One Year Later

Yes, it has almost been a full year since my last post. It's been quite a year packed full of adventures. I've tried writing posts about it but it just seemed so long-winded and honestly, I just got too tired of remembering what happened. So, here is a quick review of the past year.

2010:
April- Eva's 1st birthday
May- Melissa's college graduation and Bridal Shower
June- My mom's surprise 60th birthday party, Melissa's and Cameron's Wedding, Mom and Dad's Church Blessing and Wedding
August- Mom and Auntie Josie visit so Mike and I could have a quick get-away to Las Vegas. Had an absolute blast. Can't wait to go back!
-Alex's 4th birthday.
September- Alex starts his first year of preschool!
October- Discovered we are expecting our third child! Due June 20th. Visit from both parents. Weekend trip to Vancouver and Victoria BC.
December- First Christmas in Seattle

2011
February- Found out the baby's sex---BABY GIRL!
March- Purchased a house in Snoqualmie, WA

So, as you can see. It's been quite a ride so far. Adjusting to Seattle has been far more difficult than we anticipated. We missed Denver immensely and the weather affected us more than we thought it would. It was hard not being in our own home and the rental home we are in needed a lot of work. There were many instances where Mike and I just looked at each other and asked, "What the heck did we get ourselves into?" I just kept reminding him that our journey here has to have purpose. We prayed for guidance every step of the way and we knew that God played a big role in where we found ourselves. Things started to unravel when we enrolled Alex in preschool. School definitely let Alex blossom into a very intelligent and articulate toddler (is he still considered a toddler?) Anyway, about one month into school, he knew how to read on his own and write his name! We couldn't believe how fast he was progressing. His teacher spoke very highly of him and despite a few "re-directions needed", she thought he was a very bright boy!

I also joined a local Mommy group called MOPS. It is a national organization that has groups throughout the country. This particular group meets at our church and I have never met such a wonderful, warm, and inviting group of women. I felt so welcome and made some great friends over such a short period of time. It has definitely helped me settle into our new city by knowing such a great women who are so supportive of each other.

As I type this, I am in my 27th week of pregnancy. Although I felt a lot of nausea and heartburn during my first trimester, this has been quite a smooth pregnancy so far (knock on wood). I have been trying to stay active the third time around so as not to gain so much weight. I'm hoping the third time is the charm because man, losing the baby weight is hard! The baby is doing great and I am so excited to have another little bundle of joy in my arms again :)

Our second biggest news is our new home purchase! Yes, Mike and I are absolutely giddy about this. We had decided to start looking just to learn more about the market and keep our eyes open. We didn't expect to purchase in such a short amount of time. We found a great realtor and one of the first houses we saw just kept calling our name. There were even subtle signs that the house was meant for us. For example, the current owners are ASU alumni and their little boy had a ASU hoodie hanging on a coat rack (identical to Alex's own). A detail that immediately caught our eye. Also, in the little girl's room, there was a framed Denver Post newspaper from the day the girl was born. It was too much of a coincidence. After seeing many, many more houses, we just thought--hey, it's the right price, the right school, right everything! So we put in an offer and after a little negotiation, it was accepted! We are scheduled to close on 4/14 and are hoping to move in as soon as the carpet is cleaned and the housecleaners are done.

Here are a few pics of the house:

The front of the house

Entry

Second Floor

Girl Room

Kitchen

Family Room

Sold Sign!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVELYN CLARE!

Just a shout-out to my girl Eva. Happy birthday sweetheart. We love you so much and thank the Lord for blessing us with you!

(Pics to come as soon as I start to feel better from an horrible horrible cold....)

Apartment Livin'

It's been seven years since Mike and I lived in an apartment and it takes some getting used to! The creaking floorboards (I swear they're playing Wii up there), the slamming doors, and the running water is worlds apart from the quiet surrounding of our home in Denver. However, I'm sure the incessant screams and shrieks coming from our apartment is giving our neighbors a run for their money!

We are happy to say that we did finally decide on a rental home here in Seattle. It seemed like a long process (it really only took us a week to find one) but bringing two kids with us as we toured the homes did not make things easy. We are staying in the city of Sammamish which is in the "Eastside" of Seattle. The house is surrounded by tall trees and we looking forward to BBQ's in the great deck behind the house!

