I Love To See The Temple

Our temple is reopening this week. It has been closed for renovations. I've missed it. I never realize how much I take the temple for granted until easy access is taken away. That's why I'm so grateful that one of my projects for Personal Progress involves going to the temple every single month in 2012. I might even fit my dress by then, too!

The spirit that I feel as soon as I step onto temple grounds never fails to amaze me. It's like the hugest breath of fresh air that you could ever imagine. I think of how blessed I am to be a member of this church and how much good it has done me, I can scarcely remember life before my baptism. I'm so grateful, SO grateful and I can't imagine living without the church in my life ever again.

Ticker, Ticker, Watch Me Shrink

You may notice the ticker above my posts now. It's my extra motivation. I'm staying accountable to everyone who reads my blog. I will get that ticker to the end!!! I'm over a third of the way there, I can do this. I will be updating the ticker every Friday. I want it to be at least to the halfway mark by Brett's first birthday, Feb 11th. That's 5.1 lbs to go, and I will get there (or bust). I didn't think I'd get back in non-plus sized clothes again after I had Brett, and I'm already wearing them. I feel AMAZING!!! The only thing I'm nervous about is being away from home for a few days next month and not being in control of what's being cooked. I'll pull through, though, because I've never felt more empowered as I have doing this.

November's Thankful Thursday

I almost forgot about this month's Thankful Thursday. What better day to do it than the day that my favorite American couple is celebrating Thanksgiving?

1) I am SO grateful for how much better I feel since losing 24 lbs since June, 14 of which I've lost since Oct 1st. I feel happier and healthier and I think other people have noticed a difference as well. John sure has. May be TMI, but my monthly week of crankiness was significantly better this month, according to John.

2) I am grateful that Caleb is doing so well in school and that his teachers are so impressed with him. They kept telling me over and over yesterday at his conference just how adorable he is and how well he knows and follows the routine in the classroom. He loves school, for which I'm also grateful.

3) I am grateful that it's Christmas season. It's my favorite time of the year. All of our advent activities are ready to go. I'm trying really hard to get through to Caleb about what this holiday is really about and really waffling on when to tell him who Santa really is. We're having a hard time agreeing on that one. Regardless though, I love Christmas and the spirit this time of year. It's amazing!

Me, My Weight and My Baby Boy

A good friend of mine has been doing self improvement/realization questions on her blog and I've been answering them. They've been pretty good for me. She is reminding me that people don't see me as negatively as I see myself. I've realized that deep down I'm still a bit angry at B for being such a jerk about my being pregnant with L. I'm hoping to work on this one and let it go. Seriously, he's not worth the trouble. He's a child of God, but it doesn't mean that I have to like the things that he's done or let those things have power over me.

On a more positive note, I have officially lost 23.6 lbs since June! WOOHOO! Thank you so much to my AMAZING friend, Kyla, who has been keeping me accountable for my food intake and exercising for the past month and a half.

Other than that, things are going fairly well in the Bly home. A head cold for Brettley and I, but we're toughing it out. He's still quite happy. He popped out teeth #3 & #4 in the past few days and #5 is just about to cut through. I love my kids, I love my husband and I love my life:)

# 4...Someday...

I've had enough people ask and the word is out there enough that I may as well just announce it on my blog. Yes, we plan on having 1 more baby. No, I'm not currently pregnant. We plan on waiting about 3 years. Yes, we have prayed about this and I've received a priesthood blessing about it, I wouldn't be even considering it if we hadn't (remember, I was sure we were done). We know that this is right for our family and what we're meant to do. I've taken a lot of flack for it already, so if you don't agree with the answer we got from the Lord, then please don't comment.

Another Bly baby down the road...WOOHOO! We are very very nervous and very very excited and just trying to focus on being better people and parents now instead of just waiting around.

Weight

I thought my pre-pregnancy weight was lower than it actually was. I am officially lighter than my pre-Brettley pregnancy weight. Now it's losing the bipolar weight. I can do this!!!

Christmas Comments

It's not a well hidden fact that I LOVE Christmas. I listen to my favourite Christmas albums year round and I get super excited for decorating every year. I love the spirit of it. I'd love to start decorating on November 1st every year and have at least 2 full months of decorations. I don't, though. I always wait until November 12th at the earliest. Because I don't want my focus to be decorations on November 11th. I'm Canadian to the core and have no idea what Veteran's Day is like in the States. But up here, I do my best to give Remembrance Day the respect that it deserves. I wear my poppy for 2 weeks before the day. I often read books that remind me of the sacrifices that people made in wars for freedom. I have already started collecting books that will help my kids to become educated about the World Wars. So many lives were lost and so many more were scarred to ensure freedom, that it feels disrespectful to decorate for Christmas before then, at least to me. But you'd better believe that I'll be unpacking my Christmas tote on November 12th!

On another note about Christmas, I keep wondering why everyone is allowed to have rights during the holidays (or year round, for that matter) except for Christians. Seriously, if someone wishes you a Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanzaa, no one's going to correct them or chastize them. Happy Holidays is considered perfectly acceptable, politically correct and highly encouraged. However, if you wish someone a Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas then all of a sudden you're discriminating and offending people. HONESTLY?!? Take a step back and realize just how lost and corrupt our society has become so that someone can't even give people a pleasant festive greeting anymore. So whatever people wish me this year, I'll smile, say thank you and wish them a Happy Christmas. Because I don't answer to cranky atheists who want to control the beliefs and morality (or lack thereof) of the world. I answer to Heavenly Father, and it's the birth of His son that I am thankful for this time of the year, and always.

*Takes a step off of the soapbox*