Well, I am off!

Just a few more hours and I will be getting on a plane and flying out East! I am way excited, I have never been to Florida before and I get a window seat!!! There is one hard part though... and that is leaving my little family! I am going to enjoy myself and I will miss them at the same time. I hope they are good for their grandma and grandpa! Next time I will take them with me! Promise!

pics from Christmas

The Sullivan Family

Phil

A bad pic of me, but a pic!

Do we look alike?

Jared sent me this pic of him this last week. He is the one on the left.

I decided to try to take a serious pic of me just to compare...

Christmas was good

I hope you all had a very nice Holiday! I know I did! Although I really hate to travel especially in the winter months. Every Christmas Eve I get together with my family in Salt Lake City and we have dinner and watch a movie. This year I made Egg Rolls and that was my contribution to the Holiday Meal, it was my first time ever making Egg Rolls and they were supper yummy and surprisingly cheap to make. Afterward we watched the 3rd movie in The Mummy Series. I didn't quite watch all of it, but it was good all of that which I saw. When it was time to open gifts my grandfather asked us just to take them home. He didn't want the mess of all the wrapping paper in his garbage and so we packed them up and went on our way to Payson.

Sullivan had been sick a few days before Christmas and so we were a bit cautious about taking him anywhere. The funny thing with my kids is that they never act like they are sick even when they are sick enough to vomit... Drezden surprised us on the way to Payson by vomiting only 10 minutes from Phils Parents house. I felt bad for

her and I didn't want anyone to get sick from us being there.

Anyway, it turned out that people were sick before we even got there. It is just that time of year! Well, the pic to the left is of one of the many gifts Drezden and Sullivan received. It seemed like the theme of the kids gifts were either Princesses or Trains! Drezden and Sullivan have been busy playing with there new toys... We had fun visiting family and I look forward to the weather warming up!

Well, this is a pic of what happened when I was trying to take pics of the train set! Of course kids always seem to get in the way! Sullivan is cute though even though sometimes he has a hard time with letting me have a few free moments to myself!

New Calling

Well, Phil and I have one more Sunday in Primary and then it is time to move on... move on to Cub Scouts that is. I have to be totally honest here... I was hoping that I would be released... After 2 years in Primary I felt like it was time for a change, but not necessarily a change to Cub Scouts. I felt like after having Drezden that scouts was no longer in my future, but I guess working at summer camp this last summer changed things. Although, I do have to admit that after this summer I knew scouts was not for me anymore, but maybe I was wrong. I have worked for the BSA for 5 yrs and I was an assistant cub leader for a few months and that I thought that was enough for me. Obviously not.... I suppose there are a few things I need to get right before moving on again. Wish me luck!

What is it like 9 days till Christmas???

Okay so Christmas is around the corner and to be honest I do not have all my shopping done(for my kids yes) but others no... I am usually done by now, but I don't know what has gotten into me, I guess you can say I haven't quite caught the "Christmas Spirit" yet... Does that make me a scrooge? Haha... No! But it does make me a procrastinator... I am however getting some of my holiday baking done. Mexican Sugar Cookies it is. I have never made them before but they sure sounded nice on the recipe card. I will let you know how they all turned out! I hope they are super yummy!

Be on the look out!!

I have decided in an effort to de-clutter and organize this home of mine I will be posting every now and then items we no longer need... like baby clothes that no longer fit, toys that kids do not play with anymore, just anything I don't use that maybe you guys could possibly use! I am one of those people that will store something away only to forget about it and I end up buying the same things over and over again... Some items I may ask a little $ for, but it won't be much if any. So be on the look out for items!!!

Lists...

I am somewhat of a list maker...

Lists I make:
"to do" lists
"I want" lists
"my goals" list
"shopping" lists

and many more... you get the idea :)

The purpose of this post is:
1. to let you know a little more about me
2. to let you know how I am feeling
3. to let you know what I want, etc.

Sometimes I am better able to express myself through lists or at least organize my thoughts and I like to look at my lists from time to time and check off things I have accomplished or done.. or even see if what I thought was important then is still important to me now.

