Halloween fun!

Ok, so I am still trying to figure out how to add pictures in my blog, so forgive me! We had a fun Halloween with the kids. Barry took the kids to our ward Trunk-or-Treat on Thursday, I had to work :-(.

Everyone looked really cute. We used a costume from a few years ago for Colton - Dracula. We actually have a vampire binky, but despite tearing our whole house apart, we couldn't find it. (I swear it was there a few days ago!) I wore a gypsy sort of thing I have had for a while as well.

Rory decided on a cheerleader and I was bold and crazy enough to make it. It has been a few years since I have really done much sewing, so it was quite the refresher course. Brigham didn't get much say in his costume. I saw a fireman one at Costco, and said "OK, You're a fireman!" He is too young to care, so it made it nice and easy on me. Barry was a magician again as well, and was very popular at Matt & Jenn's Trunk-or-Treat. (We joined theirs on Friday since I wasn't able to go to ours and had a great time!)

Afterward we stopped by Barry's mom's and hung out for a little bit so she could see the kids in all their Halloween glory. We even managed to get a picture taken of all five of us dressed up! Aren't we cute!

More to explain

In my ranting I forgot to also explain that my FOUR year old has already lost two teeth! Her permanant teeth are already moving in. The tooth fairy decided on 50 cent pieces as a good prize. She's thinks they are cool because "they are big pennies". I've tried to explain to her how they are like 50 pennies, but I don't have 50 pennies to give her a demo on how money works. One day... :-)

Brig also turned 2 a few weeks ago and we got him a few boy dress up things and a cool "Caterpillar" tank-like truck that has an automated lever that goes up and down and makes cool "truck" noises. It also came with it's very own construction "figurine", because boys don't have dolls. :-)

Ok, that's it for now!

Mess of a month

This month has just seemed to get so crazy so fast. For starters, everyone has been sick in our house with one thing or another. It's been a constant stream of sickies! Barry had the flu, then Brigham got croup. Then Colton had double ear infections with two rounds of antibiotics AND a shot. I got a weird stomach bug that started on conference Sunday and lasted through monday as well. Then Colton got croup. During that same time I got pinkeye. Really, really bad pinkeye. Like I've never seen before. So, of course, Brigham gets pinkeye too. Then Sunday night both Barry and Rory tossed their cookies during the night. Ahhhhh. So I have missed more days of work then we can afford, but someone has to take care of everyone. My sweet mother-in-law came to my rescue one of these nights because I HAD to go into work and had no one that I could take all my sick kids too. She drove 30 minutes to watch my kids for me... and then my massage cancelled anyway, so I came home. :-)

Whew! I am really REALLY glad that everyone is finally getting over everthing. Today I will actually be able to put my contacts back in! YAY!!! The only glasses of mine that I can manage to find are about 7 years old. They are scratched and don't have any of my astigmatism corrections in the. It's better than nothing, but not by much. I will add pictures so that everyone can get a good look at how horrible I looked. But these don't honestly do it much justice. The first day I had pinkeye my eyes were nearly swollen shut. I looked like I had been crying for four days straight. It was quite the hideous sight to behold.

I have also started to be more crafty this month. I made a Puppy dog cake for Brigham and the other guys celebrating their b-day this month on Barry's side of the family. It was yummy!

I made Rory a few tutu's like I saw on my friends blog. (So cute and super easy too. You don't need to know how to sew to do them either.) I have also (sort of) been put in charge of a Super Saturday for our ward. I love them, but our ward hasn't done one in a long time, and since I was pushing for one, they deligated that to me. I ordered several really cute projects from a cool little magazine, and they finally got in! I have been working on a few things to see what I think the women would like to do. I liked that they items were very reasonably priced and of good quality. I'll let you know how that goes. :-) I've also committed myself to making Rory's Halloween costume this year, and she decided to be a cheerleader. I found a cute pattern and finally made it to get the material and everything else I'll need. Now I just have to sqeeze in the time!

And, whether due to sickness, or a more detirmined effort, I have been able to lose a few more pounds. I didn't really get anyone to sign up and sponsor my weightloss (except Heidi!) but I am still pushing forward. Now that everyone is healthy again, I can start hitting the gym again too. I was lost in total 14.5 pounds and 16 inches since I started trying after Colton. Since starting my sponsor challenge I have lost 4.5 pounds. Slowly but surely.

What else... Well, I do think that is it for now. Hopefully the rest of the month will go smoothly and I'll be able to finish Rory's costume in time!

Sponsor my weightloss!

