how to lose a million pounds in ten days

(AKA why I haven't posted in a while)


so I've been trying to lose weight in a healthy way since December... I know a fun month to start a weight loss program, but maybe it's best because instead of gaining 50 pounds over the break, I just stayed the same....

anyways, I have recently discovered that although eating well and exercises certainly does help, the most effective way to lose weight is to get a horrible infection, live with it for two weeks because I'm sure it's nothing serious, during which time I have no apatite but I reassure myself that the reason I feel so retched and that my temperature has reached as high as 104.9 is because I have a cold and am not getting enough sleep to function properly let alone fight off a cold.



eventually of course I realized that this was something bigger then a cold with incredible fevers, but unfortunately although the medication did wonders for the fevers it didn't dissolve the infected area and now I have an abscess in its place. then completely unrelated the day I got off the medication I had problems in other areas and was diagnosed with E-coli by husband.

We didn't rush off to the emergency room, though because Cameron reassured me that not only is there nothing they can do for me there but chances are they would admit me into the hospital and he would be left alone with three kids one of whom is nursing, and although a full nights sleep did look awfully appealing, we decided to give it one more day and what do you know I got over it.

so now 12 pounds lighter and a weakened immune system I seem to be catching every available cold out there.

so there you have it, that's my secret.

at last

I have never worried about weight, I weighed the same from Jr High until I got married 5 years ago except when I lost 5 pounds after breaking up with a boyfriend my Junior year of college. Somehow I managed to start gaining weight soon after Cameron and I got married, (something about a honeymoon cruse to the Caribbeans with croissants to die for and then being under the impression that since Cameron and I are the same height we should have equal portions) well to make a long story short I haven't weighed less then Cameron since I was 6 months pregnant with Katelyn. that is until now.

I feel great!

Spaghetti

Apparently Katelyn has my eating grace. I'm pretty sure the only time Cameron's ever gotten food on himself is when I have accidentally bumped into him, where I, on the other hand, am generally a mess at the end of a meal especially now that my children consider me a human Napkin.

as we were eating dinner last night I looked over at Katelyn and had feelings of Deja vu.

Then I found this picture of her when she was almost one.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is what she looks like on her wedding day. we'll have to make a note not to serve spaghetti that day.

Grant's blessing

Cameron's Grandpa Bennett came to visit Naples so we decided to come down and bless Grant while he was in town. Unfortunately Grandpa Bennett and I were both very sick the morning of the blessing, despite that we decided to go ahead and bless Grant. I'm glad we did. It was a beautiful blessing and we were even able to snap a few pictures after sacrament meeting. Dallin, Cameron, Katelyn Grant and Elisabeth

Bill, Dallin, Cameron Louise holding Grant, Grandpa Bennett, Katelyn and Elisabeth

Katelyn Grant and Dallin

Spelt Milk

in a house with young children it's not uncommon for milk, juice, water (you name it) to be spelt, in fact it's a daily occurance. so when Katelyn cried out, "Mommy! He Spelt his milk!' I expected to turn around and see Dallin looking up at me with a sheepish grin and an, "Ta-orry, mommy, I cl-eem it" insetead I saw Katelyn and Dallin both looking at Grant who had a big smile and Spit up dripping down his chin.

aparently there are more ways to spill milk then I thought.

Rolling Over

at 3 and a half months, Grant has entered the rolling stage. I put him on his tummy and he decided that he would rather be on his back so he flipped himself over, so naturally I wanted to see if he would do it again, he did, again and again and again. gnereally my kids roll once on accident and then don't figure out how to do it on purpose until after they are an accomplished crawler. Grant seem to be the exception.

