Valentines Irony

Does anyone else find this picture a bit funny?

Yes, that is a box of terrifying WWE wrestler valentines right next to a box of cute little kitten valentines.  Nothing says "I love you" like a semi-clothed, full-grown man who looks like he wants to tear you to pieces.

On the other hand, I found great humor in the valentine gift Taylor found for me.  Once he saw it, he HAD to get it:)  A nice variation on the traditional box of chocolates, don't you think?  (Notice the sasquatch hair bordering the box.)

-Jer

Still Here!

Taylor pointed out that it's been over a month since we've posted.  Rather remiss of us!  Since it's clear that a general desire to blog more consistently in 2015 has not been the motivation I need to keep the posts coming, I'll go back to something that has worked in the past.  I hereby commit that, starting today, there will be 60 posts in 60 days.  Taylor, I'm so glad that you enjoy reading our blog.  Sorry for the pathetic track record of late.  Hope you enjoy the next two months!

To start us off, I'll share a picture that shows just how tall Taylor is getting.  He loves looking down at mom.  He LOVES looking down at me!!!  Currently 6'3".  Note that Taylor is in his bare feet and Christi has boots on:)

-Jer

Fit in Six

Fit in 6 starts tomorrow!  If any of you sent me an email and haven't heard from me or have heard from me but haven't been added to the facebook group, please leave a comment to let me know!!!  Also, it's not too late if you still want to join-- just send me an email.  (:  christi405@yahoo.com

Now off to have some chocolate ice cream!  (:

Conner on the Piano

Conner is doing so very well.  He is making more and more friends at school and church.  His English is progressing and is finding more joy from life in America.  He is enrolled in two music classes at school:  choir and orchestra.  Below is video of a couple of his performances with both groups this past semester.  We are so proud of him:)

Tiny update

Jer just noticed that I typed my email address incorrectly on the Fit in 6 post.  It has been changed and is now correct, but if anyone emailed me and hasn't heard back, please try again.  Sorry!  (:

Fit in 6

I am just finishing my last bite of peppermint ice-cream.  It was dessert after my healthy lunch of leftover Christmas candy and a Snickers bar.  Or maybe I'll just call all of that my mid-morning snack and go fix myself some lunch after I'm done with this post… Yes, I have a problem!  I have been quite out of control with my eating habits for several weeks now, I haven't been exercising beyond the hustle and bustle of taking care of 10 kids (and now a dog) and I'm at my all time highest weight-- yikes!  Jeremy must have felt sorry for me and gained some weight of his own so I wouldn't feel bad.  (;  We've had a fantastic time eating out at our favorite places and stuffing ourselves with homemade rolls and pumpkin pie and all sorts of other yummy things, but we (along with our ill-fitting clothing) have decided that 

enough is enough.

Come Monday morning, January 12, we are making some changes in our lifestyle and we are inviting you to join us!  Have you heard of "Fit in 6?"  I have done this program once before with my friend, Jan, and I really enjoyed it.  It basically reminds you to make healthy choices.   I feel it's more doable than many "diets."  I personally lost 12 pounds on the program (many people lose more), but even better was the way I felt-- more energetic, toned and happy.  (Admittedly, I was a little grouchy about it sometimes-- but that's all part of the process, right?)  I like the six week duration-- long enough to see real progress and to create better habits, short enough that I don't feel like I'm giving up my favorite foods FOREVER.  (:  There are some indulgences built in, so a treat here and there is ok.  It also gives points for those things you should be doing anyway (getting sleep, drinking water, taking vitamins, reading scriptures, etc.)  But the best part about it is that you are accountable to someone.  Everyone that chooses to join will report to ME!  Don't worry, I'm not judgmental and we're in this together!!  We will be each other's cheerleaders on days when we hate the scale or would rather do anything else than exercise.  

What do you say?

The basic premise of Fit in 6 is that you get points for healthy choices and lose points for unhealthy choices.  You can choose to "pay in" either $10 or $20 (we'll take a vote) and then the winners divide up the money at the end.  Or if you want to join but don't want to pay in, PLEASE feel welcome-- you won't be eligible for the prizes but you'll be a part of it in every other way.  This isn't about money (though it's an incentive for some) but about motivation and accountability!

The details of the program are too long to post here on the blog but I can easily email them to you before you decide.  Just leave a note in the comment section or email me if you are interested!  christi405@yahoo.com.  I will send you detailed information on the program rules and if you decide to join (I just KNOW you will)  I will add you to our Fit in 6 Facebook page.  Sounds like a party, right?!!  (:

The program runs January 12- February 23.  That means you'll have a few days to eat your favorite foods and avoid the gym and stay up late while you wrap your head around the fact that YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!  YOU CAN BE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER IN JUST SIX WEEKS!!!  