OK, I am totally stealing this idea from our cousin, but I am desperate for the motivation. Heidi, if you have any blogging pointers on how you set yours up, let me know!
So... after several months of "trying" to lose weight, I have only lost about 10 pounds. I have lost about 15 inches, but I feel like I still have a ways to go. So, here's how it works. I am still hoping to lose about 25-30 pounds (20 at the very least!). I need people to sign up for a specific pound they would like to sponsor. It can be any pound (unless someone elses takes it first!) and anything you want. It can be as big or as small as you would like, but please try to make the motivational when you can. (Taking me out the Cheesecake Factory when I hit 15 doesn't count!) I am just looking for the extra motivation. I have started working out again this week. I am really committed and serious about getting back in shape. It isn't JUST about the weight to me, it's really much more about being healthy and having my clothes fit again. I also wouldn't mind having to find a few new items for the ol' wardrobe! Please help me out guys! Thanks in advance for your (hopefully) shrinking friend!

p.s. I'm stealing another idea from Heidi's blog... I am totally gonna try the coconut oil your friend told you about! Dang! I just got home from Walmart too!

First tooth - and other updates.

Well, amongst other things Colton cut his first little tooth today! I am excited because he has been a drool monster for the past few months. He has been the best teether so far too. Other than the constant drool machine he hasn't made any more of a fuss than normal - which is minimal to say the least. I can NOT believe that he is already 6 months old. My how time flies when you are too busy to care!
I have officially started back to work now. I have been picking up a few hours in the child care center as well, trying to make ends meet. My boss wants me to change up my schedule a bit too, so, I'm trying to decide what will work best for my family - both financially and physically. So far, all the kids are handling the transition pretty well. I am finding myself having to be more and more structured with my time. I am still on the learning curve of this planning ahead gig. I find myself constantly checking the clock and assessing what else I have to do before we head out the door. Diapers, wipes, extra outfits, snacks, a sack lunch/dinner, cell phone, getting myself looking presentable, then the kids, etc. So much so that I have become so wrapped up in work stuff that I have let other plans I have made go by the wayside unintentionally. I get so frustrated with myself when I don't remember 100% of the 2 dozen things on my plate at any given moment. Just wait until Rory starts school full-time, or recreational sports. (Sigh!)
Oh! and I have been called to teach the CTR 8 class at church. Last week was my first week teaching and I think I might possibly have THE best class in the primary. The kids were all so eager to answer questions and tell stories. I love 'em already!
To wrap up the whole week I am taking my Reiki Master class tomorrow. I am excited to have something new to add to my list of modalities I can do. I really enjoyed the first two portions of the course. I'd say my only regret with it is that I didn't do it earlier. I also really like that they make most of their classes available to the public. You don't have to be a licensed massage therapist to take them. Here's the link to their website if anyone is interested in picking up a trick or two. www.alternativehealingconnection.com or www.how2heal.com works as well.

Finally!

I finally got my license in the mail last week! I am so stinkin' excited. Now I just have to wait for the manager of the spa to get back from vacation to finish my paperwork to get back to work! I have really kind of missed work in general. I have also been really missing the extra cash it brought into the house. I guess I never realized how much I was making until it was gone. I'm not saying I made a billion dollars or anything, but it was really helping. So, I'm excited to get back on top of a few things and start to rebuild a savings. I think it will also help take some of the financial burden off of Barry's shoulders so that he can concentrate on finding a job that makes him happy. Of course it would be nice if he made a little more money too, but my primary concern is that he is enjoying what he is doing. If he is going to be spending SO much of his time at work, he might as well really enjoy it right?

My first

Well, I have decided to join the world of blogging! It would be way too hard for me to go back and post everything I would want to about our life so far, so I'll just start where we are now.

Barry is still trying to find the time to look for a new job so that he can be home more. I am still working on getting back into the massage biz after having Colton... I can't believe he will be 6 months soon. Brigham will be turning 2 next month as well. Rory will be starting preschool next week too. It seems like our life is moving at break-neck speed.

Our anniversary will be next month as well. All of this has happened in 6 years! Three kids, med school, a new house, jobs. Wow! Even though things are really tough with Barry gone so much, and like so many other people the finances keep us in a constant struggle to stay afloat, I feel like we are so immensely blessed. Our kids are generally healthy and strong. Strong-willed too... a blessing and a curse... I seem to be handling three kids on my own WAY better than I think anyone could have ever imagined. And somehow Barry is managing to keep it all together at work. I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the ability to recognize all our blessings and have the patience I need with Barry and the kids. Somedays are better than others, but at least I know on the really bad days... it can't get much worse, and even if it does I will still find a way to survive and even thrive.

I will be posting some pictures and other updates soon... I just wanted to get started with something!