A Happy Birthday

the day started off a bit rough, Dallin woke at 4am and was ready to get up and out of bed, after much crying and persuasion I convinced him that he wanted to stay in bed and I would bring him a sipper cup of water, it worked. Cameron was up at 5am and out the door soon there after, Then Grant woke up for the 3rd time since we went to bed, he decided to eat and stay awake until 6am Katelyn came out of her room crying at 6:05am and woke everyone up except for Grant who was finally sleeping peacefully, Katelyn and Dallin then preceded to have a crying concert and a pushing contest, as I rocked them on the chair thinking, didn't someone remind them that people are suppose to be pampered on their birthday? I was more or less grumpy until Cameron called at 10am telling me that they let him off early and he was coming home. Things got sooooo much better after that. Cameron took the big kids, I took a nap and cleaned the house, ( I know on my birthday?!?! but it had to be done and it's so much easier to do it without children destroying each room seconds after it's been cleaned, it was actually therapeutic... I think.) Cameron and I went out to eat ALONE, something that hasn't been done in ages... unless of course you count eating at Bennigans while we waited to find out if I was in real labor... I was. (I don't count that because Cameron didn't want to be there, he didn't think i was in labor and just wanted to go home, thankfully we stayed because had we not, I would have had a baby in the car as we drove back to the hospital)
In the end it was a fantastic birthday.
Katelyn blew out the candles before I could, she was so excited!For some reason Cameron got this very yummy chocolate marble cake, which isn't a problem in and of it's self but we made a new years resolution not to eat chocolate... oh well maybe next year. it was good.I got a double stroller, one that I can easily push one handed, very useful if I'm holding a child or trying to talk on the phone.... Thank you Bonnie and Jess.
I also got a pink clothes hamper... you get these kind of gifts when you have kids... and you get excited about these kind of gifts... it's weird.

3 Cute kids

I can't go anywhere without getting at least a few comments about having three kids. I never know what to say to people about it, so if you have any great ideas... let me know.I love having all of my children. they do keep me busy, and I do need a nap everyday, and they don't always let me take that nap. nor do they readily agree to clean up their toys, and at times they make the task of leaving the house an excruciating experience but they are also amazing. they give me kisses when I've had a bad moment. most of them run jump and fling their arms around me when I come home from something. they are so loving.

Brothers

Dallin and Grant surrounded by his "Manly Tools"
Grant isn't looking as small as he used to.



Dallin Loves having a little sibling who also happens to be a brother. He is so careful with Grant... most of the time, he has on occasion tried to wrestle him, push him off mommy's lap or head butt him. but I pretty sure that's just a boy thing and there is more of that to come with these two.

My Little Helper

Dallin loves helping us set the table, we usually hand him whatever it is that we want him to take to the table and he takes it runs to the table puts it down and comes back for more. sometimes if we don't give him something fast enough he take the initiative to do it himself and find his own things to put on the table. obviously this was one of those times.

one of those days

I have not only one but three sick kids, one with a fever who is sleeping all day except when she is awake and wants me to carry her around the house, one with some serious yucky diapers... five so far, the type of diapers you wouldn't want to be in a neighboring state. and one who just cries, eats, sleeps coughs cries eats sleeps and really isn't so different then when he isn't sick except no smiles.

Christmas letter

Well, in preparation for Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday we decided to send our yearly update…Ok, the truth is, this letter is delayed due to the air conditioner being out and it not feeling even remotely like Christmas. Legs should not be covered in mosquito bites at this time of year. But despite the unusually warm weather, ‘tis the season to be jolly, and how could we not be with so many wonderful things happening this year.

