Merry Christmas. We have had so many issues lately with this blog, so please don't think that I haven't been wanting to use it. It has just been a matter of if it was every going to work again. So now that it is, and that Christmas is right around the corner (and my kids thought it would never be here), I thought I would send out a huge MERRY CHRISTMAS wish to all of my friends and family. I love you all so much and have noticed how very blessed I have been this holiday season. If I can actually figure out how to rework this then I will be posting more often and putting up some new pictures. Merry Christmas though and I want to thank each of you for being a part of my life. Merry Christmas, Kenna

Crafting Bug

Lately, I have had the crafting bug. Not that I have time to actually do these projects, so I am making them for gifts for mother's day and for teacher appreciation or for visiting teaching treats....see, there are ways around not cleaning your house and making it sound lagitimate!!:) So, here are a few of the things I've been doing. All really pretty quick, and none of them my own ideas, so thanks to all of the other bloggers out there for letting me steal your ideas!! This idea I found from Our Semihomemade life. I am giving them also for teacher appreciation day tomarrow. These pictures don't look as good as the real thing. They are so cute.
http://oursemihomemadelife.blogspot.com/2009/11/semi-homemade-holiday-teacher-gifts.html The Easter Egg Poptart treat came from another blog, but I can't remember the name. And when I went to try to find it again, I couldn't find it.

For Mother's Day I am making both my Mom and Mother-in-law this purse set. I just love it from Brown Paper packages :http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2009/10/purse-set-giveaway.html

Three Way Tie?

So, as I posted about last post. I was in a weight loss Compitition for work. Well, I weighed in at work and there was basically a 3 way tie. Can you believe it? I was excited because atleast I got some of the 70.00 pot! I went and bought a new shirt which was my original plan if I won. Of course that was a zoo since we took the kids with us to the store. Mike ended up sitting out in the car with the kids on the second store because he didn't want to chase them around anymore, and who could blame him? He was great and gave me good imput on the shirts. It was fun and I found a shirt that went with a skirt that I'd had for about 4 years and no longer had a shirt to go with it. I'd only worn the skirt about 2 times though since the tag on the shirt that went with it always scratched my neck. Yes, you could tell me to cut it off and then it would be better, but I tried that and it scratched even more. Anyway, I lost 15 pounds and am super excited and plan on keeping it up so that I can hopefully pull myself up on the water skis this year!! I just need to build more muscle for that first!!

Challenge

At work we are having a weight loss challenge. The guys in the bakery got into the "Biggest loser" thing on t.v. and decided to have their own weightloss challenge. They invited anyone in the bakery that wanted to do it to join. I wasn't ready when they started in January so I thought I just wouldn't do it. Then just before March I decided to start losing it on my own. I went back and forth as most of us do when we lose weight. I was kicking myself for not joining the people in the bakery. Then one day, one of the guys pointed out that I was the only person in white that didn't sign up to do it. They told me I should join the challenge and so I didn't hesitate to sign up. I was a little embarrassed to have to put my weight on the paper for the whole bakery to see, but I thought it would be motivation for the number to atleast change. I can't tell you the awesome way I feel. I have currently lost 13 pounds (I know not alot) but the fact that my clothes from before I had Zach are actually fitting again, WHA-HOOO!! The weigh in for the end of the challenge is this weekend. I'm a little nervous because Amy and Tom have either lost the same amount as I have or a pound or two more. I'd like to win since the pot is $70.00, but if I don't, (I'll bawl my eyes out) it's still nice that my clothes now fit or fit better than they did before. I am going to keep going after the challenge is over because I'm not having anymore kids so I can't use that excuse anymore, and I'm just tired of carrying around this weight! Wish me luck for Saturday's weigh in!

Multi-event Post!!

Since I found my camera, there was alot more that I missed blogging about then I thought, so sit back and try not to fall asleep!! In January, McKenna turned 8 years old. I know, I feel so old. Since she turned eight, it was her year to have a birthday party. It was so much work, but McKenna loved every minute of it. It was a SLUMBER PARTY THEME (not an actual sleepover) so the girls came in pajamas.
HERE THEY ARE PLAYING TELEPHONE

HERE IS THE CAKE SHE WANTED. McKenna saw it online and knew she wanted one. Ordering it was too expensive, so it was up to me. Not my favorite cake so far, but she loved it and so did the girls. There was a girl in the bed for every girl that was invited...including their hair color to the best of my knowledge.

McKenna with a few of her friends
In February, McKenna was baptized. Seriously, it was such an awesome experiance. It is so different when it is your own child.

We also bought some older snowmobiles this year. New to us though, and we have had so much fun on them.


So far this year has been crazy, but fun. I had two nephews born in February. Super cute babies. I've only been able to hold one so far, since my sister lives in Colorado, but we are going to see her soon. I have also been in two car accidents this year. Neither one of them was my fault, but I am tired of having my car in the shop for repairs. I am thankful that nobody was seriously hurt in either one. Work at the bakery is going good. I really like the people that I work with, that makes it so much easier. My neighbor and good friend Marianne, had surgery on Monday. So, on top of me working super early at the bakery. I am also watching Marianne's daycare kids during the day. Well, only 3 of the kids, but that is 7 kids a day when my 2 arrive home from school. Call me crazy? YES!! But that's what we do for friends right?! Right!! Life will slow down back to "normal" soon hopefully and then I can focus on sleep. Someone said "you can sleep when you die", but honestly, I'd like to sleep now too if it's not too much to ask!

It's been a while.

I know it has been such a long time since we've written. I really do have alot to write about too.....but, I lost my camera somewhere around here....or misplaced it I should say.There are pictures from McKenna's baptism on the 5th of February. Also my fender bender from January. You know, stuff like that. Plus some other fun pictures. I just want you to know that I am wanting to write, but I really want to have pictures to show. So I will write more when I get a few minutes to find that camera. Hopefully tonight or so.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hopefully today will be a fun day. I am trying a few new recipies. One is a cake with a heart in it. I found it on the blog http://theharkerherald.blogspot.com from February 1st. They had it on studio 5 and she gave the link to her blog so that you could follow it closer. I actually didn't buy the red velvet cake at the store since they were out, so we are using strawberry. Still festive. I am also making chocolate dipped strawberries for Mike. There is a recipie for that on sister's stuff blog. I actually did't find the recipie until after I'd already bought the stuff to do the chocolate strawberries though so, in all honesty, I did come up with something on my own. We have a tradition of doing belgin waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, but when I got home from work this morning, the boys had eaten the whole carton of strawberries that were for that. Maybe I'll see if there are some left over from the chocolate dipped strawberries and we can have that for dinner....I was really bummed about that. Anyway, those are just a few fun ideas I am doing today to let my family know they are special in a creative way. Hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day.

Wish me luck!

Honestly, if you have around 4 kids and a husband, then you have to tell me that your kitchen has looked like this at least once right?! LIED IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO!! Since the kids have been out of school it has been so crazy. They have helped when I've asked, but we need to redo the chore charts so that it never gets this bad again. Wish me luck as I dig in and get life back to normal. I love the kids, but thankfully school started back up today so I can actually get some stuff done.