Keep Calm and Love Brooke

T'was the week before Christmas when all through district #91 some choir teachers thought it would be amusing to have 2 concerts in 2 separate schools on the same night.  The parents not so much! How exactly was I suppose to show support to both daughters?!! We did what any normal parents would do in this situation...  We split up, JUST FOR THE CONCERTS!! Talk about divide and conquer baby!! It was great! Ken and Sam went to Leslie's concert...which was themed The Polar Express. And it was cute. Ken was able to get a couple of cute pictures and a video. When I watched it when we met back home...I couldn't help it...I started to cry because I don't want to miss these precious moments of her life. I don't want her to look out into the audience of anything she performs in and be that one parent who doesn't show, I can't handle that look of disappointment in my children's faces.  So that left me...and my mom to go to Kylie's concert.

One of the most important things in life, to me, will always be my family. That being said please bare with me..because this blog is the hardest one for me to write. My Grandma (my dad's mom), turned 91 in June. She was spunky and lively, she loved crocheting and was the best at it. When Kylie was about 4 she crocheted her a dress.Its purple and white..I loved it..I had one kinda like it when I was little.She made tons of things from a stuffed Lassie dog to baby blankets, hoodies, booties, and doll clothes. Whenever I had a baby I would get a "pack" from her which had a blanket, a hat, booties, and a dress.  Maybe that is why I loved the dress so much...it brought back so many memories of simpler times...worry free times. So in June, we celebrated her turning 91, right? Well...In July at her Dr. appointment she was diagnosed with early onset Dementia, or Alzheimer disease.  When my mom told me this I thought that surely the Dr. had read the results wrong..its just a m

Okay, so this blog is totally gonna get serious and it might make you cry... I am sorry in advanced if it does...this is kinda hard for me to talk about but I will try my best..M'k..? So for about a year Ken and I thought that we needed to complete our family and add baby #4 to our CRAZY life.. I mean with 3 kids, 2 dogs, and the craziness of life in general why not, right?!! So I kept track of my regular cycle and my ovulation cycle and and AND NOTHING!!  I would get my period like CLOCKWORK!   So when Obama-care hit..to be quit honest I really was freaking out about it...I mean I was all " I think everyone should have healthcare, but o the other hand I don't think that people should be punished or fined because they can't afford it".It's crazy expensive...like here let me hand over to you my arm and leg...or my first born child as payment. Anywho, everyone in my house had insurance but me, Ken had his provided through work, the kids had theirs.

Hey all!! Life has been kinda crazy these past 2 months..I have been trying to keep the kids entertained during summer and trying NOT to kill them when they utter the phrase" I'm bored". And with family coming and going, family ending up in hospitals, friends whom I have been constantly praying for because they are fighting for their life...I just haven't really wanted to blog. I haven't really thought of anything to blog about..... THEN SCHOOL STARTED!!!! I am totally loving the peace and quiet..well....its never totally quiet around here because I have 2 furry kids that love to bark and play in the back yard. Anyways....about the kids, Kylie started 7th grade. That means she is going to a totally NEW school and she has 7 class periods a day. She even has a locker when I was in 7th grade my locker was half the size of hers. ( She is having a rough time in the mornings...she is not really a social butterfly...but she loves having a least 1 buddy around and

Yikes it has been quit a while since I posted last....but with good reason....I have just not really wanted to I mean I thought bout it as I tuck my daughter in to bed...or as I clean through out the day. But I have just been so busy with life. So much has happened since I blogged last....well schools out!! And so that means I usually have to entertain children all day long!! Don't get me wrong I am so glad that school is out, they work hard all year long so this is a much needed reprieve. But I hate the fact that 2 weeks after school lets out that I hear this phrase over and over again..." MOM, I'm bored .....there is NOTHING to do here!" Then when giving them multiple choices of actives to do...they always turn me down. *** sigh** And it all starts over the next day. Then Leslie had a birthday! She turned 8!!! And she was so excited!!! For those who don't know when you belong to the Church Of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints... at the age of 8 your eligib

So it has finally happened!!!  Yup that's right.....SAM                                                                          GRADUATED                                                                           Preschool!!!!! And he is on his way to Kindergarten!!  It seems like just yesterday we had him and now he's going to school! I am a little mopey about it...but I know that this is a good thing, he is waaaaay to smart for one thing. Some days is seems like he is constantly getting into trouble do to boredom. And I am glad that he can meet new people and have lots of new friends, and learn a lot! Let's face it...I don't know about you, but if you homeschool koodos to you! I, for one am NOT that patient with my own kids...its something that I am constantly working on. But we all have our days...some more than others...sigh... anyways I am very grateful to those who teach my kids... There was a couple of girls that Sam had his eyes on...one of the gir

Hello All!!! It has been a crazy couple of months!! It seems like forever since I had written a blog! So back in April Beach Body had a couple of programs on sale, Ken and I wanted to get more muscle than we have gotten since doing Chalean Extreme. And to be quit honest I was a little iffy about doing this one...but I bucked up and we purchased Les Mills Pump( aka as Body Pump in the gyms)  I loved the results I got from CLX.....and I just honestly didn't want to give her up..but look whose in Pump... It's DAN AND RACH from Combat!! After I saw that they were in this one I knew that I could do it! This series comes with a LOT of trainers and they rotate all the way through the DVD's. There is NEVER a dull moment during this workout! **for those of you who have done it and know what BOTTOM HALF'S are...:-) That's all I'm gonna say!**  I love being pushed to my hardest while lifting weights! Oh and the music is pumping!! During Pump and Burn a

