4th of July 2011

I love the 4th of July. I love the food, I love the heat, I love the fireworks, and I love all the traditions we have with it. This year poor Shayne had to work, but we managed to have some fun. Saturday the 2nd, we had a few of Shayne's family over for a bbq. This was Shayne's first time using his new BBQ grill we all went in on for his birthday. It was a good time and nice to show our new place off to his family.

Evan and Monyka are the 4th of July people, just like we have been called the Halloween people. They planned such a wonderful party for our side of the family. We had it at our home (Mom's house banned fireworks and Evan's place was tricky for fireworks) so we were happy to help. Evan cooked some french fried onion pineapple burgers and served our plates to us restaurant style... then we played water balloon volleyball while roasting s'mores on their fire-pit.

When it got dark, we gathered in my messy garage (messy from the move) and watched Evan's amazing firework show. This was the first time in Utah for as long as I remember that most fireworks were legal. Normally you cannot buy fireworks legally that shoot more than 10-14 feet in the air. This year everything was fair game (which can be scary too). It was awesome though. Evan lit off some pretty amazing fireworks, many were show quality and shot HIGH in the air. He also had movie music playing the background to make it even more perfect. I loved it. It was an amazing night. :)

Biking

I forgot to mention some pretty great news that happened last month! Danelle can now ride a bike! I wanted her to have the experience of her Dad teaching her... well, all that time waiting for the right moment was almost for nothing because Danelle pretty much taught herself. Shayne took her out to the grass, walked around with her a little, and let her go. She was a natural. in no time at all she was riding around town showing off and begging the other kids to join her.

Kaitlyn is also a first time rider. I really wanted a bike trailer but settled with a little seat that rides on the back of my bike. It seems fairly safe and she wears a helmet whenever she is in it. I guess this is one way that Kaitlyn's low weight helps me - I never lose control with her behind me.

Now that we are all riding, we take rides five nights a week. Sometimes they are short, and other times (like tonight) we ride for 45 minutes or more. We have even ridden to Grandma LaTurner's house a time or two. I am loving (and needing) the exercise. It's great to take the kids along and do something we all enjoy that is healthy for them too.

Danelle's New Do

For a while there, Danelle was going through her Repunzel stage. She wanted hair that dragged behind her - or at the very least, down to her belly button. I bought her a special conditioner and tried to support her wanting her hair to be long which was a challenge most the time. Yesterday we gave in and cut it though and I am so glad we did!

Here is my status of the day: "Danelle's hair took THREE MINUTES to do this morning! Three minutes! - curled, cute, and ready to go. I really REALLY wish I had this girls hair. It's straight, full, no frizzes, and holds it's curl. If it was possible, that kid has the most perfect hair. Just sayin'."

It was so easy to do and the girl looks adorable. I love the length. Today I sprayed her with sunblock and didn't have to move around her hair first, or worry about her long hair laying in it and getting tangled. Last night, Danelle went swimming and it wasn't nearly as tangled as her longer hair would be. Not to mention but with her long hair, I would fix it up only to have her pull it out to fit on her bike helmet and then her hair would look weird the rest of the day. It had to be done.

Danelle was so excited. She actually wanted to go much shorter than we did. She wanted chin length hair with bangs. I let her cut it midway to her chin and shoulders, and NO BANGS. I still need to pull her hair up at times and bangs are just more upkeep; sorry kid. She is very happy though. I love catching her looking at herself in the mirror and telling me who she thinks she looks like. I am so happy we finally did it. She told me this morning she won't grow it long again for a long time (which I think is an excellent plan!).

Now if we could just get Kaitlyn's hair long enough for a real haircut...

On my mind....

Today the Casey Anthony trial ended. The verdict; not guilty. I have been watching this trial for years and it baffles me that she can walk away right now with so much against her. My heart goes out to poor Caylee who was too young to die. Caylee was only two years old when she was murdered.

Danelle and Caylee would have been close to the same age. It gave me chills that they seemed to look alike as well. I remember my mom calling me up and telling me to really watch Danelle and make sure that she wouldn't get confused for Caylee who hadn't been found yet. Caylee later was found in a wooded area by her home... nothing but skeletal remains were left.

I hugged Danelle and Kaitlyn tight today and thanked Heavenly Father they are safe and here with me in a home where they will never be hurt or taken for granted. I love my kids. I hope for Casey's sake that if she didn't murder her daughter that they find the killer on the loose and justice can be served at long last.

I'm GUNNA DO IT!

Me after losing my first 20 pounds in 2007, and me now, almost 40 pounds lighter.


I feel like I have come a LONG way since I started my weight loss journey in 2005. I had just given birth to Danelle... I gained sixty pounds during that pregnancy and unfortunately was not in great shape when we got pregnant with her either. I lost 40 pounds almost by the week after I left the hospital. I was hanging onto 20 pounds and was about sixty pounds heavier than healthy. Finally, I told myself this wasn't going to work and started counting calories. That year I lost my first 20 pounds. I felt good, but I had a long way to go.

After this we moved to Cedar Hills, again I lost 20 pounds. When we moved to Provo, I lost 10 more pounds. The summer of 2009 I was feeling my best. I told myself I still wanted to lose 10 - 20 pounds but then we got pregnant with Kaitlyn. I was in the best shape in years. Health wise it was a great pregnancy; blood pressure stayed in check, not as sore, and I didn't get as big... we did have problems with the placenta which caused problems later but THAT is another story.

I had high hopes when Kaitlyn was born that I would lose a lot of weight with nursing. I actually found this to be opposite. Kaitlyn was not gaining weight so I worried about what I ate, and if I could diet and lose weight and not have it effect her. I exercised regularly, but didn't watch what I ate. The last 20 pounds clung on. Now that Kaitlyn is 14 months I am not breastfeeding her it seemed like a great time to start a diet.

I remember asking mom if she wanted to start Weight Watchers with me. She did even more excited than I was. We decided to do it right after my move. Which we did. We have been on it for three weeks. I have lost 7.6 pounds and Mom has lost almost 10. I only have 12.4 pounds left to reach my goal and am convinced I can do it this time!

Of course, weight loss the right way never comes easy. This is not diet pills or something I shake on my food and I automatically will lose weight automatically. I am losing an inch at a time, a half pound a week average. It's going to take a while to get where I really want to be. Today at our meeting, the teacher wanted us to think of how we will look when we reach our goal. All I could think of is that I will be smiling. :) I look forward to this day. I want to reach my goal by my birthday. That would be the best present ever!