Baking cookies.

It has been awhile since we have made cookies. Mommy has a tendency to eat too many therefore I don't like to bake them. The girls started asking for cookies mid week last week and I kept telling them "maybe tomorrow". Saturday night they begged to bake cookies but I had just gotten home from work and was too tired so I promised them we would do it on Sunday. Jai was supposed to be gone snowboarding so I figured we wouldn't have much else to do that day. Turns out it was snowing really bad in the canyon. Jai got about half way there and decided to turn around and come home. He watched his redskins get their butts kicked. I am not a big football fan but it doesn't seem like his team is doing very well this year. Anyway, while he was watching the game we decided to bake cookies. The girls helped with all the ingredients and rolled all the dough into balls. I have to admit they are acutally becoming more of a help than they used to be. We made the recipie we got from Aunt Wendy for chocolate chip cookies and they are sooo delicious. I am happy to annouce I only had three.(by the way...dont mind the open cabinets in the background. We have been remodeling our kitchen for about oh a year now. We are painting the cabinets and it is very slow going)

The Iddings family ROCKS!!!

Jai got Rockband2 for his birthday. He has been spending A LOT of time playing it and loves to play the drums. The girls get an absolute kick out of it and fight over who is going to be the singer. Paige is actually pretty good now that she can read. Hannah can hold a tune but struggles with the words but does pretty well too. Maddie loves to pound on the drums but I'm not totally convinced she knows what she is doing yet. And yes, even I have played. I am usually the singer and have to admit I can rock!! just kidding, but I don't think I have gotten a score below 95% even on Medium. So if you have had that itch to start your own band come on over and we would be happy to rock out with you anytime.

how to know when your REALLY tired.

So last week as I was blogging Maddie was off playing by herself. She got really quiet so I thought I had better go and check on her. Granted it has been a really long time since she has gotten into a lot of trouble by herself, I still wouldn't be surprised. I found her ASLEEP on the stairs. Of all places to fall asleep, she must have been really tired. I thought it was pretty funny, so I took pictures of her and then moved her to the couch. Silly girl.

I DID IT!!! I FINALLY DID IT!

I have been running for a few weeks now. I typically run three miles, 4 days a week. I have been trying to run at a 10 min mile pace for a while now and I finally did it. I was so excited. The farthest distance I have run at one time is 5 miles so my next goal is to beat that. I started attending a body pump class once a week and it is totally kicking my trash. I am sore for a few days afterwards which means its working right. Jai loves to make fun of me as I walk around like an 80 year old lady and moan. HEHEHE...not funny!! The weight hasnt been coming off as fast as I would like it to but I know it has to do with my eating habits so that is what I am going to start focusing on, for me that is the hardest part. Anyway, just wanted to share my excitement in meeting my goal. Yeah for me!

It snowed!!!!

It snowed monday. The kids were so excited. This is the first snow of the year for us(it did snow earlier in the year but we were in St. George and missed it). It didn't amount to much and didn't last long but Hannah and Maddie got on hats and gloves when we got home from the gym and went outside and played for about an hour. They had a lot of fun and threw lots of snowballs.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree

Close up

All done

Jai, Hannah, Maddie Decorating.

Paige and Hannah

Maddie

We went out and finally got our tree on Monday. We have had a real tree every year that Jai and I have been married and continued that tradition this year. I love the smell but hate the mess. This year I had issues with the lights and was about ready to burn the tree before we even got started. I had all the lights strung Tuesday morning and we decorated the tree with the kids before we went on our weekly date Tuesday night. When we came home none of the lights were working and of course nobody knows what happened. After some trial and error we discovered one of the old strands was not working and needed to be replaced, it was of course the strand right in the middle of the tree. I ran to Walmart and bought some replacement lights but unfortunatly had to undecorate the tree, take more than half the lights off, and then put them back on and redecorate. I have had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year and let me tell you this didn't help. Good news is it is all done. Lights are still working and it does look nice. The pictures don't do it justice. I hope everybody else is having a great holiday season and we hope to see you all over the holidays.

Labor of Love

Finished.

Here it is before I started. As you can see most of the balls are missing.

So a few years ago I inherited a Christmas decoration that we always had up as kids. It is a Christmas countdown tree that my mom made when I was really young. She couldn't remember exactly when she made it but I always remember it being their so I assume I was fairly young. The balls have been falling off of it for years and I have made several small repairs to the poor thing. This year more than half the balls were missing or just hanging on by a thread so I decided to fix it. Went to Roberts and bought what I needed and a few extra things. Oops! Hate that store for just that reason. Too many pretty things to look at and distract me. Anyway, while the kids were all at school I took off all the remaining balls and sewed new ones on. I don't know how my mother had the patience to make this. I have to admit it would have probably been one of those many projects I never finished. After two hours of sewing little balls back into place and repairing a few other minor things it was ready to hang. I really hope it will last long enough for my children to have such fond memories like I do. My brothers and I fought everyday over whose turn it was to put another ornament on the tree and now my kids are doing the same thing.

WOW!!! I have had major anger issues today. Not sure what my problem is. I have been taking care of sick kids for 10 days now, that might have something to do with it. Since Hannah's surgery all three of my kids have been sick. Hannah is better now but Paige has missed three days of school due to a horrible cough and now an earache. Maddie started with the cough about three days ago. cough medicine just doesn't seem to touch it. It is so frustrating because they aren't sleeping, so I am not sleeping and I don't do well when i don't sleep. I know poor Jody. I think I need a getaway. Anybody wanna come with me?