Fun in the Mountains

This weekend we headed out to the mountains for a fun outing. It was so nice to escape the scorching heat and feel the breeze and cool air. It's amazing to me how just a few minutes outside of Vegas there is wildlife and trees.

We didn't quite make it to the summit because James was getting fussy, but it was fun to get out and do something different. I'm not a huge hiker or outdoors kind of girl, but I could see us doing it again if for nothing else but to escape the heat again!

The Birthday Boy

It's the birthday boy! I cannot believe it has already been two years since my baby James was born! Time has flown by. We gave James the option of going to McDonald's or In-n-Out (his two favorite places to eat out) by opening up a picture of each on the computer screen. Without hesitation he chose In-n-Out. I guess he's a Cali boy like his dad. 

He also got a shopping cart from is grandma Peggy and tons and tons of books from his grandma Tina. 

Here he is charging at me with the cart! My shins have gotten bruised as well as some dents in the furniture and walls. At least we haven't painted yet... But I love that he puts his new books in the back of the cart! Happy birthday James!

Things lately

Over the past month James and I have been travelling. We spent three weeks in New York to visit my family and then another week in California with Brian's family. It was good to visit all our family on both coasts, but it's always good to get home and back in the swing of things. (Plus I think my Bishop (area Mormon church leader) thought I went inactive...)

James loves his Auntie Jenny! We miss her!

I also was able to spend time with my dearest friend Erica and her baby girl Fae! James and Fae play very well together and Fae doesn't let James mess with her! She can hold her own. They were pretty tired after playing---that explains their blank stares!

Here she is trying to kiss James and James rejecting! I hope he is still as strong to resist a lady's wiles in 14 or so years! 

James and I probably watching Fox and the Hound. Which, by the way, is a super depressing movie. Why do kids like that movie? And it's scary!

Since we got back home to Vegas we have been in Spring Cleaning mode, which by the way is my favorite time of year! I am always in the mood to go through things, throw away/donate things, but this is the only time when Brian is too and we can just plow through the house getting stuff cleaned out and put away. We've gotten so much done, but there are still projects to be done (cough, painting, cough. If you see/talk to Brian, please remind him of this for me.)

Some other changes with the Nelsons are mostly with James. Brian and I are mostly boring and have exciting things change on about a yearly to even two year basis. But James is always changing and doing and saying funny things. Recently, everything and I mean EVERYTHING is either a gun or a sword. I don't mind this generally, because I think it's very boyish and manly, but it has became a wee bit of a problem because now he swings at and hits unarmed people. We even made a rule with him that he is allowed to sword fight, but he must always bring his opponent a "sword" (which is usually the hose attachments to the vacuum) so they can defend themselves! Another new thing with James is that he loves baby dolls. (He is a very dynamic boy!) When we were in California he spent a large amount of time just carrying around an old Cabbage Patch doll and if he wasn't carrying her he would either bring her to me to hold (very responsible) or he would push her around in a little stroller.

Sorry this one is blurry---it must have been an action shot! He was a little wild with the babies, but it's a start!

James loved having grandma and grandpa's big yard and all the toys to play with. I might be too protective, but I hate trampolines and I said I would never let my kids play on them, but I buckled! James spent hours on the trampoline with all the cousins and had a blast. He even learned how to jump and now he jumps not only a trampoline. (I don't know when kids usually learn how to jump (maybe he's behind) but James could never figure it before!)

We also enjoyed the Cali beach and hanging out by the pool. I grow up in a non-beach family, but I really like it now!

James has also recently started singing. He has started to sing when the congregation sings in church and just today he was singing along with the Law & Order theme music---we are so proud!

Speaking of law, Brian recently started a new job working as a law clerk for a law firm here in Vegas. The firm practice is mainly in the areas of estate planning, guardianship, and probate. Brian enjoys this type of law and could see himself practicing this type of law. Only one more year of law school and then some big decisions will be headed our way!

Weight Loss Follow-up

Back in January I posted about the weight loss challenge that I, my husband, and my dad all did. The challenge was to lose 10 percent of our body weights as of Christmastime. And congratulations go out to all of us because we all are very competitive and we all reached our goals! Brian even lost ten pounds more than his goal weight! (He looks awesome by the way and now he needs a new suit because the one he has actually falls off of him even with a belt!)

Total Weight Loss from July 2011- Current

Christina: 175 to 130; Size 14 to 4 

Brian: 260 to 200

So since Christmas, I went from a size 10 to now a size 4 which ended up being 20 pounds that I lost since the challenge. Brian lost 40 pounds since our challenge began in December. He went from 260 to 200 pounds!   

So here are the before and after pictures:

Christina

These pictures are just over a year apart to show my total weight loss of 45 pounds (not just since Christmas because there isn't that much of a difference in pictures of the last 20 lbs) since I stopped breastfeeding. 

Brian

This is Brian about a year ago at about 260. And now he is smokin' at 200 lbs. I tried to convince him put on a nicer outfit for the picture but he insisted that he doesn't wear "outfits", so this is all I got. 

So in order to maintain our weights we are doing subsequent follow-up weigh-ins for six months from now and a year from now to make sure we stay on track. We are still working out the details of prizes to win or punishments for failing. 

I am also deciding to not eat any desserts, treats, or candy for an entire year with no exceptions (until June 1st, 2013). I started it the beginning of this week and have been good so far! I will continue to eat how I otherwise eat, so meals won't significantly change and I will continue my normal exercise routine. I'm doing it partly for health reasons, partly to see if I CAN do it, and lastly as a social experiment. I want to see how often I am offered desserts and have to then deny them. I want to keep track of how pushy people are about me trying desserts. I want to see if it gets easier or harder, do my preferences change, do I lose any weight, etc. So wish me luck and anyone is welcome to join me! 

