From not so fit to FABULOUS!!!

Barry's family has jumped on the P90X bandwagon. (I don't think Powers and I are far behind, so be watching for a repost of our before and afters!!)

P90X is a series of DVD's that is geared towards physically killing you. Im pretty sure that's their logo! Seriously though, it is an INTENSE 6 month (i think) work out and if done right can 'transform your body'

I stopped by their house the other day and Lauren called to apologize that she didn't come speak, but she 'couldn't get up off the floor' after their workout! Ha!

Here is the rest of the family getting fit! Go kids!

Again, a really funny video, but it wont let me post them :( Ill get this figured out and get them up asap.
p90x from Taylor Lane on Vimeo.


Here's what Barry's going to look like after he 'X's' it!

Nothing's better than baby bedhead...

My point exactly. Look at these two little muffin tops! Aren't they adorable?! We babysat for a few hours last night and got some cute ones...

Check this out!! This is when Momma left to go run errands! How do they learn how to pout like that! It was the perfect pitiful pout! Ha!

It didn't take long for us to get him happy again though! A good game of 'if your happy and you know it" gets him every time!

Little Chef's for a big family!

Powers and I had the great privilege of cooking dinner for our pastor this Sunday. He and his wife just had their 5th child, sweet baby Willow. Pastor/Dad Chris def has some strong genes! All his offspring look just like him, and you can already tell that his 2 week old daughter will follow suit!

Three of the kids were able to hang out with us while Chef Powers cooked. I got some cute pics of the chef's in training!

The sous chefs..



Chef Pepper Head.. Check out that intensity!



Chef Pasta Face

Were the dogeball diva's and were here to say.. We might be little but were gonna beat you anyway!!

Powers and I spent this weekend being small group leaders for Accelerate, which is our church's version of disciple now. I apologize for not having any pictures from Powers's group, but he forgot his camera and we weren't together enough to get pics for him. Plus, he had 12th grade boys... im not sure how fired up they'd be about forced group shots for the family blog...

Anywho, I had 6th grade girls (who were extra excited about the photo ops!) and we had an amazing time! Charley was in my group and it was awesome getting to spend a whole weekend talking about the stuff that really matters with her. She is decidedly more calm and mature than the rest of her group, but that didn't matter! We all acted silly and had a great time hanging out!

We did however pull out a VICTORY in the annual dodgeball competition!!! We got 3rd place in the girls division but won the whole shebang in the co-ed division! I have never heard squeals so loud and ear drum busting in my life! Thank goodness we were prepared with a whole repertoire of cheers and chants to rub in everyone's face!


My fellow small group leader and new best of best friend, Beth Hamby!


Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?!?!?!


It was scary and eye opening for me to hear the issues that were discussed at the convention we all attended. Thank goodness, most of the subjects were far from being issues with the 6th grade girls, but we are absolutely in a time where teaching our kids how to search after God is vital. The norms of their little world are so much more frightening than our world as teenagers. Please pray for their innocence and wisdom to know which paths to take in life.

I know that sounds serious, but I just spent 3 days with 7 girls searching for God with everything they have in them! It was awesome but reinforcement from every side is essential to keep them grounded. I love them all so much now and cant wait for next year...

If your kid gets invited to a really fun b'day party, and they cant make it..... is it still ok to go??

Well, if it's not, then all I can say is, "what's done is done".... and no part of me regrets crashing a 3 year old's birthday party!

Serenity got an invitation to a 'Pump It Up' birthday party two weekends ago. She was at her moms that weekend, therefore couldn't make it. It NEVER crossed our minds that if the invited cant go, that the gaurdians of the invited shouldn't take full advantage of party! Pump it up (the inflatable party zone) is awesome!

First off, they take you to this room with all these awesome blow up slides and jumping rooms, etc. We jumped, and jumped, and threw kids half way across a room, to which they bounced off the walls, rolling laughed and and asked to do it again.... then, when you least expect it, they pack everyone up and take you to the second room.. which is AWESOMER!!! (i know that's not a word, but there is no other word to describe this place!) This room had an even BETTER slide, a bouncy basketball court, AND an obstacle course!!!

I know you Mom's can relate... you know how your kids look when you finally drag them off the playground? All red faced, and balmy, with little soaking wet hair right around their face? That's exactly what Powers and I looked like when we were asked to exit our 'playground'. We were EXHAUSTED! Of course, the next day brought us back to the reality of being adults... neither of us could move because we are so out of shape!

Here are some pics of our jump-a-thon. If anyone is planning a pump it up party for their kids... email me and Ill send you our address for the invite!!!





There are video's to come, but they're just not posting now. Please check back!

Brett Family Christmas 2008 by Lauren Rhea!

Busy. Busy. Busy. Last year during Christmas the twins slept through most of the gift opening at both of our parents houses but this year was a different story. They were full speed ahead! For weeks it had been "no no" to touch the tree and the presents but all of a sudden it was time. They really didn't understand what was going on but they knew it was a lot of fun! The light finally came on for Caden when we tossed a present in his direction and it made a really cool sound. He had the present open all on his own a few moments after that :)
Caden and Elizabeth would open a present, see what it was, and run off and play. They had a really big Christmas! A lot of money was spent on all the really cool toys (thank you) but one that brought more laughs was a balloon from the dollar store. (Do you remember the big balloons that had the big rubber band that you can bounce the balloon on your hand? That is the one they have had a lot of fun with until they popped.)
They experienced a lot of new things from a cookie swap (yum yum), Christmas Eve service (the first time they sat in a church service and did really well), learning how to ride a sheep rocker (a stuffed one in the living room which they could get moving), a trip to Wild Adventures (a theme park- where there are a lot of rides and animals; they played peek-a-boo- with a giraffe that kept walking into his house and then back out), they saw a live nativity story which included animals, played outside and loved every moment, and loved seeing family and friends. It was a GREAT Christmas and they enjoyed every moment. THANK YOU to all who made it a wonderful Christmas!!!
We are now back home with most of the toys unpacked. Some are still pack up but will soon be rotated out to give them a new surprise. They are talking constantly and a new word comes every day or two. The doctor said they have to be fattened up so they are really enjoying the ice cream and cookies. Well mommy better go and get the house picked up while the little ones are asleep. So good bye for now :)