Half Way Through the Challenge

Aimee
   So I swore this challenge was going to last forever. I thought it would feel like a century; like the Joan Jett concert I went to (which was like a hostage situation...I hear she's gotten better though). But it has actually gone by pretty quick, we're already on day twelve! Holy crap! The cleanse phase was the first ten days so we're done with that which I am not bumming over at all. Now I can have milk! Only a little but a little is better than none, right? Right. I certainly have no amorous feelings toward that fiber drink so I am not mourning no longer having to chug it while holding my nose like a four year old taking cough medicine. As if that wasn't attractive enough, the crazy rambling "it's just orange juice...don't think about it...just orange juice" over and over again added extra spirit to it. It's really not that bad, the sensitive gag reflex made it worse. It also helped that after I drank the fiber drink I brushed my teeth...and my tongue..and the roof of my mouth. I would have brushed my uvula if I could have reached that far; I wanted no remaining fiber drink essence. I know I am not really "selling" it well, but I hear the peaches and cream flavor is better and I don't generally like citrus stuff anyways. But for the two minutes of fiber unpleasantness the cleanse was awesome! My skepticism is gone, and that's not easy for me to say. To give you an idea, Glen always says if someone can sell something to me they can sell it to anybody. I am a practical and fact based person and I cannot deny the facts, which are:

1. I feel so healthy. I used to have days, pretty much weekly, where I would say to Glen "I feel gross." It wasn't like the kind of gross where I was actually sick, I just felt gross. I didn't want to do anything, I was tired, and I thrived on junk food which made me feel gross-er. The past almost two weeks I haven't really said that. The first couple days felt kind of strange because my body was adjusting but once it hit like day four that was gone.
2. I have more energy; I don't fall asleep at the drop of a hat when I sit down. I am able to focus better. It's not cause I'm guzzling Spark either, I only have one a day and usually it's at about 6:30 or so in the morning. Glen isn't falling asleep every time he sits down and both of us work in retail so we move around constantly. 
3. The products aren't gross! Well...fiber drink aside (but that's because of my taste). The Spark seriously tastes like kool-aid and it's not the kind of energy drink that makes you feel all jittery and spazzy. It really just kind of wakes you up a little and sharpens your ability to focus. Which I have truly tested because anyone who knows me knows that before now the focus thing didn't really happen before 8 am (and that's being generous). The meal replacement shakes taste like cake and an actual milkshake. Which speaks to the inner junk food junkie.

  So my first thoughts on the Max phase which is what the next fourteen days are that there is a lot that you take but all of it is multivitamins, omega 3's, etc. (more info here). But I am so excited to see what the next twelve days bring! Yesterday we measured and weighed; this week my loss was in pounds rather than inches; no complaints here! Here are my results (as compared to my last weigh in):

Day 11 Weigh In

Weight: 143.1 lbs (-2.2 lbs)

Right Arm: 10 in.

Shoulders: 42 1/2 in.

Chest: 38 3/4 in.

Waist: 31 in.

Hips: 39 3/4 in.

Right Thigh: 21 in.

Right Calf: 13 in.

Total Loss: 2.2 lbs 

Glen
  With this challenge being half way over and only 2 more weeks to go I can honestly say that I am feeling the best I have in a quite a while. The cleanse phase thank goodness was only ten days however after the 5th day it started to get easier. 

   The last few days have been rather difficult due to the fact that where I work has picked up quite a bit so being able to follow the program to a T is not so easy to do and it has been extremely frustrating because I have worked so hard to even get to this point and I do not want to do anything to mess it up. I have learned though that it is important to keep pressing forward and do it to the best of your ability. In my own opinion this challenge is meant to get you back into good habits even when your situation is forcing you to do otherwise and that is of course where most people run into their problems but as you will see from my results doing the best I could with what I got still produced some pretty great results. Hard work does pay off. Lost some pounds and inches and gained some muscle!

Day 11 Weigh In

Weight: 227.1 lbs (-2.9 lbs)

Right Arm: 16 in.

