BMX Grand Nationals Day 4

Well, we're home. Trophy-less. Which stinks and is a giant letdown. I won't go into logistics, simply because it is super confusing, even to me. Hunter was able to advance the farthest and was a shoe-in for the mains (trophy race) until he was crashed into by another kid. He was thankfully not hurt, but his bike got tangled up with another kid's bike and his shoes were still clipped into his pedals. By the time he got up, it was too late. He easily had 2nd, possibly 1st. We left immediately after he was eliminated. He was very upset for the first half of the drive and finally cheered up after several hours. Jon missed his last race because we had like 30 minutes to to pack our hotel room, they wouldn't let us check out late. Bummer. And, we know how I pack. When we made it back to the track, his group was on the gate. He would have never been able to wade through all the people to get on the gate. Hayden had 1 chance to advance and couldn't pull it out. He needed to come out in 1st place and ended up 2nd. I am sad about the results, simply because you pump yourself up for it, spend the money, the drive, being away from family on Thanksgiving and BAM, it's over before you know it. We had fun though. The boys got really neat swag bags, I got a BMX MOM decal for my van, they each got T-shirts and caps, and most importantly- tons of memories.
So, til next year. Hopefully we'll have better luck. Especially now that Chloe wants to try and I am being begged to start racing as well. Not sure about that last one...


grossest snack ever! Chocolate dipped dill pickle. Positively obscene!


Chloe texting and I-podding


Chloe and Hayden in the shoe shine chair at the hotel


me in the car, trying to be cute and cheer up my kiddos


Jon on the phone


Hayden, oh so tired!


Hunter, being upset about today's race

BMX Grand Nationals Day 3

Here's our day in a nutshell. I wish it were longer and more exciting, but I am TIRED!

The kids and I slept til 9, which was heaven! Jon went to the track to check the day's schedule AND went to the laundromat to wash my jeans.

We missed the hotel breakfast, bummer. So, we headed to the track and Chloe and I watched one round of our boys racing. Then we went to Target for breakfast/snacks and me a book. We got granola bars, trail mix, pretzels, beef jerky, and bottled water. It was only a regular Target, that was all they had to offer. Oh, and I bought New Moon...

Back to the track for 3.5 more hours of racing. I watched my boys race, but passed on everyone else. I was reading, Twilight. I had never even heard of it til about 6 months ago and then this movie hype started, so I gave in. It's better than I expected and not quite as cheesy as I had heard. Being an avid reader who would read the phone book and who can finish a giant book in under a day, I rarely turn down books. Except certain cheesy drugstore Harlequin type novels. Twilight was pretty good, I finished it this evening. And I have New Moon in my purse for tomorrow.

Racing finished at 4:45, so we headed for a late lunch/early dinner. We were starved for "real food", having eaten only snack-y stuff all day. We chose a really neat little diner. Not exactly grilled fish and veggies, but charming and yummy nonetheless. I am so nervous to see the scale when I get back.... yikes!

We headed back to our hotel at 6. Jon and the boys watched football, Hayden watched Transformers, and Chloe surfed the net. The kids managed to roam the halls quite a bit. Tonight there was a pretty big football game on and the entire hotel was in a frenzy. Most people on all 9 floors had their doors open and you could tell who was rooting for who. Our team (OU) beat OSU and Jon is giddy.

On to the tub at 9:30 til 11:00 with my book. Laid out clothes for tomorrow, brushed Chloe's hair, and now I'm blogging.

I am way too tired to describe each and every picture like I normally do, so I'll tell you now in random order: boys, Jon and Chloe, Hayden's owie from yesterday's crash complete with description, and the diner and it's funny menu. Good night, thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow with a wrap-up and hopefully photos of the big fat trophies my boys won. Basically I am crossing my fingers and thinking positive.





















P.S. I was most baffled by "wet french fries" on the menu, which sounds all sorts of wrong. Apparently they are fries drenched in gravy. Terrible name for terrible food.

Can't Stop Smiling!

I have ginormous calves. I know, crazy huh? But, I do. Even when I am thinner, they stay the same size. Which means I have never owned a pair of knee high boots, EVER! Until tonight, approximately 1.5 minutes ago. Because, I just ordered the most amazing boots in existence, at least to me. JCrew carries extended calf boots and I have had my eyes on these babies, forever! Our gas lease check ended up being twice what we thought it was going to be, so I was given the green light by the hubby to order my boots. Imagine my surprise when I logged on to do so and they were on sale! They are normally very expensive, but with the sale and a special Thanksgiving shopping code I got them for $200 dollars off!! I am just loving them and they aren't even here yet. If you need me, I will be outside by the mailbox waiting on Wanda to deliver them to me. She better not start acting a fool like last time either.

