Come and see the baby

I've posted three pictures of Emily & Rusty's new baby boy, Adam. He's cute. You should go look at them.

Simplicity

I've said before that I have really simple tastes. I don't need fancy stuff to keep me pretty sort of presentable. I like to use stuff I can buy from my local grocery/super store so I can avoid having to go out of my way. Except for my hair styling products. I need the fancier stuff for that.

The time has come for another product endorsement from me. Please try and contain your excitement. I do this because I know that everyone who reads this blog looks to me for all tips on fashion, beauty, health & nutrition, homemaking and just lifestyle in general. I guess you could call me the Gwyneth Paltrow of Utah stay at home moms. I will now do my best to oblige you and help you nourish something.

Product #1: Neutrogena Intensified Day Moisturizer I've used Oil of Olay and on occasion the store brand equivalent for almost my entire life. I recently switched over to this and am very pleased with it. It's not too heavy and leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft. I especially love it because it has an SPF of 15. I think the most important thing you can put on your face everyday is a moisturizer with sunscreen in it. It's a must. Also, don't ignore your neck. Moisturize it too.

Product #2: Neutorgena Light Night Creme This stuff is fantastic. My face feels just as good when I wake up in the morning as it did when I put it on at night. The other great thing about these moisturizers is they won't break the bank.

Product #3: Remember how I said that I love Dove deodorant? Well, I've recently discover their body mist and it coordinates with the deodorant. How bad could that be? I'll tell you, not bad at all. It's so refreshing and light. I adore it.

There you have it. My latest installment of "What you should be using". Everyone rush out right now and buy all of these things right now. You need this stuff that bad and you need it now. When you do go, tell them Christa sent you because it won't matter at all to them.

P.S. I was letting Peyton run free today in just a diaper. Unfortunately, he discovered how to take it off by himself. Once he did, he promptly peed on the floor. Thank goodness it was on the tile. I would rather mop that then pull out the steam cleaner to clean the carpet.

Because I know like 3 people are wondering

Exercise update post:

Today is day 14 of my exercise program. I missed Saturday's (the 23rd) workout because I was at the hospital with Emily while she had her baby. Thanks again Emily for letting me be there. It was amazing to experience birth from that perspective. It was also a nice thing to not be the one pushing a baby out. I'll be posting pictures of the little nipper here very soon.

Sunday is always a rest day in the program, but I decided to make up for Saturday's miss by doing the stretch and abs routine that day. I didn't want to get all sweaty on the Sabbath, but didn't want to feel like a marshmallow either. Those routines really work you without the sweaty mess. Other than that, I've been following the program faithfully. A first for me. I'm seeing results already. (I don't know if they're visible to anyone else, but they are to me.) I can already feel a difference. My muscles definitely feel stronger. I'm down another pound too. I'm feeling very motivated and good about myself right now. That's a big deal. I don't always feel this way. It's a nice change.

Fashionista

Cameron is picky when it comes to his clothes. No, let me rephrase that. Cameron is extremely picky when it comes to his clothes. There's really no rhyme or reason to his pickiness. You can't look at an article of clothing and tell that he will hate it. Well, that's not true. He hates polo shirts. You can look at those and know he won't wear them. He hates the collars.

He tends to fixate on certain items, like shirts, and will wear them over and over and over and over and over and neglect the 30 others hanging in his closet. It's maddening. We've had many an argument over clothes while trying to get ready for school. We had one today.

A few weeks ago, I bought him around 6 new shirts and a few pairs of shorts. I wouldn't give him the shirts until he agreed to wear some of the others in his closet. Plus, he had to agree to wear some of Tyler's old (and still perfectly good) ones. Yep, you guessed it. He's picky about hand me downs too. He gave in and has actually been pretty okay with both. What he hasn't been okay with is one of the pairs of shorts I bought him. I think they're super cute and he thinks they look like poop. They're a lightweight cotton with a plaid print. You know, the kind all the cool kids are wearing. He threw a fit the first time I made him wear them, but finally gave in because I threatened to take away his new shirts if he didn't. By the end of the first day of wearing them, he claimed to love them. I thought a major life hurdle had just been jumped. Hooray. Today, when I tried to get him to wear them, he informed me that he had never really liked them and had only said he did to be nice. We argued back and forth for a few minutes with me telling him they looked cool and him telling me that they looked stupid. I tried a few ultimatums and he still refused. He then said, "they're ridiculous. They make me look like an American on top and a Scottish person on the bottom. (Remember, they're plaid.) I look like a dork when I wear them". I didn't make him wear them today, but only because that made me laugh so hard I couldn't continue the fight.

A lesson learned

Avery was playing outside today. She decided the perfect way to get on the trampoline was by placing a small, child size chair on top of a small, child size table. Instant ladder. She climbed up on it and proceeded to cause the chair to slip, tip over and fall off the table. She, of course, came in the house crying. I calmed her down and then we discussed how her method of getting on the trampoline was probably not a very good one. She reluctantly agreed and said, "I just thought that I knew it all and that I had skills, but apparently I was wrong".

Just so

Today, I'm a big, fat copy cat. I started a blog to post my pictures just like Shanna posts hers. I liked the idea so much, I couldn't resist. Please don't hate me. ☺

You can look at it here. Presently, there is only one picture there. Be patient, give me some time and there will be lots more. I want to thank Erin for the layout there. I purchased her special. Great deal! It's a $100 package for only $35. Go check it out. After you look at my lone picture, of course.

What do you know!?

I weighed myself and measured my body fat percentage when I began Slim in 6 last week. Ryan had to help me because I couldn't figure out how to work the stupid scale. Helping meant he had to be standing right by me while I did it so he could make sure I did it right. Nice. It wasn't at all embarrassing or anything.

I was NOT happy with the numbers I saw. Gross. I could have consoled myself with a donut, but I didn't. Instead, I let them motivate me and I've been working hard. Really hard and every day. I know. Amazing. I've been producing real, actual sweat when I work out and I am already seeing results.

I weighed myself again this morning and am already down 3 pounds and have lowered my body fat percentage by 1.5%. I know that weight can fluctuate up or down a couple of pounds from day to day, but it's only gone down since I started. I know this because I've weighed myself almost every day since I started. There's been no fluctuation. It's only been dropping at a rate of about a pound every couple of days. I started on Wednesday, Friday I was down 1, Monday another 1 and today another 1. I don't know if this is the normal, average amount. I'm sure it has to slow down at some point. I hope it doesn't. ☺ Losing 1 pound every other day would be amazing.

I hate to say it, but sensible eating and regular exercise really are the answers to weight loss and healthy living. Great. Guess I'll have to stick with it if I want to maintain.

Early to bed, early to rise

Peyton has decided that 6:30 is a lovely time to wake up. I beg to differ. I think that 8-8:30 is much nicer for him. I get up by 7:00 to get Tyler and Cameron up and off to school. If Peyton is awake then, they're both distracted by him and it takes much longer to get them ready. I end up losing my cool (big surprise) and then every one is unhappy. Plus, I really enjoy my early morning alone time. It's quiet and relaxing. I don't want to lose it. Waaaaaaaaaa.......

I've been keeping him up much later than normal to try and get him to stay in bed a little longer. It's not working. He's stubborn and won't listen to me. I'm so picked on. Sniff......

Windows

This is another story that took place in my car. Most of my stories happen there.

I was going somewhere with all of my kids last week. We had the windows rolled down to get a little breeze blowing through. Avery said to me, "Mom, why did Jesus create windows?" She's always asking why Jesus created this or that. I replied, "so that we could get air into our cars and houses." From the backseat, Tyler piped up with, "actually, Bill Gates created Windows. Oh, wait. You weren't talking about computers, were you?"

