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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Help!

I'm just gonna go ahead and throw this out there. I'm an athlete. Ya, it's true, I mean I know what BP, MHR, HR, THR, TZ, and TV all stand for. I can run on the treadmill AND drink water at the same time, I use 5lb weights-sometimes 8 if I eat Wheaties for breakfast, and I can almost touch my toes. Don't be intimidated, I mean after-all I was a Cheerleader. And if that's not an athlete I don't know what is.

That being said, I'm kinda afraid I'm going to blow up. Like have a heart attack. I'm not sure I'm going about my workouts exactly the way I should be and knowing that quite a few of you that read this blog are athletes as well, I thought I'd ask yall what the heck is going on with my body!

We got a treadmill in the beginning of Jan cause Bobby's BP is through the roof. Like seriously high-Hypertension stage 2 high-and since I want to keep him around a few more years I ok'd the expense. We have LOVED having it. I have a passionately intense hatred for running. My knees hurt, my back hurts, I can't breathe and the only thing I think about is how much I hate it while I'm doing it. So when we first brought our baby home I was skeptical of her but I have to say I double L O V E running on it. We have it out in the garage and I can pump the music loud and run run away. I think, I plan, I get me time, and I think I'm getting some exercise somewhere in there too, but here's my question...can my heart rate get too high?

Back in Jan. I was running 5 days a week for 30 min. a day. I kept that up for 6 weeks and then everyone in the house got sick so at the end of Feb it was good if I got on 2 times a week. Now that we're all better I'm back into the roll of things, but I'm just running 3-4 times a week for 20 min. and then doing weights for 20min. I feel that I'm a little better balanced this way so I'll probably stick to this for now rather than the 5 days/week since I'm just doing it for *fun* and not training for anything. Okay so here's the deal. My HR stays between 175 and 185 for the entire 20 min. of my intense running (it takes about 5 min. to get it there) and then it takes forever to go back to normal. Bobby says it's b/c I'm still out of shape and that the more I run/exercise the more effectively it will beat and will go back to normal faster. Not that I don't trust the doctor's opinion I just thought I'd ask my fellow athletes what they thought. Is that too high for my HR to be or is that normal for what I want to do-burn fat/increase endurance? Is it bad that it takes so long for my HR to go down? I don't hurt or feel exhausted after I run, just good and worked out, but maybe I should take it down a notch I don't know. I'm not ever sore the next day so I've actually been thinking about increasing the speed and length of my runs but maybe that's a bad idea. Help! Any thoughts, tips or ideas would be appreciated. You know...from one athlete to another.

Although I might be clueless on the running front, here are 3 things I've learned all on my own the past couple months...Keesha is my inner sass/bad girl. I may or may not have Bieber fever and Pandora is my best friend.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Like Father, like Son



So I'm gonna be honest. I was really hoping that Tyler would get a smidgen of my sensitivity and understanding of feelings. Not like cry during a chick flick or get hurt feelings over someone not noticing his new haircut kind of sensitive, but like the good kind of MAN sensitivity-that's why I said smidgen Bobby-don't freak out. :)

If you know my dear sweet eternal companion (that was for you Alena) you know sensitive is not one of the top 1000 words that would be used to describe him. He refuses to watch any "sad" movie or anything that evokes feeling because he hates to feel. The fact that I will specifically watch a sad episode of Oprah so that I can have a good cry Blows. His. Mind. He couldn't care less if I noticed what he wore that day, asked how his test went, or remembered to kiss him goodnight before he fell asleep -all things I care about :)- We're just different. And I'm totally ok with that. In fact it's one of the things I love about our relationship because it keeps our conversations *interesting*.

On the flip side however; I just don't think it could hurt any man to notice things about his wife or learn how to help her when she cries and not freak out! And that is the good kind of MAN sensitive I was hoping Tyler would pull from my gene pool. I found out today that will not be the case.