Here they are:

BMX Grand Nationals Day 2

Last night after I posted we stupidly stayed up way too late. Hayden had fallen asleep pretty early and woke up as the rest of us were going to bed. So, we put him on the sofa sleeper with the TV on. That didn't work so well. He was freaked out by noises in the hallway, a shadow he kept thinking was a coyote, and he kept trying to play musical beds with the rest of us. I was still awake at 12:45. I also woke up three more times. I was hot. I was cold. I had to potty. Our clock rang at 5:30. Which is a completely un-normal time to awaken, in my opinion. Everyone was so tired we couldn't stop laughing, not sure why? We were at the breakfast buffet (which is awesome by the way, they have everything and it's free!!) by 7 and at the track by 7:40. The boys (Jon included) all raced three times. Which isn't a big deal except there are over 300 rounds to wait through. Put it this way, we were there for over 9 hours. Today's race was the ROC race (Race of Champions) and was for the people who placed in the top 10 in their age and class. They are all three in the top 10. So, it's kind of a special pre-race. You have to qualify for it, which they have worked hard for. Unfortunately they didn't do so hot today. They tried, but this being a national competition, it's very intense. Today they were competing against the best of the best from almost every state. And, poor little Hayden crashed pretty hard. He is ok, but the sad thing is he was looking like he was gonna end up doing really good. Lucky for them, they have Saturday and Sunday to make up for it. Not so lucky for me and Chloe. Sitting on hard bleachers for 9 hours is rough. We each read four magazines, painted our nails, walked around, ate snacks, took pictures, etc etc. We are so planning better tomorrow. Not sure how, but I am working on it.

Myers' boys having a snack between races


me and the Chlo-meister taking even more pics of ourselves


Chloe, she was super proud of her new outfit


Hayden in action


Jon in action


Hunter in action


Hayden asleep early again tonight. He is awake and hyper. Help me.

BMX Grand Nationals Day 1

Today was looong and exhausting. Basically it was a practice day, to get used to the track, as it changes every year. One morning and one late afternoon practice each for Jon and the boys. Yes, Jon races now too. Basically I am just gonna put a little story by each picture so you get the idea of what's been going on. Too much for me to type and way too much for y'all to read. All the pics are interesting I guess you could say- No one was cooperating with me and my camera and the lighting was off so I chose the fun ones to post. Anyway, long story short: all day we (me and Chloe) pretty much walked for miles, the expo is huge! And, Jon and the boys rode their bikes ALOT. I managed to eat fairly decent, for being on the road. I did spend some $$, but just for T-shirts and caps commemorating the event. Oh, and we ate Ruby Tuesday twice, once for lunch and once for a late night snack. I did have a turkey burger, Happy Thanksgiving to me! Enjoy the photos!

In the car. Hayden eating his fingernails and Hunter SMILING! They were watching a movie while waiting on Jon to check us into our hotel, hence the no seat belts. Just in case you were wondering.


Best Western sign welcoming the BMX'ers. It was down the road from our hotel. (Which didn't have a sign welcoming us.) It was after midnight when we got here and I made Jon stop so I could jump out and snap this pic.


our broken bed. I called the bed by the window for me and Jon and as soon as we plopped down after dragging in our luggage it broke on one end. So, Jon lifted it up to investigate and the other side broke. Now it's even. It's also really short!


Chloe doing what she does best, surfing the internet...


this years track, it is HUGE!


Where's Jon? Can you spot him in the crowd of bikes and people?


Mom, can't you see the sun is in our eyes? No more pictures!!


me and the hubby. Our noses look rather large and we look so tired. We left for our hotel like 3 seconds later.


Chloe, keeping Hayden's hat safe. Good grief she's even beautiful in a baseball cap!


look at all those trophies. 1st place is like 6 feet tall. We would like to win a few of these bad boys, except we have no more room for trophies!

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have a great day! Enjoy your families and stuff your faces for us... ;)
We found out that Ruby Tuesday next door to our hotel is serving an honest to goodness real turkey dinner, so we are heading there around 2. Cross your fingers it's not too crowded (TONS of BMX'ers!!) for us to get our turkey! Last years IHOP still haunts us... I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday! Christmas will be here before you know it...
P.S. We love and miss you Chan Man :(

Happy Birthday Little Mr. Hayden!

