Initial Frames

So, Autumn wanted to see what the initial frames I have made look like, so I put this together...I have made a few others, but forgot to take the pictures, but you get the idea...

Sleepyville, USA

I couldn't help myself last night- I went to bed, and as I always do, I look in on the sleepyheads...this is what I saw...and I adored their sweet faces so much, that I had to take these. Celeste has her own bed, and until this night, slept solely in it (except for the occasional come to our bed in the middle of the night and wake up mommy!), but when I went to check on her, I found her sound asleep next to Leah...so cute...they do love each other, most of the time, but when they are sleeping, they really love each other! Alex actually covered his eyes from the flash, so I had to attempt another, but he was so asleep that he didn't wake for the second one! They go to bed around 8pm every night, and I bet by 820, they are dead asleep! I have to say, that I have been truly blessed with "go to bed wonderfully" children. They all have always been amazingly good and easy to put to bed children. I give myself a tad credit, since I am sort of neurotic when it comes to nap time and bedtime, but the most goes to Heavenly Father, who knows me so well, and knows that I would be in the "looney bin" if they weren't tremendously good sleepers! (Thank goodness for fans and "white noise" too!) Seriously, I am a bit obsessive about bedtime, and am strict, for if I am not, the next day, we all suffer, and I mean suffer...take for example the day after the night they spend at Grandma's house...up WAY later, no nap or down time...we are having meltdowns by dinner...it is not pretty, though I don't get upset because it is a special time to be with Grandma- I am just grateful for schedules at home! If I didn't get my own down time each day, I would be crazier than I am, and that is a scary thought!

President Hinckley

Sad news this morning when we found out that our beloved Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley had passed away yesterday. Dana told me the news at 7am, and depite my efforts to fall back asleep, I layed awake in a somber state until the children came in at 730- which is earlier than usual for them- I told Alex first, and he hung his head low, and said, "really?" He then said, "well, he gets to be with his wife and Heavenly Father now, and we can see them someday in Heaven, too." He is right. I know that, and I am grateful for the teachings of our Prophet and his love for everyone. You could always see it in his demeanor, and I loved his humor too! His sweet wife is surely smiling today, and through the tears, we are too.

This if from the Church Website:

President Hinckley was known, even at the age of 97, as a tireless leader who always put in a full day at the office and traveled extensively around the world to mix with Church members, now numbering 13 million in 171 nations.
His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.
He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.
In recent years, a number of major developments in the Church reflected President Hinckley’s personal drive and direction. In calling for 100 temples to be in operation before the end of the year 2000, the Church president committed the Church to a massive temple-building program.
In 1999 — 169 years after the Church was organized by its founder, Joseph Smith — the Church had 56 operating temples. Three years later that number had doubled, largely because of a smaller, highly practical temple architectural plan that delivered these sacred buildings to Church members in far-flung parts of the world. Many more Church members can now experience the sacred ceremonies that occur only in temples, including marriages for eternity and the sealing of families in eternal units.
President Hinckley was the most traveled president in the Church’s history. His duties took him around the world many times to meet with Latter-day Saints in more than 60 countries. He was the first Church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid; and to the African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde, where he met with thousands of Latter-day Saints in 1998. In 2005, he traveled nearly 25,000 miles on a seven-nation, nine-day tour to Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
At a general conference of Church members in April 2001, President Hinckley initiated the Perpetual Education Fund — an ambitious program to help young members of the Church (mainly returning missionaries from developing countries) receive higher education and work-related training that they would otherwise likely never receive.
Closer to his Salt Lake City home, President Hinckley announced the construction of a new Conference Center in 1996 and dedicated it four years later. Seating 21,000 people, it is believed to be the largest religious and theater auditorium in the world and has become the hub for the Church’s general conference messages to the world, broadcast in 91 languages.
Even before his term as president, President Hinckley’s extensive Church service included 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the highest presiding body in the government of the Church, and 20 years before that as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Hinckley was born 23 June 1910 in Salt Lake City, a son of Bryant Stringham and Ada Bitner Hinckley. One of his forebears, Stephen Hopkins, came to America on the Mayflower. Another, Thomas Hinckley, served as governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1680 to 1692.
President Hinckley’s first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City daily. After attending public schools in Salt Lake City, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the Church in Great Britain. He served with distinction and ultimately was appointed as an assistant to the Church apostle who presided over all the European missions.
Upon successfully completing his missionary service in the mid-1930s, he was asked by Heber J. Grant, then president of the Church, to organize what has become the Church's Public Affairs Department.
President Hinckley began serving as a member of the Sunday School general board in 1937, two years after returning home from missionary service in Great Britain. For 20 years he directed all Church public communications. In 1951 he was named executive secretary of the General Missionary Committee, managing the entire missionary program of the Church, and served in this capacity for seven years.
On 6 April 1958, while serving as president of the East Millcreek Stake in Salt Lake City (a stake is similar to a diocese), President Hinckley was appointed as a general authority, or senior full-time leader of the Church. In this capacity he served as an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles before being appointed to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 5 October 1961.
President Hinckley received a number of educational honors, including the Distinguished Citizen Award from Southern Utah University; the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah; and honorary doctorates from Westminster College, Utah State University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, Utah Valley State College and Salt Lake Community College. The Gordon B. Hinckley Endowment for British Studies, a program focused on the arts, literature and history of the United Kingdom, was established at the University of Utah.
President Hinckley was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award by the Boy Scouts of America; was honored by the National Conference for Community and Justice (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world; and received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 2004, President Hinckley was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in the White House.
In March 2000 President Hinckley addressed the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He also addressed the Religion Newswriters Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and twice addressed the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
President Hinckley wrote and edited several books and numerous manuals, pamphlets and scripts, including a best-selling book, Standing for Something, aimed at a general audience. In it he championed the virtues of love, honesty, morality, civility, learning, forgiveness, mercy, thrift and industry, gratitude, optimism and faith. He also testified of what he called the “guardians of virtue,” namely traditional marriage and family.
President Hinckley married Marjorie Pay in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937. They have five children and 25 grandchildren. Sister Hinckley passed away 6 April 2004.

