January to February 2019

We celebrated the new year, started new goals and for the most part have been keeping to them. We've been busy with callings, work and the gym. Lily has gone back to dance, she is doing Ballet and Piano and is loving it. She is such a wonderful girl, and so smart. She is reading without any help and solving math problems in her head that I even need a piece of paper to do them. We are thinking of switching her to a more challenging school next year, which she seems to be excited about. I was worried she'd be sad to leave her friends, but her response 'I'll just make more friends'. Love her!
Jacob for the whole month of January, wore costumes. A friend of mine gave me her sons old costumes, and Jacob has worn them literally every day! So funny. He loves the Avengers, so he asks to be iron man, Spiderman, Capitan America and the Hulk daily. He is looking and sounding older everyday. Asking about the different body parts, like the liver, heart and femur. lol! We bought a year membership to the Science Museum, so they are loving all the learning opportunities. Where have my babies gone?! We also went to the movies with our Neighbor friends Viki, Marcus and Neveah. we have amazing neighbors here.

New years day, Lily got a shopping spree at Justice and Jacob being a cutie patootie.

Pastries with Parents (Mark had to work), Happy Meal hats, and Lily's hilarious drawings. the one on the left was from an assignment she had colored on the back. The teacher was confused thinking lily had drawn a gun, when really it was a guitar (so funny) and the left one says 'Let's Dance' I'm loving the clef chin and abs for days. Her drawings are my favorite ever!

Mark and I got to escape alone to watch the Phoenix Open. We had fun seeing Phil M. play, Emmett Smith and Michael Phelps. I love spending time with my sweetie.

Then on to February, which flew by...

Mark and I are still working on our physical goals. We started RP again January 7th, our cut will end April 8th. It has been good, I've seen mostly change in composition and performance (which are the most important.) However lately I'm discouraged the scale is not decreasing as fast, if at all, as I'd like it to. But, I need to keep reminding myself that is not what is important. I have been trying to get back to deadlifting 300 lbs since December 2017, and have not been able to. I had been told by peers that because I'm losing weight, I would not be able to lift as much as when I'm heavier. I've been determined to prove this thought wrong! I've been doing extra weight lifting and practice for some time now to help my 'unused' muscles get stronger, and it seems to be helping. February, I finally met my goal! I wasn't going to attempt it that particular day, but I decided last minute to put on what I thought was 300 lbs. I lifted it and it felt good. When I started to deload my bar, I re calculated the weight and actually got 305 lbs! I was so thrilled to prove people wrong. I'm 20 lbs lighter then I was Dec. 2017 and lifted 5lbs more. I did not sign up for the CF Open this year since there is too much I'm working on in the gym, but I am still doing the workouts. I was the only one in my gym (scaled) to complete the entire 19.2 workout. I did not imagine I could ever squat clean 135 lbs for 7 reps, but I did it with one minute to spare. I'm happy about how much stronger I've become. It'd be nice if the scale could reflect that, but that is something I have to mentally continue to train myself not to think about (that's a whole lifetime of undoing). Mark on the other hand losses weight with ease and is getting more confident in the gym, things just come easier for him...lucky!

 We had a fun Valentines family day. Exchanged treats and love, and then had our 'fancy' dinner at Fogo. Mark and Lily got the Mega Stuffed oreos...they felt loved. lol!

Wrestling/love cuddle

 The weather in February was drunk. Tucson got tons of snow, we just got snow on our mountains. It was beautiful to see. However it was the same day Mark and I were running the terrain race. but it wasn't cold!

 This boy is obsessed with toys!
In this picture we were at cracker barrel and he was pretending to have a little shopping spree.

Muddy muddy terrain race this year. Not as much water which was good since it was cold. I attempted a rope climp and got about two feet before slipping off. Mark finished the Monkey bars, which were really wide bars and spaced far apart. I was so proud of him. Love doing this stuff with him!

Fun time at Kami Klieser's birthday party. Jacob made it to the top tower at Uptown Jungle. Boy has no fear!