Yesterday was Hayden's actual birthday and I never was able to post, I was either super busy or driving. And, I did do one for his party 2 weeks ago. But, my kids ask me often, did you blog today? Was it about me? So, while I am waiting for Jon to come and pick me up from our hotel I wanted to take a second to tell my baby HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you Hayden! I couldn't ask for a better "caboose" to complete our family. I am so lucky to have such a funny, sweet, laid back little guy. I can't believe he is already 7!! It sometimes seems as if he was just born and other times it seems as if he's been here forever. I remember every moment of the day he was born as if it were yesterday. Anyway, just wanted to tell my baby boy Happy Birthday! Love ya bud!

Hayden, on a sugar high. He looks crazed! We stopped at Texas Roadhouse for his birthday dinner last night and he got the biggest brownie sundae ever!


Hayden and his BFF Pedro


Cute, cute, cute! I love this kid more than words could ever express!

Men vs Women: packing for a trip

Women's idea of packing

clothes and shoes: Simply multiply the amount of days you are gonna be gone
times 2, and voila, you know exactly how many outfits, shoes, and coordinating jewelry items to bring. (This doesn't include family members, which differs for boys and girls, obviously. Same formula can be used for daughters, boys will need enough clothes to last half the days you are gone since they will more than likely not change all that often.)

undies and socks: more than will be necessary, because who wants to be caught in dirty undies in case you get hurt and have to be rushed to the ER. Heaven forbid you have skid marks, them nurses and doctors have probably never seen the likes of that!

towels: beach and bath. There are never enough in the hotel rooms, plus the towels by the pool are usually only 16x16. Barely big enough to dry your butt.

throw blankets and pillows: 1 for each person traveling. Makes the drive more comfy and the sofa bed in your hotel room cozy. The poor soul sleeping on the sofa sleeper will be oh so appreciative.

snacks, drinks, and chocolate. Duh...

camera, laptops, cell phones, navigation system, and chargers for all. And they say men are into electronics. Yeah right.

air freshener and candles. If you are traveling with boys this is a must. Farts and socks seem to ooze from their pores, especially when traveling.

cosmetics, hair dryer, brush, straightening iron, and hairspray. We don't roll out of bed looking this hot!

books, magazines, cards, crayons, DVD player + DVDs, and handheld games. This is for any/all children to remain occupied. This way our husbands can concentrate on the road. Not so we can exceed the number of bags we have already packed. Nice gesture on our part.

toiletries. The ones in the hotel suck. At least at the hotels I can afford. Plus, the bottles are so small you can barely read the directions.

laundry bags. Separate ones for under-things and clothes. This one keeps your luggage smelling fresh. Imagine finally getting home and opening suitcases for unpacking only to be knocked out cold by the odor of dirty clothes. Simply stick it in back of truck, in your car trunk, or on your roof rack. This is so the car stays as fresh as possible.

The largest first aid kit ever created. You never know when someone might have explosive diarrhea. Accompanied by a rash, stuffy nose, migraine, and a cut that's bleeding profusely. You might be thanked later, maybe...

and...

Men's idea of packing

toothbrush

1 change of clothes (1 extra underwear and pair of socks)

the shoes they are wearing

car magazine to read in hotel bathroom (which they will read cover to cover while their family dances outside the door waiting to go pee)

bag of peanuts and gum, in case they get hungry on the drive

1 wallet containing no cash, only an insurance card, debit card, and driver's license

For sure they won't need more clothes, because duh, there are laundromats somewhere along the way. They also won't need a map or navigation system because men never get lost. Forget snacks, there's a McDonald's on almost every corner in America. And on and on.
Men can think up an excuse or reason for everything. So, you see what I mean. Men and women are SO different, and whether they admit it or not; they need us! This post is for every over-packing woman and the men who love them. When your wife busts out the good snacks, your favorite pillow, or a toy to occupy your crying kids, thank her. There is a reason for her madness. So you can drive her and your children safely, be comfortable while doing it and have happy memories of your trip. You're welcome.

P.S. click here for an example of my packing for a recent trip.

I'm so tired!

