Last game of the season

For Fall ball we joined the Cal Ripkin League since our coach Bob wasn't coaching for Kearns American. Overall we had a good experience with the league and Braeden has done really well.

Sliding head first into home and was safe by the hair on his chinny chin chin!

Waiting to steal home.

Hit two triples this game! I am so proud of him, he progressed into such a great ball player this year. We have looked forward to all his games from early spring until now. A year of great friends and playing ball, what more could a 9 year old want.

He was given a chance to catch this season and decided he really enjoyed playing this position. He pitched and played 1st base as well. One of his coaches said he was an "all around good ball player." We were very proud of him! Thanks to all who came to watch him!

He FINALLY gets to play!

Waiting to steal home! (or be told by the base coach to run to the next base)

Check out the stance of that batter! This was after the true wind-up! He practiced on our Hit-away for hours just for his games! He was so excited to finally get to play a game.

This one went ALMOST to the pitchers mound!

Running for the ball (with all 12 other players) Once he got to the ball he just laid there, after being tackled by another player, and wouldn't throw the ball or even stand up. It was cute the first couple of games but then our cute coach Kim held the tacklers by their hoods! It was great! Peewees Kearns American in the spring!

I wish I had done this 9 years ago

I wish I had learned about this way of keeping a journal when I first became a mom. I would love to look back at Braeden and Lexee and keep track of their growth and development. This was taken shortly after McCoy's 2 month appointment. He was closer to 10 weeks. He weighs 9 lbs 2 oz, and is 21 inches long. He is holding his head up really well and is smiling when talked to. He is not on the growth charts yet but if he holds to his genetics (of course only his dad's) :) he will definitely get on and stay on! People comment all the time about his eyes. I used to say they were like Braeden's only inside out, but he is growing into his cutie little face! We are so in love with Bacoy or Nacoy or Bug or beebee!

Where is Cody?

The famous question by family, friends and even strangers where ever we go. 3 years ago we were blessed with news that Cody had been hired at Kennecott. Who wouldn't want to get a paycheck to play, Ohh I mean drive trucks. Soon after Cody was hired he was given the name Bruiser, someone thought he looked like a good bouncer :) His buddies include A-Rod, Thunderstick, Maybe, McCoy(look familiar), and many others. Don't ask me their real names, I don't think Cody even knows. 10-4 Good Buddy!We took Talan up to see Daddy's work. These tires are really on the trucks. They stand 12 feet 6 inches tall.

That truck, the little one in the back, is a Ford F-150, it has to have a flag that is 8 feet high above it to be seen by the driver. Otherwise, the driver of the haul truck could go right over the top of it. The haul truck is on it's way to dump the load. Loaded the truck drives 8 MPH and unloaded it can go as fast as 40 MPH.

You can see 3 steps that lead to a staircase to the deck. The deck can comfortably hold 6+ lawn chairs across the truck. Cody climbs in the door to begin his 12 hour day or night of driving, reading and jamming to his favorite tunes on his Ipod. Don't get me wrong, he is not isolated. He also plays trivia with his buddies on their radios.

The drivers wait to be loaded with the Ore, and then they dump it either in a dump or in the crusher. There are as many as 60 trucks driving at the same time.

We feel so blessed to be a part of the Kennecott team. The company has blessed our life. Even though Cody works really hard, he plays hard too. He often says that he wants our kids to know the value of work and taking care of family. He wants them to remember that when he is at home he plays hard, teaches his kids and enjoys his family and hobbies.

Kearns Town Parade

Lexee danced with her performing team in the Kearns Hometown Days Parade. She did a great job and we were so proud of her!

The Feeders

Ok so I decided to put this on our blog and not on Facebook since only a few read this. It was so funny to Cody and I that I can't resist it:

I had just stepped out of the shower and not realizing Talan in our room playing with Cody. Talan looked up at my gorgeous wet body and said, "Daddy, look there's the Feeders!" We were a little unsure of what he was talking about until it became rather clear when he pointed at my upper mid section below my chin...you know where... But we really knew what he was talking about when he said, "THE BABY FEEDERS, LOOK DAD LOOK!" I quickly turned around and then he shouted, "You missed it Dad, I can't see the feeders anymore!" I died and then I made a subconcious new rule that I would lock the door until I was completely dressed. Also, I will be a little more modest when I nurse McCoy.

2 months old *sniff, sniff*

I know people say it all the time, but I really can't believe how fast kids grow up! What a wonderful baby we have been blessed with. He is a welcome addition to our family and completely adored by both brothers and his big sister!

We decided to get away and head to Park City for a couple of days. There is a new Alpine Coaster, everyone was able to ride, that was so fun! It goes 45 miles an hour down the mountain. Cody, Braeden and I rode the Zipline down the mountain going 30 miles an hour, it was great! I was surprised to see how adventurous Lexee was. Talan and Lexee loved the Launch Tramp the best. Brae loved all the higher adventure stuff but no one could beat a good game of Mini Golf or should we say mini baseball. We don't go anywhere very often and this weekend was great to spend time together as a family!

More B-NANA Bread

About a year ago I posted about my mom's Banana Bread that Talan calls B-NANA bread. She made some a couple of weeks ago and the kids tore into "their" special loaves.

Seriously we don't live very far from my Mom and Dad!

No, Seriously we live 8 houses away from them and the kids couldn't resist the 4 second drive home. (I know why do we drive to her house...that's another point)

McCoy's blessing

Cody blessed McCoy on Sunday. He blessed McCoy that he would desire to walk in Christ's footsteps and that he would be an example and help to our family. He thanked our Heavenly Father for the health of McCoy. It was a beautiful blessing. I am so thankful that Cody holds and honors his priesthood.

bAck 2 ScHooL

I can't believe how big they are getting. Lexee just entered 2nd grade.
Braeden (a little embarrassed of the picture-takin' mom) is now in the 3rd grade.

3 Weeks of Summer Vacation

Year round school only gives 3 weeks for summer vacation. We tried really hard to squeeze some fun activities in before starting school again.
Lexee sharing her face painting talents with Logan.

Ice Blocking at Murray Park.

The 24th of July took us to Fort Douglas where families of soldiers are invited to enjoy a BarBQ and activities for the kids. Thanks Uncle Richard for all you do for our country!

Just learning how to do bunny ears, now even more fun to take pictures.

Drive In to see Up and the Proposal.

Here we are hiking Silver Lake and Twin Reservoirs. It was really fun to take a random Wednesday and hike with Jake, Ness, Steph & a whole lot of kids.

Love the Baby Bjorn. McCoy (just over 3 weeks old) did really well for the whole hike. He hung out with Cody's hat over him to avoid any sun exposure. Co got a great idea of what it is like to be pregnant, as he hiked with this baby on his tummy.

Steph and I picked up jogging strollers. No we aren't jogging yet, but we have goals. The kids ride their bikes and we try really hard to keep up.