Back-ground story for this story...
Today I was not a good mom. No excuses, just not a good day for me. So picture this: Kylee's sitting in her high chair, tyler's sitting at the table and I'm sitting in the chair next to him. They both have hot dogs, strawberries, and chips on their plates. Tyler starts whining because he's "not hungry today." Too bad I tell him, to which he starts hysterically crying and screaming for his dad. During this Kylee has eaten all her chips and says she's done and wants to play. Too bad I tell her, you need to finish the rest of your lunch first, to which she starts hysterically crying and screaming for her dad. So here I am trying to enjoy my chicken taco soup sitting in the middle of two screaming children (and when they both cry at the same time they continually get louder so they can be heard over the other one) who want their dad. Tyler's just going, "daddy, daddy, daddy, I need you daaaaaddddyyyyyyy." Kylee's repeating everything he's saying while throwing every item off her tray with every syllable that comes out of her mouth. Instead of laughing at the situation-which is totally what I'm doing as I'm writing this-I lost it. I put tyler in time-out and came back to get kylee to do the same when she shows me a wad of chewed up hot dog in her mouth and proudly, through a red, splotchy, tear-stained face, tells me she's eating. I was just telling her thank you when she starts coughing. Poor girl tried to hold it in, but she just couldn't and spewed chewed up hot dog all over me. Yummy. Right then Tyler's bell dings cuing the end of his time-out but he is still back there screaming for his dear sweet pops. I marched right back there and *super sweetly and nicely* asked him what his problem was. He said something really mouthy back to me about how he was never going to eat his lunch never, ever again and I said something really mouthy back about how I was never going to feed him never ever again so he didn't need to worry about it-ya I'm a real winner, good thing I'm as a cool as a 4 year old-and I told him he could sit in time-out until he was ready to be nice again (in a real *calm* voice). When I walked back into the kitchen Kylee sniffles out, "Momma, are you happy?" No Kylee I'm not happy I said and then she started to cry. Yep, I'm a schmuck. BIG ONE. I calmed her down a bit and then went back to talk to Tyler. Picture head hung low and cue in some Charlie Brown music.

So long story, longer, I told him I was sorry and apologized for being crazy. (don't worry he wasn't totally off the hook, he had to apologize too) I told him that I was wrong for yelling and that even though I was angry I made the wrong choice by acting the way I did (cause we're really working on helping them find ways to control their anger and I was the exact opposite of what I tell him to do when he's angry). I told him that sometimes even mommies make mistakes and I asked him if he would forgive me to which he in less than .5 seconds responded, "Yes, mom I forgive you. I wasn't mad at you just sad." He gave me the biggest hug in the world and went and finished his lunch with no complaining. So where does all this sensitivity stuff come in you ask?

Back to the story...
As we're eating he tells me he is SO excited for Easter! I asked him if he remembered why we celebrate Easter, He didn't so we talked a little about how Jesus had died for us on the cross so that we could live with Him and Heavenly Father again after this life, trying to bring the conversation around to Jesus being resurrected. But as we were talking about Jesus dying for us, he had so many questions. Why did they kill him, who were the other men on the crosses, why was he naked, etc (he was referring to the picture he looks at in his reverence book during sacrament meeting). We've talked about these things before and he already knew most of the answers but I love that he still wants to know more. One of the things he said that surprised me because I've never told him, and he was really energetic about, was, "But mom...he already knew. He told that man he already knew he was going to die. He knew it was going to happen ok mom." I said, "Yes Tyler, He did know they were going to kill him because He knew that it was part of Heavenly Father's plan to die because if He didn't there was no way we would be able to live with him again and He love us too much to let that happen." I'm about ready to bring this home right and end on the happy note of Christ's resurrection and celebrating Easter, when he starts talking about the "bad men" again-such a boy right. He wants to know what will happen to the bad men that killed Jesus. Enter quick teaching moment on forgiveness.

I realized that in all of the conversations we have had surrounding this topic we've never talked with the kids about one of the most important lessons we learn from His crucifixion. So I told them about how as Jesus was dying he prayed to Heavenly Father and asked Him to forgive the men that killed him. I told them that I thought that was pretty amazing because I thought if someone was trying to kill me I would be pretty angry with those people, but Jesus forgave them in less than .5 seconds. Just as quickly as Tyler had forgiven me. I told them that Jesus is the greatest example of forgiveness that there is and that we need to try to forgive as He does. And even as I spoke those words I realized how lucky I was to have 2 children that do try to forgive as He does and that I need to try my hardest to be more like them.

You never stop learning from your kids. I know I say this all the time, but I am so thankful for the lessons they teach me. I started sobbing. Yep, right there at the kitchen table. I think I all of a sudden realized how incredibly ridiculous my behavior had been, and how I was so fortunate to have Christlike examples in my life everyday. I stood up and grabbed both of them in my arms and thanked them and kissed all over them!

