Anyone Feeling FAT?

Join Me! I decided recently that I am going to start a new exercise program and tried it for the first time today. It is simple in theory, made for moms who can't leave kids easily and done in a very short time. We'll see how it goes.

I bought myself a jump rope. I'm doing 500 jumps a day, ideally in 100 increments (or less as I found was necessary this morning!) and then doing 200 sit-ups a day on my new big exercise ball! That's it.

I haven't worked out in about a year so this morning was pretty funny, but I do feel SO much better than I did just before that when I had two otis spunkmire cookies for dessert after breakfast.

Told Ty that he should expect me to do all 500 in a ROW by my birthday in March, and we will think back on this day when I about lost my life on the basement floor.

Anyone else want to try this? I'm sure it will tone our bodies into an unrecognizable condition in no time.

Anne

Sledding fun!

Great times with family in Utah!

We are having such a fun time this week with our families. We still have a week to go and have already done so much! Christmas was wonderful, relaxing and so happy! Here are a few pictures of our time here...
Mom with our new Christmas puppy!Christmas Eve matching jammies

Mom's beautiful home during a big storm. I love it!

Couple classics from the Newlywed game

Last night at the Hillstead's we played a very memorable game of the "newly wed game". Around the table we had Brett, Heidi, Anne, Ty, Steve, Shauna, Ali, Blake, Todd, Natalie, Jake and Jenna, Zach and Katie. We had some amazing laughs and learned Oh so much about one another. In an effort to remember the night Ty and I are documenting some of the funniest lines.

"Her mom's a... talking Parrot!" - Steve

"B-Dogg... keep it coming!" - Heidi

"That's Sulfur, Nat" - Todd

"Every man's his own Kasanova" - Ty

"Pink and white, black, black, pink and white, pink and white"

We laughed our heads off. Thanks for the fun, y'all!! I'm sure there is plenty more to come!

T'was the Night Before Christmas

As I mentioned before, Christmas is coming early to our house. Tonight is Christmas Eve and I am getting all this blogging done while I wait for the kids to be good and asleep... and while Tyler assembles Luke's new desk chair...
Tonight we went for Mexican food and then over to the Temple to see the beautiful Christmas lights. We like this tradition because it helps us all to focus on our Savior at Christmas, not just on Santa Clause. We came home to new matching Christmas p.J.s .... oh shoot! Tyler just went outback to throw a box away and caught a glimpse of the big present I had waiting for him, delivered by a friend! Ugh. I HATE when that happens. Anyway, the kids were darling and happy and excited and threw magic glittery oats for the reindeer to come eat. It's been a fun night!



This might be my favorite picture of the season! It completely sums up what tonight was like for us trying to keep these kids from bouncing off the walls!

We pulled it off!

I am happy to announce that the ward Christmas party is official in the record books! After much preparation and effort we and our committee turned out a really fun, and I must say successful party! Here are a few pictures Ty took just before it began of the main breakfast room, the kid's craft room and Santa's picture place.

The next generation of Dunkers

When I came into the Hillstead family I loved almost everything about them. One of the things that was hard for me to swallow, literally... was the dunking 'til soggy of their cookies and grahams, etc. I will admit in the last few years I have begun to do a QUICK dunk myself...but now look...my kids are crazy about it too! The next generation of dunkers has arrived!

Dinner with Luke's Teacher

As a child I remember having several of my elemenatary school teachers over to our house for dinner. It was so special I will never forget it. I decided to make this a tradition for our family as a way to say thank you to the wonderful teachers who do so much for our children, and I invited Luke's kindergarted teacher over for dinner this month. What a special night it was! Luke has never been more helpful in the kitchen, setting the table and making namecards... he read the entire book "Bears on Wheels" to us at dinner, showed her his sword collection and even some ninja moves which he can't use at school! She gave us some very nice Christmas surprises after dinner. I think we all had a wonderful night!

Park days in December

I am reminded on days like this why we love living an Arizona. What a beautiful day it was at the park!

