The Dailies

The tidbits of today:

1) I finished my laundry. So really...I FINISHED it. (I'm not counting the boys' stuff. They're supposed to do their own, but I'll probably end up doing it tomorrow just to get it all done before the new year. LOL)

2) I took some time out for me that didn't involve sulking lounging around in bed. I took myself to lunch at Palio's and then used my birthday gift card for a much-needed pedicure. Ahhh...very nice.

3) All of the Christmas stuff is down and mostly put away - except for the outside lights. That will happen tomorrow if I have to drag Richard out to do it. Or I'll do it and I won't put it away "correctly" and he'll just have to deal with it next year. Passive/aggressive anyone?

4) I have all the files I need to print at Staples for the first Sunday of the year in primary. Door signs and the monthly theme posters. I may print the January's poster on my printer on photo paper and see how it turns out before I pay for them to be printed. We'll see.

5) I even have a start on my sharing time for Sunday. Not sure if that's a good thing or not since most of my best lessons seem to be ones that were finished at the last minute. :-/

6) Richard came home from work and, instead of reading and sleeping for three hours, he prepped the back yard for moving some things tomorrow and is currently taking Larry for a walk. Yay!

Overall, I'd say it's been a pretty dang good day. Maybe tonight I'll teach James and John how to play Karma.

They Say It's My Birthday

Ha! So now that song is in your head too! It's only 12:30 here, but so far so good. My birthday morning started off with Happy Birthday texts from my sister-in-law and my favorite brother. In fact, that's how he signed his text - "from your favorite brother." (He's my only brother - but that's beside the point.)

Then there was an email from my sister. And later a text from a friend at work. Wow! I'm not used to getting birthday texts.

Now you know me...I have to find a negative here somewhere. No one in my immediate family has said "Happy birthday" to me yet today. Well, John did via Facebook chat - after I told him to check his Facebook and see if he could figure out why today is a special day and why I didn't want to take him to Game Stop at 10:00 this morning. Oh...and Richard texted me to see how much my pedicures usually are. Guess he's getting me a gift card to my favorite place. :-) Yay!

I should be used to this. Richard's never been big on birthdays. He wasn't raised that way and it's hard for him to understand that someone else might think they're important. You'd think after 18 years of marriage I'd be used to that. But I'm not. Eh...whatever. I'm making this day a lazy day. Still in bed on the computer. Made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and ate the greater part of them myself - in bed. I've played on Facebook, read and blogged. And now James just came in and said, "Happy birthday." He thought today was the 27th. Yeah, okay...he's still my favorite. :-)

So...I'm 46 today. 46. I don't even know what 46 is supposed to feel like. I'm sure I thought I'd be better off financially by now. But in the things that really matter - family, friends, God - I'm extremely blessed. My boys really are my greatest joy. I probably don't tell them that enough, but they are. I love my husband dearly, even when it's difficult to like him very much. But he's going through a really rough time right now and so I try really hard to remember that. My friends are amazing. They always seem to know when I need to talk or need ice cream. :-) And of course, my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Where would I be without Them? Without Christ's sacrifice. His Atonement that makes it so that He understand absolutely everything I have gone through, everything I'm going through and everything I will go through. This last month has literally knocked me to my knees - or at least bowed my head. But I'm still here and I'm still smiling most of the time. And that is only because Christ has carried me.

One foot in front of the other. Just keep swimming. Today is MY day. It's all about me. I get one day a year to have everything be all about me. (I probably take more than my share, truth be told - but that's a whole other blog entry.) But today...I can lay around eating bon-bons if I want and I don't feel guilty. Not one iota. Tomorrow - back to work. Today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! :::munch, munch:::

Holiday Blues

I've got the holiday blues. I get them every year, but this year is worse I think. This year I'm already ready to take down the decorations - and it's the day after Christmas. I'm tapped out emotionally. Richard's in a very deep valley and it's affecting the whole family.

