My cousin's Jewerly Give away

My cousin Pam makes fun and great jewerly. She is giving away a necklace this month go herre to enter click on her page on the right of my page... Pamela's Jewerly and it will take you to her page.

Good luck!

Being Healthy vs Being on a Diet

I have debated if I was going to post this or not. After much thought I have decided that though this blog started off being a way for my extended family to see pictures of my family it has really turned into a journal for me. I love to sit and look at this blog and have have had so much fun remembering the happenings in our lives. So with that being said I am going to record everything I want to remember. I hope those that read it won't mind!

I have decided to make a life change, not just go on a diet but change life and learn how to be more healthy. Knowing myself and knowing that I need to be held accountable (maybe that won't last forever) I decided to join weight watchers. After all if I have to go somewhere to be weighed and if I am paying for it I will be more likely to keep going. I am just ending my second week and I have to say I have already learned so much about myself. For instance that I have some bad eating habits, times that I eat just because, realizing I can make better choices, learning that I am strong enough to be active and that I really enjoy it. There have been bad days, but on a whole it has been good.

I have found setting small goals for a week and having a good attitude are two things that help me reach success. I am looking at this as a life change not just a diet! Don't get me wrong if I lose weight, that is great but the real goal is to feel healthy! I already am feeling different. According to the charts I have lots of "weight" to lose but for now I am just proud of myself for making a change in my life that ultimately is helping not only myself but my family to be healthier.

Thanks to Josh for his support and encouragement. Thanks to Josh, CJ and Ethan for being active with me and trying the foods that I am learning with! I am blessed with a great family! I am not ready to put up a before picture or how much I weigh...somehow that makes this process more of a diet to me...I will share from time to time but for now I will just share I am making a life change! So here is my first stats....I am just ending week two and in my first week I have lost 5lbs but the best part is that I am a bit more active. I don't know if this will make sense but I no longer feel like I am dragging myself. I feel lighter and have more energy!

Does anyone know?

So I am thinking I need to change the name of my blog since we no longer are just the parents of CJ. Does anyone know if this is possible and how to do this? Any help is much appreciated!

Here's a picture to make this less boring! This is one of my most favorites! My boys love stories read to them and will bring me books throughout the day. However, they really love it when their Dada reads to them!

Thanks honey for being a great Dada...you are one in a trillion! We love you!!

Ethan's 1st Birthday!

A year ago on Jan 20th, he weighed in at 6'11, and was 19 3/4 inches long!

Now he is 22.5 pound and is 29 1/4 inches long!

(with a case of eczema, poor little cheeks!)

Time really does fly when you are having fun! This last year has been full of amazing memories with our little guy! CJ adores his brother and the feeling is mutual for Ethan. I love that every morning when Ethan sees CJ he says Hi and starts to pucker his lips and CJ replies with good morning brother and gives kisses and hugs! Seriousl, hardly a morning is missed with the above. A moment stamped in my heart forever! I am a blessed person to have such wonderful boys!

Here's Ethan's big day in a nut shell! We all went into his room singing Happy Birthday... he couldn't figure out why we were all there and why we were singing! However, it didn't take long for him to figure out it was for him. We took him out of bed and down the hall and we heard WOW for the first time...

He loved all the balloons and opening a gift before Dada had to go to work!

The whole day was full of expressions like this and more wows to follow!

CJ helped to decide Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast!

He played hard during the day and needed a nap before the party began with us and Grandparents on both sides.

We ate pizza and salad for dinner and then it was onto opening gifts. Which I am not sure who enjoyed more Ethan, CJ, or all of us that were watching!

WOW...wow.....wow....Ooooohh!

Finally the CAKE!!!

(lots of pictures)

Ethan loves cars and trucks so I made this cake. It took me three hours to get done but I think it turned out alright! Ethan wasn't sure what to do with it at first...but soon figured it out!

Yes, the plate does taste better than the cake....silly boy!

Grandpa and Grandma Ault above and Grandpa and Grandma Gifford below!

Thanks for coming!

Touch down....I think it was a success celebrating you today!

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Our lives are more complete with you. We love you!!

Pay it forward 2011

Alright I got this off of my cousin's blog so here we go...

I promise to send something hand-made to the first five people who leave a comment here. You must int urn post this on your blog and send something that YOU make to the first five people that comment on your blog! The rules are the item has to be HANDMADE by YOU and sent sometime in 2011! How fun it that!

If I don't have your address send me an email or leave your address on a separate post here (i won't publish that one) and then wait for something to come!

Christmas 2010

This year was so much fun, I swear every year is better than the last. Here are some of our favorite shots from Christmas. CJ loved teaching his brother how to open gifts and it didn't take long for Ethan to get into it! Josh and I had tons of fun watching our boys!

Cookies decorated by CJ just for Santa!

Opening Christmas Eve Eve Pajamas!

How cute is Ethan's little face?

Love this shot. Checking each other Pajamies out!

(that is what CJ calls them)

Christmas Eve with some of his cousins...notice Ethan is sound asleep!

(Grandpa and Grandma give them matching pj's)

His face says it all!

CJ just knew Santa would bring pillow pets!

CJ loved his Lego's and Ethan loves his cars and trucks!

Warning bad picture of me below!

Me and my favorite guys!

These two faces make everything right in the world! Christmas was tons of fun! I can't wait for the New Year and all the great fun it brings!!

Thanksgiving at Disneyland 2010

We had a great vacation, being able to spend a few days by ourselves and then have some friends meet us to play the rest of the time was even more fun. CJ was so cute as he told his brother what things were and was so excited at seeing his reaction too. This was the first time in a long time I felt relaxed, I think we all had the time of our lives! Though I will be honest we missed having a traditional Thanksgiving meal at home!

Every time we would walk through the check points after the first day Ethan would clap! He would get so excited. CJ loved pushing him around.

CJ and Ethan both loved the characters! Here are a few of our favorites!

Enjoying rides, thanks goodness Angie and Brian went on tea cups!

Our good friends Brian, Angie and Gage met us in Disneyland. It was a blast to be there with great friends!

CJ's favorite store!

Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen

Dancing on stage and in the streets at Universal Studios!

Christmas 2010 here we come!