much needed

I am so far behind in blogging some events so I'm gonna post a few things that happened the last few months.
March 1:
Right off we moved to a new apartments and we're kinda in love with it. I WILL post pictures soon but it has 10 foot ceilings, a 2 car garage, 3 bedrooms 2 bath a bigger back yard and a LARGE master bedroom with a door to the backyard. Bigger kitchen and way more storage so we're very happier here. Especially since we lived in a really unsavory part of town and now we live in a very nice neighborhood.
March ?: I got a call from my good friend and old roommate Melissa. She was driving through with her parents and wanted to know if I wanted to meet them at In-N-Out in
St. George. I jumped at the chance and brought my kids to see Auntie Mel. I really love Mel and miss living with her. She was such a good roommate and friend!

Also in March we had St. Patty's day. I wanted to do something fun for the kids (I told Steph to drop hers off for the morning.) and I made green pancakes and tried to make green milk but for some reason it turned blue. Oh well I told the kids I caught the leprechaun as he was changing the milk to different colors in the rainbow and he ran away before he got to blue. Oh the lies we tell to enchant our little ones.

 Anyways besides a few photo deals, more training for the half marathon and our trip home to OREGON (which will be posted about later) that's March 2011 for ya!

oh, the weather outside

So the weather here lately has been AMAZING!!!! Except for today because it's windy but lately we've been upper 70's even hit 80's... nice when you're running and nice when for the kids because we get to do this....

  and we get to meet up with friends and family....

 and we play peek a boo outside...

 and when it's beautiful I can't help but take some photos of beautiful kids...

the trade off

I have been really pondering the intelligence of choices I make. Not even the really huge ones but the every day ones. It's interesting to think about the things we sacrifice or "trade off" for some of our choices.
Daily I'm making these trade offs. A nap instead of washing my dishes, or vice versa. A movie for the kids instead of coming up with creative time. Staying at the park longer which cuts into nap time for the kids. Taking on church callings that can require many hours of preparation cutting into family time. While I deal with most of these without thinking, there has been some pretty big changes in my life health wise that has required a lot of trade-offs and a lot of thought.
Losing weight has been interesting, it's not just the losing weight it's the knowledge that being healthy sure does take a lot of time and effort. Realizing that it's worth it doesn't necessarily make it easier. I exercise now.... A LOT. At least 5 times a week but usually 6. Sometimes I exercise more than 2 hours in a day. I am training for a 1/2 marathon and the thought it almost laughable. I had never even ran a mile without stopping (outdoors) before... ever. I remember in high school running for the presidential fitness badge and I always walked a 1/2 a lap or more. Last Saturday I ran 9.2 miles and dang it I'm proud of myself. I could maybe struggle with 10 "real" pushups before now I can do 100 "real" ones (not without a break but hey I'm working on it) Now before it sounds like I'm a braggart I do have a point. I have worked hard to get to here. I have taken time out of my day, time out of my kids day, time out of my hubby's day to get to this point. And I'm not done. I sometimes have wondered if it's worth it... for me of course it is but what about my family? And the answer is YES.
 When I go running and my husband takes the kids out to grandma's to play or to the park he always drives on my route so they can see me running. This was my idea, I wanted my kids to see me exercise to see that it was a daily thing for mommy. And when we were at the park and Addy went taking off running, her dad asked her where are you going Addy? She said " I just goin runnen dad!" And my heart was uplifted by the fact that I was setting an example for my kids. I don't watch T.V. until they are in bed and though I need to work on not being on the computer so much I try to show them that being active is what you do.
As for my eating it was a huge trade off. Yes it was a cost to my family, one we really had to think about. But surprisingly we didn't feel to much of the pressure because obviously mom wasn't shopping for what she thought might taste good for dinner. Since I am somewhat of an experimental cook I would see lavish recipes with expensive ingredients and want to make it. All of a sudden I was making things that just my kids and hubby would like and we were saving money. It was a trade off to miss out going to my favorite burger joint or pass by my favorite dish in favor of something healthier. Or even the fact that I carry a bottle of approved dressing in my purse and get strange looks when I pull it out. But this trade off was worth it because I am almost 50 pounds lighter and inches and inches smaller, plus my vitals are amazing in fact out of my husbands CNA class I had the best vitals basically meaning my body was the most efficient.

