Ten on Tuesday

 1. Biggest news of the week is Henry turned 1!! We had cake and ice cream. He is an amazing baby. who our neighbor calls, Stupid happy. Henry is, he is happy 99% of the time we are so blessed to have him our family.

what I get to see everyday!

2. a good friend was so kind and wanted to improve her photography skills took some photos of him. I picked a terrible time of the day. Now the hard part is choosing which one I like best!

3. In case you were ever worried about how you look when you go work out. . . Don't you could look like this :)

4. Saturday night Annmarie and I went on a girls night of sorts. We went to a baptism of a family. ON the way there She was confused why the parents were not baptized  I told here they had not made the choice to but they were getting baptized tonight. She then says "this is the best day ever for them." Such a sweet girl. Love her and am so happy to be her mom.

5. Will started reading Harry Potter book 1. At first is was a punishment from the parents to get him to read more. But thankfully he is actually enjoying it! yeah to moments when kids start reading and like it.

6. I was told this morning (at my 5am HEAT class) that my class was harder than the other teacher. You have no idea how this made my day. When you teach similar classes (with little to no format) it is always nice to hear that people like your class!

7. Last night we had thunder and lightning! it is January crazy. now we have a winter storm warning in effect. Makes me wish I had gone running out side today in the 33 degree weather. I detest running on a treadmill!

8. Jeffrey has been trying so hard to be "grown" up like his siblings lately. It is cute to watch him try and do all the things (ie reading among other things). I love watching him try. Oh he also started piano lessons. He is in heaven!

9. Jed continues to be. . . Jed stubborn, loud, thinking he is always right and his family is horrible and mean and he tells us we are out of the family. I thought this happened as teenagers, not as 4 year olds. We are changing the way we do things with him and trying a much more love and non yelling approach (we are not perfect with either of these things) only time will tell if it works!

10. random fact - Chris and I leave in 2 weeks for a conference in DC!!!! I am so excited to spend some time there (it better be warm), and to spend time with just Chris. Huge thanks to those wonderful families who are making this possible for us!!

10 on Tuesday late

what a week!

1. Jed is now the owner of a brand new green cast. from his toes to his knee. What did he brake, nothing. After injuring himself we discovered he has a rare bone disease, kohler's. The navicular bone was cut off from the blood supply while it was growing so it died. The cast is placing his foot in the correct position to allow blood to get to the bone again and re-form. My arms are getting really strong from carrying 2 kids to and from  the car.

2. I did conditioning for the boys soccer team last night. oh it was a blast. If you think you are in ok shape. go do circuits with HS boys. you will feel great about your self.

3. Jeffrey got glasses. He looks handsome.

4. Chris started back in school on Tuesday. I think he is happy to be back and busy again.

5. Chris also got an A in one of his classes. Cannot express how proud we are of him.

6. With after school we are trying to decide between taking the bar in Iowa and Washington (state).

7. I will be running 3 RAGNARs in 5 weeks. I'm a bit crazy. Makes me glad for my new and old jobs so I can save. (no haircuts, no "quick cheep" lunches at jimmy Jon's. Guess I'm finally learning to save)

8. Henry turns 1 on Friday. I cannot believe we are even close to this day.

9. Annmarie is enjoying laying with the neighbor girls. She complains at least once a day that she doesn't have a sister.

10. random thing: 10 feels warm when you have experienced -25

Ten on Tuesday

1. Will had his first pinewood derby race on Wed night. Chris is also in scouts so they both got to make cars. It was fun to watch will sand, then say he was done, then was instructed no way are you close. Will ended up in 2nd place over all!! not too bad for a first time.

Waiting for the race to begin

His first race. Will's car is the red and blue one (with the #12 on it. think tom brady)

Not sure where he gets his excitment from when he wins ;)

Yelling at his car to go faster.

After realizing that he got 2nd place over all

Chris's awesome car

Will's car plus award

Will with his car and 2nd place medal

Jeffrey showing off Chris's car

 2. Thursday I started "coaching." a local catholic high school has asked me to help out with conditioning for the boys and girls soccer teams. I love it!!! next time we will be playing dodge ball  BEST JOB EVER. plus the girls were way nice (I meet the boys next week).

