Weight Watchers

Life is returning to normal after a busy January. The Sundance Film Festival is over, my mom went home Monday afternoon and I am slowly catching up. My house is a mess and I have laundry everywhere, but hey, I guess that's normal!

I miss my mom. When she comes every January to help me with my family I love it! She takes care of my kids as good as I would and she loves them. She helps me with laundry and my house and she is fine being stuck home all day with my kids. I feel like I work her so hard and she doesn't get to have any fun. R suggested we take her on a vacation with us this year.

Tonight I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting. I was nervouse and almost talked myself out of going but I'm glad I went. There were only two of us in the new person meeting so it was nice to have a personalized discussion with the leader. I'm excited to get started and read all the material. Wish me luck!

Pack Meeting

Last night Z had Pack Meeting. His den was in charge of the Flag Cermony and Z carried the American Flag. I loved watching him and he was so cute. I can't believe he is old enough to be a Cub Scout. Z was also awarded his Bobcat and he pinned me with a Bobcat pin and gave me a hug.

The Pack Meeting was actually "Cubanapolis". The boys all made race cars out of cardboard boxes and they raced around the cultural hall. They did four laps and their familes were their pit crew. One lap we had to watch their goggles, the next lap we had to give him gas (which was him drinking a full glass fo juice through a straw) and then we had to change their flat tires (which meant taking off their shoes and socks, turning the sockes inside out and putting the shoes and socks back on). It was funny and R and I always took so long chaning Z's flat tires that he never won a race. Actually his boot almost fell off one time because we didn't get it all the way on. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. It was a fun night and after 4 races Z came home and crashed.

President Gordon B. Hinckley dies at 97

Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, dies at 97.

Last night when I heard President Hinckley died a profound sense of loss hit me. For a few minutes I was so sad and then I imagined the happy reunion that President and Sister Hinckley must be having.

I have always loved Presdient Hinckley's direct approach to everything. He always says it how it is. I loved a conference talk he gave a few years ago where he reminded us as mothers to do the best we can. I remember his words whenever I start feeling overwhelmed as a mom.

One of my favorite books is "Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley". Sister Hinckley is a role model for me and I love reading about her and President Hinckley in this book. She shares glimpses into her life and President's Hinckleys as well and there are many fun and cute stories about the two of them.

I will miss President Hinckley.

Wacky Week

Hi, I haven't been around for awhile. I've just been busy with work. I work for an airport shuttle and we are the official transportation for the Sundance Film Festival so it has been crazy. The festival started January 17th and runs through Monday, January 28th. The few weeks preceding the festival were super busy for me and I now during the festival it's also crazy. Mom flew up from St. George Friday night and is taking care of the kids for me since I'm working 12+ hour days. I haven't checked my personal email or been on the computer for personal stuff for most of the week. We are almost done so I keep reminding myself of this when I get overwhelmed. My mom is such a blessing since I am away from the kids for so long but I feel better knowing they are with Grandma.

This past Saturday was a free day for me which never happens during the festival. I took Mom up to Logan to see my sister. My sister's family was moving into a new house so we helped a little and visited with Tiffany. Yesterday was Tiffany's birthday and she was stuck home with sick kids so what a bummer.

A woked up with a little fever Saturday morning and by Saturday night she was hot. I took her to Kids Care Sunday night and I was sure she had a ear infection but she didn't and she tested negative for strep. Last night when I got home from work she was still so hot and miserable that I thought I would take her back to the doctor today. Luckily when we woke up this morning she no longer had a fever and Mom said she is feeling better.

Things will be more normal next week, YAY!

Happy Birthday Tiffany!

Monday Madness

I had a tough week last week and Friday was a little emotional but I am doing much better. I thought I had prepared myself for such a busy time at work but the balancing act between home and work was beginning to topple. I still have a busy two weeks and I'll be happy when the 28th is over. I really am blessed to be able to work from home even when I have to sacrafice my sleep in order to do this.

