IS THINKING SOMETHING NEW????

Is trying to decide weather I should keep growing my hair out super long and dye it a darker brown, and then give it a body perm. Or do I cut it short and add blonde highlights. These are the two photos I am deciding between, let me know which one you like better.

CHRISTMAS!!

We'll it has come and gone again, and I have to say this was one of my favorite Christmas's. I won't go into too much detail as most people who read my blog celebrated Christmas with me, but it was a blast and full of good food, great games, sleeding, watching a live performance of the Christmas Story, and many more wonderful moments I will remember and cherish forever. Here are some of my favorite pic's from a great trip.

25 RANDOM THINGS!!!

I was bored today and was checking something on facebook, when I happened to fall upon a note I did on facebook almost two years ago. It was that 25 random things that you wrote about yourself. It was interesting to see how lots changed, and how lots are still exactly the same.

The New 25 Random Things list.

#1. Being active has always been apart of my life, but now it is one of the most important things in my life, as I have lost so much weight this year, and have learned to eat healthier I can not believe the difference it makes in a person's life. I have to say that running is still my favorite activity, followed closely by tandem bike rides with my husband.

#2. Mark and I have now been married for 6 1/2 years, and he is still goofy, crazy, funny, hard working, loving, kind hearted, and without a doubt my soul mate. I love him more then anything, or anyone and want to spend the rest of my earthly life and celestial life loving him and being with him.

#3. I am a crazy picky eater, but it is in a different way then most people. I am picky in the sense that I like lots of different food, however it has to be made the way I like it made. I can literally get sick and gag if I try to eat something that is not made the way I like it.

#4. 2 years ago I loved facebook and everything about it, I was on it everyday, sometimes for hours, looking at people's pictures and lives. Then about a year ago I decided to get my own life, and to stop wishing I had other people's lives. Not to mention I hate how people use it as there only form of communication. I understand that it is convenient for having to mass e-mail family our friends about events, but I hate that if you are not on facebook you have no idea what is going on, that people's lives are to busy to give you a call, yet they can still find time to watch 2 hours of t.v. and go on facebook for 30 minutes every night. I could go on for pages and pages as to why I hate facebook, but this isn't a post about facebook so I will stop.

#5. I still believe I was suppose to be a boy, however these past couple of years, especially this last year, I have definitely improved on the whole, hair, make up, and dressing cute. I have decided that looking nice is important to me, and even though I don't have a natural talent at getting myself looking nice, like so many girls. I want to learn and to make it important, as it builds confidence, and I am sure my husband appreciates it a lot more.

#6. I am still totally and completely obsessed about my puppies, they are the most adorable dogs in the world, I almost can't believe sometimes that I can love something so much that is not human, but I do.

#7. My favorite animal has always been an Orca "Killer Whale", however I have an intense love for all animals. Dogs, Lions, Bears, Wolves, Tigers, Horses, all animals in baby form. The only animals that make my skin crawl are, insects, rodents, snakes, lizards, anything that is creepy, crawly. ahh I can't stand them.

#8. Ice cream is the greatest food ever invented, I could eat it everyday, if it did not make me fat.

#9. I no longer love having baths, I now love going in the hot tub, well I still like baths, but who would have a bath when there is a hot tub to go in.

#10. I love spending time alone, when Mark has to go away for a young mens event, I love that I get 2 to 3 days all to myself, to do whatever I want.

#11. I never thought I would have post secondary education, but am so proud of myself, and so grateful that I do. It feels good to know that I can take care of myself financially if I needed to.

#12. I am starting to love living in Lloydminster (Kitscoty) I don't know if we will be here forever, but I think if we had to, we could and we would be okay with that. As long as you are happy, you can live anywhere.

#13. I still love reading books, only know I actually read them. I am hoping to read 24 this year, two a month, it is a big goal, but I think it would be awesome.

#14. I am still crazy competitive, only not as much with games as I use to, oh I still want to win, but if I am not it does not bug me as much as it use to, once I know I am going to lose I just start having fun, and act like a goof, and you know what I think I like that better. Everything else in life, still brings out my competitive streak. Which I sometimes don't think is a bad thing, I think it is good to want to succeed and be good at what you do, as long as you can keep it in perspective.

