Chrismas Eve 2011

I thought I would be ahead of the game and get goodie plates out early this year... Well it didn't happen until the week of Christmas. On the upside not serving a in a presidency at church made my list a little smaller this year. I only made about 25 plates of treats!

Christmas Eve the children like to open the presents they bought for each other. They draw names and get one person a gift. I try to put off the purchasing because they always tell what they got!

I should have thought to take Rigdon by himself since he came home and promptly told Ashlynn what he got her and then told Gunner what Sienna bought for him.

Rigdon gives the best hugs!

The kids also made cookies for Santa! YUM!!!

Grandpa, my brothers, and Paul's friend Trevor came over to help put together a trampoline before Christmas morning. It was a Christmas miracle and went together lickity split.

Then off to bed to wait for the morning.... They were up about every hour.... Then we had 8am church so we ate in the hall and got fancy, headed for church, then after we got home it was time to bust through the paper I had up to hide the Christmas treasures!

A good heart

We have recently tried out giving the kids an allowance, as long as they did the list of things required of them during the week. Things like tidy rooms whatever other job I assigned them, homework, piano practice, good behavior at school... We went with the age of the child for the amount they could earn at the end of the week. Of course of they had a bad attitude or didn't do the required jobs for they day they would get a check and every check took away $1.00.

It's been going pretty good.

Meanwhile Andrew's parents are serving their mission in Brownsville Texas, which is basically Mexico. We asked them if there was a family that we could help out this Christmas. They found a Grandma and her daughter who has twin girls and a little boy. We talked to the kids about using some of the money we would spend on them to get things for this little family. They all agreed, and were ready to each buy something with the money that they have been earning also.

We went to Target with our list and they all had their money. Everyone picked out something, then Gunner found a big stuffed spiderman( the little boy loves spiderman) he didn't know much it would cost but he had $22.00. He was pretty sure it would cover .

We got to the register and everyone bought their stuff. They were all so generous, Gunner got to the register and they man scanned the spiderman and it rang up $20.00... He shrugged his shoulders and said, "well I still have $2.00 left" He has a good heart.

It was so fun to watch them choose things for someone else, and how happy they were to do it.

Giving it another go

A while ago my good friend told me if I joined the gym with her she would go with me, even though I can only fit it in the evening.

I gave it some thought(a few months) and gave in and went to join.

They gave me the whole sign up blah blah blah.. and tried to charge me $55.00 a month, at which point I stood up crossed my arm and said that was totally not worth it! We came to an agreement of $30.00 a month and I certainly made sure I could quit at any time. I felt like I was buying a used car.

Then Rigdon's preschool teachers told me they go walking in the mornings and I could join them if I wanted. Ok I'm feeling a little motivated, why not? Well walking with them turns out to be jogging for me to keep up with the 13 minute miles they are walking! I have no idea how their legs are doing it. But I have gone and they have put up with me. I haven't even passed out yet! Although my body is in a little bit of shock. They do 4 miles. the last two times I stopped at 31/2. From nothing to 4 miles is a lot to take in!

Sarah has been going to the gym with me a few nights a week and it really makes a difference having friends to work out with. I personally feel tortured most of the time while doing it alone. After about 5 minutes I end up looking at the clock and wondering how only 5 minutes has passed and how can I possibly distract myself for another 20 minutes!? Then the thoughts start about how this is what they should do to prisoners to get them to reveal secrets, I know I would tell anything to make it stop! So far in the past two weeks my friends have made the hour at a time work outs feel like they have flown by.

I did find myself wanting to duck my head in shame seeing people from my ward leaving as we were entering. I don't want to be a gym person. And for some reason I don't want people thinking I am. I don't feel that guilt others talk of when they don't work out. It doesn't seem to make me smaller so who cares if I miss a few years...

But as for now I am in again. We don't have to talk about it, it makes me uncomfortable. But if I see you I will try to be polite and say hi.