Utah, the State of Highly Motivated People

Every morning I get up way earlier than I would like to go workout at the gym. And, it's not like I jump out of bed, filled with enthusiasm and energy, or that I am by any means a morning person, it's just the only feasible time for me to do this.
So, this morning as I got to the gym I noticed that the parking garage was remarkably full. Then, when I walked in I saw a TON of people working out. What was the deal?! It was 6:15 a.m. So, as I checked in at the front desk, I mentioned to the guy working this morning that it was really busy and he told me that when he got there to open the doors at 4:50 this morning that there was a line of about 25 people at the doors. And, since then he had had over 200 people check in. That's 200 people in an hour and half BEFORE 6:15 a.m. HELLO!!!!

Maybe this is why Utah is so high up in the healthiest states list.. and why they can charge so much more for memberships in Utah than they do in Texas - the demand is higher, so they can push the prices up so much higher, and NOT provide free childcare like they do in Texas - which is the only reason why I go at 6, by the way.

Now, sure, I am one of those crazy people who gets up ridiculously early to go work out every day, but I HAVE TO!! I was just amazed at how many people were up and out of their beds at the gym this morning!

Utah Food Co-Op

One of my friends introduced me to an organization here in Utah that does a food co-op that is just AWESOME! I got everything above for $23. Everything is local, so you're supporting local organizations and you get everything for about half the normal cost. Best of all, everything was GREAT quality.
This month's shared includes:
2 lb chicken breasts
1 lb beef stew meat
1 lb pork spare ribs
1 lb lean ground beef
5 lb Red Potatoes
6 oranges
6 apples
1 bunch green onions
1 head red leaf lettuce
3 artichokes
1 package mushrooms
8 kiwi
1 loaf Stone Ground Artisan Wheat Bread
16 oz rice

There is no hardship requirement to join this group - all that you have to do is dedicate 2 hours a month to service to qualify. Most church callings more than cover that!
If you're in Utah and want more info about it, go HERE.

Kids at Play

This is Joe's new favorite thing to do to Kathrynn. Lucky for him, she worships the ground he walks on, so he can get away with it. :)



Every week we make a run to Costco for milk, bread, eggs, etc. and every week the kids have a heyday with the boxes. They're pretty creative, I have to give them that. :)

Valentine's Festivities

We had a fun time this Valentine's Day! Joe was SO excited about a new holiday and we were busy making and delivering valentines and treats.









We had heart pancakes with strawberry syrup and pink milk for breakfast. Pink milk is now Joe's new addiction. He has to have it every day now. :)



The kids and I made brownie hearts for their friends. They had more fun eating the leftover batter than they did making the brownies. :) I, unforunately, forgot to get a picture of the brownies before dropping them off, but they were way cute! :)

The Place Setting Story

I just saw this picture and just lit up! This is how I learned to set the table!! Well, sort of.. my story was that the evil fork guy was trying to get to the spoon princess and the knife knight was protecting her. Everyone laughs at me when I tell that story, but it works! I've never forgotten how to set a table! :) I'm so happy to see that someone out there has the same mentality! :)

6 Years Ago...

..I married the best possible man for me. I remember when I introduced him to my best friend's family, her mother told me, "Julie, you just couldn't do better." I know, that almost sounds like an underhanded insult, but if you know her, you know it was said with all of the sweetness and sincerity in the world. And, you know, she was absolutely right. I couldn't have done better because Steve is the best person out there for me. I'm SO grateful that I married him and not someone else. We do push one another's buttons on occassion, but what married couple doesn't? What is important is that we love each other and he has helped me grow in to the person I am growing into and has all of the strengths that I need in a husband.


We were sealed for time and all eternity in the Houston Texas Temple. It was a beautiful ceremony. We had only a few family members who were able to attend the actual ceremony, but in the place were the dearest friends in our lives who are, definitely, more like family to us than they are just friends. If it were a perfect world we would all live on the same block and I'd be able to see each and every one of them every day. The people who were in that room with us when we were married mean the world to me.

I'm so grateful for the last six years and look forward to the rest of forever with my wonderful husband. :)

A Present from Me

The first five people to comment on this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year (hopefully sooner than later.)
4. You will have no clue what it is going to be.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch? Oh the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me you did will win a marvelous homemade gift by me!

Let the games begin!!

Tuckered Out

We all had a really long day yesterday. The kids and I went to the Treehouse in the morning for Toddler Time.. Kathrynn actually screamed and ran up to the storytime guy like he was a rock star at the beginning of storytime - pretty hilarious - and quite suprising considering she still has a considerable amount of stranger anxiety. After Toddler Time we tromped around Ogden in the driving snow to accomplish some essential errands and went home to do some post-weekend clean up. Busy day.
Well, I was wiped out and laying on the couch by 7 p.m., hoping to just fall asleep. Kathrynn climbed up and snuggled with me, Steve was laying on the other couch and Joe was keeping himself busy doing this and that, doing everything in his power not to appear tired. Then he got really quiet. 8 p.m. rolled around and I got up to put Kathrynn down and walked in to the dining room to find this:


It's like he just gave up mid-walk and couldn't take anymore so he just passed out on the floor.


Steve carried him off to his room and got him in jammies and he didn't even stir.


I told Joe about it this morning and he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "No, mommy, only animals sleep on the floor." :)

First Born Quiz

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself!
Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? thrilled and in awe

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 26 when I found out.. 27 when he was born

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Pregnancy test. :) We were trying to get pregnant and I was sure I was, but Steve was away on a business trip for a few days and I promised him I wouldn't take the test until he got home, so I took it first thing in the morning the day after he was back. It actually was negative after the first three minutes then we looked at it again and it was a bright, shining positive.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Steve. He was there with me looking at the test.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Absolutely

9. DUE DATE? 11/26/04

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? YES! It was triggered very easily, Steve would burp and I would throw up, the smell of people heating up food at work would make me sick and a lizard that the cat brought into the house sent me running for the bathroom. :)

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? It went in waves. At one point I could only eat potatoes. Then it was fruit, then hamburgers, then salads, then chocolate. The chocolate stuck throughout most of the pregnancy. I couldn't eat cherry jolly ranchers - they tasted like play dough.

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Nothing that I could remember, but I was HIGHLY emotional. :)

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? boy.

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? No, I was thrilled to be having a boy!

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? Ugh. 55. Still fighting that off. See #11.

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes, two. One from my friends, one from my family.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew - I was so busy at the time that they had to schedule with me.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Pregnancy was perfect. Delivery was another story.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, TX.

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 21 hours.

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Steve and my wonderful doctor and the nurses.

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? C-section.

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? ABSOLUTELY! I originally planned on going with no medication at all, but am so grateful I didn't or the c-section would have been a bit complicated.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 lbs 8 oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ? 11/24/04.

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Joseph (after Steve's best friend) Benjamin (Steve's middle name)

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 4