Beggars Can't Be Choosers

Having 5 kids around the house is very taxing on one person alone. I have heard stories of picky couples who won't let the other spouse help out around the house because they don't "do" it the right way. They won't let their spouse fold the clothes, do the dishes and I have even heard of a wife who wouldn't let her husband cut the grass because he can't do it the way that she wants it. If you have the time and energy to make everything perfect the way YOU want it, then more power to you. But I am spent and spread thin and hey, any kind of help is good help.

Thankfully Heavenly Father blessed me with a wonderful husband that understands and goes above and beyond his husband-ly duties.

For example...

He folds the clothes. He may fold them without turning them right side out...yes, even shirts, but he folds them.

He does the dishes. He may not place them in the dishwasher the way I would to get full capacity, but he does them. And I may end up on a treasure hunt looking for my cooking utensils because they are never in the same place twice, but he does it without even asking me if I need help.

He vacuums. And this one he actually does more often than me. I'm so busy trying to make sure that diapers are clean and sippy cups are refilled that I don't think to look at the carpet unless there was a mishap with a bowl of dry cereal or when Hannah tells me she is done with her chips by dumping the crumbs out on the couch. He is really good about just pulling out the vacuum cleaner and doing a quick once over several times a week.

And after all this, plus many other things around the house, he goes outside and does all those manly duties like cutting the grass, weed eating, helping me with my garden, washing and detailing the cars and much, much more!

I would never think of telling him to stop helping just because things aren't done just so. I don't demand that he do it better, or even that he do things my way. In fact I don't ask him to do it at all, he just steps in and helps me with my load.

I guess I'm not much of a beggar then, only because I don't HAVE to beg him for help. Either way, I couldn't choose a better help meet than my Theo.

Kids Say the Darndest Things....

Did I say darndest? I meant mean...they say mean things....

On Monday night for our Family Home Evening we started working on our garden. We discussed how the Prophet has instructed us to have a garden to make us more self reliant and it will also help on food cost. As we were going in and out of the house making our preparations for the garden, out of the blue Miriam, my little know-it-all 5 yr. old says to me, "You should be thinner. If you exercise your belly will go down.".

OUCH!!!

Talk about a self esteem buster! For one thing I just gave birth 5 months ago, and anyone who has known me for a long time knows that I have had a lifelong struggle with my weight. It's a very frustrating uphill battle for me. I'm not the lazy type who sits on the couch with a bag of potato chips on one side and a carton of Blue Bell ice cream on the other. Let me give you a little run down of my week.

Monday- 45 minute Spin class followed by a 45 minute Pilates class
Tuesday- 45 minute run with Upper body weight strengthening
Wednesday- 45 minute Spin class with a kick butt instructor!
Thursday- 45 minute run with Lower body weight strengthening
Friday- 45 minute Spin class and a 75 minute Yoga class right after that

Saturday and Sunday are my rest days.

On top of that I have tried everything from Weight Watchers to the 40-30-30 diet. Currently I am counting calories. And with all this activity and diet plans you want to know how much I have lost in the past 4 months? (I don't count the first month after having a baby because I always drop 20lbs naturally after giving birth.)

NOTHING!!!

So you can see how heartbreaking it is for my little 5 yr. old to tell me that I need to lose weight. And I know it will all take time, but how about throwing me a freaking bone here! A few pounds lost a week is all I ask, something to show for all my hard work and effort!

*sigh*

I don't mean to sound like a whiny baby and I'm not asking for sympathy in the way of encouragement, if you've read my blog before you know how I feel about Cheering on the Fat Girl. I just want answers and results! I guess since Charlotte is our last child I shouldn't stress about it too much. I got nothing but time now, one day my outward appearance WILL reflect the athlete that I believe I am. I just wish that day was sooner than later.