So I'm done right? That is perhaps the biggest trade-off of all. This is a LIFE change. Is it daunting? Heck yes it is. Am I petrified of failure? Yes... yes I am. But I am also confident because I know that even if I decide that the trade-off isn't worth it that day, I know the next day I'll be right back on track because being a healthier me makes for a healthier mommy, and a healthier marriage and THAT is worth it.

Friend LUV

So I just had a great weekend! I ran 8.3 miles Saturday!!!! Yeah for training! I also got ready for a BBQ with Comet and her family. Her best friend from way back was in town and they had always wanted to get friend pictures done. So after a yummy dinner (mmmm... Steak) and yummy dessert (if you like almond stuff you should definitely make the Almond tart from ourbestbites.com) we went out for a photo shoot and had a fun time.

So here's the pics. The first 3 are a few more from the day with ADDY!

She thinks she's funny!

my beautiful girl.

Comet and Larissa
Let me just say a little jealous of these ladies legs... so shapely :) while mine are trunks :(
(by the way Comet's real name is Hayley just FYI)

Larissa is so FUN! Addy loves her and she's so good with my kids (she even changed a stinky while visiting can you say AWESOME!)

they LUV eachother

you can tell these two have been friends for a loooong time they are so comfortable with eachother

I just love COMET I am so blessed to have her in my life and she treats me like family which I love. She is so beautiful inside and out, and I count any day I spend with her as one FANTASTIC day.

Sneak peak! Spring has sprung.

Presidents day weekend 2 of 2

So on Saturday we went out to breakfast at our favorite place with some of our favorite people. We love the wagon wheel... the food is delicious and priced well. And you can't beat the all John Wayne decor. It was raining and we rocked the umbrella. We met up with Ace and her hubby Patrick, and Comet and Dan. Liam and Addy were not very patient for the food to arrive but once it got there they were fine. We said a goodbye with plans to meet up later at Ace's family condo. 

I love Saturdays because I get to spend it with this handsome man

After kids naps we headed back over to St. George to meet up with Ace, Patrick, and Mama Proctor. We ate at the Pizza Factory and then we went swimming at Ace's family condo. Ummmmm... My kids are fish. Literally they need to be supervised because they LOVE the water and Addy is always jumping in and saying "let me do it myself!!" Scary but nice that they love the water.

We LOVE Auntie Ace and Uncle Patrick!! Was sad I got sick the next day so couldn't hang out but hopefully we will see more of them soon!

Presidents day weekend 1 of 2

So Presidents weekend was fun. We had visitors and friends to meet up with so we kept busy. Sadly the actual day of Presidents day landed me in bed with the worse sinus infection. I was so miserable, Liam had it the next day... we took him to the doctor and he's doing much better. I however am just suffering through it praying it will go away soon because I am sick of being sick. Anyways back to the weekend prior to the awfulness. Wednesday night my cousin Coltin and his wife Candace came down. They stayed with Caleb and Steph and went to Zions and red rocks in Dixie. We also had a "family" dinner at LaRae's featuring our freshly butchered cow... Let me say those were dang good steaks. Coltin is a Steele which is my mom's side of the family. I love the Steele's. Did you know there is  A LOT of us. I think 84 first cousins. I'm number 56 or something like that. Anyways we like each other too.  And what's more amazing is that we haven't had a cousin pass away. It's amazing. Why you say? Well the Steele's aren't exactly normal. We have extreme sportists (is that a word), farmers, dare devils, soldiers, and just plain ol' bad luck that run through our family. Coltin is no exception. He cut off his foot last year. THE DAY BEFORE HIS WEDDING. literally the day before, and literally cut off. The prognosis wasn't good the doctors said it was a loss, but the Steele's don't go for that. My aunt Kris found a doctor who would reattach the foot. They said he probably wouldn't walk on it. He did though. It was so gross before... and be prepared it ain't pretty now but it is amazing.

