Hmmm...

3 months ago, I highlighted my hair, and as those of you who have done this know, it was looking pretty sad. Yesterday I bought some dye that I THOUGHT matched my natural hair color. I decided to use it today and well, I guess because of the highlights, it turned out auburn instead of the color I was hoping for. Weird thing about it is that my eyes used to be brown. Now with the red hair, they look totally green to me. (I know, this picture is LAME, I'm just not very photogenic)

So...does red work for me, or do I need some serious help?!

Hope...

Could there be any doubt that our church leaders are called of God? This last session of conference was exactly what I needed! Even though we had computer problems, and fighting kids, I was able to get more out of it than I normally do. Of all the talks, Elder Holland and Elder Uchtdorf touched me the most. I often have feelings of self-doubt, insecurity, and inadequacy. Elder Uchtdorf's talk about hope...I'm not good with words, but the words he spoke seemed to be meant just for me. I loved Elder Holland's talk about angels, and it got me to thinking, who are my angels? He left me feeling comforted when he said, very powerfully "God NEVER leaves us alone!" And of course, our wonderful prophet. Some of the things that really struck me that I had to write down were..."Make the most of today. Find out what is most important" and my favorite..."Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved". I can't wait until the conference Ensign gets here so I can see and read the words that were spoken!

Of one mind...

This is for my benefit only...so it probably won't mean much to anyone else...

Last night after supper Jennah was doing her homework at the table while Steve and I were talking in the kitchen. Out of the blue Jennah said "daddy, I'm drinking strawberry milk". To which Steve and I broke out into song at the same moment and ALMOST in the same key, to our own version of the BEATLES tune "Strawberry MILK for-ever"...then burst out laughing! Jennah kept asking what was so funny, and when we explained it too her, she just looked at us like we were out of our minds. We often have moments like these when we're "on the same wave-length"...like we can almost read each other's minds. Sure makes life FUN!!! (now if only his quick-wit would rub off on me...)

Goals

This morning I woke up around 4:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. After laying there in bed for 30 minutes, I decided to get up and go jogging. I left the house at about 5:15 and it was still dark outside, and as I've said in another post, I'm totally afraid of the dark! That was one of the scariest things I've ever done. There are NO street light here, so I was running blind. It's a good thing that this town is so small, otherwise I would've been to creeped-out to go. I think maybe it turned out to be a good thing, because my heart-rate was increase just by the adrenaline alone.

My goal is to be at my target weight in a year, but I'm making small goals every month so I don't become too overwhelmed by the enormous amount that I have to go. Hopefully some day my body will look like this again...

...minus the sequined dress and big hair :) I can dream can't I?

My Day

The 26th was my 36th birthday...YIKES! I remember very vividly growing up thinking that anyone over 30 was just OLD. So I guess that's what I am...but at least I don't feel it =)

Well, in keeping with tradition, Steve and the kids woke me up singing "Happy Birthday", and bringing presents. We did get pictures, but I'm vain, not insane, so I spared you the AWFUL site of me first thing in the morning...it wasn't pretty!

Steve and the kids did pretty good this year. I got three CD's- Rascall Flatts, and two Michael Buble' (I know, weird combo, what can I say...I have "music ADD"), and 5 movies (on two DVD's), chick flicks of course=D

My WONDERFUL friend Emily sent me some LOVELY "bling"...Thanks Em!!!!

Necklace, earrings AND a bracelet...LOVE THEM!

And of course, my WONDERFUL parents sent me a card with money so I can go shopping!

We didn't make any plans to go out, because Steve wasn't sure when he'd be home from work. When he got home, we decided to head to Sierra Vista and decide where to eat when we got there. Here's Steve and Kirstie, enjoying the drive...Kirstie with the typical wad of gum sticking out of her mouth.

and Jennah and Stevie. Apparently Stevie had more important things to do than get his picture taken =p

Steve's sister Fonda recommended "Texas Roadhouse", so that's where we went. I just LOVE Kirstie's expression in this pic...NO, I don't drug my children hahaha!


This is us inside, waiting for our table...

They have the coolest mural's in there, HUGE and very realistic. Jennah and Kirstie thought they'd try out their cowgirl poses. Before we knew where we were going, Kirstie was insisting on wearing her cowboy boots and hat. I told her the boots were fine, but not the hat. Now I'm wishing I had let her wear it, it would have been very appropriate, and she looks sooooo cute in it!

I don't know if you can tell what this sign says, I thought it was pretty funny. So I took a picture of the "outhouse". I know..."simple minds are easily amused".

While the girls and I were in the "outhouse", Steve thought he'd be sneaky and tell our waitress that it was my birthday. I was completely embarrassed! They have a saddle that they make you sit in while one of them YELLS at everyone to give a big Texas "YEEHAW" to the birthday girl...I didn't want to be alone in my humiliation, so Stevie joined me on the saddle.

Even with the last few embarrassing moments, I was glad we decided to go there. The food was good, and it was VERY noisy inside, and peanut shells EVERYWHERE (on the floor), so I didn't have to worry one bit about my kids making to much noise OR making a mess...every mother's dream!! (and no dishes either!) It was a GREAT day!!!

Saturday morning ride

We're trying to start a new tradition in our family while getting healthy at the same time. Every Saturday morning after breakfast we go for a little family bike ride. Stevie usually rides in the little bike trailer behind me, but this morning he wanted to be a big kid and ride his own bike. Poor kid, he was peddling just as fast as he could just to try to keep up. Steve and the girls waited in the Church parking lot to wait for Stevie and I to catch up.

...it does a body good!

Stevie had a lesson in Primary a few weeks back that his teacher was telling him and his classmates about all the benefits of milk. Stevie obviously took it to heart, because he often tells me that he has to drink milk "so my bones won't break". Well, today for lunch he again told me that he needed to drink milk, but it was, in his words, "so I can have strong bones and fight all the bad guys!"...he sure makes life fun!

Our weekend with family

This weekend was St. David's all school reunion. There were all kinds of food and activities. They had a yummy barbecue and football game on Friday night. on Saturday they had a breakfast at 7am (which we did NOT go to...way to early), "memory rooms" at the school with class pictures dating back to the 1940's, rides and games for the kids, food, a fair, music, more food, a plague amount of stink-bugs (unplanned) and to top it off, fireworks! Literally two seconds before I took this picture, Steve's twin brother Scott got up, so I didn't get him in this picture, just his empty chair. on the left is Steve's foster brother Mike Plummer, his sister Fonda, and then of course, Steve.

We had a good time visiting with family and friends. I feel bad about only getting one picture of Steve and his family together...maybe next time I'll do better. Family that made the trip were Fonda, Mike, Scott, with two of his kids Barbara & Rex, Vicky & Wade with two of their kids Wilson & Camille.

Steve and Stevie were so cute together while we were sitting and waiting for the fireworks, I love watching the two of them together!

It was a fun weekend that I am STILL recovering from...I can't wait until the next one!

Silly kids!

While we were waiting for the fireworks, there was a "dancin' man" that J,K and S had a blast playing with. There was also a "candy cannon", free balloons, and blue cotton candy. The candy cannon was quite a hit. It was funny watching all the kids trying to be creative with how they would catch the candy. Some had umbrella's opened hoping that the candy would just fall into them...which of course never worked, but it didn't stop them from trying. Jennah came home with quite the stash of candy, that she'll never eat. Kirstie went back three times for the free balloons, because her balloons kept popping. Then just before we left, and just after they had packed up the balloons, her balloon popped again :( She cried all the way home, and then her sweet little brother gave her his =)