I made it!

I made the Biggest Loser top 50.  My friend who is doing this with me, also made the top 50.  So, I guess I don't get to slow down, but continue to work harder.  The next weigh in is on May 2, and then they narrow it down to 30.  Top 30, here I come!

I'm a loser

About 6 weeks ago, as I was driving down Main Street in American Fork, I saw a banner overhead.  It said "Steel Days Biggest Loser Competition".  At first sight I thought, that's pretty dumb and it's probably expensive, but then my curiosity got the best of me.  I came home and got on the website.  To my surprise, it was only $20 to join.  I thought, what the heck, this just might give me the motivation I need and the worst that can happen is I lose $20.  I dialed up a friend and asked her if she wanted to do it with me.  After some coaxing and maybe begging on my part, she agreed and $20 later I was in the competition.  

Now, if you know me at all, you will know I have a MEAN competitive streak.  Always have, and the older I get I think it gets a little worse.  Some people just called it idiotic and stupid, I like to call it motivated and driven.  The first weigh in was the first of March.  Once I stepped on that scale and knew the competition had started, my competitiveness kicked in.  

I started out by just eating in moderation and exercising for an hour each morning.  I'm still eating in moderation but now I am exercising at home every morning for an hour and walking for 45 minutes or so each night.  I have great friends who are supporting me in this and who "drag" me out every night.  Ok, they don't really drag me, I drag them sometimes.   Not only is it exercise, but it's good girl time.  

So, today was the 2nd weigh in.  They are going to narrow the competition down from 160 people to 50 people.  We are going on percentage of weight lost, not pounds.  I was actually nervous.  I really don't like scales.  I knew what my home scale was saying, but had no idea what the rec center scale would say.  Plus at home I am a naked weigher.  I didn't think I could get away with that very well at the rec center.  

I am happy to report that I lost 14.2 lbs last month, which is 5.86%.  Now don't go get out your calculator and try and figure out what my starting weight was.  I don't know yet if I made it in the top 50.  If not, I would like to be able to say "oh well" but I don't think my competitiveness will allow me to say that.  I will be bummed, but will get over it and continue on my journey without the competition.  I'm not stopping now!  I'm on a roll!  

Stay tuned to see if I make the top 50!  

Maybe I was born to be an Artist....

So, a while ago Libby, London and I were at my mom's office hanging out for a while.  My mom has an awesome office.  One side is a huge window overlooking the Provo River,  the other side is a whole wall covered in white board.  When I say whole wall, I mean whole wall.  Ceiling to floor and corner to corner.  The girls always love to grab the markers and draw on the wall. The only bad thing about this, is that London thinks that all walls can be written on, hence the reason I love magic erasers to get the markers and crayons off my walls at home.  Anyway, while we were at the office, Libby asked me if I could draw Minnie Mouse.  I said "I don't think so, but I guess I could try".  Twenty minutes later, this was the result.

I was quite impressed with myself.  Libby was shocked.  I don't think she expected it to look even remotely like Minnie Mouse.  I showed Alton when I got home.  He didn't believe I drew it.  We called my mom and she was my alibi.  

The girls were excited, my mom was excited, and Minnie Mouse has a new home on the wall of my mom's office.

Half Marathon

So, as we speak, I am sitting in Moab.  I am here with a good friend watching her run the Canyonlands Half Marathon.  I've been very intrigued with all the different people here for this race.  When I think of a runner, I think of someone who is very fit and very skinny.  I have been proven wrong.  There are all age, types, sizes and shapes of people running today.  

This makes me wonder.  Could I ever run a half marathon?  My first thought is "HELL NO".

Last night we drove the course.  It was breathtaking.  Such beautiful scenery.  It came down the canyon and followed the Colorado River.  As I started driving down the course, I thought to myself "ok, maybe I could do this".  I looked at my odometer, I had driven 2 miles.  I still had 11 MORE miles to go.  We kept driving, and driving, and driving.....and driving.  13 miles is a LONG time.  I know I could bike 13 miles, but run??  It just doesn't sound all that fun to run for more then 2 hours.  Makes me tired just thinking about it.  But as I sit and watch these 5000 people do this race, it sparks something in me.  Maybe I'm just feeling left out because I'm a "spectator", maybe my competitiveness is kicking in, maybe I want to do something in my life that I never ever thought I could do.  Maybe, just maybe I COULD actually do it!

Then I bring my head out of the clouds and come back down to reality.  Could I run a 10K? That MIGHT be possible.  That sounds a lot more realistic then 13.1 miles.  You have to start small right?  I never thought I could be a runner, but maybe it's possible.  Maybe it's all mental. Maybe someday. 

Draper Temple Open House

Today we had a girls day!  The boys couldn't get off work, so just the girls went to the Draper Temple open house and to lunch.  It was beautiful! 

Libby and Alisha on the bus ride from the church to the Temple.

London enjoyed her cookie and water after the tour.