My life consists of:
My church/beliefs
My husband
My kids
My house
My messes
My callings
My friends
My extended family

Sometimes I wish:

1.Drezden was still in a crib so she wouldn't wake her brother from his nap or throw toys in with him while he is trying to sleep

2.I had a stronger desire(motivation and dedication) to potty train Drezden... because seriously??? Who loves changing poopy diapers?
3.I was better at keeping my house clean
4.I had people over more often, but of course that would mean keeping a clean home
5.I could just tell people how I really feel
6.I was more friendly
7.I read more of the scriptures instead of just a chapter at a time
8.I could feel the Holy Spirit more
9.I had more friends... my really close friends live a few towns away and although I love phone conversations and getting together with them I wish it was closer to home

10.I would have gotten a chance to meet my father
11.I had a relationship with my mother

12.I had the courage to tell the people I love that I love them

Lists to me are a way that I express what I want to be expressed without having to go into every single detail. I have always used lists and I will always use them...

Ugh... Conditioning

Okay so to get into gear I am starting my conditioning! I am hoping by Feb 1st will be ready to begin training for my half marathon in May. Today I logged about 3 miles averaging 13 min miles... I really need to push myself harder. I am hoping I will be able to log about 6+ miles a day at least 5 times a week until Feb 1 and then I will change my workout some. Wish me luck!!!

My little Princess and her obsession <3

Drezden has an obsession over Snow White and Ariel and Cinderella and... Well, you get the picture! I bet if you showed her this picture

she would probably be able to tell you several of their names with much excitement!
(like right now she is whispering and yelling "Snow White" "Ariel")
you know how 2 yr olds are...
Anyway, I am so so so excited for the new Disney Princess movie
The Princess and the Frog
I can't wait to take Drezden to see this with me... We are going to have a little mommy/daughter date to see this one!

I am going to Florida

remember this post?

Well, I know that Florida wasn't on the list... but it is now! I am going to Florida and I will be heading out Dec 30th and staying a week! I just booked the flight earlier today and couldn't be more excited... Of course there will be my procrastinating self and knowing me I will probably not pack until the day before... Maybe I should get on it sooner than later... Or at least start figuring out things I want to bring with me! :)

Anyway I will be going to Winter Haven, Fl and spending some time with some family I never knew I had!

Is anyone else

excited to see Julie and Julia???

The Husband is going to try to get it for me tonight! I am way excited to see this!!!

A Bunch of Nothingness

It is about time for an update, but I have no pics to share:( unless you all want to see a pic of me taken before the ward Halloween party. I promise it is a little scary!



well, I had some family pictures taken by a talented friend in her in home studio and I have to say ahhhh!!!! I can't believe my hair looked like that... haha, but the pics did turn out really nice so when I get those from her I will show you all!!!


Hope you all are having a wonderful December!!! The countdown to Christmas has begun! Less than 20 days till Christmas!

Cute New Dress

I had some material sitting around and I thought I should finally use it for something and so... I sewed this up for Drezden! Drezden has a dress that I like and I thought I would try to make another version of it... I know it is not perfect, but I think it was really cute on her and I do plan on trying this style out again!

Potty Training???

Well, I guess it is time to start Potty Training Drezden... After all she does change her own diaper...
I don't look forward to trying to fight with her to sit on the potty and I certainly do not look forward to having to leave bathroom doors open (we still have Sullivan- who likes to splash in the toilet, not to mention leave little "surprises" for us in there, and don't forget about when we find him in the bathroom sink-to worry about). Ah! Where to start!?
I guess it is time though...
*sigh*
I know I will love it when she is Potty Trained...
:)

Waisting Wipes...

As of late Drezden has taken a liking to wiping the coffee table off with baby wipes... She will "clean the table" for hours... Earlier when it was nap time she was cleaning and she cried when I took her away from her "cleaning". Right now- yes as she is watching the movie "UP" she is "cleaning the coffee table" yet again. Phil wished she would take an interest in cleaning other things too! Should I be upset that she is using all of the wipes? I guess not. I would rather her use wipes then any type of chemicals.

