Insanity

Nathaniel and I started the Insanity workout on Monday. We are keeping a blog of our pain, failures, and hopefully in the future, success and results. Nathaniel posted pictures and stats. I did not. I don't know that I am ready for that kind of humiliation. Women are a little more sensitive to that kind of thing. But, I will post how much I have lost in pounds and inches as I go. I hope it will motivate me to continue to be "insane". So far it has been a good program. I don't see how you could possibly do Insanity without getting results. That is the point. I am hoping that by doing this I will get to my goal weight by my anniversary/Becca's wedding (April 24 & 22). I have 10 pounds to go, but more would be just great. I also hope this helps with my running ability. I have had quite a setback since moving to Ely due to elevation (6435 ft.) and cold weather. I love doing the program with my husband. It makes for some fun, friendly competition. I have added a link to the blog under family & friends on the side if anyone is interested.

The Call Came...

Nathaniel did not get the job at this time, but they did have good news. Someone is retiring in April and Nathaniel is on the short list for the job. So, we are praying that person really does retire and we can be down there in just a few months. Sometimes it's just about timing.

Valentine's Day

I kept up the tradition my mom had when we were growing up. I made big sugar cookies for the holiday. My mom made ours bigger than this growing up. I remember I would get off of the bus and run all of the way home on Valentine's day because I knew what awaited me at home. I LOVED Valentine's day. Wonder why...

Nathan never wears clothes and I don't really fight that battle more than I have to, so in many pictures, he's naked.

(I have a similar battle with the girls and doing their hair.) We made the cookies Sunday morning before church. Something I will not do again next year. The kids threw the candy decorations on their cookies and were trying to eat them within seconds. I had to stop them to get pictures. They were bouncing off the walls at church.

This is Nathan's cookie 5 minutes after he finished decorating it. The rule is that you can eat your cookie whenever you want, as much as you want. Nathan loved that rule. You never saw the boy without a bit of it in his hand. When his was gone, he went for the extra little cookies that were on the counter. He didn't know that those were not free game like his big cookie. I had to set him straight. I mean, there has to be some end to the sugar. Two-year-olds don't have that switch that says, "I think I'm done now". They just start burping up frosting all night.

Monday Eliza stayed home from school sick. She missed her first school Valentine's party. I don't think she minded. She got to lay in my bed and watch PBS all morning. That's a dream come true for her.

The older I get the more I realize my mother's greatness, her patience, her kindness. After vacuuming twice and sweeping up the kitchen 3 times before 11 a.m. I was not loving the Valentine's cookies as much. I'm sure my mother hated the mess as well, but yet every year, she made them again for us. She really is the best mom there ever was, EVER! I love her and I thank her for the traditions she started, the patience she had for us, and for never making us feel like we were a burden on her. That's a lot to say for a lady with 10 kids. I can't even say that about myself and I only have 4. You're amazing mom!

Tid Bits

The way we look when we travel. Look how big Tan looks forward facing!

Sack lunches can be fun in many ways.

Juner came up to me and said, "ook, om!" (Look, Mom) I laughed so hard.

Tanner discovered where I keep my food storage.

Still just as cute as can be.

Random notes:
Nathaniel now weighs in regularly under 200 pounds. (He is 6' 2" for those out there wondering.) He looks smokin' hot. He ordered a workout program called Insanity with our discover points and we are excited/scared to death to start it next week when it comes in the mail. He is hoping this will further sculpt him into the Greek God that I already see him as.

I am finally seeing numbers on the scale that I haven't seen in a year and a half. I still have 10 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight (probably more after Valentines day yesterday), but at least it is within reach. I am back into my favorite pair of jeans. I ran just over 3 miles on my treadmill last week which was a milestone since distance running indoors is not my thing. I prefer intervals or incline walking.