Saturday was nice. I planned on cleaning and organizing and although I got a little of this done I didn't do as much as I had hoped. My SIL and her two kids spent a few hours with us in the afternoon and it was good to visit with her and my kids enjoyed playing with their cousins. Then Patty and Brain came over in the evening and I hadn't seen them for over a month. We had an enjoyable visit over dinner and finally exhanged our Christmas gifts. My kids have loved their gifts from the Wilcox family and I love the gift Patty is making for me.

Sunday our church changed to 1:00pm and we still managed to run late. I spent the morning preparing my YW lesson and my visiting teachers came by. I did put dinner in the crock pot so we could eat after church. We didn't do family night like I had planned, but I spent time working on Z's Bobcat Badge for Cub Scouts. If I had been more organized I could have incorporated that into a family night lesson. We were doing good on our family nights and we've missed the last two weeks.

Today has been crazy and maybe I can at least get the dishes done before I go to bed.

Finally Friday

This has been a really rough work week for me so of course when work is challenging so is my home life. I have so much pre Film Festival stuff plus all my regular work stuff so I'm barely keeping my head above water. Last night was nice because R came home about 5:30pm which is early compared to what time he's been coming home the last few weeks. I cried on his shoulder for awhile about how overwhelmed I felt and how I didn't have any dinner going and didn't plan any dinner. I appreciated him just listening and understanding and not getting frustrated with our messy house and telling me to just quit working if it's "so hard". I thought I was mentally prepared for the Festival, I've been doing is for doing it for 13 years but there was more pre Festival stuff for me to do this year and A just keeps me so busy, plus the other two kids. I have two more week and it will be over and my life will return to a somewhat normal state again. I had to get up extra early to do payroll this morning so I'm sure that's why I'm even more emotional, I am very tired. I'm sorry I'm a downer today.

Shredded Wheat or Hay?

Yesterday I ate Shredded Wheat for breakfast. Well my 5 year old S insisted that she try it and said she would like, which I knew was unlikely. After a few bites her brother Z asked what she was eating and S very seriously said "hay". When her dad came home from work last night she informed him that she ate hay for breakfast. Of course she didn't like and won't try Shredded Wheat again. I actually like Shredded Wheat, not as much as Lucky Charms though.I did okay yesterday on my eating but I could have done better. It's hard when I'm home during the day I just want to eat whatever is around. I drank my water and only did the treadmill once.

Wednesday Goals:
Walk on the treadmill 30 minutes
Drink 8 glasses of water
Eat healthy snacks
Plan healthy meals for the remainder of the week

I made the Ranch Dressing recipe I posted and I thought it was yummy and easy. The family liked it also but then who doesn't like Ranch? For dinner I made Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops although I didn't use the chipotle and I made the Maple Squash Puree. The pork chops were good and again my family like them. R liked the squash, my 2 girls spit it out and Z wouldn't even try it. I thought it was okay. I'm not a big squash fan (or for that matter I'm not a big vegatable fan) so I have to force myself to eat it, even when there's lots of butter and sugar. I would make both recipes again.

Tuedsay Things

Yesterday I only drank about half my water and I didn't fold all the clean laundry. Laundry just never ends so I'm not sure how to keep up with it (I HATE laundry!). The kids and did keep our reading goal so I'm hoping we finish our current book so we can start some of our new books.

• Walk on the treadmill 30 minutes twice today
• Drink 8 glasses of water
• Research Weight Watchers Online program
• Keep working on the laundry
• Clean off my island in the kitchen

I don't plan on going into the office today and I'm looking forward to staying home while S is in morning kindergarten. Most Tuesdays I use that time to run errands since I only have one kid with me but today I'm going to use the time to clean up the house, it's just discouraging when it's a mess.

