Abs of Steel

I've been on the 3 Week Ab Plan for 3 weeks now and the results, my friends, are incredible.

What is the 3 Week Ab Plan, you ask? Well, first let me show you the results...

BEFORE

AFTER

I know, the results are hard to believe. I wouldn't believe it either if it weren't for the fact that my washer just broke down and I have had to do all of my laundry by hand with my abs doubling as a washboard. 

The 3 Week Ab Plan is simple. 

Why spend hours at the gym and count calories 

when you can just cough your way to better abs in 21 days?

I'm not talking about a petite cough or clearing of, what Nate likes to call it,  lung cookies. I'm talking about coughing so hard you might cough up a lung... or a kidney... or if you were pregnant, a baby. 

A cough so hard that it forces you to dry heave on the floor since there's no baby to throw up.

A hacking cough, where coughing without crossing your legs is just as dangerous as being a woman who has birthed multiple children jumping on a trampoline. 

A cough that is so intense it throws your back out rendering your body useless (true story).

I realize I'm not painting you very pretty picture, but folks let face it, just like crying or yawning, there's no attractive way to cough.

No worries to all my fellow germaphobes out there. I've been on an antibiotic for a few days now and I'm pretty sure I'm not contagious via blogging.

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Defying Logic & Reason

I did it! I finally finished off the jar of candy cane almonds that's been sitting in my cupboard... taunting me... each minute... of each day. And now I have finally rid myself of its minty, chocolaty, almond temptation.

For some reason I think that faster I eat it, the better off I'll be. All my friends on Facebook said I should just throw it away (insert audible gasp here). My parents did me an injustice when they taught me not to waste my food. But really, you don't understand, these were really good.

Now, all I have to show for that empty container of candy cane almonds is
an extra 4 pounds and an exciting new toy for my dog to play with.

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We New Years Eve-ed

How about a little dodge ball with your New Years celebration? 

Yes, please.

This was my family's after-breakfast entertainment portion for New Years eve.

Everyone joined in...

brother in-laws, sisters, nieces, nephews,

the young, and the moderately old.

One goal... to win.

The second... show no mercy.

It was intense.

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The evening portion of our night consisted of

pizza, home-made empanadas, hanging out with my brother's family,

playing games, turning the clock back two hours, watching the live feed of NY Time Square,

and tricking the kids into thinking they stayed up 'til twelve.

I have no guilt.

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Now the tree is taken down, the stockings are put away, and I'm ready for the new year to begin!

Even the best laid plans...

You haven't heard from me for a while, but I'm here. I might need to post a picture of myself just incase you've forgotten who I am.

Jealous of my beauty? You should be.

Just think how lucky Nate feels right now.

I found myself writing this post a while ago. I guess I wrote it for more myself than anyone else which is why it sat in my unpublished posts for a while. Tonight I was in need of this little gentle reminder...

(watch out, I'm going to get all serious on you)

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"Get on your knees and thank Him for His goodness to you, and express to Him the righteous desires of your hearts. The miracle of it all is that He hears, He responds, He answers, not always as we wish He might answer, but there is no question in my mind that He answers." Gordon B. Hinkley

There I was, the 2008 version of myself- 3 kids, a husband fresh out of dental school, a move across the country, living in my parents basement.

I had a plan. It was simple. Nate would find the job of his dream- steady and high paying. We would upgrade from a one car family to a two car family, and speaking of upgrading, we would get rid of our minivan that had faithfully made the 2,135 miles drive from Philidelphia. We would live with my parents only temporary until we found the perfect house to settle down in. And we would live happily ever after.

My plan couldn't have been further from reality.

The world that I lived in felt like such an unhappy one. Nothing was going the way I had planned it would. Which was really quite a bummer, because my plan was a pretty good one.

Instead Nate found a job that required an hour long commute one way. He worked long hours with another dentist, who in return paid us nearly nothing. I spent months trying to get a home loan figured out so we could buy a house, but no one wanted to lend us the money. What started out originally as a 3 month plan of living in my parents basement, turned into a year. I felt like I was treading water, barely able to keep my head above it. Gasping for air at times.

It didn't make sense, how could a plan that felt so right turn out so wrong?

That time became a time of prayer and faith, a time of being reminded that sometimes the plan that we have for ourselves is not always the best plan.

It was about mid-November, when a friend from dental school called and offered Nate a part time position in his office, which eventually turned into a full time position, which eventually turned into an opportunity  to buy into a partnership.

Things started to look up. We were able to buy a second car and after months and MONTHS of trying we were able to get a loan to buy our very first house. The kids started school and I began to find friends and feel like I was a person again.

I look back on that 2008 version of myself and feel grateful that I (but really we, both me and Nate) were able to push through it. I can see now that what we went through then were stepping stones to get us to where we are today. And whatever we may be going through today, will bring us closer to an even greater plan that Heavenly Father has in store for us.

And hopefully, one day, that plan will include getting rid of our sad little minivan.

But for now, I am reminded that faith is an ever continual process; that this life that we live is meant to refine us; and that our plans, no matter how amazing and perfect they may seem, are not always what we need.

