My Resolutions!

I have been stuck at a current weight for almost a year now. Then just two months ago I broke through it and lost that last 5 pounds! And more inches all around! I felt great. This is smallest I have been since having kids. I was so excited. But guess what?! The holidays came and went and BOY did they leave a mark! I am back up to where I was! Dang. Why is it so hard to lose that last 5-10 pounds and in just a short time gain it back!?  Five pounds isn't a lot, I know that. But it took forever to lose it in the first place, so it feels like a lot! And it's amazing the difference five pounds can make in my energy and feeling. I feel sluggish and gross inside. So next time I start to eat a entire 3 pound BAG of truffles, I need to remember how I feel right now at this moment and find the willpower to refrain myself!

To start this year right I have made some fitness goals for the month of January. So far so good. I have already lost three pounds!

My goals:

1. No eating passed 7pm.

2. Exercise everyday. (started P90X...again.)

3. No candy/sugar for the next three weeks.

I also set some personal goals to STUDY the scriptures, not just read them everyday, but actually study them more. And to listen better to my kids. And the last thing I really want to work on this year is to stop raising my voice to the point of yelling. I am not a huge yell-er, but when I do, I hate it. So when I feel myself getting to that point, I need to stop, take a breath, think for a moment then work on the "problem". As I know when I do that, the "problem" in hand, is much more minor and unimportant then I first thought it was.

Those are MY resolutions! What are yours??

Christmas Time

I heard about this place just 30 minutes from us, that was called the north pole where they give free train rides and it's all lit up. So we went and it was beautiful and they had 3 trains going constantly for families and kids to ride. However, the line was so long and it was a cold night for Texas so we only stayed a short time. But the girls loved the free hot Chocolate and loved sitting in the train.

Here we are driving there...

 Grandpa Hodges and Emily with Mrs. Clause.

Everyone's proud to be a Texan!

The train bridge driving into the "North Pole".

The girls have been practicing all week to sing a song for Grandpa and Grandma and Sean and Jeanette. They sang  "Picture a Stable in Judea..." It was really cute. And Emily would scream out words here and there that she remembered. (I am mad that I didn't get a video of it.)

We had a great Christmas. Santa went (a bit!) over board this year though and we were spoiled rotten. Next year I will have to remember to tone it down! haha!

Grandpa and Grandma Hodges got the girls princess stuff, they loved it!

 Madisen got a Mobi-Go Vtech and Emily loved it the most! She is all about electronics. Emily kept showing Jeanette what to do.

The girls playing around with Sean and their Pillow-Pets.

Grandma and Emily sitting together looking at pictures...

Grandpa and his girls!

It was so fun having them come and stay with us for a week!  We went to Dallas and toured the site where President JFK got shot and that was incredible to see that and visit the museum where they had tons of pictures and stories about it. We ate tons, and played countless games, and I almost peed my pants twice! I think Jeanette did too. We haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It was wonderful being able to be with our family! Thanks Dad, Trudy, Sean and Jeanette for driving 12 hours to be with us during the holidays!  

A trip to Oklahoma

Since finding out that we are moving back to Idaho, it has been bitter-sweet. One of the bitter reasons, is because my best friend from high school, Kimberly lives only 3 1/2 hours north of us, in Oklahoma. We have only gotten together twice in the last year. So I want to take as many opportunities to see her as possible before we move and we are 25 hours away!  On December 16th I left the kids home with Ryan and headed up to Oklahoma. Kimberly's oldest child, Aliya was getting baptized that weekend, so it was the perfect weekend to be there. I loved seeing her get baptized. I got to hold Aliya the day she was born in the Rexburg Hospital so it's hard to believe it's been over 8 years! She was the most beautiful baby and now is the most beautiful 8 year old! 

I had such a fun time. We played a lot games and just hung out like old times. I also got to see my second parents. Kimberly's parents were there as well and it was a blast seeing MomC and DadC again. It's been 4 years since I have seen MomC. In high school their house was my second home. I felt so welcomed there that I would just walk in and lay in the middle of MomC and DadC  in bed and talk to them until Kimberly got home from wherever she was! We laughed about that and other fun memories from high school. 

Thanks Kimberly, Alex, Aliya, Landon, Parker, Zurie, MomC and DadC for such a fun weekend!

This is Kimberly and her husband Alex. 

Zurie-2 (will be 3 in a few weeks), Aliya-8, Parker-4

(Landon-5 was missing. He took off early to lunch with the grandparents.)