MIA- Lexee was with Ness.

Happy Birthday Brae!

Brae turned 9 on July 16th. It is so hard to believe that he is growing so fast. He is such a fun kid to be around. He swims in AXE body spray, wears baseball hats most all the time, tells people that he is almost an adult and is willing to live life to the fullest.
I wished on his cake that I could tell Braeden and have him truly understand how much we love him. He adds so much pride to our family. He is witty and kind. He is the first to rush to someone's defense.

I also wished on his cake that I could go back and hold him again as a baby. I would have held him more, cuddled him more and spent more time just looking at him. He is one heck of a kid and we love him so much! Happy Birthday Brae!

"Wow Mom you are THIRTY-TWO!!"

Pedicures and Brunch! It's like we are grown-ups!
We were suckered in and got a little nail art but we did politely decline the twofer one wax special. Those nail people could sell you sand when your on the beach!

The Big Green

I love the hospital binkies, the smell, the look, everything about them. This is the only kid I have had where the binky is almost as big as his head!
Oh and Co, when we loose this one...prepare for the tears, I am sure McCoy will be OK, I don't know if I will recover though! Those baby blues are a doozy!!

All Stars & The Bees

We took our favorite All Stars, Brae and Cole to the Bees game. Of course all we heard was, "I coulda hit that!" "Come on Blue what kinda call was that!" "It's outta here!" "Strike!" "Good eye!" Lex has a thing for baseball players already! I told Brae he better get used to her "hanging" around his friends, it's all down hill from here."

Fun in the Sun

Tanning?
Couldn't leave McCoy out, he sleeps anywhere we go so we might as well entertain ourselves.

Swimming at Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center

Not camera shy at all.

Working on the tan for the 3rd grade :)

Love the goggles!

Working on the upper arm tan :)

All Stars- First Tournament

So sad... Wants to play so bad! He enjoys practicing with Jake and Chase on their field.
I wish I could just link to Kim's blog, she took these pictures and lots more. Thanks Kim!

Brae and Cole Brae & Cole after their 1st win against American Fork!

Check out the leg! Only Kim could have caught this shot!

This was his double! The Kearns American All Stars did a great job this tournament! They gave them a great run and really played well as a team!

4th of July Celebrations

Celebrating the 4th with the Baldwin's. Bar-B-Q & Fireworks at Dan & Marci's
Breakfast at Vinessa & Jakes then the West Jordan Parade

Celebrating the 4th on the 3rd with The Thompson's

Bike riding at our favorite park

McCoy doing what he does best these days!

Picnic

What's the 4th (or 3rd) without a little baseball? Then again, what's any day without baseball when Brae and Tal are present?

Super powers baby...

Since McCoy was so little he was a high risk for a rising billirubin. 15 minutes before springing from the hospital (we thought scott free) the Doctor came in and told us he needed to be on lights. We couldn't bare to put him on the billi bed with the net over his little head, so thanks to Jaymi's expertise, we were able to just use the billi blanket. I realize this is a minor setback, but it was one we hadn't dealt with any of the other kids. We are now experts! He was free from the heel pricks and the light blanket 5 long days after coming home. YEAH!

Going Home

I want my OWN!

I had to take McCoy from Talan to change his diaper. Tal got so upset that he said, "Fine, I want my own." I said, "Your own what?" He replied back, "MY OWN MCCOY!"

Welcome McCoy Miles Baldwin

Born June 26, 2009 @ 4:56pm

5 lbs. 10 oz. 17 inches tall

Caution: May be graphic :)

We entered Jordan Valley Hospital for a 7:30 induction on Friday June 26th. I enjoy (for lack of a better word) inductions because I have a huge fear of going into labor and not having enough time to shave my legs or paint my toenails. Everything was completely planned, just how I like it. Steph came over to get Brae and Lex ready for school and take Talan for the day. When we got to the hospital, the really nice nurse started a really painful IV with pitocin and pennicilin. Then we sat and waited. Then we waited some more. Finally, the contractions started and I requested an epidural. The epidural doc came in and did a great job, despite my falling blood pressure. Cody held my hand and we continued waiting. With my other inductions going really fast, I anticipated that I would be done by noon or so. By noon, I was a whopping 3! So we waited some more. After a few sitcoms and some country music, I was finally complete. I felt some pressure as Co was trying to figure out the camera and video camera. I told him that we might want to get the nurse, that something felt weird. By this time, I could feel one side of contractions and lots of pressure with each. So the nurse came in and little McCoy was crowning. She ran out to call the doctor and when he came in, he told me not to push yet. So...he sat down, gowned up and ready and said, "OK...on the next contraction PU...NEVERMIND" McCoy just came, no pushing, no sweating, no screaming...nothing he just came. He weighed in as our smallest baby, but healthiest!

OVER DUE APPRECIATION

so here is my attempt to suprise heather to publicly show how much i love and appreciate her for all she does for our little family. y'all know we just recently had our 'LITTLE' McCoy, weighing in at a wopping 5lbs 10oz he's the runt of the family, heath did a fantastic job.

when i first met heath i had no direction after spending the first 5days with her that i could that quickly turned around. i knew what i wanted in life (kind of), she was different, we often talk of what could of been or how it would've been if we never met, something im glad i don't have to go back and try to find out. because of heather i have goals in life instead of just letting it pass me by without a care in the world.

with that being said,

sweatheart, im greatful for all the challenges we've had in our short little life together and look forward to the challenges we will have in our life to come because that's what makes our love so strong for eachother. thank you for our 4 beautiful children you have given us, especially the great nature and time out you take to teach them in school and lifes lessons that's why we have such good kids.

I LOVE AND APPRECITATE YOU VERY MUCH!!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Missing: Cody(at work), Jaymi (watching Parker) & Parker (ever met him?)

Braeden's thoughts in the sealing room, "Really mom, married forever, are you sure, to the same person?"

Talan walked a fine line only occasionally going outside of the boundaries set by the temple. I have a feeling he may test more than just those boundaries.

Lexee's thoughts, "My favorite part was everything, especially that the mirrors never end."

100% Spelling Tests = Reward??

Yeah! They all got 100% on their spelling tests this week. For a reward, I took them all skating... or falling...

She did stand for a minute.
He said, "If I just stay like this and scoot, it doesn't hurt as bad!"

What? He can ride a two-wheeler and can't skate...shocking!

"Lex, if you just stay by the wall and hold on you might be able to stand up."

Ohhh Daring Lex ventures from the wall (not for long though). I promised them that if they got 100% on their spelling again next week, I would never MAKE them skate again.

You did great!

