Step on a crack, break your momma's back.

On occasion I've heard my kids say this as they sporadically jump over cracks in the cement. I chuckle and tell them, "That's too bad, you really shouldn't do that to your momma." I guess there are positive things to not having delivered these kids... at least my back is safe.

Mike on the other hand, has not been so lucky. He complains on occasion about his back and neck aching. Well yesterday was a doozy. I was on my way home when I got a call from Maddie telling me that something was very wrong 'cause her daddy was crawling on the floor. I've not blogged about Mike's new toy yet, but will tell you now that he's assembled a lift in the garage to make our 2 car garage a 3 car garage. This assembling has put some strain on him physically and yesterday, while lifting a 50 lb ramp, he heard a "pop". He's been bedbound since except for this morning he is feeling 30% better and we will be off to see the doctor in about an hour. We will keep you posted.

Yesterday I spent the day with my mom and her daddy. Grandpa is getting older, losing most of his hearing, eyesight, balance, etc. Mom and her 5 siblings recently hit his home like a good tornado, cleaning, painting, organizing. Mom is doing her level best to keep it maintained and I was able to experience that with her yesterday. We did the dishes, changed sheets, ran him around town for a few things, provided lunch, unloaded bags of horse feed. It was very rewarding. I even got some one on one with Grandpa outside while mom vacuumed inside. The weather was perfect, I was feeling good and I learned a little more about my Grandpa. And my mom for that matter! It was a good day and if I work hard to avoid the guilt I feel for living close enough to visit but too far to see them on a daily basis, I might just enjoy that good day for a while.

Never say Never

Today we celebrated the birth of our dear Zack. It was a nice day for turning 12! This year he opted to have a family birthday, spending his special day with the family instead of having a party with friends. Grandma and Grandpa Feidler even headed down this way to be with us. Luckily, Zack attended a buddy's birthday this morning and celebrated in style with some laser tag, bumper cars, pizza and cake. Then he decided to join us for some gift opening.

Zack's list was quite impressive this year. Bigger than any other previous years. Without a party, we tried to hit as much of the list as we possibly could. I think he enjoyed his gifts, but I get to share the story of our newest addition. The hamster without a name.

Zack's list was comprised of, among other things, a dog, a hamster and a puppy. Never! Don't even think of it. Don't hold your breath! Then I think it was Mike that caved. The memories of his pets long ago began to resurface and it was decided that our Zack needed a little bit of fluffy love. Never say never.

A hamster we could handle.

Mike and I wrapped a cage for him and then tonight he got to pick out his very own fury friend.

Here's Mike sharing his expertise with the kids. Hopefully soon we can get a picture of Zack holding his little guy. There's a certain process you've got to go through to earn it's trust without him having your fingers for dinner.

We ended the night with a delicious dinner at Gringos. Zack even got a birthday song sung to him. He stood on a chair for all to see. For any of you that know Zack, you know this was a hard thing for him to do. We didn't get any shaking of the booty but we got a few quick smirks.

It was a great day!

Faces Only a Brother and Sister Could Love

Mike is not the only one that likes to take shots of my better side. Apparently my little brother was there to catch me at my very best. And as luck would have it, someone shot this special picture of him. Oh how I love my little brother! We are alike in so many lovely ways.

Who needs Twilight?!

When you have this beautiful vampire!

Halloween '09 has come and gone, before my very eyes. I am ashamed to admit that we didn't even get the decorations out of the attic. Halloween has never been my favorite holiday (is that what you call it?) so I'm not too suprised. Let's just hope our enthusiasm gets a little better by Christmas.

Mike, Graham and Maddie dressed up for the ward's Trunk or Treat last week. We didn't even take pictures! But we did get some shots of Maddie just before a party she attended. She won scariest costume!

This scrapbook page is my first attempt at my new software Scrapbook Boutique. Karen intruduced me to it and so far I really enjoy it. It's pretty user friendly and with my busy life, that's exactly what I need. User friendly!

Feeding the Masses

Mike is the ward's troop Scout Master and a camping legend. He may not find "legend" to ring true, because he dislikes it. But I recognize that he perseveres these campouts in a big way. He is a good sport, supporting his 2 boys in the scouting world.

He was recently given an assignment for this weekend's Camp-o-ree. Please provide a hardy, no-cook breakfast for 600 campers. He accepted. He shopped and researched and did the math. We bought, we loaded and unloaded and built nice assembly lines. Then he got a call the day before camp announcing that there was an additional 150 registered. Back to Sam's we went. The anticipation of camp tends to stress Mike out a bit, but for the most part, he did it with a smile on his face and made it fun for all involved. He did it, it's done, he was successful.

My First 5K!

Our stake planned a Fun Run 2009 for members and friends today. It was an effort in our Word of Wisdom Promise. Doctrine & Covenants 89:20, "And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint."

With only about 3 weeks of P90X left to go, I started training for my first 5k, to be held October 24th, 2009. I would attempt to jog around my pre-measured 3.1 mile subdivision a couple of times a week. It is tough for me. I couldn't get beyond 2 miles, ever, no matter what kind of pep talk or initiative I gave myself before hand.

