We did Cataract Canyon.  It was thru Holiday Expeditions a client of the Hubby’s company.  There were 50 of us.  It was great!  We were crazy cold in the rain and wind when the Colorado and the green river connect.  We set up camp and played sand Volleyball in wet sand.  That was crazy.  Oh and earlier that day we hiked over the canyon wall to a point where we could see both side of the river.  The guides took care of everything, all we had to do was set up our own tent.  The food was incredible and the company hilarious.  Never a dull moment.  The next day was all rapids and it was a blast.  On the last rapid we nearly tipped…well that’s what they told me.  I was in the nose of the boat (or at least i should have been.  I was holding on for dear life, and the only thing touching the boat was my two hands on the ropes.  I was washed out of the boat and back in, sure glad i never let go.  That night one of the guides busted out their guitar and a night of Zeppelin, Spears, AC-DC, and Swift was pure entertainment. The last day we ended at Lake Powell.  It was all so beautiful, and exhausting.  Loved every minuet.

Now, Preschool has started, and today was actually 48 this morning at 9.  Right now i think its 69.  Just perfect weather.  I’m watching the boys push each other in the big wheel up and down the driveway.  Hope everything is going great for you all.  I’ll be catching up with you all this week.  Let you know if anything interesting happens.

Question of the week? Where do you get your energy? (protein shots, oranges, exercise, sleep…)

Just after the family reunion at the lake we did a mini camping trip. Then, a work party with shoeless soccer came and a killer bruise from some guys sharp shin.

This last week i got to go with a camp for girls only, as a volunteer camp leader. I loved it. We went hiking, swimming in a lake with minnows everywhere, tubing down a river, and boating. It was quite the camp. No showers, just the river, and a couple of johns. The stars were amazing. I got to wash my hair in the river. Just a great week.

Sunday i got a call about my cousin. In a freak accident he died. This year had been full of sudden unexpected deaths. A constant reminder to be more present. To cherish my friends and family, and never forget how important every life is.

The funeral is Friday, then i get to go on a river rafting trip next week with my Hubby and his co-workers. It will be another nice way to get re-focused and recharge.

Life just keeps happening. The good, and the bad. At times the bad is actually good for me. It helps me remember what’s important to me. What matters to me. What i want to spend my time doing.

So, I’m grateful. I’m grateful for life. The good, the bad, the bizarre. It’s all one heck of a journey. I accept, and I’m going to keep looking for the good in everything, and keep on smiling.

Thanks for reading. Hope you all get some sunshine these last few weeks of summer.

We spontaneously went to Vegas on a trip with my best friend and her husband. We saw Ka’ and wow. Honestly was right up there next to seeing Le Mes in London, and even more amazing. Just breathtaking and completely clean. Surprising for Vegas. I’ll take my kids when their 10 if it’s still showing. Sure hope it is, because Wow it’s amazing. Gave me goose bumps, breathtaking.

We also saw the Chris Angel show. It was not a magic show at all. Ka’ was more magical, which says a lot for Ka’.

Spent one day swimming and laying out by the pool. So refreshing and re-energizing. I could do that every day all day. I so want a pool. They have these $200 pools at Costco. They are just above ground but hey that’s a start =) It will be a few years before we get anything. We are on a debt elimination focus these next three years.  We kept Vegas supper cheap.

Spent 4th of July watching the Idaho Falls Fireworks. I guess they are the biggest display west of the Mississippi. The kids loved it. Then it was our anniversary, and my birthday. Next is my family’s Bear Lake trip.

Heading out to grab a fathers day present. My little niece, the one who was born at 2 lbs is 4 months old this week. She weighs 6 lbs now and is doing great. This picture is just too cute not to share. She’s a little miracle and i love her so much. Every picture just makes me smile. So here’s my Happy Friday present to you all.

Love you guys – FS

Hope you all had a great week.

Stress Eating
I acknowledge that I’m a stress eater. “What you deny strives” so no more denyin’ it i just eat when I’m stressed, emotional, excited, (both kids are screaming at the same time instead of napping =), D all of the above triggers a habit of stress eating.

Habit Changing
Well yesterday when i was about to pull out all of my hair, and grabbed a box of graham crackers (still a pretty healthy alternative to chocolate and good at boosting serotonin) i stopped in my tracks and recognized in the moment exactly what i was doing. I decided to put the box of graham crackers back in the cupboard and replace this unhealthy habit starting now.

I drank a tall glass of water, i popped in a piece of chewing gum, and decided instead of stress eating i would stress clean. I cleaned the whole downstairs, and some of the upstairs too. It looked amazing, and the sense of accomplishment and getting something off my to do list sure felt better then i feel after eating chocolate or a box of graham crackers.

Any who, there’s my a-ha moment of the week.

Walking Path
I also got to check out the path by our home. I like it better than the other path i used last summer. It’s smooth, and there is no canal that i have to worry about my kids veering off into while ovoiding crashing into other kids on the path, this one has painted lines that help keep the chaos to a minimum, and even mile markers every 1/4mile. I’m living it, and little shaded benches here and there. All provided by the city. Sweet! The other one was city too just a little more of a fancy side walk which made loud noises with my bike trailer/ jogging stroller. Wow am i ever long winded.

Nut Allergies
Kids are both allergic to nuts. One is allergic to tree nuts, the other allergic to peanuts. So either way if we just say all nuts (or things that may contain nuts) were covered. None of our siblings or parents have nut allergies. But on my side of the family there are 6 out of 3 that have a nut allergy. That is just weird.

Hope you all enjoy your weekends, and get some good healthy sunshine one way or another.

