Monday, January 19, 2009

NO PICTURES!!!

As you all know, Annie has been up here going to BYU and because of that we are blessed. Not only do I get to spend every Sunday with her but we also have arranged to have a "girls night out" with all the cousins and Bon and me once a month. I am really excited about that. Anyway, one Sunday while she was here she told me that she and some other family members were going to do the Biggest Loser contest and asked me if I wanted to join in on the fun. My first response was, What? you think I need to lose weight? (ha ha) and then reality hit and I jumped on the chance. Angela is heading it up and there are about 35 of us in the running for the big jackpot at the end. Mitch is doing it with me and we have been having fun playing racketball together and exercising and eating better. Chad joins in on the racketball games too. (ask him who wins?) Well, I stick to the plan like clockwork. Mitch however, whose nickname is Munch, does not. He snacks whenever he gets the chance. I will be laying in bed and all of a sudden get a big whiff of chocolate. "Honey, are you eating something?" "Noooo" (more chocolate smell) Okay.,.,., so the bottom line is this. We weigh in and I am pretty darn excited that I have lost 3 pounds in the first week. That was awesome for me. Mitch gets on the scale and he lost 4 pounds. How does that happen? I don't get it. Anyway, we are going for the gold together and there will be no BEFORE pictures but I will be sure and put up the after shots! Wish us luck

Where did all the Time go?

This has been a heck of a couple of months. This December was not our typical Christmas time of year where we sing carols and go to holiday shows, have friends over for dinner and concerts. This Christmas was spent trying to get through the sadness of losing my dear brother to his battle with cancer and planning for his funeral. It was tough. As much as I am going to miss him, this cancer was no fun and Kelly was in a lot of pain. We were grateful that our Heavenly Father decided to end his suffering and brought him back home. Kelly passed away on the 15th of December and we held his funeral on the 19th. It was good to see all of our family members and friends that ventured out in the middle of the biggest snow storm of the year. I miss you brother, not a day goes by.





Mitch and I did our first day of Christmas shopping on the 22nd. The stores were packed. Pretty sure I don't want to have to go through that again! In any case, we got the things we needed, and not so much the things everyone wanted, and it was maybe one of the best Christmas' ever. I felt the spirit of the entire thing and it made it one that I will remember forever.




Grandma Critchfield (mom) came and spent the night with us on Christmas Eve, as she always does, and got up early to open presents. It is always a bonus when she is there with us. She makes me laugh. Chad also spent the night with us. This was his first time overnight since he moved out last July. It was just like old times with him there.











Chad has been complaining for months now that he hasn't had a girlfriend. We decided to get him something that would help relieve his lonliness during the long winter months...a girlfriend pillow. I personally thought it was quite hilarious but Chad didn't quite find the humor in it.


Kylie has become the resident Guitar Hero Master around here. Whenever a new victim comes over she "lures" them in. I warn you now! Beware. She has gotten really good at it and it is fun to watch her move those tiny little fingers up and down the neck of the guitar. Of course she got the new one for Christmas this year...











I honestly can not remember a single time that I have taken a picture of Mitch at Christmas that he has not had his eyes closed. It really has become quite the tradition. This one however is a bit more peculiar. If you were unware, Mitch is perhaps the biggest New England Patriots fan there ever was or perhaps will be. On game days he has to wear his Tom Brady (quarterback) Jersey and his "gameday" hat. He has calanders, mugs, shirts, stickers, decals for his truck, license plate holder, you name it and he probably has it. Anyway, I found something that he didn't have, and got it for him for Christmas. It was a wooden box and on top was engraved the symbol of the Patriots and inside was a hand made pen. HE was pretty excited and the picture kind of shows it...sorry honey.




I love being warm. Which is kind of ironic because of the fact that I love the snow. It just isn't Christmas around here with there being a snow storm and we were blessed with a doosey. Anyway, back to the warm part. I kind of have this foot fetish where I love to have warm snuggly slippers. I have owned perhaps 6 really great pairs of slippers in my lifetime, 5 of which have mysteriously disappeared. It didn't really occur to me what was happening to them until one day when I asked Kylie if I could borrow some perfume and went into her room and there...in the closet....were ALL of my slippers. Every one of them. Now don't get me wrong. I don't mind sharing, however, if you have ever seen Kylie wear a pair of shoes...lets just say....they are not long for this world. So when Kylie asked me what I wanted for Christmas, all I told her was slippers. Nice, warm, fuzzy slippers. She came through for me. I was so excited for my new slippers.