Mike's mom visited us last weekend and is now officially our "First Visitor!" We showed her the sights including the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Mike and I were also to go on some much-needed date nights! We had a great time with her.

The kids goofing around in the bathtub

Our Alex

Our Daddy


Mike

Our baby girl!

Nana with her grandkids

Red is Alex's favorite color

Walking in downtown Seattle

Looking up at the Space Needle

Beautiful flowers at Pike Place Market

We're here!

Yes, we have safely arrived in Seattle. I cannot believe that within a few short months, our lives dramatically changed. It seems like it was just seconds ago that we were living our life in Denver, going through the motions and routines we were so very used to. Mike going to work, taking care of the kids, working on my business, fantasizing about purchasing our forever house. We never thought that in less than six months, we would pack up all of our belongings, put our house up for rent, and move to Seattle. If someone had told me that, I would have said they were crazy! But alas, we are here and I truly believe in God's will and guidance. I am excited to see what opportunities and adventures lies ahead!
As for now, we are staying in temporary housing which is basically a fully furnished apartment. Although it is small compared to our house, it is a marked improvement from the tiny hotel room we were staying in. Now it's time to start searching for rental homes so we can move-in by the end of the month.
We are also now official landlords! We found renters after only a week or so after the house became available for rent! So we spruced the house up and left it in impecable shape (almost better than when we moved in!) We are excited about this new endeavor and hope it works out!
Will try to update frequently and post more pictures of our new life in Seattle!

For Rent

Yes, the official "For Rent" sign is now up in our house. We've had about five interested parties walk through our home and lemme tell ya, it is EXHAUSTING. Utterly exhausting to put away all the toys, clear the counters, make the bed, and make the house look somewhat presentable. At least the house looks nice! Our official move date is Tuesday, March 2nd---that is, when the movers arrive. They will pack for two days and load on the third. Our flights are booked for Sunday, March 7th! So, it's definitely getting closer. We are hoping to have renters lined up before we leave. As for our own house hunting, it's slow going. We can't really do much unless we are already physically in Seattle. Thank goodness for temporary housing because it will give us time to really hunt down the perfect house. As previously mentioned, we are renting for a few different reasons. First and foremost, we want to get to know the area. 2nd, we need to save up for a bigger downpayment. Housing in Seattle is significantly higher than Denver!

A few last pictures of the house before it is stripped of all furnishings :(

Formal living room

Family room

Kitchen and Dining

Nursery

Pirate Room

Master Bedroom

Seattle or Bust!

Many of you have heard that we are leaving our home of seven years for Seattle, Washington. It came as a big shock to us when we learned that Microsoft would be closing down their Denver offices by March 31st. They are moving Mike's team out to Fargo, ND and Mike had the option of interviewing for a position out there. We contemplated making the move to ND and looked at all the positive and negative aspects of living in such a northern state! We decided to explore other options first so Mike decided to interview for positions in Seattle. Mike really enjoys his job as a Program Manager and wanted to continue down that career path. We also knew that being at the headquarters would provide more opportunities for growth in Mike's career development. Mike was fortunate enough to interview for two positions. They were grueling 8 hour interviews which consisted of the toughest questions I've ever heard of. I think a normal person would have walked out within the first hour crying! I know I would! Mike was offered the second position he applied for. We were ecstatic to hear that he received the job but it was a bittersweet moment when we realized that we would be really leaving Denver.

It was here where we started our life together. We purchased our house, started our jobs, and started our family. I had already (happily) resigned to the fact that this would be where we would raise our children even well into retirement. But alas, the waves had changed and we are now traveling down a different path. Mike and I have always maintained that whatever happens it is through God's will and we entrust ourselves to Him. We have prayed a lot this past several months and have continually asked for guidance. We are not only responsible for ourselves now but for two little ones and that is what is important to us. We want to make sure that where ever we go, we can only enrich their lives and provide them the tools to make them happy and loving individuals. We are confident that Seattle will be a great environment for the both of them.

We are now in the process of looking for house in Seattle (to rent for the time-being) and getting our Denver house ready to be rented out. I am comforted by the fact that we will still own a house and property out here.

We had the chance to explore Seattle last weekend on our "House Hunting Trip". Surprisingly, the sun showed itself on our last day there! Here are some pictures. Enjoy!

