I just got this email and thought it was perfect for what I am attempting this week.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Yesterday I went to the doctor

for my yearly physical.

My blood pressure was high ....

My cholesterol was high ......

I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot. My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems.

He said: Just think in colors. Fill your plate with bright colors. Try some greens, oranges, reds, maybe something blue, etc.

So I went right home and ate an entire bowl of


And sure enough, I felt better immediately. I never knew eating right could be so easy !!!

No Sugar Challange

A week ago I lay in bed with a lump of cake and frosting sitting in my stomach. I thought about just how much cake, cookie, brownies and sweets I actually eat. I had to admit I think I am addicted to sweets/sugar. I have tried to cut back in the past but just end up making a big batch of cookies instead. I just wonder if I would feel better if maybe I cut back on all that stuff? The bigger question can I really go without it. So, I decided to challenge myself. One week without sweets. That included cake, candy, cookies, brownies, pop and donuts (the last two are for my family).
I told my family what I was doing and they decided they might give it a try also. So here we go one week SUGAR FREE. I will give you an update everyday on how it is going. Why don't you join us????

Sweet Sixteen

I can't believe my little niece turned Sixteen! She grew up way to fast.
The Fabrizio kids got to come to Utah for Thanksgiving while their parents went on to Hawaii. Since Jenessa's birthday was only a few days earlier we had a birthday party for her.


I am always in for a party plus it is not everyday you turn 16 so we had to celebrate.:) We had a great time.



I think the kids always have fun together. Whatever the occasion.

Happy 16 Jenessa!

Back to reality. Sigh. I am just returning from a weekend getaway to St. George. Saturday Nov. 14th was mom's birthday so we decided to go away for a weekend celebration. After a bit of persuading Dad decided to come along. It was so nice to just sit and talk. When you get the whole family together and kids running around it is hard sometimes to just sit and talk as adults. I really enjoyed the one on one time that Lorilee and I had with my parents.
Of course we hit a few stores and did some damage. What would a Brown family vacation be without shopping. It is in our blood. But, I have to say we have been doing it all wrong. Friday we indulged in pedicures and facials. It was awesome! Something I definitely need to do again, forget shopping.:)
We enjoyed some good restaurants and watched some good movies and the weather was nice (it snowed at home). It was hard to leave the sunshine behind.

I am a little slow on posting this but oh well.....Halloween Party

As you know by now Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Each year as it comes into sight I ask the kids "do you want to have a Halloween party?" This year Natalie and her kids were going to be in town so I went for it. We had a party.
Everyone dressed up and looked great. We ate dinner,
decorated witches hats (made of cookies and ice cream cones) with frosting and sprinkles.



We bobbed for apples (it got a little out of control :))




And we roasted marshmallows out in the fire pit.
Everyone had a great time.

Happy Friday. The weekends have a whole new meaning now that I work all week. Actually I have to be honest the boys' and I had school off today. I could get used to that :). We cleaned out both of their closets and moved out all the clothes that didn't fit and brought in the long sleeve shirts, sweaters and jackets. It's fall! Although we would not know it. We have been so lucky to have great weather. We were in the 70's all week. Last night I took Whitney to soccer practice at 6:30. It was pitch dark and had been dark for about an hour (daylight saving was this last Sunday) but my car said it was 71 degrees it was Nov. 5Th! It's fantastic isn't it? I could live like this.
Mike, Whitney and Grandpa Laurie are on their way to St. George. Mike and his brother Jim are running a half marathon tomorrow. Landon has a big game tomorrow so we had to stay home. His team made it to the championships. Go Hawks!
So it is just me and the boys. We ran by red box, picked us up some movies then ran by Chick-fil-la to pick up some dinner. We got home and while we were getting out of the car I said "This bag seems pretty little to have all of our dinner in it." That was because it didn't! 2 chicken sandwiches missing. It is to far to drive back but the good thing, they gave me a 12 piece nugget instead of a 8 so we all shared my chicken nuggets and fries. We roll with things around here. OK, Teegan cried for a minute but who can blame him, he was hungry.
The boys' started their movie so my movie time is tickin'. I hope The Women is worth watching.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
The day is finally here. I am hanging out at home giving out candy to the kiddo's and decided to squeeze a post in between the door bell. I am afraid I am going to run out of candy. I am not sure what I will do then. I would start giving my kids candy away but no one is home yet :).
I always opt to be the one who stays home. I don't know why in fact I don't know if I have ever taken the kids out? You know me I will always choose the warm house over the cold night. Actually we have great weather today. Not sure where it came from it snowed the beginning of the week and has been super cold but tonight is perfect trick or treating weather (just FYI it was also great weather for the football game today. Landon scored a great touchdown). I will never forget the year it snowed like crazy. Big huge flakes. Landon was a big furry dog that year and came home with a foot of snow on his head I swear. I am actually enjoying my time home alone. I have put away all the Halloween decorations, mopped the floor and moved the furniture around, (I seem to do that when the house is picked up, the family is away and I have decorating shows on. I start looking around the house thinking hum what can I change around).
We have partied big time this year. If we had to put our costumes on one more time I don't know if I could take it. It started last Saturday at Grandma Sue's Halloween party, then Sunday we had our own little party (pictures coming soon), Wednesday Trunk or Treat Ward party, Thursday kids school parade and parties plus I dressed up for Bonco that night, Friday Mike's work party and finally tonight. The crazy thing, everyone was something different for each party. Am I the only one who has kids that change costumes like they change clothes? Maybe I am too nice and I just let them but I have to say it gets old. Teegan was dead set on being a motocross rider. Of course I thought that was way to boring but finally gave in, then he changed to a football player, back to motor cross and threw in a vampire about 20 minutes before he went out tonight. Landon was a cheerleader, football player, cheerleader, caveman, football player. Whitney was a football player, caveman and ended up being a 80's workout girl with her friends. I guess as long as they are having fun.
Well, the kids should be coming in to dump out the candy and start shorting out all the good stuff.
Good news I have not run out of candy. Yet.
And I still say Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.

Last weekend we drove up the canyon to collect some fall leaves. It was a gorgeous day and we ended up staying awhile while we explored around. We could not have asked for better weather.



It was so pretty up there. I have never seen such big rocks in my life. The kids had a great time playing on them.



We found a great spot that had little streams that the kids put their feet in (yes it was freezing water but we let them anyway). We usually go up the canyon in the summer when the water is high and we have to stay away from it but this spot might be perfect in the summer. We can't wait to go back once it warms up. Mike says that when he was younger they came up to this spot to swim.




When we were leaving Mike said "it is crazy this place is only 15 minutes from our house and we never come up here"

It was a good day.

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came–

The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.

– George Cooper