I can’t believe this is my 3rd year posting our year in pictures!  2009 and 2010 flew by, but no year seems to have gone as fast as 2011.

I hope you enjoy looking back at some of our FAVORITE pictures our year in Las Vegas!

JANUARY
We started off the year with lots off goofing around and being silly!

FEBRUARY
Highlights from February included celebrating the Superbowl!  For the Hubs birthday the Packers won the Superbowl!  Pretty awesome gift if you ask me!  We celebrated Valentine’s Day by mowing the lawn in our Jam Jams (that’s normal right!?)

MARCH
March brought more silly moments in our home.  Who can forget how cute Squishy was walking in his Daddy’s boots!!

APRIL
In April we had lots of fun.  My good friend Liz visited us, and we took a trip to Bonnie Springs!  Squishy sure enjoyed the old west town.

MAY
May was a ton of fun!  Squishy discovered the joy of music via headphones. (This is one of his daddy’s favorite pictures).  We also took a trip to Florida.  I may have enjoyed a Margarita as big as my head, and Squishy had a blast playing with his Grandpa Mark and GiGi.  I also spent this month applying to be a FitFluential Ambassador!

JUNE
June! The month when my sweet little baby turned two!  These years need to slow down!  My baby is growing up too quickly! I swear if I will blink and this toy truck will be a real one and my son will be driving!

JULY
What a fun month this was!  4th of July celebrations, I headed to EVO in Park City Utah, welcomed Daddy home from deployment, and took our first family vacation to Disneyland!

AUGUST
August was bananas!  Blogher may have only been a two day affair, but it sure felt like a week+!  I was thrilled to attend with some of my favorite bloggers and friends, and meet so many more!  I was also thrilled that my sweet Squishy potty trained at 26 months!  No more Cloth Diapers! (At least til our next baby…)

SEPTEMBER
In September I turned 30! I celebrated by bowling with my friends! We spent the month doing family things as we knew our time between deployments was VERY short this time! I also had a once in a lifetime trip to LA to meet and interview Hugh Jackman, Jason Segel, and Kermit/Miss Piggy.  It was AMAZING!

OCTOBER
October brought another goodbye as the Hubs deployed again.  We took full advantage of all that Las Vegas has to offer families during the fall months, and my little Squishy became a pilot for Halloween. He sure loved trick-o-treating this year!  Cue epic sugar high crash!

NOVEMBER
November was the month of Muppet Madness for us!  Squishy sure loves the muppets!

DECEMBER
After taking in a little Christmas in Las Vegas, December found us traveling to Minnesota to spend the holidays.  Squishy and I have both loved being surrounded by our family.  We made sure daddy got in on the Christmas celebration by skype-ing on Christmas Morning and New Years Eve.

EXTRA
I can’t believe all the famous people I got to meet in 2011!  If it wasn’t for the opportunities my blog has brought me, I wouldn’t have been able to meet these amazing celebrities!  Highlights for me were easily Bob Harper (@MyTrainerBob), and Hugh Jackman (@TheRealHughJackman) who happen to be two of the most amazing people!  But let’s not forget Elmo, Miss Piggy, and Kermit!  I mean really – who gets to meet them!  Oh wait, that would be me!
(Others included Guilana Rancic, G.W. Bailey, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jason Segel, Shawn Levy, and Anthony Mackie!)

What will 2012 bring?  Who knows, but I can tell you this.  We are definitely looking forward to greet 2012 with open minds, hearts, and arms!

Celebrating new years for me used to mean getting all dolled up and spending time with friends.  Now that I have met and married my soul mate (our dating anniversary is new years day …) and started our own family, celebrating the new year is more about spending time with my family.

I found some fun ideas on Pinterest for you to involve your children in celebrating the New Year!

Milk and Cookies!

Bubbly Jello Treats!

New years eve count down bags

New years interview with kids

And don’t forget to find time to sit down and set goals with your children for the new year!

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Erika is a fellow Fitfluential ambassador and stand out mom (in my opinion!).   She is a runner by choice, and has a goal of running 50 races in 50 states by 50!  Super cool!!  She also has some great tips for being an active mom, which I love!

I asked for posts while I am away visiting my family, and Erika volunteered to write about how to keep older kids active!  (She has obviously met my toddler, who is impossible to keep inactive…)  Keeping children involved in their fitness helps set them up for a healthy long life.  Thank you Ericka for sharing your tips!

When my kids were little, it was always a challenge to get them to sit still.   There were constantly balls flying through the air, couches being jumped on, and scooters have been ridden through my dining room more than once.  And this was just on days when the weather didn’t permit outside play.

As they’ve aged, school has taken up a significant chunk of most days and the associated homework and projects fill a lot of what remains.  My younger son plays a sport and still has a lot of free time in the evenings to burn off the wiggles, but my older son has become more of an artist and a scholar.  Between cub scouts, cello, homework and his chosen downtime actvities (reading, Legos, and computer), his days often seem full of everything EXCEPT movement.

