I will complain....

I am counting down the days till we are out of this frozen tundra.

And to my friends in Alaska...I don't know how y'all do it up there!!!

I can't even handle Massachusetts!

The Grown Up Cutting Board

I purchased my very first "nice" cutting board along with some mineral oil to take care of it.

I didn't know how ridiculously expensive they could be!

But after some research and talking to some friends, I was convinced it's a "must have".

I'm so glad I listened!

Just chopping my vegetables and stuff on it feels so much more different than my old cheap cutting boards!

I feel all "chefy".

My Future Crossfitter

I love Crossfit.

I incorporate it as much as I can into my normal work outs.

It's totally helped tighten and tone everything back into place since having my second baby.

BUUUT, I'm not one of those hardcore "I ONLY Crossfit and eat Paleo" type of people.

(Kinda like those crazy turbo people).

I do eat a "loose" Paleo diet, and it's been so good to me.

Anyway, I love that my daughter is obsessed with my workout equipment at home, but she freaks me out when I see my little 4 year old trying to carry around my kettlebells and weights.

I just see an accident waiting to happen.

So I got on Amazon, and found a company called "Wod Toys", and found all kinds of "pretend" Crossfit equipment.

I ordered a kettlebell, and it's seriously the best purchase ever!

My daughter does "her work out" with it at least 5 times a day! lol.

I think it's important to show our kids through example of a healthy lifestyle, and I am loving my little "WOD'er".

Random Valentine's Day Stuff

 Everyone knows my love for Valentine's Day.

Y'all can read about it here.

Dannika and I spent an evening crafting away and making home made Valentine's Day decorations for our house.

I like to be a little festive, and she had a ton of fun gluing the paper chains together.

It was fun bonding time.

It would have been more fun if Mattis wouldn't have kept screaming for attention while we were trying to make pretty things.

Gosh...doesn't he get it?! :)

This year, I made personalized Valentines for Dannika to take to school to pass out off Shutterfly.

I also sat down with her for a painstakingly 45 minutes while she wrote all 11 kids names on each Valentine from her class.

Oh, and it just so happens that EVERY single kid in her class has a ridiculously long name.

The Birthday Party Invite

Dannika got invited to her first birthday party for a classmate at school.

She was so excited when I picked her up from preschool yesterday to show me her invitation.

It's a party at Chuck E Cheese. 

I hate Chuck E. Cheese.

My daughter loves Chuck E. Cheese.

I guess we'll be going Chuck E. Cheese for a birthday party!

Sweet Moment

When I went to wake up my daughter the other morning, I noticed that this photo of my husband had been moved on her shelf next to her bed to face her.

I asked her if she had been looking at daddy's picture.

Her response absolutely melted my heart.

She said, "I moved daddy's picture closer to me so that he can watch me while I sleep every night."

She sure does miss her daddy.

Makes me think how much harder these short and long separations are getting as she gets older.

I feel like when she was a baby, she didn't know the difference between him being gone for a day or 7 months.

Now, I feel like she really starts to feel the days without him around.

Tiger Mom/Asian Parenting 101

Since school is cancelled today cause of snow, it doesn't mean it's cancelled in our home.

We spent an hour this morning working on penmanship, numbers, big and little letters, and words.

I couldn't believe how frustrated I would get when she kept writing her "Z's" backwards.

I caught myself raising my voice at her, and then I realized I was becoming my parents.

My parents raised me in a stereotypical "Asian parenting" home.

I remember having to learn my multiplication tables an entire year before I even learned them at school.

My dad used to yell at me when I couldn't spit out the answers fast enough.

ie:

Dad: what's 9x5?

Me: umm...

Dad: WHAT IS IT?!

Me: uhhh....(panic)

Dad: That's not fast enough! You have to say it faster! You haven't memorized it enough!

Me: 45?

Dad: (look of disappointment).

It's not quite the way I want to raise my kids, but I do want a healthy balance of "Tiger parenting" and my own style.

I mean, I guess Tiger parenting can be a little harsh at times, but there really are some awesome results, and some amazingly smart and bright children that come out of these homes.

Love

She got dressed for school, and came downstairs with this green necklace on.

She said, "Mommy, I am wearing this green necklace to school today because green is my daddy's favorite color."

Yeah...she's definitely a daddy's girl...no question about it.

I told her to smile with her eyes (or in Tyra Banks terms, "Smeyes".)

This is what I got...lol.

Tyra Banks would be proud.

Just me and the kiddos.

We are seriously counting down the days when daddy comes home!

He comes home next weekend for President's Day Weekend/Valentine's Day!

We're so excited!