Tyler all of a sudden realized I was crying and grabbed my face and very seriously said, "Mom. Those are tears on your face." "Ya" I laughed I'm crying a little bit. He responded, "Stop it. Stop it right now! Stop those tears mom." as he is literally smashing the tears into my face like he was trying to make them disappear. He was terrified! Like seriously scared. Not like I'm worried about you scared; like tears, emotions, feelings, sensitivity scares me scared. I said, "Tyler it's ok to cry, I let you cry when you're sad." "No. You need to stop your tears. Stop that crying ok." And then he ran the other direction. Oh heaven help us; there's another Bobby out there.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

This Girl

This girl is Amanda Jeanette Nelson.


Right now the world knows her as Hermanita Nelson.


For the past 18 months she has been serving in the beautiful far-away land of Paraguay.


Although she has completed 18 mo. in the mission field-as of yesterday-she won't be home for another 3 weeks due to changes in the mission.


Don't worry though-she is still working her absolute hardest... :)


I'm kinda thinkin' she's the most adorable sister missionary I've ever seen!


I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER!!!!!


I wasn't going to make this post till the week before she came home because I didn't want to bring on any more trunkiness than she might already be feeling but when I saw my sister made the exact same post I was going to make I didn't want to lose my place with Amanda as favorite sister! :)

I have missed her SOOOO much and am so EXCITED to be able to spend a week with her when she comes home to St. george so we can get back into our traditions of playing games, eating, shopping. taking silly pictures of ourselves and of course our midnight Denny's runs...


This was the night we went through the temple with Amanda for the first time after she received her mission call. SUCH a wonderful, spiritual, happy night. I love that we get to be together forever!




Amanda with Tyler, kylee and nate the morning she went into the MTC. Wow these kids have grown!


Hermana Nelson-we LOVE you and are so PROUD of the example you have set for our family. Your letters home have been filled with stories of faith, HOPE, charity, COMPASSION, love and HUMOR! You are always just YOU and it's my favorite thing about you. See you soon!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Going green!

We woke Thur. morning to find our kitchen had been turned topsy turvy by those tricky little leprechauns! How do we know it was them you ask?


I think their little green footprints they left across the kitchen floor gave them away!


A whole trail of them as a matter of fact that led to...


...the refrigerator!


"What did he do?! What did he do in the fridge?!" Tyler was screaming. We opened it up to find that the leprechaun had turned our milk green! They thought that was so awesome-especially Tyler since his favorite color is green-and thoroughly enjoyed drinking it and having it in their cereal that morning for breakfast!

When Tyler went into the bathroom to get dressed he screamed to me, "MOM! There is green pee in our toilet!" What?! That tricky leprechaun went potty in our toilet and we thought it was very rude that he didn't flush away his business!


We were so excited when we saw this green footprint on the fireplace since our trap is sitting up there and hoped that we had caught the tricky little man that had wreaked havoc all over our house!


Awww! It looks like we almost caught him!! Better luck next year!


After we picked Tyler up from preschool we went to our friend Lindsey's house where a couple of us moms had put together a little St. Patricks day party. We had a yummy green lunch by Lindsey and then I was in charge of the activities. We started out by heading out to the patio (loving that we can be outside in short sleeves!!!) to paint some Blarney stones!


While they were doing that I painted some clovers on the older kids cheeks-Tyler loves to have his face painted!


squinty eyes=lots of sunshine=lots and lots of happiness!


While our rocks dried we went inside to play a scavenger hunt game lindsey put on and the boys found hats at the end and the girls found princess crowns! This was the BEST pic we took of all the kids cause they're all at least in it! ha ha


Next we made some clover necklaces...


Macey's cheesy grin!


After that we had one more scavenger hunt in store (I didn't know lindsey was going to do one, but I had planned one too). We heard a knock on the door and found this clover from Larry the Leprechaun...


We followed 5 more clues till we found the last one where Larry had left the kids a pot of gold!


They had an awesome time and had lots of fun stuff to bring home!


I feel like the LUCKIEST mom in the world to have these two bugs in my life!


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Feeling Lucky!!

LUCK, as defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, is a force that brings good fortune or adversity. If this be true...I be a lucky person.

Just ask Bob Barker from the Price is Right. Me and him was smoochin' it up on stage (okay more me fanatically kissing him-on the cheek...c'mon people I have boundaries) before-and after-I won my SIX prizes just over 7 years ago. The Force was bringing me all sorts of good fortune that day. My mom, my sister, myself, and a couple hundred people showed up to the Price is Right studio at 4 am on a bright dec. morning for Alisa's 18th bday. After some loooong hours of waiting in lines, interviews where I was more bubbly, perky and energetic than a cheerleader on steroids, more looooong waiting, getting to know the people in line next to us better than I know myself, and being placed in our seats the show finally began! The music started in, all 80 years of Mr. Barker himself walked out on stage, and someone called my name from the loudspeaker. Twice as a matter of fact because it was so loud in the studio I couldn't hear them.