LA Dance Company presented the Spring Recital 2009 tonight and the girls did a great job. Lexee, Dani, Ashlee & Taylor have completed a full year with this dance company and have really enjoyed it. Their talents have really developed and they all plan to return next year to continue learning technique, making new friends and developing talents. Lexee was invited to join the Junior Specialty Prep Team for next year which is a team that prepares dancers for competition. We are so proud of this accomplishment. The girls are excited for a little break this summer and anxious to start again.

Nice Shoes

Happy 9th Birthday Tay!

Love Bowling shoes! Talan was obsessed in making sure the velcro was done up. He stopped those who were next to specifically "do" their shoes.

It's pretty sad when bowling shoes are so ugly you can't even tell that these are on the WRONG feet!

"What! I can't keep these?"

What does it take to get a duck to take the bread?

Here's where the fights begin. There was a white goose who attacked another duck refusing to share and so we put him in time out and REFUSED to give him the yummy, stale, hard rolls!

"Come back I am GOING to FEED you whether you want it or NOT!", said Dani.

"Dang, why are you giving the "good" bread away?" said Parker.

"Seriously DUCK take the hard stale snack I have to offer!" said Talan.

"You are not going to leave until you have cleaned your plate." said Ashlee.

Wheeler Farm

Mom, Popcorn and Nursery

Just as a PS for my mother's day post, my mom graciously agreed to sub in the nursery today. I thought it would be fun to pop popcorn for the kids. I took the popper Cody used just last night and gave her explicit instructions. Just as I was beginning to conduct our Senior Primary, Alli came in to say they needed me in the Nursery for just a sec...

The next thing you know the hallway has a little smoke in it and the Nursery Room is SMOKING. With windows opened, and critically avoiding the fire alarm I had a little meeting with my substitutes asking them to just tell me they didn't WANT the calling, they didn't need to go to such extremes. I don't really know how the fire started, nor do I know how long it burnt but I do know everyone got out unharmed :)

Our Moms

I realize I am a tad late at posting this. I kept waiting for the perfect time to take an award winning photo of both our moms. Instead I really want to to get this posted so that they both will know how much we love them before they forget who we are...Cody is a great reader of our blog but not much of a writer of our blog. So I asked him to be a part of this blog and write about his mom. I have specific expectations, so it will be a question and answer.
The best memory I have as a child of my mom is: She made holidays awesome, even St. Patricks Day. If my mom could give me any advice it would be: To be a good husband and father to my family.I love my mom the most because: She has always told us that she loved us, no matter what we did and we DID a lot. She always kissed and hugged us telling us that she loved us EVERY night before bed. I love you MUM!


The best memory of my mom is: As a teenager my mom was a pretty cool mom and when I started dating she really enjoyed getting to know the boys who came to pick me up. One specific boy (Co) gave her flowers when he picked me up. The look on her face was awesome.
The funniest thing about my mom is: She came home from a date with my dad and walked in with her nylons in her hand (not on). Of course I didn't know what this meant, but I did find it odd. She also went to work with two bras on and she has been known to forget them from time to time such as going to church! If my mom could give me any advice it would be: I would have to say she would tell me to let my children be children. I love my mom the most because: she loves me unconditionally, never lets me believe I am anything but perfect and is ALWAYS willing to be my mom, a shoulder to cry on and the best support any daughter could ask for. I love you mom!

I married my Prom Date!

Not long after we met, my mom awoke me to a surprise outside. I had been toilet papered. It was about to rain and I was not very happy to have to clean up such a mess. Accompanying the toilet paper mess was a large poster with the words, "All of my hopes and dreams will be flushed, if you don't go to Senior Ball with me." Though I was irritated as the Spring rain started, I accepted the invitation to go with Cody to Senior Ball. I was a Senior Class Officer and this meant that I was involved with the planning of the event. So now Cody was very involved as well. We woke the morning of Senior Ball and headed to the University of Utah, where the dance was going to be held and started with the balloon arch. Cody, blistered but happy was a huge help. He tied hundreds of balloons (I would have, but my nails...) Later that afternoon we went home to get ready. He picked me up with his friends and their dates in a large van. The van was decorated like a Hawaiian Luau, equipped with a volcano in the back made of butcher paper. He and his friends had made leis they gave to us. We went to a friends house for a home cooked meal by our dates. Then off the dance. I had been to many high school dances, but none like this. I was with someone who was different, someone, I knew meant a lot to me already. The theme was Dreams to Remember and this night really was a dream to remember. We had a wonderful time and ended the night with out first kiss! Just for fun, go back to the 90's for a minute...Yep that's babies breath I had shoved into my hair that was in a diamond banana clip, with curly whisps framing my face. My dress had a bow on the back at the waste with sheer stuff hanging from it flowing, and Cody had long hair on top but around his head which was shaved. I was wearing "flats", though that may have been that I didn't want to tower over Co, not necessarily just the style. Ohh the good 'ole days of Kearns High School Senior Ball May 13, 1995.

Relishing in Savings

Since I have stayed at home, I have found myself constantly looking for ways to save money. I came across an opportunity to make this easier. I went to a SIMPLY BLISS BOUTIQUE and advertised there was a service called www.myfoodstoragedeals.com
Before this service I would look at the ads but find myself questioning if something was really that great of a deal, now there is someone telling me what is and what I need to stock up! For the first few months, I took 2-3 hours and went from store to store getting the great deals.

Until I got brave enough to take the ads in to Walmart and they price matched everything. The pictures shown are of todays shopping trip of which I spent about $85.00 on. You will see 8 boxes of cereal (the real stuff, not the off brand), ground beef (4 pounds) 6 loaves of whole wheat bread, brownie mixes, grapes, apples, cucumbers, limes...

Tortillas, PB and jam, Sunny Delight ($1.00), chicken, steamed veggies, oranges (8lbs) , banana's, ketchup, TP (24 double rolls=48 reg rolls for $5.99) I can't even list everything I got on sale! I get such a rush from saving money. I totalled up what I would have spent and saved $94.00!!!

I have to give credit where credit is due. Check out this website: www.dealstomeals.com I signed up for $4.95 and they give a great guide to adding to your food storage a week at a time, also giving you recipes to use with the sale items...It's a great investment!

Consequences of thinking your 20

Talan is showing his dad how to really use the crutches...
It's just a sprain said the Urgent Care Doctor...

But he will need to ICE (Ice, compression & Elevate) the sprained ankle. After slam dunking a basketball Cody came to the harsh realization that he is no longer in his 20's and needs to take special care and play with the older generation where dunking is not allowed and the pace is slowed way down. Apparently Brae and Tal are just too much skill for him :)

Season's First Rides

Co broke out the motorcycle this weekend and we couldn't keep the kids off of it. Lexee and Talan both learned how to ride a two wheeler without training wheels.

Brae says it again...

A car had stalled across the street and someone made a comment, "Is that a man or a woman?" Braeden out of nowhere says, "A Christian!"