The most wonderful being our newest addition Grant William Smith, born October 16, 2007. He is 2 months old and is getting cuter and happier every day. Like most babies his age he likes to eat, cry, poop and spend some quality one on one time with mommy in the middle of the night. He has started smiling and we have even caught him giggling to himself a few times. We are so grateful to have him in our family.Dallin is one and a half and so much fun! He finds joy in doing just about everything except going to bed and getting buckled in his car seat, when it’s time to do these things he says “wait a mimit I a-dot a brush my teeth” or that we forgot to do some other thing of equal importance like eating his food or reading a book in the rocking chair. The last few months he has had an explosion of words, he says everything he hears and remembers it. He has been speaking in complete sentences for a while now. He generally starts his statements with “wait a minute.” He also says thank you whenever he’s handing you something…which is sometimes confusing in the car when we can’t see him and he just starts saying thank you and we wonder what he is so thankful for….until we realize that he just wants us to take what’s in his hands. He has such a fun and pleasant personality.
Katelyn has stepped up to her roll as big sister and is constantly looking out for her younger brothers. She doesn’t hesitate to let us know when Grant is crying or Dallin is getting into something he shouldn’t. She and Dallin both love burping Grant and anyone else who will allow themselves to be burped. Katelyn has also become our little persuader. At 3 years of age she has discovered the benefit of charm. Lately when we ask her to clean up her toys or get ready for bed she looks up at us smiles and with a sweet voice says “no thank you” then continues what she is doing. She also prefaces each statement with “excuse me mommy.” She is quite an authority on some of our family’s routines and will let us know if we have forgotten anything. She is a sweet little girl who is growing up way too fast. Elisabeth keeps herself busy with three young children. She is constantly trying to think of something witty to say to everyone who comments on how busy she must be with three young children but so far the sleep deprivation has kept her from thinking too clearly so she generally just agrees with them. She spends her days cooking, cleaning, feeding, changing diapers, cleaning up accidents, blogging, (cameronandelisabeth.blogspot.com) hanging out with other moms, going to the library for story time, reading parenting books, watching Elmo or a princess movie, grocery shopping, running up and down three flights of stairs while carrying groceries and two of her three children and begging/bribing her third to walk by herself, going to the YMCA to get rid of the not so newly acquired baby weight, and arranging nap schedules so that everyone including herself has a nap together. She is also thinking of writing a book, why not, right? Cameron is in his third year of medical school and has yet to discover what kind of doctor he wants to be. He has become more paranoid about his health. After doing cancer review for his surgery rotation he decided to get a skin lesion on his forehead checked out by a dermatologist. It turned out to be a skin cancer and now people ask him if he ran into a bullet due to the circular hole in his forehead. It’s getting better and people don’t stare at his forehead as much when they talk to him. Patients would ask what happened to him….he liked telling them he ran into a doctor with a knife…he tried to think up a really good story but he’s a terrible liar. Now he wonders if he has early Alzheimer’s as he doesn’t seem to remember anything, thank goodness for palm pilots.

We hope this letter finds you happy and well. We have appreciated the love and support we have felt this year. Have a great 2008.

Braids

I braided Katelyn's hair for church today. I was amazed that she stayed still long enough for me to do it. Cameron was on call so I had to take pictures, because who know when she will let me do that again.

Fun lovin'

Katelyn and Dallin still love their baby Grant. Dallin especially loves giving hugs and kisses, stuffing in binkies, and cuddling (also known as farocious smoothering). Grant is still getting use to this sort of love, it's an aquired taste I suppose.
and Katelyn just beams when Grant is awake especially when he is smiling, which is becoming more and more the case... of course you wouldn't know it in these pictures,

Cameron is such a wonderful daddy. the kids love it when he comes home. Talk about him all day while he is at school."a daddy a do a do-ol aday?" yep Daddy went to school today? He tomming home anight? Yes he'll be home tonight. The dialogue continues much the same throughout the day and if ever they see anyone with a backpack. "They do a do-ol like Daddy?" yep they probably go to school, just like Daddy. I think it may be a shock for Katelyn when she starts school and daddy isn't in her class going to school with her. hopefully by then Cameron will be done with medical school.

I think he's had his fill of lovin'

Back to Busch Gardens

a New year means great deals for Busch Gardens passes, so after a 3 month absence we decided to get new passes and return once again. It was like a whole new experience for the kids, mostly for Dallin because Katelyn has an amazing memory and it was a new experience for Grant.

They loved the carousel ride.

We got to get up close and personal with the flamingos, Dallin loved it, and wanted to chase or touch time, Katelyn was terrified and wanted nothing to do with them.
our one and only family picture, a nice Japanese couple offered to take a picture of us, so thoughtful.
Katelyn and Dallin decided to "feed" the lion, I'm sure the lion was indeed very grateful.
Grant just enjoyed hanging out.
Yes those are real live gigantic alligators. Welcome to Florida! Thankful they keep their alligators well fed here and we haven't had any problems with them trying to eat large children... it's the small children I worry about...