Favorite Things - January

I have been off white sugar and white flour for a month now and I have been feeling so good. It has gotten a lot easier over time. Luckily I can have whole wheat, brown rice, and other sweeteners like agave and honey. Eating out is the hardest while trying to eat this way. So when I order, I think I am doing a good job and then they throw some sauce in that I know has sugar in it. And after I feel gross. I am glad that I am sticking to the no sugar, no flour. I am going to stick it out until school is out, and then only have it when other people cook it for me, or special occasions. 

I have 2 favorite snacks that have helped me to not go crazy. 

Healthy Fudge- This is so addictive! I have to cut it in small pieces so I don't over do it. I love using coconut oil. I also don't add any nuts. 

Black Bean Brownies- These have a similar taste to banana bread, and I think they get better each time I eat them. (Since I don't have sugar in my diet and love these, you may not like them...)

We both got passes to the new gym by our house. It is less than a half a mile away from our house. I have been spending 45 minutes everyday at the gym. I can't believe that I forget how good I feel after going to the gym. Now if I can only keep it up. 

Once I married into the Barber family, I became a gap lover. I had shopped there before but never really loved it. But the more I do, the more I like it. I especially like the Gap Fit line. Last year for Christmas I got some work out clothes that I absolutely love. My most favorite item is the yoga work out pants. I don't do yoga, but I lounge in them and wear them to the gym. I was gifted a black pair, which are slowly fading, but still in good shape. But I wanted another pair. Gap has the charcoal gray on sale for $17, and I bought another pair. I was so happy! 

I have been having the same breakfast everyday for the past week and I absolutely love it. Not being able to have flour and sugar put a small damper on my choices. I have enjoyed all of the Kashi cereals, but my ultimate favorite is the Honey Almond Flax. 

And last but not least my new favorite cracker. They do have rice flour in them, so I try not to eat them very much. But sometimes you need a crunchy snack. I have only tasted almond, but they do have other nut flavors. I have found them at Winco and Good Earth. 

Recap and Goals

January: Bob started his 2nd semester in school, we were excited to be done with the first semester. I dove into eating healthy and exercising for the 1st time in my life. I was hopeful of getting pregnant with a healthy body.

February: We celebrated Valentines day, Bob planned and surprised me with a scavenger hunt. I went to a fertility seminar with my friend Jolene, it was held at Dr. Foulk's office.

March: Bob and I spent a lot of time watching basketball cheering on our cougars and loving March Madness.

April: I started seeing Dr. Foulk and did a lot of testing to diagnose the reasons for my infertility. Bob finished his 2nd Semester at Rosemond University.

May: Bob started an internship at the Costco pharmacy. I learned that I would need surgery to fix my fallopian tube. We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary and ate at the Melting Pot.

June: I finished my 3rd year of teaching, went to Lake Powell with my family, and had surgery. Bob continued working and started his MBA classes. I attempted my first decorated birthday cake for Bob's 25th birthday.

July: The Hales Family reunion was held and I went with my family. My body continued healing from surgery and we started our first round of clomid. Bob was stuck at school... all summer long.

August: Bob finally got 2 weeks off from school. We went to Hawaii with Bob's family for 2 weeks of Heaven. We continued fertility treatments and we were very hopeful!

September: Continued treatment, still hopeful! Bob and I both went back to school. Bob's 2nd year of Pharmacy school and my 4th year in 3rd grade.

October: We moved onto IUI's and were even more hopeful! We dressed up as Napoleon Dynamite and Deb for Halloween.

November: Thanksgiving break was greatly needed and we celebrated with the Andrus side of the family. Made pies for the pie contest, but didn't place. We changed from clomid to femara to see if the drug change would help. Found out our best chance of getting pregnant would be to do IVF.

December: Took the month off from fertility treatments. Relaxed, much needed relaxation! And had a wonderful Christmas break in Washington. I turned 25!

Do you notice a pattern of what I remember from 2011? I do, my life revolved around getting pregnant, and obviously that didn't happen. I think 2011 was a year of being hopeful, and then a year of let down. It was also a huge year for growth and learning. I have learned (over and over again) that you can't plan anything. As much as I would like to have control over everything, I don't. I've learned that I need to rely more on my Heavenly Father and trust in him, that my time will come to have children of my own. Do we know how or when? No. Do we know what our next step is in getting a baby? No. But we do know that it will be ok, and that we can be happy regardless of our circumstances.

This year I want to work on a few things:

1. Working on my relationships with my family and friends.
2. Building upon my relationship with my Heavenly Father.
3. Being healthy and happy with who I am.
4. Less focus on getting pregnant and more focus on enjoying life.

What does 2012 have in store for us?
I will start my 5th (YES 5th) year of teaching.
Bob will start his LAST year of pharmacy school. WAHOOOOOO!
We will celebrate our 3rd anniversary.
We will turn 26!

Here's to a great year!

Christmas 2011

I've been putting off blogging, because I have just not been in the mood to blog lately. But the farther I get behind in blogging, the worse I feel.

We had a wonderful Christmas break. School got out on the 16th and we flew out that night to Washington to spend 2 weeks with Bob's family. Those weeks flew by in an instant, we had an amazing time.

(The day before we left I had an appointment and my new strategy is to take some supplements to help with my endometriosis and take white flour and sugar out of my diet. I decided to dive right in and stopped that day. It was pretty hard not to eat all of the wonderful treats over the break, but at the same time I am glad I didn't go overboard like I usually do.)

 Some of the highlights of our trip include:

- Cooking with Shannon in preparation for the Barber Family Talent Show
- Watching the Barber Family Talent Show
Bob was the MC and he did an amazing job, so many laughs!
- Playing numerous games, I upped my strategies this year and won a few!
- Getting to see my nieces and nephews almost everyday.
- Holding baby Matthew, our newest nephew.
- Spending Christmas morning with Bob's family, my first away from home.
- Going to my in laws ward on Christmas and hearing Brad sing
- Getting my own personal phone call from my brother
- Experiencing my first Christmas dinner (going all out)
- Doing a session at the Columbia River Temple
- Shopping with Heather and Staci
- Playing Just Dance on the Kinect
- Sleeping in every morning, Glorious!
- Birthday lunch with all of the adults.
- And so much more!

I didn't pull my camera out once. I took some pictures on my phone and may add them later. I just want to write it out before I forget.

When we got home we were able to spend a few days with my family before school started.

- Sherlock Holmes and El Gallo
- Making sushi with the family
- Watching the BYU bowl game
- Celebrating my birthday with a flour less cake!
- Playing Rage on New Years with Brent and Andrea
- Changing to 9 church! Wahoo.