#15. I love blogging, I love writing on my blog, I love reading other peoples blogs, and I love that since I have had time off work I have been able to blog like crazy. I have got rid of that blogging for others, and truly blog for myself now, if others read it great, if not whatever. I find it is just a nice way to write down my thoughts and feelings, almost theraputic. I can't wait to make my blog into a book this year.

#16. The church is still the most important focus in my life, and every year I learn more about, my savior, my self and the gospel. I so badly want to be a perfect "molly mormon" and dream about being a general young women, relief society, or primary president one day. Not that I really want to, but that I am that in tune with my savior that I could be.

#17. I also dream about being one of those people, like my Aunt Shirley that understand the scriptures so well, they can read any verse and understand exactly what it means. A scholar I guess is the term we use.

#18. I like most women, constantly worry about things, my weight, my looks, finances, my house being clean, if someone likes me or not, if my husband loves me, if my family loves me, if my dogs love me, making sure my relief society lesson is perfect and everybody else thought it was perfect, and on and on and on. I would like to say that someday I will stop worrying, but I doubt it.

#19. I am endlessly dreaming of a perfect life, perfect kids, perfect home, being insanely wealthy, being the perfect wife, traveling all over the world, being in the Olympics and winning a gold medal, living in the most perfect place, I actually have a hard time falling asleep at night because I am sitting there thinking about all of those things.

#20. I am starting to love talking on the phone, especially with family and friends, however I still don't answer the phone when I see a number I don't recognize, or somebody I fell uncomfortable talking to, I just let the machine pick it up and if it is important they can leave a message, and I have Mark call them back.

#21. I still love dancing, and I bet if you randomly drove by my house, there would be times, when you could still see me dancing around the house, by myself, like a maniac, singing at the top of my lungs.

#22. sometimes I wish I could go back and do it all over again, knowing what I know now, then other times I say what is the fun in that.

#23. I of course am still dreaming everyday of having children, only the number of children has gone from 4 or 5 to 1 or 2. Not only because we are having problems, but I dream of having one sweet little boy or girl and doughting on them everyday and loving them and only them unconditionally. I dream of going on bike trips across canada, Mark and I on our tandem and Kyle or Maci right there behind us, of traveling the world for a year as a small family of three with no cares or worries, and going to a soup kitchen on Christmas day, then coming home and reading charles dickens "A Christmas Carol", while opening the one gift we each got for one another.

#24. I am grateful for my education and my job, however I have learned that I am not a career oriented women, since my miscarriage I am taking a couple months of work, and then going back only 3 days a week, and no longer managing. I have loved having this time to work on crafts, do some baking, keep my house clean, visit with friends, and spend time with family. I am grateful that my husband has a good job that I can do this and that he supports me and understands why I want to do this. If I had to go back full time I know I can, but I am looking forward to this year, and having more time for my self.

#25. I have horrible grammar, spelling, sentence structure as anyone who reads my blog probably already knows that. My worst however is the use of "know" and "now". I always get them wrong. The funny thing though, was of all the main courses, I got my highest mark in English, agh, scary to think what my marks were in Math, Science and Social.

The February 2009 version of "25 Random Things about you"

1. I am actually kind of nervous writing this because I don't know if I am going to do it right.

2. I am the youngest of 5 children, with 2 older brothers, and 2 older sisters.

3. I sometimes think that I was suppose to be a boy, I wonder if there is anything lady like about me, and if I will ever learn the whole hair, makeup and dressing cute thing.

4. I have been married for almost FIVE YEARS, yeah I know it shocked me too when I was writing this part. But I have been married to a wonderful, funny, kind hearted, goofy, sometimes too goofy man. Who makes me laugh, smile and yell at him everyday.

5. I have two puppies Molly and Lily who I am completely obsessed about. Lily weighs like 5 pounds of skin and bones, and Molly weighs like 13lbs of pure fat, but I have to say is the cutest happiest puppy I have ever known.

6. I come from the biggest, craziest, funniest extended family in the world. Who I know I could ask for anything. I love you all.

7. I use to think Basketball was my favorite work out, but have come to realize going for a big long hard run and sweating all over, is actually the best high around. Just don't tell my Husband.

8. I can be the shyest person in the room, to the loudest person in the room.

9. I love playing cards, with family and friends and I hate playing cards with family and friends. Mostly because I am one of the most competitive person I know, and so is the rest of my family.