So, this is literally like the first time I have been able to sit down today. I can't remember the last time I was this tired. Yes I can. Driving to Utah. All day long I have been cleaning, doing laundry, and packing. We are leaving for Oklahoma on Wednesday, and I should have started some of the items on my never ending to do list a long time ago. Used to when we went out of town we just did a quick cleaning, but now that we have so many animals I like to clean as perfect as possible. So we won't frighten the poor soul who comes to feed the herd. Heaven forbid that person find out that we're messy... This time we are having someone house/teenager sit for us and I want everything to look amazing. I am talking alphabetize the canned goods amazing. When someone is gonna be using your shower, microwave, stove etc. you wanna make sure it's just so. At least I do. Jon's sister Atalie is on medical leave from the Army and she and her daughter Cadence are gonna stay here and keep things in line. Chandler is only slightly annoyed. He really thought I would consider leaving him here alone, on a major holiday no less. I really don't like being away from him at all, especially in another state. Last year he had the broken leg/torn ligament problem and this year he would rather eat sheetrock than go to a BMX race. Anyway, I was having blog withdrawals and I know y'all were too. It's been over 24 hours since I posted. Tragedy! But, today I had good reason, I was trying my darndest to stay as un-idle as possible. Burns more calories. Here's what I did today, I started at 10:30 this morning:

cleaned Hunter and Hayden's room (as thorough as humanly possible, took 3.5 hours)
cleaned out my entry closet (took 1 hour, I found 15 pairs of gloves)
cleaned frig, microwave, and spice cabinet (took 1.5 hours)
cleaned out my make-up case (took 1 hour, it's BIG.)
washed, folded, and hung up every single article of clothing we own (took 5 hours off and on, if you've seen my laundry room you know that this in itself is a miracle)
cleaned Chloe's room (took 2 hours)
re-organized everyone's dressers and closets (took 1 hour)
sent 4 emails
painted my toenails
prepared and served 3 meals X 6 people = 18 meals
fed 5 animals- twice
made 5 phone calls
sent 13 text messages
broke up 3 fights
packed Hunter, Chloe, and Hayden's suitcases
made 4 beds
took out 3 bags of trash
loaded the dishwasher, and
changed 2 lightbulbs

So, you see why I'm tired? I feel like I am 90 years old. I really need to bathe, really. But I don't think I can make myself. Must sleep now. Tomorrow, I have to finish cleaning, shop and pack for me and Jon. I definitely am gonna sleep all the way to Oklahoma. That is if my kids don't fight over the TV all the way there...

I'm Thankful

Since we'll be in Tulsa, OK for Thanksgiving and we're having our "official" holiday dinner today, I am doing my thankful/gratitude post now! Here goes!

I'm thankful for:

my family. Seriously, I have been blessed with 4 absolutely amazing children and a really cool husband. They are all so different, but in such neat ways. Yes, they annoy me from time to time, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

my parents. Sure they have their flaws, but they're them and that's all that matters.

the Gospel and my testimony of it. This one speaks for itself.

friends, both new and old and those undiscovered. I am majorly blessed in the friend's department.

my new ward. Seriously, this little lost puzzle piece has FINALLY found her puzzle. I am super excited for all the future holds.

chocolate. Although I indulge WAY LESS than I used to, it's still nice to have on hand.

Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Chick Fil A, and Lean Cuisines. My four basic food groups.

Clothes, shoes, makeup, purses, and jewelry. Man, I have said it before and I'll say it again: I LOVE being a girl! We have so many more options than men!

my minivan and that it currently only costs $30 bucks to fill the tank. I went from $97 to fill the Suburban and $65 at the beginning of Summer to fill the van. Gas better not go back up!

trials and tribulations. Sure, they suck when they're happening. But, I know they are gonna make me stronger and I am meant to learn something.

my room! I am just so in love with my mattress set (a Stearns and Foster, worth every penny) and I love my craft area. I seriously just love having my own space. Ok, so I have to share with Jon and most days there are crumbs in my bed, Hot Wheels on the floor, and empty juice boxes on my night stand. But, I just shove them aside and I'm good.

my red hair. Ok, so just to clarify: I am a natural redhead, PROMISE. But, it is fading a little and I do get it spruced up from time to time. But, it's still a lovely shade of strawberry blonde underneath. I just like it a little more intense. Thanks, Israel. Ssshhh...

my Swiffer sweeper. It's really alot of fun to go behind Jon and pick up all the crap his sweeping missed. Seriously. I just really like my Swiffer. Makes cleaning easier.

finally losing a teeny bit of weight. I have lots more work ahead, but those 20 pounds being gone has renewed the fight in me. It will surely be hard. Especially after visiting The Cheesecake Factory for the first time yesterday. Thank goodness it's all the way in Arlington.

my little sisters and the new found relationships with some of my older siblings. Family rules!

