AND THE BIGGEST LOSER IS.........

Russell!!!!!

We weighed in on Sunday - 3 days earlier than planned - because we were all together for a family dinner. Turns out I could've really used those 3 extra days! It was close between Russell and I. We weighed in 3 times; each time with less clothing because it was that close. How close, you ask?... 2/10 of 1%. Russell lost 16.3% of his body weight and I lost 16.1%. Let me put it this way, if I had lost 1/2 pound more, I would've won.


Ya, I can't say I was the "Biggest Loser", but I can say I was the 'Sorest Loser' - I vaguely remember throwing the calculator at him! (Sorry about that Russ!) I was pretty frustrated that after all I had done and sacrificed that I had lost by that small margin. However, he worked hard too and I'm proud of all three of us for the changes we've made and the weight that was lost. I know that I did absolutely everything I could, and I met my goal (and then beat it by 7 pounds!), so I'm happy!

Congratulations Russell - I always knew you were a loser! Now I know you're the biggest one! (and consider this picture payback for the one of Ian and I that you posted on facebook!)

(For the record, Russell lost 37 pounds, I lost 25 and Roger lost 14. I'll post an after picture soon!)

Now, time for new clothes... ;)



Enough about us losers, let me tell you about my Winner! There was an event at the girls' school called "Night at the Museum" and the kids were asked to submit an entry in one of several categories: Visual Art, 3-d Art, Photography, and Literature. The theme was "Kids in the USA can..." and they had to finish the sentence. Ashlyn decided that she wanted to take a picture of Noelle and a friend that had dark skin and her theme was "Kids in the USA can be friends even though they're different." She wanted it printed in black and white and we mounted it on black cardstock. We got to the event after judging and found that Ashlyn had won 1st place in the 3rd -4th grade Division of Photography! She had also won "Principle's Choice" for all categories in the 3rd-4th Grade Division! We were so proud of her!!!


Noelle also entered a beautifully drawn picture of a rainbow with flowers growing underneath it and her theme was, "Kids in the USA can have a dream and help it grow." She didn't win anything, but she is such a talented artist and we were very proud of her. I'll post a picture of her art when she brings it home from school!




Also new with Ashlyn is that she got glasses yesterday.
She has been complaining of headaches and we went and had her eyes checked. Her eyesight was about 20/30 - so not horrible, but enough to need glasses in the classroom. So, we got these little beauties - she picked them out. They are dark brown with green on the top and sides and look great with her skin tone, brown eyes and hair. They are a little bit funky - which is just her style! We think she looks adorable and she couldn't be more excited!



So, after the family dinner on Sunday, I was cleaning up and Gracie got her hands on a container of sprinkles. She somehow managed to open them and whoops!...of course dropped them everywhere. She and Shaylor (and Maisy, briefly) went right to work scooping them up and eating/throwing them. (It was raining sprinkles!) So, you wanna hear how much I'm progressing in my goal to be a mom who is more 'at peace'? Instead of freaking out and making them stop, I laughed and grabbed the camera as fast as I could! How's that for "finding joy in the journey?"

I love how it looks like Gracie has a sprinkle booger! Oh...and her shiner? Well, the little monkey won't stop climbing on the kitchen chairs. She got that last Friday when she fell off one and landed on the wood floor on her face. It's looking worse everyday...which means it is getting better. Poor thing :(


Here's a picture of Shaylor making his new face. It puts Ian and I into hysterics! He does it whenever he's being tough: shooting guns, playing dinosaurs, being a stinker during Primary Singing Time. He looks so funny! Where does he come up with this stuff?

Last of all, I have to share this awesome story with you. Shaylor is always a funny kid; even in his innocence. Here's some background: Sunday, we had Meghan's (Roger's wife) family over for the big family dinner because they blessed little Oscar. Meghan's Dad has some health issues and was also a bit of a rebel (think Harley Davidson biker dude) in years past. Let me add that he is a very nice guy. Due to these things, however, he has a black eye patch, a prosthetic leg (we'll call it a 'peg leg' here for humor's sake), a long beard, 3 gold hoop earrings in one ear, brass rings...do you see where I'm going with this?! Ian and I didn't think anything about it until the next morning, during breakfast, when Shaylor goes, "That was a cool pirate last night, huh Mommy?" Ian and I tried not to, but the more we thought about it, the more we laughed, and laughed...and laughed.

If only we could keep seeing the world the way we did as children, life sure would be an adventure!

Yep, Shaylor, that was a really cool pirate last night!

How can Spring be sprung when the sky won't stop with the snow?

Ian, being the most wonderful man in the world, brought me home roses unexpectedly last Saturday. I put them in my flower box and they have brightened every day since!

I went to a Women's Conference a few weeks ago and there was a class about 'Taking Care of Yourself.' I went, thinking I'd come away with some new idea on how to pamper myself. (As if I couldn't come up with at least 10 ways in a split second!) Instead, the class was extremely negative and about how life is hard and nobody else is going to take care of you, so you have to take care of yourself.

The teacher asked, "Who's husband would actually say to you, "Go take an hour for yourself and I'll do the dishes." She also asked, "Whose kids would volunteer to help with dinner if they saw you were stressed out?" I don't think she wanted anyone to respond that their husband and kids would do those things, but I raised my hand. How lucky am I that my husband and kids actually have done that - often - and had actually done it in the previous week?

I just feel so blessed with the wonderful people that surround me and that I not only know them, but am able to call them 'family' - and that they will be with me forever.

I got up and left that class. I'm grateful that I didn't need the message that was being shared.

Anyway...on to what these wonderful people have been doing!

Gracie and Shaylor made themselves forts beside my bed last week and tucked themselves in all cozy while I did laundry.

Ashlyn and Noelle had crazy-hair day at school. They looked like they belonged in Who-ville!

Shaylor and Ian have enjoyed watching videos online about fire engines and bulldozers and other manly things. Here is Shaylor picking out which one he wants next.

We made brownies (so yummy! Check my other blog tomorrow for the recipe! ameliascookbook.blogspot.com ) Here are the kids enjoying the batter!

Gracie has become quite the challenge lately. She's almost 2 which explains it. However, she was being cute one day, and I took tons of pictures of her. I finally got her hair into pigtails!

I painted her toenails a few days earlier. She will never sit still for me to cut her little nails, but she saw me painting the girls' nails and was as still as a statue so I could paint hers! Every time she sees them (especially during diaper changes) she points to them and says, "pree!" (pretty).

The, she got tired of me taking her picture and wanted me to stop and I wouldn't. So she started to cry.

Which I, of course thought was adorable and when I took a picture of her crying, she did this:

I guess she gave up all hope of me putting the camera down! Cute little thing.

On the first day of spring, our first little blossoms bloomed. The girls' came inside so excited to show me! Here they are:

Too bad two days later, they were covered in snow again. Will Spring ever really get here?

(Hey Rachel, do you like my alliteration in the Title? I thought of you as I was typing it!)

Gasp!!! Where did the recipes go?

I know you are dying to make that bread! I decided to create a new blog for me to share my recipes with you. There are so many, and I want to keep this site for family news!

So, if you are interested, the recipe blog is: http://www.ameliascookbook.blogspot.com/

I'll add it to my sidebar so it is easy to find from this page!

Not a lot going on right now...the kids made a fort from blankets and gymnastic mats a couple of days ago. Here are some pictures!