10. I love having baths, I think I have an average of about 2 baths a week, super hot and lots of bubbles.

11. I have the best job right now where I laugh everyday at my awesome boss, and go home smiling every night. Finally it took about 3 years of hating jobs, and people, and life but I think I have finally found the right one.

12. I am not a very interesting person because I am sitting here on #12 with nothing to say.

13. Okay I thought of some stuff, I love to travel, pretty much anywhere, even though I have not done it a lot. I hope to one day visit, Australia, Africa, Europe, and pretty much every other place on the world.

14. I love to read books, even though I do not do it a lot ,when I do my life is put on hold for the week it takes me to read it.

15. My husband and I started a puzzle yesterday for the first time since we have been married, and I think it is going to happen more often, they are fun but annoying at the same time.

16. I love sports, grew up my whole life playing them, don't know if I have come across a sport I don't like, maybe just people I don't like playing them with, like Tennis with my Husband, if I don't find someone else to play with I don't know if I will ever play Tennis again.

17. I live in a very small town called Kitscoty that I never thought in a million years I would live in, I did not even know about the place until I moved to Lloydminster, oh also never thought I would live in Lloydminser.

18. I hope to one day have children and live someplace hot, or closer to southern alberta, like Lethbridge or Airdrie.

19. I don't know if a day goes by that I don't think about life and how I got here and where I am going to end up, and if I am living life good enough, or how I could be better, or what am I doing that is good.

20. I hate talking on the phone more then anything, I actually try to avoid it like the plauge. There is maybe 5 people I can actually talk to on the phone for a long time. Though I am getting better, as I get older.

21. I have done some ausome things in my life, like bungi jumping, cliff jumping, winning basketball provincials, driving all night to spokane on my wedding day to catch a plane to mexico for my honeymoon, and lots more but I don't have all night.

22. Me and my husband are the most spontaneous people I know, I don't know if we have ever really sat down and talked things through when going somewhere, buying something, selling and buying homes. Almost every major decision in our marriage has been spontaneous.

23. I love to dance, Just ask my Best Friend Kim Carswell, I think she must of thought I was a crazy person at all the Mormon dances we went to as youth, because I danced around like a maniac, but loved every minute off it. I miss it so much, and sometimes dance around my house like a crazy person just to get it out of my system.

24. I love my church, my God, and everything to do with my religion. It what keeps me going in life, and gets me through the tough times.

25. and Mostly I love facebook, that It wasted 20 minutes of my life to tell a bunch of people random things about me.

FUNNIEST CHRISTMAS CARD!!!

So today at church I got handed some Christmas cards from the young men to give to Mark (he is the young men's president) When we read the cards this one in particular had Mark and I laughing pretty hard. You will have to click on the picture to enlarge it, so you can see the writing.

Scrapbooking, and Meal Board!!!

It is 12:30 at night and I just finished my last project for the day, I have always wanted to be crafty but just don't have the natural talent for it, or the patience. However I really want to try and do more craft projects as I have more spare time on my hand. So these past couple of days have been filled with craft projects, they are not perfect and I definitely need better materials but I am happy with the outcomes.

The first two are scrapbooking pages one from our trip and one is pictures throughout the year. I like the second one the best, I had higher hopes for the first one, but again I am limited on my supplies.



This is a Meal Board, it is very easy to make but I am not totally done yet, the days of the week are going to be put on with vinyl lettering and the Groceries sign as well, I was also thinking of adding some clothes pins and painting them pink and green and gluing them on, but I can't decide yet if I am going to do that for sure. The best part about this board is I can change the background whenever I want. It only took like 5 minutes to make the background, so if I am sick of it I can just change it. Which is one reason I am thinking of not gluing on clothes pins.

MONEY SAVING JARS!!

Mark and I really want to try and be better with our money this year, it is so easy when you have two incomes coming in to buy whatever ever you want within reason. However we have some huge financial goals we want to accomplish in these next two years and feel if we keep going the way we are going it won't happen. So I made some cute jars today to help control our spending. They are not perfect but I am happy with the outcome as I just did them on a whim with my own ideas.
Here are some fun pictures.


There is a Treat Jar and an Extra Funds Jar

There is a Movie Jar and a Clothes Jar


and a Date Night Jar

2011 GOALS!!!!

I am so excited for a new year and the idea of thinking of new goals to accomplish and achieve. This year I of course want to keep up with everything I did last year, but would like to add a few new goals to achieve and new ideas to try for the year. So hear it goes.

