Ouch!

So yes, it has been a while since I purposefully exercised. I used to be at the gym 4-5 days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours working out but since we moved so far away from ANY gym and I've been working on making this house a home, I haven't found the time or energy to go workout. I eat pretty well, healthy and all that and have lost a decent amount of weight thanks to just watching what I eat but it's really time to get my body back into some kind of shape! Brian and I bought a treadmill last month and I have finally found the motivation to get my butt on it! We have this "iFit" program where you can download different workouts to use to guide you to reach your goals. We downloaded some Jillian Michaels programs and wow, she is annoying! Cutting in every 30 to 60 seconds to push you more. I did just the weight loss program today and it had me sweating and sore in just 30 minutes! Here's to 800mg Ibuprofen and hopes for a strong back tomorrow!
What is your workout regimen?

Wild Animal Park

I took Gabriel to a meetup playdate at the WAP on Monday and it was such a gorgeous day!! I took some great pics of him and we had fun with our friends.

Leaping on Lily Pads

Riding on the carousel.

Feeding the lorikeets. We didn't get pooped on!
(Believe me, that in itself is a huge victory!)

Gabe had two land on him for some

time and one was nibbling on his ear.

Gabe's portrait. I LOVE taking my own

pictures of the kids to send to our families

and then printing them at Costco.

I got all the pictures I needed for less than $5!

More snow!

Grandpa Don hooked a sled up to his 4-wheeler and pulled the kids around the horse property. They were out there for about 2 hours!!!

Lilly was trying to catch the sled. I promise she wasn't

trying to bite the kids!

Ashlyn's turn!

My brother Jared with his
monster-sized dog, Ash and Gabe.

Fun in Utah

The kids had such a great time in Utah in December playing in all the snow. These pics are were taken at my Dad's house the day after Christmas. He has 7 acres and a perfect hill right behind the house for sledding!

Buddy & Jezzy romping around together.

Jezzy loved playing in the snow but didn't like it

when she was put out by herself for potty time.

My Dad and me.


Ashlyn

Weee!!!

Preschool Christmas Program

You could say that I'm a bit behind, but I'll just tell you better late than never!
Check out Gabe in his preschool's Christmas program. They sang Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Dreidel Dreidel. I think there was one more song but can't find the video from the program. They look so cute with the red cheeks and noses!

Gabriel with Miss Nichelle. We miss her!

The Evils of FaceBook

Okay I admit it. FaceBook has really taken over my internet use and I almost never blog anymore. I've been trying to do it at least once a month. Why does it take so dang long to load pics and then when I do, they come up in a strange order?? I really wish that blogger.com would fix this or just make it more user-friendly so that I would not be so confused.
Anyway, I put up a few blogs to sort of catch up. I know I didn't blog about Christmas, it's just WAY too busy a time for me.

We celebrated with my Dad and his wife. They came out and were here for about a week before Christmas. Then Brian and I got a wild idea and we decided to act on it... his family (parents and 9 siblings, plus spouses and kids!) get together at Christmastime to celebrate as a family and do a gift exchange. We've missed it the past few years. This year it was scheduled for Dec 26. It was almost too perfect (wringing hands together sneakily). We talked my dad into celebrating Christmas one day early, contacted Santa to request he come on the eve of the 23rd and packed our bags! We left our house EARLY Christmas morning and drove all the way to Salt Lake. Then we just simply showed up at the family Christmas party with NO ONE expecting us there!! It was SO MUCH FUN! I love surprising people and this time it worked so perfectly, it was just meant to be.
I have to say we were so glad to be home a few days later. Utah is freaking COLD!!!

The boy who loves LegoLand

Seriously. He LOVES this place. He would rather be at LegoLand than DisneyLand. What have I done?? We went a couple weeks ago with our friends and he asks to go again on nearly a daily basis. Check out these pics of him. I can never get a normal smile out of him when he knows I am taking a picture. It's always a little head cocked to the side with squinted eyes and as wide a smile showing as many teeth as possible.

I asked him to try to keep his head up and his eyes open for

just one picture. Below is the result.

His very favorite: driving the Lego cars.

He could do this for hours and doesn't

even mind standing in line for it!