Animals on the loose!

We were invited to go with my lovely sister and her family to the Phoenix Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and all the kids had a great time! We saw so many different animals. I think the Orangutan Apes were my favorite exhibit. They were so cute!

Speaking of cute... these two are my little monkeys and here they are gazing at the Giraffes.

Of course Uncle Mark bought them a snow cone to share, and that took priority over the animals for awhile...

This was hilarious! We stopped by this monkey exhibit so Heather could change Mackenzie and this monkey walked right up to the window and sat behind Heather. It stared at her for like 3 minutes! It attracted a crowd of people...we think something was in her hair and the monkey wanted to groom her! hehe jk!

You can't forget about my sweet baby Emma! She spent most of her time cruising in the stroller, but made it out for the petting zoo. Isn't she getting so big!?

Speaking of getting big... Crew turned 3! This is our ghetto-fabulous trip to McDonald's (his fav joint) for some pancakes! (yes, I brought the strawberries, whip cream, and candles) (he loves strawberries).

LOL, this was supposed to be a giant cookie in the shape of 3...only it turned out more of like a blob. Oh well, it still tasted yummy, and Crew enjoyed it!

I still can't believe my little guy is already 3. He's grown up so fast, but he's still my little boy. He still has such a tender side to him, but he is definitely getting to be more wild and crazy. He still loves to snuggle so I take advantage of that when ever I can! I love you buddy, Happy Birthday!

I DID IT!

I finally did it! I am now 100% free of any "baby weight!" That includes all three of my babies!
You would think I would be over-joyed, but I am not quite there yet. My body doesn't look like it did before I started having babies (and it might never get there again). Keep in mind I got pregnant at 19, fresh off of being a Collegiate Swimmer, so I was in tip top shape.
Is it too much to want to look like that again? To be the same size I was back then? I am only one size away, and I feel like I can do it.
I've read about this before. Not being as satisfied with your results as you thought you would. Hopefully I can get there soon.
.....better run, I hear Crew dragging a chair across the kitchen to reach some crackers in the cupboard!

Trains, Birthdays, and Easter!

This past weekend was super busy, but packed with fun! We celebrated Crew's 3rd birthday a little early because we knew Chris would be in town. We drove up to Williams, AZ and boarded the Grand Canyon Railroad, and traveled to the Grand Canyon! As you can tell, it was a little chilly, but it was so beautiful! There was snow on the ground and you know the kids loved that!

Here we all are, Emma is hiding under my nice and warm vest!

Yes, the edge of the canyon is right there! This man behind me was like, "You are one brave mom!" No, my kids are just nuts! We hiked a paved trail along the rim of the canyon, and there were several nice lookouts. You could see clear down to the bottom of the canyon. We saw the Colorado River, and a few lone houses down there.

This was on the train ride back. We all took a nice nap this time. It was a neat experience to do this, and we are going to go back during Christmas time to ride the Polar Express!

This isn't the actual train that pulled us, it's just an older looking engine that was back in Williams. The train that we rode was built back in the 1950's I believe. We got a history lesson on the way to the Grand Canyon, but I wasn't paying too much attention, I was looking out the window! hehe..

My dear friend Jaymie made these wonderful Thomas the Train cupcakes for Crew's birthday. They were amazing! She can create cupcakes for any occasion, you should check out her blog!

We got home the day before Easter, so we were able to spend Easter with my family. The kids loved searching for eggs, and eating candy of course! We also celebrated my birthday as well. It was a fun weekend, and we are so greatful for the Savior and for the Atonement. We are so blessed to have all that we do, and we are eternally greatful.

Before and After...

Since the beginning of the year I have been working hard to shed my baby weight, and even more weight than that. I started a Biggest Loser competition among family and friends, and the results were amazing for everyone. Here (sadly) is my before picture:

Now, here (proudly) is my after picture!!

(This picture will be my "before" picture next time!!)

I am so happy with my results, but I still want to lose more weight. If you want to join me again, I am starting a new competition on Friday April 16th- Friday June 9th. The buy in is only $20, but this time I am paying not only first place, but 2nd and 3rd! Feel free to email me if you have any questions or want to join me!

Let the weight-loss begin!!