Post-Christmas party music

by Marilyn, Derek and Thomas. Enjoy!

Get your info

Okay, folks. In the last 18 wks I've lost over 37 lbs, 5+ inches each from waist & hips, gained muscle, and learned how to get control of my life in general. Many have asked how, and here's the link that will tell you all about it. https://kristiapproved.infusionsoft.com/go/ltlwomens/cerikson/ for women and https://kri...stiapproved.infusionso...ft.com/go/ltlmens/cerikson/ for men. You won't be sorry you checked it out!

Last Week of Sugar-Free!

This is my last "official" week of sugar-free, but it's made such a big change in my health and gaining control in my life, that I plan to make it the rule instead of the exception. I'm so much happier, healthier, and lighter! Really, even if you don't buy it, I really suggest going to the Live the Life program website and really considering what they have to offer you. Never, after learning about or trying Body for Life, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and more, have I found anything that is truly a tasty, doable, loveable 'lifestyle change' program, something that helps you to be your healthiest and have your best body, no matter how big or small or thin or thick you are when you begin. I promise that if you give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Pictures to come soon!

Sugar-Free for 12 Weeks!

On Monday, I started a challenge to go "sugar-free" for 12 weeks. I think this challenge is exactly what I needed. Go sugar-free, exercise 2-3 days a week, minimum, and follow your meal plans. If you want to see a little video about it, go to the Kristi Approved Blog.

Will YOU join me?

reachingstride.blogspot.com

My New 'Do...& Claire's

First Day, Face Paint & Felines

Here are some pics of the first day of school, our little mouse hunters and some cool face painting from our Farmer's Market.

The Blue Faerie


How ARRRrrrr ya?


*Snarrlll.....


zzzzz..... nuff said.
My 2nd grade and Kindergarten cuties on the first day of school.

Triathlon, At the Fair and little Cutie Claire

I did the momisms song at the county fair for a talent show and got $100! Whoo-hoo! However, the very end (THE MOM! TA DA!!!) got cut off the video. :(
Caitlin ran the Rush Triathlon (the sprint) and did so great. She came in 10th in her division! Next year, she's going to come in within the first 5. I'm a dope and didn't get a picture of her in the water for the swimming part...
Peter rode the ferris wheel for the first time with Aunt Caitlin. When they first got on and were buckled in, the carnie spun their cage around so they spun backwards, going upside down. He was kinda freaking out for a minute. After that, he wanted to let the carnie know that he was watching him, so he did that little gesture where you use your first and middle finger to point at your own eyes, and then the eyes of the person you're watching. That totally made me laugh. However, the carnie was like, "Oh yeah?" So when they came by next, he tipped their cage forward and locked it that way so they had to go around the whole ferris wheel looking toward the earth. Sheesh!
A really nice carnie let Sam and Andrea ride a miniature carousel for free, just because he has grandkids and times are hard. I thought it was totally nice.
All three of them got to ride a race car carousel, with one of our friends in the car behind Sam. Too cute!
Claire...is Claire. :)

Funny Story and Cute Pics

"When a woman called 911 complaining of difficulty breathing, my husband, Glenn, and his partner—both EMTs—rushed to her home. Glenn placed a sensor on her finger to measure her pulse and blood oxygen. Then he began to gather her information. "What's your age?" he asked.

"Fifty-eight," answered the patient, eyeing the beeping device on her finger. "What does that do?"

"It's a lie detector," said Glenn with a straight face. "Now, what did you say your age was?"

"Sixty-seven," answered the woman sheepishly."

I submitted a funny story about Andrea to the Reader's Digest, which is also where I got the story above. I will write it later and post a little video of Claire.

Visit my fitness blog

Go see me at Reaching Stride.

Long time!

Hi, I know it's been forever. I started back at BYU-I full time (12 credits) while still maintaining stay-at-home mom status and all that goes with it. Things have been a bit crazy. However, I have a certain friend who's been DYING for some updating, so here it is (Love you, Tryseeah)!