Who's in??  (:

A child's prayer

I've recently decided I needed to start recording Sophi's sweet prayers because they just make my heart so happy.  Here is her prayer from tonight:

"Dear Heavenly Father, please bless my dear little dog, Molly, that she will have a really good sleep.  And bless her to not bite people or jump on them or do any bad thing.  And bless my two sisters, Elli and Lexi, that they can see again.  And bless my brother, Conner, that he can see.  And bless my sister, Cali, that she can walk.  And bless me, that my eczema will go away and I will have skin that doesn't itch.  And bless us all that we can love Molly and we can be gentle with her and not be mean to her even when she does bad things.  And bless anybody that passed away that they can be happy in heaven.  And bless us that we will be nice every day and choose the right and obey and read our scriptures and go to church all the time.  And bless that when we are in church we will sing the songs the right way and not the wrong way.  And bless that when we are in kindergarten that we will say the pledge of allegiance the right way and not the wrong way.  And bless us not to be silly and to be respectful to our state.  And bless that we will be good to each other and not kick or hit or whack and that we can just all love each other and when we do bad things that we can say sorry and we can forgive each other.  And bless my friend, Claire, that she can know that it's ok sometimes when we have to go through the office door instead of the kindergarten door.  And bless her to be my best friend.  And bless that we will just all love each other and not hate anybody but just love everybody.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I'm so lucky to be your mommy, sweet Sophi!

(and yes-- more about Molly in a post to come!)

Three of Our Ridiculously Cute Daughters at Their Dance Recital

I think my favorite picture is the one of Sophi doing Jesi's make-up:)

-Jer

 Sophi and her best friend, Claire:

Sophi Eats at the Bar

Sophi is an independent kid who wants to do what the other kids do.  Sometimes she wants to eat at the bar in the kitchen.  The fact that she can't reach her feet that high is no impediment!

Jeremy

Happy New Year

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!  One of my resolutions is to blog more regularly in 2015, so here's a start:)

Over the years, Christi and I have formally or informally divided many of the household chores.  She does most of the cooking, I do most of the yard work.  She takes the kids to doctors appointments, I take them to the dentist and orthodontist.  And so on.  All of these are quite flexible.  For some reason (i.e. Christi is far more artistically and creatively talented than I am) she has taken on the job of helping the kids with their science projects.  I've never fought for the opportunity to take over this responsibility.  It can be a very time-consuming endeavor.

But somehow this year I ended up helping Parker with his.  About two thirds of the way through a thought struck me.  Every kid, every year has received an A on their science project.  If Parker gets anything less, Christi will never let me hear the end of it.  I began to lose sleep at nights.  I would have sudden panic attacks without warning.  Occasionally I found myself sobbing for no apparent reason.  OK, perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but I really did want Parker to get a good grade on this.

Never fear!  Parker is a brilliant student.  In spite of my assistance, he got an A and all is right in the world.  Thanks for pulling me through on this, Parker:)

Jer

PS.  He built an electromagnet and determined that increasing the number of times the wire is coiled around the nail has a greater impact on the strength of the magnet than increasing the number of batteries that power it.  Sadly, I did not take a picture of the final poster:(

Google

A few days ago, Christi was going through the internet history on our computer.  She came across this gem of a progression showing what had been searched for on google (in order):

earrings

earrings that cost about 20$

christmas earrings that cost about 20$

christmas earrings that cost about 20$ from ross

earrings for girl teachers

earrings for girl teachers not weird ones

neckleses

Any doubt that it was Jessica who was doing the googling was quickly erased by the 25 pages of American Girl doll stuff that immediately followed in the history.

-Dad

First Kiss

Today at school, the TA in Sophi's class observed an interaction between Sophi and a boy named Eli.  Apparently Eli said, "Sophi, you are so beautiful!"  Sophi responded by smiling and then leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.  She then turned to her TA and exclaimed, "I want to sit in Eli's row!"  You go girl!

-Jeremy

Girls' weekend

These three friends have been my safe place for the last 15 years.  We have laughed and cried and talked and traveled and strengthened each other in ways that I couldn't have lived without.  We have survived numberless trials together and learned so much along the way.  Between the four of us, we are raising 24 amazing children and four sweet husbands!  These girls know pretty much everything about me and still love me perfectly.  In every up and down, they are there.

Oh how I love my dear best friends!!!

Oh the comfort,the inexpressible
Comfort of feeling safe with friends
Having neither to weigh
Thoughts, nor measure words,
But to pour them all out

Just as they are
Chaff and grain together
Knowing that a faithful hand
Will take and sift them,
Keeping what is worth keeping
and then with a breath of kindness
Blow the rest away