Shoulders: 50 in. (-4.5 in.)

Chest: 47 in.

Waist: 46 1/2 in. (-1/2 in.)

Hips: 44 in. (-1 in.)

Right Thigh: 21 1/2 in. (-1/4 in.)

Right Calf: 16 in.

24 Day Challenge Progress

   So today was the end of the fifth day of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, so we'll just dive into how things have been for us!

Aimee
   I have always have joked with Glen that I am addicted to junk food, but after these five days (only five...how sad) I swear that wasn't so joke-ish after all. There were days that I swear I was going through withdrawal; at my sister's house I was 90% sure the bag of cookies was looking at me...through the cupboard...in another room. Totally crazy, I know. There were two days in particular that I was like ravenous for anything delicious and not cleanse-ey. Give me that brownie ice cream pizza french fries cheesecake....alright fine banana. But I am SO glad I didn't cheat, especially after we weighed and measured today. I think this week was particularly hard because I wasn't able to completely prep like I wanted before we started the cleanse so I felt a little like a rabbit with what I was eating. But I was able to plan for the next week so I can eat person food now too! It sounds silly but even just being five days in I can tell that preparation is huge in being successful. If you prepare it makes it easier so it keeps you from giving up. It also really helps doing it with someone else. Glen may or may not have have to hold onto my hand particularly tight when we were walking passed a table of cupcakes. Yeah...that got a little dicey. But I am so glad he's in this for the long haul too! Otherwise it would have been a flop like everything else I've tried.
   I had to admit that even though I was hopeful, I was also a pretty big skeptic. I promised myself that I would look at this experience objectively; that was the whole idea so that I could honestly either suggest or discourage it. I had heard people talk about the Spark drink before I started and how it made them more alert and able to focus. I was particularly skeptic about this but as I was thinking about it today (during my super ridiculously productive day), I realized something. When I watch Caelan during the week I usually get there about 6:30 or 7 am and fall asleep until he wakes up, then inevitably I wil fall asleep during one of his naps unless I force myself to stay busy. That didn't happen this week. I snoozed for about an hour on Wednesday morning but that was it. I was amazed! I can home and was tired at the end of the day like I should be but I was good during the day!
   My thoughts on products so far are that there is a lot to keep track of at first, but once you're in the swing of things it's not as bad. The past two mornings without the fiber drinks were lovely. That's my least favorite part but the Spark in the morning is tasty! The grape one tastes like kool-aid and the fruit punch is yummy too! I am trying watermelon tomorrow. But the proof is in the pudding (mmm....pudding):

 Day 5 Weigh In:

Weight: 145.3 lbs (-3.7 lbs)

Right Arm: 10 in. (-1 in.)

Shoulders: 42 1/2 in (-1/2 in.)

Chest: 38 3/4 in. (-1/4 in.)

Waist: 31 in.

Hip: 39 3/4 in. (-1/4 in)

Right Thigh: 21 in.

Right Calf: 13 in.

Total Loss: 3.7 lbs and 2 inches overall. 

Glen

    The past five days have been some of the toughest in regards to food. If you do not know me then you do not know how much I love eating. I eat whenever I get the chance and I eat all of my favorite foods. We are only on day 5 and I feel like I am about to go crazy and I probably will have gone crazy but I know that at the end of these 24 days I will have learned a whole new level of self control and discipline.

    Up until this point I had not realized exactly how much I used food as a crutch. Whenever I am at home and watching a show or doing some business I would get something to eat and I would eat off and on through out the day until Aimee and I went to bed.

  When I first heard about this challenge I knew people were getting their results and I was stoked for them but as far as I was concerned I was pretty certain that I would not be able to last 24 days doing a very specific routine and making sure certain things were done in incremental times. 