"Faith in God includes Faith in God's timing"

Neal A. Maxwell

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Sweet Genius

This culinary masterpiece brought to you by Kaleb.

I believe someone's been watching a little too much Food Network.

Recipe for Banana-hana, by Kaleb

"You get a banana, then you cut it into two peices. Then get two tropical Oreo's.
Then ummm, break one. Then get preztels and smash 'em. Sprinkle it over. Then get Nutella.
Oh, back to the pretzels... put sugar in the pretzels (a half a cup).
Then it's DONE!!!"

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Pinkalicious Party

Let's pretend that my friend, Angie, didn't throw this party for her cute daughter, but rather I did...

because I'm a good mom like that.

And let's pretend that throwing a party like this doesn't make my head hurt from all the details and the planning.

And let's pretend that I'm not secretly jealous that I didn't throw a CUTE & very PINK party like this.

I stopped by the party to take some pictures for Angie, because if you're going to go to the efforts of planning a party like this it has got to be documented.

Everything was pink from the GIANT pinkalicious cupcake down to the cute scrabble tile pinkalicious necklaces. And my personal favorite- the pink and white striped straws and pink lemonade.

And staying true to the pinkalicious book, each guest ate a pickle when it was time to leave.

Now suddenly, playing pin the tail on the donkey doesn't seem quite as exciting.
Unfortunately, for my kids, they will never know a party like this unless they get invited to one.

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Dear party planners extraordinaire,
I live vicariously through you... keep it up.
Sincerely, Ginnie

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We Halloweened

We dressed up, went to parties, trick-or-treated, ate way too much candy, 

and did all those things that Halloweeners do on Halloween.

Abrie originally wanted to be a hippie. 

"A Hippie?" 

"Ya, a HIPPIE... you know, the people who wore baggy pants, big sweatshirts... hats on backwards."

"Abes, I think you mean a gangster. And if we're being politically correct it would be pronounced, gangsta'."

We ended up settling on an 80's girl.

We're going to pretend that Macie drew Eden's whiskers on.

This would be 1 of 4 Halloween costumes that Macie wore this year.

Halloween eve eve...

Halloween day. Please note Macie's wardrobe change.

Did I mention I dressed up this year?

You can friend me if you want.

I'm catching my breath after cleaning up my 3 Halloween decorations (it was tough work) and throwing away hidden candy wrappers between cushions, on counters, in pockets, and even stuffed under their pillows (perhaps from late night snacks). 

And now I'm starting to feel a bit anxious knowing that it's November, which means it will soon be Thanksgiving, which means it will soon be December, which means it will soon be Christmas... commence breathing in brown paper bags and doing all the other things that anxious people do when feeling a panic attack coming on.

My goal this season is to simplify. Lot's easier said then done, I think.

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Husbands, Take Note

*Studies show that men are found to be 89% sexier when spending time with their children.

Why 89%? I don't know- it just felt right.

Throw in scrubbing the toilets and doing the dishes and that percentage raises by another 11%.
(*All studies were based on opinion only... my opinion)

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Flat Butt Syndrome

14 hours of my life were spent in a car yesterday.

I had spent the week with my sister and niece, visiting another one of my nieces in AZ.

 It was a long drive home from Douglas, AZ to Salt Lake City, UT

but I did it. I made it. 

The only side effect is a flat butt 

and a constant twitching, most likely do to 5 Hour energy drink overdose.

My sister took the 3:30-10:30 pm driving shift

and I took the 10:30 pm-6:00 am shift.

15 minutes into my drive, I got pulled over by a cop for the first time in 11 years.

Apparently, the speed limit was 45...

I was going 75.

He took pity on me and I slid away with a warning.

After that, I faithfully followed the speed limit for the next hour or so.

I was doing awesome most of my drive -Pandora on the radio, turned up high-

but the last 2.5 hours of my drive were KILLER.

I suddenly felt like Jessie from Saved By The Bell...

"I'm so excited.... I'm so excited..."

(Please tell me you know what I'm talking about)

I eventually made it home at 6:00 am safe and sound.

Everyone was still fast asleep so I quietly snuck inside and said hello to puppy millie.

She peed with excitement at the sight of me.

Then I climbed in the covers and sank into my official place in bed- spooning close to Nate.

At 9:00 am I was greeted by the kiddo's. It was a welcomed sight after 5 days of being childless.

Eden was especially happy to see me. 

I'm pretty sure she peed with excitement too.

And now, I'm dragging and I can barely think straight 

 and I feel like I'm floating and I seem to have a permanent headache

and backwards my words come out.

I'm pretty sure I'm done with all night drives...

Until the next time I decide to do another impromptu road trip with my sister.

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An official letter

Dear Friends, family, and blog stalkers,

I am no longer taking any photography clients. I decided it was time to simplify my life and since getting rid of one of my children was not an option -at least at this point- the next thing to go was my photography. I might start back up in the spring... or not. 

In the meantime, I will continue to keep up on my photography blog- I still have lots of pictures that need to be posted there.

As for the kids, they seem to be pretty excited about it....

... overwhelmingly excited about it.

Thanks so much for all the support! :)

Ginnie

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