Body Pump training

Sun. Jan 27-
Yes, I passed!!!!! Body Pump training that is! We all did- Jamie, Cori, Terrie, Kim, Michelle & Paige! So much easier than Body Combat! We spent this whole weekend lifting weights and talking about the program. I was pretty sore last night when I came home, so I did lots of Yoga stretching. When we started this morning, it hurt.

Our Elf- Snowy

Snowy joined our family on Dec 1st, and brought down with him some snow and goodies from the North Pole (powdered donuts and marshmallows for hot chocolate). Some of us were going to eat breakfast with Santa at Valley View this morning, so it was good he didn't bring us a big breakfast. It took us a while to name him since some people wanted to name him Scruffy. :).

Day 2:
We found Snowy playing the piano. Apparently he was doing a good job since he was eating cinnamon candies!

Day 3:

Snowy was found making snow angels in the kitchen.

Day 4:  The kids had started making gingerbread houses, and snowy got into the candy.

Day 5: Snowy was found in the ribbon bin.  I think he started wrapping present for me!

Day 6: "We elves like to stick to the 4 food groups-candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup."-From the movie Elf

Day 7: Found getting into the chocolate chips.  Snowy, you really need to stop eating all this junk food, and you are getting messy!

Day 8: Good job Snowy, you decided to take a bath!

Day 9: Naughty Snowy!  Drawing mustaches on the kids photos!

Day 10:

Silhouette-Letter to Santa

blog@silhouetteamerica.com

Hayden's Lego shelf

The last few weeks

Three weeks ago:

The kids slept over at Gram and Pap's house on Fri. night but I had to work at the Y till 8pm, so Mike and I didn't really get a date out of it. On Saturday we met them for breakfast and then surprised the kids by taking them to a horse farm where Smarty Jones is now living. He is an amazing race horse and won 2 of the 3 triple crown races. Connor absolutely loves horses, so he was in heaven. We walked around the rest of the stables and met some of the other horses. Connor didn't want to leave.

One of the best activities in fall!

I hosted my book club the night before Thanksgiving, and Hayden hosted his own kids book club to talk about the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. Harrison, Zane, Katie Coats and Jordan Ohl were there, and Mike organized the discussion and a few games that were book related. The kids had so much fun they kept asking what the next book would be and where they would have it!

We also really enjoyed our book club too. It was just Jamie, Sue and I, but we had some great discussion on the book East of Eden. It's based on the story of Cain and Abel.

Thanksgiving morning was the Turkey Trot. When we woke up it was rainy and really cold. I was ready to just hang out on the couch and watch the parade, but Hayden suggested we should go.

I'm so glad we did. We had a lot of fun and got a little exercise before the big dinner. Connor and Serena were warm and dry inside the stroller. They loved it too.

We went to my Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bob's house for a yummy meal, catch up, and play the Wii.

Once we came home that evening, I dropped everyone off and went over to Toys R Us to wait in line. I was one of the first 50 and made some new friends while waiting. By the time the store opened at 10pm, the line stretched down past Ollies and down to Kohls at the mall! I got all that I wanted and got out by 11:30 to go over to Target and begin waiting again. I met a nice couple that taught me a lot about electronics while we waited for 4 more hours. But when it opened, I grabbed what I needed, checked out and was out the door at 4:15, on my way home to my warm bed. To me, it's worth it to save so much money and have a better Christmas for my family!

The rest of Fri. and Sat was spent putting up decorations, baking, watching Christmas movies, and relaxing.

Everyone was off school on Mon. as well for the first day of hunting season, so we took advantage and went down to DC for the day. We took the kids to the Air and Space Museum until they got bored, then over to the museum of Natural History to look at the dinosaurs and cool rocks. Then we took the train up to IKEA for a yummy cheap dinner and shopping, then over to the Temple to see the lights...except the lights weren't getting turned on until Wed. Bummer! But we did get to see all the nativities from around the world inside the visitor's center.

Riding on the train-kids LOVE that!

We ate lunch outside-the squirrels were getting a little too friendly!

Excitement at the Air and Space museum.

Look closely at the tree-it's not real, it's made out of metal! It was very cool.

So Serena has taken an interest in my camera lately, and these are just 2 examples of the things she likes to take pictures of!

Writing in my blog two weeks in a row. This could become a habit! This past week was back to normal week. I actually made it to the gym every day for a little bit which my body needed. I taught my first cycle class yesterday and it went really well. I had a lot of fun. I love being able to pick my music and routine and being able to know what time is left and what is coming. Everyone left the class soaked and out of breath so I know I gave them a good workout.

