Not up.....Down!

Jared and I have been on the weight loss train for a couple of months now. Choo Choo!!

And, yes, Jared has lost more than DOUBLE what I have lost! I know men tend to lose more weight more quickly than women but it still doesn't make be feel that much better. But, Jared is so supportive! I rather enjoy taking this journey to healthier living with him! It is so much easier to eat healthy when he is eating healthy too.

Tuesday is our "official" day to weigh in. So, I get on the scale and I am up .5!! WHAT?? Can that be right? I haven't changed anything.....I haven't been sneaking treats.....but I am still UP! So, I have been feeling a little bit DOWN and DISCOURAGED! I don't skip the fries to get on the scale gain .5!!!

So, my sweet Jared has been sending me words of encouragement. Trying to keep me on the right track. After all, if you drop one egg you don't throw the rest of the carton on the floor, right?

Still, I am not feeling too great about myself. Then I see it...

And it says: "I love you Emily Johnson!!! I also LOVED you 13 pounds ago and that will not change!"

All I could do is...

Day Three-What a Character!!

What is a trip to Disneyland without those awesome Disney CHARACTERS??? Nothing!! And we definitely saw some real characters...

Woody and Jessie were the first!

We saw Alice and her gang...

And Flynn...

...Dumbo was flying and Goofy made us laugh...But the wicked queen wouldn't smile for anything...

The County Bears danced with Gracie and Isabelle...they havent been at the park for 5 years!

Aladin and Jasmine made an appearance...

Mr. Incredible was truly "incredible"...And Lightning McQueen was lookin good..."Ka-Chow"

Snow White was sweet...

Best of all some of our favorite characters showed up to play with us....Do you recognize these guys?? We loved seeing the California Nielsen's!!

And who are these characters???? They look pretty scary...
It was another great day.....And we went home EXHAUSTED!!

Day Two-"First Visit"

We finally made it to the gates of Disneyland! It was a beautiful day! The sun was as warm as our hearts! We started our first day in the happiest place on Earth....












And so was EVERYONE else!

But the castle was a beautiful as ever!!!

We rode on a ship and a train....We went on a jungle cruise and climbed up to Tarzan's house.


In the afternoon, Mackay and Mallory joined us for some fun and a ride with Indiana Jones...

But there was no rest until we made a trip to the TOWER of TERROR!
The tower was a HIT! Everyone loved it!It was another GREAT day! And we were exhausted!!!

Day One-Newport Beach

On our first day in California we decided to rent a van (12 PASSENGER) and take the kids to the beach. Gracie and Isabelle had never seen the ocean. It was quite an adventure....I don't think Jared will be running out to buy a 12 passenger van anytime soon (Whew!). The water was cold but that didn't seem to stop the kiddies...

It was a GREAT day!

The best part....

So, if you know us, you know we leave for the "Happiest Place on Earth" tomorrow morning! We are really excited to get away but the best part is.....

We will ALL be together!

It has been a long time since we have been on a trip together where the whole family has been there! With Mackay graduated and working, we don't get to see him nearly as often as we would like. It will be so great to spend five whole days as a WHOLE family! I really think that will be the best part!

Now I am ready.....

...to leave Utah for a few days! I leave home for work and there is no snow in sight. Nothing on the ground...nothing coming down...there is no snow! Once I get to work, look...
What the ???? A few days in California is sounding better and better with every passing moment! Now, if I can just make it through the next two days at work...

Can I make "granny" proud?

If you read my blog you know I have a goal to crochet an afgan in 2011.....technically, I want to crochet an "awesome" afgan! So, I started looking for a pattern for a "granny square." Well, apparently I am not the best at reading patterns. The granny squares were getting the best of me! I tried quite a few different patterns and it just didn't seem to work very well.....so I called on good 'ol You Tube for assistance. I was able to find several how to videos for crocheting a granny square. After watching a few different demonstrations (several times) I was able to make this:

Could it be? Did I do it? I wasn't quite sure so I tried it again...and WHA LA! Two granny squares!

Now, do I dare to put more than one color in a square??? I am not quite sure I am ready for that but you never know!

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

I am well aware that I am not the best driver in the world but on the drive to work this morning I was FLIPPED OFF, HONKED AT, and CUT OFF! What the heck?!?! Knowing that I can be a distracted driver, I asked my carpool partner if I was driving particularly horrible today. . . and I was NOT! I was not talking on the phone or putting on my makeup or displaying any one of my other distracted driving behaviors. And yet.....people were nasty today! I arrived at work wondering "What just happened?"

Thought of the Day: Be kind when you are on the road today! Just say "NO" to road rage!

Countdown to DISNEYLAND!

Jared and I decided this year to give the kids a trip to DISNEYLAND for Christmas! We are so excited!!!! We leave for the happiest place on Earth on January 27, 2011 for five fun filled days in California. We are so excited!!!! We are going with Brandon and Kristina and their kids as well! We are so excited!!!! The girls ask every morning, "How many days until we go to Disneyland?" Well....today we have

23 days!

We are so EXCITED!!!!

Happy New Year!

Well, here we are in a brand new year! It is time once again to evaluate how I spend my time and make some goals for the new year. I hate to call them "resolutions" because those just never seem to work out. But there are a few things I would like to accomplish in 2011....

1. Read at least one book each month. (ok, not so hard for me....but I do seem to go long stretches without reading and that is just no good)
2. Have FHE more regularly.
3. Crochet an "awesome" afgan.
4. Incorporate more color into my work wardrobe.
5. Get a new family picture taken.
6. Keep blogging!!

And finally.....Jared and I have decided to count points again. We both had success with the Weight Watchers program in the past and want to start it up again. We need to eat more healthy and I know I do a better job when I write down what I eat. We are also turning Mackay's room into a workout room, setting up the treadmill and total gym so we can get some exercise this winter as well. (Sorry Mackay.....)

I feel good about 2011! It will definitely be busy at work but hard work never hurt anyone!

What are your goals for 2011???