This sucks

From August 07 to October 08

So I feel like I have tried really hard this year to be physically fit. I had a miscarriage in early spring at which time it took me about 4 weeks to gain 15 lbs. 7 months later and I've lost maybe 5 lbs. of it. It didn't help with the already added 5-10 lbs of christmas eating. I eat smaller portions now and less sugars and starches than I was before. I load up on vitamins, veggies, and fruits. I feel like I eat a balanced diet. I also exercise very regularly. I hike, rock climb, or run at least 2 times a week. More if I can. I always park far away from wherever I go and I usually run from my car to the store/preschool/whichever. I am so tired of this extra weight. I'm not use to being this heavy and nothing to show for it. i.e. a baby. I just wish I had the time to run 5-10 miles a few times a week. It's a great escape, it feels great, and I'm thinner (nice perk). I honestly have not thought much about my weight over the years. A few lbs here or there was no big deal for me. But this isn't fun. No fun at all!!!

January 22

Well, such is the story of my life. I have always loved being a military wife. Obviously the benefits are great. Medical is better than anywhere else. Financially, it gives us comforts. I get to see different places by being stationed somewhere new. I love to explore the world and see what it has to offer. I love Daniel in a uniform. =) Can't go wrong there. It's a job my husband loves and he is great at it. It's who he is to the core. It's been hard seeing him do any other job that doesn't relate to protecting and serving this country. We get great prices on groceries/clothing/household what-not's. So it's been very good to us in many ways over the years.

But...yes there's a but. The one thing I don't enjoy is the "not knowing" aspect. Not knowing when I will get to see my husband again. Not knowing where we are stationed or even when we will find out where we will be stationed. I was told today that it could be anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks before Daniel graduates that we will know where (January 22). And when he graduates, he leaves to his permanent duty station. That means we may only have a couple/few weeks to relocate. I really wouldn't mind it for myself. But it's very difficult to tell 4 little girls, "ok, girls. We are moving in 3 weeks. Say goodbye to everyone. Sorry Siriana and Anelyn, you don't get to see your preschool teachers anymore. Sorry Lexie and Gabriella, you are moving to a new school at the end of the school year again and will likely spend the remainder of the year with no friends at recess." It's very difficult to explain to them to rely of faith and things will work out. "Pray for strength girls". Lexie understands some. Gabriella understands very little. It's like to talking to brick walls with the twins. All they know is they are mad at me for the changes and Mom gets to feel the pain of all of them.

So this is me venting. I love the military and all it does for our country. I love to see the sacrifices my husband and all the troops make daily. I love to be a supporter of my husband and freedom in this country. I just wish my girls could see the goodness in the sacrifices that they are making. What they are giving up for us to live in a free country. It's a true sacrifice that all those children give up who go without their dad or mom. And especially those that lose someone to the war. So many people recognize the sacrifices of the spouses and how hard it is. I really think it's been so much harder on the. They don't understand why they are going through what they go through. I just have to give them normalcy in every way possible. Church on Sunday. School during the week. Homework. FHE on monday. Lots and lots of prayers for dad.

Doctrine & Covenants 88:119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.

I hope what I do is enough. Many times, it just doesn't feel like it.

Be strong Cristy. Be strong.

This is the place

We went to This is the Place last friday. I just wanted to take my girls to show them some of the Church's history but when I called to check times and rates, they said they were doing trick or treating and games. So it was more of a fun trip than eduational. But the girls had a blast. This was Siriana's first time on a pony. She had a fun time but wouldn't let me let go of her. She's so cautious...it's cute.

Gabriella hasn't been on a pony since she was about 9 months old. She's a natural it seems. She climbed right up there and just grinned ear to ear. But knowing Gabriella, I'm sure she would have preferred no rope so she could wander the area. She's my adventure bug.

Easy entertainment I tell ya. That thing was so heavy that another grownup had to help me. If the lady had left me there, I would have been stuck. I don't know that the girls would have been able to get me out. Though they might have preferred that!

Lexie wouldn't go anywhere near the pony's which I had expected. So I just took the other 3 on them. But when they got off, I couldn't find lexie. She had gone to the "petting zoo" section. It surprised me since she has a fear of several animals. She sure loved those goats. She was so gentle and caring with them. Trying to feed them, pet them, anything to make them happy. It was too adorable. I'm glad she found a happy place cause she was pretty scared of the pony's.

This was the picture of the day. Anelyn was so anxious while we were waiting in line to ride the pony. She kept trying to climb to the fence. Finally, I told her it was her turn and she ran up and tried to climb on herself. I helped her up and she was beaming. She wasn't scared or wobbly on there. Her turn was up too quick. She had to let Siriana have a turn. As soon as Siriana's turn was up, Anelyn ran up ready to have another turn. I let her sit for a second but others had to have a turn. She love, love, loved it though. Even the workers were shocked at how comfortable she was and they said she the prettiest princess they had seen that day.