My Monkey

So the reason I didn't get upset with James when I came into the room and found him doing this was because I mean how could I be mad!? He was so cute! I purposely leave a bowl of fruit out that is in James' reach so he can help himself to a healthy snack if he is hungry. He usually just takes ONE banana, orange or whatever it may be and brings it to me to peel it. But on this day he thought he was clever because he had figured out how to peel the bananas and had a fun time doing so, only taking one or two bites from each. I ended up making green smoothies with all the leftover bananas. 

And though it is sad to admit, I too was a messy child! Like seriously, what was I eating? Jam!?

Backyard Part 2

We finished the backyard. And by "we" I mean that Brian finished the backyard with my moral support. My husband is so cute--he would be outside working and he would frequently poke his head inside and beg me to come outside and hang out and talk with him. Sometimes I would go out, especially if the sun was out and I could tan for a few minutes. I guess my hubby just likes me a lot! I am a lot of fun ;)

Here is the Part 1 for those interested. And here is a picture of the finished backyard. And if you want to read more about the process or see more pictures, check out my husband's blog.

Our current project is the garage. Brian painted the walls since it was ugly, dirty and had incorrect mathematical  equations graffiti on the walls. (Strange.) And the next step is to epoxy seal the floor. Then we will move on to the things that I really want to fix! Which is painting inside the house and fixing the bathrooms. Seriously, who steals bathroom cabinet doors?

Our house was previously foreclosed on so there were some major things missing like an AC, oven, stove, dishwasher, lights, windows, and the list goes on. And some other minor things like bathroom cabinet doors, for instance. The major things we fixed or replaced immediately after buying the house, but the minor things have been more of an inconvenience and we are just starting to get to those!

But we have loved our home and we are loving making it our own! It has been fun for me to learn a lot of new things about home improvement and I'm lucky to have such a handyman husband!

Love Thy Neighbor

When James was just a wee baby, I flew with him from California to Las Vegas. I was a bit nervous about how to take care of James while handling my luggage, baby's car seat and stroller, tickets, ID, getting through security, and so on. I was feeling worried about just getting ON the plane and not to mention the looming flight I was doing this all for. It was stressful but James and I made it through security and on to the plane in one piece. I was feeling a little better because I could now cross off "get on the plane" in my mental to-do list. But then I was on to the next task: get through the flight.

I was one of the first people boarded because I was flying with a child. I climbed aboard, picked out my seat, and then proceeded to give James some attention while the rest of the travelers boarded.  It was obvious that no one wanted to sit next to me, people were quickly moving past me, some even with what I thought were glares towards me. I guess the lady with a baby isn't the most popular on the plane. I then noticed a woman that boarded the plane who I had seen earlier at security. This woman's appearance was a bit horrific. She was overweight, with full facial hair, dressed poorly, and her carry on was a dirty pillowcase with clothes in it. When I saw this woman and she was headed down the aisle and getting ever closer to me, I looked away to avoid eye contact and my mental mantra became, "don't sit next to me, don't sit next to me, don't sit next to me". Next thing I knew, this woman was talking to me and saying how much she loves babies and asking if she could sit next to me. I half-smiled and said sure and moved to let her in next to the window. The woman kept talking and I was politely nodding to assert that I was listening while in my head I was really ranting about how this flight was going to be horrible with this frightening woman next to me and on and on I went. After a few minutes I calmed down and started to actually listen to the woman next to me. She was very friendly and chatty (How I usually am, but wasn't this day and regretfully I wish I had been.) Soon the flight took off and we were in the air. And soon after that things started going very badly. Quite literally, the plane experienced the worst turbulence I had ever seen while James had the worst blow-out diaper I had ever seen. We weren't allowed out of our seats and even the flight attendants sat down and buckled up. So I wasn't able to go to the bathroom where there is a changing table and privacy. I started to panic. James and I were both a mess from him and I desperately needed to change his diaper and clothes (and even my own). I was debating whether or not to crawl down to the floor and change him in the isle. It was such a small plane with very little room. This kind woman next to me - and even as a type this now I cry - noticed my struggle with my baby and sweetly and unselfishly told me I could lay my child on her lap so I would have a place to change his diaper and clothes. She then proceeded to help me with the task, handing me wipes and pulling clothes up over his head. What had I done to deserve this woman's kindness? I had judged her and thought horrible things about her. I was barely even polite, let alone nice, to her. This woman that I so desperately did not want to sit next to me was in reality the person I so desperately needed to sit next to me. I don't know what I would have done had she not offered to help. I don't think anyone else on that plane would have been so willing and eager to help me. No matter what I did or didn't do, this woman was unconditionally kind. This woman - that I don't really know - is a woman I think about often. In just a short plane ride she made a forever impact on my life. This situation of a young, struggling mother may seem unimportant and uneventful to some, but to me, as that young mother and receiving such love and support from a stranger was a great life experience. This woman, whose name I wish I knew, truly exemplified what it means to "love thy neighbor".  This woman is a person I now try to be like. I regret my behavior that day. I hate that I hastily judged this woman based on her appearance and I couldn't have been more wrong about who she was. I hope that I can follow this woman's example and be more like my Savior Jesus Christ, showing love and kindness to all people. I think that all the outward accomplishments in life, whether it be beauty, wealth, power, property, etc. are all of little consequence to our Heavenly Father. I think what God cares most about is how kind we are and the love we show to others - those are true accomplishments to God. 

If you want to read more about having love for God and others below is a link to a great talk given back in 2001 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's General Conference about love.

The First and Great Commandment