Connor did a sweet thing this past week. We typically have leftovers for dinner on Tues. night so as I walked out to the kitchen to get started, I heard Connor in the silverware drawer and all the containers were sitting out on the counter. I asked what he was doing and he said "I'm making dinner for you since your back hurt." For the record my back has been getting better since I've been going to a chiropractor. Most of the problem is in my neck, so as he adjusts me, the pain is less in my back. But how sweet of Connor to be so thoughtful!

We've enjoyed the beautiful weather outside this past week. Hayden has gotten pretty good at riding my old skateboard while the younger kids are riding on their bikes. In fact, I caught Serena riding the tricycle sailing down the sloped driveway into the road! She loved it until she crashed the 3rd time.

Mike and Hayden got to go to the Navy football game yesterday in Annapolis as part of a Young Men's activity. They had a lot of fun, especially because Hayden got to be with his friend Jordan. He's come to the age where he likes things more if he has a friend with him.

I went over to Sarah's house Tues. night for a Biggest Loser girl's night. We didn't get there till 9pm and I was one of the first ones to leave at 12:30! I don't know if I can keep up with these young girls! It was enjoyable though. Even though I wouldn't partake of their sumptuous goodies, it was fun to talk and get a break.

Halloween activities, today, and beyond

I taught the Young Women (16-17 yr. old) today (Sun.) about the importance of keeping a journal. As any of you who read my blog know, I have not been doing a good job. But there is always repentance, and a chance to change. I had them commit as well as myself to write about something each day that they want to remember.

Before I talk about today, I wanted to record a tender moment I had with Connor on Fri.. Serena had been up all Thurs. night vomiting, so Fri. was a watch movie day. We were watching Charlotte's Web and got to the part where Wilbur was leaving the Fair and had to leave Charlotte behind. Well, with my heightened emotions due to lack of sleep and Connor's tender loving care of animals, we hugged each other and cried and cried. It was so sweet-I think it was the first time that he was able to express his emotions about the death of an animal. And he absolutely LOVES animals.

By Sat. Serena was dragging-she had acquired a cold from her illness, but feeling better. We had the Ashtons, Coys, Coats, Woodwards and another family over for dinner.

Then we proceeded to take 16 kids out Trick-or-Treating. We went around 4 blocks in an hour and we were done.

It was fun for kids and adults. It's so much more fun to go in a big group, and I enjoyed going around our neighborhood.

Hayden was Jenga Fett (sp) from Star Wars, Connor of course is Clifford and Serena a tiger.

Last week was full of Halloween activities starting with the Fall Festival at church on Tues.. Thurs. was dress up at the gym and Connor's preschool party. Hayden had his party and parade at school on Fri. which I couldn't go to because Serena was sick. Then the Coats had a Halloween party Fri. night which Serena and I stayed home from.

Connor's preschool class. One of the activities at the Coats house was to be wrapped up as a mummy.

Sunday was a pretty relaxing day. We went to my parents house for dinner. Monday morning Hayden came down and said his throat hurt and maybe he would stay home from school. He didn't seem that sick to me, but I thought maybe he just needed a break. After I called him in sick to school, I thought about how bad that looked the day after Halloween. Even though we didn't do anything Halloween related on Sun. or even eat any candy! Hayden had thought about going in Monday afternoon because he had a soccer party that night to get a trophy. But he started crying because he was so tired and didn't want to go to school, but really wanted to go to the party. So I told him not to worry about it and go rest. He took a 2 hr. nap! The last time he did that I think he was 3 or 4! Over dinner he debated whether to go to the party because he really was feeling bad but didn't want to miss it. I can understand that as I am the same way, so I convinced him to go. The party was only 1/2 hr. and not a big deal, but he was glad he went.

The rest of the week continued with Hayden waking up sick and me calling the school. Tues. I woke up really sick with a fever and cold as well so we watched movies and hung out in the living room. My best part of day was having our first fire in our new home.

Wed. and Thurs. were about the same except that I took Hayden to the doctor and was diagnosed with strep throat.

On Thurs. Vicki Fryer called me and asked if Connor would like to play with her son Cyrus. She would come pick him up and feed him lunch before preschool. What a wonderful blessing for both him and I! He already has a lot of energy and to be cooped up in the house all week was just torture for him.

Nanny came back from N.C. Thurs. night so on Fri. I got to go to Target by myself! I spent a long time just wandering around. Then she watched the kids so Mike and I could go on a date! I still wasn't feeling great so we just got some hot chocolate and went to Borders. It sounds like a poor man's date, but we really enjoy that. And just being able to have a conversation that is not interrupted and is not over our cells phones is wonderful.

Sat.-My best part of day was going to the Graver's to have dinner and spend time with their pygmy goats, chickens and BIG dogs. As I mentioned earlier, Connor and Serena both LOVE animals, just like me. So we had a blast. The goats are just like kids and are so funny. And I loved getting to know Sue Graver better, we have several in common.