3. Friday Chris and I went out. It was the first time in a long time it was just us on a date. It was nice to talk about things and then start moving towards deciding things for our future.

4.  While on our date we hit up the local sporting goods store and we got some kettlebells ( Chris and I are both taking a trx, and also a kettlebell class. employee benefits :) ) We love them. we have been doing a circuit of TRX, kettlebells and ankle bands. Come join us!

5. Saturday I had a girls night!!!! it was so much fun. we ate great food, laughed and talked. I love girls nights

6. After girls night Annmarie had left me a note. telling me she wishes she could have spent time with me because she loves me. It about broke my heart.

7. Sunday Chris and I had a chance to sit down and really talk about my lesson for Church. it was on the Atonement  Thanks to him I know understand it a bit better. The thing I got the most out of it was LOVE. So glad I have a great man like him in my life.

8. Monday We had a wonderful FHE on prayer. We used the idea from the Ensign from the HOme teaching message. Then Will and Annmarie talked with us about the importance of prayer. It was a great great one. I makes all the other crazy nights seem worth it.

9. After FHE we kind of feel like we should Look at Dallas, or Seattle. Hoping that things will become a bit clearer for us, but we are doing our leg work.

Just because they are so handsome!

10. Random fact - Chris is a jackrabbit, artichoke, Thunderbird, sun devil and bull dog. what is next?

Ten on Tuesday

We headed to Chicago for 2 days last week. Oh my where to begin.

 1. Chris had an interview with Northwestern for their LLM in Taxation program. So we all went up. While Chris was in the interview I drove around Downtown Chicago. . . (have I ever mentioned that I really don't like big cities and all the traffic, and expenses to park etc. ugh!)

I saw this Chicago sign at a red light. Its famous right?

Oh how I would have loved to have gone in this store. . . although the $20 for parking would have made anything I bought not worth it. 

2. The kids played in the hotel pool for hours. they had a blast. While talking with the kids about what we are doing when Chris Graduates in May Jed says I want to go to Chicago and see the Oregon ducks. It took us a bit to realize that he was talking about the BCS game we watched while in the hotel.

3. Chris got to go to the temple in Chicago. Oh how the outside reminded me of Dallas. Chris said the inside was pretty much the same.

4. While Chris was in the temple The kids and I played in the car. Henry obviously loved it :)

5. While in Chicago I got sick (no fun but I lost weight so that should be a plus right) and on the way home we knew Henry was getting sick (he slept way to much. The kids were really great in the car. So lucky for that blessing!

6. Here is the Mississippi River. The kids and I were so excited to get back into Iowa. I tried to get a photo of the welcome to Iowa sign, but I messed up.

7. Saturday we took Henry to the Dr and found out he had a horrible sinus infection along with Pink Eye. So thankful for awesome Drs!!!

8. Sunday we were fasting as a family to know what to do after Chris graduates. Will has been fasting since he was 8 but Annmarie and Jeffrey decided to join in as well. It made my heart so full to know that they were willing to join us. as of today the plan is to do 1 more year of law school (a LLM in taxation). This program is not offered here, and it seems only in really really big cities that are way expensive (chicago, NYC, DC, Boston, Miami, LA) who knows where we will end up.

9. Chris and I have started lifting weights together (since he is on break). I must say I really enjoy "training." It has made me think about going and getting my personal training cert.

10. Random fact - I love the song Home by Phillip Phillips. I was explaining to someone why I liked it and here it goes. He has promised the person he is with that regardless of where they are he will do all he can to make that place Home for them. (this is my take and my be way off). But while doing this it made me cry. Why because I would love to be right here a year from now, the reality of that happening means I will be spending a year without Chris (school) or He gets a job here. It made me cry because it made me think of Chris, he wants me to be happy where ever I go. Love that I am so lucky to be his best friend and wife for eternity.