Divine '09 Tip - "Banish the Barbie Weights"

This tip is sponsored by my email FYM coach Holly Rigsby (I don't think I'll ever be as skinny as her, but I love her arms) - She tells the truth about Women, Weights, and getting Bulky:

"Seems that women are still unable to get past the fear of picking up a heavy weight. Are you looking to just lose some fat and look more lean and toned - but do not want to gain muscle?

Weights and muscle - not in your fat loss plans? If so, I must break it you - you will have a VERY hard time seeing any type of fat loss. See what I am talking about... http://getfitandyummy.com/blog/women-weights-and-bulk/

Photos, videos, real examples... I hope this helps drive the point home that you will not bulk up if you use heavy weights."

Easter Message

My awesome brother, Neil, works for the Church and helps make the "Mormon Messages" videos every week. HERE is link to the wonderful message made for Easter. It is a short version of the General Confernect talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland last week, but delivered with touching music and footage from some Church films.

A - bi

I am here at my computer wasting time, nothing urgent or anything, just checking email, reading some family and friend blogs, and scanning the news. Abi usually doesn't let me sit alone, so she'll come over to the table and get up on a chair and slowly start to draw her little pointer finger to the power button. "Nooo..." I say. How does she know the worst button to push? So one method of getting her distracted from me at the computer is to open the fridge - she likes to hang out in the fridge. So she started bringing me the items within her reach. I now have the following items surrounding me and my laptop here at the table: a gallon of milk (1/3 full), Aloe Vera juice, two bottles of salad dressing, Mayonnaise, a package of shredded cheese, and two packages of ham. With each item she says "Da-Da.." sounding like "Here y'go..." To which I'd reply "Da-da!" in the tune of "Thank you!"

"Da" and "Da-da" are the only things she says regularly. Da-da is pretty much the word for everything, except when Corey comes home from work, she excitedly calls out as she pitter-pats to the kitchen/garage doorway "DAAA!!!!!" to which Corey replies "AAAA!!!" "Da" short for Da-ddy, "A" short for A-bi. Corey says it makes his day, warms his heart, to have her sweet greeting home. I get my little heart warming greeting from her in the morning - I'll send in one of the kids to get her out of her crib, and when she comes into the kitchen she gives my thigh a tender embrace. I love her leg-hugs. She is pure joy.

Smart-Alek Joe

Family Home Evening around here is always a time when our patience gets tested - a game of "let's see who get's more frustrated first, the kids at having to hold still, or the parent's at the kid's inability to hold still and focus on the lesson." It is starting to get kinda fun with Joe though, cause he's getting smart enough that he's takes a few wise-guy cracks at Corey and me.

At a family home evening a few weeks ago, I was not as stressed out at usual, but Corey was trying to get a point across, and it wasn't working cause the kids were teasing/poking/tickling each other and not listening. In frustration Corey said with irritation in his voice "This isn't working you guys - something is missing. Who can tell me what is missing?" His point being that reverence was missing from our FHE. But smart Alek Joseph quickly replied "Your good sense of humor?" That totally made me laugh out loud, Joe was very proud of himself for being so clever, and he even got a wry smile out of Corey, as he admitted that was another thing that was also missing at the moment. It was funny.

Divine '09 Tip

The "Looking Divine in 2009" challenge is underway. My workouts got thrown off two weeks ago when Corey was in North Carolina, and they've also been a little messed up by the winter weather that refuses to quit, but so far this week I'm at 100%! (Of course, it's only Monday...) I go walking with a great neighbor and friend, Monica Curtis, at 5:45 in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Tuesdays are my temple morning (5:00 session at the Jordan River). Monica and I have a little 45 minute walk we got on that takes us up from our homes to the Bell Canyon Trail Head. It's a great walk because it has hills, so it's a good interval workout that is a walk, which are the only kind of intervals I can do right now. (Less than 3 months to go - I'm officially in the last trimester now as of Saturday.)