Beautiful pic of Daddy and Daughter on Valentine's Day

The sun reflecting off Puget Sound

Alex the Pirate!

Alex and Mike at the Hat and Boot's Gas Station

Our hotel room.

It's been a staggering 3 months since my last post and I don't have time to update the blog with all of the activities of the last few months. There was Disneyland, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Very busy indeed. All I can say is that we are so very fortunate to see our family and friends during the holidays. Disneyland was especially fun and I truly never knew the "magic" of such a place until I took my kids there. I cannot wait for our next trip!

Most recently, we took Alex and Evelyn for a much needed haircut. It was Evelyn's first time and she did great! Here are some pics!

7 month pic!

Our little girl is growing so fast! She's crawling, eating solids (as to date- carrots, green beans, sweet potatoe, apple sauce, rice cereal, oatmeal, puffs), and sitting up unassisted. She's screeching up a storm (ear-splitting, ear-bleeding type of way). She's a total sweetheart and her and her big brother have a lot of fun together!

Eva is 6 months old!

Yes, our little girl is 1/2 year old! The second time around is sure flying by!
She is absolute sweetness personified. She smiles whenever you lay eyes on her and her whole face just lights up. Almost as if she's saying "Oh wow, they're looking at me!" Simply adorable. As you can see in the below video, she is army-crawling and fast at that. She adores her brother and he loves to play with her. If she takes a toy from him, he will take it away and make sure to replace it with one of hers. I have been warned that though this may seem cute and adorable now, as soon as she is older, she won't be as forgiving! I am enjoying it for the moment. Here are her amateur 6 month pictures!

Alex singing the ABC's

Here's a slow-mo version of the ABC's by Alex. He was about to sing the last part but my camera ran out of memory!

Eva crawling!

Eva started crawling about 2 weeks ago. It started as a slow creeping but she is getting faster everyday! We actually have to childproof again because she is very interested in all of Mike's electronics. It's funny that just as Alex was learning not to touch Daddy's toys, the baby start to go at it! Anyway, here's a quick vid of her mad crawling skillz!

A little crazy dancing from Alex!

Vote for Alex

I have recently entered Alex into the GAP Nationwide Casting Call! I am asking all my friends and family to vote for him as a Fan Favorite! The one lucky entrant who receives the most fan votes will be crowned the Fan Favorite winner. The winner will receive a seven-day/six-night family vacation to either Turks & Caicos or Jamaica from Beaches Resorts - The Luxury Included® Family Vacation. Voting runs from September 22, 2009 through November 17, 2009, and your family and friends can vote daily. The Fan Favorite winner be announced on December 7, 2009. So please, help Alex become America's Fan Favorite.
Click on this link to cast your vote: http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/entries/genmclean/ Remember to vote every day!
Here's Alex asking for your votes!

Extreme Floor Makeover

We have finally bitten the bullet and torn up our dirty carpet and vinyl! We have been wanting to install wood floors in our home for quite some time and also found excuses to delay it---time, money, laziness! Well, there is no turning back now because we are walking on bare concrete. We started the process on Friday and hopefully will have it complete by the end of this week. Alex keeps telling us "I like to sit on the wood floors!" We'll post pics when the project is done!

My 30 DS is still going strong. I am currently on Day 19 (11 more days!) I finish Day 10 of Level 2 tomorrow and will start Level 3 on Tuesday. Again, like I've stated before, I am seeing results by the way my clothes fit. I do have days where I say to myself "I'll take a day off today, or I'll double my workout tomorrow." But, I get an encouraging push from Mike and know that I will hate the nagging guilt of not doing it, so I do. I am also playing around with the idea of starting to train for a 5K. I am not a runner. Never have been. I always thought that my lungs were just not built for running but I want to really test my endurance (and lose weight!). I will start a program called c25K (Couch to 5K) which will gradually train your body to run. I am excited to learn that there was a program like this and that there was hope for people like me!

Well, off to bed! More updates later this week!

Day 3 of Level 2

It has been almost 2 weeks since I've started. I believe I've lost more inches than I have pounds. Honestly, I didn't weigh myself nor measure myself but I am guesstimating I've lost 2-3 lbs since I started. I am really basing my progress by how my clothes fit and considering I am back into size 8's (gasp!) I think I'm doing pretty well!

