Strength of Stones FINALE

6 weeks ago 7 families began competing for the pride and privilege of becoming the  

Strength of Stones champion!!! (Insert crowd cheering here.)

Six weeks ago we each made family and personal goals to improve our health. Some smart person somewhere once said, "If you can do something for 30 days, then it has become a habit." This means that we have all created a new healthy habit in our lives, so keep it up. This experience has also helped us be more aware of our bodies and our health. 

**Each family was supposed to turn in their points for the competition (but I think the excitement wore out around week 4) so there are no points BUT there were results. 

Ben and I made the no sugar/junk food/fast food during the week- goal. We could splurge and be glutinous on the weekends. This was REALLY hard for us at first but as we started going it got easier. Ben started taking lunches to work or choosing healthier options at the cafeteria (salad).  I worked really hard on NOT snacking during the day and even stopped snacking at work (people always bring in goodies and I didn't eat them).  We moved all of our 'junk/snack' food to the bottom shelf in our pantry so it was harder to get to it and so we didn't see it every time we got in there. 

The first weekend off the 'diet' we went CRAZY and both got sick from it.  From then on we wouldn't go overboard on the weekends but would enjoy ourselves.  It got to the point that the week days were not so terrible and the weekends even became healthier.  I have a quote on the mirror in our bathroom that says, "30% Gym, 70% Kitchen. Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym."  After this challenge I believe this, yes exercise is important, but a healthy diet really gets you started. (I must admit that exercise is still hard for me and is still going to be a challenge for me to complete but I am proud of my diet goals and the progress I have made.)

Now for the RESULTS (can you tell I am proud):

Throughout the competition I weighed myself every morning and every evening (to adjust for water weight/ect) and at the end averaged it all together.  I started the competition weighing 153 lbs and have finished the competition at 141lbs.  I lost 12 lbs in 6 weeks!! I dropped two pant sizes and am now wearing, comfortably, my 'skinny' jeans.  What is so great is now, months later, I am still at 141 lbs (I didn't get it all back after the competition) and I feel healthier. 

I am so proud of myself, I have never done something like this before, and I am so grateful for my family for doing this competition with me and helping to motivate me to change my lifestyle and improve my health!!

Strength of Stones Competition

One of my friends' families had a health competition in which each family kept track of their exercise/food for points. The one with the most points wins.  So I decided to try this with my family, healthy competition to get healthy- what could be better than that?

So was created:  

THE STRENGTH OF STONES COMPETITION

A grueling competition where family verses family compete to know

 "Who is the Strongest Stones?"

Here are the rules/points:

Exercise Points:

1 point – jog or walk 1.5 miles (meaning if you go 3 miles you get 2 points)

1 point – 20 minutes on elliptical, treadmill etc. (meaning if you go 40 minutes you get 2 points)

1 point – ride bike at least 3 miles

1 point for other personally qualifying exercise – weight training, swimming, walking the dog, jumping rope, mountain climbing, soccer games, sport team practices, etc.

Food Points:

1 point - Drinking 64 oz of water a day

1 point - Eat 3 Fruits and 3 Veggies a day

1 point – Personal Goal

1 point- Family Goal

Limit 5pts/person per day

* If you are unable to do part of this challenge (pregnant, under the age of 2, ect) you can work on the other; if you can’t exercise focus on the food. If you aren’t getting the right food try focusing on the exercise.  You can also make a personal or family goal that better fits your needs.

It would be fun telling you how it went- but MORE fun letting you read the trash talk for yourself!!!

____________________________________________________________________________________Welcome WEEK 2 of the Strength of Stones Competition. I hope everyone's first week has gone well. I talked to Mat and his family and they are working hard; the kids have gotten really into (Mylie will go into the garage and jump rope till she's dripping, just to get a point) and they are sure they will win the kids award- make sure they have some competition.

Andrea- We had a slow start last week, Spring Break and all but already this week we are firing things up. The kids and I are walking to and from the bus stop each day. We have soccer and football practices all week. I spent an hour mowing the lawn from hell this morning and I have another hour tomorrow. Ben is hitting the gym at work and the Easter Bunny brought us all new water bottles so we can meet our water goals. Our sweets are gone and we have a veggie tray in the fridge for snacks!! 

Deanna- We are really enjoying this. Our family goal is to eat veggies for every dinner and my kids are actually eating their veggies to get their points. It is great!  Oh we have your kid's competition! We have been walking to pick Tre up from school, playing basketball and eating all our fruit and veggies! Bring it! :)

Mat- Mylie's goal is 1000 consecutive jumps on a pogo stick.  She did 434 consecutive jumps after school today.  I got sore and earned a point by watching and counting.  Just kidding.  She is driving some tough competition though.  

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Andrea- All of you crazies intent on beating the Dawsons in the "Strength of Stones" competition...feel lucky that we max out at 5 points per person, per day!! This family means business!!

