Thanksgiving In Burbank

I went back and forth so many times about if I was going to go to my parents for Thanksgiving. I felt bad because I would be leaving Stew all by himself but in the end I needed to go back home and get some hugs and yummy cooking from my mom. So I loaded us up and off we went. The drive was so smooth it felt like nothing at all even with four kids, one a baby, and a new puppy in tow - I was blessed!

It was so trippy to be with so many of my siblings again. We were all acting like kids again with a few more tiffs then I would have preferred but it was like "home". LOL! There were six of us kids there plus our families so we had quite the bunch...weird to think that it was still only half of us. We also had Five generations there to celebrate and that was pretty cool.

It is so beautiful there in California. Man, I wish we could live there. The weather was the best thing ever. And my moms the best medicine for me. She is a lot like Stewart in that way. She is calm and kind and not overly emotional and makes me instantly feel relaxed and good. My dad makes me laugh with his quirks and I marvel at how well his planned "retirement" is going....he is so not retired at all. Working as hard as ever at the age of 83. It was great to see my niece and her beautiful little family and my nephew. They lived with us so much while I was growing up they are like my own siblings. love them like crazy. It was likewise great to meet my sister's almost fiance and start seeing him join the family and see how happy he makes her. And then there is the cousin fun. Oh, life would be pretty awesome if we lived close to lots of cousins. There is just something so magical about the relationship kids have with their cousins. So fun!

And the FOOD, nothing beats my mom's cooking.....well, I do adore my mother-in-laws ham and ham gravy. But the assortment my family throws together when we party is ridiculous! We all like cooking too much and so when we bring all our finest together it is a ton of food. I mean we had 14 different desserts at thanksgiving, out of control I tell you! :O)

It was a good change of scenery for me. I think Stewart was able to enjoy his time to himself reading Eragon, doing his wood cutting, and watching movies instead of doing dishes, picking up toys, and putting the kids down each night like normal.

So that was our thanksgiving in a nutshell.

Getting ready to eat....

12 of my parents 42 grandchildren, plus 1 great grandchild...The silly girls...
Half of the buffet of food...

Friday night the girls went to Aunt Anj's house for a girls slumber party and the boys stayed at grandma's for a boys slumber party, I helped them build a major fort out of packaging paper. They loved it. Picture of girl's slumber party coming soon...

Living the Life: week 4 results

Okay its a miracle. I lost weight this week! Serious shock for me. But I am not complaining. :O)

I lost 1/2 around my waist
I didn't lose anything around my hips
I lost 3.2 lbs.

YAY! So glad for the progress. :O)

Ha.

I was searching for something on my computer today and I came across the book I started to write two/three years ago. I was board, lonely, and extremely poor. And so instead of starting expensive projects or going out to do fun things with my friends I started to write a book. I reread my grand 30 pages of cliche fiction and found I liked it. I would be deathly embarrassed if anyone I knew read it besides me but I like it. Maybe I'll finish it someday. Maybe I will submit it to a publisher and they will reject me soundly and then I'll be happy to know I actually followed through with it and had a go at my childhood dream of being a writer. Ha.....and at the very least my kids will get a good laugh reading it after I am dead. :O)

Living the Life: week 3 results

This week was okay. I did my cardio really well but I only did my strength training twice. I am trying out and baking cookies for this thing I have coming up and so I "HAD" to eat cookies. :) So that threw off my week some. Plus now I am really sick.

I lost 1 inch across my waist

I lost 3/4 inch around my hips

I only lost .6 pounds but I think it has to do with me being kind of bloated and retaining water.

I hope next week I can knock it out of the park...but seeing how Thanksgiving is coming and I am traveling out of town....I will try to be happy if I lose anything at all.

Our Family has Grown Again!

