The Biggest Loser!!

Ok, I went out today and made a committment. I bought the Biggest Loser Workout DVD. I bought both the boot camp and the fat burning yoga DVD. Now you must understand the lenghts I went to get these. I wanted to start today, so I took the boys I babysit to the library, and that is an adventure in itself, and then we stopped at Target on the way home. I had 2 boys in the front seats and 2 boys in the actual cart and we shopped for workout DVDs. They were really good, the only hard part was that Hayden wanted to sit in one of the seats and I had already put Ashton and Alex in them. So he was sad for a few minutes. Anyway, they were rewarded with Sour Patch Kids and I was rewarded with a workout during naptime!

I started with the yoga workout. I didn't think it would be very intense and since this was my first workout in many months, that is what I was going for. Yeah right!! This kicked my butt! It gives you the option of 5 levels. First is the warmup, then level 1, level 2, level 3 and a cooldown. And I only chose the warmup, lvl 1, and a cooldown. I really enjoyed it, but I still had to cheat on several moves. But afterward, I felt energized and like I had really used my whole body. Honestly, this was the best I had felt in a long time!! So, tomorrow I am gonna try the boot camp version. As intense as the yoga one was, I am worried the boot camp one will kick my butt and leave me feeling wiped out. I will let you know!

I took my measurements and weighed myself before I started (NO! I am not posting these numbers!!) and will track my progress weekly and will hopefully see some shrinkage!! I am going to see if I can get Bryan to do these videos and /or walking in the evenings. We both need to shrink in order to stick around to run with our grandkids one day! That and I am tired of wearing my fat pants. I want to fit in my skinny jeans! Anyway, wish me luck!! I will keep you all posted! If anyone wants to join me, let me know. I would love a partner in all this!

Grandmas and Air Hockey

Last night my mom brought dinner over to our house. It was so nice because we don't get home from church until abt 6:15 or so and to have dinner already made and the mess at someone else's house was even better! She brought my grandma over also, my dad had to go to a meeting, so it was just my family and my mom and grandma. We had a great time and then the kids started playing air hockey with my mom. Kaitlyn easily beat her but then my grandma wanted to play. There was something so funny and cute about watching your 87 year old, sweet grandma paly that game! We also played Skipbo, which is one of my grandma's favorite games. She was ruthless! It was so funny!! Bryan's turn was after hers and it was hilarious cause she would not cut him any slack! She said she doesn't take prisoners in Skipbo! Now, if you new my gentle and sweet grandma, you would see how funny this was! It kept frustrating Bryan cause she would intentionally prevent his moves over and over! Anyway, it was a fun night!

Post-holiday blues, or lack thereof!

Usually at this time of year I start to get a little depressed. All the fun is over and we have to go back to "real life". So far, I am not bummed out at all! I have been working hard these last few days just cleaning and organizing and such. We took a huge load to DI and I cleaned out the girls room and got all the Christmas stuff put away. That usually leaves me feeling a bit depressed. But, I am just enjoying the clean feeling. There is not a whole lot to look forward to when the holidays are over. Maybe we have had so much fun the last week that it hasn't started to sink in yet. We have had lots of game/movie nights and even a snowball fight (thx Smithson clan!)! It has been a lot of fun and tomorrow the routine will set in again. I guess I am ready to get back to normal cause that is not causing me to want to cry! Yeah for that! Bryan, on the other hand, is so not looking forward to going back to work. Sorry, babe! At least my work keeps me in my own home and while I may be completely surrounded by kids all of the time, I actually enjoy them all. I am lucky there!

I am also enjoying our new surround sound home entertainment system. We have had a lot of things break on us in the last week. Our computer and/or monitor went out and out old dvd/sound system went out. So we used our Christmas gift from Bryan's dad and bought a new one. This one we actually set up as surround and it sounds awesome! It has an ipod dock attached and so I can crank up my music as I am cleaning the house. Love that! You can hear it through the whole house. Which is sometimes good and sometimes not! Anyway, it has been fun playing with a new toy. We haven't had many new things for a while so we are having fun with it!

Anyway, here is to everyone being able to get past the post holiday blues and on with life!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

We have had such a wonderful day! I love Christmas! This year has found us in a circumstance that we never thought we would be in, and we definitely had less this year, but it does not feel like it! We have been lucky to have generous family and friends and ward that have helped make this a wonderful Christmas for us and our family. I feel rich today! And that is due to those kind people who have blessed our lives this year! I am truly grateful and wanted them to know of our love and appreciation! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!

Happy Anniversary, Bryan!

Happy Anniversary to my husband and best friend, Bryan! I have wanted to be where you are since the first day we met. (Or shortly after the first day! lol Had to get through the "water is wet" night!!) You are sweet, funny, handsome, good and strong. I have learned so much from your example and I am honored to be your wife. You are a loving husband and a fun and involved father. Your kids know that you love them and that you want to spend time with them. You show them what it is to be a righteous priesthood holder and they know of your testimony of the Savior. I love you! Thank you for the 16 years, I look forward to the rest!

I loved the surprise carriage ride! I will never forget the kids we drove past running with the carriage waving to us like we were Cinderella and Prince Charming. (Well, we were!) Thanks Eva for arranging that, I know you worked hard for it!


Our family!

Eric, Leslie, Kirk, Jenny, Judd , JoAnn, Lee and Amy Porter with us.

Happy Anniversary!!

"Wild Thing!"

