Biggest Loser

Hey Everyone!
Well I got off the phone with my mom tonight and she asked when I was going to update my blog. I told her I didn't really have anything to blog about and we left it at that and hung up. After thinking about it, I did decide I have something to blog about.
I've had one steady change the last 5 months. I'm actually living one of my "new years" resolutions: loosing weight. It's been quite the journey.
I started out this year weighing 230 pounds. Yeah. That's what I thought too. Bummer.
Well after finding a wellness program that I absolutely LOVE and can stick with for LIFE, I'm now weighing 196 pounds! That's a difference of 34 pounds!!
And if you thought that was cool, I've also lost 15 inches off my body frame!! So instead of squeezing into a very tight size 20, (I was in denial that I was big enough to be in a size 22) I am now in a size 14!
I sometimes think that I'll wake up one day and look in the mirror and realize it was a dream; but I wake up everyday and I like what I see in the mirror. And it just gets better.
I'm at my half-way mark for my goal to loose 60 pounds and the next 26 are going to be hard I fear. But it's going to feel awesome when I reach that goal! Good luck to anyone else trying to reach their weight goals! You'll see "LESS" of me soon! :)

Jenny Phillips Results!

Hey Everyone!
Well I went to the Jenny Phillips workshop on Saturday. I didn't win the songwriting contest, but I got a GREAT critique from Jenny on my song! I realized I already knew a lot about how to write songs and the advice she gave me is priceless and will help me with the next songs! I learned the more I write, the better each song becomes! So much FUN information!
I met Hillary Weeks and Mindy Gledhill and Tyler Castleton and of course Jenny Phillips! If you don't know who they are, google them! It was such an inspiration to see them and be able to hear their stories. Hillary gave me her autograph and wrote to believe in myself because God does and to always seek to do His will. Mindy gave me her autograph also! It was so fun and I'm planning on going every year! Maybe one of my songs will eventually win!
This workshop also gave me a better idea of where I want to go with my music. Right now it's just a hobbby, but I want to do more with it! I'm getting serious about lyrics for my current songs, and when I'm done I'm going to hold a Critique Concert! You're ALL invited when it happens! This Saturday is the vocal part of the competition and I'm excited to see what things I can learn from Jenny on how to improve my voice!! I heard some of the other contestants singing and they sounded SO good! I'm not downing myself, but I also have to be realistic and just be excited to grow! Because someday I'll be there! :)
Thanks for all your support and comments!! I get a copy of Jenny and Tylers song I'm recording on Saturday, so I'll send that one along with my song for those of you who wanted them! PLEASE if you have ANY advice for me when you listen to them, LET ME KNOW!!! Every critique helps! That's what I learned this past weekend. My ablilty needs to grow! I'll let you know how things go this weekend!! Thanks again!!

Katie's Secret.....

Hi Everyone! So I have a small secret that it's now time to let it out.....
I'm not PREGNANT and I don't have a new CAR! Actually it has to do with my talent in music.
A few months ago, Ryan told me he entered me into a music competition sponsored by Jenny Phillips and Tyler Castleton....Um.....What??....YIKES!!! Well I had to submit a song written by me, lyrics and all, back in June. Thanks to Heavenly Father I was able to pin down the lyrics 2 days before the send in date (I'd been working on them for 2 months!) and found an AWESOME guy to record it to a cd the morning I needed to send it in. He also entered me into the vocal competition. I have to memorize a song written by Jenny and Tyler, and on the 14th I will record my voice to the song with Jenny helping me and giving me tips!! That's the nervous part...
I get my cd back with a critique from Jenny Phillips this weekend on the 8th. Also, they will announce who the winner is. The winning song will be on Jenny's 2010 Young Womens Theme CD. If you want a copy of my song let me know what your mailing address is and I'll send one to you!
I'm really excited to see what the day will bring. It's going to be full of workshops and concerts and people who have been where I am in music and I'm really excited to see what they did and do to get where they are! I'm nervous, but I'm pushing through those fears because it's going to be an AWESOME experience! Win or Loose I'm coming away on top! I'll let you know what happens!

Jace's FIRST Birthday!!

