gulp gulp gulp

They say that we should be drinking half our weight in ounces of water every day. 

I've actually been getting closer and closer to that! I actually down 8 oz of water every hour.  Then, I drink herb tea throughout the day.  (I love using my teapot that I bought when I was in CHINA last year!) If the water gets too boring, I shake things up a little by: adding lemon slices, adding cucumber slices, or adding Crystal Light.  My hair is more healthy, my skin is brighter and more elastic and I find that I'm staying fuller longer.  I don't snack or eat sweets.  I thought that drinking water was always so overrated, but I'm seeing the benefits of the stuff.  I'm quite addicted and don't drink so much pop.  I occasionally have one, but not like I used to! I learned that the carbonation used in pop can actually replace the oxygen in our red blood cells if we don't drink enough water and just drink pop.  It also slows down the calcium absorbed by our cells! I so love my Diet Coke...but it's bad for me!  (I know, they've been saying that for years, but I choose when to listen)

Click HERE for a website that has some other good benefits of drinking water if you're interested.

So, here's to our health!

why is that?

I buy the Pretty Pretty Princess game for Ryanna for $1.99 from Goodwill and my BOYS play with it more than she does! Dawson played with it for about 2 1/2 hours yesterday.  And it's a DAILY occurance!

Yikes.

But he doesn't play with it like a GIRL would.  The rings are bad guys, the bracelets are ropes, the pawns are battleships and the earrings are bullets.  What an imagination!

do you have a holdaway hangover??

Talk about a Holdaway Hangover! We have all played and worked so hard last week, there are literally HUGE BAGS under my eyes.  I have had more than one person ask me why I look so tired.  Well, when you play as hard as I do, you have to recover afterwards!

Thanksgiving Thursday started out normal enough.  We went to Chuck Arama for a Thanksgiving Feast! Along with tons of other VERY grumpy people! Goodness.  If you don't get there early, DON'T GO! It was fun though, we had a blast laughing and talking and eating.  Great way to start off the Holiday.

Jump Little Children!

After we were done with my family, we went over to Holdaways' and had more fun and food.  We played games, had a White Elephant exchange party, and two pinatas in honor of Garrison.  He's leaving in a couple weeks for Meridia, Mexico on his mission! Since he's the baby of the family, he had A LOT of support!

Friday was so much fun.  I had a quilt retreat with my sisters and Mom.  We spent the entire day sewing and I have two things to show for it.  TWO PILLOWCASES!!! Besides the face that my Mom has told me numerous times how to do it, she still sounds like she's speaking another language.  I just didn't get it! I got it finally and now I feel quite accomplished.  Thank you very much!

Saturday was a very special day.  We mostly spent it in the temple.  It was a wonderful day and afterwards we got to eat lots of food at Golden Corral.  After THAT, those involved with the special musical number for Sacrament Meeting on Sunday had to practice.  Steve (my awesome brother in law) arranged an organ duet with he and I on the organ and a three part harmony for the girls to sing.  Jayme, Tena and Sabrina (all sisters/in laws) sang and sounded ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

Sunday was intense. But we survived it and I made some very endearing memories.  The kids were heartbroken when their cousins left.  It was such a fun time with all the family, those moments are sure special.

Carter was so wigged out by all the chaos and fun, he didn't know what to do with himself half the time!

Ryan and Garrison at the temple.  They looked so handsome in their suits!

Look at the cousins! They're so cute.

Sorry the lighting is bad for these couple, but they were so cute! And it's RARE that I actually get smiles out of all the cousins at the exact same time!! Go ME!

My neice Morynn and I got to watch Pillow Talk and have a slumber party complete with painting our nails and eating junk food!

Hugs Hugs Hugs! Kaleigh loves her Uncle Garrison!

Gaylan and Sabrina

Whew! What a weekend it was, now I'm taking two Advil and going to bed!  Seriously, I feel very blessed to be apart of two such wonderful families as the Christensens and Holdaways.  We love you, we admire you, we cherish you!