But although I can only do non-impact intervals right now, I didn't want to deprive any of you from learning about a great little program that has great tips - Fit Yummy Mummy! I usually call it FYM cause I think the name is kind of silly. I get frequent emails with little tips and links to videos that my friend and coach Holly Rigsby makes (I want to have arms like her! Way tone and strong!). Here is her latest VIDEO - she vents a little bit at the beginning about a silly magazine article that claims to have the answer of how to get a bikini body, and then she shows us the moves you really need if you want to burn far - a great and quick 30 minute workout. She's got a great program. I started it right before I got pregnant, so I haven't been able to test it for the 16 weeks she challenges for. I did it for a while after my morning sickness left me, but quit after I had a little spotting after doing some BURPEES (see the 3rd picture down at that link). So FYM it's great, and I thought I'd give all of you a little help if you're in the challenge - my goal: size 6 and 130 lbs. by December. Only 3 months to go and I'm gonna kick some boo-tay. My own booty, that is... kick my booty into shape. I'm doing good right now with my walks with Monica and some resistance work that I do - somedays I do FYM, other days P90X. Good Stuff. Keep it up!

Abi - Queen of the Kitchen

Who does this little two-foot toddler think she is? Well, she's cute... even when she's a mess. And she's the baby, although she won't be the baby for long... I guess we'll let her enjoy her last days of being the baby of the family and queen of the house.

Be of Good Cheer

An apple blossom in bloom - from the blog "LOST STONES"

Corey regularly listens to online talk radio while he works, and one program in particular by Dennis Prager - the "Male/Female Hour" - is always good. This weeks discussion: "Girls and women have to learn to control their emotions just like boys and men have to learn to control their aggression and libido." Listen to it HERE.

I haven't finished listening to it yet, but so far it all rings true. I want and need help controlling my emotions! It is a real battle women face. And being pregnant doesn't help me - I feel like I'm getting more than my fair share lately... I had 3 closet cry-fests last week.

Today I was over at Mom and Dad's dropping off two kids so I could go to a doctor appointment. I picked up a book from their shelf, "PECULIAR - In A Good Way" by Mary Ellen Edmunds. I read it at the doctor while I waited, and found the chapter "Be of Good Cheer" to be just what I needed to hear. Here's a little of what she says...

"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come." Doctrine and Covenants 68:6

"Be of good cheer" is not a suggestion, it is a commandment!

President Gordon B. Hinckley has shared so much about being of good cheer. At the general women's meeting on 29 September 1984, he quoted the Lord's words, "Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made" (D&C 25:12) He then said: "I believe he is saying to each of us, be happy. The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there are times of sorrow, Or course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see many people, including many women (he probably saw me!) who seem to never see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine." ("If Thou Art Faithful," Ensign, November 1984)

What a fantastic invitation from a prophet! "Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism." He asks that we cultivate a spirit of gladness in our homes, and that we let the light of the gospel shine in our faces wherever we go and in whatever we do. And I love the three suggestions he mentions of things to be joyful about, cause I am and can be joyful about these things! I will focus on them more:

1 - THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE

Daffodil from the blog "LOST STONES"

I love flowers. I HAVE TO plant some flowers this year. FYI, I've been looking the past few days at THIS home for sale in West Bountiful. Not too impressive on the outside, but lots of upgrades inside. One of the things I love about this house is the great yard - .33 acres, a garden area, play place for the kids, plus room to kick around a soccer ball (but mostly the garden area - I need to work in the earth and get connected to nature!).

2 - THE GOODNESS OF THOSE YOU LOVE

I let Corey's business stress me out too much, but I love that he is passionate about it, I love the righteous desires of his heart. He wants to make the world a better place, he wants to serve others and help them achieve their dreams and better lives with his software. Corey, I love your goodness!

3 - THE TESTIMONY WHICH YOU CARRY IN YOUR HEART CONCERNING THINGS DIVINE

I know God is leading us along. There is an amazing woman in my ward, Shannon Cloward, who had a near death experience several years ago - she calls it her "Miracle up on the Mountain". She was hiking with some other outdoor lovers in our ward and they were up on an icy mountain top - she had her icepick with her, but lost her balance on a steep slope and fell back, tumbling toward an edge and to what she knew would be her death. When she accepted her fate, she had one last thought about her children and who would take care of them. At that moment, she literally felt something grab her and stop her cold right at the edge of the cliff. Her feet were dangling over the edge. It was a miracle that stopped her. That was the last day of her life, and she knows that every day since then has been an extra day to enjoy, a blessing from the Lord. She shared that story in a sacrament meeting talk. She also shared this line that I'm trying to engrain in my memory and life "The Lord knows what he is doing with my life." He is in control, we need to recognize that - we are in His hands, and we can trust Him with our life cause He loves us. HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING WITH MY LIFE, so I will repent again of my murmurings (and female emotions that I need to learn to control!!!) and will try again to live each day with good cheer and to trust in His care. Amen!