This is Andrea after her ballet recital, and right after I found her. Yes, one mom, 4 kids, and 500 other people. I lost the middle two amid the hubub. That's why her mascara is all smudged; she was crying. So was I. I'll post the video of her dance at a later date...my video camera will only work with a firewire cable now that I have Vista operating system, and, of course, my laptop has no firewire port. So, I have to order an adapter and a firewire cable...so not cool.

Pound For Pound Challenge Widget

scratch that bit

So, after going to the arts advising office and going over the USU music therapy requirements, it looks as though I will be able to take all but 39 credits worth (3 semesters if I can go fulltime each semester). And, it wasn't actually the internship that was 9-11 credits worth, it is the MT Practicum--when you have to get together with other MT students and do something...I'm not totally clear on what. I do know that we have to do research papers and all that...maybe I have to work together with other students doing that class. I'm not totally clear on if the practicum class will require me being in Logan everyday, whether it is a class I have to take every semester until I get all the credits for it, or if all those credits are in one semester. I just don't know what to do, except move forward and have faith and hope that it all works out.

My new tool!

I have recently been accepted back to BYU-Idaho. YEA!!!

I will take as many classes as I can here, but at some point I will have to go down to Logan, UT to go to USU; this is because I have decided to graduate in Music Therapy, and the closest program is at USU. Even though that is just over 3 hours away, I am so happy that there is a program even that close, because there are only about 5 programs in the USA. I'm not totally positive on how things will work, but I do have a tenative plan for now:

I will attend and take classes from BYU-I like I am actually attending USU, and when I can't take anymore classes that I need here, then I will have to travel 2 to 3 times a week to Logan to do the classes I need there. There will be 32 to 33 credits that I will have to take there. However, I think that the internship is about 9-11 credits worth of that. The lady who runs the MT program down there said that she might be able to work something out that will allow me to do my internship here in Rexburg, or at least closer, so that I won't have to be there in Logan or Utah everyday. I really hopes that it all works out smoothly for me. I really feel this is the right thing for me to do, so I think that things will work out one way or another.

For now, I'm signed up for Psych 111, Music Theory 2 (yes, it's a repeat), Conducting, and possibly voice lessons. However, I've also ordered a book to learn to use what will be a big tool for me as a music therapist:

Isn't it beautiful? The name of the finish is "Sunrise". It has a semi-mellow sound, and is made of cedar. I'm so excited. Thomas got it for me today. Caitlin taught me how to play a D major chord, so I've had some fun trying it out, and trying to get a head start on some fingertip calluses. Gotta love it!

Banumpkin

Yes, I was going to make banana bread, but then I pulled out the black bananas from my freezer and let them thaw, and they smelled like they were fermenting. So, into the trash they went, and I had already mixed the butter and sugar. So, I had one badly bruised banana and that's it and a bunch that were just barely ripe. Thus, banumpkin bread was born. We used my regular banana bread recipe, but only with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice (and twice the amount of that, anyway), .25 cup reduced fat sour cream instead of buttermilk, and 1 banana, mashed, plus 1 regular can of pumpkin puree. It was definitely tasty. I didn't put in any cinnamon or anything, but I may put in more flavors next time; oh yes, I will be doing it on purpose next time, and put some chopped pecans on the top.

Just Pictures

Kids in Hats

A great video...

Watch this video all the way through. It is a good reminder of how things should be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

addendum

Here's a little video I wanted to put on, but forgot.

It's been a while!

Since I've written last, we've had birthdays for Sam, Thomas and me (Caitlin's is coming up) and we've gone on a trip to CA to visit with family. T & I went to Alcatraz (sans children) with my brother, Andrew, and my new sister-in-law, Michelle. I love historical buildings and places, so that was a great thing for me. I was totally bummed that what was the warden's home and the military family housing (for when it was still a military fort, pre-prison days) and other buildings were burned down during the American Indian occupation. There was a big drinking party of Indians and non-Indians, and no one knows who started the fire. I could have kicked someone.

Anyway, we also had 4 generation pictures done with my mom's parents. It was a good time, and I'm sad that we can't stay a few more days when we go, because I still didn't get to see everyone. I love you all! (We don't have pics from Sam & Tom's bday because my camera wasn't working, so it's all on our camcorder instead.)

