New Family Bloggers

OK - I know it's been awhile since I've even posted, but I kinda felt like no one really cared if I did or not. So, now that we all have blogs, I'll get back to it on a regular basis. Ami has really been so good about her blog and it looks so great! I have visited all the kids' blogs and they look awesome, too! It will be a fun way to keep everyone up to date. I am doing another Halls Family blog - not sure what I'll call it yet, but it will be for Lisa, Stephanie, and Mark and anyone else in our family who may want to contribute or put their family blog on it so they can access it. It's your choice.

A New Calling

I've just returned from talking with our Bishop and I have a new calling: Enrichment Counselor in Relief Society. When I was told yesterday that I had an appointment to meet with him, I felt that my calling would be in Relief Society, but I thought maybe Visiting Teaching Supervisor or teacher. Never in my wildest imagination did I think I'd get called to be a counselor. Now I know why the Lord has been making my back better. I guess we won't be spending as many weekends in the valley now, we'll just have to cut it short and come home on Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Our ward doesn't meet until 11:00, so that would be possible. I told all of you that I was getting bored up here - I think all that is about to change! Wish me luck and PLEASE pray for me!

I'm Losing It!

I can't tell you how excited I am! I started a new diet, along with my Reliv, and I have lost 9 pounds this past week. I am never hungry and definitely don't feel deprived. It's called "eating for your body type" or the six week body makeover. You actually take a test to determine your body type. The questions are not to determine the shape of your body, but what your body has been like throughout your life. There is an infomercial about it on TV, but if anyone is interested, I have the website and phone number.
What I have changed is substantial. I haven't had a soda in over 2 weeks now and I'm trying not to eat much white sugar. I have really been watching what I eat by reading labels. I am avoiding "hydrogenated fats". I didn't realize how bad they are for you. Hydrogenated fats are any oils that have been heated. Once heated, they are one molecule away from plastic and when consumed, your body doesn't know what to do with it, so it stores it - usually right around the mid section. It also coats every cell with this "plastic", thus making it very difficult for your cells to absorb nutrients. Good fats, like Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and naturally occurring fats in avacados, etc. do not coat the cells. Make sense? It did to me. And I have been feeling so much better! When I was at the grocery store buying veggies, fruits, and good meats, it just felt right. An interesting fact here - one that you may have heard before. Did you know that you should shop the perimeter of the grocery store? The outside aisles have all the good stuff - veggies, fruits, etc. The inside aisles have all the sugar and hydrogenated fats. Check it out - you'll be amazed! When I shopped on Saturday, I only went to the inside aisles for tomato sauce, chicken broth, and brown rice. We ate so good all weekend and I even had a piece of pie (yeah, some hydrogenated fat in the crust), and I still lost 3 pounds. But I am not eating nearly the fats and sugars that I was before. Proof that just changing some eating habits can really help.
I am still taking my Reliv, but I don't have to take as much because my body is absorbing more than I was before. I am doing the Reliv Slimplicty plan which I am sure is helping, too. The accelerator tablets have some incredible herbs in them that help keep blood sugars where they should be and reduce the bad cholesterol plus help with the weight loss process as well. I am eating every 2 hours (6 meals or snacks a day) and I am not hungry at all. One thing I have found is that eating too much white sugar makes the pain in my back and joints worse.
So, the next time we are down in the valley - you'll see the "skinny me"! (Or at least a skinnier me!) WOOHOO!

Traditions

What can we do to create more family traditions? Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, all that remains are the memories we have created for our families. It seems that the in-law side of the family have great traditions that no one ever wants to miss. Does anyone have any ideas about what we can do - fun things no one wants to miss? I wish we had more "toys" up here on our property so it would be more enticing to come up for family visits. What about trips to other places, if planned well in advance? Places like Nauvoo or Salt Lake City, San Diego (Sea World and the beach), or Disneyland. I'm open to suggestions. Does anyone else think this is important? Jerry and Kaye are in Hawaii with some of their kids right now. Is there any interest in something like that? Please let me know what you think.

Footprints

So much has happened in the last few days. I suppose when life takes one of it's tragic turns, it makes you realize just how grateful you are. I know life can be taken away in an instant and I want my family to know just how much I love and appreciate them. I am grateful for my Mom and I think about her every single day. We were so close and she was called home at such an early age - 61. I'm only now 4 years away from that time line and I realize just how young she was. I guess she was needed far greater in her heavenly home than I needed her here. I'm grateful that I still have my Dad here and want him to know how much I love him. He still walks a few miles every day and has pretty good health. My Dad has always said "send flowers to me while I'm alive, because I won't even see them if I'm gone." I have really tried to live that principle and express my love to my family at every opportunity.
I am so blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren who make me prouder every day. I want you all to know that when I say "children" - that includes all their spouses - I have always considered them to be totally and completely part of this family and I love as much as my own.
My Mom's favorite poem said:
"Some people come into our lives, stay for awhile, and leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never the same."
You have all left footprints on my heart and changed my life in such a positive way. I feel so sorry for those people who choose not to have a family because they will never know the happiness and joy that comes with sharing your life with children and grandchildren. I love you all! Thank you for being such a vital part of my life!

The Country Life

The Country Life

It's quiet, no sounds of traffic - only the wind in the trees, the dogs barking, a little rain - it's driving me CRAZY! I miss the sounds of my grandchildren playing and singing and going to the park with them to play. Don't get me wrong, I do love it up here, but it's been two weeks without my family and I don't like that much. We'll be coming down on Saturday and leaving Monday morning, so I am looking forward to seeing as much of my family as I can.
I've gotten a lot of unpacking done, even though I don't have as much space to put things away in this house. I can't put up pictures until Michael does all the taping, texturing, and painting of each and every room. He's so busy with work that he doesn't have much time to work on our house. He is doing much better at coming home at a decent time, though. He's been home by 6-6:30 most evenings. We'll get it done, eventually.
We have no TV shows up here, yet, so if I want to know what's going on with American Idol, I have to read Ami's blog! I keep up with my Suns by watching a live scoreboard on the computer, so at least I know who won - not many good highlights of the game, though. Guess I need to hear more about what happens from my boys (hint, hint).
Hope to see you all this weekend! Happy Birthday to Stephanie (Friday), Kaleb (this Sunday), Kyle (next Friday), Jerry (24th), and Jared and Ann (26th)!

Hey everyone!

Welcome to Michael & Judi Halls' blog! We will post our many adventures and pictures of our relaxing life on our property in Linden, AZ. Hope you enjoy it!