I’ve been procrastinating getting back into shape. I pretty much took winter off, or at least not so intense. I eat healthy 80% of the time and that keeps me from gaining weight, but man am i ever out of shape.

So, i’ve been biking here and there. We decided to put the $40/mo city center family pas into part of the preschool cost starting in Aug. We have a bike, bands, 5/10 lb weights, and a pull up bar. Between that and body weight exercises were good.

Back Burner, on a Last Priority Setting
I borrowed 30 day shred from my sister. It’s hard, or I’m just out of shape. Either way i’m getting in shape. Why is it that i put my goals and dreams on the back burner, on a last priority setting? Not any more. I’m a better me all together when i take care of my self, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

Time to light the flame and start checking things of my dream list. I got my art studio (corner in the office) all set up where i can create, and I’m workin’ hard to get back in shape and stay in shape.  These workouts are the first that don’t have funky footwork where i end up twisting my knee.  Just simple baisics when done right kick my but, literally.

Tips to Boost Immune System
Whenever i start working out, or increase my intensity i get sick. So this time I’m…

-exhaust the muscle but not my self (exhaustion causes weak immune system)
-extra sleep
-added calories
-extra vitamin C
-extra vitamin E
-echinacea
-min of 10 glasses of water/day
-lower stress (via meditate/yoga/organization)

That’s it for now – FS

So we’ve literally been stuck in our 3rd floor condo for 3 years with the market dropping and not being able to sell. We finally paid down the mortgage to the point where we could almost sell, but at this cost i would buy the place and rent it out. So, for next three years at least we will be landlords. Just testing the water to see if we want to keep it for the long haul. We found great tenants, and a good cheep place to rent for the next three years while we pay off debt. It’s a basic townhouse with an attached garage. It will make it a lot easier to get out in the winter, and there are only 3 stairs not 24 to get in side. It feels smaller, but somehow has more square footage. All i know is we got a great deal, and will be making it work and paying down debts to snowball, and free up monthly cash.

Oh, and it’s in the next city over which has an awesome community center. For $44/month our entire family will have a full access pass. That’s cheaper than our current basic gym membership. Now, we’ll all have access to Pool, Water Park, Weight Room, Gym, Rock Climbing, and more. I’m excited to get some serious swim time in, and while paying of debt free rock climbing makes for a fun date night. Yea! So give a little in open space, and get out of the house quick, and play more. I think it’s a great trade.

Now i have 10 days to pack =) Wow, but then i have a week to finish cleaning up before we hand it over.

A bunch of my art.  Art is a great way for me to experience something more fully, and be more present.  I have to give it my full attention and concentration.

I found this site, a lot of it is deep psychology stuff which i just realized i love reading, even thou i hate reading novels. Just another thing I’m figuring out. Here’s a quote that pretty much sums it up.

EIGHT WAYS TO SELF ACTUALIZE

1. Experience things fully, vividly, selflessly. Throw yourself into the experiencing of something: concentrate on it fully, let it totally absorb you.
2. Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and need for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth): Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.
3. Let the self emerge. Try to shut out the external clues as to what you should think, feel, say, and so on, and let your experience enable you to say what you truly feel.
4. When in doubt, be honest. If you look into yourself and are honest, you will also take responsibility. Taking responsibility is self-actualizing.
5. Listen to your own tastes. Be prepared to be unpopular.
6. Use your intelligence, work to do well the things you want to do, no matter how insignificant they seem to be.
7. Make peak experiencing more likely: get rid of illusions and false notions. Learn what you are good at and what your potentialities are not.
8. Find out who you are, what you are, what you like and don’t like, what is good and what is bad for you, where you are going, what your mission is. Opening yourself up to yourself in this way means identifying defenses–and then finding the courage to give them up.

Let go of the ego, fear, pride, defense, and guilt. Start living, my way of living, and take a risk.

I recently tried out a biz that i thought i would love. It turned out the exact opposite. No worries, no regrets, just glad i tried something new. If you never try you’ll never know. Now i know for sure. Next =)  Now, i’m busy packing and getting home prepped for renters. That in itself is a risk, and an adventure.

Hope you all get the chance to take one risk or try something new, or do something you’ve always wanted to do , or just speak your truth, how you feel about.. whatever =) – FS

Moving
We’ve been crazy tight the past 3 years. We bought our condo at the top and it depreciated 40k right away, and now another 30k. So we finally paid of the 2nd and realized we can now rent it out, and go live wherever we want. Yippie! With two kids I just need a little yard and a garage attached to my place. Were probably gona just rent a town home with a little yard, and 400 more square feet. It will be great.

So i’m bussy pakin’, and i’m going to get my hair done.

Redhead
I’ve always been a redhead…wait no it turned red when puberty hit at 12. Weird, any who it’s time for a change, i may go blond, everyone should be blond once in their life to make up for their blond moments =) I have quite a few of them, but then i was blond until i was 12.

Hope you all get a chance to have some fun this week and laugh a little. Love you all, talk to you soon.

I’m at 8lbs lost and holding, now it’s time to kick this plateau with some exercise, and switch around some of my healthy food. Make sure I’m not eating the exact same things and exact same calories every day. Make sure I’m mixing up how and what muscle groups I’m working. If i do what needs to be done i will get results.

Finacial Health:
Thanks to an amazing CPA and saving like crazy we’re able to pay off our 2nd mortgage. Even with that our condo is still 30k above market value, but it’s at least possibly to rent it out if an emergency happens. Now we just need to stick to our budget, stay here as long as possible, snow ball our debt, and save up cash to put down on a home eventually.

Spring is coming, and the extra sunshine sure makes a difference. Hope you all get a little sun this week.