I know every mother says this, but I can't believe that my little boy is 1! The time has flown and it's been such a wonderful first year! We had Aunt Kari and her kids Taron, Makayla, Alexis, and Landon, and Uncle Troy and Aunt Jamee and their kids Savannah, Samuel, and Christian, and Grandma and Grandpa Merkley and Grandma and Grandpa Hartle, and Aunt Char and Uncle Michael. Thank you for coming to Jace's special day!!!
Thank you Jace for being one baby that spoils his mom! I'm so lucky to have you in my life! I LOVE YOU!!

This is Jace's first birthday cake made by me :)




He INHALED his cake...


And his ice cream!


He loved his presents too! Thank You family!!!

Walking Tall....Almost :)

Marks of a TROOPER!!

Hey everyone! Well Jace is asleep and I finally have time to do an update. A lot has happened and I can't wait until I'm looking back and laughing at it.

Jace has had quite the adventureous month. He hit his head on the corner of the entertainment center hard enough it cut his skin and started bleeding. I was a little shocked, but my insticts kicked in and we had tissues and a first aid kit in the kitchen and in seconds he was fine. Thank you to Aunt Pam and Uncle Ken whose idea it was to get us a first aid kit for our wedding! It's come in VERY handy!



Then on Tuesday I was making nutrional bars to take on a trip. I gave him a little peanut butter thinking he was old enough by now. I didn't notice anything was wrong until his face broke out in hives and his eyes started getting puffy. The doctors office wasn't open yet, so I called everyone I could think of to help. Well thankfully we had some childrens allergy medicine and I gave him 1/4 teaspoon. Thank you to whoever gave that advice to Ryan. He was back to normal an hour later. That was scary. I kept checking his mouth to make sure it wasn't closing, but it looked normal the whole time.



Then Ryan and I left him with Grandma JoAnn on Wednesday so we could go on a business trip to Minnesota for 4 days. Well, Thursday night she called me saying the rash on his mouth was getting worse. I had seen it get pretty bad, so I told her what I did and left it at that. Friday she called me and told me she took him to the doctor because he had a high fever (102!) and the doctor said Jace has Impetigo. It's a skin infection and gave him antibiotics. That's when the worry set in. I wouldn't be able to see him until Monday and I was feeling like I should go home then. Mom assured me on Saturday he was doing a lot better dispite him not eating or resting very well and told me not to worry. Sunday he started not feeling well again, so I was glad we were on our way home. Grandma Lois took care of him on Sunday, so Mom could do her church calling of primary. Thank you to both these amazing women who helped out while I was gone!! Monday finally arrived and we were on our way home to our boy. I couldn't wait. The only thing that made me think it was bad was when Lois said to be prepared for what we were going to see. YIKES!! I finally pulled up and this is what I saw:



Yeah. That's what I thought. I didn't cry, but he sounded horrible, so we called the doctor again and thankfully got another appointment for an hour later. I cried a little on the way over, 1 because I was so happy to see him and 2 because I felt so bad he wasn't feeling good. The doctor gave him another perscription and took some cultures and told us to just let it take it's course and heal. His face gets better a little each day and his appetite is much better as well. He slept with me two nights in a row, but last night he slept in his crib ALL NIGHT!! I'm so glad he's getting better!

Co-Workers to Friends to Adopted Aunts

Ok before I start, I just have to tell you that Jace has a new trick:

Now that we are living in Vernal, we are 2 minutes away from "Aunt" Char Lee and soon we'll be a few minutes away from "Aunt" Andrea. Char Lee and Andrea (a.k.a. Char and Drea) worked with me at Mountain America at the Vernal branch. As soon as I found out Char liked broadway and Rigoletto, we became immediate friends! Drea was the sweet adorable girl you can't help but be friends with! Both of them were one of the firsts to know I was pregnant with Jace. Char even braved the waters and was one of the first to visit me in the hospital when he finally arrived. Even though I don't remember too much of what was said. Drea had her first son Landon four months after Jace was born, and I LOVE talking with her about our babies and how fast they grow and have play dates and such! I look at Landon and remember the days of when Jace was small and just learning things and I look at Drea and see what an awesome job she's doing at being a mom!

Char and Drea have been such a blessing in our lives and Jace just adores them! I don't have any pictures of Andrea or Char yet, but I do have this video of Char playing with Jace that I got on Wednesday. She came over for a girls day and we scrapbooked and talked about Project Runway. Then we ate dinner with our husbands and watched a movie. It was SO fun!! I'll have more to tell about Andrea soon because we have a play date next Wednesday. Thank you girls for all the fun memories!! And thank you for being a part of our lives!!