We made one of our family/personal goals to get 8+ hours of sleep per night which is a huge challenge at this house! We also made a family/personal goal to go sugar-free! Imagine Emma and Spencer holding lollipops all the way home from soccer practice and then putting them away for a "not sugar-free day."

Breanne- Ben and I made the no sugar/junk food/fast food during the week- goal. We can splurge and be glutinous on the weekends. I think the sleep one is a good idea...I should try that.

Andi- Good luck with the sleep part. That is hard to do. I think we should change the max too. Even this pregnant lady can get 5 points a day!! Love you, and good luck!

Deanna- Our goal is to eat veggies at every dinner, so far we have served veggies at every dinner and everyone has actually eaten them too. Yesterday Brady earned his exercise point creating his own wind for his kite. :)

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May 9- Spencer jumped 1029 consecutive jumps on his pogo stick in an attempt to beat his cousin Mylie's record. (In all fairness I must confess that at jump 761 he had to jump down and pull up his pants which had fallen down to his knees so Mylie, you are still the champ!!)

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Deanna (final)- However we did keep up with our goals and I am happy to let you know how all of that went. Rickey worked out 5 days a week. I worked out 6 days a week. I finished my P90X program and Rickey works out at a gym near his work as well as rides his bike to work and home 4 times a week. One of our goals was to eat veggies at every dinner (fruit is easy for our kids) This one actually worked. We served veggies for every meal and our kids ate them! Another goal was to keep the kids active. They played at the school, had swim lessons, and we would go on walks. Clayton and Brayden love to ride their bikes too. Tre also played basketball and is part of his running club at school. My personal goal was no candy for 13 weeks and I made it!! Tre's goal was a fruit and veggie everyday in his lunch at school. Brayden and Clayton's goal was to eat dinner without complaining or gagging. I would say they were successful 80% of the time. ;)

Denver Airport and the Razzle Dazzle 2012

We both came home from work Thursday night and saw a huge tent set up in the park across the street from out house. When I say big tent I mean BIG tent. It was white with spire/points and so it looked like a mini Denver Airport. We were curious about what it was so we went and checked it out. It was empty inside except for a stage- so I got up on the stage sang like I was an opera star and did a little jig. (Ben was slightly embarrassed, because I was acting this way in a public park.)

The next day a sound crew came and hooked up music equipment, speakers and instruments. There was a 'band' practice with a girl singing songs from 'Wicked' but it wasn't super good- so hopefully the performance was better than the rehearsal.  An event planning company came and set up tables, chairs and some lights but we still did not know what this was for. A wedding? A prom? 

Yesterday, Saturday the inside of the tent got decorated; table cloths, formal place settings, crazy decorations from the ceiling and acrobatic equipment.  In the evening we started seeing catering companies, waiters, musicians and 'performers' show up. There were people on stilts, rubbery bendy girls and a group of acrobats (hanging from ropes and doing flips). We finally were too curious and asked a kid who worked there and he said it was a fund raiser. 

So I googled it and this is what I found. The annual Razzle Dazzle is the major fundraiser event for 'Impact on Education', to raise as much as half of the needs for the students & teachers in the Boulder Valley School District. They were selling tickets for $150 apiece.  "This year's event will find you stepping inside the circus tent filled with magic, enchanting entertainment, drinks, & food. Meander through a garden of silent auction items, the proceeds to benefit Boulder Valley students."

Awesome Marriage Moment

The other night while we were laying in bed trying to fall asleep we heard a beeping/humming sound. It was really strange and was not stopping so I got up to investigate. I walked towards the side of our room (where the sound was coming) and leaned in to see if I could figure it down. I even took some pictures off the wall and thought it was coming through the wall. This whole time Ben is just watching me. Finally I turn to Ben and, like any wife, said "Ben I am freaked, Fix it." He moaned, got out of bed, walked over to the wall and hit it, hard. And the sound stopped. We still do not know what it was but through the simple 'fix' from a tired man just punching the wall, it is gone.

DUTCH OVEN PARTY

Ricky and Deanna just got a new dutch oven so they threw a dutch oven party. We all met at the Cherry Creek State Park (in Denver, I didn't even know it existed) to make different dutch oven dishes.  There is a fire ban right now, so instead of any open fire, we just started coals and did a complete dutch oven dinner. We had fruit salad, macaroni salad and jello to go with our dutch oven rolls, beans and sweet and sour chicken. We then had two dutch oven cakes for dessert (cherry chocolate cobbler and a devils chocolate/fudge cake).  The kids even made smores in tinfoil on the coals

  

It was a beautiful day when we got there and then the weather got a little gloomy and windy. The kids were cold so they spent most of the time in Nana and Grandpa's car watching a movie. When they did venture out into the cold they played by the lake, played bochi ball and ate the delicious food. The adults all battled the cold and had a fun time talking and spending some quality family time together. 

Because we are all participating in the 'Strength of Stones' competition, the meal was healthy (except for the delicious desserts) and we all were good and watching what we ate. It is great to have everyone working towards the same goal, it makes staying healthy a little easier.

