Spring is Finally Here!!!!

So I know I'm not the only person who has been desperately wishing for spring to get here, but I feel like I'm the happiest that it's here now:-)!! It was a long winter for the Hilton's w/ early bedtimes, lots of tv time and lots of screaming, bored kids and parents! We are such an outdoors family that it was one brutal winter season this year that Patrick woke up every day from January 1st on asking if it was summer yet! We were able to get out several times last winter and go for some good snow hikes on the local mountain bike trails, but we didn't get a single one in this year due to the ridiculous snowing and the freezing cold temps. We even only went sledding a couple times, we went close to a dozen times last year b/c it was sooo cold! Well, I'm going to optimistic and say that winter is officially over, at least for the Hilton's and move on to much greener, warmer pastures of spring!! We've already hit our first family bike ride w/ dinner and playing at Raccoon River Park last week, Patrick and I have gone out for several bike/runs, he bikes and I huff and puff my way through a run, and we've walked to get the girls from school every day but one in the last 2 weeks! Not a bad start if you ask me:-). Also, I've started early this year on working on my bronzed self with spending the afternoons outside watching Patrick play, we got new sand and toys for the sandbox today, highlight of the week let me tell you!!! I've been working on getting moving as much as possible and we've started a new "healthy living lifestyle", if you will, to kick start our spring/summer with more whole grains, fruits, veggies and less meat, but lean cuts/kinds when we do. I've already seen a 6.5 lb loss since we started the beginning of last week, and I can't wait to see how this pans out. I will say that I'm not near as hungry now, with cutting out fast food, diet pop and candy(I did sneak a 1/2 of a 3 Musketeers bar today, but I did stop at 1/2!) And with today being a wonderful 75 degrees here in lovely Iowa, we spend all day outdoors and grilled our little hearts out:-)! So here's to you and yours: Have a wonderful spring!!! Enjoy all the warmth and time w/ your loved ones!!