So there you have it. My thankful list. And, like I said last year, I am just so thankful to be me. Yes, I have issues. But who doesn't? But, I like me and all that I have. I have to remind myself of that often. But, I think I am pretty darn swell and I know I am really really blessed.

**last year's thankfuls here**

The REAL vampire movie

Ok, I must first clarify that I have not read or seen Twilight. I have promised several people that I will get around to reading it and seeing the movie. Mostly, I have to know what the hype is all about. I am sure it's great, I mean I know like 10 people who have already seen it. But I only have room in my heart for 1 vampire movie... Now, with that being said, I wanted to bring up an oldie but oh so goody vampire movie that they also made into a book: The Lost Boys. I believe it was based on a series of short stories, but I am not totally sure. Anyway, me and my sisters Kelli and Amy were so in love with that movie. We used to quote it word for word. We saw it more times than I can even remember. I do recall watching it 23 days in a row once, I am pretty sure it was my freshmen year... but don't quote me. We would sit down every day after school with our snacks and pop the tape into our super giant VCR and start swooning. I mean it was scary, it was funny, it was full of hot boys, and there were even a few romantical parts. Plus, the soundtrack rocked. Hello, Echo and the Bunnymen! And, while I am sure Twilight is it's own kind of awesome, The Lost Boys was serious 80's awesome and will forever be one of my favorite movies. As a matter of fact, I may be having a Blockbuster night...

Poor baby...

Well, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz had a baby boy. Woo hoo, congrats!

Read all about it here.

And, I am sure he is just adorable. Why wouldn't he be? I mean they are both really cute. But, why in the world would they name him THAT?!?! I am sure the Bronx is a fun place and we all know Mowgli was a cool character in The Jungle Book. But, me thinks it's a not so good thing to name your kid: Bronx Mowgli...

A little help from my "friends"

I had a lazy day today since I stayed up so late last night crafting. It was after 3:45 when I went to bed and after I finally dozed off around 4, Chloe woke me up freaked out by a shadow. Which ended up being the ceiling fan...
So, needless to say I was super tired today. I napped off/on all day and caught up on several shows that I had taped. I finally showered and brushed my teeth at 4:30, (oh you know you've done it too, wait all day to freshen up) after I got all the kids home safe and sound. After that it was a mad dash to get my chores done (breakfast dishes and beds made) before Jon got home. I really wasn't in the mood to cook, so I ordered Chili's To Go*. I felt guilty for not cooking, so I enlisted the help of my BFF Betty Crocker* and we made chocolate chip cookies for dessert and muffins for tomorrow's breakfast. And, while I am not into the homemade thing like my friend Erica, everything tastes great. Or at least I think they do, I would never sample dough or baked goods... I'm on a diet, remember? Anyway- I just wanted to give a shout out to my two pals Betty and Chili, thanks for helping a girl out.

*2 of my "friends"

Diaper Duty

Ok, so I need more help from you readers! Chloe has a science fair project due on December 11th. And, she is gonna do: Which brand of diaper is most absorbent? So, I need anyone that has a baby/child in diapers to pretty please "loan" us a diaper. Ideally we need one of each major brand and maybe 1 store brand. I am sure most people probably only keep one kind on hand at any given time. And I also know diapers aren't cheap, so I can compensate you somehow... cookies, candy, etc. Thank you! If you are able to help us out, email me or leave a comment and I will get you my address. Thanks in advance!

I cheated...

but not on my diet. I cheated on my new ward...

Before I left the Burleson ward, I was called to the activities committee. I was only able to help plan 2 activities: a potluck and the Halloween party. I made a few posters for the Trunk or Treat and they turned out pretty cute. I assumed when I got the calling that I would be around for the holidays and that I would get to make more posters. I had already designed them in my head. Then the boundaries changed, and I was obviously no longer needed. But, I offered to make the posters needed for our ward Christmas breakfast anyway, and tonight I finally had a chance to get busy. I was so stumped and am by no means a craft guru, but I try. I hope they like these... I am nervous. I think they are ok. I would consider them better than a 5th grader but not near as good as Martha.



