Parenthood: That state of being better chaperoned than you were before marriage. ~Marcelene Cox

Just for good measure and because I miss blogging--I'm doin' it twice. After soccer practice the kids brought Twister over to the neighbor's house to meet their dog Griz. I went over to supervise the kids and help Kellie paint her living room. It turned out to be a fun afternoon. When I came back Chris had made a batch of chili and we watched the latest Harry Potter movie, which I thought was great. Haven't read any of the books yet. We made it to Palm Sunday for church today, but we were later than normal. On the way home we were having a discussion about where they get the palms from. Isaac randomly tells me that the rain forest gets 10 inches of rain a year. I say "How do you know that?" He says, "I was reading informational non-fiction." He says, "Yeah and koala bears only get out of their tree once a week. That was the same genera." I just love when he uses big words! I did all of the cleaning that I totally put off yesterday. Then we were invited to join Justin, Shawna and Ava at the movie theater to watch RIO. While I really dislike taking kids to the theater, since the price totally doesn't make it worth it--I will say that it was a funny movie and my kids did have a good time. Now I am back at the old computer, blogging and sharecareing and emailing and may be a little facebooking and what not pretty much for the rest of the night. But I am so good at putting off what could be done tomorrow!

April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go. ~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

Once again it has been longer than I thought since my last post and I do apologize. Not even sure where to start cuz I can't remember what we did during the month of March. May be that is why I didn't blog. The kids went to the dentist and had no cavities AND no green stuff on their teeth! But of course they still want to put Isaac in braces so who knows, we'll see. St. Patrick's Day just happens to be one of the most anticipated events of the year for Zoey. Don't know why exactly, but in her eyes its like Christmas. Which is a little strange cuz she doesn't really get anything and she hates green milk and cabbage. But when I was in Elementary school the Leprechauns were pulling schanannigans (ya I have no idea how to spell that). So often times they visit here and switch things up and are just plain silly for a day. At the end of March we FINALLY got a new addition to our family. A beautiful baby girl. Puppy. Her name is Twister Rain Soost. She was about 8 1/2 weeks old when we got her and she is about 11 weeks old now and weighs in at about 19 lbs. She is half Siberian Husky and half Australian Shepard so she's going to be bigger than what we were originally looking for, but she is beautiful!! Its exactly like having another kid. She finds all the lost color crayons and toys on the floor and I have been cleaning up poop, pee and puke ever since. The first night we had her I took her out to potty at midnight, Ike got up not feeling great, pottied the pup at three am and then was up with Zoey cuz Twister's crying woke her up. A lot of work, but very fun to have her around. You should have seen the look on Ike's face the first time I told him to clean up after Twister. It was like he didn't realize they did that! The first week of April, I went to Cheyenne for some continuing education. It was GOOD to get out of my little bubble for a while, plus I got to learn from one of the NFL strength and conditioning coaches that also worked at Anoka High School. The day I was there (April 5th) Zoey was at school and lost her very first baby tooth. This was good thing, I think. As she had been talking forever about getting the treasure chest from the nurse's office to put her tooth in and this way she got it. Now, it came out during class not during lunch and I heard a couple different versions of the story so I am pretty sure she planned it this way as best she could. She was so excited to loose her first tooth! We have been waiting since Isaac lost his first tooth! Last week the circus came to town. Shawna had an extra ticket so we decided to tag along. I think it was the first for my kids and I ended up buying another ticket in case Chris got off early enough to come with us. I was just as excited to bring him to his first circus as I was for the kids. However, that was the same day I brought Twister to the vet for her first shots. We waited 40 minutes for our appointment. She took the shot fine, but refused to eat the wormer even though the pills were wrapped in some yummy dog stuff, so the vet just shoved it down her throat. I still had to stop at the bank. The ATM is inside the door and not drive though so I left Twister in my car for a minute and when I came back she had puked all over my car and those little pills were still left over so I put them in her dog dish and as far as I know they eventually got eaten! But when I made it home I announced to Chris he was going to have to drive. My car just wasn't going to cut it. The circus was fun. I let the kids have snow cones and cotton candy. We watched the lion tamers, the elephants, the jugglers, all different kinds of acrobats and they closed with 5 motorcycles riding around in a metal cage. I (and all of Gillette) automatically thought of the Simpson's (cuz we watched Homer do it first). Ya--we don't get out much. But it was fun and we all had a good time. I was so excited for Chris to go to his first circus ever and asked how he liked it--he was disappointed that it wasn't in a tent. They held it at the Camplex. Crazy man anyway! I was super hoping to make it to Minnesota for Easter, but it looks like we are just going to stay here this time. But I have thought about checking the calendar to see when the kids have the next days off which would be for Memorial Day. We get out of school like on the second of June or something like that. Soccer season has started. We have made it to most of the practices but games have been cancelled due to weather. Isaac will be in baseball again and practices will be starting soon as will be Chris's softball. So my evenings are being spoken for and of course Saturday morning soccer practice.

