Here We Go!

So, as many are aware, Mark and I have let ourselves go, a little, haha!, since we got married 5 1/2 years ago. As we have been filling out the papers for adoption and we had to describe ourselves physically as well as our health, we have decided that we didn't like what we were writing down.

We started working out and counting calories in January as a resolution. I soon lost about 5 pounds, with only a million more to go! Then I plateaued then started gaining again, and I couldn't figure out why. Especially since back when I had started exercising in 2008, I quickly lost 25 pounds. Of course I then put it back on between pregnancy and miscarriage, etc.

So we decided we would be more proactive about watching what we eat, and we even started the GNC 7 day weight loss starter. So far so good. Of course this is only day one. But now we have numerous witnesses that we have committed to getting healthy and in shape. We expect all of you to hold us to it!

We hope to go from this:

To at least this, if not better:

Thank you IRS!

I know people don't often say that, but I just checked on our tax return online, and it said that they adjusted our refund amount, adding about $200 to our refund! We'll take it! I guess that H&R Block isn't as good at getting refunds for us as they thought they were.

Mark's new hobby!

Back in September I bought a book, "Bread Alone,"

from Barnes and Noble, because I wanted to start baking homemade bread more often. This book teaches you how to make Artisan breads, without machines and baking pans, using healthier flours than what you normally find in the grocery store loaves of bread. These breads are the kind you would find at Kneaders (my favorite restaurant, btw!) or Panera, (almost as good as Kneaders.) Unfortunately, my schedule doesn't allow me much time for leisure reading, and especially no time for baking breads that take an entire day, so the book sat on the shelf for a really long time.

Mark then had his fall break from school, and during that time he read the entire book! Then the baking began! He baked some dutch oven Pumpernickel rolls for our branch Manly Man dinner, and has been baking ever since. Of course, this saves me time, and I get to enjoy bread. That book was the best purchase I have ever made!

Adoption and Reminiscing

Mark and I have been looking through our pictures to post with our adoption profile. Oh, yeah, if you haven't heard, we are trying to adopt through the LDS Family Services. We are very excited! Every waking second, and even in many dreams, we are thinking about the baby the we hope the get some day through the sacrifice of another mother. If you so desire, we appreciate any prayers on our behalf, and we are so grateful for the many prayers that have already been said for us! Thank you!

Any way, as we were going through our pictures on our computer, we found some videos of my parents that made us miss them even more. We wanted to share some of the videos with you. Here they are!

ID, please!

A few months ago I had a strong love for sparkling grape juice. Often when I went to the store I got me a bottle.

Every time I did, the cashier would ring everything else up, leaving the sparkling grape for last. The first time the cashier called for their manager, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. The manager came, and told the cashier, "This isn't alcoholic." Since then, when they finally do get to the sparkling grape, I just point out to the cashier that it isn't alcoholic so they don't waste time calling a manager to make them feel stupid.

What made me think of this was a very funny ID occurrence today at Target. Mark and I were at Best Buy getting a cord for my phone, and decided to just stop by Target to get a bottle of maple syrup for one of our bread recipes. We were checking out, and again, the cashier waited to ring up the syrup, picking up everything behind it and ringing it up first.
The whole time he was pleasant, chit chatting about a guy at the Concessions counter being picky about his latte that he ordered. The guy at the concessions was yelling at the employees, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" The man was so impatient that our cashier was wondering if the guy was going to jump the counter and take care of his order himself.

By that time I think he noticed Mark's odd expression as the cashier was picking up everything around the bottle.
Then he says, "Oh, this isn't booze!" I guess maybe we look like the kind of people that would drink hard liquor?! Then he joked, "We just ID anyone who buys 100% maple syrup!"
Any way, it was very funny, and we realized once again, we aren't in Utah anymore!