Then there was the celebration of the cutest 7 yr old ever! This girl is so amazing (I know I say this every year, but it is true!) She is so kind to others, optimistic and exudes joy. She is always smiling. She loves to come up with games to play, she loves telling jokes (even when they don't make sense) and loves to cuddle with her family. She loves to be creative with her art work, do crafts and dance. She makes up her own songs, which I will listen to her singing to herself as she plays and is always wanting to exchange stories. She is an artist. And such a smart kid! Always wanting to do what's right and be an example to others. She brightens the lives of everyone she meets, my girl is really an amazing person. I pray she always stays full of joy and optimism in this crazy world, cause we need people like her. Happy 7th Birthday my Lily bean!

We went to Tucson to celebrate Lily's birthday with the Grandma's. She got to go to Trail dust town, burger king and Mama Louisa's for dinner. It was her plans with Grammy. My mom got a new dog named Papi. We are in love with him. he is so cute!

Then Lily's birthday day, we picked her up after school and went to Fat Cats to see the Lego Movie and play lots of games. We had a really fun time. Then she wanted a 'Bendy Cake', checker board style. It turned out pretty tasty. She wasn't a fan of the candles we used, which were sparklers. She acted like the cake would explode. It was funny.

It was a good month. Now onto March! Mark starts his new Job, so fingers crossed it's a good decision.



Resolutions n'stuff 2019

Well, here we are. The joy of the holidays is over, a new year has now begun...depressing.
Reflecting on 2018, we traveled a lot. Utah, Disneyland, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Yosemite. We saw extended family, Mark received and rejected 5 job offers and decided he's happy where he is (we could've moved to Belgium, but oh well) and we had some sad points, Car accident and miscarriage. Overall, despite any bad we had, 2018 was a great year. Looking forward to 2019, Mark and I will achieve 10 yrs of marriage, which hopefully we will do something fun to celebrate. Prayers we will have another fantastic year!


Now resolutions. So here they are...


Family

• Set aside one night every week to go thru the lesson in 'Come Follow Me'
• Family Scripture study
• Semi-annual Service project as a family
• Continue snowballing debts
• Work on home improvements (painting, carpet cleaning and yard work)

Mark

• work out at least 5 times per week.
• work out 2 hrs, 2 days a week
• be able to hold a deep squat
• Pass two parts of the CPA exam
• Do strict RP for 3 months
• Read 20 min of a book and Scriptures
• Finish the BOM
• clean 210lb
• Push press 200lbs
• Snatch 170lbs
• Increase swing speed by 5 MPH
  
  Andrea
• Continue RP cycle beginning 1/7/2019
• Continue Physic template till end of year
• Achieve DU's
• Snatch 100 lbs
• Read more to the kids
• follow a schedule for cleaning house
• Magnify calling
• Finish BOM
• Read at least one book that will increase my knowledge
• Learn to play the Guitar

Lily

• Row 2000m
• make at least 12 baskets in a row

Jacob

• 'I have to work on the police'...uh-huh

Holidays 2018

I missed writing about November, but it was kind of boring, so I'm writing an all encompassing Thanksgiving and Christmas months post.


November
As I'd mentioned, not much happened in November. We spent Thanksgiving in Tucson, visited a couple places there and then came back home to prepare for the Christmas holiday. I made lots of pies, scared my dad while he took a nap and enjoyed trail dust town with our family. And...the end.

 My mom and Sarah were also in Chile from October to December to bury my grandparents next to each other. I missed having my mom here for Thanksgiving!

 Always working to reach those physical goals. Work work work!

 Lily's school had a family Turkey trot, we all ran and did great!

