Blessing Day!

Meridy


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Cousin Whitney and Brielle

Aunt Meridy and Brielle

Cousin Callee and Brielle

Cassandra

Kiley

Allen, Sawyer and Caden

Me, Derick , Macie, Roxanne and Jenika

Here is my precious niece, Brielle Kathryn Mortensen, Kiley and Jen's youngest. They had the opportunity to spend their Spring Break here in Utah. While they were here we were able to get the families together to celebrate Brielle. For most of us it was the first time seeing her. She is beautiful and looks a little bit like each of her siblings. We filled up her parent's ward chapel and their house afterwards. It was a wonderful day and I am so grateful to be her auntie. I have the best nieces and nephews in the world. They are a blessing to my life, each and every one of them. Each one is so different from the other, but they are wonderful and I wouldn't change a thing about them. I will have 40 nieces and nephews by the end of this year and 3 greats. I am soooo lucky!

Happy 30th Birthday Tonja Lou!

Dave and Tonja went out of town (Las Vegas)to celebrate her 30th. We went over to their house and decorated inside and out with LOTS of 30s. The kids came out to help us a little, we had lots of fun. If the weather had been better their lawn would have gotten it too. Tonja said the neighbors kept stopping by the house and dropping things off. Char and I love celebrating other people's bday. Expecially if it is supposed to be a secret! Well, it was no longer a secret! She kept them up for 2 weeks, she loved it, I just know it! Happy 30th Tonja, welcome to the 30s like the rest of us!!

Spa Day with the Girlies

On March 13, Char and I took her sister-in-law to the spa to celebrate her 30th birthday. We went all out and had a massage, a facial and a pedicure served with lunch. Outside it was snowing and so UGLY! Inside we were warm, especially in the sauna, and pampered. We were shown the royal treatment and I can't wait to go back.

Here are our toes. Tonja did green for St. Paddy's, Char did blue because she is wild and crazy (at least with her nail polish) and I did bright pink because I really felt like a girlie girl that day. We had tons of fun and we were so relaxed we practically melted home. I love girls day out!

Ok, so I don't who I have told and who I haven't, but I am going to lose weight this year. I am at my turning point and they say it will never happen until "that" does. Char and I have started our own little Biggest Loser team. We sent out an e-mail to those who wanted to join and we all put in $10 to start. Each month everyone e-mails their weight to Char and the person who loses the LEAST amount has to pay in more $$$$ (only $10). It helps that there is a money incentive because I plan to have to buy a new wardrobe when this year is up. So we were a little late getting started. We were back to the gym by Jan 4th, but we didn't get the eating thing down until the 11th. So I officially started on the 11th. . . no more sweets, no more coke, and no more fast food. I truly know your heart, brain and body have to be in it together. I make sure my gym clothes are packed every night, no excuses to run home after work. Days off are the hardest because I forget to eat or take my water with me. But every day I try a little harder and smarter to reach my goal. I don't want to take cholesterol pills anymore, I just, flat out, don't want to die this young.

So going back to the weight loss, as of today, February 22, 2010, 43 days into it I am down 20.2 lbs. You can be happy for me, I certainly am. I am probably annoying people with my calorie counting, fruit/veggie counting and making sure there is no cholesterol and is low fat with everything I put into my mouth. I even read my book "Lowering Cholesterol for Dummies", that I received for Christmas. If you don't know where to start, just start where you can. I don't do mornings, even though I could probably lose more than working out in the evenings, but I am happier at work and that is more important. I eat Subway if I forget to grab my lunch. . . lots of veggies and protein, but NO dressings. I now prepare my food for the entire week on the weekend so again no excuses. Next weigh in February 28,2010. I do not want to be the person paying in the $$.

The Biggest Loser has become a favorite of mine to watch on Tuesday nights. I feel like they helped motivate me into getting off my behind and back to the gym and to have a goal of my high school weight. . . I still think it is doable. No, I know it it is! I have many cheerleaders around me. They don't get upset if I have a slight set back, but they are always there cheering me on and asking how I am doing. I wish I had put up a photo, and I still might, but I hope the next time you see me you will see something different about me. I am happy and I am doing this. . . no matter what. So again, "Come what may and Love it."

Thank You!

Recently I decided to try to find and write to my old Young Women Leaders.  I don’t know if it is being a young women president and finally realizing how much goes into everything or finding out one of my leaders is fighting Breast Cancer.  Maybe it is a little of both.  They were such a HUGE part of my life.  From Girls Camp to Wednesday activities, Personal Progress, Dairy Queen runs, Road shows and Lake Blaine get togethers. . . my leaders were the best!  They helped mold and shape me and I know I listened to them more than my own mother at times.  I loved Wednesday nights.                                                                                  

So now, here I am partly in charge of 8 beautiful young women’s lives.  It has been a enormous undertaking.  All those times my leaders tried to help me stretch, overcome, think out of the box and be the very best I could be are now coming into play.  I now long to see these cute girls make the correct choices, strengthen their testimonies or maybe just find them.  I want them to see how much potential they have.  I get so sad when they don’t come to church or to activities.  I find myself asking the question, “did my Young Women leaders feel this same way?”  I would have to answer yes, only because they were so involved in all of our lives and they showed us every time they saw us and I know they prayed for us every day.

I understand now and I would love to give a shout out to all of them.  Thanks to Facebook I have been able to find many of them and give them a thank you.  Whenever I get back to Montana I always look out for those who are still there and give them a hug,  now it will be followed with a heart felt THANK YOU!  I am emotional thinking of what lays ahead for me, and I want so much to be the best leader for these girls,  like mine were for me. So thank you, thanks you, thank you!  I love you all and I wish only the best for you all.  And Nora, you’re the strongest of us all so keep fighting and my prayers are with you.

Laptop Love

I am now hooked up to my new laptop. . . so that means I am mobile. Oh joy, one more thing to read the instruction manual on. I know I won’t do that. Why should I do that when I have a million nephews that can help me and hook me up with all the latest and greatest. It may take me a while, but I am sure I will enjoy it. Plus I get to buy a really cute laptop bag to haul it around in. Any excuse to shop for something cute, that I don’t have to try on and make my butt look big(ger), I am on it.

New Years Resolutions

So I got on my blog today and I realized that I haven't written in a month. . . a whole month. Where in the heck did January go? I know I have been busy, but really to not have one post. I have spent more time in a gym, grocery store and kitchen that I have ever wanted to spend. It is time the New Year's resolutions.
1. I WILL lose weight. Because if I don't it will kill me (eventually).
** so far I am down 10.8 lbs. ( a true accomplishment)
2. Make it to the gym 4-6 times a week, NO excuses!
3. Smaller portions, smaller portions. . . it is my new mantra.
4. Make your lunch or go to Subway- no more McDonalds (unless it is a grilled chicken salad with a drop of dressing)
5. Be nice to people even when I don't want to be- you never know who is watching and taking notes.
6. Call my family members more often!
7. Do something crazy. . . not crazy stupid, just something different!
8. Be more giving with my time . . . you all know I am a "time hog." (that's what happens when you're single)
9. Be more adventurous. (not just with my hair color)
10. Come what may and LOVE it!