So, what’s a mom to do?  Some days it’s all I can do to motivate myself and I’m supposed to motivate a kid who’d rather commune with his computer?

Here are my tips for getting an older child moving…

1. Stay and play – My kids don’t do “extended day” at school, but many of their friends do.  If the weather is nice, we stay at the school and my children are able to run around the playground or play pick up soccer games with friends they wouldn’t otherwise see in the afternoon.
2. Walk/bike to school – We technically live outside the walking perimeter of our elementary school, but my kids are capable of walking to it.  When my oldest was younger, we had a “walking school bus” with other kids from his grade.  Now that my youngest has learned to ride a bike, we are much more likely to take that option.  Nothing like a hilly 15 minute bike ride to start the day!
3. Make it a game – If we aren’t able to stay at the school or walk/bike, I try to get them moving when we do get home.  One of their favorite games is a takeoff on “I spy” that we call “I run”.  I describe something I see and they run as fast as they can to it.  We also play soccer in the front yard.  It usually just involves a lot of running as I have great endurance, but absolutely no soccer skills.
4. Make it a family affair – On the weekends or days off, we try to exercise as a family.  We ride bikes around town or on the paved paths. Sometimes we go hiking at the local National Parks.  When my husband and I are doing yard work, we get the kids outside with us.  They may not exactly be helpful, but they definitely spend that time running around.
5. Convince them to try new sports – We live in an area that has lots of opportunities for trying new things.  Classes are offered through the schools, through the local Parks and Recreation, and through private organizations.  My younger child had the opportunity to take Creative Martial Arts this fall and my older son wants to try rugby in the fall.  I’m all about letting them try something new if it gives them a chance to move their bodies.
6. Bribery – When all else fails, I fall back on the tried and true:  I bribe them.  If they go run around outside, I’ll let them have a few minutes extra on the computer.  If they want to watch an extra show, they need to take turns walking on the treadmill while watching it.

How do you incorporate movement into your child’s life?  I’m always looking for new ideas!

Meet Erika:

Erika, AKA MCM Mama,  is a mom of two boys who has lived in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area for most of her adult life. She is also a runner, an RRCA certified running coach, and an ambassador for a local running store and race management company. When she’s not playing with her boys or running (by herself or with clients), she enjoys reading, blogging, volunteering at her boys’ schools, and spending time with friends. She and her parents are on a mission to run a race in every state, which works well with her husband’s goal to visit as many craft breweries and brewpubs as possible.

You can find Erika on Facebook and Twitter!  Make sure you stop by and send her some love for Family and Life in Las Vegas and tell her how much you loved her post!!

Looking for a movie your whole family will love?  Earlier this summer at Blogher11 I had the unique privilege of seeing a sneak of this summer’s best selling novel turned blockbuster hit, DreamWorks Pictures The Help. I have to admit, having LOVED the book, I was a bit worried about the movie not living up to the book.

But, boy did I love it!!

In fact, I am pretty sure I said I loved The Help movie as much as I love chocolate. The casting was phenomenal!  If you haven’t already seen this movie, you need to!

The #1 New York Times bestseller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the compelling performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard. The Help is a courageous and empowering story about very different and extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project.

Guess What?

One lucky Family and Life in Las Vegas reader is going to take home a 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) $39.99 of The Help for their family to enjoy time and time again!

The Help provides audiences with the chance to delve deeper into the movie through compelling, never-before-seen bonus features.

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:

• The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film
• In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi
• Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including  “Humiliated” A Book About “Jackson and Johnny’s Home” (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)

DVD Bonus Features:

• Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “A Senator‟s Son” and “Keep On Walkin”
• “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this movie as compensation for this review/giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and my own.

Dear Squishy,

Today you climbed up on my lap and said,

“I’m NOT baby anymore, I’m Squishy.”

While you used your real name, I looked up at my mom in horror.  Had the day she been warning me about finally come to fruition?

I cried… ( a real tear people!)

My uterus ached…

Finally I turned back to you and said,

“Yes, silly boy.  You are not a baby anymore, you are a big boy.  But can I tell you a secret?” 

I leaned in to your ear and whispered…

“You will always be MY baby.”

No matter how old, no matter what you do, you will always be my baby.

Xoxxo,
Mama

*Dear Squishy is my version of (a less than) Wordless Wednesday where each week I write a letter to my son.

Image via

Are you ready for the New Year?  It is amazing to me how fast this year went by.  I swear once you have children it is like you blink and the year is done.  They grow and learn so much in the first years, it is nearly impossible to keep the New Year at bay.  Although, if I had magical powers I would slow down the year so as not to miss a moment!

New Years Eve is a perfect time to teach your children to make goals.

A few years ago, I stopped making resolutions.  Instead started to make monthly goals.  Setting goals is a great way to successfully achieve your dreams.  Sometimes it takes several mini goals to reach your big resolution.  Only making resolutions can be overwhelming.  Goals help make them more attainable.

Setting goals is also a great way to help your child succeed in life.