We are the Champions with the help of a few experts

We are the champions (or at least we know a few) and have now crossed the finish line. With a couple of months to spare, we had "no time for losers" We can't thank everyone enough for their help in finishing our basement. This is leading down the stairs to our "reading room". This is a perfect space for some bean bags and a book shelf for silent reading.

Braeden moved his stuff quickly to his room. He makes his bed every morning now and has requested no blinds or curtains saying, he likes to "watch the trees move"??? Talan has also spent the night here with Brae...Aww he misses his buddy.

Thanks to mom and dad for helping out with the $$$ and broken water pipe, Kenny for too much to list (electrical, heating, framing, insulation, mud, doors & molding), Justin for spending countless hours "bonding" with Cody as he sheetrocked & textured, Alyssa for the paint (LOVE the color) Richard and Dad for framing, Steph for letting us use her sprayer and telling me to have Cody do it and for everyone and their encouraging comments as we tried our hardest to learn from others as we go. For those of you who know Cody and I really understand what a huge feat this was for us. We do not ever claim to be handy (just ask Cody about the Christmas lights, shelf in the garage and dog run...) Anyone missing any tools please check with us as we didn't have more than a hammer before beginning and have aquired a few things that we really don't know what to do with :) Co and I will keep on fighting to the end :)

Easter

The Easter Bunny visited and left a "romikle" or motorcycle for Talan. He thought it would be perfect since Talan is OBSESSED with Cody's motorcycle. I guess McCoy will get more use out of it. Of course the Easter Bunny purchased it before realizing he could now ride a "two-wheelo wif no training wheels".

Ang planned a fun Easter afternoon equipped with cupcakes and all the fun stuff to decorate them with and everyone helped provide a delicious meal. It was nice to get together with little to no stress.

Baseball season arrives in FULL SWING

Ready to steal 3rd base!

Hits a double

He's ready to SMACK it!

Playing 3rd base Brae catches a fly ball...2nd out

Catches a grounder and tags the runner...3rd out in a row. The coach told our coach he wanted to see Brae's birth certificate :) Great job for your first game Brae!

Nearing the Finish Line with Doors!

They are up and they open and close!

Little Bunny Foo Foo arrives early

Nana & Grampa have to work on Easter, so we celebrated a little early. Because of the weather our party started out at Nana's house to decorate Easter baskets. There was $5 prize. To our surprise everyone WON!

Then we moved to our house and played "Don't eat PETE!" It's a great game that is entertaining for both big kids and toddlers!


Then we traveled a while (across the street) to Steph's for the Easter Egg hunt!

Out of the mouth of Brae...AGAIN

Talan learned how to ride his bike without training wheels TODAY. Yep in one day. So I mentioned to Brae how I bet he can't wait to teach McCoy how to do stuff. He replied, "Yep I am gonna teach HIM(with emphasis) how to do the work. Before you GOT PREGNANT (more emphasis) YOU (the most emphasis) used to load the dishwasher!"

Texture, Sanding and Paint...

Mud and Tape were done by Mr. P and Kenny. Thanks again!
Texture was done with the help of Justin and the broom stamp...if you don't have one get one! Thanks again!
No one ever told me to wear a mask when spraying paint. People should know I have no common sense when it comes to remodeling...just ask Kelley. I spent all night long coughing and blowing paint out of my nose, but the primer was accomplished! And now comes the color...Thanks Alyssa for the paint! We love the color!!!

11 Years Down and FOREVER to go

We celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary March 10th. We had a busy week so we waited until things slowed down to celebrate just the two of us. This last Monday we booked a room at The Castle Creek Inn in far away Cottonwood Heights (by the Walmart) It was so nice to forget about life for a whole day. We started out the day with a movie and then we headed downtown. We spent some time in the Visitors Center of the Salt Lake Temple. There is a small room where you can listen to a Modern Day Prophet talk on Families. We recommitted to our marriage and family. We ate the best dinner at The Melting Pot. It was a great night. Thanks Steph for taking the kids and getting them off to school the next morning.



Our Story:
We met on our Choir Trip our Senior Year in High School on the Beach in San Diego. I was tempted to body board in the ocean. As I was pursuaded by a group of friends, I requested someone show me how and he immediately stood and said that he would. Shocked, I took his extended hand and we headed into the ocean. One wave hit and then the other. Not much of a swimmer, I fell under and couldn't catch my breath. He held on. We spent the trip pretty inseparable. A friend of mine threw me in the pool and Cody rushed to my defense thinking he had hurt me. I knew at that moment I would always be protected and safe with him. The night he came home from Australia after we had both fasted and prayed, he asked me to marry him. My answer was, "Are you sure?" When he replied. "Of course!" I replied, "Then let's..." and we began our lives really young, with nothing to call our own except each other. From the moment I met Cody, I knew he was the one. The one who would protect, serve, love unconditionally, understand and look forward to FOREVER with.
Our wedding was on a beautiful, cool March morning. He arrived at the Temple before us. (Anyone who knows my dad knows that is quite a feat) Because we were both so early, we had a great deal of time in the Celestial Room waiting for our sealing. So we played paper, rock and scissors and complained we were hungry (no time to eat we didn't want to risk being late). We were sealed by Grandpa Baldwin. I remember looking around at so many who loved and supported us. As Cody and I walked back to the couch, he stepped on my train and popped off every button holding it up. We just smiled. We enjoyed our Wedding Breakfast at Little America. It was surreal. Then on to our reception at Seven Oaks Reception Center. Dad got into a fender bender and mom arrived in a police car holding my china and slip. Seven bridesmaids and seven groomsment later, we cut the cake and headed to far away Park City for our first night.
Cody makes me laugh because he is so real. I love his quirks and his obsessive way he folds his socks. We have grown-up together and I am so thankful for our life and FOREVER. I don't go a day without hearing how beautiful I am. When he asks how my day is, he really wants to know. He is so willing to work so hard for our family.

The Honest Scrap Award

I love these kind of tags. Thanks Kelley! I started blogging because I don't journal or scrapbook. So these kind of tags give me a great opportunity to journal.

Here goes the tag:
It is called the honest scrap award and these are the rules...
A) First list 10 honest things about yourself--and make it interesting even if you have to dig deep.
B) Pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of Honest Scrap...

I am deathly afraid of the dark. When Cody works graveyard, I have a light on in every room. When he doesn't work night shift he either leaves a well-thought pathway of light for me and then returns to turns them all off. I know that there are spirits all around us, both good and bad. I just don't want to talk to any of them. Honestly, I feel them so I would just prefer to run as fast as I can out of the dark and into the light...

I am very similar to Kelley when it comes to my conversation skills. I worry all the time that I might have offended someone. I get very nervous if I am just one on one with someone. I am not really confident. I was surprised when I read this about Kelley, but finally did not feel alone.