Monday Goals

R left for work about 2:45am yesterday morning and I talked to him a few times on the phone. This past weekend we were super busy at work so I was prepared to have him be home very much. He didn't make it home last night. Luckily I left an overnight bag for him at work and there is bedding in case he needs to sleep there I just hope he got some sleep before he had to help drive again this morning. I worry about him when he doesn't sleep enough. When we were dating he worked all night (this time of year) without sleep and later in the morning he was running an errand and fell asleep at the wheel and went head on with an armored truck. His injuries were minimaul but it was a scary expereince. I hope he can leave work early so he can get some sleep.

I am up to work and excercise. I have work emails to catch up on and the Biggest Loser starts today so I am starting to excercise again. My goals today are:

• Walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes
• Drink 8 glasses of water
• Fold my clean laundry
• Read with the kids

Z has been reading to me but through the holiday stuff I haven't read as much to the kids and we got some great new books for Christmas that I am excited to read with them.

Saturday Stuff

We got a little snow storm this morning, a very wet snow. R had to spend the day at work so Z and S went out and shoveled our walkway. What sweethearts. They also spent quite a bit of time sledding down the hill in our front yard and having a good time.

I tried to catch up on laundry and my house. I at least tackled some laundry but my house looks worse tonight than it did this morning. I'm not sure how I'll ever be able to keep it clean. We got the kid's room a little more organized and I have a huge DI pile. Last week when I was putting Christmas stuff away I started a DI pile. There are some things we haven't used for years that were easier to part with and other things I'm still hanging onto even if I'm not sure when I'll use them again. For example, my Christmas village, I don't have a ton buy I have quite a few things. I no longer have anywhere to display it and since we started remodeling 4 years ago, I haven't displayed it.

Tomorrow is Stake Conference and since R will be at work all day I'm not going. I just can't brave a 2 hour session with the three kids. I hope to get a few more things done around the house and I think the New Hampshire Presidential Debate is on in the evening so I need to remember to Tivo it. If R doesn't make it home from work early enough the kids and I will have family night as well.

What I Did Today

1. Got up at 3:30am to work for a few hours before the kids got up.

2. Took A to work with me for 2 hours (she napped in the car for about an hour).

3. Picked up S's friend for an afternoon playdate.

4. Put several puzzels together with the kids.

5. Helped Z and S with homework.

6. Read an Arther book with the kids.

Wednesday Wonderings

Today feels like a Monday to me since we are coming out of the holidays so I'm off for the week.

Busy day with work, as the Sundance Film Festival approaches things start getting so crazy. I've been working on all the complimentary shuttles for directors and Sudance Institute staff. The deadline for these reservations is tomorrow so hopefully it will get a little better for a week or so. The festival starts January 17th and in a week our phones at work go crazy until it over on the 28th. My mom is coming up to help with the kids on the 19th so I'll have a few days of pure chaos until mom is here to help. Mom is such a great help and I don't feel so guilty leaving my kids for long periods of time when they with Grandma. Tonight I made two freezer meals that we can use during the festival time and I'm hoping every couple of days to make a few more freezer meals. I also have to have my house in order by about the 15th because once the festival hits everything else takes a backseat and I only do what absolutely has to be done.

Even though I was going crazy with work I stopped and put a couple of puzzles together with the kids. I need to do that more. Stop and listen to them and take more time with the kids and not worry about what I'm not getting done for work or my home. I liked having the kids on Christmas break and not having to work about homework and other school stuff so now we are back to "real" life.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone!

Last week I was reading Marie's blog and her "One little word for 2008" post really impacted me. Marie got the idea from Ali Edward's Blog and I thought this was a great idea and have been thinking about a word I could focus on for the new year. Today I finally decided on my word: BELIEVE. Believe in myself and that I can accomplish things, Believe and stregthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father, Believe I can be a happier mom and wife, Believe in others. Yay for BELIEVING in 2008!

Yesterday when I was reading Tammy's blog and The Biggest Loser entry, I thought I need to sign up for this. I hope and BELIEVE that having a group of other people trying to lose weight will encourage me and also having to be accountable to someone will help me stay motivated.