December
We have had a fun month getting ready for Christmas. We visited our neighborhood Christmas lights (The Loop of Lights), had some Christmas parties and enjoyed time with friends and family making and eating treats. Christmas eve and Christmas were held at our house again this year. With both moms, Ricardo, Aunt Lynn, Aunt Clarice, our next door neighbors who we love (Jeff and Vicky) and Andrew's family and Dad on Christmas day. It was a full house, and we loved it! Spent Christmas even making our traditional meal, Tamales, Empanadas and Enchiladas. Then after dinner we went and looked at Christmas lights around the neighborhood, the kids loved doing this pretty much everyday in December. We have a very festive and fun neighborhood.
We tried something different this year for Chrsitmas morning. Every year we do the usual, get up at 5 am to see Santa presents, play until everyone else wakes up and then open gifts under the tree. However this year, Mark and I had been talking about how we need to bring the kids focus to Christ. We pondered on ways we could do this, and our friend Richard from the gym told us of how for the last 20 yrs he and his family will go early Christmas morning to serve beverages to the homless with the salvation army. So, he signed us up and we joined their family Christmas morning to do service. At first I was hesitant about the idea (selfish Andrea) that it wouldn't feel quiet like Christmas cause we needed to leave by 6:30 to meet up with Rich's family. We got up to see Santa gifts around 5 am, waking the kids was hard till they realized Santa had come. Then after we admired the gifts he brought, we got on our warm clothes and headed to do service. I had to ask Lily serveral times leading to Christmas, 'What would Christ have done on his birthday?' and her response was always, 'Serve the people' So, it was safe to assume she understood our goal. We joined Rich's family and another friend from our gym to serve hot chocolate, coffee, water and Juice to the people as they came in to wait for the banquette. I'm not lying when I say, it was one of the best Christmas' I've ever had. I loved every minute of it. Even when Jacob began to cry cause he wanted to go home, I loved it. I got to talk to beautiful, wonderful, kind families and individuals who I'd never have the chance to interact with in my passing on the street. They were so grateful for us being their and I felt every ouce of my heart fill with Joy as I saw the smiles on their faces. One man was deaf, trying to communicate with me to ask for some candy, finally I figured it out and he gave me a gift, a card to help communicate with the deaf. I was able to send him 'peace, love, and happiness' in sign language and he sent me love. It was beautiful. As we started to run out of materials, we started to pack up. Some families came in late, one in particular had about eight children who looked all under the age of nine. We had run out of hot chocolate, which hurt my heart that I couldn't give them any, but the father said they could have coffee. At first I felt wrong for giving it to them, but was then reminded that this may be the only hot beverage they will get that day. They were happy to receive it, and I gave them lots of coffee creamer and sugar to help the taste. I was happy to see they were still grateful to receive. Often times I hear people say that attending these service opportunities opens their eyes to all they are blessed with and they feel sad for the people they serve. I don't ever feel that way. It opens my eyes to how happy you can be, when you have so little. How happiness can be felt over something as small as a cup of hot chocolate. I saw homeless men giving gifts to their friends, families laughing and embracing other families and children playing and having fun with other children. Lily excited about passing out candy to everyone and asking what else she could help with (this is totally her thing). Jacob passing out candy canes wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Mark and I loved it. I felt the light of Christ in every helper I met and every person I had the opportunity to serve. This is now a family tradition. Presents can wait, but service cannot. So grateful for inspired friends who told of this opportunity and grateful for Mark who signed us up, despite my debate.
After the high of serving others, we were ready for the rest of our Christmas day. While we were gone, my mom, aunt lynn and Ricardo put up the kids new trampoline. We love having a trampoline and it's the first thing Jacob asks to do when he wakes up in the morning. We then opened up presents. Mark got some money, shirts and other things. Lily got lots of art supplies, a very cool digital camera from Aunt T and Uncle Roger, LOL dolls and some board games. Jacob got the Hotwheeels Super Ultimate garage he'd been asking for from Santa, Legos, another hotwheels set and lots of other stuff (spoiled boy!). I got an awesome apple watch from Tina, a beautiful nativity and carpet shampooer from Auntie clarice and gift cards and a gym bag from my mom and aunt Lynn. But, I think my mom got the best Christmas surprise. My brother Andrew surprised her on Christmas day! I'd known he was coming since Thanksgiving. We loved having Andrew, Whitney and our sweet beautiful Lucy Lu here with us.
We had one of the best Christmas' ever!

 Lily with the headphones: I told her that if she see's santa, then the magic will disappear. So she took the extra precaution by putting headphones on so she wouldn't hear him and feel tempted to see him. She's so funny! And bottom left is our house Christmas lights, I had fun with that!

 Lots of fun with our crossfit friends. And I beat Mark at a few workouts. lol!

 Lily had her first piano recital and played 'What Child is this'. At first she just sat at the piano with her eyes closed and I thought she was going to pass out! Later she told me she was saying a prayer to calm down. My sweetie!

 Lily also had her dance recital. She did great and it was so fun seeing her perform.

Now on we go to celebrate the coming of 2019. Prayers it will be a prosperous, healthy and happy new year!