I love to snack in bed. Pathetic, huh. I don't snack all day but something happens when I go to get into bed. I just want a little something. It can be as simple as a glass of milk or as complex as a cupcake (which I usually can't have, so often I go to bed a little honery). The worst part of this habit is I don't clean up after myself right away, so when Cody comes home in the morning...he can usually tell.

I watch Days of our Lives. OK I DVR it. I know...it's bad but it's something I have done since I swear I was 8 years old. I don't die if I can't watch it, but there is a definite effort made to watch it late at night.

I love change, almost too much. I have to change something all the time. I find myself motivated by change. I clean better if I know I will be moving the furniture. I cook better if I am changing the way I serve. I sleep better if I am changing where I sleep. Hence the 11 moves to our house, like 15 different cars over the 11 years and new and exciting painting since I can't move if I want to stay married.

I am a yeller. I have always been accused of talking really loud. (Working in a nursing home for 12 years has not helped me to tone things down.) I wish I were more soft spoken. I have been told, "I can hear you, I am not across the street" MULTIPLE TIMES Maybe I have a hearing problem or something.

I am not very patient. I can fake patient, but I truly lack this virtue.

I don't ever take my contacts out. I have managed to go as long as an entire pregnancy without changing them.

I have a really difficult time letting things go. I worry about the WhAt If'S in life so much that I literally drive everyone around me crazy and find little joy in the small things.

I am a DREAM CRUSHER. I don't allow myself to dream and make extreme goals. I am always thinking that something will never work so why even try.

I tag the following: Liza, Jamie T, Holly, Cheryl, Stephanie, Hanna & Vinessa.

Real-life walls

We are so lucky to have such good family and friends. Thanks Dad and Justin for your help with the sheetrock!

Out of the mouth of Brae

Braeden has always been really conscious of his body. Today he said to Cody, "Why do you look so good?(With a complete irritated attitude as Cody was reaching in to the fridge.) Then he stuck out his tummy and said when I do this...like you...people call me fat. But I guess you're used to it...


In defense of Cody, he has been working out at the gym every day this week and is GORGEOUS as is! Notice the Olympic theme music as I am fully anticipating Cody's workouts to lead to the Olympics :)

Happy Birthday Lexee!

We are so lucky to have Lexee in our lives. She is so smart and willing to love everyone around her. She is caring and enjoys life. She can wrestle with the best of them and keeps up with her brothers. Lexee came quickly to our family and has kept us on our toes. She has given us scares and always seems to come out ahead of the game. She loves school, has great handwriting and spells so well. She loves to teach school to her cousins and brother. She is such a girly girl, always waiting to get a little older awaiting make-up, driving and a cell phone. She loves to say her prayers! We love you, Lexee, Happy 7th Birthday!

Valentine's Day

Breakfast in bed was a wonderful treat from Braeden and Lexee. Last night we were grilled by what we would want for breakfast if we were to someday get breakfast in bed.

Check out the strawberry on top. I love that Lexee pays attention to detail. A trait I appreciate.

We awoke to some rattling of dishes and some requests to "SHHH they are gonna hear us!" This was the first morning in a while that Cody was there. It was a wonderful surprise with exactly our favorites.

I am very lucky, Cody saved money from something he sold to a friend and bought me some Valentine surprises. I am so thankful for the thoughtfullness of my family!

It was an honor just to be nominated

Thank-you Amber for this award!

It truly was an honor just being nominated :)
I nominate:
Vinessa Baldwin
Jamie Taylor
Liza Nelson
Kelley Allred
Melissa Miller (when you do post, they are great:)
Cheryl Loveless
Holly Strong
Kim Rogers
Jessica Lynch
Claudia Cash
This is what you need to do. Thank the person who gave the award to you, post the award on your blog or on a post, nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude/gratitude, link to the people you chose on your post, and comment on their blogs to tell them about the award!

Electrical..check Heating...check check!

We are moving quite along thanks to Kenny and Jessica! Their expertise is amazing. I wish I knew of a good way to thank them!

NEXT: Sheetrock!

Framing...check!

4 fights, 2 days, a nailgun and a broken water pipe...not bad for amateurs! Thanks Dad for fixing our water pipe (I don't have that much water storage) Thanks Kenny for your nail gun (and all other tools) and help! Thanks Richard for your referee skills and help on the rough DAY 2

After it's all said and done we will still be married. (hopefully) Co just doesn't realize that I am a framer by nature and he really should listen to me.. :)

A journey...a chore...a hammer?

Another boy means we need to build a room. Cody and I are notorious for our handy skills. I think we have a hammer somewhere...
Braeden was anxious to vacuum the spider webs out of the window sill. This was his biggest concern of having a new room he also had an outragous request of some walls and a rug...
Talan is still convinced we are having a girl named Krista, yet was more than willing to help his dad carry the Christmas tree to the shed. He is such a powerhouse!
Our basement is a wealth of treasures...OK we put everything down there we don't care to use, see, or be bothered with...

Lexee is so proud...kind of

We decided to do a gender check at the hospital. Lexee came with us, in the event the baby turned out to be a boy, she would be the one to tell people. We felt that the more involved she was the better for both her emotional status and the well-being of our new arrival. So we got situated in the ultra sound room and the tech came in and started checking. The tech then started saying how much she wished she had only brothers and how she wished she could have been the only "princess" in her family. And then it happened. Lexee was reading the TV above when the tech wrote, "It's a brother!" She seemed OK at first...then she started telling people. Pretty soon I started hearing with a tad bit of attitude, "I know, I know I will be the only princess!" or "Yep all brothers!" or "ANOTHER boy!" I have to admit all I could think about was, "Boys get girls preganant...and now my chances are even greater!"

Talan's 3rd

Talan has been looking forward to his birthday for months. We kept telling him that it was after Santa comes and after Daddy's birthday. He woke up this morning and was thrilled it was finally here. They sang Happy Birthday to him in Nursery. He sang Happy Birthday to himself at his birthday party. We celebrated with his grandparents, aunts & uncles, and cousins with cake and ice cream. It was perfect! I have had so much fun with Talan. We joke he is an old soul in a little body. He is witty, flexible, athletic & energetic. He is anything but self-entertained, luckily he is a fun guy to be around. Looking over the past short time he has been on this earth, we feel so blessed he chose our family. He is curious, a tad bit mischievious and funny. You should never wake him. You should never think that he will get hurt if he tries that. You should never let him cry alone because he will go down like a ton of bricks. When he comes to he forgets why he was crying and carries on with his original plan. He loves to eat, lead music, dance and play games. He loves to play set-hike with Brae and "house" with Lex. His scooter has worn out and he has decided to take up skateboarding. He can flip on the tramp and has been known to let go of the swing in mid-air. We love you Talan! Happy Birthday!!!