Daddy's Girls

As a tradition (3 years now), the girls and I have our pictures taken for Dana for Valentine's Day- I picked these up today. Since Leah can't keep secrets very well, we had to give them to him today- a couple weeks early, but he was happy nonetheless. The girls did really well during the photo shoot, and I was really happy with their individual shots- Leah's school picture wasn't that great, and I never had Celeste's picture when she turned 2, so this worked out as a double win for us! I really like white backgrounds, because the brown is so dark, but I am glad that the photographer chose the dark, because it being winter, we are all a tad pale, and the white would've washed us out! I say she did a pretty good job- judging by the amount I bought, I'd say she did a REALLY good job!

Love, love, love the sisters...

Oh, the posing Leah did...she's a natural, I think! Celeste just wanted to hold this bear...it was better than the football she initially fought for!

Playgroup is not for the kids...

Today we had playgroup, or mom's eating lunch, talking paint colors, cleaning up messes, laughing about whatever group at Delinda's house. It was really great for me- I almost backed out of going this morning, since it was snowing, and I had a stockpile of laundry to do, but I knew I needed to get out of the house, and so Celeste and I headed over...

Thanks to Bonnie, who took pictures, and shared great ideas about projects, and cleaned up Delinda's kitchen, which was a mess, from feeding 8 moms and 13 kids! Wow!! We mom's sure love to get out and chow together! I will post pictures as soon as Bonnie sends me some (I forgot my camera- bad blogger!)

Also during our mom's group, I managed to snag a perfect condition twin headboard with bookcase shelves for Alex's room from Delinda- see, playgroups really are beneficial, for thouse of you who don't think they are! I am excited to paint it white, this spring, probably, and then have it ready for his room! So great! I think I also convinced Delinda to paint some color in her wonderful home- she has all white walls, a decorator's dream canvas! That is one of my secret passions, ya know, to paint and design someone else's home- what fun and what possibilities!! I will let ya know if that secret passion ever becomes reality for me! Don't hold your breath!

As for the scale updates, I decided to not be so obsessive about it, so I will be posting updates on Mondays only, so I can see changes week to week, though I am really still weighing myself daily. And for those of you who think that is obsessive, I have read that women who weigh themselves everyday, tend to keep their weight in better control...control...now that is a word I know well!

Chapter 28

Friend, or foe?

