Puzzles

Owen has a new love...puzzles. I will admit I have not gone down the puzzle road until now. I don't know why...just haven't. My cousin, Amy, was so kind and sent treats for Owen when my parents came to visit and one of the things she sent was a cute puzzle that has shapes on it. The shapes are real things like, a pizza for a triangle or a cookie for a circle. He loves playing with it. It has been something fun for us to do over and over throughout the day, and of course he wants to it with his daddy when he comes home. So he does it at least 4 times a day. He is getting good at it, but still needs our help.

After seeing how into the puzzle he was, I went and bought him a big floor puzzle. It is all about numbers. Owen is doing so well with his alphabet, so I choose numbers as he needs more help with them. He likes that one too! So puzzles. They are taking over, and I like it. The storage of the puzzles I don't like so much, but I will come up with a system soon.

saying new things

The things that come out of his little mouth, and the randomness of it always makes Joe and I laugh or just hug him to death! A few examples of this: (I don't want to ever forget his cuteness and it makes me thankful I have this blog)

Today we went tot the pool and drove down there with our friends Summer and Olivia. When Owen went around the other side where Olivia was getting out of the car, he looked at her and pointed to her bathing suit cover up, which had polk-a-dots on it and said "Ohhhh Olivia, cute dress!" Summer and I had a great laugh with that one. He sure knows how to work the ladies!

When we were driving down the road the other day some song was playing and from the backseat he said "hey, daddy I like this song"

"hey" is a big one these days. "hey, mommy" "hey, daddy where are you?" "hey, guys"  pretty much everything he says starts with "hey"

He makes me smile.

Family in Georgia!

My Aunt Leslie and Uncle James bought their retirement home, and Joe and I could not be more happy! They bought outside of Blue Ridge, which is in North Georgia and it borders Tennesee and North Carolina. Best part is it's only an hour and half drive-so doable for a day trip!!! Aunt Les and I have big plans for Trader Joe's trips together in the "city" and lunch afterward. Joe is dreaming about taking his new bike up there and tearing up the trails. We have been up there three times in the month that they have lived here. I think we are all very excited to be so close to each other. I see many trip up there, and Owen just loves Uncle James-they are pals.

The Locke Residents...est. June 2010

a starry night.

Papa and Gramma count down

Oh, how I lack craftiness! I did my best though today. I'm trying to Owen about many things right now, colors, shapes, letters, and numbers...you know the normal stuff! I decided we would make a count down calender to help him try to understand when my parents are coming. I used different colors. I used the shapes as our "mark downs". I wrote in the days of the week. I plan on every morning after breakfast Owen coloring the next shape and us talking about what that shape is and how many days are left. He knows most of the shapes, but it gives him good practice! He loved doing this. He loves to "draw" he loves the color brown. He always asks for it when we open his crayon box. Good fun, before naptime!

Bootcamp wrap up!

Oh, how 4 weeks flew by! I can't believe I went through 4 weeks of bootcamp and it's almost week since I have been done! I loved doing bootcamp. It was hard. It was challenging. It was fun. It was intense. It exhausting. It was one of the best things I could have done for ME and I can't wait to do it again. It built confidence in me in so many areas of my life that I lacked. It was something that I committed to, finished, and finished really well. It was something that was just for ME. It had nothing to do with Joe or Owen and I realized I need more things like that in my life. I knew only one person when I signed up an walked away encouraged by almost 30 people. I pushed myself. It grew Joe and I closer. He was the best cheerleader one could have. He loved hearing about what we did each day, and he spoiled me rotten with tons of back and feet rubs. It was just really great!

Measurements:
Waist 32, after camp: 28
Hips 39.5, after camp: 39 (but look much different)
Arms 11, after camp: 10.5
Thighs 19, after camp 19

Stats:
Mile Run: 11:30 minutes, last day 9:05 (shaved off 2 mins and 5 secs)
Push ups: (girl style) 12, last day 25
Sit ups: 25, last day 29
Dips: 12, last day 33

I won the award for eating the cleanest (most healthy) out of all the campers. they call this award "Queen of The Kitchen" and they write your name on the apron and I joined a list of people who have won before me. I also won the award for the Most improved on the mile. Super fun-I never win anything!! =)

I can't wait to save and sign up for next camp. In the mean time my hopes are to do Jillian Micheals The Shred DVD, and run. I am hoping to do my first 5k mid-August!

Stories about O

I thought I'd write about some funny stuff Owen has been doing the last week or so...

The other day he was put in the corner for a time out. After the crying stopped, it turned more into whining that sounded more like this: "Jake, Kyle, Auntie, Uncle Joel, Maddie, Eli, Logan, Cooper, Isaac, Charlie...the list went on. He whined for family and all his little friends for the whole two minutes he was in time out. I laughed nearly the whole time!

When we drive these days Owen often tells me "uphill, mommy, or downhill" have no idea where he learned that word or it's meaning, but he gets it right all the time. Although there are not many hills in GA, I guess the smallest incline looks big to a two year old.

Owen saw his first lightning bug last week. He was with Joe and they sat outside playing with it for a few sweet moments. Owen thought this bug was the best thing he had ever seen. He chased it around and around. Joe asked him if he wanted to catch it, and he said "YES!" so Joe caught it for him and handed it over to Owen. Owen thought this was super cool (he is really into holding bugs and worms these days) and then he let it go. He then proceeded to smoosh it and all the yellow stuff splattered on the ground, which was even more cool!

Friday night was the first night I had ever seen my boy so scared. We were at a friends house that night and Owen went to bed while the ladies snuck off to see a movie. When we got back we must have woke him up. It was a few days before 4th of July so a church down the rode was having a celebration that included fireworks. Well, shortly after we got home I heard him screaming my name in a very upsetting way. So, I ran in to grab him-it sounded like he was hurt! He was on all fours, shaking and covering his ears. He was terrified of the fireworks! He held my neck so tight with one arm and covered his ear with the other. He stayed like this until we put him in the car. Even on the way home he kept his ears covered! =( So SAD!

I can't believe how big this sweet little blessing is getting. Each day it seems he is doing something new, or saying something that makes me and Joe laugh. He is truly a blessing and I feel blessed to be his mama!