Nana's Banana Bread

Nana's banana bread has become very popular recently. She made some fresh today & sent a loaf to our family. What should have been neatly sliced and enjoyed with a little butter, was ripped into by Talan. He took the foil off and licked the entire loaf and then there was none! Bite after bite Talan polished off the entire loaf.

Laughs & Cheese Fries

It's hard to believe we didn't grow up together. Melissa and I were able to reconnect a few years ago. Cousins by relation and truly friends. We found out after many hours how similar we are. It's amazing to know exactly how someone has felt and it's great to know that someone knows how I have felt. After our husbands laughed about regular yucky boy stuff, we talked about just about everything & we realized that not only were we similar but our cute husbands could have been brothers. We are sad to see them go back to Phily and look forward to their quick return for good!

A lesson learned

A good friend of mine reminded me that blogging is about a history for our children and the importance of helping them see the ups and the downs of life. I realized that I don't want to portray perfection either in my blog. I even dreaded blogging Christmas because it didn't turn out the way I anticipated. I have always felt an incredible pressure to make sure the holiday season was filled with memories, enjoyment & perfection. This year there was emphasis on expectations. I worried about everyone else's expectations, I was enveloped in watching the clock because someone was expecting us somewhere, I focused so much on what I had to do to, I became bitter. Cooking & cleaning for the next guests, party or activity took precedence over enjoyment. I know it's just part of growing up. I hope that by reading this post next year I can prioritize and remember what I did wrong this year.

Christmas Day

Yep that's a porta potty! We are that much closer to being prepared...

Christmas Eve

Gingerbread House makin'

Despite nighttime sickness, I am still trying to make sure we don't forget any basic traditions. So we bought a pre-made house and stuck it together. You don't see Talan, he was way too busy eating the gum balls.

A New Tradition

We decided to spend a little of our Christmas budget to take our kids to Tepanaki. It was fun to see the kids react to the chef who prepared our meal right before our eyes.

Talan didn't enjoy the shrimp hitting him right in the middle of his cheek. In fact he was very put off that the chef would throw food at him.

The kids ate with chop sticks and actually finished the majority of their meal. Braeden wanted to go back the very next day.

The Forgotten Carols

Every year we have a tradition to see the Forgotten Carols. Mom buys the tickets and we have a grown up night at a wonderful production.

Michael McLean is one of the most talented performers I have ever seen. This production makes us laugh and cry at the same time every single year.

I was scolded by a family member (Steph) for taking this picture. OK it was one of a few. However, the rules say no FLASH photography. (I turned my flash off)

She didn't mind me taking a picture of her, though.

Thanks Mom for providing this wonderful opportunity to truly remind us of the real reason for Christmas. I always leave the production with something newly learned every year.

Who needs a nanny?

We had Logan, Aaliyah & Urban over for a sleepover on Friday. Urban awoke at 7:00 am and by the time I got into him, Lexee had made a bottle and was in the playpen (Thanks to Nessa) feeding him. She said, "Sorry Mommy, I know I am not supposed to be in here, but he was too heavy for me to lift out and he was STARVING, I hope Nessa won't be mad!" She assured me she only used 2 scoops of formula...but we'll never really know...
All of my fears of having a 4th have been subsided, Lex will be there!

The Festival of Trees

Every year we celebrate the Festival of Trees. Traditionally, Angi, Vinessa, Marci, Lexee & Aaliyah and myself go. However, this year Lexee was going to perform at the Festival with L.A. Dance Company so we made it a family event. We were missing Grandpa, Jake & Adam of the Baldwin's but Lexee had a huge crowd to cheer her on.

She has worked really hard this season and did a great job! She is very thankful for Nana and the opportunity she has given Lexee & her cousins to be a part of such a great Dance Company.

And so the traditions begin

Every year we trek downtown to see Temple Square. This year we went with Grandma Baldwin, Jake, Ness, Carter & Ethan. We planned to go a little earlier than usual, and we weren't the only ones.

It was a beautiful night and there were tons of people. Apparantly we weren't the only ones with the great idea. We didn't really have to bundle up, it was quite warm for the time of year. Talan particularly enjoyed the "elephanties". There was one elephant on an ethnic display. I wouldn't have even noticed, but he had to see it up close.

While walking through the crowds we noticed some things people were saying. One man said to another woman, "Oh put your big girl panties on and get over it!" Another woman said to her child, "You don't want to know what'll happen if you poke me in the eye again!" We made it our goal to listen to others as we fought the crowds. It was so funny! Not everyone fares well in crowds.

My cheap digital camera does not do justice to the beauty of the temple. And to top it off the batteries died. But you get the idea!

Drumroll please...

Here's is how we got to this masterpiece...

We drew out a plan for our Christmas lights this year. WE (Cody) needed to remember which end went where to attach to the extention cord...cords :)
Talan drove us crazy wanting to get on the roof with dad. We THOUGHT he would be terrified on the first or second rung on the ladder. We were wrong...

Reading the directions for the hooks is always a good thing...Co decided to stay away from rewiring the extention cords this year...

Happy Holidays!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thankful for...

Pants & underware most of the time. Last night Talan disappeared in his room. We were thinking of how quiet it had become...He came down wearing Braeden's baseball shoes & helmet & that's about it...less than commando, saying "Catch this..." He was really talking about the ball... he was throwing...

Yep...I'm thankful for...

I would be so ungrateful if I didn't express my gratitude for our news. We found out we are pregnant about 3 weeks ago, but this weekend I started to spot. I have never had any complications with the exception of miscarriage the first time I was pregnant over 9 years ago. That time I had no sign of miscarriage at all until the ultrasound. So to say the least I was very nervous when I presented with a sign of miscarriage. I am so thankful for technology and the ease of requesting an ultrasound to check for a heartbeat. I am thankful for my very cute husband who was right by my side. We are excited to announce that we are expecting our 4th & final child. Lexee prays each day that it's a girl and Braeden has the basement blueprinted for his new room, if it's a boy. Either way we hope & pray for the health of this baby.

Thankful for...

The Old Spaghetti Factory

The Old Spaghetti Factory has been around for 35 years. It has been a family favorite for the last 31 years. I have always said this was my favorite restaurant.

Cody proposed to me here, I celebrated receiving my endowments here, Liza gave me a baby shower here, Cody threw a surprise anniversary party & my surprise 30th birthday party here...

It's a great restaurant! Today, marking their anniversary they served spaghetti for just $3.25!

We loved every bite!

Chore Time

Lexee is to put all the backpacks in the basket. She also unloads the dishwasher.

Braeden loads the dishwasher & changes the laundry!

Talan helps Braeden by putting the garbage bags in the cans. Notice the bottom one, the sack is lying over the can... he's only 2.

This month I am going to focus my posts on things I am grateful for. Tonight, I am very thankful my children are FINALLY old enough to do real chores.

And then it was gone...

That's his costume at his ankles. Those are tears coming down his cheeks. That is a kid who does not want to trick or treat or even give candy now.