FYI - "Keep your car and home safe" Tip

Our church ward has had frequent car break-in's the past few months. We were told to make sure we didn't leave any valuables in our car or in sight of the would-be robbers. People were doing that and playing it safe, but cars still got broken into. After the latest break in, the bishopric learned the theives aren't looking for valuables in the car - and then told us over the pulpit at church what the strategm is of the car theives...

(And this is a really sneaky thing, so nobody get any ideas! Actually, I was impressed they came up with this idea, cause I never would have thought about it. But, that might just be because I don't think about ways to steal... Anyway...)

They break into the car and don't take any posessions in the car, but take the GARAGE DOOR OPENER and the VEHICLE REGISTRATION, which has the HOME ADDRESS!!! Can you believe that?!?! Then, since they know lots of the people in the neighborhood are gone at church and will be gone for a few hours, they are easily able to enter the house and they have plenty of time to take what they want! What jerks!

From what I know, no one has had things stolen from their house, but some have taken extra precautions and had the locks on their house all changes and their garage opener code and system, which can be a little costly and just a big hassle.

So, now at church and everywhere we go, we are taking our garage door opener with us in our purse or to work when we get out of the car.

A Day with Transportation

Corey left for North Carolina yesterday which means... ta-da! I have a car! Now, Corey doesn't work very far from home, so I really could have a car more often, but I really can't get to much done anyway with Hyrum needing to catch the bus for afternoon kindergarten. I usually just tell myself there's enough cleaning and things to do around the house, I don't need to go anywhere... (...Maybe that's my problem, being resigned to sit inside all day and wait for the car to return...)Anyway, things today were blessed and free from incident.

I spent the morning on craigslist and ksl.com looking at random things and exploring possibilities, from moving/renting/buying, to cars and scooters, to furniture and carseats. One thing I was looking for was a Little Tikes kitchen like the one we bought in Virginia, but alas, as is the case everytime I check, there was nothing out there. (I really miss the huge selection of the DC Craigslist community, it was great.) But I did see a post for three Little Tikes chairs with a white table. It was in Orem, which is out of the way obviously, but it was only $10, so I called and it was available, so I drove down there with Wesley and Abi after Hyrum left for school. We were able to fit it in the car fine - it was a regular kitchen table that had the legs sawwed short, so it's nice and big which I didn't know from the pictures. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning the new toy room which right now is my favorite room in the house.

I am excited to clean, organize, and plan more tomorrow what to do to the house. I have decided that I need to buy bookshelves, so I might see if Beka can come over tomorrow and I'm going to go see if they have the $200 shelves at Costco like the ones we bought in 2004 when we moved to Provo for Graduate school. There's nothing on the online classifieds that is going to work, so I'm going to have to purchase wholesale. After BYU, we took those shelves with us to Virginia and later sold them there before our trip to Brazil. I miss those shelves, but I will find them again, and when I do, I am going to buy 3 of them and have a great time filling them up with our books that are in random places all over the house for the past year and a half, like the hall's should-be "linen" closet. (That was a run-on sentence...) So, we might buy, we might keep renting here, we might rent somewhere else, we might not... if we do move, the bookshelves could get banged up or something, but I am tired of living like I'm leaving, and so although we don't have money for decorating with our bank-draining rent, I am going to buy them anyway instead of food, and we will just continue to have ramen noodles for dinner the rest of this week like we have had for dinner 3 of the past 4 nights. Corey's gone and the kids love them, they are happy, I'm happy. Hooray for Oriental Top Ramen!

Lookin' Divine in 2009!

Ok, so I talked to Beka about this this afternoon...

