Superstar student!!!

When we got home from our trip last night I opened the mail and there it was...the second report card for the year.  Happy to report that Grace has all E's (in kindergarten that means excellent!)  Not one bad mark and this is what her teachers had to say, "Grace is extremely focused and dedicated to doing good work.  She readily understands and applies new concepts.  We are very proud of Grace for her 100% average spelling!"

Yep, she hasn't missed a spelling word yet.  They have 10 words a week.  Last week they had to spell walk, walked, talk, talked, television, explosion....I know this week robot and dinosaur are on the list.  

Way to go Gracie!!!!  Keep up the good work.  We are so proud.  LOVE YOU!!!

Zion for the weekend.

Last weekend we were supposed to go to Colorado and meet up with Derek's parents, sister and her family, to celebrate Harv's 70th birthday.  The weather had a different plan for them.  They all were snowed in....

....we were all packed with no where to go.....so, we took the kids to Zion National Park for a little sunshine.  Grace described this as the best family trip ever!!!!!  As we entered the red rock area she said,  "This place is beautiful.  I want to ride on my horse through the canyons and the desert."  Well, she doesn't have a horse, but we did take her on a couple of hikes.

Derek was feeling over-worked from a string of travels and the kids and I had a little cabin fever, so this was perfect.  The weather, the scenery and our little hotel were beautiful!  We made ourselves right at home for the weekend.

The first order of business was swimming!  Grace was really looking forward to that, so we got in the water asap.  The pool was freezing, but the hot tub was great!

Then it was off to dinner at the Spotted Dog Restaurant!  Great food!  Ryann ordered the spaghetti!  Yes, she is wearing a white shirt, but I let her have it anyway (and I was able to was it all out).

Saturday morning we decided to walk down the main street of Springdale to find our breakfast.  They have a domestic elk ranch with buffalo and all kinds of animals.  Kinda neat (even though we have them in West Jordan too)  we don't get to see them as close.

Ryann and Grace loved the cactus, but I had to warn them about the cactus and how sharp they can be!

We heard Springdale was having their St. Patrick's Day parade that afternoon.  We had time for a quick hike before it started.

We found a nice hike up the hill above the town where we could see the red rock.  The girls saw a few lizards for the first time in their natural setting.  Ewwww!  But, no snakes.

Then it was off to the parade!

After the parade the girls enjoyed the bouncy houses and Grace was brave enough to try the climbing wall.

Springdale has a 25 year running Jello sculpture contest.  Featuring GREEN jello!  

And Grace decided to enter the Jello eating contest.

She tied for 3rd place!

 We had a fun and exhausting afternoon, so back to our home away from home for more swimming and dinner.  

We really enjoyed the little yard outside our back door.  I felt like we were a million miles from home, just our little family....having so much fun!!!

I made dinner in our room that night and we were in bed by 8:30.  Weird!

Sunday we decided to drive to Snow Canyon, just outside of St. George, and go for a quick hike before we headed home.  I had never been there before.  MORE BEAUTIFUL RED ROCK!  WOW!  Breathtaking.  

I have to agree with Grace...it was a fabulous family weekend.  One of our best trips ever!

Liam's in remission!

Great news!  Liam's in complete remission!

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes!

Liam will have 3 more rounds of chemo.  His brother Curtis was not a match for the bone marrow transplant, but when the chemo is finished Liam will have healthy cells to harvest for later if needed.

Favorite tortillas

I know already told you that I have cut yeast out of my diet.  I haven't had a piece of bread for 2 1/2 weeks!  Yeah me!  I know all of you are shaking your heads right now, but it is easier then you think.  Anyway, I wanted to share one of my new favorite foods....

Any of you health food nuts may have already seen these before, but I just discovered them!  These tortillas are flourless, yeast free, gluten free...but, full of wholesome goodness!  And, they actually taste good...not like a piece of cardboard like most of the whole wheat tortillas.  The low-carb tortillas taste like paper and when they get wet...ripped paper.

These are great for wraps, tacos, with peanut butter, hummus, or plain.  I even had one for a snack with a little agave nectar...tasted like dessert!  

I will continue to share some of my new healthy foods with you as I go along.    

Pampering myself...

After a couple of weeks of strep throat (Grace), runny noses (Derek and Ryann), cleaning up all the germs (YUCKY!!!), and beginning the training for my races....yesterday I decided I deserved a pedicure!!!  Nothing fancy, but I haven't had one since last summer.  It felt great.  Everyone should treat themselves once in a while (women and MEN)!

My feet finally look cute enough to show off my new flip flops Jolie brought me back from Mexico in November.  I am wearing them today even though it is supposed to snow again.

I also bought some new blush the other day.  LOVE IT!  My makeup artist Erica turned me onto it in Vegas and I was finally due for some new.

It is NARS and a really fab color with a very shocking name.   I can't put in this blog....because it is a family blog and that would be inappropriate.  I will give you a hint though...it start with "O" and rhymes with spasm.  

What do you think?

So, now I am all dressed up..... to go get Grace from school!

Feeling crafty!

I was flipping through a Pottery Barn magazine the other day and saw this little design to organize earrings.  They wanted $49!  No way!!!  I went to the craft store and spent about $13 to make my own.  It makes a really pretty art piece. Think I will go back and make another for my necklaces too!

I finally ordered new bedroom furniture from Pottery Barn, after months of looking (and years of thinking about it)!  I will post some pictures when it comes.  It is on back order...bummer!

Committed to the finish line!

So, I already told you that I am running in a half marathon in April and a full marathon in May.  I am in my second week of a 8 week running clinic to train for the races.  It has been great so far!  We are learning proper running techniques and stretching.  I have learned some things that I haven't been doing right since I started running about a year and a half ago.  I also been going through some nutrition counseling to help me out with my diabetes.  Sugars are doing great!!! I realized that I am in pretty good shape already,  but we know there is always room for improvement.

On our first day of clinic our trainer, Angela, asked us to cut out yeast, dairy and alcohol from our diets...because this is what runners do.  well.....

It is going great!  Because I am eating a well balanced diet I am not even craving the stuff I was told I couldn't eat.  Never considered myself a wine-o but, I can't wait to have a glass of wine when it is all over with!!!!!  Jolie....prepare yourself.