Mommies & Daddy's Don't Have It Ez

I must say that this last month has probably been the most humbling month ever! Dan is currently looking for work. His business is NOT thriving and so we are looking. I hate this economy right now and how it has affected everyone! We had a HUGE tax return and I am confident that was a marvelous blessing! We are very blessed and many are hurting worse than we are. So, I pulled out the 3 month supply of food storage...and started cutting expenses. What a good feeling that is! I feel the weight of not being able to help my husband by working. So, keeping expenses low is what I do best. But regardless of what is happening and how we are trying to keep a positive attitude, it has not been easy. Today was hard for me! In my frustration and stress I was extremely grouchy with my children and husband today. My poor Hailey asked me why I have to be so grouchy all the time. This hit my like a ton of bricks. I can't believe the weight we carry as parents. As I left sacrament meeting early to take a long drive I discovered something...I was trying to do this all on my own. That is a problem because I can't do it alone. I need my Heavenly Father. I realized my pride and selfishness. It is important that as parents we are kind and loving and positive. I think that as Mom's, we carry this burden (not that being happy is a burden, but trying to be when there is so much going on is tough sometimes) more than anyone else. When my Mom wasn't happy, I felt my world was just crumbling. I remember her taking long drives, especially on Sundays and not returning for the better part of the day. She would return with this shield of strength and the smile would return. I know that in those times she was pleading with the Lord for that and he blessed her. I discovered that today. Does it change our situation? No...but it does change my attitude and I feel a renewed strength that is not entirely my own. I am publicly grateful for my man. It is not easy looking for work. We've been in this position a couple of times before. Dan is like the other half of my soul (hokey...beware). When he is upset or troubled, I am. He still manages to take care of us and taking care of us monetarily is not the only way and definately not the most important way! He takes care of us in the MOST important way, by loving us, treating us with kindness, staying close to the Lord and I love him for it! So, for any of you struggling with life in general right now...remember...you don't have to do it alone :)

DON'T EAT PETE!

This super easy and fun FHE game was started in our family with my Sister-in-law years ago. We haven't really played it on our own, but since Grandpa Johnson is living with us he brought this fun game to life last Monday night after Family Night. It's very easy...You can choose how many M&M's (we had 15 or so per child). We dump the 15 M&M's on the table and someone leaves the room. We all pick which M&M is Pete. The person that left comes back and begins counting the M&M's and pulling them to them or putting them in their mouth. When they touch "Pete", then we all yell "DON'T EAT PETE" The kids laugh their heads off! It was so much fun! Here are some pics of each kiddie taking their turn :)

Our New Pets...

GUINEA PIGS! YIKES! I'm so excited, actually. I grew up with my own sweet guinea pig. His name was Porky. He was fat and super fluffy, sort of like this brown one below. They (we had three total) loved my dad...and would squeal when he would come home. My brothers and I used to take them outside in the summer and feed them grass and make huts for them. We had a lot of fun! Well, this last Saturday, Dan, the kids, my brother Shawn and cousin Erica went to see the movie Bedtime Stories and there was a guinea pig in it. Also Dan and I have been "discussing" the possibility of getting a dog. Our kids are big animal lovers, especially Abby. Dan suggested, after the movie, we all go walk around PetSmart. The kids were so excited! Well, Dan got a bee in his bonnet and started looking at the guinea pigs. They are a wonderful first pet. They require a fair amount of care and love each day and as the kids get used to them and the guinea pigs get used to the kids, the will make a fun, and relatively easy pet. They live 5-8 years but can live less if they catch colds. I remember ours died of colds and I honestly can't remember how long we had them. I loved my one and only pet Porky :) Well, next thing we knew we were walking out PetSmart with two guinea pigs. The kids were ecstatic! Here are some pics of the kids and our new guinea pigs.

The kids picked the names: Peek-a-Boo (the brown one, with the one white spot on her nose) and Missy (the multicolored one). They are both female, so I'm happy to report there will be no reproducing :) Also, the male variety tends to fight, like the three we had growing up.

Missy & Boo in their new cage (above)

Erica and Hailey (below)

Shawn and Missy

Game Night

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I'm a gaming freak! Well this includes cards, too. About a year ago, we met the AWESOMEST couple in our ward, Mark and Trish. They invited us to play cards with them. Well, they were getting together with another couple from our ward, Keith and Michelle (also the AWESOMEST!). So we all got together and totally hit it off! We get together a lot and love to kid around, eat tonz of junk and get super competitive (well, mostly just Trish....hahaha jp. I'm probably just as competitive...LOL). This last weekend, Erica, my gorgeous, amazing, smart cousin came to stay and my brother Shawn wanted to come play cards (he has played with us before) and my Father-in-law was also in town. So we had everyone over...the kids played downstairs and we played upstairs. It was SOOOOOOOO DANG FUN! Here are some pics...

I Spy Something...

Yesterday on my way to the gym, not even a mile away from it...I heard this very loud sound, like a helicopter. I was looking up, trying to figure out what that loud sound was. I pulled over and got out of my van and discovered my flat tire (yes, I'm retarded, lol). I called my Dad to come help me because I have only changed a tire a couple of times and with help...so I wasn't doing it by myself. While waiting for my Dad; Rachel, Joe and I decided to play I Spy. Well, when it was my turn, I was going to Spy the street sign. I said "I Spy Something Flat...". Joe excitedly shouts "Our Flat Tire!!!!!" Hahaha! He is so funny. I love my kiddo's for helping me to laugh in situations like this!

The Bench

So, many of you may know that I LOVE to lift! Bodybuilding is one of my greatest joys...LOL. I hired a trainer about a year ago, and she taught me everything I know, including a huge obsession with lifting heavy. I knew nothing about lifting. The fact that lifting meant going back where the guys go?! That was just plain intimidating! So I began learning. Well, in October, last year, my trainer decided that she wanted me to be her "lifting partner". I was very excited and very flattered. Melanie, my LP, is uh-mazing! She can lift some serious weight! I always laugh watching the reaction she gets when lifting. Most people will have to make a comment or touch her huge massiveness, it's quite funny. What I'd like to know is why aren't they touching my huge, massive biceps?! LOLOLOL!

This is Melanie on a hike we went on last year

Well, around Christmas I made a goal of Benching 135 lbs. I reached that goal just this last month! I was so excited! Most guys, when you tell them you lift will ask you one questions... What can you bench? DUH! Lifting is NOT about what you can bench. It's so much more than that! I have never enjoyed the Bench Press. It's really retarded how much emphasis on how good you are comes from what you can Bench. I will see some guys bench for the entire 90 minutes I'm at the gym, and this counts for exercise?! Haha! Now, what I can bench is really nothing, when I watch Dan who can easily put up over 300 lbs, or when I watch Melanie lift. But, for me, when I began lifting, I could only bench the bar (the bar itself weighs 45 lbs) with maybe a 5 lb plate on each side. To be able to put 45 pound plates on each side of that bar and push it up, for me, is quite the accomplishment. I am still marveling at what I've accomplished in one year of lifting. When I began I could barely do 10 guy push ups and now I can do about 50. I'm grateful for what I've learned and to find something I enjoy so much. If you don't lift...you should give it a try?!

*The biggest myth of all is that you will get big like a guy. That won't happen unless you take supplements that make you get big.