Sam fell asleep looking like Joe Cool.
My little Claire-bear is getting so big!

Left to Right: Thomas, Peter, Papa (mom's dad), Sam, Uncle Mike

Back, L to R: Auntie Sue, my beautiful Mom, Auntie Robyn

Front, L to R: Heidi, Sam, Claire, Nana (mom's mom), Andrea, me

4 Generation Picture

On Alcatraz

View of San Francisco from Alcatraz

View of the Cellhouse from the Recreation Yard Thomas in a cell

And now, me...

my brother Andrew in a cell..

and Michelle's oddly creepy picture in the cell.

View of Alcatraz from the ferry.

Alcatraz on my left shoulder

End of Month 1

I've posted my progress after 1 month on my fitness blog. Check it out!

My cool sister

This is a post of two things from my younger sister's blog.

The first thing is an awesome article about motherhood she had linked to her blog.
Click Here

The second is a video of her playing her guitar in her bathroom, and I like it. So,
now Click Here, and enjoy!

I'll be in the Paper!

For more details on that, check out my fitness blog...but don't laugh too hard.

Funny Blog entry entitled "I've had an affair"

I'm reposting this blog entry that I put on my fitness blog.

I saw this blog entry on sparkpeople.com and thought it was too funny not to post (slightly edited):

Friday, January 02, 2009
So it's time to come out and admit it.I've been having an affair with my fridge. It started sometime in November or December, and slowly became more passionate until the recent Christmas break, when it moprhed into what could almost be called psychotic infatuation and criminal stalking. Needless to say I've been neglecting the gym as a result, and the gym has decided to take revenge.The first thing the gym did was tell my pants.
My pants and I had really been getting on this year, they were comfy, they fit, I had new ones.... but maybe this was the problem. Maybe my pants were secretly getting nervous that as I'd discarded their predecessors so eagerly they thought they were heading for the same fate. So my pants listened to what my gym had to say and decided to take action. Then they told the scales.
The scales were very upset and started saying horrible and nasty things to me. They told me I weighed 179 lb the other day, and only a couple of months ago I was 169. I was unable to convince the scales that my relationship with them should not be impacted by my relationships with either the gym, the fridge, or indeed my pants, but my poor scales are codependent and wouldn't listen. My pants by this stage had done all this in vain as I was now in the verge of dumping them and going back to find their predecessors, which to me were not only more comfortable, but far nicer. This was too much and my pants told my mirror.
The mirror, never known for diplomacy, was blunt. It yelled at me YOU'VE BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH THE FRIDGE. A BIG, LONG, PASSIONATE AFFAIR. LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO EVERYBODY!! HOW COULD YOU? And every time I walk past the mirror, it yells it. Then of course, being an interconnected species, every other mirror in the universe got on the bandwagon, and now even when I'm washing my hands at work, the mirror in the ladies' bathroom yells YOU FOOD SLUT! I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE FRIDGE. ONLY A MONTH AGO YOU HAD CHEEKBONES BUT NOW YOU HAVE A DOUBLE CHIN! So, of course, I'm in the toilet with pretty much every household appliance that doesn't live in the kitchen. Half my wardrobe is yelling at me. None of the mirrors like me either. So - I'm back on SparkPeople, I've joined a heap of challenges, I've got my gym class schedule on my fridge, and I'll be signing up for a triathalon or two.

A few pics & an announcement

Happy New Year! I have a few cute pics from the holidays, and an announcement to make. No, I'm not pregnant and we're not moving. It is over on my fitness blog; please take a look at it.

The kids got to see Santa at the mall.

Andrea got to do a Christmas demonstration in her 'pre-ballet' class where she could invite anyone she wanted to watch her in what she has learned in class as well as do a special Christmas dance (on video).

She said she wishes that she had gotten toeshoes for Christmas. I told her she had to be older and really strong to use toeshoes. She insisted she could do it--and I looked down and saw that she really was standing on the tips of her toes in her bedroom slippers. Wow.

Claire is getting so big!