** P.S. Leanne, if you are reading they are all yours

Tired, exhausted, and sleepy

Here's what I did today. This is pretty typical of every day. Except today I spent alot of money, sorry babe...

Up at 6:40- make breakfast and two lunches, get 4 kids out the door by 8:15.

8:15 to 9:30- get ready for my day: shower, hair, makeup, etc. I also had a Lean Cuisine for breakfast. Not sure why? Nothing else sounded good.

9:50 to 12:30- meet my friend Erin at Kohls. Got a call from the school nurse 10 minutes after arriving at Kohls. Hayden had a nose bleed and needed clothes. Thanks for covering for me Jon. From there we went to Linens-n-Things, Old Navy, and Staples.

12:30 to 1:30- Erin heads home, while I continue shopping at Bath and Body Works and Albertsons.

1:30 til 1:50- drive home while eating lunch in the car. What? I was starving. (I had a chargrill sandwich and a Diet Coke from Chick-Fil-A)

1:50 til 2:30- read mail, check email, and watch a show about twins.

2:30 til 4:00- get Hayden, drop off a gift at a friend's house, tour the YMCA, and go to Walgreens. Get a phone call while at the checkout at store and Chloe's friend Bailey cut her leg on the bus, she is bleeding BAD and is going nuts. Normally I am ALWAYS home when the bus comes but Hayden was taking 8 years to pick something he could spend his birthday money on. Chloe ended up flagging down our neighbor and he drove Bailey to her mom's work.

4:00 til 6:45- make beds, wash 2 loads of laundry, feed all of our pets, take out trash, pick up Chandler, make dinner, help Hayden with homework.

7:00 to 8:30- Institute class

8:45 til 9:30- back to the store. This time it's Target for Oxy Clean for Hayden's shirt and a birthday card for my brother. Somehow 2 eye shadows and a Diet Dr. Pepper wound up in my cart....

9:30 to 9:50- drive home

9:50 til 10:20- eat my version of dinner: Diet Dr. Pepper with 1/2 a cheese sandwich, grapes, and some baked Doritos.

10:20 to present- blogging and reading the news while watching Dancing with the Stars.

I have left out about 15 phone calls. Which occurred during almost all of the above.
I am about to pass out, but I need to wind down, so I am blogging... I am fixing to help Jon shave his head, (saves on haircuts). Then I am gonna check homework, lay out school clothes, and take a bubble bath. I'll be lucky if I get to bed by 1. Really lucky.

Special Field Trip

Today my mom and I headed to Dallas on a mission. We went to Moon's bookstore, so I could get new scriptures. I have owned 2 quads in my life, and just felt the need to get new ones. Part of my "back to church makeover" I guess you could say. The first set I bought for myself back in 1994 with my Deseret credit card. Who knew such a thing existed? I maxed that card out that very same day. I bought me, Kelli and Amy all mini quads in 3 different colors. I had mine until 2001. Which is when I befriended a girl who had been in an abusive marriage and had been inactive for many years. She was trying to straighten her life out and we ended up meeting in a class we took at church together. So, for some reason I felt compelled to give her my scriptures! My maiden name was engraved on them and I didn't think to keep them, not sure what was going on in my head... especially after I bumped into her months later and she told me how she had them re-engraved with her name. I never even thought that was possible. I would almost give anything to have those back. I don't even remember her last name. It might look kinda silly if I tried asking for them back anyway. Hopefully they have helped her throughout the last several years. My mom was kind enough to get me some for my birthday about 5 years ago, even though I never read them much until this year. They have helped me through this past year, and are in perfectly good condition, but I still really wanted another mini set. I just think they are beautiful. So, today I got a burgundy one. My old mini quad was green, which I would have chosen again, but they were sold out. And, I wasn't leaving the bookstore without new scriptures. I am seriously loving them. They are so nice! And, can I just say how awesome the bookstore is? I wish it was closer. I would be there at least once a week. We finished the day at Goff's burgers, which was really good. And, not on my diet. So, I had lettuce and Diet Coke for dinner. Seriously.


aren't they pretty?

In less than 2 months!

I did this little collage just to show the change in my face. I am shocked at the difference in my chubby cheeks. The first picture was taken 9/24/08 and the second one was taken 11/12/08. Go Ash!

 

*yes, you have seen the 2nd photo before, but I am wearing the same sweater as I am in the first. So, I'll probably always wear it for before and afters, at least until it no longer stays on...

