January 2013 Weight Watchers Update

I took this picture of myself a few weeks ago when we were out of town visiting family for Christmas. I had just gotten some cool new dresses at a vintage/consignment store and was really excited. I've lost nearly 20 pounds and am finding that my style is more funky and less baggy jeans/high-neck T-shirts. I love to wear this dress (I call it my Pucci print) with crazy-colored hose and black fuzzy winter boots just for fun.

Sam in this picture shows that I am still always with my kidlets and love it that way.

What was your first clothing purchase after losing weight? Or what will it be?

*Check the comments for the 2018 update!

Elderly Love

Yes, we've all heard of brotherly love.

Today Aron was home for lunch and we were hugging and kissing on each other.

Our oldest son Joel, age 11, says ...

"Ew, ELDERLY LOVE."

WHAT? We're only 41 and 46!

Kids! Due to the economy, we may have to lay one of them off.

2012 McLoughlin Family Christmas Letter

Hope you are all enjoying today, no matter what your religion is. Thought you might like to see our McLoughlin Family Christmas letter that went out this year.

Merry Christmas once again from the McFamily! Let’s dive right in …

            Aron has been busy this year just being awesome. When he wasn’t traveling to Wyoming or working long hours, he was involved with Joel’s Scout campouts and meetings and spent quite a bit of time replacing drains and pipes and ceilings. Before he could get a little break, it was time to put in new kitchen windows, a new double door and paint the kitchen! He did find time to take the boys fishing a few times, though J

            Not much has changed with Kerrie. She still loves her bon bons and bubble baths. On the side, she dabbles in homeschooling, freelance writing, hanging with her friends, scrapbooking, reading, stripping (wallpaper J), wrangling children, walking and trying new recipes.

            Joel turned 11 in June and was busy this year with 2 Pinewood Derbies, Pokemon Club, archery and gymnastics. He crossed over into Boy Scouts in February and is already First Class rank, has 4 merit badges toward Star Scout and enjoyed summer camp. He is on the move all day long, playing, reading, shooting arrows and more. He says he wants to be an actor when he grows up.

            Michael turned 9 in April and also participated in 2 Pinewood Derbies, Pokemon Club, gymnastics and a homeschool Chemistry class. Michael prefers to hang out at the dining room table creating various things out of Legos and recyclables. I think he’ll be a great engineer!

            Callie turned 7 in February and her hobbies include cheerleading, gymnastics, fashion design and debating with Mommy. She also had fun making her Pinewood Derby car for our homeschool group’s race and can be found at homeschool Chemistry class. I see her with a career as an entertainment/fashion attorney.

            Eva turned 5 this month and is still our tough little sunshine. Her hobbies include collaborating with Sam to make messes and get into trouble and … well, that’s mostly it. To occupy an hour of her week, we gave in to her pleas of, “I wanna do gymnastics, too!” I’m thinking she’ll grow up to have a career in something involving making messes all day and getting paid to do so.

            Sam turned 3 in October. He’s still master of any ball, and we’re considering getting him into a teeny soccer league just for the entertainment value. He insists he is a BIG BOY and wants to do everything himself. He’s also in gymnastics, and says he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.

            We adopted Snoopy Baby the Shih-tzu/Hound in October. He will be the perfect pet once he learns to poop OUTSIDE. We also have Giggy the tiny turtle, Henry the Betta fish and a minnow.

            Joel, Michael and Callie go to religious education weekly while I babysit in the nursery with Sam and Eva. This year we did Passport to Adventure, the zoo, went swimming a lot, went to Paradise Park, rode a train and more. The kids were a big help with the garden, too!

            We drove to Wyoming in May to be with Aron, who was there for his job, and we ended up staying 5 weeks at Kingfisher Bend Ranch! We fell in love with it and it made us want to move somewhere with wide open spaces. While there, we explored the Uinta Mountains, hit the Salt Lake City zoo and children’s museum, sunned ourselves on a Bear River beach, kayaked, fished, played in snow on Memorial Day, had a bonfire, watched kittens grow up, rode horses and chased bulls away.

Check out more of our family fun at TheKerrieShow.com. Wishing you an amazing 2013.

The McLoughlin Family

Aron, Kerrie, Joel, Michael, Callie, Eva and Sam

HOPEYLOVEYDREAMYPRAYYLEARNYSINGYLAUGHYACCEPTYSLEEPJ

My Silver Retro Vintage Christmas Tree

I love this tree, and the lime green lamp by it ain't bad, either. My stepdad acquired this for me a few years ago and it takes me back to the 1960s. I wasn't born until 1971, but am obsessed with the '60s and have been since I can remember. It now houses my Hallmark Barbie ornaments and my family bed ornament that has all my kids with names on them in one ceramic bed. So cute!

What makes you happy this holiday season?

Little Kids and Advent

My 9-year-old son Michael is so stinkin' cute. He goes to Religious Education class on Tuesdays with his brother and sister while I babysit in the nursery with Eva and Sam, and this year Michael has an amazing teacher who really challenges the kids ... and me.

She has given them a chain of things to do for every day of Advent. Each day is something different, like one might be to clean his room, one might be to read a Christmas story to his family. He also gets very serious about reading the Advent prayer every night and lighting the candles. In fact, Aron took him out to buy an Advent wreath because we didn't have one. He has to keep track of his daily chain items on a log.

Last night he was starting to get worried because one of the "assignments" on his chain had been to make a card for an elderly neighbor. Then yesterday's assignment was to mail the card to the neighbor. He was very specific and said we had to go to the post office to mail the card to the neighbor across the street.

Of course when one of my kids is like a dog with a bone, I help them out as much as I can. So we drove to the post office at 8 p.m. to mail the neighbor her letter. Michael likes to make sure he is doing everything right. Need I mention he is a model student for me?!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the teachers, paid and volunteer, who give it their all, who challenge the kids to be better people and have fun along the way. You are amazing.