Aubrey

She did it!! Aubrey got baptized Sunday, March 7, 2010. It was an awesome night...she shared her baptism with Amber Lorenc! Amber's mom, Jamie, and I have been best friends since we were 12...and we had our first baby girls a day apart! It was really fun and really special for these girls to share their special day, they are great friends and I am so proud of them both!!

Aubrey and her daddy...Dave got a great birthday present in being able to baptize Aubrey on his birthday! I think she's one lucky little girl to have such a great dad!

Aubrey and her proud mom and dad...

Aubrey Vernene...isn't she gorgeous?!

Okay, this picture is just so classic Aubrey! She's a free spirit...just gotta get that cake in, who cares about the mess?! :)

It was a great birthday weekend for all of us...Grandma and Grandpa Brown came out from Utah to be here for the special occasion and we just partied non-stop! Saturday (mine and Aubrey's birthday) we had a big pizza and cupcake party with family and friends...the house was full but what a fun time we had with our dance off!! Even Grandma Brown did it!!! Sunday (Dave's birthday) was more food and the baptism and a fun time with family!

We are so glad to have Aubrey in our family. She is the best birthday present I ever received, we have so much fun together! Aubrey is very kind and tender-hearted, but she can be silly and giggle with the best of them! There's not a mean bone in her body and she believes that everyone is good...she is very often the one that befriends the "bullies" or "outcasts" at school and has a sweet and gentle manner with them. She has no shortage of friends and never had anything bad to say about anyone...she gets that from her namesake. :) She is an excellent reader and speller and has the neatest handwriting, it's so pretty! Although she is not an attention hog at all, she does love to perform and sing...she's Broadway material!

WE LOVE AUBREY!!

8

Veggies. Fruit. I feel really lucky that I like most all of them. But I'm facing a new, although self-imposed, challenge...eating 8 a day!

I cannot diet. Nor do I really want to...I want to make better choices that I can live with my whole life. I want to lose weight in a healthy way and never be where I am now again. So, I have chosen to focus more on what I CAN eat than what I CAN'T eat...it's a mental thing. Instead of telling myself I can't have Dr. Pepper, I tell myself I can have 8 glasses of water a day...and I naturally have very little room for the nectar of the gods. :) I don't tell myself I can't have dessert or chips, but after I have eaten the fresh stuff I need to, I am too full to even think about a chocolate cupcake! I know, it's very weird...

So this is the second week of trying to get in 8 servings every day, and although I have done pretty well, each day seems to be more of a challenge. I think I am bored...so I need suggestions!! Already I add multiple fruits to my smoothies, drink V8, add more veggies to my eggs or casseroles, always eat 2-3 with dinner...but I'm sort of stuck in a rut.

What are some easy and delicious ways you vamp up the fruits and veggies in your diet?