My Christmas Party

Last week I had a bunch of friends over for a Christmas party, white elephant gift exchange. I've been having these ever since high school and my holidays just don't feel complete now without one. As always, we had a wonderful time eating and laughing and everyone went home with a lovely new gift. Thanks for a great time, ladies!

Puppy Love!

My cousin's dog recently had puppies! We visited yesterday and had so much fun cuddling and playing with them. It almost, ALMOST made me wish we could get one for my mom!

The Stockings were Hung...

It's the craziest thing. The temperature has dropped to like 60 degrees here and I am FREEZING!! Was just in a long, hot shower contemplating whether or not I should turn our heat on because we just had our A/C on three weeks ago ... and I thought about how relative things become here! We cool our house down to 79 or 80 degrees here in the summer, which actually feels very refreshing and now I want to heat it when it drops below 74 degrees inside. It is COLD!

Christmas is coming quickly, in fact Santa will be stopping at our house this Saturday night. We spoke with him about it at the mall and he said that would work out fine, so that we don't have to bring all the gifts home from Utah. The kids are thrilled!

The house is looking festive, we love this time of year. I am attaching a few photos I took this week around the house. Merry Christmas everyone!




Our Sunday morning Nativity...

Pictures from India

These are a few of the pictures Tyler took in India last week. The first two are of the hotel which he said was very nice. The next three were taken around the PwC office and the last five were taken while site-seeing. All in all he said the trip was worth it... and he actually came home better rested than he left because he took two sleeping pills and slept 13 hours straight on the flight back! Yeah!

Half way around the world!

I think it is now safe to share - now that he is on his way home- that my husband has been half way around the world all week! He left on Monday for INDIA!! His company is auditing a company that outsources to India and he needed to go there to check things out... what that really means I don't exactly know!

He did fly first class... and said it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life. The flight was 14 hours long, out of Chicago but he ate well, slept well in a seat that reclined into a twin bed, and was well entertained! He has his own TV with all sorts of TV shows and movies not yet on DVD available. When he arrived at the hotel there it was so nice it was equiped with a Brookstone massaging recliner. And I was feeling bad for him having to go?!

Having him so far away has definately been weird. They are 12.5 hours ahead of us so we have only been able to talk 2 times a day for a short while, right when I am starting my day and he is getting in bed and visa versa. I will feel great to have his sweet self home tomorrow!

As for the homefront we have been plugging along. If is it not one thing with these kids it is another.... and I just try to keep up and keep perspective. This morning I seriously thought to myself...."take it one hour at a time! You can survive this hour!" Jake has been throwing up on and off since Sat night and I woke up to a messy bed again, had to pull the sheets and deal with a fussy, sad, cold baby-- while getting Luke out the door by 8:00. Talk about your rude awakening!

Tonight I am having a Christmas party with all the YW leaders I worked with for the last 2 years. I am looking forward to it and it is fun to get ready for. Anyway.. . that is it for today!

The Little Drummer Boy.

Last week we bought Josh Groban's Christmas CD - Noel. Since then we have listen to song #2 1,000 times because Luke LOVES it! Here he is on the kitchen counter while we made Thanksgiving Dinner singing and drumming to the song: "Little Drummer Boy!"

More Kitchen Food for Ashley!

If Ashley could she would live in a world made of "kitchen food"! She just can't get enough of the stuff! Recently she earned a new toy and chose of course another huge package of kitchen food. Tyler has made the comment that he does not go to work everyday to buy kitchen food.... but we're sure this phase will come to an end sooner or later. If I can find it I will also add the picture I took a few months ago of her in a kitchen food shirt and homemade (though you would never guess) kitchen food headband!

Thirsty Baby

I'm sure all moms can identify with finding humor in the small things our kids do all throughout the day. I decided to get my camera out to take a snapshot of Jake and ended up capturing a very entertaining moment of him taking a drink.
Happy to be getting big boy cup!

Gulp, Gulp!

Drip, Drip!

Can it really be all gone?!

Oh no.

Trouble..... Nap time you think?