A Healthy 2011 Giveaway

My mom and I are trying to be healthier this year.  I know that this is often a New Year's resolution, but hey, as long as you're trying to improve yourself, who cares if it's cliche? 
So here's the details:

• leave a message if you want to join.  Let me know what you want to do this year to make yourself healthier.  Include your email address so I can contact you.
• We will be giving out points each week to those who have kept their goals. 
• There will be 2 goals each week that we post, and you can choose one more.  These goals will be set by yourselves, but we'll have suggestions to help if you need them.
• At the end of each week, email me if you met your goals for the week or not.  Points will be tallied and those who met their goals will be entered into a raffle.
• At the end of each month, there will be a drawing using random.org.  The winner will receive one item that relates to getting healthy.  It could be a gift card to a health store, it could be a water bottle.  I'm open to suggestions.

I want everyone to be able to participate, that is why I'm not making this strictly a weight loss thing.  For instance, my sister is pregnant - her goal could be to do prenatal yoga or to go on a walk everyday or drink a certain amount of water.  Obviously, weight loss wouldn't be the best thing for her right now.
Okay?  Questions?  Comments?  Leave a message and I'll answer it.  We'll be open for joining until Feb 1.

Dinosaurs!

Okay, so I've been so excited to give these dinos to my nephews!  They really liked them, and I didn't get a picture of Thomas and his truck patterned stegosaurus or Michael and his green puppy brontosaurus, but here's Weston and his sea-themed stegosaurus.  I know he's a bit young, but in about a year he'll love this thing!  I love the bright colors and they're just so cute and were fun to make!  I also made a purple triceratops for Phred.

Penguino Peterson

Looks like 2011 will make me an aunt again twice over :)  This one is due on Aug 27th!

Decorating Cookies!

 Jared's family has a tradition that they make and decorate sugar cookies each Christmas.  I loved this tradition from the start, especially the intricate and imaginative ways that his family makes each cookie.  When I was in college I started a "Muppet's Christmas Carol watching party."  This year, we invited my sister and her husband over and had combined traditions party!  It was so much fun.

Kaitlyn especially enjoyed the frosting part of the cookies :)

Scott joined us a little later and helped out as well.

Above are some of the favorites!

12 Days of Christmas Swap

My swapping partner, Paper Wins, is awesome!  Each day I got to open a cute gift that had an interesting little poem coordinating with the Twelve Days of Christmas song.  I admire people who can do that, I usually try and get frustrated and then give the whole thing up!
As I am not at home right now, I don't have pictures, so I'll have to upload them later.  However, I had so much fun!  My favorites were the fuzzy socks, a Christmas CD, and an adorable bracelet which my daughter loves (yes, she is 16 months old and already admires jewelry - I'm sunk).  Also included was some yummy chocolate in various forms and an awesome magnet tray with our last name.  Phred loves magnets so I'm excited to start working on letters with her this coming year.  My very favorite, however, was the little packets that Paper Wins put together for our 72-hour kits.  She put so much thought into each package, including lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. for each of us - including differentiating between my husband, little girl, and myself. 

Thank you so much Paper Wins, I have loved getting to know you and having this great opportunity for the swap!  I feel like we're "kindred spirits," as Anne would say:)

Hiatus

I know I haven't blogged in awhile.  Just suffice it to say that December is crazy busy for me.  We have three birthdays, one of them mine, and then Christmas.  I decided to make a homemade Christmas this year so all of my spare non-kid time is devoted to that.  Also, I'm really excited about a few different things, so I'm not blogging because I don't want to give it away.  (one is gifts for my nephews and one is my sister's).  That's all I'm going to say.
Sorry.
I will blog as soon as I get home from Boise and can freely upload pictures and info without spoiling any surprises/secrets.

My Niece!

Growing up I had an "Uncle Brian."  He wasn't really a blood relative, but he was my dad's best friend throughout high school and he was around so much that we just called him uncle.  That's how I feel about Mandy, as if she were my second sister.  Therefore, here are some adorable pictures of my future niece, Evie: