Quick Biggest Loser Update

We had our weekly weigh-in tonight and I have now lost a total of 19 pounds. 1st week: 13, 2nd week: 3, 3rd week: 3. I was a little upset with only 3 pounds this week and last because my goal was to lose at least 4 pounds a week. I need to remember that 3 is a good number and to stop beating myself up. Good news is right now I am the girls top loser and my teammate is the boys top loser. I have to brag about it now because I know my being in first place for girls is very temporary. We have some very competitive people in this contest!

Busy week of family and fun

It's been a crazy busy week this week so here is a quick run through of what we've been up to:

Thursday, Thanksgiving: Had our first annual Krummenacher 2 mile "Chicken Trot". A lot of the adults (including Brent: see picture) did the 10K Turkey Trot so those of us who stayed home with the kids decided to do a mini turkey trot. As we were deciding who would be the turkey, I remembered that we had a chicken costume so Nate ran home and put it on. He led the race (until Sarah passed him) around the neighborhood with all the cousins plus Joni and me. I went straight home to finish my rolls, work out a little more, and get ready for dinner. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Brent's parents with everyone including Kelly and her family who were here from Utah. Later we ran over to my mom's and got to visit with everyone including Aunt Mary's family who were here from Utah too. Great food, great visits, great day.

Friday, 17th Wedding Anniversary: SHOPPING!!! I tackled the early morning craziness with Brent's mom and sisters again. Here is a picture I stole from Joni's blog of us all planning our shopping trip the night before. (I can't find my camera so I will add pictures as I see them on other family members' blogs! Thanks everyone for letting me steal your pictures!) I had a very short list of things I needed but had to still go. I know it's crazy but I love every second of that madness. I came home and took Rebecca, Emily, Abby, and Jessica out shopping and to lunch. The last few times the Beechers have come to town I've gotten to do this with the girls and it's become a little tradition we all look forward to. I love being able to spend some time alone with my nieces and daughters! Sarah decided to work with Brent at Krazy Sub this time so we missed her but we still had fun. We got home at around 4:00pm, I took a little nap, then went to the gym and then out for some sushi. We brought it home and just relaxed the rest of the night because we were both exhausted from the day. Not much of an anniversary celebration but we were very happy doing exactly what we did.

Saturday: Went to a stake baptism at 10, picked up the kids, ran to Krazy Sub to pick up some lunch then went to a Willis family party at Papago Park at 11:30. We had a nice time visiting and hiking up to hole in the rock. After the party was over at 3:30 I took the kids (including the 3 oldest Beecher kids) to the zoo since the park was right next to the zoo. The zoo closed at 4:00 but we noticed people weren't in a huge hurry to leave so we stayed until 4:30 and saw a few more animals. I went to pay for some cotton candy for the kids to share but since the zoo was closed they couldn't sell me any. The guys saw all the cute kids with me and had pity on us so they gave it to us for free. Those kids thought they died and went to heaven. I came home, showered, got ready, wrapped gifts, then went to Brent's parent's home for the adult Christmas party. We had it early this year because Kelly and Cole were here. Great food, great conversation, tons and tons of laughs.

Sunday: Church, lunch at Krazy sub to say goodbye to the Beechers, visiting teachers, choir practice, Christmas decorating.

We had a great time with all the family in town and are thankful to them for making the effort to come. My house is still in shambles and I'm not sure when it will get clean because I still have more decorating to do, have to work at Krazy sub, and have to get everything done for the Primary Christmas party on Saturday. One of these days I'll be able to do it all and have my house clean but I'm not there yet. Funny side note: My girls were painting all the nieces fingernails when one of the nieces said, "Our house is cleaner than yours." another niece said: "That's not nice to say! All of our houses are probably cleaner than theirs!" Such is life when you have all the kids constantly at your house and you are too busy (or tired) to clean up after them. We had fun and that's all I care about! I love that they want to be at my house even if it is the dirtiest house in the family.

Thanksgiving

I thought today would be a good day to write about a few things I'm thankful for:

1. Brent. Best husband I could ask for! He has a great sense of humor and is very patient with me. I'm always so impressed at how easy it is for him to meet new people and talk to anyone. I'm thankful for the fun he brings into our home. We all have the best time together laughing and having fun. And he's pretty cute too. I don't tell him near enough how thankful I am for him!

2. All my children (not the t.v. show). My children are good kids who really want to do what is right. Not perfect, but very very good kids. I really got lucky with this bunch!

3. Good parents and parents-in-law. I couldn't have asked for better examples. My dad taught me through his example to serve others and to always be happy in whatever situation I'm in. He loved life and it showed to every one around him. My mom taught me the gospel and to love the scriptures through her example. Every time she read the scriptures she would have to tell us what she learned that day. She also taught me to pray often. I remember finding her on her knees more times than I could count. My other dad, Frank is the kindest man I will ever know. He has taken my siblings and I on as his own and I know without a doubt that he loves me and wants the best for me and my family. My mother-in-law is the best example of service I can find. She is one who would never let it be known what she has done to serve but is constantly finding ways to serve her family, her ward family, and her friends. My father-in-law is so sweet to me and my family. He has spent many hours building a train just to give his grandchildren joy. He has been so helpful to Brent with the business. We never could've done it without his help. He is a great example of someone who just always does what he should. He never waivers.