There was a train that circled around the park so we rode it a few times. It was nice at the end of the day because my feet were killing me after hours of walking...in boots. Smart one Cristy. It's nice to find fun ways to spend our days while Daniel is away.

Science Project #3

This one wasn't so fun. Lexie was scared when we went to Weber River off the corner of the 189 and highway 84. It wouldn't have been so bad except we were going under the bridge that the cars were driving on. This was our shortest visit mainly because it was unsafe to bring all the girls out of the car and nobody wanted to hang out under the bridge where it was so loud.

Science Project Location #2

The second location we went to was the Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island. The smell was horrid. Poor Lexie could barely breath in the awesome aroma of buffalo dung. mmm, mmm yummy!
But it was fascinating how salty the water was. We tasted water which I think tasted saltier than ocean water. With so much evaporation over the years, where else is the salt suppose to go.
The view where we were was so breathtaking. Mountains were our view in every direction. The sand was really quite smooth which we hadn't expected.
This was my favorite nature picture of the day. The white foamy stuff is from the salt buildup I am told. It was like a layer of salt bubbles all around the Lake. The water was also the thickest water. I'm told there is so much salt in the lake that you just float. I really would like to try it some day but the water is very unappealing.

Science Fair Fun

I love Love Love Science Fair 'Season'!!! I am so excited my children finally get to do science projects for school. And thankfully my children love it as much as I do. The day before yesterday, we spent the day searching for different bodies of water. Lexie's project is to test the different amounts of salt content from different bodies of water. It took us a little over 5 hours to accomplish our task of gathering jars of water but it went well. I thought they would complain about all the driving but they really enjoyed it. First we went to the Pineview Reservoir that gets its water from the Ogden river, Shanghai creek, Goodale creek, Wheeler creek, Smith creek, Spring creek, Wolf creek, and Elk creek for certain. There are a few other possibilities that drop into the Reservoir but I'm not certain. It was so beautiful there. It was kind of a rocky beach so the girls took full advantage and did some rock throwing. We only spent about 20 minutes at each spot but it was fun nonetheless.

One month in the life of Daniel

So I thought I would tell about what my wonderful husband has been going through. He left on August 21st for processing into the Army and headed to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. There he had a series of lovely shots, doctor appts, dentist appts, and such. Which took him about a week to finish. He then got to spend the next 3 weeks cleaning and marching! Yep, that was pretty much it. Doesn't that sound fun. Ok, not so much. The End! Well, that was the end of Fort Sill. On to Sante Fe, New Mexico!!! Finally!

Daniel got to NM on Sept 19th which is when the real fun began. First of all, Sante fe is at 7000 ft elevation which would make any training difficult. When I lived in Washington I ran at 0 ft elevation, I was running 7 1/2 minute miles. I moved to Utah where its maybe 4000 ft elevation and I started out running 12 min miles. So I can imagine an additional 3000 ft would make it that much harder. He's superman, I swear it. Well that's what I tell my girls about him anyway! :)

Back to my story... Some of the courses he's done are... First, he learned how to use his M16 that he has to keep with him 24 hrs a day. And if they forget it, they get punished. For example, he went to pick up a postal package I sent him but he forgot his gun. The "padre"(worker) made him go get his gun then he had to stand in squatting position for 5 minutes while holding his gun out in front of him 1/2 cocked back. Poor Daniel. When he finally got to open his package, his body was shaking so bad he could barely use his new phone. But he remembers his gun now. He's gotten to do an obstacle course where he crawls under things and jumps through tires. That sort of thing. He had fun with it even though he was dog tired by the end of the day.

He had a course in reading and understanding using a compass and map to find your way home. Then they were taking to a location and told to find their way back. There was an 'interesting' course where he learned to tie his knife to the end of his gun and 'kill tires' with it. That wasn't really something I wanted to imagine in reality but it is reality. Among other things, he learns how to enter homes and handle hostile situations, a lot of classroom training to prepare them for war, and along with the courses they of course have physical training that is long and grueling.

He just left this morning for an 8 days 'camping trip' to White Sands, NM. All he knows is they will be sleeping in tents and there won't be any phone service that he is aware of. I can't wait to here of all he got to learn and explore in the life of the Army!

He is superman in my eyes. I love to here the strength in his voice of all he has gained while there. This is what he was meant to do at this point in his life. I love having the privilege to be there to love and support him. To be his cheerleader. I'm not always the strongest cheerleader out there but I give it my all. Another 2 1/2 months before I get to see him again. It's hard to imagine what else he will get to experience while in school. It's sometimes hard to remember what it feels like to hold him in my arms. I look forward to that day. To see the smile's on my girls' face when they see their dad again and to be able to hold and kiss him and tell him all their stories. I can't wait for that day!