  Aimee then recently of course began looking further into it and one thing that I have come to learn ever since I first met her was that I could accomplish anything as long as she was by my side so I agreed to do it with her shortly after our journey began.
   There are a lot of great health products on the market and after only five days I can already see and feel a difference in myself. I have been able to have more energy and I already feel healthier. Although the first few days have been a bit hellish I see the results and as we all know results have incredible motivation to keep someone going. Plus having a great team mate and not wanting to let her down keeps me right on track. Next milestone will be to get to Day 11. So I am almost halfway there and before I know it the 24 days will be up. 

Day 5 Weigh In:

Weight: 230 lbs. (-1 lb.)

Right Arm: 15 in. (-1/2 in.)

Shoulders: 54.5 in. (-2 in)

Chest: 46 in.

Waist: 47  in.

Hips: 45 in.

Right Thigh: 21 3/4 in. (-2 1/4) in

Right Calf: 16 in.

Total Loss: 1 lb and 4 3/4 inches overall. 

We're definitely still motivated! Talk after our next weigh in!!

We're Accepting the Challenge

   Oh my gosh! Two posts in a week?! Unheard of...but true. Normally my posts are about what events have happened with us recently and how we're doing; the next few aren't quite going to be like that. Glen and I have been worried about our health habits for quite some time now. Both of us have a sweet tooth that practically consume our whole heads, both of us lacked serious knowledge about where to start or even where to look for information. For the entire time we've known each other we've talked about how we have bad habits that we don't know how to shake. We knew people who had done Advocare challenges and those who not only did the challenges but were distributors and advisers for the products. We were kind of wishy-washy about it for a while until the desire for healthier lifestyles evolved into wanting to be healthy and needing to find a way for some extra income. Glen has been working already and I knew that it needed to be me who brought in that income(despite his best efforts to convince me otherwise). I looked into Advocare a little deeper and Glen and I both liked what we heard and what we were learning. But we both refused to sell anything we hadn't put to the test ourselves. Thanks to one of my family members we are able to do just that. Which brings me to....

THE ADVOCARE 24 DAY CHALLENGE:
   The Advocare 24 Day Challenge is all about resetting your body essentially. The first ten days is all a part of the cleanse phase which cleans out your body of all the toxins and junk it has built up over time. The next 14 days are the max phase which helps reset your metabolism and really retrain your body on absorbing the necessary nutrients. That's the super reader's digest version, if you want more information you can email, Facebook message, text, call, or comment down below. To start the challenge we took our before pictures and our measurements. Over the next 24 days we will periodically make a post about how things are going and we are going to be super honest because we love our friends and family and believe in being nothing but honest with you all.

Day One: TODAY!
Aimee:
   Okay, so sharing personal details about myself especially my insecurities is the hardest thing I've ever done so please be kind. I have never been the textbook definition of "fat"and I know that will lose a lot of you, but I think I represent another chunk of women that I kind of call the "in betweens." I like many others have a time where I felt at my best; for me that was toward the end of our engagement, our wedding and shortly after. This was a result of no one hiring me (because of only being in Texas a few months) and doing yoga for an hour or more every day, decreased appetite due to hot temperatures and some medical stuff that I wasn't aware of then. But I was 125 lbs which was still healthy for me but more than that I felt gorgeous. 
   My goal for the challenge was to get back to my wedding weight and learn more about nutrition and taking care of my body. Some may roll their eyes at me when I say this but it's significant for me; I am the heaviest I have ever been and even more than that I feel more unattractive than I ever have. So for me, the goal of this is my wedding weight, healthy habits, and feeling gorgeous again.

Before Details:
Weight: 149 lbs.
Right Arm: 11 in.
Shoulders: 43 in.
Chest: 39 in.
Waist: 31 in.
Hips: 40 in.
Right Thigh: 21 in.
Right Calf: 13 in.


My initial thoughts today have been these:
1. Fiber drink-unpleasant but survivable.
2. If I drink anymore water I may just float away.
3. I have never been so full while being on a "diet."
4. I miss milk.