BMX birthday

Even though he isn't quite 7, we went ahead and celebrated Hayden's birthday yesterday. Of course we had it at the local BMX track. We did it early since we will be in Oklahoma for the BMX Grand Nationals (biggest race of the year) on his actual birthday. And, after weeks of warm weather, it just had to turn cold and windy just in time for the party. It was the kind of cold that seems to go right through you. It almost seems difficult to think straight when you are out in that crazy wind. But, we survived. We had to park two SUV's in front of the food/cake/present table to stay warm and so nothing would blow away. Most of the kids divided their time between the bounce house and the race track, as did some of the adults. That was the only way to stay warm. We managed to have a decent time in spite of the wind and for sure Hayden had a blast. I had a hard time getting him to get dressed today, he was in pj's most of the day playing with his new toys. I want to thank those that came to join Hayden on his special day. We sent out 25 invitations and not a single kid from his class came, which is disappointing. But, what can you do? Because of the crazy wind and supervising the festivities, I didn't get very many pictures. I am posting the important ones: Hayden, presents, cake and me trying out the track for the very first time.


awesome cake, it was sooo good



Hayden and one of his new presents



funny present, we are gonna have a blast with this one



me on the gate, I was scared...



me, riding the track. My butt is huge! If I continue to ride on the track maybe I can shrink it?

Holy Freakin' Cow!

Although at this rate, it's gonna be holy freakin' some other animal that's not fat...

So, I am super excited. And rightfully so. Because, I just did my weekly weigh-in and I have lost 20 pounds! I never would have believed it possible that I could lose 5 pounds, let alone 20! This helps motivate me so much, I have been in a slump lately and I was scared I wouldn't be able to keep this up. But, after this morning I am truckin' on. I know I still have a loooong way to go, but I am super stoked. Seriously, I am gonna have a cheesy smile on my face all day long!
Just wanted to share. Yay me!

Ashley Jessy Raphael

Back when I met Jon (in 1994) I wore glasses about as often as I do now. Which is usually first thing in the morning, before bed, and if I'm sick. Mostly I wear my contacts. Jon still to this day teases me about the "giant red glasses" he swears I wore back then. Actually they were brown tortoise shell and they weren't that big... Anyway, he would always tell me I reminded him of Sally Jessy Raphael. Now, for those of you who don't know who Sally is, she was a talk show host in the 90's who was remembered as much for her red glasses as she was for her cheesy show topics. Well, fast forward to this week when I went to the eyeglasses place looking for new glasses. I went in looking for frames, three different times and came up empty each time. So, I took backup in the form of Chloe, I really needed a second opinion. I must have tried on 50 pairs, and still nothing. So, the salesgirl goes to a stash of frames in a drawer and pulled out this red pair. I was very skeptical but tried them on anyway. Honestly, I would have never chosen red frames if I had gone in alone. But, after trying on several pairs for about 4 customers, Chloe, and the salesgirl I ended up ordering the red frames. (They made me do it). I just picked them up tonight. What do you think? Tell me, really. I think I can take it...



** If you tell me I look like Sally Jessy Raphael, I am gonna cry. For reals. Any resemblance stops at the red hair and glasses. You have been warned **

Just another crazy day...

So, if you read my blog on a regular basis you know we have had our fair share of weird illnesses, broken bones, etc. Well, today has been no exception. Chloe woke up with her eyes swollen shut! She had a few small bites near her right temple and on her shoulder. So, we went to the urgent care clinic since it's quicker and closer. And, they aren't sure what she's allergic to, but they are fairly certain that whatever bit her, her body didn't like it AT ALL! Not only did she get a big shot in her butt, she also barfed in their sink. Lovely... I have her home now, dosed up on Benadryl and hopefully she'll be all better soon. I, on the other hand am on a mission to rip apart, search, and scrub her room (especially her bed) to see what the culprit is. If it's spiders I am setting fire to her bed and then we're moving back to the 'burbs. I will keep everyone posted. Gee, I didn't think I would have anything to blog about today. I have included a picture of her today and one a month or so ago, just so you can see how dramatic the swelling is. Keep in mind that it has gone down considerably.

Nearly 3 hours after waking up, swelling is half what it was

 

What she's supposed to look like

 

P.S. Don't ask me why, but she is always saying she wishes she was Asian... now, she has changed her mind. I told her the swelling was from too much time on the computer, she halfway believed me.