#1. The temple trip thing did not happen as much this year as I would have liked, so again to try and go to the temple at least 6 times this year or more would be ideal.

#2. I have a serious addiction to clothes shopping, especially when I lose 30 lbs in one year so this year I get a jar and in that jar I have $300 and that is all I get to spend on clothes for the year, plus an extra $150 if I can get to my goal weight by the end of May.

#3. My meals have become very routine lately, I need to try some new items or I am afraid my husband might find a new wife. So I am going to try a new meal every month. That would be 12 new meals to learn for the year. Hoping to try and learn 8 healthy ones and 4 really unique difficult ones. I will let you know how they go.

#4. This is my most challenging goal for the year and one I know I have needed to work on for a while, and of course not just for the year but for the rest of my life. I need to be kinder and more Christ like to others, not lots of others just certain people in particular. For some reason I really struggle with being loving and kind towards certain individuals, once I dislike someone I really dislike them. I know the only way to get through this is with the help of my Savior and Prayer.

#5. I am hoping to run in a 5KM race on January 1st, a 10KM race on March 12th,a half marathon in april, a super sprint Triathalon I think it is on May 2nd in Airdire, a sprint triathalon in Fort Macleod in August and my 5KM Climb of Hope Run in September.

I am looking forward to the new challenges and goals for 2011 and hope they will help make me a better person.

CHRISTMAS WISHES!!!

Usually I have a list about 10 miles long of gifts I want for Christmas, however this year it is a lot smaller then usual, and not all of my wishes are even gifts this year.

1. Have a perfect Christmas with my family and Mark's family.
2. Be able to go snowboarding on the 28th in Edmonton, so praying for good weather.
3. Have safe driving roads for all the traveling we are doing.
4. a new dress winter coat. (having a real hard time finding a reasonably priced nice winter coat)
5. New Bathing suit shorts as mine are huge on me, I am loving these one's at Sport Check, I showed them to Mark but he probably did not get the hint.
and 6. to get back to feeling 110% physically as I have a 5KM race on January 1st and still don't feel great.

BRACE FACE NO MORE!!!!

This Monday I got my braces off, and it totally rocks. The retainer I have to wear full time for a year, then just at night for another year is honestly worse then the braces feeling wise, but looks wise it looks so much better. I don't look like a 13 year old girl anymore. I will post some pics of the new smile soon. I was afraid I was not going to get them off for our family pictures this year, but the Doctor cleared me in October to have them off in December and I am so grateful for that.

A LOOK AT 2010!!!

I have been feeling a little blue lately so I thought it would be a good idea to look at all the good things that happened this year and all the goals I accomplished for the year to help cheer me up and motivate me for 2011.

I would have to say the best thing about this year was losing 30 lbs, such a great feeling, and not only do I feel healthier, I also learned how to be healthier, what really is good and not good for our bodies to consume, how much we should eat in a day, what food helps us lose weight and what helps build muscle, what is good to eat before a race and knowing how hard to push ourselves and when to rest out bodies. Such an incredible year health wise and I hope I take what I have learned and apply it to my life always.


This first pictures is from April of 2009 and the second is from September of 2010 when I ran my first 5km race. I had lost about 25 lbs between the two photos.

I have learned that reading is something I truly enjoyed and this year I got to enjoy 8 books, and hopefully one more before the end of the year.

Probably one of the most self esteem boosting goals of the year was graduating from school and passing my NACOR exam, thus becoming a Licensed Optician.

I got the opportunity to teach two Adult Sunday School classes, which most people would not be excited about, and I wasn't however It gave me the opportunity to feel more comfortable with teaching, so when the Branch President came to my home in September and asked me to be a Relief Society Teacher, I was actually excited and I love my new calling.

One of the most fun things of the year was definitely our trip to Florida, and the two day cruise of the Bahamas. What an incredible trip we got to take as husband and wife.

This year I also had the opportunity to make a couple really close girl friends, something I have not had in a long time. Growing up I never had a lot of really close girl friends, I was kind of just friends with everyone. However it always seemed like there was one in my life at some point that was there for a reason, and I am so glad because we were able to form bonds that no matter what will never be broken. I am grateful I have that again, not only do I have great girlfriends to talk to I also have great girlfriends to have fun with again. I almost feel like having them over for a sleepover and junk food and talk about cute boys.



