Timpanogos Cave

My dad sent me the pics of our hike up Timp.  It was a great hike!  I loved it.  My sassy little niece was a hoot even if she kept getting us in trouble with the rangers because she wouldn't stick right with us.

The kids did great.  Mr. D even had on his leg brace from his stitches.  I never thought he'd walk normal again, but he does.

 

I love images of how high up we are.  See the itty bitty road down below? 

I grew up within minutes of this cave and had never been inside it!  It's beautiful.  

 

My dad was able to take a few days and spend them with us.  It was awesome. Oh how I miss these people.

 These two are six weeks apart and good friends.  They miss each other.  Miss P always asks me, "Aunt B, when are you getting back to Utah?  Come see me."  Breaks my heart.  I wish I could.

When we were on the hike a guide asked Miss P to stay with her parents.  She put her hands on her hips and said, "THESE are NOT my parents!"  It's probably not that funny written out, but it was really funny in real life and I want to remember it.

Ozzie Family Happenings Sept. 2012

Every night I read the little guy books and sing him songs before bed.  This is the image I see and I want to remember it always.  We always sit exactly like this.

I want to remember this image too. 

He really loves "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." 

He loves to read.  I'll forget he's in there looking at books and I will forget to turn his light off.  He'll be up so late sometimes just flipping through books.

 

As I mentioned before, we started a co-op preschool.  The first week was at our house so I missed first day pics.  Come to think of it, I never got pics of Mr. M either.  Anyway, here they are.  It's fitting Mr. D should be in there because he participates too, at least when it is at our house.

"Mom, get this pose too!" 

"Did you get this one? Did you get my up leg?"

"And this one?  Make sure you get my leg!" 

I love images of daddy with the kiddos.  Reading is definitely a favorite pass-time around here.  As well as hide-and-go-seek.   

Both my bigger kids are always getting comments on their artistic abilities.  I have to admit I'm impressed with Miss L's cutting ability.  She cut all these out and taped them to her wall.  

I came across this pic of me.  I don't remember being that big!  I never realized.  Anyway, it's fun to see the difference.  80 lbs gone, 30 lbs to go!

And I am well aware that I am obsessed with before/after pics of myself.  I can't help it!  I find them fascinating when it's other people, it's even more fascinating when it's me!

 

Robot Proof

Some of you have told me you don't comment because of the "prove your not a robot" thing at the end.  I didn't know I had that.  I've removed it. :)

I Will Be a Healthy Weight! I Will!

I promised  post about my weight loss...so here I go.

If you want the short version, read the first paragraph and then the last. :)

This after pic is actually about 12-15 lbs. ago.  I'm still shrinking and it's fantastic. I've lost 42 lbs total since I started this program. I've lost almost 80 since I was at my heaviest.

When we moved here I was doing Weight Watchers.  I still love WW, but I was struggling to stay on plan and not loosing quickly enough when I was on plan.  I was frustrated and angry.  I also was having problems with hormones. Ever since I had Lil' Guy my hormones and moods have been up and down.  I had been praying for about one and a half years for the ability to gain control of my emotions and moods as well as loose weight.

A girl approached me at playgroup and mentioned her weight loss program but I was just not ready to hear it.  I went two more months begging Heavenly Father to help me. Soon another girl mentioned she was doing the program.  This was a friend who had helped me with a lot of things and I had been observing her weight loss for awhile (she's lost 90 lbs.).  She told me more about the program but I told her I wasn't interested.

That night I was praying for the same things I had been praying for for months.  And I suddenly understood that God had been sending me people and I was turning them away.  I called my friend that night and signed up.  I have never regretted it.  The only regret I have is that I didn't sign up sooner.  If I had started when the first friend introduced me to it, I'd be at my goal weight already. 

Not only have I lost weight.  My hormones are better.  The program does not make any claims to help in that area.  I am just telling you from personal experience that I am not AS crazy anymore.  I feel so good.  My energy is the highest it's ever been.  I had no idea I could feel like this! Thirty more pounds to go until I reach my goal weight.  I can't believe I have hope of weighing a healthy weight.  I never thought I could do it...but I can and I will!