So for some of the days during the cleanse there is a fiber drink that you have to drink and I had heard that this was the worst part so I was not looking forward to it. I am a picky person when it comes to my food and drink and to top it off I have a super sensitive gag reflex. I took the suggestion of my coach and mixed it with 4 oz of water and 4 oz of Trop50 orange, I had to mix a little extra water in though toward the end. It also helps if you brush your teeth right after.

The "rule" for water consumption is your weight divided by two is equal to the number of ounces you should consume. I hate water. Sounds strange yes, but it has no flavor so I don't like it. I fixed that problem by putting some lemon slices in the water. Made it more appetizing at least. But I am pretty sure I drank more water today than I did all last week. If I drink anymore you may find me floating somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

There are some diets or health programs that make you go through the day eating very little ("I'm stuffed...I just ate a raisin" kind of stuff). This is not the case with Advocare! You eat basically every 2-3 hours and I am so full! When you do the challenge you get all source of resources to help you but it pretty much boils down to eating what your body needs for fuel. Protein, fruits/veggies, some carbohydrates and small amounts of healthy fats. 

For the cleanse portion of the challenge you can't have dairy which is killer for me because I love milk. Normally I drink TONS but today I had none and it feels strange. We don't even have any in the fridge. Is there such a think as a milkoholic? I think I am one and I am having serious withdrawal issues. 

That's all for me!

Glen: 
   Growing up I was a very active kid and well into my teenage years even but after high school because I no longer had P.E or went swimming all summer. I lost all physical activity and I started working as a security guard to help pay for my mission. The first place they put me at had me walking around more but the last place they put me before I left for my mission had me sitting in a booth for 8 hours and for those 8 hours for 6 plus months I was constantly eating and never doing any physical activity so slowly I began to gain weight and by the time I left on my mission I was overweight and unhealthy. For the 2 years on my mission I was walking around quite a bit so I lost some weight but I never got back down to my ideal weight of 175. 

   After getting home from my mission I followed a pretty unhealthy pattern of eating all the time and doing some moving around but not much, so as you can guess my weight fluctuated and sadly I have never been able to get below 200 pounds. 
Before Details:

Weight: 231
Right Arm: 15.5 in.
Shoulders: 56.6 in.
Chest: 46 in.
Waist: 47 in.
Hips: 45 in.
Right Thigh: 24 in.
Right Calf: 16 in.

 Here is what I am looking to accomplish in this 24 day challenge
1. Reach the 199 lbs mark
2. Create better daily habits
3. Be more self disciplined
4. Be in better shape to do more activities with Aimee
5. Learn healthy habits

   After the first day I know that this is going to be incredibly hard but because of the support of my wife it is going to be a lot easier. I am looking forward to watching both her and I get healthier and personally I feel like we will grow closer together as a couple. 1 down and only 23 more to go!

Here Comes Summer

   Hi everyone! Time to update things from the past couple months. The weather has been getting warmer here in Texas so we have been doing some playing outside, which has been nice! A little while after my last post we had an uncharacteristically mellow Saturday and wanted to take advantage of the nice weather by going to the park. But it looks a little strange walking around the park on a nice Saturday without a kid, so we stole Megan and Gavin's and went to the park! It was so fun! We played on the swings and the slide and climbed on the jungle gym (as much as a munchkin can at 8 months old). After we had played ourselves all out, we went to the car and played with the horn for a few minutes then we headed back to return the kiddo.
    Since I posted last Glen got a job. He works for Leslie's Pool Supplies and really seems to enjoy it. It's not quite full time but he's been doing well at it and it's helping to ease the financial stress. He's still working  on his t-shirt business and the website looks awesome! He's added a bunch of new designs and just recently he added some fun flip flops, just in time for summer! You guys should totally take a look! http://shirtsjustforyou.spreadshirt.com/. The company that hosts the website did some tweaking to the site for him and made it look awesome! They also sent us a couple free t-shirts so we can see how they printed; they looked so awesome! Glen used one of the samples to get me one of the ones I really liked. Corrine came for a visit in the beginning of May and it was a busy and fun visit!
   My semester is over and I am so glad it is! It was my last semester of having to take 15 credit hours, so I am hoping that the next semesters feel a little lighter than the ones before. I am doing 6 credits of summer coursework after which I will start my last year in the education program (wow...did I really just say that?!). In the fall I will spend one full day every week in my cooperating school and I will be working on taking a bunch of certification tests. In the spring I will be in a cooperating classroom full time, then I will finally graduate! This summer I will prepare for and take the first of my certification tests and I am so freaking nervous! There's a whole process you have to go through to even clear to take the test, so that's my focus now.
   After my semester ended, I got really home sick for New York and my family there, and Glen as he usually does suggested I go. Thanks to my Dad who had an extra buddy pass, I was able to go and be there for Lucy's birthday (it was the first I have been able to be there for since her first). I also got to see one of Justin's baseball games and surprise my Grandpa Friday. I was so happy to see everyone and it made me even more excited to go back with Glen in the beginning of July. I already have a list of things I want to do with him there. So excited!