I'm starting a health/weight challenge for myself and anyone who wants to join. It will be a 9 month challenge, which will be from now through Christmas. We can make it a weight loss challenge for personal best to meet your personal goal, or a competition for who looses the largest percentange among us, ...maybe everyone will be a winner! I haven't figured out that part yet, or the prize... more on that in a second, but I hereby state that I will be a size 6 and 130 lbs by Christmas. Right now I'm 160 lbs and I still have the last trimester to go. I've been walking in the mornings (at 5:45! Mon, Wed, Fri) with a great neighbor girlfriend, but I need to do some weight training at the gym. So until July, I'm just going to be working to minimize the pounds I gain, and after this little one is out of the oven, watch out cause I am gonna win! You all have a 3 month head start on me, so try and get ahead if you can!

So the Prize - it can be a cash prize, I'd donate $500 to the cause for myself or to divvy up with other Divine'09 ladies. Or we can all pitch in like $5 for each pound we loose, most pounds lost takes the pot? Or we can each buy one of our favorite things to end to each person in the game that reaches their goal? Any ideas?

Kids Love Capes

Ethan in Brazil in March 2007 - this was a cape that came in a big chocolate easter egg that we bought him for his birthday while we were there. Another cape - that made 6! The more the merrier. A child's imagination is unlimited with a cape on.

My cousin-in-law in Arizona, Sara, sent an email with a picture of her kids enjoying a hike. They both had white capes tied around their necks, and she said "I don’t know why they had to wear capes for this experience..."

That last sentence just made me laugh and reminded me of Brazil. As we got ready for our 4 month trip, I packed 5 capes for the kids. We only had limited space in the luggage for toys, and I knew the number of games played with capes would be high, but wow - they seriously all used the capes everyday. Capes were the best thing I brought there for the kids. Here is Hyrum on the back right swing dressed as his own super character he created called "Blackness".


And Wesley is at such a cute age right now - he wears Superman Pajamas with a cape everyday. Ethan got them a year ago for his birthday in March, and Wesley's been promptly assumed ownership of them. He's been on a real Superman PJ cape wearing kick the past while - I think we're going on the third straight week here, not counting Sundays. (sidenote - I do make him change his underwear regularly!) Sometimes if he spills cereal or something on the Pj's, he'll take them off and I'm able to wash them the same day for him to wear later. He is my "Wesley Superman".

I also just thought to myself that capes would be a great thing to put into my kids 72 hour kits! It would help keep them kids happy in future emergencies - let them pretend to be the hero in any pending crisis we're facing. ...and could double for a bandage or tourniquet if needed, too!

Banana and Prune Waffles for Breakfast

I love my K-Tec blender! It's awesome! I got it 4 years ago for Christmas from Corey's parent's. We had seen it at the Utah State Fair. I use it everyday. It's like the blenders that Jamba Juice uses.

For several days I've had some bananas that are overly ripe - I've been meaning to make banana bread. But waffles always cook faster than an hour for bread to bake... so this morning I made banana waffles. As I was adding the last ingredient, white sugar, I thought I'd like to try something more healthy but equally sweet... prunes should work! I still had the banana and egg puree in the blender, so I threw in about 15 prunes and hit the top speed It pulverized the prunes small enough that I was sure the kids wouldn't notice any suspicious particles in their waffles. So I cooked the banana prune waffles and served them with butter and a little bit of syrup. Usually my kids can eat two full waffles, a waffle having 4 quarter squares - I can't cook them fast enough before they all want another serving. But, lo and behold, when you put prunes in it, (oh, and I also put in a cup of bran!) all that fiber and un-processed sugar actually fills them up and they are satisfied. Wesley barely ate one quarter of a waffle, Mel was able to eat two quarters, Ethan just over one quarter, each of them coming up to me after saying "I'm full!" The waffles didn't taste bad, cause there was no complaining about taste or looks, the waffles were just so thick, I love it! I love feeding my kids food that actually fills them up and nourishes them. While we are at BYU, I was on a little spinach health kick there and I'd buy a huge bag of spinach at Costco every week. I'd blend up the spinach and put it in everything - spinach waffles (we called them Shrek waffles), spinach eggs, and I had lots of green food items to present on St. Patrick's Day. Blend the fruit and veggies! It's a great way to trick the kids into eating healthy!