End of Week Two! Let's Get Healthy!

We have completed week two. How did it go for you? I had good days and bad days, but was
pleasantly surprised to see the scale dropping in spite of the rougher days. This morning on the scale it showed another 2 1/2 lb loss..only half a lb away from 5lbs in two weeks! I am excited!

I think my exercising is really helping that. I have been really enjoying those 2 big
miles that I do on DVD. I have been feeling good and energetic. So all in all, I am encouraged.

Keep up the good work. And if you had a difficult week, start fresh!
So, how many of you are hanging in there with me, we didn't hear from some of you last week. Let
me know how you are doing!

Top Ten Tuesday

My Top Ten things that have to be accomplished in the next three weeks:

1. Clean my house for a very busy weekend
2. Finish coordinating and host J's "Knighthood/Manhood Initiation" on Saturday
3. Host birthday party for E on Monday
4. Finalize and print out my schoolyear schedule
5. Finish ordering homeschool books
6. Go with my sister to do the last few things she wants to do while in the country
7. Pack for the family conference
8. Go the family conference for 5 days
9. Take my sister and family back to the airport.
10. Begin school for the year.

go over to Oh Amanda's for more top ten...

My New Phone..from my hubby for my bday!

Keepers Meeting

Stef did such a great job documenting our Keepers Meeting from Saturday I am posting it up here. Enjoy!

Today was the monthly Keepers at Home meeting which I try to go along and help out at when I can. This month we had the opportunity to learn about cake decorating from Jenny's sister Patti. Jenny, Patti, and I had baked several batches of little cakes the day before -- all ready for the girls to try their hand at decorating. I was chosen as official photographer for the day (and babysitter:-) so the picture at left is of me with my camera taken by our hostess, Kara. She, with her husband, opened up their home not only to us, but to the church's group for boys, Contenders of the Faith, as well. The guys met in the front yard (see some pictures further down in this post), then we all got together at the end for cake and some time for the adults to visit, and children to play. We had a fun time together!

Cousins in the van ready to leave. There are no words to describe our van trip, 11 children, 2 moms, 1 grandmother, and me, curvy country roads, lots of noise, and carsickness....yet in the midst of all that I was thinking, someday we'll look back on this as "the good old days!"

Gathering for the Keepers at home meeting.

Most of the girls!

Kara, our hostess.

Patti, the teacher.

Icing.

Colored icing.

Hannah.

Emily.

Genna.

Zoe.

HannahGrace.

Icing a cake with a little help.

Another Hannah:-)

Lily-Ann.

Abigail.

This picture needs no caption...

Hannah gets some help.

I watched Katie along with taking pictures - here she is after getting into the icing - so cute.

Decorating cakes.

I caught Emily licking icing:-)

Grace shows off her finished cake to me - so pretty.

The girls' hard work....all finished.

All eleven cakes!

Contenders of the Faith meeting

Pastor teaching the Contenders self defense, fighting, or something like that....

I'm not sure what is going on here...

I must admit taking pictures of their class was far more interesting.....:-)

A favorite little contender:-)

Robert.

The cake Patti made for our snack!

Everyone -Keepers and Contenders - got together for cake at the end...and this is the last of the pictures because I was too busy helping little ones eat to take anymore:-)

Week One- Let's Get Healthy

I have completed week one on Weight Watchers! I did fairly well. I am down 2 lbs. Sometimes I did better than others counting my points, but overall that went well. I even had a gooey fudge birthday cake! It's amazing how we can eat out of habit and consume those extra pounds. Analyzing everything that goes in the mouth is hard but worth the extra effort.

I exercised once at Curves and twice I did 2 big miles with Leslie Sansone. Has anyone ever done that? It is actually called Four Big Miles, but I do half. :) Let me tell you...it had me sweating from head to toe! I think I am going to Curves again this morning. My goal for Curves is Mon-Wed-Fri. But, that's not always easy. The DVD will be good in between with Leslie Sansone.

I am so excited several of you are joining me in this! The support helps so very much! I could not do it without! So how did your week go? Come on, I want to hear the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Historical Event

Do you ever feel like there are times when you are writing history? I mean, those ah-ha moments when you watch your child doing something you did as a child. Or, when you child asks you if you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood? (Yes, I was asked that quite recently by my almost 8 year old.) I have had one of those moments today. Yes, after over 25 years...I taught my children...how to play Chinese Jumproap. How many days at recess did we practice and play? How many times did we compare who had the cooler jumprope, who could jump the highest, and who could say the chant the fastest. It is engrained in me. "In! Out! Side by Side! On! Off! Chisel!" And how thrilling when you were able to complete such a feat. How embarrasing when you did not. How many giggles with your girlfriends over the mistakes and how much fun we all had! So tonight for the first time...I taught my children all about it. We laughed and laughed and they were delighted. It has been passed down for another generation. And what delight it gives a mama's heart to enjoy her children with something as simple as a stretched out piece of elastic from her sewing supplies.