Talan was very quick to be done with Halloween. He didn't care about the candy and decided to be done with his costume. He pulled off his very cute "kelton" and wanted his stroller & baby to push around. So he took his baby trick or treating. He is going to be a great "little daddy".

It finally came!

We have been looking forward to Halloween night for the last month. Tonight it finally came. We dressed in our costumes and headed to the church for traditional trunk or treating. Braeden, Lexee & Talan treated for about 20 minutes and then boredom struck. They wanted to hand out candy. So Lexee & Talan handed out candy, while Braeden rode his rip stick up and down the parking lot.

Trick or Treating @ Highland Care Center

For the past 8 years we trick or treat at Highland Care Center. I was the Recreation Director for many of those years. It has been nice the last two years to just participate and then go home.

The kids have grown up around the patients of Highland, so they are very comfortable around the elderly.

They look forward to trick or treating to each room and then gathering in the Family Room for games & caramel apples.

This man LOVED Talan he thought Talan was the cutest little boy he had seen. He let him pick out as many treats as he wanted.

Cornbelly's

We spent Friday night with Sandy, Krista, Kaitlin & Braxton at Cornbelly's. It was such a fun night filled with a haunted hayride, slides, bounce houses, a corn maze, bull rides & hot chocolate.
Krista is definitely a great babysitter, she kept an eye on Talan the entire night!

Meeting at Thanksgiving Point is the half-way point between Sandy's home and ours. It was a great excuse to get together. The kids get along so well!

Best Friends! At least for the night! It's amazing what these "men" come up with. Braxton said he was a man until the hayride. As he fled across the hay hiding, his mom asked him, "Aren't you a man?" To which he replied, "Not anymore!"

Are you eating...

Are you eating when you are not FEELING hungry. Today we talked about emotional eating. So many attribute this to being sad, stressed or bored. However, often times, we eat when we are happy, celebrating, and confident. It's important to realize and understand our feelings in order to prevent eating emotionally. This is an important lesson for me. I eat more when I feel secure, happy and when I celebrate. I eat less when I am stressed, insecure and unhappy. (Obviously I spend much more time celebrating :) Understanding what you are feeling and releasing endorphines in a healthy way will prevent unnecessary eating. We are coming into the Holiday Season and more often then not menus are being planned. I am encouraged after today's Weight Watcher's meeting to be more mindful about how I am feeling and eat only when I am hungry and not to appease a FEELING.
Another plug for exercise...I have finally hit the point where I don't hate every minute of it. I look forward to it and make time for it. I used to think...I don't have any extra time to do it and now I find the extra time...my laundry is not folded but hey you can't have everything!
Ellen Degeneres said, "You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where she is."

2nd Place

Braeden's first year of scouting has been really interesting. Being a girl, I always thought all they did was spit and camp. I was mistaken, in addition to that they have to memorize a ton of stuff to earn the Bobcat, which Braeden (and I) earned, and learn actual life skills. The most recent scouting event included a Rocket Derby, they made rockets and Thanks to Uncle Richard and Uncle Jake, he was able to come in 2nd place. This is awesome because he competed with really big 11 year olds! I coated the rubber bands in olive oil and we wound and wound and wound some more. In the 3rd round he even made it the farthest to the SUN! It was really exciting! I am proud of Braeden, he was really apprehensive, as he has never done anything like this before and was really nervous.

Tagged by Kelley

A-Attached or Single: Attached

B-Best Friend: Cody

C-Cake or Pie: Pumpkin Pie

D-Day of Choice: Friday

E-Essential Item: 72 hour kit

F-Favorite Color: Red

G-Greatest Accomplishment: My kids fold their arms for prayers...for the most part.

H-Hometown: about 8 houses to the west

I-Indulgences: Pumpkin shakes

J-January or July: July - my birthday, and beside January there's nothing to look forward to and it's really cold.

K-Kids: Braeden, Lexee & Talan

L-Life is incomplete without: family, friends, and a Pumpkin shake

M-Marriage Date: March 10, 1998

N-Number of Siblings: 2 sisters Jaymi & Steph 4 brothers-in-law Jake, Adam, Dan & Richard 2 sisters-in-law Vinessa & Marci

O-Oranges or Apples: Oranges - would be my all time favorite except I hate peeling them - I'm so lazy I know! (me too Kelley)

P-Phobias or Fears: the dark, unintentionally neglecting my children

Q-Quotes: "No greater success can compensate for failure in the home."

R-Reason to Smile: When Cody ends up being right, it's really the only thing I can do.

S-Season: Spring, Fall, Winter & Summer. I love every one of them & I am always ready for a change.

T-Tag 5 Friends: Stephanie, Vinessa, Jaymi, Sandy & Claudia

U-Unknown Fact about Me: I tell everyone, everything.

V-Very Favorite Store: Ross

W-Worst Habit: Blogging before homework, doing my makeup when in the car...yes @ stoplights not actually driving...for the most part.

X-X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound

Y-Your Favorite Food: Spaghetti (hence...:)

Z-Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Love Fall?

A nice warm day at the park is a great transition into the next season.

Fall is one of my favorites, the smells, colors & traditions!

The leaves falling, cider mulling and pumpkin picking...

I really enjoy everything about fall.

My Favorite Room

About a week before Braeden's baptism, leaving for Rough Camp, Primary Quarterly Activity and my week for Sharing time, I decided to make a big change. So I started by pulling off the previous owner's tapestry they had so eloquently placed as a lovely border around our family room. One thing led to another and by 2:30am on a random Tuesday, I had painted the previously maroon room with a coat of primer and 2 coats of white. This was just to get us through the very busy next week. Then I called my very good friend Kelley and asked her if she had any ideas for this room. We had previously discussed some wants, however, I thought it was just casual conversation. I was happily wrong. She arrived the next morning, blueprint and nailgun in hand. She had done a tad bit of homework and compared paint samples and decor! In one day, she transformed this room. Unfortunately, I didn't take a before picture. Picture this: marroon/red walls with an oak chair rail, beige tapestry framed nicely with marroon/red border wood. I have to give complete credit to Kelley because I was really busy with camp stuff, a CTR shield and babysitting neices and nephews. I can't thank Kelley enough for the gift she gave. And now this is my favorite room!

Go left? Go right?

Mom and Dad are great examples of deciding to make a change and really sticking to it. They are diligent about their points, their healthy guidelines and continue make great strides towards a healthy lifestyle. This is a dramatic change as their lifestyle has always been packed of skipping meals and eating late at night because of their crazy schedules. I am proud to be on this incredible rollar coaster with them. Mom said she bought a pair of pants that were two sizes smaller than she had worn in years! Yeah! A few months ago we would have all chosen to go to the left and now we are all staying to the right!

