Painting Underway

Well it is Labor Day weekend and we have decided to take on some painting. We are in the midst of painting our dining room and living room. We picked taupe as the color and it is really showing off the white moldings. Mark is really a perfectionist when it comes to painting. The dining room is down to touch ups and we will start the living room in the morning.

Max of course is in the middle of all the paint, tape, tools, brushes, electrical plate covers, screws, ladders and having a grand time. All of his help is making the weekend memorable! Hopefully we'll be able to post pictures when it is done. We are still saving up for a new digital camera. Big bummer on the old one.

Serving is a Good Deed

Today Max and I had the opportunity to help another family who is in need. We spent several hours with children who needed extra help. We made cupcakes with these kids (not good for the diet - I only had 1 and about a 1/3 of Max's) but the feeling I got from helping others was wonderful. I do enjoy service and feel as though that is really what we should be doing - to help others as we can is really what the Lord would want us to do. Plus the added bonus is that I did not think about our problems or frustrations for a good three hours . . . . a nice break. I should of stayed all day and night! But, when I did get home, Max took a wonderful nap in HIS bed and gave me some time to be inspired about our dilemma's.

The shower did not give me any problem this morning . . . whew!

Gas prices are down to $3.39 a gallon!

The temperature outside this morning was in the low 60's - perfect for walking. Although about 10 minutes in to our hour walk - Max announces he is cold! It was a little chilly so we did cut the walk short so we could keep our morning moving.

Tonight, I am grateful for my family and the ability to share, help and be inspired.

Pray for the Pipes!

This afternoon Max decided to provide us a little more excitement than normal. Currently for Max to go to the bathroom he feels the need to strip down even if he is just going pee. This afternoon after going pee he picked up his underwear and as the toilet was flushing I saw him set his underwear free down into the toilet bowl as the water was swooshing in a circle! I gasped and said, "Max what are you doing? Are you crazy?" as I was practically doing a head dive into the toilet to retrieve his underwear out. As gross as this sounds to dive after your kids underwear, I was also thinking to myself, the last thing we need right now is a plumbing bill.

So no worries . . . the underwear was retrieved.

When Max gets finished with his dinner, if his tray is not removed right away, he will then get bored and start using his food as shampoo in his hair. We've had everything from syrup, to mangos, ranch dressing, etc. end up in his hair. This is his way of requesting a shower in mommy and daddies bathroom. Our bathroom is much easier to shower in then his. Although we do wash his hair in his tub just fine. So every now and then we let him shower in our bathroom. Today he did get a shower in our bathroom this morning as he claimed he too was sweaty from our walk. Tonight, after dinner he got another shower to clean out rice and smashed mango.

Mark took him up to shower while I attempted to make a couple of work calls. Then . . . I heard the screams from Max - "I want my mommy" "Mommy will fix it" . . . . Max had opened the small plastic drain cover (which he has done before) and shoved his baby wash cloth down the drain. Mark was working on retrieving it out with coat hangers but, the wash cloth had made its way past the initial 2' straight drop and down the elbow of the pipe. Mark and I both attempted to retrieve the wash cloth but, with no luck. We then called the handiest people we know, Danny and Jo Greene, who have every tool in the world. They proceeded to come over and help us retrieve the wash cloth. But with Danny's "snake" we still could not retrieve the wash cloth. We decided to run the water for a bit and the drain did not back up. We'll see how the shower looks after our morning showers but . . . I really hope the wash cloth has made it through the pipes and into some large plant that has received more than one baby wash cloth from a 2 year old!

May our pipes be blessed this night and for many more nights to come . . . that they too will survive a 2 year old!

On A Roll with Canning

Our Relief Society has focused in on gardens this summer and we have worked on learning how to can various things from our gardens. To date, I have canned 9 pints of green beans, 18 quarts of peaches and 4 quarts of tomatoes. The tomatoes came from our garden and I have been able to get green beans from another members gardens. The peaches came from a local farm market. I have really enjoyed learning more about canning and adding to our families food storage.

I Have a Meeting ...

Mom: Max, what are you doing?

Max: I'm getting ready for my meeting.

Mom: What is in your bag?

Max: Everything I will need for my meeting.

Mom: What exactly is in your bag?

Max: My cards (playing cards or old hotel keys that I bring home for him), my zebra, my wallet, a tissue, some cars, a computer cord, random church magazines or pamplets (he has no doubt found in a non-secured area).

Mom: Where is your meeting?

Max: At Sacrament meeting.

Mom: Who is going to your meeting?

Max: Dallin & Josh (friends from nursery and playmates)

Mom: Ok, well let me know when your meeting is over with ok? Did you take any snacks for your meeting?

Max: I need to get some . . . . (now digging through the pantry for pretzels or teddy grahams)

Pretty soon I see him set up shop on the landing of our stair case. Everything is now out of the bag and thrown in various directions.

Max: Mom, my meeting is over with now. I need to go to work.

Mom: Where are you working today?

Max: Las Vegas

I've tried to tell Max over and over again that he will have plenty of time for meetings and work. Just sit back and enjoy your juice and chocolate milk for a little longer. Pretty soon he'll be off to college and on a mission!

Biggest Loser . . . . Starts Up!

Well I decided to step on our scale the other day. At first it read "ERR" which made me quite nervous. Had I exceeded the scales capacity?

We did upgrade our scale last year for Christmas since the first one had been attacked multiple times by Max. Our new scale allows you to program in your age, height, weight and then some how miraculously gives you a boby fat percentage. I don't really buy in to the percentage weight idea since it has been engrained in to me about pinching arms, stomachs, legs, etc. While I am interested in dropping weight I know my fat percentage is will come down.

So here is the deal. I am prepared to share with the world that I am now on a course to lose 55.5 pounds before June 29, 2009! This will give me a little over 10 months to complete this goal and really I am determined to make it - perhaps even before June 29th.

For years, now I have been wanting to put myself first with my health but, it really is so easy to put it aside and eat when I am sad, depressed, stressed and of course when I am happy! I have tried almost every program out there in my adult life including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Body for Life, The Carboyhydrate Addicts Diet, various versions of all protein, etc. Really, what losing weight to me boils down to is cutting back, no snacking, more water and consistent exercise. I am not not going to say that I am going to stop eating one type of food or the other, etc. That really just does not work for me in the long run.

So I will keep a running total of my weight loss updated on this blog and keep you posted as to how I am doing. My reward in the end . . . well, the first reward will be a healthier me which will be most important. I will enjoy taking our kids to the pool much more and of course doing even more activities outside. The big reward . . . well hopefully Mark and I will be able to spend a little time in Hawaii to celebrate our future and the first 40 years of our lives! And to see many more sunsets like the one above together.

So keep asking me on how I am doing . . . this will help keep me on track. This morning I told Max to say "Keep up the pace mom!" while we were out on our walk. I started back walking this week and I have really enjoyed the early morning cool air of August!

I challenge all of you to make any changes you may need with your health and keep me posted on how you are doing!

Which is Cheaper?

So I need to pose a question. Which is cheaper in your part of the world -

a Gallon of Milk or a Gallon of Gasoline?

Answer: Here in Winchester, VA buying a Gallon of 2% at Walmart was $4.05. Buying a Gallon of Gasoline in Winchester, VA (87 89 Oct.) is $3.69 and 10 miles down the road I saw it for $3.59!!

Pretty soon we'll start carpooling to Walmart, Target and Giant/Martins for groceries and use our powder milk from food storage!