Soosie's Tree 2008

I wanted somethinf different!!!!
I love my new ornaments!
Target clearance last year!!!

The V Fam wishes you a MERRY CHRISTMAS

Okay, so I need to brag! We were blessed with a wonderful Christmas meeting at church! We had President Packer speak! It was wonderful. His extended family was there and his son also spoke. He and his son are both in our Ward. It was truely a joyous meeting!





Merry Christmas!

JUST PUT AN OFFER!!!

We officially put an offer down on a home last week! Signing all of the paperwork was very intimidating! And we still have a little bit more to go! Tomorrow we are signing more paperwork, the bank will be doing some processing and we will officially be UNDER CONTRACT! AAAAHHH!!!! It's VERY EXCITING BUT VERY NERVERACKING! YOu want everything to go smoothly but there's always a few stumbles in the homebuying process. This will be our VERY FIRST HOME! We are very anxious, nervous, worried, overwhelmed and excited! It's kind of... a BIG DEAL!

With the Lender smackdown, so to speak, it's difficult to get money lended to you...but alas, we found a home, in great shape, in an okay area, with plently of room! The Home is just blocks from the Gateway Mall in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. We will be city dwellers, living an an historic victorian style home. This home was built in 1901. It has alot of character and in GREAT shape! It has new carpet and tile in it too. The kitchen is big, there's a good sized mud room in the back, fenced front and back yard, good basement for storage(we call it the dungeon), high 10 foot cielings, good sized rooms, big family room w/ a big pretty bay window and the original historic crown molding around the doorways! It's quite nice. Yes, there'a few things that need to get repaired but nothing major...we'll see with inspection!!!
The downside is...we need EVERYTHING!! All appliances and all furniture! Thank goodness for family!...OH...and craigslist or KSL! lol.

I'll keep you updated!!!
Hopefully this will be the V FAM HOME!!!!

my first gingerbread house

It's the 'SMURF COTTAGE'
AND IT SURE WAS FUN!!
I'm proud of myself!

MY WISH LIST

AMazing list, right?
so, how 'bout it Santa?

Soosie's Christmas wish list

Drum roll.... here it is..because... iiiiizzzz that time a' year again (as my family would traditionally say it)!!!

Here's a few things I really wish for and hoping Santa makes my wishes come true!
1. Philosophy Facial cleansing set
2. Microdermabrasion
3. The Audacity Of Hope
4. More bare Minerals!
5. black boots
6. A nice massage!
...maybe a new house? Too much to ask, no?
7. oh yah, I can't forget a new hand bag...a cool bodacious one.

So, here me out Santa CLaus!!

Costco...heaven sent...

Have you heard of this giant wharehouse?
WHat do you need...you'll find it at Costco...ya hungry? Eat free samples!

I don't have health insurance and needed my prescription refilled. MY medication is very expensive and it's an easy 130.00 to fill. Well, do you know how much it cost at Costco? 21.00 and some change! Can you say heaven sent??

I hear the angels singing!!!
OH YAH..and did I mention the books and the great prices there?
Too bad the AUDACITY OF HOPE was GONE!!! I MUST GET THAT BOOK!!!!!
To those of you who let their biases decide to whether or not read this book, that's too bad! haha
...If all else fails, it's at Deseret Book...I already checked.
So many good books, so little time! DAng!

OFFICIALLY started training

So, I started my triathlon training on Thursday. After teaching for 2 hours, I darted to the gym and started immediately on the stationary bike. I set it to random mode so the resistance is in intervals. I blasted my ipod and went at it. I biked 12 miles! It's not a hard as it sounds...I did it in about 25 min at 92 mph. I then went right into jogging. I kind of want to build up strength slowly so I ran/jogged/ briskly walked about 2.2 miles. I have crepidation in my left knee, so running is hard on my poor lil crunchy overworked knee. We all need to thank dance for that! THANK YOU DANCE! Dancers are trained to turn out and work over the toes, which is some of the worst things you can do to your knees. OH yah, plus some dancers blow their knees by forcing their turn outs, rather than working with their natural rotation through THEIR HIPS! But I'm getting off subject....
Immediately after biking/running without rest, I took a breather, stretched, went downstairs and did bench squats, 50 reps with 5 lb dumbbells in each hand. I know, it's not heavy, but after a while, it sure gets heavy! PLUS, the night BEFORE my day one training, I 'Hollywood Shred', which is a 30 min, high interval and intense workout by celebrity trainers. My lower body was SHOT!
So, I did overkill Wednesday and Thursday, and became sick this weekend! I literally was in bed all day Sunday and my dad took care of me and the boys Saturday night..which sucks because I misse dmy best friend's birthday party!
THis week, I will do 12 mile bike, in intervals, no major resistance, for the sake of my knee and 1 mile run. I'll do this 2 x this week and day 3 I'll swim 6 laps. The other days in between will consist of yoga, teaching dance and some strength training.
MAn....if I was on a strict diet, I'd be so dang fit! lol.

YOGA

I have a new obsession and it is called YOGA. Have you ever heard of it?
It's the best workout...other than dance, of course...
It centers you
It's relaxing
It help you focus on your breathing
It's challenging
It promotes lean muscle
It a good form to burn fat
It increases your flexibility...not as if I'm flexible enough... ;-)
It takes you to another REALM...
I LOVE YOGA! And I do it EVERYDAY!
EXERCISE TV ON DEMAND IS AWESOME! I just do it from my home!!
..Plus at the gym...
If you haven't tried it, you SHOuLD! YOu will LOVE IT!
Add it to your regular exercise routine and you'll notice a change in your mind AND BODY!
REMEMBER- 40 minutes/ 3 times a week for Cardio!
YOGA
Strength training...suggesting light resistance and alot of repetition
stretching
water, water and more water!
GOOOOO YOGA!!!!!!

THANKSGIVING FATFEST 2008

The V Fam had a great Thanksgiving in Utah! Believe it or not, we did NOT spend it with my family. woopsy...no! haha..My family is kindof doing a postponed big feast when my little brother comes into town with his girlfriend and then AGAIN when my OTHER brother returns from Asia in January! So, this Thanksgiving, we decided to all go our seperate ways. My mom boycotted this year and said she wasn't going to cook. I didn't feel like cooking in a kitchen that's not mine...so my friend invited us over to her house! IT was alot of fun and we spent it with a great family! There were 8 kids and 7 adults total. We laughed the calories off. I had a headache by the end of the night because I was laughing so hard. I'm really grateful for new friends! Never thought I'd find good NEW ones here!! lol.
Thanks Kimball Fam!

SO GUESS WHAT...

I'm doing a TRIATHLON in 2009!! I originally planned on doing the Women of Steel but it may be already SOLD OUT! Let's hope it's NOT YET! It's the perfect Triathlon race for starters. It consists of a sprint 300 meter swim, 5k run and 11.5 mile bike ride. I don't care about placing, I was wanna train and know I CAN DO THIS! I am really excited. If I can't get into Women of Steel, there's plenty other Triathlon races. I can't do the Olympic ones..just yet..those are major. I plan to train the heck out of myself these next 6 months. I need to swim laps most of all. I'm a whimp at swimming. But with dance...I can go on for HOURS but not with swimming!
Um...the only problem is...my dad wants to do it but it's 'The WOMEN of Steel'...Um... I am a woman of 'Steel' because that is indeed my maiden name! So, he's a 'Steel' too, no?