BEN'S TRIPS

Ben has had quite a few road trips lately; one for Business, one for Family, and one for Fun.

 He went to Vegas for a business seminar for Channel Advisor (a company he works closely with).  This was two days of lectures and speakers about the online advertising market. Ben was invited to have a formal sit down dinner with the CEO's and high-ups of the other companies. He said they ate at a very fancy restaurant and had a 6 course meal (which he said was probably around $300/person).  It was a very informative trip (with little sleep) but he said it was fun. Ben is planning another business trip next week to Boston.

Ben's cousin, Daniel Nichols, got married Sat April 28th in Utah. Ben drove out Friday with his parents for the wedding. They got to stay with Jer and Heidi and their family and go to church with them Sunday. Then they came home on Monday- it was a whirl wind trip but he is really glad they went to be supportive. 

Danny Gibson got transferred (for the Marines) from California to North Carolina for some special training. He had to drive one of his car's out there and find a place for his family to live. On his way through Colorado he picked up Ben to keep him company on the road. They had a fun time together doing 'guy' things. One of the best parts of the trip was the BBQ. Everywhere they stopped they tried the BBQ; they even spent (waited) an hour in Kansas City looking for a 'real' bbq place (aka a whole in the wall where only locals go). As always, Ben loved hanging out with Danny and really enjoyed just having a relaxing trip.

Oklahoma

Ben and I have been using our old bishop, Gary Hansen, as our financial advisor. We love having a final perspective on our lives that we trust and know as being honest. Gary had a party for all of his clients at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown (near Loveland), CO.  The night that we went they were performing Oklahoma and it was fantastic. The Playhouse is new and it is beautiful and spacious and the set, talent and music were all superb. We loved it and will definitely be going back.

Patio Furniture

So a year ago, when we moved into our house, I bought two chairs for $5 (total) at a thrift store. My plan was to paint them, recover them and use them for patio furniture but...I never did it. So finally I hunkered down and finished the project. I think they look pretty good (I lost a screw for one so it is a little shaky- I should probably have Ben look at that).  Now that I have the chairs I am contemplating other things I can do to make our front 'porch' more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. Flower Pots? Pink Flamingo? Brass Statue of a Bear? We will see...

(So I don't have a picture of the finished chair's in front of the house- I will get those).

 

Easter Basket Exchange

For Easter I participated in an Easter Basket Exchange. I filled out a questionnaire and sent it to the host, she then sent me the questionnaire of another girl/participant.  I had to use the information about my girl and get her an Easter Basket (under $30).  This did not actually have to be a basket (because you had to mail it, it was just a box) but you filled it with things that that girls likes. Then you send it in the mail so it gets to the girl in time. 

It was fun doing this and being the 'Easter Bunny' for another woman who probably is busy doing Easter for other's and has forgotten about herself.  I got a great Easter Basket with so many fun things. I loved it and hope to be able to continue with this fun tradition.

Also on the note of Easter- we decided to have a fancy breakfast for Easter and so we make crepes. It was our first time ever making crepes on our own and they turned out great. We had a wonderful Easter.

'Peep Show' Party

For Easter our friends, the Larsen's, planned a 'Peep Show' Party,  when everyone makes a diorama featuring peeps (the gross marshmallowy bunnies, only found at Easter). We all met at a park and had a potluck but the weather got cold so everyone moved over to our house for the 'event.' Each couple had  an hour to make their diorama and there was a plethora or craft supplies and peeps to use. The diorama was supposed to be a memorable moment from 2011 but really it was just creativity that mattered.

Ben and I thought it would be cool to do a diorama about 'Hanging with our Peeps' and showing a party (like the one we were at) with all our friends. We decided to make one peep representing each person and have quotes/objects so it was obvious who was who. We were not really concerned about making it beautiful we just wanted it clever (everyone else wanted theirs beautiful- so we lost points on that one). 

There were a lot of great diorama's: "Peep" punzel (from Tangled), The 'Peep' Games (modeled after the Hunger Games), Apocalyptic Peeps (this one was not based on 2011), The Avengers 'Coming to kick your peeping peeps!', 'Peep'ing over the Royal Gorge (based on their trip the past summer) and Peeps are 'Better Off Dead' (based on the movie Better Off Dead).

It was a lot of fun and cool to see everyone's creativity.

Ben's New Position

Ben started 'officially' working at Crocs in April of 2011 (he started as an intern in Oct. 2010). As the year went by there were a lot of changes in the structure of crocs (they made an America's team and an Internation Team) and there have been a lot of people moving to different job opportunities and in turn a lot of people getting hired on.  Ben got a new boss in the fall of 2011 and has been trying to get to know her better and understand her expectations.  He has been really worried that he did not understand as well as he should and that she was disappointed in his work. 

Well his fears were put to rest at the beginning of this year when he got a promotion. Ben is now the Web Analytics Manager for the America's team. There is a steep learning curve because of his new responsibilities but he is really excited.  He has done a really great job so far and his boss seems really happy with him. 

Yay for Ben!