It was a mental block. I know that now. I thought it was my health at first, then my age, then I realized it was my personality. I give up too easily. I decided to go ahead with the run even though I figured I would need to walk it some. It was a good start and by the 2 mile point, I was struggling. Pains in all the normal places, BUT I knew there would be people waiting on the other side. I kept going and would you believe, I finished!

We won't mention the time I ran it in. I'm pretty pleased I even finished. I've never been a competitive person, but more of a pleaser. I had a few friends there that were really encouraging and I knew I would want to tell Mike and the kids that I actually completed it.

So here's to P90X and the little bit of training I've done. I'm glad I did it and I'd like to do it again soon.

Bitter Sweetness expressed in a super long blog entry.

We had a wonderful time in Utah! Bitter: We didn't get to see snow or ski in the mountains. Sweet: My dear (brave) mother-in-law didn't hesitate one second to tend to the kids while we were gone. She did a wonderful job keeping them happy (spoiling them) and my house was cleaner than I had left it. The weather was as perfect as it can get, I'm sure, with only one cold day of rain. The rest of the time I was in short sleeves. The beautiful bright sun was beaming down on me while the cool breeze kept me happy.

The flights were tolerable. It's always better flying with someone, especially if that someone is Mike! I'm always just a little uneasy about flying these days so each time we hit ground again, I chanted my gratitude prayers. Bitter: Those blankety, blankers ruined my love and fearlessness of flying. I can't even tell you how many flights I've enjoyed in my lifetime. Maybe I would have been an airline attentant if I hadn't been deaf in the one darn ear. But now I'm a little uneasy. Sweet: I'm grateful for the opportunity to get from A to B so quickly! To see my sweet family so conveniently!

It was sooooooo good to see Aaron again! He's rounder (in a healthy way) and his hair is longer and darker. I hardly recognized him at first. He is still handsome as ever and reminds me of dear ol' Dad. Aaron has a way of making me feel loved and important. And his Millie. Well, see for yourself. She is just beautiful. Her hair is even curlier than I remember Aaron's being when he was a wee one. She is hard to resist! Millie's momma, Lisa, drove in twice to see us. Thanks for making the sacrifice so I could share my loves! Bitter: Wasn't nearly long enough. Sweet: Well, just look at the hug I got from that girl! Ok, well, it might have been just a little forced. We met up with friends (BYU roommates and spouse) one night at the California Pizza Kitchen. They are the kind of friends that get sweeter with time. You know the kind. You leave 'em for 5-10 or so years and then when you see them again, you just pick up where you left off. Except for the extra kids, and the new house, and the new car, etc. It was so nice to get caught up!! Bitter: Although I loved seeing my Shena and Angela/Darren, I would have also loved to see a few others that hold a special place in my heart like Aunt Ann, Tammy and kids, Dianna, Heather and the Jones family. Sweet: I got to see Shena and Angela/Darren! And Shena and I shared food just like old times, only it wasn't Training Table. (That I got to share with my Mike.) I also got to see my super ambitous friend, Amy. Love that girl! Although she is quite a bit younger than me, she is an awesome example. She's going to be a famous doctor some day and I will get her autograph.We also met up with the Berger/Berger/Ellis/Simpkin family. Oh what joy! Everone was there except for a couple of the grandkiddos and our Shane. We visited, ate a delicious dinner, laughed, ate yummy dessert (which I've got to get the recipe for BYW) and reminisced about the old days. This family has been in my life for the majority of it and I'm so grateful. My bishop, my youth leader, my Stampin' Up mentor, my senior, my bloging and gardening inspiration, etc. They have filled my life with so many memories and I thank my lucky stars that I still have opportunities to be enriched by them. Bitter: As much as I wished that the stars were all aligned perfectly and Shane was visiting at the same time, he was not. I miss him. And I stinkin' forgot to get some pictures. Phooey. Sweet: They got to meet my wonderful Mike and my Mike got to meet my wonderful family away from home!

Mike and I took some time to drive into and around Provo. Ah, the memories. We drove up Center Street a bit and saw my favorite Gondalfo's. We drove past the Provo temple and MTC. We visited our old apartments, King Henry and the Roman Gardens and also an old house that Mike lived in (birthplace of Elder Dallin H. Oaks). We stopped in the little electonics shack that Mike used to buy from. We drove past UVRMC. I wanted to go inside of the Wellness Center to see if my old crush was still there, then decided that this would be kinda weird to reminisce in a hospital. Anyway, I would have been sorely disappointed if Jeff D. were still working at the Wellness Center after all these years. We even went on campus and shopped at the Wilkinson Center. We visited the Training Table, Krispy Kream, Smith's (caffeine free Mountain Dew for the kids), and the BYU creamery. Bitter: I kinda gained a tad bit of weight and all the kids there looked like stinkin' kids. Sweet: It was something wonderful to have the opportunities to see what we did. Even though Mike and I lived in that area at different times in our lives, the same things were familiar to us both and we felt young and free again for a few short moments.