Last night while I was at Young Womens Stewart and the kiddos drove out to the breeder's and picked up our newest little family member, Tinkerbell! (Yes, that is the sort of name you get when the mean age of your four children is 2.9! :O)

Oh, she is such a pretty little thing! We picked out another pup Choco but they realized that he had some intestinal problems and the breeder wanted to hold on to him to make sure he was well before she sold him so then we picked out little "sweet pea" now known as Tink. I have been so nervous about getting a puppy. I have never ever had a puppy. I have been reading books and watching the complete Cesar Millan's "Mastering Leadership Series" to get ready - Cesar is the Bomb! and I am proud of myself for coping. :O) You'd think I just gave birth. I am texting Stewart to tell him a play by play of how she is doing..... Her first walk, her first pee, her first poop,.....So it hasn't even been 24 hours but I am smitten and I think we are going to raise one heck of a dog. (Well, crossing my fingers that I can handle everything on my plate)

So the question I get when we tell people we are getting a puppy is, "Why?!?!?! Are you sure this is the right time to get a dog?" and I totally understand. I mean we are selling our house, have a 9 month old who is the busiest baby on the face of the earth and have some other traumatic issues going on that are seriously driving me a little crazy BUT about three months ago I had this spiritual experience where I was basically told that Angeli needed a dog. So that was that. Stewart felt he same way and honestly I am so glad we made that decision three months ago because I am not sure we would have made the decision if we had waited any longer. :)

Tink is really Angie's dog. And is she ecstatic. I couldn't be happier for Angeli. Because of our living situation and that we will be renting until FOREVER (I hope to never buy again!) :O) we opted for a tiny little fluffy thing to be a little companion Dog for Angie. And she is sure tiny and fluffy. She is a designer hybrid. A Chineranian (Japanese Chin + Pomeranian). I think Poms are super cute but a bit snobby and yappy and the Chins are very mellow and smart but a bit funny looking so when we found this breeder close by we were really excited about the Chineranian hybrid.

So without further ado here is Tink!

trying to get her collar off :O)

Live the Life Results: Week 2

Ok this week I was so lame at “Living the Life”. My life killed it. I was wreck this week. I didn’t have my meals ready until Tuesday so Halloween I didn’t have my “diet” food which was a bad day to take off. :O) then I had to feed the missionaries so I ate dinner with them, then I had to bake cookies for something and brilliant me wanted to try a new recipe so then that meant trying them to make sure they were good, they were a little too good, :) then there was fast Sunday so I had an off day on Sunday, and then I started my period which sort of just killed things even more. My days were so busy I kept missing meals and then picking in my kids’ food and I didn’t do things nearly as well as the week before. BUT hopefully that is all behind me. I am really hopeful that this next week will go better. I am just going to go and cook my food for this next week and get it all stocked in my fridge.

So this morning I did my measurements and weighed in. Here are results, then are humble but I am very grateful for any negative at this point.
I lost ½ inch around my waist
I lost ½ inch around my hips
And I lost 1 pound. By next week I will be at my lowest I have been since I had Genevieve. That is really exciting for me. :O)

If...

If I survive this week I will be so grateful. sigh.

HApPy HaLloWeEn!!!

YeeHaw! Grab your lasso and guns we've gone western this year! Oh, the kids were too cute all dressed up as cowboys and cowgirls. I thought this would be super cheap...but um, not so much. I ended up making their little vests and buying them play guns and the girls wanted pink bandanas not the red ones we already had.... The kids had a ton of fun playing in the costumes and they are now a great addition to our dress-up box! This year was our busiest halloween yet. With the kids 3 different Halloween parties, the trunk or treat, the real holiday, and my little traditions I insisted we do like the pumpkin carving, making a haunted house, and sugar cookie making/decorating it was busy and SWEET! To my surprise my favorite thing ended up being the trick or treating...in years past its been a bust, but not this year. :O)


Here we are at the Trunk or Treat. I ran the photo booth so I didn't spend much time going to the different booths with the kids but we had a great time getting lots of candy and being with our friends all dressed-up for Halloween.

This is us heading out for Trick or Treating. This was the best trick or treating we have ever done. We had a lot of fun! We went in our little neighborhood and since so many little families have moved in recently the streets were filled with kids. I felt like a kid again going door to door getting candy. The kids loved being able to go with their friends. LOVED!