Caramel Apples

I made caramel apples for the Highland Care Center Bake Sale. These apples were hand picked just this week. I bought a bushel of them from Schmidt's Farm. They are amazing, crisp apples. Add them with a bit of caramel, chocolate and peanuts and really...how wrong can you go?

They sold for $3.00 each. At that rate I could start a new job. There really are crisp apples underneath all the goodness. You will or should be proud of me...I didn't eat one!

YAY! My first Tag

I am...a mommy, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and paranoid.
I want... the earthquake to happen, already.
I wish... there were less worries in the world.
I hear... a child's laughter.
I search... for new ideas on being thrifty and weight watcher recipes.
I wonder... where I really stand in the real scheme of things.
I always... leave lights on, I am totally afraid of the dark.
I am not... ready to let go of hope.
I sing... every time I hear my favorites on my playlist, scroll down you might find something you like.
I never...lock my car doors. I figure if someone breaks a window it is more expensive than anything I am keeping. Though, I hear Cheerios are going at a great rate!
I rarely...go to sleep without the TV on.
I cry...rarely when I need to and always when I don't want to.
I am not always...consistent at my goals.
I lose... everything. Cody finds everything.
I'm confused... about how to handle sibling rivelry.
I need... to relax, simplify and enjoy.
I should... go to bed with the lights out and TV off.
I dream... of resolution between family members.
I TAG... anyone reading this.

San, Steph & Nessa- a tag is where you take this idea and implement by cutting & pasting with your own answers in your own blog and then you tag someone else...:)

Boys will be boys

Cody is planning to elk hunt next week. He saved his pennies (literally), turned in his loose change and purchased a tag. He is heading up with some buddies from work. Until next week he is practicing by aiming at water bottles. He hit his targets. Here's hoping the elk run fast and a little to the left...I really just hope he finds a good time and not an elk :)

Cody called me at work in the Spring and asked a simple question. "Hi hunny, Um...how long will I get the silent treatment when I pull in with a small motorcycle?"

My only concern is that he always wears a helmet. He bought me a very cute pink helmet as well as a "sissy bar" which translates into a nice backrest.

Isn't he cute? I always wanted to marry a biker!

It's that time again

Every General Conference weekend, we update our 72 hour kits. I feel VERY strongly about the need to keep these updated. I pull out the food and check dates. This time around we replaced fruit snacks, trail mix and crackers. (You'd be surprised at how long tuna stays good.) I urge anyone and everyone to keep these kits ready to roll in case something happens. You will notice there is a 2L of water, this is not quite enough but I want to keep the kits functional in case we have to carry them. They are kept in our luggage, with wheels on the suitcases for easy transport if we are walking somewhere. When we travel we just keep the kit stuff on our bed and when we unpack we repack our emergency kits. They are stored in our coat closet for easy access to both exits. For the kids I added extra comfort items, some coloring books and a stuffed animal.

Success...not yet

Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in & day out.
Life gets so busy it is hard to keep consistent. We started the week out really strong with exercise and then starting the work week, it was less motivating to keep moving. I stayed within my points each and everyday. Yet, I gained .6. I think the meetings are great and motivating. Today we talked about LEARNing from old habits. There were many attending today who had lost all their weight but gained it back quickly. They talked about not reverting back to old habits. It's hard not to want what you had. For me a relaxing evening with a movie, curled up on the couch with my sweetheart, with popcorn and a coke was an old habit. The small up and downs can really be discouraging, however, success is overcoming the person inside who wants to quit!

Last year for Christmas, Santa brought Talan a 3-wheeled scooter. He wanted nothing to do with it. He picked up Braeden's razor this Spring and has loved every minute of it. We were all shocked at how quickly he was able to balance and ride this scooter. He now takes it everywhere we go. I love to watch him, he really has no fear.

Too big

Braeden beginning his 2nd grade year grew up over the summer. He expresses his desire to "work-out" and to wear "boxers" now. He has decided that he will not leave the house without his hair done and deodorant on. He is very health conscious. He enjoys riding his rip-stick, scouting and playing with his friends. I asked him if he would watch Talan for an hour while Cody was sleeping. He replied, "How much?" I replied, "5 bucks" he then said, "10" to which I replied, "7" and then he finished up with "DONE!" He and his "dude" Braden were jumping fire hydrants when Jenifer said they needed to stop, to which my Braeden tilted his head and replied to Jen, "We are just being boys!" Yep, he is way too big!

School bag in hand

Lexee started 1st grade this year. She is loving every minute of it. She comes home and can't wait to do her spelling words and read. Her teacher, Mrs. Soelberg is amazing! We feel so blessed to have her as Lexee's teacher. Lexee is making new friends really easily and is growing up so fast. She especially loves dictating what she will eat for lunch. I almost have it down. Ham only on bread with the crust cut off and then cut into squares, mandarin oranges, juice, and a treat (either smarties or jello). She will vary sometimes, with speghettios or a PB sandwich prepared as above. I can pack a variety of yummy things and she will not touch them. Someday her husband will need a manual to know exactly what makes her happy. I hope to have that ready for him.

One of a kind

Talan is so funny. He makes everyone who knows him laugh. Once he feels comfortable he breaks out of his shell and strives to get everyone's attention. He talks very distinctly and extremely talented at such a young age. He can two-wheel scooter with the best of them. He also flips on the tramp, like you wouldn't believe. He has sort-of an old soul. He loves to ride the "markle" or motorcycle as those of us like to call it. He rides on the front with a helmet and loves every minute of it. He is so sweet!

Here is dressed for church. You may think this is staged, but it really isn't. He put the sun glasses on himself and tucked his cute little hands in his pockets with absolutely no parental direction.

A Great Ride

Today we decided to load the bikes in the car and ride Jordan Parkway. It was a great ride, with a cool breeze and steady declines and inclines. This time Talan rode on the back with me and kept me going, with a cute "Go faster, mommy!" We then treated ourselved to IHOP with an eggwhite garden scramble and Talan had a pancake...his favorite. It's amazing at how much energy exercise gives you. You would think, logically, that one might be more tire. But I find myself very motivated to get things done!

The struggle continues

We have been at it for 3 weeks. Cody lost another pound and I lost 2.4 this week. Cody has gone down a notch on his belt! I feel like we are on the right track. We are keeping up with the Biggest Loser, however, our workouts are very different. We appreciate all of the support we get those around us! Everyone is very concerned and conscious as we enjoy dinners with family and friends. Mom and Dad are doing awesome as well. Steph found some new recipes and is plugging along with her journey. Matt and Tay report that Jaymi has some workout videos and they do them as well! Sandy & Sarah are great supports as we have stocked our work cabinets with healthy, low point snacks! However they are both at 11 pound weight losses...I will get there eventually! We decided to pull down the bikes. We have been on them a few times this summer, but then they seem to end up back up when we clean the garage. We rode for an hour, it is great to do this with Cody! He is the best cheerleader!