We also got to walk through Temple Square again. What a beautiful place! My only regret was that the kids weren't able to enjoy it with us. I think that everybody should have the opportunity to visit at least once. Mike's boss gives him a hard time on occasion, asking if he can see the gold plates. This was Mike's opportunity to finally show them to him. AND he get's to see a prophet of old also, in a waxy sort of way.

We were walking through the Family History Center and ran into a sister missionary that just left our ward 2 days before. She says that you never run into someone you know on Temple Square unless the Lord wanted it to happen. Welp, He knows how to make things happen. Bitter: It's tough sometimes to meet and get to know so many people that you're pretty sure you will never see again. Sweet: While there in the FHC, I found out that through my 5th generation great grandfather, William Williams (who signed the Declaration of Independence), I am related to President Hinckley, Joseph Smith, Lucille Ball, Steve Young, Donny Osmand, Shirley Temple, The Wright Brothers and more! Very exciting stuff.

Bitter: We were smacked with the realization that we had to come home to work, callings, responsibilies. We didn't get to visit with our loved ones nearly enough! Sweet: We woke up on October 17th (Mike's birthday) in our own beds. The house was decorated with homemade birthday wishes, banners, and balloons. There was a delicious chocolate cake waiting for us, er, Mike, to dig into. The kids were so excited for us to be home, they were literally squealing and greeted us with hugs and kisses galore. Yep, it's good to be home. Welcome home, Feidler family, welcome home.

So I lied.

Remember when I said I was going to try really hard to keep my blog updated?! Well, I tried, really hard. It's been a while. So sorry if you've been holding your breath. Here goes a whimpy one...

Not too long ago I wrote a quick blog about our overgrowing watermelons. Well, today was the day. We cut one of those babies open and enjoyed the sweetness. It was very exciting. We are so easily entertained!

Tomorrow Mike and I leave for Utah. Exciting! I hope to have some pics and fun stories to tell. I also need to blog Graham's Eagle Scout Court of Honor and how my calling is going, Maddie and Zack's book writing, P90X, etc., etc. Whew!

Pedicures, facials, and food, oh my!

Maddie will be 10 on Tuesday! It's crazy to think that we've been together for almost 5 years. She is a very special girl and is full of love. The topic of her birthday comes early on during the summer. We wonder where her party will be, what will be her theme, what's on her wishlist and will our birthday plans be foiled by Hurricane Whatsitsname. This year she discovered Sweet and Sassy, Groovy Girls and ParTea Girls. After much research we soon discovered that all of these party places were a little (lot) out of our budget. Maddie was disheartened until we decided we could have a party even better than that, here at the house. I was pumped. All kinds of fun ideas came flowing and we began to plan.

I have 4 words to describe our night of partying....

WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!!

Ok, it wasn't that bad. We actually had a great time. She had invited 12 girls when I finally cut her off. What's that saying? You'll usually receive half the number of people you invite? Whoever said that, they are loopy. We had 12 girls at our party through the evening, then 10 spent the night. What a night! I couldn't have done it without my mom, sister Jen and friend Melinda! We started out the evening with ham and turkey heart shaped sandwiches, a salad bar and chocolate fountain. It was all tasty and really didn't last long. Jen made good use of one of her many talents and gave all the girls a Diva hairstyle. While they were waiting their turn they had pedicures, facials, made lip balm and bath salts. It really was a lot of fun. Maddie has a great group of friends with so many fun personalities. After the song was sung, fruit pizza (in lieu of cake) was eaten and gifts opened, we scurried them all upstairs for quiet time. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! So there really wasn't quiet time until about 1:15a when I finally figured out how old I really am and shut the "quiet" movie off. Most of them were asleep by then but there were still a few that were so fighting the sleep. I'm sure they were all given a Monster drink just before coming to the party!
Next morning we had fruit, apple cinnamon muffins, bacon and pancakes (that my mother so graciously brought). It was a feast fit for the queens! I had given all the moms a heads up that I needed everyone picked up by 10a and boy, was I thankful for that. I needed the break!

I can't close up this post without giving a shout out to my husband too. I got a wild hair weeks ago to make these personalized towel wraps for the girls as favors. They turned out so cute but I didn't make enough. My husband saved the day running to the store for more towels and helping me whip out the last 5 just in time for the party. I also appreciate that he put up with me for the last couple of weeks when I was really stressing over this weekend.

A beautiful thing

I had a goal earlier this year. I wanted to be able to complete a pull-up. One, single pull-up was all I asked of myself. Trivial, I know, but a goal nonetheless.

This morning. Goal met!

I am completing my 8th week of P90X with only 4 more weeks to go. I have slowly seen changes in my body composition, in my energy level and even slower changes in my weight loss. I had tried time and time again to do the pull-up and was getting very discouraged.

Today's workout was for the core and not the arms. I had not worked the arms all week so I thought I'd give it a try. I was home, alone and thought no one else would see my failure. Hello!! No one was here to see my accomplishment. I shocked myself so silly that I didn't even try for a second one while I was on a roll! I'm going to save my energy until the boys get home so I can show off. I'm pretty excited.

You're probably wondering if/when I'm going to post before and afters. Me too.