Lucy taking a swing at her pinata at her birthday party.

Some of the pictures I took at Justin's game. He's so fun to watch!

   Glen and I are also starting something that we are both excited and nervous about. After memorial day we are starting the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. We have both struggled with maintaining healthy habits and really learning how to eat healthy and really take care of our bodies. It's going to be an interesting 24 days and I am looking forward to seeing what it does for both of us. Keep an eye on my Facebook, we'll post before and after information and share our thoughts on the program and the challenge. I think it will be really good!

March? Already?

   Well, Glen and I both agree that it feels like it was Christmas yesterday. We cannot believe how quickly 2015 is passing. We are keeping pretty busy with various different parts of our lives. Glen is still looking for work; some times we're more optimistic than others. He worked with my dad to revamp his resume and it really did the trick! He's been getting a lot of responses even just in the past couple of days and has several interviews lined up. We haven't talked about it exclusively but I think Glen would agree that this has a lot to do with the prayers of those who love and care about us as well as the fasting we did with out family the first Sunday of the month. That being said we are grateful for the heartfelt prayer that has come from our behalf.

   Note: For those of our friends who are not familiar with the term "fasting," one of the leaders of our church put it much better than I can when he said "In the Church today, one Sabbath day each month is set aside for the purpose of fasting. Members of the Church go without food and water for two consecutive meals in a 24-hour period and then contribute the money that would have been spent for that food to those in need...“Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it’s simply going hungry. If we want our fasting to be more than just going without eating, we must lift our hearts, our minds, and our voices in communion with our Heavenly Father. Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. (https://www.lds.org/topics/fasting-and-fast-offerings?lang=eng).

   Glen has also been working on getting his t shirt business going; the website that he's found to process orders should make shipping fast and there are some really awesome designs. There are a lot on there that I would really like. Take a look at his website: http://shirtsjustforyou.spreadshirt.com/. He's also the first counselor in the young men's presidency and while he's still learning exactly what all it is that he's supposed to be doing but he's enjoying getting to know the young men. Our ward has a good group of boys.

   I have been up to my eyeballs in school. It's toward the end of spring break week and I'd love to be in the movie ground hog's day so I don't have to go back to school. It's really reading intensive and a lot of the reading is repetitive so it's really hard to feel motivated to actually focus on the reading. But there aren't a whole lot of assignments that go into the final grades so every little thing counts. Which makes me feel like I am getting my butt kicked, which is a terrible feeling when you're a perfectionist like I am. Four out of the five classes I am taking have major projects so I am hoping that the effort that I put into those projects helps compensate for the lack of focus that happens sometimes when I am reading endless pages of textbooks. I am starting to lose steam and in general just getting tired o being in school; unfortunately I am not going to get much of a break between now and graduation in May 2016. It seems like so far away and like it's just receding as I get closer. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the opportunity to get a higher education I just wish it could have been completed before now. I do really like that I actually get to be in elementary school classrooms and I am learning a lot. I really enjoy it! It reminds me why I am incessantly reading textbooks and what the end result is. That's what matters.

