Things I am grateful for

A Smaller Bum

Sweet Nephews

Fun Family

My Chicks with their Chicks

The love of my life

I meant to post the pictures in the other direction (the bum picture was supposed to be the last one). But I wanted to post about how many things that I have to be grateful for.

1. The smaller bum. Really. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be smaller. This year of losing weight has been interesting for me, the things that I have learned have been so helpful. I like eating less. I really do. Honest. It feels better. When I put on a skirt, or a pair of pants and they are only size 10 (instead of 20) it is quite satisfying. And it was a matter of smaller adjustments, not huge ones. I really should start regular exercise, though. I imagine that will be the goal for next year.
2. The sweet little boys. Noah and Ian. Oh, my gosh! I wanted to eat them up! I got to spend some time with them last night, and they both have the sweetest personalities. I really want my sisters to move back to Utah! PLEASE?!
3. My sisters (even the flat one next to me). And my auntie and cousin. I am so indebted to my first family for all the tolerance of me while I was growing up. They are the best, most wonderful family ever!
4. My little girls. Look how funny they are. Scott and I actually caught them after they had brought the chickens in the house to watch TV with them. (I think the things might be potty trained-they didn't poop once. My girls give me so much joy!
5. Truly, the love of my life. I have been so blessed by the incredible gift of my husband. I am not sure what I did in my life to have deserved this blessing, but I am happy that Heavenly Father loves me enough to have given him to me.

I am grateful for many other things: my job, my bunnies, my dogs, my cats, my luckywife stuff, the Gospel, my warm house, good food and so many great friends!
Happy Holidays all!

Summer of Love

This is the new talent I discovered!

Isn't this flower gorgeous? It just makes me happy to look at it!

This is the chicken coop that we made as a family. Fun!

What a busy, fun summer it has been. I got to have 2 laproscopic knee surgeries, I have the cutest little scars on both knees! I am so glad they match! Well, one of my knees still has the stitches in it, but soon there will be matching scars. I can hardly wait until I get to ride my bike again.

Scott got to go to Germany while I did lots of laundry.

I was able to make a chicken coop with the family's help. Super fun activity, I highly recommend it! I am so happy that the chickens are all still alive and well. They are very happy in their home. I was quite sure that after we had our tragic experiences with the parakeets, that we were doomed to be an avian-free zone. But in some instances, I think the chickens actually enjoy teasing the dogs. And the cats maintain a healthy distance from the chickens. The chickens are a pretty healthy size now.

We spent a day at Lava Hot Springs at a family reunion. Great times were had by all, despite the storm!

We went to Bear Lake for a few days and so enjoyed the beauty there. We found an incredible field of wildflowers in the hills South of the lake. This was an amazing sight that I have never seen before in the mountains of Utah/Idaho. My camera's battery died, so I will have to tell the story forever as an unlikely fable. But the colors! The colors were amazing! Every color and every native flower imaginable was there in the fields. And the fields went on for miles! All the rain we received early this spring benefited the flowers this summer.

I have found a new fun talent. I have been making these cute little necklaces out of sterling silver and copper. It has been exciting to manufacture and play with the little things and discover the different styles that I can come up with. (Thank Heaven for an understanding husband that has gracefully looked the other way while I spent $$ with this little hobby.)

I enjoyed my kids this summer so much! I know that they don't think I spent as much time with them as I should, but I reaffirmed to myself that they are the perfect girls for me and I love them!!!!

I lost 65lbs! I must admit that it took much longer than the summer to do this. I have been actively trying to lose weight since November '08. I couldn't believe I let myself get to the 65lbs overweight point. I have learned so much about myself, but I think the most important is that I can't eat like a pig. It is still a little hard to believe that I have lost so much. But clothes don't lie, and I have a whole closet full that used to fit me and don't anymore. (Thank goodness! I looked like a cow!)