 About 3 weeks ago the family and I went on a mini "vacation". We didn't travel to Europe, or visit Africa.  We went to someplace far MORE exciting....we went to Hogle Zoo!!  Oh my, my kids have grown so much! So the picture of me in the Superman T-shirt was taken in 2013, the picture of me in the hoodie was taken in 2014. It kinda makes you wanna take a step back and look at all of the changed myself and my family has gone through.. I stand all amazed!  Somehow when I know a picture is being taken....I tend to closed my eyes...stupid contacts!!  Any ways....We..well...I was totally excited for this trip...because we were able to stay with our Uncle Kim and Aunt Dorthy..and to be quit honest...it was amazing! Their house is built in a cute neighborhood..and we stayed in Ogden, UT. When we first arrived we were told to make ourselves at home...believe me when I say..my kids took that LITERALLY!! Sam started throwing their couch cushions off the couch, and building

For the longest time...(okay for like 2 years now) it has been my dream to own a treadmill. Last summer I really got into running, thanks to my friend Kar. She was always talking about how exhilarating she would feel coming in from a run, and I would always think..."one day...one day when I am thinner and I don't have to hear my stomach slam against my legs....I'm gonna run." Well I bought an mP3 player ya know for yard work and for an occasional run...and one morning I was up way earlier than my kids...so I thought what the heck...I'm gonna try it. And it became my addiction...I kid you not...it became my crack...my meth...my pills. OK I'm not a druggie(but I played one on tv...I kid, I kid)  but I looked forward to it. You get to a point where you seek it out...MUST HAVE ENDORPHIN RUSH!! So needless to say..when the weather changed...it KILLED ME!!! I wanted to go running badly! And I did...and it was great until I slowed down and realized it was too col

I knew it was bound to happen....I just really didn't want it to happen... My oldest daughter turned 12 yesterday!! And I was excited for her...until Sunday during Sacrament meeting one of the members of the Bishopric called her up to the pulpit to give her a medallion and a couple of certificates for graduating Primary...and her little lip started to quiver and I saw the tears in her eyes...she told me that she has mixed feelings for turning 12. She is excited to start the Young Women's program...but she is sad to leave Primary behind. I can understand that...in a way she is saying "goodbye" to her childhood as she prepares for becoming a teenager. ***Shutters*** For our family on birthdays we let them choose an outing and dinner...or a slumber party with friends. However with Kylie we told her she can choose only 1 thing to do...simply because...well... during the month of February we have a lot going on! There's Kylie's birthday, then my birthday, Ken

Okay so last week to be very honest was one of the longest weeks of MY LIFE!!!!                                                           WHY?? You ask?? Well..... my body kinda plateaued for a couple of months. No matter what I did, how hard I worked out, how big the calorie deficit was at the end of the day....when it came time to weigh in.. I would maintain at 165. I think there was one week where I lost a lbs, then I would shoot right back up to 165... And I'm pretty happy with my weight. But I wouldn't mind droppin' a few more lbs. I don't want to be SUPER MODEL THIN...because quit frankly they look like they need to eat..or if you can guess this line of a movie...your awesome!!  "Geez, somebody get that kid a sandwich!" Cuz that is one of the best movies EVER!!!!!  So I don't want to loose too much, I know I set my goal weight at 150. I don't know if that is realistic or not...I'm only about 5'2". And I feel that this would b

Hello all!!! So I have a problem and its a biggie! Well...its a problem for me anyways, when I started this weight loss journey...my original goal weight was a pants size 14..NO I didn't just pull it out of thin air! I know that is what some people were going to say...but this believe it or not was the size I was in High school..and one day I will write a throwback blog and show you some pics....but you'll for now will just have to take my word on it. And for some people this size is anywhere between the numbers of 150-170 lbs....but it depends on height and stature...and stuff. So yeah this was my goal...and I think it was March of 2013 that FINALLY I hit my goal!! I was stunned there I was in the Walmart changing room trying on pants when the zipped all the way up...without resistance...I just sat there for a nanosecond before I ran out and showed Ken.. "Ummm...I'm in a size 14!!!! This is my goal weight!! I can't believe it!!" "Yeah...you look

Geez, Louise!!! It's been soooo long since I blogged last!! Christmas time is so busy for us! And I am not really sure why that is.... maybe it's because my youngest child, Sam, his birthday is Dec. 30. and so we rush to get Santa shopping done...just so we can get his Birthday shopping done...I'm not sure what the reason it...this year it just seemed BUSIER than normal.   My SON!!!! I was so taken back by that positive line on the pregnancy test...I wasn't even late yet...I just had a feeling..I was so shocked that I balled like for 20 min. I wasn't ready..Leslie was not even 2 yet, I couldn't fathom how I was going to be a mom to a third child. Looking back I realize that I was just scared and I really don't want to know what my life would be like with out him. I love him to pieces but there were days when I seriously doubted that he would make it to 5! Just because he would test those boundaries..and so yeah...it must be the red hair! I don't rememb