   Glen and I have come up with the saying "do what we need to get what we want." It seems to be the theme for the bigger part of our lives lately.  I think we're both looking forward to Glen having a job and my graduation. UTA will be lucky if we both don't dance across the stage when they call my name.

The Start of Our New Year

   Hello everyone! Look at me, two posts in two consecutive months! Wow! We hope everyone had a fantastic holiday with their friends and family.Before we left for Colorado we did one of the big Sykes family traditions which was making anise cookies. Everybody participated, even Caelan! We spent Christmas in Colorado with Glen's side of the family; we got to spend a whole week there and we had a lot of fun! It was an adventure flying there stand by but it was super easy getting home (surprisingly enough). We got to spend a lot of time with family that we haven't seen in a long time. We played a lot of card games, watched movies, made a cookie train with the nieces, and shopped. It was a lot of fun. We watched this really awesome DVD on Christmas Eve that I absolutely loved. It totally brought the spirit of Christmas; unfortunately I can't remember the name of it! I will have to ask Hillary. On Christmas morning Glen woke up early (not quite as early as the kiddos...but pretty close (: ) and we waited for all the kids to be awake to go upstairs and see the Christmas tree and everything. It was so cute to see all the kids so excited. One Christmas Eve the Parmenter side has a tradition where each family gets a Christmas book to take home, we hear the Webb family story of Skat the dog, and then we read the Nativity story out of the scriptures.   Here are some of the pictures from Christmas time, the ones from Glen's parents' house I stole from Corrine, I am just waiting for her to post the others! :)

Caelan (with pants on his head) cutting out his first Anise cookie.

Now one without the pants on his head.

Rueger checking out his rocking horse.

Darby and her fancy new science kit.

Making the Frozen themed cookie train.

Montanna and her bow and arrow.

Poor Eden had been sick so she's wrapped up in Uncle Glen's sweatshirt listening to the Christmas book we all received.

Happy boy on Christmas

The results of Eden's new make up kit.

Our family picture.

The whole Parmenter side of the Family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   When we got home we realized that one of the souvenirs we brought home was the cold type thing Eden had. So we spent a couple days relaxing and trying to feel a little better. Then we did Christmas with my side of the family on New Year's Eve. Then we brought in the New Year with the "Christmas" dinner with my side of the family.

My birthday nails!

   Since then we have been bracing ourselves for the semester to start. Glen is working on his t shirt business and looking for full time work so we can get the benefits while he works on getting his business of the ground. Today Glen celebrated my birthday with me. My actually birthday is on a Sunday so he's making dinner for me tomorrow night and he's making me a cake! Today we went to see the matinee (yay for cheap seats!) of the newest Night at the Museum and had lunch. Then we went to do some errands we had to do. Glen spoiled me a bit too! He took me to get my nails done which I have only gotten done a few times but I really like how they look. I thought that was my birthday present but later he told me to stand up and close my eyes. When I opened my eyes I was wearing an apron (for those that know me well, this should come off as odd). And there was an envelope in the pocket. It was a groupon I had seen for an online cooking class! I have said a bunch of times that I wanted to take a cooking class but with my full time school I never thought I would have time to actually go to one to make it worth the money. I love to cook but I want to learn to make more. I am so excited! It's 12 months worth of online cooking class that I can start after this semester is over! So far it has been a great birthday.

My cooking class certificate!

   My semester starts Tuesday. I can't say I am really looking forward to it. It's going to be really hectic and really hard but hopefully I will do well. I am really glad that I have Glen to back me up and help make it easier. Once I get done with this semester, I will only have 3 left! I see the light at the end of the tunnel!
  
   Like I said, Glen is looking for work and trying to stay busy. He does some stuff on the side to help bring in income that he enjoys. We're hoping to find the right position for him, that he enjoys and works well for us.