Oh The Places I'll Go

So I decided today that I am going to travel the world and I thought I would share with you all some of the few places I would love to visit.

Puerto Rico! and the best thing is I don't need a passport!!!

New York! I hope to visit NY next summer! Oh that would be fun!

A friend of mine wants to go to China next year... Can you say AWESOME! Seriously though I would love to see the Great Wall of China. I will one day! You will see!!!

And who doesn't want to go to Paris??? When should I make this trip...?

Okay- now who wants to come with me?

November!

Wow, November already? How many days till Christmas? I haven't even started on my Christmas Shopping yet....

old pics of me and my family

me!

Jared and I





Jared at 15

Jared and I with our uncle Richard... Jared loved the tight shirts... so vain haha

Jared Michael and I on Christmas morning... I think we were 13... This is kinda an embarrassing pic of me... haha

my mom and dad and sisters

Michael Amanda me and Jared... I think I was 10 here

Halloween Costumes

So for Halloween Drezden is going to be a dragon and Sullivan is going as a monkey. I found these super cute costumes at Old Navy! I couldn't pass these up! They are so stinking cute and they will keep my little ones really warm on Halloween!
I decided to take some pics of them in their costumes so Phil and I took them up to the canyon and here are a few of my favorite shots!!!

Don't you think they are cute?












I still haven't decided what I will dress up as or if I will dress up...

Photo Shoot!!!

What have we been up to???

This last week was a busy week for sure! I went and played volleyball with the RS in the stake, I went to a Usborne Book party, we took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch, we headed down to payson for Daniel's Eagle Court of Honor, and on Sunday we went to Ogden to see our lovely niece for her baby blessing. Here are just a few pics from this fabulously busy week!

*and on a side note I just found out Provo is doing a Halloween Half Marathon that I wish I knew about 3 months ago. There is no way I can train for one in less than a month... Ah! I am so disappointed!!! Maybe next year!




Danny is an Eagle Scout!


We went to the Pumpkin Patch


I think they enjoyed it!


Kayli is darling in her baby blessing dress!

Half Marathon

I signed up for my first half marathon today!!! It is going to be on May 15, 2010... I am not much of a runner yet, but by May I will be!

So You've noticed...

That I have a weight loss ticker. I figured if I posted my results so far and to come then I would become more accountable to my goal of being a leaner and healthier version of me. All I am doing is trying to be more active than I was before and watch what I eat and add more fiber to my diet. It seems to be working so far. Slowly but surely it is working!

It's been a little over a month...

Wow, time certainly goes by fast. Over the last month I have sewn several cute skirts and today I tried my luck at a onsie dress. It turned out okay, I did get a complement on it though! So that is always great! I ran a 5k! I canned apple sauce and it is soooo yummy!!! I filled my pantry with food. I went to a family gathering... I lost a few more pounds. I got sick! I cleaned my house and of course with time it undoes all of it's cleaning. My shows have started for the season! Love Gossip Girl and Big Bang Theory and Glee and Ghost Whisperer and The Office and so much more. Okay so I don't watch too many shows just the prime time ones! I love that I can enjoy prime time T.V. without having to have cable or satelitte.
I am looking forward to fall!!! It is my most favorite Season of the year! I love the leaves falling the cooler weather, the Holidays approaching! I just love the Fall!!!
Anyway, I should get going but as soon as I whip out my camera and take pics of what I have been up to I will post them for you all to see! You know you wanna!!!

We painted!!!

I decided it was time to paint! I know I painted only a year ago, but I was ready for some new colors and I have to say that I love the new colors! I just need some things to hang on my walls!!! Wait! We painted again... instead of on the walls I found some canvas that were lying in the garage, and you guessed it.. we painted! I ended up doing a couple of simple paintings with the same colors that I painted my walls and I let Drezden have at it at one with some acrylic paint that I had accumulated over the last couple of years. I think it turned out pretty good for a two year old! I ended up hanging my pics up and Drezden wanted hers hung up to. Anyway, here are some pics!

This is just the beginning... We still need to do the basement and the upper level!