Winter is the season in which people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer, when they complained about the heat. ~Author Unknown

I just looked at how many posts I have done over the years and I didn't post even half as much as I did the first year. Crazy. Actually, somehow, I had more time then. I had like a two hour lunch break everyday with nothing specific to do, so I blogged to ya all. Now I have to use my own computer and sometimes we don't always get along so well. So I try to avoid it. Interestingly enough after that being said, I am waiting for my online meeting to start. I guess I had better make up and be friends with my computer since I decided to take an online job.

No new news to report however, just busy, busy with everyday stuff. Something going on almost every day or night here for about 10 days. I still need to get a sitter for Tuesday, but I think between, work, darts, family it will all be great. Still working about 3 evenings a week and I am packed with 4 massages tomorrow before going to a friends house for game night.



Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk by the fire: it is the time for home.~Edith Sitwell

The family.

We are a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking eachother out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together~ Erma Bombeck


We are not sick, but not healthy either. Zoey got her glasses and seems to be doing well with them. They are not broke yet anyway! I am working 3 nights a week for the time being instead of just one like I promised my husband. But I am still exctied about this sharecare thing. Online virtual training will be available for purchase in feb. but if you have any questions or just want to see how it works send me your email and you get a two week free trial. Well, that's all I have for now.

If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself. ~Leon Eldred

So I attempted to add a sharecare widget to this blog. Right now I think it looks kinda funny or not right anyway. But it does work. Questions are answered and show on this link. Then if you need any health question answered just click on the small white box under Ask your Question and a qualified health care profesional will answer your question.

Yesterday one of my clients says "So I hear you are working with Dr. Oz." To which I said "Yes, I am." It was kinda awesome.

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

December was busy! But great! We drove to Minnesota with mostly clear roads for Christmas. It seemed that this year was going to feel much different than Christmases in the past with so many family changes, but we had such a good time at all of the Christmas events we went to. I was so excited to see my cousins and hang out with family. I even teamed up with Chris's cousin to win second place at the bean bag toss. We should have won. We were ahead, but they had a sloppy shot that got them the win! We got to see all of the crazy Minnesota snow. On the last day we were there we got a visit from Santa Clause and that was fabulous. This year Isaac did not sit on Santa's lap. But when Santa entered and saw Isaac he immediately said "You must be Isaac." Isaac's eyes were big and happy and in a very big firm voice he said "Yes, I am." and then he received his gifts. It was fun. Isaac got his Minnesota cough on that Sunday morning before we left. I gave him his Advair, Ibuprofen, Delsum and a vitamin and called it good. Chris and I got the flu or something cruddy. Zoey just got a regular cold which I think she may have decided to share with me as something is still lingering.

The day we left for Mn I finished all my requirements to become an online health coach with sharecare.com. I am a little frustrated as I am not patient enough to wait for them to give me my online profile, but it will be here shortly. On Monday Dr. Oz kicked off his 11 week move it and loose it program. If you go to his website( www.doctoroz.com ) and click on the program you will get your online profile as well as all the tools you will need to track your progress, eat well and exercise to be your healthiest in 2011. Sharecare is what has been referred to as facebook with a purpose. It is the only online platform of its kind and the biggest promotion of health across America. I am excited to be part of this movement and hope that it helps to keep my family and friends healthy and happy. Plus its pretty cool to work from home and still be an active part of keeping America moving. Please join--its free!! Also in this process I got a new website for my business, its www.myhfpn.com/activespirit its pretty cool, plus it has an online store so I am going to urge everyone to order a foam roller (my newest favorite equipment) for their home.

The kids are back in school. I don't have them in any extra curricular activities right now. I thought a break would be nice, plus I don't always like to go out and about when its cold and snowy. My plan of course has backfired as I am just working more evenings and weekends instead.

Well, hopeful later today I will get some pics up and change out the Christmas music. But who knows--no promises.

Happy New Year to all:)

Hey you can turn up the music now as I FINALLY changed it from New Moon to some great christmas music (before the season is over)! Sorry it took so long.