London, Libby and Alisha

Libby, London and Grandma Cheri

Libby, London and me

London being goofy on the way to lunch

Libby wanted her picture in the glasses too

We had lunch at Cafe Rio

Libby is a little mom.  She was wiping the black beans off London's face.

Carlos Boozer

On Tuesday I was invited by my niece Ruth to come to her school assembly.  Her school (Ridgeline Elementary) had won a reading competition and they were having a Jazz player come and read to them.  Knowing that I am a huge Jazz fan, she invited me to come and take pictures for her.  I grabbed my other niece Libby and we were off to the school.   I was assuming it would be somewhat of a no name Jazz player but as I was walking through the parking lot, there in front of me was Carlos Boozer.  I got really excited and grabbed for my camera.  He walked up to us and said hi and asked us how we were doing.  He said hi and waved to Libby. She was quite frightened of him.  I don't blame her.  To me he was HUGE, I can only imagine what he looks like to a 4 year old.  I got some great pictures and he did an awesome job reading to the kids.  He got a rock star welcome.  I had a lot of fun!  Thanks Ruth for inviting me!!  After it was over, I was having Libby call everyone and tell them who she met.  After once phone conversation she looked at me and said "Why is everyone so excited I met that Booze guy?" She just doesn't get it.  Guess I need to make her more of a Jazz fan, although, I did teach her that he was number 5 and she remembers that.  One small step in the right direction!

Rascal Flatts

I'm not the world's biggest country music fan.  I'm very selective about the country music I will listen too, but my favorite country group is Rascal Flatts.  When the opportunity presented itself to attend the concert and have a girls night out, I JUMPED at the opportunity.  We started the night by going to dinner at Cafe Rio.  Then it was off to the concert.  Jessica Simpson was the opening act.  I was NOT impressed.  If my chair hadn't been vibrating so much I would have fallen asleep.  

There is something to be said about sitting on the first row of the upper bowl.  No one to stand up in front of you and you pretty much have a straight shot down to the stage.  There is only one downfall, my fear of heights.  It took me a while to be comfortable letting go of my armrests on my chair.  Luckily by the time Rascal Flatts started to perform.  I had my bearings straight!  

All in all, it was an awesome night.  My ears are still ringing and my voice is raspy.  Those two things are proof I had a good time.  Now I sit and wait for the next concert on the list.  May 9th to see the Eagles.  I can't wait!  

Me and My Gang!  

Jenny, me and Kathleen.  Thanks girls for a fun and very memorable night!! 

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty holds a special place in our heart.  Not only is it a universal sign of freedom, but on this island is where Alton received his first concussion.  Did you know there is a playground on the island?  On this playground is a slide.  Alton decided to climb to the top, and instead of going down the slide, he fell back down the ladder.  He was 4 years old.

The year was 1975.  Alton's dad was a National Park Ranger and was assigned to be the Ranger at the Statue of Liberty.  Alton lived on this island from 1974-1978.   Instead of taking a bus to school, Alton took a ferry. 

Did you know there is a couple of homes on the island?  I had no idea until I met him.  This picture was taken from the ferry when they lived there.  We went to NYC in 2003.  We went to the island.  (I took the top picture on this trip).  As we got of the ferry, there stood the same ferry hand that worked there in the 70's.  Alton calls him "Sunshine Mike".  Mike was speechless, obviously this 30 something, 6'4" blonde guy could not possible be the little blonde Alton.  It was! Mike took us on a tour of the island, behind the scenes.  I saw the dreaded slide. I saw their home.  It was awesome!  

Alton has many memories of the time on Liberty Island.  From riding his green machine (bike) and crashing into the wall, almost falling into the New York Harbor, to living on the island on July 4, 1976 for the bicentennial, riding the subway to church, and the ferry to school.  I think he's pretty lucky to have had this opportunity.  I'm a bit jealous....I never left Lindon.  

We now have our own "Statue of Liberty" in our family.  This is Liberty, our niece.  The other night she wanted to pose as the statue.  We had to quickly improvise.  We used a neck pillow as her crown, grabbed the first book we could find, (glimpses by Sister Hinckley) and for the torch we used the remote.  Doesn't she make a cute "Statue of Liberty"??

Happy Birthday London!

Today is London's 2nd birthday.  

We had a Minnie Mouse party.  

Each year for my niece's birthdays I create a video for them with pictures from the last year. Click here to see this years video. 

Hockey Game

We took our two nieces and two nephews to the hockey game last night.  We had a blast.  Even Libby who is only 4 was asking lots of questions and trying to understand the game.  

Alton and the two girls

Libby

We did Chuck a Puck.  You buy pucks for $1 and throw them on the ice.  The closest one to the center wins a prize.  No, we didn't win anything, but we had fun!

Libby, Ruth and Tobyn (Kordell was refusing to be in a picture)

In the Durango on the way there.  The boys were staging the fight in the back for the camera.