99 Day Challenge Top Ten "Before" Pics!

I went to the radio station last Thursday to take "before pictures". I am the biggest girl in the competition! I couldn't believe it! I actually think that's a good thing for me, because I'll be able to make a really drastic transformation and my AFTER pic will be amazing and maybe that will help me get more votes and win the Florida trip!!!

To see all the "before" pics of the ten contestants, go here:

http://www.my995fm.com/pages/99daychallenge/

I'm the very last picture. Not very flattering, but it's my "before" pic so it's not supposed to be cute! My "after" pic is the one that counts!

Guys, I am SOOOO EXCITED!! I went to the gym yesterday morning and worked out, and signed up to meet my trainer Monday morning at 5:30!! You all know that I am NOT a morning person at all, but somehow this competition has made me be able to overcome it! I know it's only day 3, and I still have 96 more to go, so hopefully I'll still be this enthusiastic the whole way through.

99 Day Challenge!!!

A few weeks ago I heard a contest on the radio...

http://www.my995fm.com/pages/99daychallenge/

So I entered. In my entry form I wrote about how we just spent all our money for Jay to have gastric lapband surgery and how he's lost 40 pounds since November and I've only lost like 4!! About how I'd love to go to the gym but we don't have the money and how I'm jealous of all the attention Jay is getting for his weight loss and how I have some catching up to do, etc. etc.

I know there were at least 60 people who entered... they were going to pick 5 men and 5 women.

And guess what??

I GOT THE PHONE CALL TODAY FROM THE RADIO STATION!!!!
I'M IN!!!! Wooohooooo!!!!

I am so flipping excited!!! So I automatically win a year membership to Golds Gym and a duffel bag full of stuff. Then if I have the "biggest transformation" (a.k.a. get the most votes!) after 99 days when they post my before and after pics, I win a trip to Florida!!!!!!

I go in to the radio station Thursday to meet the other 9 contestants, get interviewed, learn all the rules/deadlines, and take "before" pictures. Then comes 99 days of intense working out, eating right, and changing my physical appearance!!!!

Did I mention I'm FREAKING EXCITED?!?!?! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Wish me luck!
I'll be sure to keep you posted all along the way!!

Parent Teacher Conferences:

I SURVIVED!!!

Parents didn't yell or be mean to me or anything!!

WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Topher's 12 month checkup

Last Wednesday I took Topher to his 12 month check up. Good thing, too... here's what we found out:

He has a double ear infection.
He has a pretty bad cold.
He has all four molars cutting through.
He has a heart murmur.


All of that sounds pretty awful, but it's really not so bad. He had a double ear infection in the fall too, and the dr said that's pretty typical of young kids, so as long as he's not getting them every month, he's fine. He's had a cold for awhile, we have the humidifier going in his room, but it'll just take time. All four molars cutting... well that just sucks. He hasn't been too particularly fussy, but he does have his rough days. As for the heart murmur, the dr also said not to worry. He said it's not uncommon in babies and they normally grow out of it. He just wanted to make me aware of it in case I ever have to take Topher to the instacare/ER and another dr notices it. Just so we all don't freak out.

What a week. I love my Topher Gopher and I'm sad he has to deal with all this mess at once, but I guess it's all part of raising kiddos and the good stuff totally outweighs the bad stuff so we'll just have to grit our teeth and make it through.

If...

We've all heard this question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

What do you think? Opinions?



Also, my blog feels lonely. If a girl blogs but there's no one there to read it, does it make a difference?

I guess it's my own fault for going private, eh? Grrr. But it was a change that needed to happen so I guess I have to deal with it.

Sad day for a teacher.

I know I haven't posted pics from Topher's b-day parties... and I haven't updated on anything that has happened over the past two weeks...
But I need to blog about this right now because I want to remember how sad I feel. Is that weird? Probably. But even the saddest, most devastating moments in our lives need to be documented. So here it is.

I was wandering around on facebook and I found one of my students from my first year of teaching. I was his fifth grade teacher and now he's a freshman in high school. I got really excited as I started looking at his friend's list and finding a BUNCH of my students from my first year! This was back when Cedar Middle School was still Cross Hollows Intermediate for you Cedarians. I added a bunch of them as friends and we started catching up; where are they now, how do they like school, what do they remember from my class, etc.

Unfortunately, not all the catching up was good news.

To make a long story short, I just finished reading an obituary. One of my students, Shawn, died July 28, 2009. I called my mom to ask if she knew any details. Was it an accident? Illness? No. Suicide. He hung himself.

I am heartbroken. I am bawling my eyes out. He was only 14 years old. He was charming, sort of a trouble maker, but charismatic and persuasive, a real smooth-talker. Wild imagination, lots of fun and spunk. His picture from his obituary looks just like I remember him. I just went through a bunch of pictures from that year. I remember all my students names, every single one. I remember specific random memories that make it feel like it was just last year, not five years ago.
I can't believe one of my students is dead. That's just not supposed to happen. I love these kids like my own, while they're in my class and forever after. I am just so sad right now.

An hour ago I was dreading going back to school tomorrow. Now I can't wait to get there and hug my students and tell them I love them.

Topher's Birthday Week!

Topher's birthday is Wednesday, Feb. 3. However, we decided to have a party at our house in Eagle Mountain tomorrow night (Feb. 2). We invited probably 30 family and friends, I'm excited to see how many show up. We're just gonna do pizza, cake, open presents, and call it good. I have been BAKING nonstop for two days! I did a big cake, cupcakes, and a "smash cake" for Topher (which I am SOO EXCITED about!) I'll be sure to take pictures!

Then we're having another party Saturday afternoon, Feb. 6 down in Cedar. It'll just be my immediate family and a few friends. I'm really glad Topher gets to celebrate his birthday with Jay's family and my family. And all our great friends!

I can't believe my baby is turning 1. I can't believe it's been a whole year. Several times a day I ask myself, "How did this happen?!?" I really don't know where the time goes.

Happy Birthday, Topher Gopher!