No Candy For A Year...is Over!

Last year on June 1st I challenged the kids to try and go for a year without candy.

I told them they would get $100 if they could make it.

Everyone except for Anna agreed to try

(Anna said that candy was just too precious to her :) )

I told them if they messed up, then they could start their year over from the day the messed up.

Noah accidentally messed up on June20th when he was at Strawberry days, so he started over.

Grace made it for about a month and a half...but Girls Camp ended it for her.

Isaac lasted a few more months, but decided to end his try as well.
Noah, Dallin and I all made it.
(You might have noticed birthday wishes this year included eating candy, so I guess we each had one cheat day...though to be honest, on our cheat day we only ate one or two things.)

Noah and Dallin were excited to get their $100!
I'm proud of them for completing this challenge!

Below you can see the contract I had them sign.
As you can tell...there were still plenty of sweets they could have.
This was by no means a completely sweet free year!
But, it was still a challenge :)

The Fellowship of Halloween

The kids have been asking, or begging, for a Lord of the Rings Halloween theme for 3 or 4 years, maybe even 5. But everytime they asked I just thought, one does not simply make these costumes! Not with a thousand sewing machines could I do this. It is folly! 

Seriously, I kept saying no because I just didn't think I could do it justice. I mean The Lord of the Rings is probably one of my all time favorite books and the movies are on my favorites list too. So I knew that if I ever did it, I would want it to be right...

Anyway, I finally gave in this year and so here you have our LOTR themed costumes. There are still things that I wish I had done differently or whatever...but oh well, it is what it is...

I know that some people have never seen The Lord of the Rings (and I guess I can still be your friend if you haven't) but hopefully those of you who are familiar with it will appreciate what I tried to do...and hopefully those of you who aren't familiar with it will still appreciate it :)

My precious trick-or-treaters

Noah as Aragorn

Aragorn: Are you frightened?

Frodo: Yes.

Aragorn: Not nearly frightened enough, I know what hunts you.

Dallin as Legolas

Gimli: What's happening out there?

Legolas: Shall I describe it to you? ... or would you like me to find you a box?

 Grace as Gimli

Gimli: It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for dwarf men.

Aragorn: It's the beards.

Gimli: And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women, and that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground! Which is, of course, ridiculous!

 Isaac as Samwise

Sam: It's that Gollum. It's this place. It's that thing around your neck. I could help a bit. I could carry it for a while...Share the load.

 Anna as Frodo

Frodo: I will take the ring to Mordor...though, I do not know the way"

I love these pictures of our Frodo and Sam

Frodo: Go back, Sam. I'm going to Mordor alone.

Sam: Of course you are, and I'm coming with you!

Sam: I made a promise Mr. Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to.

Mike as Gandalf

Gandalf: You shall not pass!

*funny side note here...I didn't have his wizard hat finished in time for the ward trunk or treat, so everyone thought he was Moses :) He's such a good sport!

 Who knew that Gandalf and Galadriel were a couple? hehe :)

Stupid Candy Corn!

Yesterday we started a family challenge.

I've been inspired recently by some friends and family, and the size of my bottom :)

(and the image of blowing up to look like a

Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon, ha ha...thanks Tev!)

So, we are going to go for 30 days without sweets and treats.

...yes and that includes ice cream (what was I thinking!!)

It started out as something that I was going to do, then I asked Mike if he would join me. (It's always easier if you have someone to help you, right?
...either that or misery loves company, ha ha!)

Then I thought, why not get the whole family in on it. 

At first the kids were a little hesitant, but I think they'll do great. 

I have discovered that even just after the first day

it was a unifying thing for us as a family... 

That might sound silly, but it really was.

Everyone was helping each other and talking to each other

about temptations that had come up during the day.

Luckily for me, the cupboard where the "sweets" are kept has a lock on it,

so you better believe I locked it and put the key away.

I need all the help I can get!
Why do you think I'm blogging about it?

I guess because It makes me more accountable :)

I don't know what to do about all the ice cream lurking in my freezer...

Anyway, I know that nothing miraculous will come from this...I'm not going to reach my goal weight in 30 days just by avoiding sweets, but I am hopeful that it will help me, well, not just me, my whole family, think more about what we eat and how we snack, so we can make healthier choices.
(Probably overused commas there...oh well!)

So even though I can hear the stupid candy corn calling my name right now...I'm not going to give in. I'll stay strong...I'll have an apple instead :)

...stupid candy corn!