I'm a murdiddlyurdler

Actually, I need to learn how to become one. You see, we have an ant problem at our house. They seem to be everywhere, but especially in the dining room. It makes sense they would be in there because there are always crumbs in there. It wouldn't matter if I swept the floor and vacuumed the rug under the table every day, crumbs would still manage to find their way in there. I have four kids and kids are messy creatures.

I've put out ant traps, but they're not doing a lick of good. Just today, I was sweeping in there and one of the traps was covered with ants enjoying a feast of crumbs. They were in fact, using it as a table of sorts. What good is a trap if it's not going to kill them? Short of spraying down every corner of my house with Raid and sweeping and vacuuming 10 times a day, I don't know what else to do to get rid of them. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Say it ain't so

I've come to the conclusion that if I want my new exercise routine to be truly effective, I am going to have to do it in combination with diet. My Dr. Pepper abandoning was a good first step. Although, beginning a new exercise program was not my initial motivation in quitting it. Sensible eating and in the beginning of this program, low carbs and high protein eating are the next steps. I hate sensible eating.

Slim

I have been sporadically doing P90X with Ryan. I have enjoyed what I have done, but I'm not very good at some of it. For example, I cannot for the life of me do a jumping jack. (You do them during a break time in the karate workout.) I swear I could do them as a child, but it seems to be a talent I have lost. My left foot doesn't want to "jump" out for anything. It stays in the center and basically almost picks up off the floor. I look pretty ridiculous with my arms flailing and only my right leg kicking out. Mastering a jumping jack should be my next project.

Last week, after watching me struggle with the cursed jumping jack, Ryan politely said to me, "Uhhh....you know this program is kind of, sort of designed for people who are already in sort of decent shape." Now, even though he said it politely, I did smack him and call him a creep. I know I'm not in great shape, but I didn't need him pointing it out. Plus, I don't think you necessarily have to be in shape to do a jumping jack. I think you just have to be slightly coordinated. I thought I was, but apparently not. I reluctantly agreed something different was needed. Some of the P90X workouts are crazy hard and I don't think I would ever be able to do them.

I'm starting this program today. I think it will fit me a little better.

Mom

Words cannot adequately express all the ways my life has changed since becoming a mom. To my own mom, I love you and appreciate you. To my mother in law, I love you too. Thanks for raising such a wonderful son. To all the other moms and moms to be and those still waiting to become one, I hope your day is filled with love.

A blessing from Heaven

Rebecca and I had a little discussion a couple of Sundays ago. We decided that half sleeve tees are truly a gift from above. Since I don't have Madonna arms, these do a wonderful job covering up hideous my upper arm. I love them (I think I currently own 9) and I don't know where I would be without them.

I haven't wanted to jinx myself

I have been having some pretty darn good hair days for about the past week. (At least in my mind.) It's been basically smooth, not too frizzy. It's been laying right. Such a blessing. It's also been looking shiny as well. I've been hesitant to acknowledge this fact because when I do, it usually means I have a butt hair day immediately after. I'm off to shower and then style my hair now. Fingers crossed, it will look good.

Has this ever happened to you?

(This one wasn't taken today. Just pretend.)

I was out running errands today with Peyton. We were stopped somewhere and I glanced back to look at him. I kind of freaked out over what I saw. He didn't look scary or anything like that. It was just a very mature, almost adult looking face staring back at me. I felt like I was kind of getting a glimpse into the future. I had to blink my eyes and shake my head to bring myself back to reality. I felt kind of ridiculous for freaking out and had to laugh at myself to calm down. It's just that it made me sort of sad to see time slipping by right in front of me. Some days I wish I could stop it, but if what I saw is any indication, I think he's going to make a very handsome man.

It's still stuck

My profile views number is still stuck at 1,600. I was thinking about it and I think it's been that way longer than just a couple of months. I think it's been stuck there since at least the beginning of the year. I do care a little bit about whether or not it goes up. I would be lying if I said I didn't. I get a slight little kind of childish thrill out of knowing people want to know more about me. It bugs me that it's not moving and I don't know why. My stat counter still says that people are viewing it. Yet the number does not go up. Why? I HATE not knowing the answer to a problem. What is the technical glitch that's going on? Yes, I am letting this stupid problem cause stress. I need to stop.

