The Wii Fit...makes exercising fun, but also deflates your ego

So Paula got a Wii Fit Plus so we could both exercise, and have a little fun at the same time. I find that I am really enjoying it, except my body is beginning to hurt and says otherwise. I do find, however, that while the Wii Fit can be entertaining, it can also be somewhat deflating to one's ego. See the tiny little characters all dressed in different colors above? Well, when you first use the Wii Fit, you design a "Mii" that fits your own character. Every day before you begin exercising, it does a body test to test your balance and judgement, your BMI, and of course, your weight. Then, if you continue, it gives you your "Wii Fit Age," depending on how you did on your body test. Each day after measuring, my little character blows up like a balloon, and repeats, "That's obese." As if I didn't already know that. My Wii Fit Age has fluctuated between 75 and 40+. You also get to choose your trainer, so I chose this cute little male guy who tries to help me get in shape. One day, I got on, and it had substituted my trainer with the female...maybe my guy got tired of looking at my little obese body.  

Laundry, laundry, laundry...

Does it ever end? I just finished the tenth load of laundry after returning from our trip to CT. It seems like a never-ending battle. Once you get it all done, it starts to pile up again. It is amazing how many pairs of little pink and lavender socks that 2 little girls can go through. I guess I shouldn't complain. When the girls are gone in a few months, I will miss all those little socks and the cute little pink dresses, and soft cuddly pink blankets. Until then, I will just enjoy being Grandma.

Trip to Connecticut

Paula, Lexi, Carissa, and I just returned from a trip to CT to visit Tom, Amanda, and Lucy. The flight was long, especially with a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 mo. old, but we had a good visit. Lexi and Lucy especially had fun playing together. Paula was able to spend a day in New York with Tom doing some of the touristy things and then we took the train into the city again on Saturday to do Times Square and the Museum of Natural History. I was able to teach Amanda a few cake decorating techniques while we were there, and I am happy to say that she is a very quick learner. 

Lexi at airport

Lexi and Lucy looking out front window at Tom and Amanda's

Uncle Tom with Carissa and Lucy

Tom with Paula and girls by Times Square

Dinosaur at Museum of Natural History

Lexi and Lucy in bookcase

Paula and Carissa

Amanda with the cake she decorated

Thanks, Tom and Amanda, for a wonderful visit. We love you!

Fun Christmas Gift

I told Bruce that I would like a professional Belgian waffle baker for Christmas this year, so he was good enough to get me one. It is great...I love it! I know...I get way too excited over anything to do with new baking equipment or kitchen gadgets, but this is really awesome. It's the kind that you flip over while it's baking, and then when it's done, it dings. It takes only a fraction of the time that my old relic waffle baker took and the waffles are thick and pretty and yummy...like you would get in a restaurant. I had my first one with blueberries...yummmm!

Countdown to Christmas...

December 23...went to Weight Watchers and gained .8 lb. Losing weight at Christmas time should be banned. Ate lunch and then proceeded to bake 6 doz. cinnamon rolls for neighbors. 

Carissa's stocking is still not ready for Christmas. Paula started it, but is not yet complete.

Opened cupboard door to get salt for cinnamon rolls and this is what I found...my nutcracker tree ornament held hostage next to the salt. 

Remember "Indian in the cupboard?" Well, I had nutcracker  in the cupboard. Actually, the rubber band was to hold both arms in place after gluing them back on...  one arm being broken off by Lexi and the other arm being broken off by Paula as she was trying to glue back on the arm that was broken off by Lexi. I did not know where they put the nutcracker until I opened the cupboard...poor little nutcracker. 

Here is Lexi with her sunglasses by the gingerbread house that she made with Mommy and Daddy while Grandma was at Weight Watchers. Of course, it is anything but sunny...4 inches of snow, and very cold...now the wind is blowing, and we are anticipating getting up at 6 am to do magazine route in single digit temperatures with wind chill...do I sound excited?

Will have to do last minute grocery shopping tomorrow because I used up all the butter and flour making the 6 dozen cinnamon rolls today. Presents are still not wrapped and 2 gifts are not yet complete, so will have to do those after we get back from route and shopping. When is Christmas?

Dry winter air, static electricity, and the Statue of Liberty...

So, you say, "What do all of these things have in common?" Just look at these pictures, and tell me if you don't think Lexi remotely resembles the Statue...we should have put something in her hand to resemble a torch.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

So, I seem to be having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year...I'm about 3 months behind in everything. Can't seem to get my act together since the girls moved in. Thank goodness Paula has it more together than I do, so she and Lexi set up and decorated the tree and Bruce put up lights outside (complete with grumbling and complaining). Granted, the tree isn't what it usually is, but that is fine with the two little girls who enjoy "undecorating" the tree. I did finally got my nativity set up on top of the china cabinet, where little fingers won't get to it, but we still haven't found the one that I want to put out for Lexi to play with, and the Christmas decoration boxes are still sitting in the family room (where they've been all week). I was hoping to not get carried away with too much baking this year because I'm trying not to put on any weight over the holidays, but I know Paula wants to do some baking, and I will help with that so we have goodies for church friends and neighbors. Tonight was our ward Christmas Party...we were asked to dress up and play inn keepers. I looked pretty sad, but I have included a picture of Bruce and the girls. It has been frigid cold, and I can't seem to get warm...maybe that's what part of the problem is...I just can't warm up. Anyway, until next posting...Merry Christmas and maybe by the next time I will have gotten more into the season.

Innkeeper Bruce

Lexi with attitude

Carissa bundled up to keep warm-fell asleep on the way