It was bound to happen...

Should have known it would be Lil' Guy to finally break the table.  We've spent the last six years keeping kids off this glass table.  We even took out the glass for a long time. Oh well, it served us well for a long time.

Co-op Preschool. Week One. Success!

Yesterday was a great day!

 

First of all Mr. D had a doctor's appointment.  His speech is so much behind the other munchkins, but they were early talkers. We're still not sure if he's where he should be, but he's improved so much in the last month that we hoping it won't be an issue.  He's awesome.  He'll have his own post soon.

 

The other great thing is our co-op preschool.  I was very hesitant to do one this year.  I called around for regular schools, but it just wasn't meant to be.  When we did M's a few years ago,  I struggled.  I loved it...sometimes...but I just didn't have a lot of energy back then.  I was easily overwhelmed. I thought I was busy, but I didn't know what busy was.  I've learned to carry so much more and that makes this so much fun.

 

Look how much fun this group is!  They are adorable.

The love when we sing songs fast or slow, or high or low.  They giggle and giggle.   

My computer has always been in my master bedroom so I never had the opportunity to use it as a resource with the last two preschools.  I'm loving it!  Short little video to re-enforce what we are learning, and we're all happy!

They made the capital letter A with their bodies and wanted their moms to see.  Mr. D just likes the camera.

Miss L is doing so well with it.  She was very nervous about the whole thing.  She is loving it.  She says she is even excited to go to her friend's house next week for their turn.  I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.  A little glimmer of hope that she can function in society despite a debilitating shyness. 

 

Then to top if all off, Mr. M comes home with this progress report.  He's doing so well.  I'm lucky to have such an easy kid who loves to learn.  I hope it stays that way!

Swamp Party!

The kids and I spent the day before making decorations for Lil' Guys swamp party!

 

He had no idea what was going on but he had a blast. 

We played Duck Hunt.  We lined those duckys up and then "shot" at them to knock them off. 

We had lot's of little buggies for the table decor but the birthday by kept packing them off to play with. 

Big sis had to help with every little thing.  Mr. M bounced around in excitment (all the pics I got of him are blurry).

 
 These are included just because I love that sweet little face. 

We had swamp water.  I used sprite, sweetened condensed milk to make it murky and green gatorade. They loved it. 

The cupcakes were Bait Buckets: chocolate cupcakes, with nummy chocolate frosting, cookie crumble for dirt, and gummy worms crawling out.

He LOVED these cupcakes!  Well, he loved the worm.  He didn't eat one cupcake but he ate about ten worms.

Spiderman was a big hit. 

We wanted a pic of D and all his toys, but he wasn't very co-operative.  We got the snake and the slide in there.  That slide has been awesome.  It helps that the weather has cooled off for a day or two.  Oh how I love when the kids play outside! Bring on winter! 

My sweet baby boy.  I love you. 

She Loves Her Picture Taken and I Love to Take It

The Little Things

Wanted to remember:

We miss her too. 

Labor Day cleaning.  Who needs clothes? 

Bogeying down:

That's my kind of day!

Miss Rose's Bar

Geocaching Fun.

 

Hurricane Entertainment

Our kids watched way more TV during the hurricane wait then they have seen in years.  I

 started to feel guilty so we had a family wrestling match.  I took down Cabe at one point but I'm 100% sure he let me.  I thought I had gotten pretty tough working out, but I will never surpass that guy's muscle strength.

Later played in the storm.  It was a much needed breath of fresh air. 

Mr. M was pretending to be blown away. 

I spun them.  A lot.  I seem to be spending a lot of time doing this lately. 

Mr. D was up to his usual antics whenever my back was turned.   It's so hard to get mad when he gives me that face.

 Bikes in the house...why not?  They're in here half the time anyway.

We went for a drive the next day.  It was bright and sunny.  We saw some tree limbs down and the cane fields were knocked over.  I've seen pictures of more damage but for the most part, our city fared really well.

The Love Bugs were crazy though.  I thought we had a lot before, but when that storm left they were everywhere!!! Yuck!  Luckily they don't bite, but I still hate them.