Update!

We have several things going on, so I wanted to do an update. We finished the last of our part for adoption. We had our fingerprints done yesterday, and turned in our background check applications. We are also having our second interviews on Thursday. Yea!

Weight loss has been going well this week. I have lost 2 pounds this week! Yea! I was really worried because I have had really bad shin splints that make it difficult to keep working out. I asked the injury prevention person at my school, UNO, what I can do about it, and she said to use arch supports. I got some arch supports, and now my ankle has been hurting as my legs and ankles adjust. So, we went swimming last night. We both got a really good workout in doing laps, and my shins nor my ankles hurt. Yea for swimming!

So, so far so good!

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!