I feel like a schmuck because I missed a Stake leadership training meeting last week. I never miss them. I do have an excuse. We were having dinner with my family while my brother was here. He was supposed to get here 3 days earlier than he did. Consequently, everything that was supposed to happen on the weekend, got pushed into the week. I also didn't remember to put the meeting in my Outlook calendar. So, I didn't get any of the pop up reminders when I would check my email. Blah, blah, blah. I hate excuses and I hate missing important meetings. Plus, NO ONE from my ward went. No one. That really adds to my feeling of schmuckness. To top it off, members of the Stake Primary Presidency visited my ward on Sunday and I wasn't there. (They weren't visiting to chastise us for missing the meeting. It was something they planned to do months ago. It was just a happy coincidence it fell on the Sunday following the meeting.) We very rarely, and I do mean very rarely, miss attending our ward. I feel it's extremely important when you are in a leadership position (quite frankly any calling requiring you to be there on Sunday) to be there. Like I said, I hate excuses. We missed because we were attending the blessing of Ryan's brothers baby. Things that involve immediate family are the only reasons we will skip out on our own ward. Technically, we didn't skip entirely either. We went to our Sacrament Meeting first and then missed the rest of the block. The part where the Stake Primary Presidency visited and I wasn't there.

I called the Stake Primary President last night to apologize. She was understanding and told me it was fine, but I still feel silly. I know how it feels to be the one running the show and have people flake out on you. It doesn't feel good.

I've discovered I use a phrase altogether too much

I'm kind of an anxious and easily stressed person. On the surface, I may look calm and collected, the inside is a different story. The older I get, the worse it gets. And that really stinks because I don't like being this way. I can get snippy and short when I don't really mean too. I don't know why. It just happens. Sorry family. Things (and to be more specific, almost everything) stresses me out even when I don't want them too. I must say it all the time because Avery has started saying stuff to me like:

"I can't get dressed right now. It stresses me out too much."

"Cleaning me room is stressing me out. I want you to do it for me."

"I'm stressed about going to school."

"I'm too stressed about dinner. I can't eat it."

"Peyton touching my toys is stressing me out."

And on and on. I usually laugh when she says stuff like this because it's said in her melodramatic fashion, but I suppose it's really not that funny. It's time I worked on my "stress" so that I quit rubbing it off on to my kids.

My brother, the soldier

I was able to spend some time this past week with my brother Joshua and his family. I know, I don't talk about them. I'm a pretty crappy sister. Josh is in the Army (sorry, I can't remember his current rank) and has been stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky for around the past 4 years. He's been with the 101st Airborne division and does aircraft maintenance and repair. The last time I saw him and his family was about 2 1/2, actually probably closer to 3 years ago. In that time he has done a tour in Iraq and one in Afghanistan as well.

He was here because he had to go to Phoenix this weekend for some schooling. He'll be there for around 11 weeks. His wife and kids have gone to Japan to visit her family while he's there. I'm really happy they stopped here for a visit first. It was so nice to be able to catch up. Once he's done with schooling, he's being transferred to Fort Riley in Kansas. So, the likelihood of seeing him often is pretty slim.

I was able to look at pictures with him from his tours and listen to stories. He doesn't do combat, but has gone on a couple of missions. He mainly prepares the air crafts for the missions. He carries a weapon, but has never had to fire it. He showed me footage of actual battles that took place in Afghanistan and it was strangely surreal. I, of course, know that horrible things happen there everyday. It's just that this was the first time I had actually seen some something real. It gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation for the soldiers who are there or who have served there. I also have an entirely different idea of the people who live in those countries. And it's not bad. I actually have more empathy for many of them. I can't adequately express and articulate all of it here. It's something better said in person. Suffice it to say, I learned a lot.