Missing Daddy

We've had some very low key days around here lately. We are on Christmas Holiday and most days I don't let the kids have screen time. So, they have to come up with creative things to do. A few days ago, Peter decided to dress up like Daddy. He did this around 11am and stayed dressed up until Brandon got home. He even hunched over like Brandon and complained about his back hurting. He would also walk around the house complaining that he was sweating - just like Brandon does. It was hilarious!

Scouts - Cyber Chip

Our Pet

Sometimes you do something that you never imagined doing. Yep, almost two weeks ago we got this little fellow. He is a blue tongued Merauke skink. It all happened so quickly, but I know it was meant to be. I mentioned to Brandon that I thought it might be time to look into a family pet. This was late on a Thursday night. On Friday & Saturday Brandon did a lot of intense research on the kind of pet that would be best for us. On Sunday, after church, we drove up to West Valley City and picked this guy up. He is 20 inches long and should grow about another foot before he is full grown. His name is Rex.

He has been absolutely fabulous. He eats veggies and canned chicken. He also likes blueberries and we've heard he can also eat dog food. He only eats twice a week and he loves to snuggle. It's been so much fun to see Brandon excited about this pet. He even built a special tile platform so that he can bask under his heating lamp. Rex is already a super spoiled lizard.

Hiking with the Homeschoolers

A few weeks ago we got out and hiked Big Springs in Provo Canyon. It was a cold morning and Peter found a mud puddle before we even got started. Thankfully it warmed up as we hike and pretty soon he was ditching his coat in a bunch of trees to retrieve later. Thank goodness for nature. I feel so blessed that the mountains are literally in our backyard.

He loves to pretend he is fishing

Racing to get back to the car

Scouts - Roaring Laughter

1. The things that make me laugh are:
Funny faces, funny things, funny shirts

2. Reading a tongue twister

3. I wrote my own Mad Lib. My friend Isaac Ames came up with different words for it.

4. I played the game Star Wars Loopin' Cheewie with my best friend Blake. That game always makes me laugh.

Scouts - Salmon run

1. We talked about the Buddy system and why there are lifeguards at the swimming pool. Blake Christensen is always my buddy.

2. We went swimming at the Provo Rec Center

3. We talked about boat safety. I've never been on a boat yet.

4. We talked about safety equipment needed for boating. I never knew you had to have the right size of oar for how tall you are.

7. I did the front crawl swim stroke while we were at the Rec Center.

8. I learned about, and named the 3 swimming ability groups for Boy Scouts. They were easy. 

When the Teacher gets sick

Mid-week I was slammed with the flu. Body aches and constant chills were the worst part of this sickness. It caught me completely unawares, and there were so many commitments that had to be renigged on.

Reality is, when I get this sick school doesn't happen. Wednesday I spent the entire day in my bed. Boys happily played with each other along with lots of video game playing, and TV show watching. I think they ate goldfish crackers for both breakfast and lunch. No gymnastics for Peter that afternoon. I couldn't even stand up long enough for a shower.

Thursday was better and I got a shower in. I managed a few hours of feeling decent, so I gathered up our school books and my bedroom became our classroom.

Friday was an even better day and we got through most of our work (sorry, spelling. I tried so hard to get to you). Even though I felt much better it was still fun to snuggle under warm blankets while we learned about Galileo and how he used telescopes to study night skies. Although I consider our school week a failure, I cherish the time I got to slow down, rest, and just listen to everything happening around me.

I always come away with a profound sense of gratitude after being sick. I feel so blessed to have a healthy and strong body that can do almost everything I ask it to do.

 

Halloween

Since we started the month out with our family party, it seemed to take FOREVER to finally get around to Halloween night. The Sunday before we decided to carve pumpkins. This was the most successful year we've had. Luke was still pretty grossed out. It was hilarious. Peter & Brandon made a spider-man face on Peter's pumpkin.

Peter was lucky enough to be invited to go trick-or-treating with friends. So, he was gone for almost two hours. Luke went with Brandon and they were gone for a bit over an hour. They still got plenty of candy, and they had a wonderful night.

Aunt Amy completely surprised us by showing up and playing with the boys once they got home. She was here until 10pm because the boys were having so much fun with her and didn't want her to leave. It's been a fun tradition to have her come on Halloween the past several years. The boys absolutely love her. Uncle Morgan had to work, so he wasn't able to join us this year. 

Reading today

Today I decided to give the kids a break from their daily Pathway books. Instead, I had them read out loud to me. It was refreshing and so enjoyable.

I had Luke read me a Thanksgiving Day book that we have. It was so adorable! Thankfully he was willing to read it twice so I could record it the second time through. He still couldn't figure out the extra thick pages though. Too funny.

Peter received letters from Grandpa and Grandma (who live in Missouri) this week. I had him read their letters out loud to me. He did such a great job! Peter asked me why Grandma & Grandpa chose to write in so many different colors. I told him it was so he could read the letters easier. He seemed satisfied with my answer, until he noticed one of the colors fading. He said they probably did it because their pens kept running out of ink and they would have to switch.

A journey

A year ago in August I decided that it was time to start my weight loss journey. I made the decision to stop making excuses for the things I ate, the way I exercised, and the mental games I used to justify my actions.

Then, last December, Brandon bought me my first cell phone. I told myself if I ever was lucky enough to get a cell phone, I would use the app "My Fitness Pal"(the free version). So, on December 6th I downloaded the app and got started.

It's been quite the journey since that time. I've learned how to push through discomfort and pain. I've learned not to let fear and doubt bump me off the path. I've learned to crave my early morning routine. I've seen the success I wanted. More importantly though, I feel better - physically, and  mentally.

What I've done to loose the weight:

-Run
Actually, it's more like jogging, but whatever. It gets my heart rate up and makes me feel good. I get up at 5:15am three times a week and hit the pavement. It's been an eye opening experience. I feel closer to Heavenly Father when I see the sun come up in the morning (during the spring/summer months). A lot of mornings it's been my only time to talk with him. I also do a lot of thinking/pondering about school and lesson plans. It's been amazing!

-Yoga
I've been doing yoga for years now. Not much has changed except that my practice includes more advances poses. My body is amazing in what it can do. I've found that there is no limit to the possibilities with constant practice and many tiny steps. I also do yoga three times a week. I go to a class at the local library on Tuesday nights, and then roll out my mat at home on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.

-Food Journal
My Fitness Pal App to the rescue. If it goes in my mouth, it's recorded in the app. I've been blown away by the things I've found that provide very fleeting nutrition. For example, a hamburger bun. Do they really taste all that great? No, they don't. Most of the time I don't eat them. I've also learned not to care what other people think when they see I'm not eating a particular food. It's so refreshing.

-Recording Water
My goal is to drink 77 oz. every day. Most of the time, I drink at least 100 more ounces then that. I don't find myself in the bathroom more frequently then I was before and I now crave water. Weirdest thing ever. I love it!

-No chocolate
Years ago I made a goal to eliminate chocolate from my diet. It's taken this many years to get to the point where I can do it. There are only 2 things I really struggle with resisting. 1) when Peter makes fudge brownies 2) when I make homemade snickers. Those two things make me so weak (and prove I'm still mortal, darn).

These things, done consistently, have resulted in a 50 pound weight loss. I'm to the point that I don't want to lose anymore - I just want to maintain what I have lost.

I want to emphasize that weight loss is a very personal journey. What works for one person isn't going to work for you. I've had SO MANY people ask me what I've done to lose the weight. I typically say exercise and keeping a food journal, but it goes so much deeper then just those two things. It's about becoming healthy on the inside, outside, and all around.

August 2016

Sept 2017