Goals help to teach children to be self-sufficient, to dream big, and the feeling of accomplishment.

Goals can also teach children about failure, and the steps to take after you aren’t able to accomplish a goal.

This New Years eve, why not sit down with your children and ask them to write down the following:

(You may have to help them if they are younger by giving them suggestions.)

Pin It

The idea is to find a new place to travel, goal to accomplish, skill or sport to learn, and person/charity to help.  Once they have written those 4 big goals down, help them create a plan to accomplish them.

At the end of the year, pull out the list goals they set last December 31st and check out the progress.  Make a BIG deal about how proud you are that they were able to accomplish said goals.

Next see what wasn’t able to be accomplished.  Tell them that it is okay not to make goals, some goals are great ideas, but don’t work out as planned, and some goals may take longer than a year to accomplish.  What really matters most is what steps happen next.  Talk with them on any additional steps needed to accomplish the goal, or maybe they need to set that particular goal to the side.  Maybe they even need to choose to discard their goal as life is always changing and it may not be relevant anymore.

Finally, set your goals for the following year!

Goals aren’t just for children!  Remember to set your own, and even involve your children as you review your list at the year end.  They can see even mommy and daddy don’t always make their goals happen, and can celebrate your accomplishments with you.  We are our child’s best example?

So, what goals are you setting in the New Year?

Whatever you celebrate, I hope it is a merry one!

Please don’t forget to keep families of the deployed in your thoughts this holiday season.  We are missing the Hubs/Daddy something fierce this holiday, but are blessed to be surrounded by family.

If you are looking for a way to give back this holiday season, why not say thank you to a soldier?  Check out Operation Gratitude (http://www.operationgratitude.com/) for ways you can give back to the military and their families!

DREAMWORKS PICTURES WAR HORSE

Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
U.S. Release date: December 25, 2011
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Cast: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Kebbell
Director: Steven Spielberg
Producers: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
Executive Producers: Frank Marshall, Revel Guest
Screenplay by: Lee Hall and Richard Curtis
Based on the book by: Michael Morpurgo and the recent stage play by Nick Stafford, originally produced by the National Theatre of Great Britain and directed by Tom Morris and Marianne Elliot.

Synopsis :

DreamWorks Pictures’ “War Horse,” director Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure, is a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War. “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is currently on Broadway. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.

 

What I loved:
Joey: Total star of the whole movie, the horse Joey is pretty impressive.  While actually Joey is several different horses, they seamlessly come together to give a top notch performance by an animal in a movie.  Growing up with a sister who LOVED horses, I have seen pretty much every horse movie out there.  Joey, in my opinion, blows them all out of the water!

The cinematography. There were so many moments when I forgot I was in the theater. Spielberg has an amazing talent for making your feel like you are surrounded by the movie rather than sitting in it. The close ups were amazingly visual, but I also found my other senses involved in this movie. I swear I could smell the ground being turned up, the scent of the barn, and taste the gas in the air. I loved the way he played up certain sounds and reduced others. Many other directors would have not focused on the small details like this, but it was exactly what kept me so enthralled in the movie.

The actors. The casting in this film was perfect. Everyone who came into contact with Joey became someone you either loved or hated. You didn’t see their previous acting experience while watching the movie like you do with some actors, but rather I found myself solely focused on the characters telling this story. And boy, could you get anymore dough-eyed and fresh than Jeremy Irvine who played the movies leading actor Albert Naracott? He as so agreeable and believable on the screen. You watched him grow up in the story on screen and as he does I found myself hard-pressed not to involve my heart.

The Story.  The story was a beautiful one that many will enjoy.  I personally wouldn’t take any child younger than 12 (maybe 10 depending on the child) to this movie, but older children, couples, moms, dads, grandparents, families will really enjoy this movie.  There is something for everyone.  I cried, laughed (several times), smiled, gasped, and even held my breath at points in War Horse.

Speaking of holding my breath…

Things I didn’t love:
The age Issue. The balance between the story and the violence seemed a bit off to me.  I felt like the tone of the movie during “non-violent” story was catered to a younger audience than should be watching the violent war scenes.  I would have been less conflicted by this had the language and violence been more on the same level.  I realize this movie was about WWI and I am not saying that there shouldn’t have been violence in it, but the tone in the beginning of the movie and the language during the less violent parts seemed very appropriate for a child as young as 7 or 8, but with the violence, I personally wouldn’t have taken a child younger than 10/12.  As far as a war movie goes, I do think Spielberg did a very nice job of  tastefully handling the war scenes.
Slow Beginning: This movie takes about 15 minutes to really fall into.  I personally didn’t mind that too much, but you should be aware that it starts very slow.

I really did love this movie.  My concern with the age issue are more of that as a parent than a movie goer.  If you are looking for a movie that will have something for the whole family…

GO SEE WAR HORSE!!

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Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/warhorsemovie

Disclosure: DreamWorks Pictures provided me with an early screening of this movie for the purpose of my review.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and my own, and I was not obligated to provide an positive review.

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