My sister in law did this and it was funny so I had to copy!! I hope to see some fun title's soon, as the last question is what will I title this post, hence my "Wild Thing!" Such an old song, forgot it was even on my playlist! Kinda embarrased now!

1. Put your iTunes/playlist on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

What is your motto?
"When You're Gone"

What do your friends think of you?
"Don't Let Me Get Me"

What do you think about very often?
"Jingle Bells"

What is 2+2?
"Unwell"

What do you think of your best friend?
"When You Say Nothing At All”

What do you think of the person you like?
"Joy To The World"

What is your life story?
"It's My Life"

What do you want to be when you grow up?
"Jesus Take the Wheel"

What do you think when you see the person you like?
"What's Left of Me”

What do your parents think of you?
"I'm Not Dead"

What will you dance to at your wedding?
"Stay"

What will they play at your funeral?
"Fall To Pieces"

What is your hobby/interest?
"Long Way to Happy"

What is your biggest secret?
"Sk8tr Boi"

What do you think of your friends?
"Take A Chance on Me"

What’s the worst thing that could happen?
"Open Arms"

How will you die?
"Over My Head"

What is the one thing you regret?
"We Built this City"

What makes you laugh?
"Tomorrow"

What makes you cry?
"In The End"

Will you ever get married?
"Chasing Cars"

What scares you the most?
"The Sweet Escape"

Does anyone like you?
"Faithfully"

If you could go back in time, what would you change?
"Savin' Me"

What hurts right now?
"Girl Nest Door"

What will you post this as?
"Wild Thing!"

K- that was fun! I was laughing the whole time!! Try it everyone, I want to read your answers!!

Catch up and all sorts of stuff

Ok. I didn't win anything at the Twilight premiere. I was dissappointed esp because I was helping run the prizes to the winners and I was like "I want that one!". Oh well, I had a great time. I was there with my sister JoAnn and sil Julie and our long-time friend Marie. We enjoyed the movie and the crowd. There was a lot of noise like laughing and oohs and stuff, but nothing annoying. The weirdest part was one of the trailers. It was for this totally freaky and evil looking horror movie called the Unborn. We were all a bit stunned by it. It seemed so out of place for a love story even with vampires. Kinda freaked us out. We got over it and then laughed at the trailer for Bride Wars. We are gonna have to do another girls night and see that one! It looked so funny, plus I like Anne Hathaway. It should be fun. Now, I had heard the negative reviews about Twilight and so I went in with really low expectations hoping that I wouldn't be dissappointed. I wasn't! I loved it and am looking forward to the next one!

A lot of things have happened between now and then. It sometimes feels like I will never have a life without major upheavels or just enexpected twists all the time. Sometimes I just want plain and predictable. Oh well, not gonna happen. First off, we have actually gotten approval from the bank in regards to our offer on our house. They are doing the inspection on Tuesday and then if all goes well, are wanting to close on Friday. As of a week and a half ago, we had no offer and now in 2 weeks time it's almost finished. So ironic as it took the bank almost 4 months to approve the last 3 offers, which took so long that all our buyers backed out. Stupid bank actually admitted that they lost our file one time and missfiled it another time. No wonder the banks are suffering! Anyway, almost done with it, so that is good. One less thing to worry/think about.

The next major thing is I was released from my calling as a Primary teacher. I was teaching Kate's class and had only been there for a month and I was really liking it. I enjoyed teaching and the age is a lot of fun. I was really dissappointed until they told me my new job. Then I was HORRIFIED! Primary Chorister. Seriously?!?!? Do they know anything about me at all? They redid the Primary Presidency and they assumed since Jon played the violin in the primary program and Kate sang in an ensemble choir that we are ALL musical. The music gene came from my inlaws, not me!!! I can barely lead music, I lose the beat all the time! I have a very hard time singing in tune and can't read music to save my life. I told the Primary president this and she was shocked and looked a bit stunned herself!! haha!! She thought I had to be musical to have kids that are. (No, I am not!) Then I am informed that I have to put together a girls ensemble choir to sing Mary's Lullaby at the ward party THIS Saturday!! I am like, "Are you kidding me?!?!?!". So I stressed about this job all week and then yesterday was my first day. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Primary! It's just my fear of music that is my problem, plus the lack of free time I have to put this all together. I am always surrounded by lots of kids, which makes it hard for prayerfull preparation and inspiration! I taught this Mary's Lullaby, it is a beautiful song but the kids didn't know it at all and almost all of Junior Primary doesn't read! So that didn't go as well as I would have hoped. The senior did fine. I have to learn to teach the small kids the songs. If ANYONE has any ideas on this one, I would really appreciate a comment! Anyway, after the disasterous teaching of a new song , the longest 5 minutes of my life-seriously!- then we played a game. I had the kids write a favorite song on a blank white paper and thencrumble it up into a snowball. Then we had a snowball toss and I picked one out and had that child help me lead the song. They seemed to like it. The games I don't mind doing, its the teaching the songs that is freaking me out.

Now, as I was getting ready for church, I realized that I wasn't going to even be at the ward party! Yeah!!! I am gonna be somewhere so much more fun! Bryan knew I wouldn't be there, but I totally forgot. This was planned over a year ago and I still forgot! I am too overwhelmed! Anyway, this is where I am gonna be: Wooohooo!!! How could I forget about it?!?!? In case you missed it, I am so excited! I will be going with my mom and sisters, so it will be so fun! Yeah for me!!