Nathaniel's interview went well in Yuma and we heard he has made it to the top 3, but we haven't heard anything else yet. Either way, we know that we are being taken care of and that the Lord has been with us through this process. So even if we don't get the job, we do recognize that the Lord has a plan for us and that his plan may be different from ours. Frankly, I'm ready to pack up my house and move to Yuma and be neighbors with Nancy. That sounds delightful.

Nathaniel is the 1st Counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency and I am the 1st Counselor in the Young Women's. I really love my calling. Nathaniel likes his as well. Neither of us have had callings like this before, so we are learning a lot and loving those we work with.

I never wrote about our trip to Utah in Jan. We were there just overnight, but had such a great trip. We stayed at Chelsea and Ryan's and got to play Settlers of Catan with them. I have missed this game oh so much. It was fun to spend a little time with them. We also got to sneak down to see Breezer for a little while and I decided I would very much like to get over to Utah for a girls weekend with my sisters. I love spending time with them. We then went to visit the Largey's whom we haven't seen in 2 1/2 years. We were great friends before we moved to Tucson and it was so fun to see them and catch up and just laugh. I do hope to get over to Utah and have a trip like that again.

Nathaniel's Bar Card came in the mail on Friday so he is now OFFICIALLY A LAWYER!!! How grown up we seem.

Vertigo

Thursday morning I woke up to Tanner crying. I tried to get up to go and get him, but the world was spinning and wouldn't stop. I grabbed hold of the bed to try to steady myself, but it still didn't stop. It was like that the rest of the day. I had to hold perfectly still without turning my head to the left or right, up or down. I felt totally helpless. Nathaniel had already taken the day off work since we were going to go down to Yuma for the weekend, so he was there to help. Needless to say, we didn't go to Yuma that day. Nathaniel took the boys to the doctor since I had scheduled Tanner's well baby appointment. He is, by the way, 21 pounds and 30 inches. I spent the day sitting in bed and/or throwing up. For those of you who knew me when I was younger know that I was never a fan of the merry-go-round or the rides at the fair that make you spin in circles. I get sick. I'm embarrassed to say that I even threw up on the octopus ride when I was a teenager. I don't like spinning.
Friday I felt fine so Nathaniel left to go to Yuma alone for his interview with the Yuma County Prosecutor's Office. His interview went well and he stayed the night at his parents. Our day here was fine as well. I told him to just relax and enjoy himself and we would see him on Sat. sometime. (He was going to turn around right after his interview and come right back home since he was worried about me. Such a good man!) I ended up calling him at 4 in the morning and when his mom answered I just said, "I need Nathaniel to come home now."
Saturday was a repeat of Thursday. I called my friend Lori and she got my 4 kids at about 10 a.m. I started throwing up again just before then and decided I was going to need help. I also knew Nathaniel would feel bad if he came home to me trying to do everything by myself when I was sick without calling for help. Lori's husband and Curt (my neighbor) came to give me a blessing. Nathaniel got home around 1 p.m. and then he took over from there.
Sunday, Monday, and today I couldn't make any sudden moves, but other than that I am okay. Not entirely back to normal, but I can function. When I lay down to sleep I get sick again and I have to lay perfectly still on my back without moving my head to the left or right or I get dizzy again. Last night, after the chiropractor I could actually lay down and sleep without getting sick. So, I went to bed the same time as my girls because I was so wiped out. I feel pathetic. I have always thought of myself as quite durable and tough. This has made me feel fragile and ridiculous. The chiropractor said it is either vertigo or an inner ear infection. I had a really bad cold about 2 weeks ago so the ear infection does make sense. Vertigo is when the crystals in your ear are out of place and your equilibrium is then thrown off. Laurel, Marlayne and Chad get vertigo. Honestly, I'm hoping for ear infection so that it goes away and I don't have to deal with it again. I had prescribed myself some amoxicillin from Mexico and I will see if that clears it up. The chiropractor also told me to put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide into my ears to help clear up any infection that might be there. So all of you mothers take note of that. He said it will help kill virus and bacteria that infect the ear. I am just very excited to be back to normal soon...hopefully.