Update on my healthier me journey

It's been 3 months since I started my journey to becoming a healthier me and I am down 40 lbs. I started this journey because I wanted to be the best version of me. I wanted to live life, be a better mom, a better wife... this time (unlike in times past) I didn't want this to be about the way that I looked. I even told family and close friends to not say anything when they noticed me slimming down - because it isn't about that - it's about becoming healthy!

Working with Dash has helped me in so many ways. He is always talking about loving myself - to stop being so negative and hard on myself (which is something I have always struggled with). He, along with the other coaches at DASH, have helped me realize that the most important thing is for me to love and accept myself just the way that I am. In the process of doing that - weight has come off. I'm treating my body like someone who loves them-self would. I'm giving it healthy foods - enough water - exercise. I look in the mirror and tell myself that I am enough - that I am beautiful just the way that I am.

The mind can be a terrible thing to your waist (another thing DASH always says)... and it can... but it can also be such a powerful tool when you use it for good! We are always so hard on ourselves - why? What good does it do us?

My journey is far from over - and I will have to make the choice everyday to be healthy... but I'm happy. I'm happy where I am at. I love waking up and feeling great and ready to tackle the world. I have a hard time sometimes dealing with some of the emotions and situations that I used to just "deal with" or "bury" with food... but I'm learning and that is whats important. I'm not perfect, I make mistakes, but when I do - I don't beat myself up.... "do your best and forget the rest".

I love the me that is emerging from this, I am happy, healthy, confident, a better mother, a better wife, a better neighbor - I am working on myself and I haven't done that in years... it feels great!

Today and everyday... I will choose health!!!

Take the step

"Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction, ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip toe if you must, but take the step."

I feel like I have just taken the step. I saw a post on facebook to vote for someone to become an allstar for a weight loss program called DASH. I saw it too late and was not able to submit an entry but I wasn't going to give up that easy. I emailed them and asked if they would consider me as well. I was contacted and told that I needed to get support behind me so I had friends and family email and post on my behalf and after doing all the same things the other contestants had to do (like submitting a video and everything) I was notified that a company saw my video and was going to sponsor me. I am so thrilled. The program consists of me eating healthy, and exercising. Novel idea right? To lose weight you have to eat healthy and exercise... but this time I will be doing it with the help of a coach and team of people cheering me on. This program does not have any meals that you have to buy - or pills to take... you can do a protein shake and have bars as meal replacements... but they are made with organic fruits and veggies - no chemicals or processed ANYTHING. It's exactly what I want/need.

Dash asked me what my "why" was for doing this. My answer was to live life fully. I want to be the best me that I can. I know its going to get hard and I will have to come back to my why to keep me motivated... but I am ready to do this and am very excited. 

2014 quick recap

So a lot of wonderful things happened to our family in 2014.
-Dan got a job with a the law firm Kipp & Christian in Salt Lake City
-We bought a house in Herriman
-Jaxon started Kindergarten
-We upgraded to a VAN lol
-We welcomed our 3rd beautiful baby

Dan is enjoying working for the firm, he works with WONDERFUL people - the hours are great for a law firm haha - and there are lots of other great perks :).

We are LOVING having our own home. Our neighborhood is absolutely perfect for us. There are a TON of kids and young families just like us.

Jaxon loves school. He always asks if it is "long or short" day (they get out early on Friday's) because he loves long days. His teacher Mrs. Wilson is amazing and we found out used to live next to my aunt Kristine and is good friends with the family. Jaxon is doing very well in school... as of today he has gotten 100% on all of his spelling tests and is reading really well. 

Lets be honest... the only reason people don't want vans is because of the image. Our van is the best thing that has happened to our driving life. It is so wonderful and I can't imagine driving anything else (however I did throw a bit of a fit before we got it... now I love it haha).

We welcomed sweet Nora Beth Garner to our family on December 8th 2014. Although she is the "hardest" baby I have had (which is still easy) we love her so much and it feels like she has been a part of our family forever. The kids love and adore her and are always making sure she is taken care of and happy.

We feel very blessed to have the wonderful lives that we do. We know that all our blessings come from Heavenly Father and we are so grateful for the blessings we get to enjoy.

I also just have to say that I am so lucky to be married to such a wonderful man. Dan has worked so hard to provide a good life for our family and he has made all my dreams come true. He is always learning and working to improve himself, he is so generous, the kids adore him and so do I.

Its been awhile...

One of my new years resolutions this year was to start blogging again.
A lot has happened since I posted last and the thought of going back and blogging about everything I missed seems impossible... so I will start with today and try to slowly work my way back.

A second alone could have changed my life

Today something scary happened.

If you are a mom of young children you will know that you don't get a moment alone, even when you have to go to the bathroom.

Well today was no different, I went into the bathroom and was going to shut the door to have a second alone, but felt that I shouldn't.

I am so grateful I didn't.

Both Jax and Addy came running in like usual and Addy started doing this little cough, the cough sound became quieter and quieter and when she turned around, her eyes were wide open and a look of panic was on her face, the coughing sound – gone.

