Happy Birthday Matthew!

On Saturday my Matty turned 7! I don't know what it is about the age of seven, but it seems so old to me. Maybe because it is the first double syllable age or maybe it's that he's one step closer to baptism, I don't know...
It was an extra special day as well because his dad was still home. Derek has only been home for Matty's third and now seventh birthday. He was in Afghanistan when Matthew was born as well, so we were very happy that he didn't have to leave until Sunday morning!
Matthew wanted a skateboarding birthday party. Derek decorated the cake to look like a skate park, we played skateboard relay and pin the wheel on the skateboard, cake walk, and smartie suck. The kids had a good time and Matty got lots of cool gifts. This is the first time he has actually asked for gifts that are not something that Zack already has...shocking! We took his picture with each of his friends and the gift they gave him. His favorite was the tech decks (mini skateboards), and the real skateboard from his dad and I.

Matty has always been such a curious, laid back kid. He reminds me of me sometimes. He has a knack for inferencing (even though he doesn't know what that means yet :) He seems to just observe a situation and know what if anything needs to be done or what is going on. I guess what I am trying to say is that he has great common sense. He is a good reader and a fast learner. He made the principal's honor roll on his first report card. I am so glad he is a part of our family.

Don't ask me what the fingers are all about, but he did that in every picture!


Pin the wheel on the skateboard.


The relay. They had to ride down and back, then trade off.


Our make shift skate park cake :)

Weight loss...the bottom line

Okay, I have two excuses as to why I'm not posting every Friday. 1) my wonderful husband reads our blog (as well he should, especially when he is away!) But, when your husband only weighs 5-10 pounds more than you do and if you have a week where you gain weight which brings that weight even closer to your husbands...one tends to not want to post a weight and a picture. 2) I have been fluctuating so bad! Gain and lose and gain and lose etc... I guess I am just frustrated. I've heard it said that your body knows what weight it's comfortable with but I don't know if my brain is comfortable with the number on the scale. I know I am not comfortable with my body. I have been thinner... just last year, and was very comfortable with where I was. I guess that goes without saying though huh? Anyway, that's the update. Hopefully I can find the motivation to continue the process :)

Skiing

After my first experience with the kids and skiing in December, Derek and I decided to take the kids again to Brianhead to go skiing as a family before he leaves again (which we found out today will be this week :( Anyway, we have some friends that own a condo up there so we had a place to stay, we got half price lift tickets and cheap rentals...Still cost us an arm and a leg but we had a good time :) Now I haven't been on a snowboard for ten years so I was not a big help to the children cause I could barely stay up on my board in the beginning, but Derek who hasn't been on a snowboard for as long as me (10 years) picked it up just fine and was cruising around like he had never stopped...so unfair! Zack went up the lift once with Derek and then once with me and then he was fine to go on his own. In fact,later in the day when he and I would go, I would fall getting off the lift, we would start going down and he would holler back at me, "See you at the bottom !" Only I would make it half way down and he would holler at me from the lift, " Hey mom, you're almost there!" I have to say I am so proud of him! He is so good at skiing and has never shown any interest in anything remotely athletic but he couldn't get enough. His first time coming down by himself he said, "Mom, that was so wicked awesome!" I wish I had some video of him, but after our beginning of the day picture we didn't even give it another thought. Derek helped Kaia and Matt up and down the lift and hill, and by the end of the day we were ready for the big lift that was twice as long as the original one. The boys did great coming down, Kaia got tired and whined the whole way down. I also had to stop mid hill and let her have a yellow snow break :) That was quite the challenge not to fall off my board or move down the hill while dangling her precariously over the snow so as not to get any pee on her or me :) Anyway, we can't wait to go again soon...maybe to Ski Lee. Anybody been? Is it any good?

Coupon class

Janelle and I are hosting a coupon party next week! Janelle has graciously volunteered to have everyone at her house. Her address 1412 Phyllis St.
Consider this your invite! This is the most amazing thing I have done in such a long time!!! It has revolutionized the way I shop for groceries. So come enjoy the class, bring a friend or two or three and love to grocery shop again :)

Plan on coming, spending an hour and saving a ton of money! The class is Thursday, March 19th @ 6:30
Call me at 657-0988 for more info!

The biggest loser...

We love the biggest loser at our house. When you are in first grade you can stay up and watch with mom (cause dad doesn't like the show). Every once in a while Kaia gets to stay up and watch the show. I guess I never realized what kind of influence the show is having on my kids until today... Derek and I went to work out and we took Kaia, so as we were walking out I saw a girl that used to come take my classes. I hadn't seen her for a while so we chit-chatted for while then said good-bye. As soon as we start walking away Kaia asks if she was on the biggest loser!!!!! Seriously? Anyone who seems like they have a few pounds to lose was on the biggest loser? We tried to tell her that could have hurt her feelings while trying not to laugh! What a snot!