Their loot! They got a lot! Ben could hardly hold his by the end of the night. :O) He was our lazy boy he rode in the stroller between door steps....and the houses are close around here! LOL

And Angeli wanted me to include what she wore to her class party...all the other girls were being princess' so we last minute got her bell dress out of her closet and dolled her up. She loved it and insists that next year she will be a princess. I think next year I'll let them do whatever they want ...Ben wants to be green lantern, Angeli a princess, and Bridger a scary monster....we'll see.

This may seem odd...

But lately I have felt that it is so important to let people know my convictions about the things that matter most. To me that means the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it entails: Family, morality, and the reality of a loving Father in Heaven and His plan of Salvation.

Working with the youth in my church the past 7 months has reminded me what it was like when I was a teenager. EVERYDAY of my life I was attacked, mocked, and demeaned because of my beliefs. I had to stand alone so many times and just rely on the Lord to be my friend when I had none. I know the youth today are dealing with the same thing as they navigate through their lives. Lately I have felt that way a bit as I meet and make friends with more and more people who are not of my faith. I have been having more and more interactions like I did in high school. Here are a few from the other night, "Oh, seriously you can a have drink. I wont tell anyone!" and "Well, when your husband has an affair with a cute nurse then you wont be such a happy little family." and most of all "Wow, how can you stand having so many kids!". I realized as these comments were hurled at me that I am a bit out of practice with having to respond to negative comments about my life and values. I again feel those twinges of embarrassment and awkwardness when I am put on the spot to defend myself and morality.

This week as I have been pondering how I feel in a world where my perspective is now scoffed at as being trite, expired, completely backward, and to some they are even seen as threatening I have found such wise counsel in the talks our church leaders gave during our last general conference. In addition reading the New Testament in the book of Acts has been really a learning experience. Being mocked for being a follower of Christ is not new. And I feel a sense of resolve and also very encouraged.

I think the world is polarizing more and more to the degree that you can no longer sit on the side lines and procrastinate picking sides or even try to play for both teams. That is something I have never done but its a bit new for me as adult to defend myself so much. I think we all have to chose and then be ready to claim and defend our choices.

These are my favorite conference talks so far from this past session. I highly recommend listening to them! :O)

Niel L. Anderson - Children

Jeffery R. Holland- We are all enlisted

Thomas S. Monson - Dare to Stand Alone

Henry B. Eyring - Preparation in the Priesthood

David A. Bednar - Counsel to the Youth

Robert D. Hales - Waiting upon the Lord: They will be done

Boyd K. Packer - Counsel to Youth

So this is what I would say to the world if they asked... :) I believe that children are the crowning achievement of a couples life and that they are the entire purpose of mankind....the Family with its ancestors, and posterity link the ages of time together in meaning and purpose. And that the Temple of Jesus Christ makes it so we can make covenants with our Heavenly Father to ensure our family bonds will continue through all generations of time and be sealed together on into eternity. I know that there is a God who is our Spirit's father and that he provided us a Savior so we can repent of the mistakes we make so that we can progress to become like Him just as children here on earth aspire to grow to be like their parents. I Know that sin is real. That there is evil and that the great deceiver is real and that he strives to lead the hearts of men into darkness and misery so that we will be like him and so he can try and thwart the Plan of God which is that we progress to be like Him, God the Father. I know that if we pray and seek help that our prayers will be answered, that God hears us and will guide us into righteous paths that bring unmeasured joy in this life. I know that the family is a eternal unit, I know that we matter and our choices matter and that there is great purpose in this life and it isn't about gaining temporary pleasure. I know that good honest and faithful people are all around us who respect and love God and try to be good people. I know that God and Goodness will prevail and that it is only up to us to choice what side will we be on. I chose My Father in Heaven's side, I chose to testify of Christ and to defend light and truth all my life. I am on the Lord's side.