This picture is with one of those Girlfriends I was talking about when we did a 5 KM race together.

Definitely the most exciting purchase of the year was our tandem bike, Mark and I are hoping to do a 5 day bike trip from Jasper to Banff our maybe the other way around this coming June. We are thinking of even buying a hauler for the back of the bike for our tent and supplies and our little puppies to ride along with us. How cute and crazy would that be.

This year spiritually a lot has happened in my life as well, I don't want to go to deep into it, as most of it is personal, but there is no question I was able to grow closer to my savior this year, through scriptures, prayers, and many other experiences in my life. I am grateful for them all but one, and know one day I will learn why the lose of our baby was suppose to happen, and that it is a trial we are suppose to go through to make us stronger.

and last but certainly not least, getting pregnant was amazing, it really does suck that we lost it, those really are the only words you can use to describe it but the fact that we concieved after trying for 3 years is incredible and I am almost certain it will happen again for us, we never thought it would ever happen and the fact that it has leaves me excited to start trying again;).

We'll I could go on with more and more awesome things that happened throughout the year, but then this post would be too long for anybody to want to read, I am blessed to have had the year I had and hope 2011 will bring more good things as 2010 did.

TV

The top 10 reasons I love not having a T.V, well I have a T.V. just not T.V to watch only movies:

1. I never have to rush home to make sure I catch the shows I am currently involved with.

2. I have the opportunity to exercise almost every night if I wanted to, unless something else comes up, my schedule is free.

3. I get to spend more one on one time with my Hubby

4. Mark and I have started a tradition that every year starting December 1st we are going to read "Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol". We cheated this year and started last night, and with no television to watch we got to read for a whole hour together, what a fun time we get to spend together as a couple.

5. I get to take my adorable puppies for a walk every night, unless it is minus 30 outside, but other then that they get walked.

6. I have read probably about 8 books in total my whole life, however this year alone I have been able to read 8 with all the free time on my hands at night.

7. I am getting to bed earlier at night then I use to, instead of heading off to bed at 11:00 after my last show is done, I am heading off to bed at 9:30 after my workout is done.

8. My nights are free to call up a friend and go for a run, or go on a date with my husband on a weeknight if are weekend is full, visiting teaching can be any night of the week, except Thursday nights because that is my late night at work, or just anything I want to do on a weeknight because I don't have T.V. I have to be watching.

9. If my house is a real disaster I have time to do a quick clean.

and 10. I just love that it is not apart of my life anymore, it is not a need, a want, a desire. I truly have recognized the blessing off cutting T.V out of my life. I am so grateful I have a husband who taught me that T.V. is pointless and useless and for the most part just brings filth into our homes. This year has been an amazing year for me Goal wise, I have accomplished more Goals this year then I have ever done in the past and I know the biggest reason why is because I don't have T.V weighing me down and taking away from the free time in my life. So thank you T.V for no longer being an addiction in my life, it feels good to say I am no longer addicted to T.V.

CHRISTMAS DECOR!!

Tonight was a fun night of decorating the house and Christmas Tree. I did not think I wanted to decorate this year but when you work at a store that has Christmas decorations everywhere and plays Christmas music all day I can't help but get excited. I love Christmas sooooooo much, not the presents or food, but just how happy everybody is, the Christmas lights and decorations and the Music oh man the Music. I think I could listen to Christmas music all year round if Mark would let me. Our Christmas decor has become quite the collection from when we were first married, still the same tree only more decorations and lights than a string with popcorn and fruit loops.


Our First tree, the Holland children helped us string the popcorn and fruit loops.



The Same Tree only much more Decorations to brighten it up

Even some outdoor lights have finally made it up, I have always wanted outdoor lights and finally I get them. We have even some more to put up this year to go around all the trim on the outside.

Even Molly is ready for Christmas

FHE FUN!!!

I have been craving cake like substance for quite a while now so we decided for FHE to make up some cupcakes, however I definitely do not need 24 cupcakes all for myself to eat, so we thought it would be fun to decorate them with lots of fun candy and chocolate and deliver to all the wonderful friends that helped us through these past two weeks, plus a couple in our ward that Mark Home Teaches. What a fun night, I am finally starting to feel back to being my old self again, I am thinking even trying a little work out tomorrow night, but we will see, definitely not going to push myself.