Level 2 is still kicking my butt. I am doing modified positions especially during plank jacks and squat thrusts. Holy heck those are hard! Hopefully my body will adapt and these excercises will get easier!

I am also looking at Jillian Michael's Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism program after I finish the Shred. I really like her attitude and motivation. She is a hard-ass but I like her style. My cable provider has her program on On-Demand so I don't even have to purchase the DVD! So, no excuses for me!

Day 10 of Level 1 and Day 1 of Level 2

Okay, this is going to compress two days of the workout. Day 10 of Level 1 complete. My stamina has improved and I have increased my "real" push-ups up to 10! Woo-hoo!

Here's the scoop on Day 1 of Level 2. It kicked my butt. Mike literally laughed at me when he saw me struggling with the plank jacks. I mean why name an excercise that makes me immediately think of flap jacks? Not a good combination. Anyway, it was hard but fun at the same time. I need to perfect my form because all I did was glance up at the t.v to make sure I was doing everything right.

I am still seeing a lot of improvement with my body. The pregnancy belly is still there but I can see my waist shrinking down and my abs peeking out (and it's only Day 11)! Will update more tomorrow!

Day 9

Complete. It's getting harder to motivate myself. It's hard when I want to crash on the couch and catch a few zzz's while the kids are napping. It's hard when I need to fold laundry, unload the dishes, or catch up with my business. Time is so valuable when the kiddos are sleeping. But, I must persist. I drag myself upstairs, change into my workout clothes, blast the fan on high, and play the DVD. Twenty minutes later (or so), after a quick shower, and fresh clothes, I am renewed. It's like getting my second wind of the day. So, I'm not even a half way through the program and I already have to mentally coach myself. I will do this, I will complete this, I am woman hear me ROAR!!

Day 8- No more yoga pants!

So, as I was shredding it up about 30 minutes ago, I was thinking about what I could write for today's post. I didn't want to bore you with more updates about the actual excercises so I was trying to come up with something. Motivational anecdotes perhaps? Complaints? Well, as I was still pondering what to write, I decided to try on my "fat" shorts from last summer. These were the shorts that made me realize I needed to lose some major weight. Pictures of me wearing these were unflattering at the least. In my desperate attempt to stay cool during this summer, I tried them on a few weeks ago and to my disappointment they were too small :( I tossed them into a plastic bin in a fit of fury and decided to wear my go-to yoga pants. Well, I am happy to say that I tried them on today and they are actually loose! I was in shock and tried on another pair of shorts (even smaller) and they fit! Yes! Progress! Now I don't believe this 30 Day Shred is a miracle worker but combined with healthy eating, it really works! I am still watching my diet by eating whole grains, low-fat, and fat-free foods. I also watch my portions (no more 2nd or 3rd helping for me!) I do not starve myself especially since I am a nursing mother (which requires you to add an extra 300-500 calories) per day. I just choose to eat foods that are good for you (no chips, chocolate, soda). Yes, I may stray a time or two but I am proud to say that I don't do it everyday!
So, that's it. I am a long ways from my smallest sized short but at least I don't have to live in yoga pants anymore!

Alex in the Splash Park!

McLean Family Update!

***We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you some exciting news....Melissa-Rose Caitlin McLean is formally engaged to her long-time high school sweetheart Cameron Nelson! Melissa (the 3rd oldest of the McLean girls) got engaged over 4th of July weekend under a waterfall (well, not quite literally under it but in front of it, I don't know if they got wet...) but nonetheless they are ENGAGED! Congrats to Melissa and Cameron*** We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.

The happy couple :)

Evelyn rolled over! Yes, our little 3 month old decided that she was bored being on her back so she has accomplished the feat of rolling over! Of course, she's pretty mad when she finds herself on her stomach. I mean really Eva, what's the point of rolling over if you don't like being on your tummy? Really! Just kidding...she's a sweetheart and will probably start crawling soon!

Also, we got a visit from Mike's ol' college pal, roommate, and Godfather to Alex---Ryan. Ryan was here for a wedding and decided to make a weekend out of it by hanging out with the fam. Alex had a blast playing with his Godfather! Here are some pics!

Evelyn and Uncle Ryan

Da Boyz


Alex posing with Uncle Ryan


These kids are going to have so much fun together!


My little sweetheart!