I got up on stage after the second round (bidding on the fireplace you see in all my holiday decoration pictures)-thank you Force- And won my game- thank you Force-(don't remember the name of the game, but it was about having a credit limit and having to buy a certain number of prizes within that limit). Totally failed miserably at spinning the wheel so lets not even talk about how I was basically booed of the stage -this would be the force that brings adversity-but either way...the Force of luck was with me.

Call it Luck...call it Awesomeness...either way, I'm kinda a celebrity.

Unfortunately over the last 7 years my luck has gone somewhat south and although I wouldn't say The Force is bringing me adversity; I could use a little-bitty extra dose of the GOOD kind of luck so it was totally necessary that we take advantage of this lucky little holiday we call St. Patrick's day!

These are the backside of the wood blocks that spelled LOVE for Vday.


I am LOVING wreaths right now. I think if you do nothing else for a holiday, a wreath is the perfect simple thing that brings in some fun without being overwhelming.


I got the idea for this rag wreath HERE. I started with 2 different colored green fabrics (less than $2.50 at Hobby Lobby), some green tulle I had leftover from Kylee's Halloween costume, a green wreath, scissors and hot glue. I cut the fabric into about 1x9 inch strips and just started tying it around the wreath.


I alternated 2 dark green, 1 light green, and then after the whole wreath was done went back and added in the tulle randomly where I thought it looked good.


This is the back.


I just did this about 2 weeks ago so JoAnns had all their decor 50% off so I got this to hang in the center for $1...


...and these cute little picks (I broke off the pick part) for the same price.




Hang it with some pretty st patty's ribbon and it's done!




I love this subway art from eighteen25 (they totally have the best subway art!). I picked up the frame at DI for a dollar and spray painted with green paint I already had left over from a project I did back in Sept. (that I'm just realizing I never posted about!)


About a week ago we noticed these hats popping up all over our house-a new one everyday! We know those tricky leprechauns have been leaving them here and we've been trying to catch them ever since!


I didn't have any St. Patricks decorations to start out with this year so was just trying to start with stuff I already had or could find for cheap at DI and whatnot. This is what I came up with:


Starting on the right side is another cute subwary art I found Here. When I found this little wood plaque at DI for a $1 I thought it might be a fun, different way to display the art.


The print was only available in an 8x10 so I just trimmed the edges down with a paper cutter (and had to cut off a word-but I don't think you can tell), sprayed some spray adhesive to the plaque, and glued the picture straight on. pretty simple.


I already had that little easel to rest it on as well as the black candlesticks. The green ball is one I made for my kitchen awhile ago (story/pictures to come) using beans, and the candle is one I had and wrapped scrapbook paper around (the paper was given to me and is the same paper I used to do the lucky blocks). I tied on some gold ribbon that I had and stuck on a little foam sticker ribbon thingy. :)


And what would St. Patrick's day be without a pot of gold?! Jar I stocked up on from the dollar store back in Oct., Leprechaun is a foam sticker (you'll see these on few things and I got all the stickers in one package for $1), and the "ribbon" around the top is actually a shoelace I got for a $1 at JoAnns-it was cheaper than buying ribbon!


I found this LUCKY printable here and thougth it would be fun to display some different pictures of us from awhile ago. (these pics are usually up in each of the kids bedrooms)


With all those hats lying around we knew we needed to make a leprechaun trap, and fast! I got the idea from the Family Fun magazine.


Hopefully the gold at the top will entice those tricky little men!


And lastly a banner! These are pretty much all over blogland for all the different holidays and since I had a little extra time this month I thought I'd try my hand at one. This is the tutorial I followed. I'm not crazy about it, but it was quick, easy and cheap to make so I'm glad I did it.


For the center I cut up a shamrock from cereal boxes. I cut about 1 inch strips from the fabric I had leftover from my wreath and just started wrapping it around the shape, hot gluing it in place whenever the strip would end.


I glued each piece together and it looked like this:


Then I added a 4 inch lollie in the middle and glued a green bow in the center (I promise it's not really this ugly grey color in real life...it really is green-not sure what's going on with the camera)


A couple 3 inch lollie's on either side with foam stickers in the middle...


And yep, that sure is the same shoelace holding it up as was on our pot of gold!


And that's a wrap! Hopefully all this green and gold will bring some Irish luck our way!


I'll just leave you by saying...may the force be with you. (gosh my husband would be proud-someone tell him to read this)


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