Okay, my meltdown has subsided..thanks to Katie and Amanda for making me feel better- I realize that a scale is not the most important thing in measuring my image of myself, but it is a good gauge in the body fat, wake-up call that I needed so that I do exercise more regularly. Studies show that diet alone is not going to make you healthy, so I will do better at my running, and by the way, I did 20 minutes of core exercises on our "bean", and it must have helped...check out my countdown for today!!
*I failed to mention, we ate CiCi's pizza last night, too*
I don't feel as bad today...but I am going to run this morning...I will keep ya posted!

This I added an hour later...
I weighed myself after my run and exercises and the weight remained the same, but the body fat went to 27.9- okay, I now see the light...
Still, that isn't a great number...

Monday, Monday, Part 2

Okay, I retract my views about Mondays...see last entry from last Monday...today was MUCH better than a week ago today! Thank goodness! I really needed it to be! Oh, I still did laundry, and cleaned from the weekend, that is a given, but today was just better all around, except for one thing...read on....
The kids, including Dana were out of school today, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, so there was a bit of activity in the house that isn't normally here on Mondays...that was okay. I got to go use my 30% off at Kohl's today, so I headed there ALONE around 11:30- I was there a while...well, I was shopping ALONE, remember?! So, I decided that with that kind of discount, on top of the sale, I was going to purchase a new scale...a what?!
Yes, I know, what was I thinking, a SCALE?! A body fat monitoring one at that! Okay, that was the one thing that wasn't better...it was a good deal, I must say, but a rude awakening for me when I stepped on it!! So, I know I'm not in as good of shape as I should be, ( I do hide it well), but still, I was not expecting what showed up- oh, the weight was about what I thought it would be, but the body fat, so NOT what I was expecting it to say!! WOW! Okay, I will share it with you, but promise not to label me the "fat body fat girl", okay?! Remember, I am 5'7, so some weight is acceptable, right?!
Okay, this is hard...you input your height, age and gender, stand on it bare footed, and then this crazy number shows up...31%....yes, you read that correctly....31% Can you believe that?! I am carrying around 31% fat?!! That is disgusting and I am really feeling grossed out at this point! The brochure makes it a point to define good body fat vs lean body fat for you....wow, thanks, but um, 31% puts me in the HIGH category of body fat!! Yuck!! Seriously, I thought 20, maybe 25% max, but 31- come on!! Well, it gives me, fat body fat girl, some tips on how to lower my score...eat less, and exercise more, well, duh! Thanks! I will take that into consideration!!

SO, since I had to slack off on the running, due to my incessant vacuuming, (read last weeks' Monday), it has worked against me, and that is really not good! SO, starting tomorrow, and for the next 8 weeks, I will be running 4 days a week, for 20 minutes, and cutting my caloric intake, (per their suggestion), and then I will report back on the difference...I think I will keep a running tally on the right side of the blog for those of you who care...please care...I need help!!
But, aside from that, the day was fine, like I said, we even got rid of Alex and Leah for the night- they went to Round Town to spend the night with Uncle Steve and Aunt Carmen- whoo hooo-Now, during my Prison Break (new episode) tonight, I will be doing some strength training, to try to tone up this fat body fat and turn it into lean body fat...wish me luck!!

Chapter 27

I love to shop!

Doesn't everyone who knows me know that?! Yes, of course you all do...so much that I became a "Personal Shopper" for a friend, and my family this week. It is so fun to do that! I love get deals for others, when they don't have the time, or the means...this week, it was luggage...sound fun? It was, actually. My friend, Bonnie is going abroad next year, and she was interested in luggage for that trip- she had mentioned it a while ago, and I just stored that in my brain till a later date (yesterday). I was online, at Kohl's, of course, trying to use a 30% discount and free shipping, and I ran into the luggage sale...remembered that she was looking for some, and called her right away! That simple, a $160.00 set of 6 pieces for $42.00 after tax and free shipping- now THAT is a deal! Such a good deal, that I remembered that my in-laws' luggage was falling apart when they were here last month, so I called them, and offered them the same sale- perfect! It even ships directly to them, with the simple click of my keyboard! Viola! Then, within that conversation, my mother - in- law says she thinks she wants to buy a set for a daughter...one more click, and viola- she gets a set shipped directly to her too!

I am good!

I should get paid for this!

