The Henderson Family Chronicles

Well, here it is, in print. I am ready to commit to losing weight. This isn't about looks, but about health and energy. Well, and maybe about looks a little. This picture taken today was the straw that broke the camel's back: So my birthday is 22 weeks away, and I want to be down 30 lbs. My biggest opponent has been late evening snacking. When Andrew leaves for work I turn on a movie and munch. I think what I want is a treadmill so instead of eating while I watch, I can walk. What has worked for you? What have you found to help you control the munchies? How have you worked exercise into your married-with-children life? Is anyone else with me? 30 lbs in 22 weeks? You can DO IT! I think I can...I think I can...I hope I can.....

So apparently the last pictures I took were in February and March. My excuse is that my camera batteries were dead, but seriously, I think I am just lazy.  So I am trying to pump up my picture taking by a bunch. I am even thinking about following this movement where you take a picture every day. In fact, yeah. I am gonna try it. Yay, a goal! Go ME!!!! These are from last week:

Well, friends, it has been a while. I'd love to tell you it's because I have been killer busy. I have been a teensy weensy bit busy, but not really. Andrew has been looking for hospital jobs like crazy, applied for every one he finds in the area, and has interviewed for a few. Last week he got offered a on-call job at Redicare. They recently changed their hours to 24 hours a day, and Andrew will get called in if in a night shift (between 8pm and 8am) they get slammed. The nice thing about the job is that it gets his foot in the door to Mountain View Hospital. Maybe that will lead to something better. After 8 years at Nursing Homes, or "Skilled Nursing Facilities" as they prefer to be called, he is ready to move on. He is going camping this week with his buddies, and has been looking forward to it for (literally) years. He is currently working a new schedule of 4 days on, 4 off, from 9pm to 7:30 am. I have been enjoying Cooper-free days. I watched Janna's baby ...

I have a lot of passions. I love my family, and a clean house. I love papercrafting. I love floorplans, both designing them and just pouring over them. I love fancy dresses. I love sewing, especially piecing quilts and making little girl clothes. I love reading and writing. I really really love reading. I always have. I have little or no self control when it comes to reading. Once I get sucked in I only do a minimum to maintain order and health until the book is done. Luckily I read around a hundred pages an hour, depending on the book, so if you just let me sit down and do it, I'll be done by the end of the day, or if I don't start till the kids are in bed, we are usually okay! This great passion of mine has led me to add a new list on the left of my blog, it is a list of books I have recently read and at least liked, if not loved. You'll find a mix of YA and Adult fiction. It will be a blend of fairy tales, mysteries, LDS, romance, historical, and contemporary. I love alm...

It has been 18 months since Andrew came home from work and told me that he was going to move to night shift. We had been married for 5 1/2 years, and the entire time Andrew had worked the 2pm to 10pm shift (which regularly was more like 2-12). In the beginning, it was very difficult for me. I was newly married, went to school and worked all day, came home at five and was alone till bedtime, actually past my bedtime. I always stayed up for him, even if I was falling asleep on the couch, or love seat as the case was. Eventually, when we had been married for about a year and a half, and I was newly pregnant, I learned to go to bed without him. After Nate was born, I realized that I highly valued that evening time alone, in quiet. While I miss Andrew, it is nice to have time for me. When Andrew made the announcement regarding night shift, I had HUGE concerns. I was pregnant with Emmy, and had only slept alone a few times in our married life. I was very worried about his sleep and his sched...

I finally uploaded some of the pictures that have been hiding on my camera for awhile. A Sunny February Day: A Not So Sunny March Day: Not so happy inside, but plenty happy helping mom and dad outside! A Not So Happy Discovery One Sunday Morning in March: Finally (after like 5 years) painted the corner cabinet Andrew made me, and my Mom brought me some stuff from Tai Pan Trading:

I tell myself that I have nothing to blog about, but as I look back on the last month or so, I realize that there has been plenty. In addition to many more "30 seconds" type moments (see previous post), some good stuff has happened too. In February Andrew and I left the kids with Grandmas and went to Utah for him to take his NCLEX-RN. He passed, of course, and with flying colors, I am sure. I knew he'd pass, he's good at what he does. He wasn't so sure, but regardless, it's over. He is still working at a skilled nursing facility, and applying for every hospital opening in the area. While in Utah we had a whirlwind mini-vacation. We visited my Grandparents, ate at Andrew's favorite restaurant (Joe's Crab Shack), Saw Avatar in 3D IMAX, visited Cabelas twice, and spent several hours at IKEA. That was my favorite part! While at IKEA, I got 29 white boxes to organize and store my craft stuff. This was important because I recently realized that my craft area...