So to those who ask how I can I stand all my children I'd say, "I love them and consider it a great honor to be their mother and I will have as many as Gods wants me to have. It is the greatest work a women can do to be a mother." To those that mock my efforts to have a happy marriage and family I'd say, "My husband is not a man of the world and he never has been, there are good men in the world that cherish their wives and family and my sweet husband is one of them. We are committed to our goal of having a happy family and it will not only last our entire lives it will last for all eternity." And last but not least to those who can not understand why a grown adult would chose not to drink I'd say, "I do not drink. I never have and I never will. I promised God I would take care of my body and so I will and do."

The End! :O)

Living the Life: The RESULTS

Ok, so life got busy and I really didn't have time or energy to post about my progress and thoughts about my challenge. I have to say about mid week I started to feel a little unmotivated but I kept going and then by this weekend, which I thought would be hard since its only Halloween ! Talk about sweets temptations! I felt totally fine. Not an issue. I found it really did reduce my stress. I knew that no matter how my day had gone or was going I was at least doing one thing right...I was being healthy. Plus the exercise is so moderate that it is actually maintainable for me with how busy my life is. I love that.

With my going and coming this weekend I got off a bit on the times and such with my meals and yesterday we went to friends house for dinner and I have to say I care more about being a polite guest then being a few ounces less on weigh in day. So yesterday was way off. But to cut to the point here are my results:

I lost 1.5 inches around my waist
I lost 1 inch around my hips

and

I lost 4.6 pounds this week!!!!!!!

Holy cow! I cant remember ever having lost that much weight in a week. Um I think I will be continuing this "diet". Hello!

And I have to say that I didn't think I lost anything until yesterday at church I had several people comment on how thin I looked. I haven't had that in a long time. So I guess I will now be "Living the Life!"

I will post my weekly progress until I hope to reach my goal weight. Which if I keep this up will only take me a little over 3 weeks. I bet that I wont lose this much in a week again but if I did how awesome would that be.

Drinking in Fall!

Every year I take the kids to the pumpkin patch. I wish Stewart had more time to come too but it just never works out so its sort of become a mom and kids thing. I enjoy the Fall-ness of it all and of course taking pictures. The kids like jumping in the bounce house, seeing the animals, picking pumpkins, ridding the hay ride, and wondering in the corn maze. I took the little kids first and then we went with Bridger's school field trip as well. It was a little hectic with the school but still very fun. This year it was very warm. Like sweating hot warm as the day wore on but I'd take that over bitter cold any day. Enjoy the pictures of the kids!

Live the Life: Day Two

I thought I did really great yesterday until I realized I made some mistakes: like the milk I bought that I thought was non-fat is really 1%, I threw my carrots in the microwave to cook them because you can only crunch through so many vegetables in a single meal and forgot about them, I forgot to do my strength training as my day got crazy and I accidentally ate double the amount of jerky. ops! But I think besides that it was a pretty good day.

They say in the manuel that my sister read you will feel full until your matabolism speeds up and then once that happens you will be starving. They said you can get that starving feeling on day three or up to week three. Well, I am on day three and I am starving. I am so hungry. Which is weird because I am eating so much its 10:23 and I've already eaten two cups of my strawberry protein concoction, and a giant egg burrito and I cant wait until I eat again. So hungry. They say that is when you know you are going to start losing weight. Well, bring it. But I need to find out if I will spend my entire life eating like a pig and feel like I am starving. Um, I sure hope not. I don't like hunger.

I haven't really talked about the exercise. Its really rather moderate. 30 -40 of cardio and then up to 30 minuets of strength training...they don't really care what cardio you do but they do have set strength training circuits to do. I just bought a Jillian Micheal's strength training video that I love so I am doing that instead but I know from reading the list of exercises that the exercises are very much the same.

I've been realizing for that past couple months that my muscle stores were wiped out with Genevieve's pregnancy and that it really takes me more effort to maintain my muscles and the power house of calorie burning that your muscles are. So the once "never touch weights girl" is now a firm believer in strength training.

So we'll see how the rest of my day goes. I am sort of having sweets withdrawals but like I said knowing I will have something to eat soon really helps me power past the urge to eat the crust of my kids PB&J's and stuff. I love that this "diet" lets you eat carbs and have fruit and such. I hated that with my tries with south beach and atkins earlier this year.