Coltin's foot. Isn't it amazing what medicine can do these days?

His big toe ended up being removed, it just wouldn't work.  And the weird looking flesh... well that's one of his abs. Seriously an ab on his foot. They took one out put it there and BAM he's walking. It is so AMMMAAAZING in a "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little" way. Anyways happy ending, he got married to his sweetheart, and he can walk. So he was showing us his foot and Addy was totally engrossed in it. She loves "Owies". Coltin told her she could touch it. She did (I didn't even want to touch it). Then she plops down on the floor hikes her pant leg up and says 

look at my owie..... you can touch it.

Really Addy? She is so funny.

The rest of that night was spent watching the kids play, beat each other up, and dive bomb off a stool onto a mattress. On Friday Coltin's beautiful sister Malia showed up with her boyfriend. I'm sad I didn't get a picture. Malia is so funny and it was good to visit Friday night with her. They went to Vegas the next day and so I said goodbye that night. I love when family comes to visit. It's fun because we just like chatting and hanging out. Hope we can do that more this year!!!

4 on 1... sadly Gage brings this on himself quite often

ready, set

jump

free falling.

Sometimes you have to LEAP.

Mornings

Do you ever have one of THOSE mornings?

How do you get out of the funk?

(and no for the record I am not feeding my son a corn dog for breakfast, it's a sausage/pancake dog geesh what kind of parent do you think I am)

BE MiNE

It's Valentines Day!! It's also a happy birthday to friends from home Denise and J.D. , and to our cousin in China, Jordan! Valentines is kinda funny. Both Daniel and I never really had Valentines before we met so it's still new this day of love celebrating. Want to see what I got Daniel....

Let's take a peek shall we...

Hahaha Really?? Sorry but spending $58 plus on something silly isn't in my budget... however buying him my favorite body wash is practical, though we both laughed when we came out of "That" store with only something for him :) I also got him a tie, book, and 2 new King size pillows for our bed. Want to know what he got me?

Clothing for himself?!? Actually it's pretty funny. I told him that it was a hubby error that was going in the books. Just to clarify my hubby is very thoughtful, and not selfish. Now on to the story. Daniel talked Valentines day up this year... he had "plans" I told him it's no big deal but started wondering about these plans. When we took an unexpected trip to Provo to get our 1/2 a beef we ate out at a restaurant and I said oh this can be our Valentines, but he said nope I'm getting you something. Again with the hope raising. Anyways I decided to go get the pillows and book for him today thinking his plans were gonna show up my body wash and tie. He gets home with a big bag from Ross. Addy was so excited jumping up and down to show Daddy his "balentin" present that I didn't ask about the bag. As I was showing him his stuff, I said "oh, that shirt you have is new" He then said the shoes and pants are too and I got one more shirt. I started laughing saying sooo that's not for me? He turned red saying yeah my plans didn't work out I figure I'll just give you money for Valentines to go shopping. (Now in my defense I really don't care but he was building me up for a few days) I just laughed at him saying did you seriously buy yourself stuff today and come home to more gifts and not do anything for me? He told me all of his plans and I told him his problem was he was trying to make such a big deal out of Valentines. I didn't want a hotel suite reserved, or some fancy gift just a note saying have a fantastic day would have been the best. I told him next year don't tell me you've got big plans for us because it's hard not to feel let down. Live and learn huh. He was super sweet and watched mine & Stephs kids so we could go running. And he took me to the mall and to ice cream tonight. He cracks me up, telling me he's sorry I got a dud of a hubby. He couldn't be more wrong though. I don't know any other husband that is so willing to support in everything. He is always trying to encourage and pitch in, and that's worth far more than superficial gifts. Also he gave me best gift of all... a chance to be a mommy to these 2 love bugs

These two are so much fun to be with, they sure make my job easier!!!! Love you all and hope you had a great day with your loved ones, I know I did :)