4. Grandparents. My Grandpa Willis blessed me as a baby, baptized me, gave me fathers blessings and blessings when I was sick, and he was the one to seal me and my husband together in the temple. I will be eternally grateful for this sweet loving man in my life. My Grandma Willis, where do you even begin with her? She is the sweetest, kindest, gentlest person I will ever know. She has a way of making each of her grandchildren feel like they are the favorite. I really always believed that I was the favorite until I heard from several other cousins that they actually were the favorite. It really doesn't matter. We are all so blessed to have her for our grandma. She is who I want to grow up to be like. She loves her family and has spent literally her entire life serving them. She does nothing for herself. I am so blessed to have her in my life.

5. Singing in the car. My favorite thing my family does! My kids are old enough now that we can all harmonize. Sometimes the kids and I make up silly actions to go with the words to the songs. We laugh and laugh at each other because it's so silly but we have fun! I know that when my children grow up they will look back on those times in the car as some of their favorite memories.

6. My testimony. I have been blessed to have been given specific answers to prayers throughout my life. I know without a doubt that when I prayed to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and if this was in fact the true gospel of Jesus Christ that I received a definite answer to my prayer that it is. I can never ever doubt that answer. No matter what trials have come in my life, I have always been able hold on to those answers to my prayers.

7. Sisters. I was blessed with one sister. We fought a lot when we were growing up but she is now my best friend. I was then blessed after I got married and after my brothers got married with a lot of sister-in-laws. I have grown to love each of these women and really admire all of their different strengths and qualities.

8. Friends. What would we do in life without wonderful friends? I have really been fortunate to have great friends throughout my life. A lot of them have helped shape who I am today because of their examples. I have a few just really great friends in my life right now. I know that they would do anything for me and I have the greatest time when I am with them.

9. America. How did I get so lucky to be born in this country? To be able to enjoy all of the freedoms, privileges and opportunities we have been given is an amazing thing. I remember watching the American Idol episodes where they were showing the extreme poverty that other countries have to face, then they showed some Americans poverty. There was absolutely no comparison. Even our poorest people have so much more than so many other people will ever even think about having.

I think about all that I have been given in my life and sometimes I feel so very inadequate and wonder why I have been given so much more than millions of others. I live in America, I have the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have a loving family, I have a comfortable home to live in. I live in a time that we have so many conveniences and luxuries. It makes me think that I have such a responsibility to my Heavenly Father to do all that I should in this life to prove myself worthy of all these blessings. I have so much work to do on myself!

Perfect....I Mean, Not so Perfect Sunday Night

We started out with a nice night tonight with the kids. We layed on the trampoline and tried to find stars(I think we found 6), sang, and just chatted. I love moments like that since it seems they are becoming fewer and farther between. We came inside and were able to play a few games together before the girls had to take off for their leadership training meeting.

I was just sitting down to the computer after everyone seemed to be settled when Rebecca came in with a not so good progress report from math. She now has to retake almost every test if she wants to improve her grade and was wondering if I could pick her up every day after school so she could do this. A few minutes later, Jake came in upset because he forgot to read this weekend and feels like he needs to make up for the other days and should read at least 45 minutes tonight. A few minutes later, Nate came in and asked if I could type his report. As I was typing it, I remembered in the back of my mind that when he got this assignment he talked about doing a poster or a diarama with it. I called him in the room and asked him when the project is due. He said it was due tomorrow. We quickly printed some pictures off the internet and glued them onto an old poster I had sitting around. This is all after a horrible Saturday of me yelling at my kids literally from 10:30 to 6:00pm to get their rooms and chores done. I think I need some parenting lessons because I am definately doing something wrong! And the night started out so nice! Why can't it just always be that way?

Biggest Loser Week One Results

Just had to report that I lost 13 pounds this week. Really not much of that is real since we all water-logged before we weighed in the first time. But the really good news is that my team won this week! Brent's cousin is crazy at losing weight and lost 17 pounds and Mary did awesome with 11 lbs. We have some really competitive people on the contest and I think Brent's family members are the ones I have to worry about most. Lisa lost 14.5 pounds, Amy lost 13 pounds, and Brent lost 17lbs! I do have a great team which makes me know that much more that I have to do well and never ever cheat on the diet and exercise! 9 weeks to go...not sure if I'll make it. Especially on days like today when I taught Rebecca how to make rolls and cinnamon rolls for a personal progress goal. My house smells so good and I'm dying!!!!!!!!!

Primary Presentation

Whew! We had our Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentation today. I am happy to report that it actually went pretty well. I have had nightmares for a few weeks now because every practice was very scary. Last week I called our primary chorister and we decided to totally cut out one song and change some things on some others. I think those decisions helped it go much better because finally at the practice yesterday we felt like it actually might work! My poor primary chorister had to put up with me making so many changes and coming up with so many things last minute, I don't know how she survived! I can't wait for next year's program because we will both actually have more than 2 months to teach the songs and write the program. I've been searching for ideas and music arrangements already and am excited about it.

Biggest Loser Contest

Jake asked me this morning:
"Mom, how come everytime you say you're going on a diet, the next day you say: 'Tomorrow I'll start, tomorrow I'll start, tomorrow I'll start.'?"

I've been busted by my youngest child! Good news is, I actually am starting today! We weighed in last night at Steve and Glenna's. I have not been weighing myself lately because I knew it would be bad news by the way clothes are fitting. I was VERY right to be worried. A horrible, horrible number came on the scale!

We're doing teams this time and I'm in a team with my friend Mary and Brent's cousin Bryce. We should be a pretty competitive team I hope. So far we have 8 teams of 3. Mary and I already went to the gym as soon as weigh in was over so I guess that's a good sign. The team thing will keep me going better than ever before because I won't want to let my team down.

I told Kristen I'll be down at least 20 pounds by the time she sees me at Christmas time. She thought I was shooting a little high, I think it's too low. I'll let you all know who is right when she gets here.