OH MY GOSH SHE IS CHOCKING!

I immediately picked her up and held her head down and started smacking her back. After a couple hard hits a quarter (YES A QUARTER) came flying out of her mouth.

I have to say that I hear about kids chocking and I always have thought to myself that I would be freaking out and panicky if that ever happened to me - but really I was very calm and my instincts took over and just started doing what I needed to do. Now maybe this was because I didn't know what she was chocking on so I was able to stay calm, but as soon as it came out and everything was all right. All the what if's started:

What if I had shut the door

What if she hadn't come in and just stayed in the family room

What if her and Jax were playing and he saw her doing that? Would he know to come get me?

Thats when I started to really freak out.

Through all the panic I started feeling, I also felt such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to my Savior. I know it was the spirit that kept me from shutting that bathroom door.

Scary moments happen a lot when you are a mom, and if you turn every one into a near death experience you will drive yourself mad.

But I can't help shake the feeling that today, if I hadn’t been there, it really could have been.

I know that the outcome of events like this are not always happy ones and tragically little ones are taken early from us, but what a wonderful thing it is to know that our Savior is there with open arms welcoming them home when they leave this earth young.

People talk about a mother’s intuition - well I know better - I know it’s a loving Savoir nudging us and giving us thoughts and feelings that keep our little ones, HIS little ones safe.

Valentines Day

This year we had fun making Valentines to give to the grandparents and Dan. Jax and Addy made cards with their hands that had a heart shape in the middle. It was so cute and they had fun doing it. Jaxon kept telling me he loved me and he was excited for Valentines Day. Valentines morning, me, Jax, and Addy (Addy pulled out pots and pans while Jax and I cooked) make breakfast for Dan. We made French toast and cut them into heart shapes. Then Jax and Addy gave Dan their Valentines before we took him to school.

That night the missionaries stopped by and it was nice having a spiritual thought and we watched a short video clip about revelation. After they left our friend Lydia came over to sit at the house while the kids slept so we could go out.

I had gotten a free $20.00 gift card to a Mexican restaurant in DC that we decided to try on Valentine’s Day. We had never heard of it or been there before so we were hoping it would be good. We drove by and I'm not going to lie... I was pretty scared to try it. It was a total hole in the wall place. It looked like a house converted into a restaurant. They just had a little sign with the name of the restaurant on it and I kind of wanted to turn around and go somewhere safe like Olive Garden lol. But I was brave, we circled the block a few times trying to find parking (got to love DC) - found a spot we didn't think we would get towed from (thought it would have been better to take the metro), and walked to the restaurant. We went in and it was really small. There were probably a total of 12 small tables that people could sit at. We were lucky that there was a table open and we sat down. Lots of people were coming in and getting takeout orders so we knew it must be good. We ordered the food and I kid you not... it was the BEST Mexican I have ever had! AMAZING! After dinner we walked around DC and admired the old houses, got back in our car that didn't get towed THANK GOODNESS, gave each other our gifts which was just candy and cards this year since we are trying to be very frugal, and went home. It was fun to get to not just focus on Dan for Valentines, but also on our kids - I made Jax and Addy little Valentine and Jax still carries it around and wants me to give him treats with it all the time LOL.

Not only do I love my little family - but I love and am so grateful for our extended family. I was blessed to marry into and be born into amazing families. We have also been so blessed to have made some truly wonderful friends throughout our lives. A lot of people don't like Valentine’s Day because it makes them aware of their lack of relationship to a significant other - but Valentines is about the love that is in our lives in all different forms. Parents, siblings, friends, kids… I have been blessed with so many people and relationships to get to celebrate on Valentine’s Day! Yeah for Love!

Addison Turns One

January 18, 2012 our sweet Addison came into our lives! A year later and we love her even more than we did that day!

My mom flew into DC to spend some time with us and was able to be here for her birthday. We decorated with butterflies and balloons! I made her a butterfly cake and we had family on Google chat to sing with us and watch her eat her cake.

It was a fun day! She didn't dive into her cake, she was more cautious and would just scoop the frosting off and lick her finger. She got a little braver later and started grabbing a little, but it was cute how dainty she was about it.

Addy - we love you so much! You have such a sweet spirit and bring so much joy to our lives.

Right now you are

Walking
Getting into everything
Dancing
babbling
You have 3 top teeth and 4 bottom
you LOVE baths
you put EVERYTHING (including dirt) into your mouth
you love to have necklaces on
you like to play with whatever Jaxon is playing with
you can hold your own with your rough older brother
you love water
you hate wearing socks and always pull them off
if you don't have socks on - you will pull them off other peoples feet
you love to clap and play peek-a-boo
you use sign language to tell us more and all done
you are sweet and love to smile at everyone

Everywhere we go people ohh and awww over you. You are a beautiful girl and have such a happy sweet spirit. So many people have made the comment that you make their day. We love you and the joy you bring into our lives.