Seriously, I love it! It is such a simple thing, but saving money is something I am really good at- probably better than I am at most other things!

Speaking of Bonnie, she came over this week to try out my new bathroom....she looks like she's right at home...don't ya think?!

Chapter 26

Okay, so my pitty-party from Monday is over, and I am feeling much better- thank you to those who consoled me during my flea breakdown! I finally "saw the light" in the Orkin man, and realized it is his job to paint the worst possible picture for me, so that I would bow over and fork out the obnoxious amount of cash for his work. I get it, and he was good at it! Seriously, had the voice of reason (Dana) not come home and said, "Yeah, NO WAY!", and painted me the realistic picture, I so would've signed over our savings for a year to that man- sometimes I love the voice of reason more than my own voice....thank you, honey! So, anyway, I am better, and despite the one flea I found on my cat today, I haven't seen a single carpenter ant, or any other pest, and I am finally sleeping soundly again!

I found these cute pictures today of some of my friends' kids playing Twister, and they are so cute... I love that they have so few cares in the world, and that playing games, like Twister is just for fun...how many times a day do I play games with my kids, just for fun? Um, none...most days, but this day, I did, and it was really....fun! This week I had sort of felt like my problems were really that bad, but seeing these pics reminded me that life is like "twister" sometimes, and I just need to let go, and have fun- these pics did the trick!

Monday, Monday...

I really don't like Mondays; laundry, cleaning from the weekend, and that's about all I accomplish in the mornings...today, however, I did all that AND I chatted with the Frontline people about my FLEAS!! Yes, yes, yes, we still have them!! AHHHH!! It has been 4 whole months since the pesky pests have invaded my home and I can't seem to get rid of them!! After receiving information on how to obtain my refund from Frontline, since after 3 months, it didn't quite do the job, I decided to call the Orkin Man...wow...that is an interesting story...are you ready?
Well, he came right away, I mean right away to help me rid my home of the fleas- I was thankful that I was on the priority list, since that is not the way things usually go with customer service, right? So, as soon as he came, he tromped around my house, trying to "see what I can stir up". Well, he found one whole flea- one, whole flea in my entire house- I guess the Frontline and my incessant vacuuming is really doing something...well, he only found one, that doesn't really mean much, I have come to know. That just means there are thousands probably lying in pupae stage in my carpet...gross, I know...I didn't say this was a pleasant story, it isn't! Okay, so he then comes upstairs, to where I am in the kitchen, holding dead ants...DEAD ANTS! Oh, man, this is really bad...carpenter ants...these are the ones that eat the wood in your house and live in your walls...good thing the ones he is holding are dead! Well, he proceeds to say that there are live ones living in the walls...did he just say what I thought he said?! Now, I have a flea and an ant problem?! Now, it is getting worse, and I feel my heart having palpataions! I take a deep breath and another, and another.
This man is really nice, I have to say, he has been with Orkin for 35 years. I am not sure how someone can be an exterminator for that many years, but whatever, he seems happy to visit pest homes. Everyone has to do something, right?! Okay, so this really nice man lays out the pricing guide for ridding my home of pests...but first he paints this really horrible picture of the flea life cycle, as well as the carpenter ant cycle, and says that the fleas will continue to live, forever, blah, blah, blah, if I don't treat them NOW! I get it, I get it- I don't want them around anymore either!! However, despite this cost, I still have to treat the cat with the Frontline continually- what?! I thought you would take care of the problem! Now, I have another purchase product?! This is not what I want to hear- and neither is this part...
The price- outrageous!!
$175 for one treatment, one month and NO GUARANTEE! No guarantee that in 32 days, the bugs are still here-
$250 for two treatments, back to back and NO GUARANTEE that they aren't still in my house after 61 days-
Are you kidding me?!
Okay, here is the funny part...$175 for month one, and $85 every other month for a year! This, one for the price tag of $762 does come with a guarantee- really?, well, thanks!
Seriously, what would you do?!
Well, I'll tell you what we decided-
We are going to continue the Frontline, since it is working, be it that she still has some here and there, and I will still vacuum every day, yes, everyday for the remainder of my life, no, just for the next 3 months or so till it starts to warm up, then we will make a decision regarding anything further....but $762, no way!!
So, now it is snowing, and sleeting, and I am going to bed! I have to vacuum first, though...