School is about to start next week. I am also looking forward to this strange new chapter in my life! This is the first year in 12 that I will have no kids to take care of during the day. MY YOUNGEST IS STARTING THE FIRST GRADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought this day would never come, but here it is!

Can I say that I am a little excited about this prospect? I am trying to think of the many things that I can accomplish while I have all this time at home! Well, I must add that the girl's first day at school is also my first day at school. So, I will be having my fair share of homework, too. Also, I am going to volunteer some time at the school, so there will be more time gone. But, I think that perhaps I will be able to get some real deep cleaning done in the house. Like carpet washing. And maybe one day when Abby gets home from school, she won't have any carpet in her room (her room is the animal-designated toilet-it is so so so GROSS!) So many plans..ha ha ha (evil grin and hands wringing).

Life is good, you know?

Kristie, Queen of the Tile

Kristie Queen of the Tile
& her sidekick, Murphy

Hallway Tile

Hallway Detail

Front Room

Well, finally, I am finished with the tile. My one week job ended up taking 3. But I think I am learning that home improvement jobs usually take 3 times longer than you expect, so I guess I am right on target.

I am still weak and weary from the whole project and my hands may never fully recover. I know that I will be having bilateral knee scopes this summer, so I am pretty sure that they will be okay.

Today is our 17th Anniversary and this is Scott's present. Happy Anniversary!

My Funny Leila

My puppy Leila has the cutest personality. I caught her tonight playing in the sprinkler system. I really do give her water to drink...just wanted to clarify!

My First 4.0

So, I can hardly believe it. It took me until I was nearly 40 years old. But I guess at least it did happen before I was 40 years old.

I got a 4.0 in my first semester back in Nursing school.

I have always been a mediocre student. My philosophy in school was "Why worry about it? A 'B' is good enough." So, the fact that I really wanted to do well and understand concepts was a little refreshing to me.

Oh, if only I could help my kids to see the wisdom.....I guess maybe that will take until they are 40, too.

My little runners

Before the race

During the race

After the race.

Meg and Abby ran today. They did a 5K in the pouring rain through N.O. I am so proud of them! There were a few tears after it was done, but they were well deserved. I am tired just thinking about it!

Blisters on blisters

Meg and Nell in the front room.

Here are some little details between the kitchen and the front room.

Here is the view to the front door. I really thought I would finish this last night, but I just couldn't do anymore.

Well, I have so much more respect for my husband today.
We have a little duplex that we rent out about 2 miles away from where we live. About a month ago, one of our renters moved out. She was not a clean person, and she had 2 teenage sons who were not clean, either. She also had a cat that did not adhere to the convention that cats use a litter box. So, as you can imagine, the place was filthy when she moved out. Well, I must admit that the place was not in the best condition before she moved in, so I don't think we can be too upset with her.
Well, Scott has been working so hard, fixing this place up. He put in new cabinets, sink, fixed multiple holes in the walls, ripped out carpet, fixed plumbing issues, painted, put in new doors, and countless other things! I have helped a little mostly with cleaning, but not too much with the hard labor stuff.
Well, Scott is at Ft. Sill right now for Guard Artillery School. I told him that while he was gone, I would install tile in the front room and hallway. I also painted the front room. Well, for the last 2 days, I have been on my hands and knees playing with thinset and laying tile. (This is the basement apartment-about 15 stairs down.)
Okay, so the point of this story is "OUCH!" Oh, I hurt! My hands are so sore! I have 2 blisters on my right hand and several red sore spots. My right index fingernail got thinset stuck underneath it and my fingertip is so swollen 'cause I can't get it out. Every muscle from my quads to my sternocleidomastoids is crying out for a deep massage, and my skin is so dry from the thinset sucking the moisture out of it. My knees are pretty sore, I think the red spots are permanent.
I think I have about 2 more days of this. One to finish laying the tile and another to put the grout in. I am not sure if I can make it. I will be so greatful when I am done. At least we will never have to pull out carpet from the front room/ hallway because of cat pee issues. Tile is so worth it in the end.
If I survive.....