That's all for now! :)

Merry Christmas!

   Hello everyone! I pretty much knew I wouldn't write again until the end of my semester because I knew that it would be a busy one. I'll try to catch up what we missed but update on what's going on now.

   In my last post I mentioned that Glen went to Colorado. I would have gone too except that my lovely Sister was on the "anytime now" schedule for having her lovely baby. Of course I posted my last post on July 2nd, and we got a text in the wee morning hours saying "thunder cats are go! we're already at the hospital." I don't think either of Glen or I have gotten up and moving that fast like...ever. But after a very long day for Mommy and Daddy Caelan joined a pretty awesome and Crazy family weighing in at 10 lbs 9 oz and 22 1/4 inches long.  We were lucky enough to be able to be at the hospital and give him snuggles, and hugs to Mom and Dad just about an hour or 2 after he was born.

   He's five months old now, and so big and doing all sorts of wonderfully adorable things and growing far too fast.

   I started my semester in the end of August and it had me running from the get go. It was my first semester in the actual education program and it was my first time in a classroom. What an amazing experience it was! I got to observe and learn a lot of things that I would love to take to my classroom and I got to teach my first lesson. That totally fueled the "this is why I want to be a teacher..." fire. The work took a lot of time and there was a ton of reading. But as of this last Friday, I finished the semester and am loving it! I really wanted to end it with a bang grade wise. It won't be as bang-ish as I wanted, but there was definitely more of a sizzle-bang, and that's not half bad.

   Glen's big news is that he has this t-shirt business that he has been trying to get momentum with for a while and in the past few months he has done so well! Especially the military moms shirts; it's so cool to see something he has worked so hard on take off and do so well. Plus it makes me excited to see him so happy and excited. His website has shirts and a bunch of other stuff. My favorites are the cancer shirts and the monarch butterfly tank top. Here's the link if you want to check it out! https://squareup.com/market/shirtsjustforyou. So you should check it out! That's the big news Glen wants to share.

   This Thanksgiving we were lucky enough to be able to have my brother, his wife, and children come to Texas so we can have a whole Sykes family Thanksgiving. They were here for ten whole days and we loved every single second of it. Glen and I got to have the kiddos to ourselves several times. He loved that they got to get to know him better and he loved getting to know them. They have such hilarious personalities; we even started writing down "Lucy-isms" because they were just too good not to write down. Justin is so funny and very sweet, which is how he's always been but it's nice to see he's still a sweet kid as he gets older. Can't say I'm surprised given their parents. Some of the big highlights were going ice skating and seeing Santa at the big mall here in Dallas and getting the kiddos their own cowboy/girl boots. Let me tell ya having a 4 year old girl choose her cowboy boots from a big selection of colorful and some sparkly ones, not easy. We also got family pictures taken for the first time since like 2007 or 2008. Here are some of the pictures from the trip (I did put most of them on facebook too, but it's a good looking bunch so I brag (: ). Sorry they're spaced funky, I am technologically deficient.

Some Thanksgiving day shenanigans.

Mom's birthday at Babe's, fun in the park, and watching the Christmas parade.

Meeting Santa and Caelan's first lemon.

Meeting Santa and ice skating.

Ice skating

Some of the family photos.

   Now that I have blown up the blog post with our pictures, I will wrap it up! Glen and I leave the 21st to go to Colorado for Christmas. We are very excited to get to see both whole sides of the family so close together. I get to meet Rueger for the first time too, I just wish it didn't take so long. We love all or family and friends and we wish we could see everyone more frequently. We hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

   Last Thanksgiving we went with Brett, Corrine, and Britney to see the Forgotten Carols. If you have the chance to go (I realize it's late in the season), please do. I had not felt the spirit so strongly in a long time. Now when it's Christmas time (and sometimes not during Christmas time) I listen to the soundtrack just to feel that again. I put a couple videos of my favorite clips. It was not easy, because I love them all, but here are a couple that I'll use to close my post. Enjoy your holidays!