I'm grateful for those who helped us make Christmas good this year. The boys liked their presents and we're picking up the Wii today, so it'll be a whole new Christmas morning again for them. However...I just want to stay in bed. I guess I feel like I have to be everything to everyone in the house in the evenings so during the day I just don't have the energy (physical, mental, or emotional) to get out and do anything. I want my energy back. I want my smile back. I want my husband back.

Ok...this is my day to whine. I'm giving myself one. One day. Maybe just one morning because the kitchen is completely trashed from Christmas yesterday. One morning. Two more hours to just sit and rest and read and play games and watch TV. Then it's kitchen, chores and errands. Go ahead...time me.

Just About Done!

Four more hours! I think I can do it! Still need to wrap the presents I got yesterday, make some cookies and fudge, hope that Chris can get registered for his spring college class, do a boatload of laundry, clean the house, etc., etc., etc. Remember when I said that I needed to do those things that will make a memorable Christmas for my family. Yeah...that's what I need to do. So...starting tomorrow (because tonight I'm recovering from the last three days) I will get into the Christmas spirit!

Parents: Be the Adult Please

Put your kids first. I just don't understand parents that use their kids as pawns in their war with each other. This morning at school a large group of students got to see this in action. One parent had the kids by the hand and was walking away with them. The other was running across the grass screaming and complaining that she had driven 750 miles to see her children and he couldn't take them away (or some such.) It doesn't really matter what anyone was saying. The fact is that they were fighting over these children, in front of a busload of other children including their best friend/sister who was scared to death and crying so hard she was about to throw up.

 The police were called, order was restored, some semblance of calmness was achieved - but really. Can't we, as adults, put the needs of the children above our own needs? Can't we put their welfare and well-being ahead of what we want or what we think we deserve. I've never had to deal with that as a divorced spouse, but I hope that I could be the grown-up in the situation. I seriously just want to smack both of those parents in the head and yell at them, "BE PARENTS! GROW UP!"

 But I can't really do that. All I can do is take care of the children while they're here. Hug them and love on them and pray for them. It just hurts my heart. So I need to get down on my knees and pray for them and thank Heavenly Father that I don't have to deal with that type of situation at home. We may have a lot going on and it may be difficult, but we have much to be grateful for.

A Positive Christmas Post

So this will be my positive one. No more whining. These are the things to be joyful about this season:

 1) My savior, Jesus Christ. We celebrate His birth during this time. The presents and the decorations and the music and all the trimmings are great, but they're just that - trimmings. Christ is why we celebrate. His birth, His atonement, His sacrifice - and His willingness to do all of those things of His own free will and choice. I tell my primary kids every time I do sharing time that Jesus knows them personally. He knows our names and our joys and our sorrows. He understands and all we have to do is talk with Heavenly Father and Jesus will be there for us. He will carry us when we need Him to. Why can I tell the children that but then forget it for myself? So...number one joy - Jesus Christ - my Lord and Savior.

 2) My family - they're quirky, grumpy, messy, whiny, and smelly and lots of other not-so-nice things. But what would I do without them? They are my life. As much as I want to Gibbs-slap each one of those boys (including the 50yo boy), I love them with my whole heart and I wouldn't trade them for any amount of money. I may threaten to do it, but I really wouldn't. We aren't a lovey-dovey family. We don't hang out together and "enjoy" each others' company. But...we love each other in our own weird way.

 3) My home. It's beautiful in a dirty, messy kinda way. But it's a roof over our heads. It's keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It keeps us dry. There are many people out there who don't have this necessity. I love my house. I'd love it even more if it were clean and tidy, but I'm still grateful to have it.

 4) Time off. It's not as much as we've had in the past and not as much as we'll have next year. It's easy to complain that we are still in school today, tomorrow and half-day Wednesday - but there are many people who either a) don't have a job to have time off from, or b) don't have any time off. Richard is one of those. He has Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off - because they are Saturday and Sunday.

 5) I have a job. I have an awesome job. It's hard for sure. It's frustrating and gives me a headache especially this time of year - and again in April and May - but it's a wonderful job. Where else could you work where you start each day off with multiple hugs?

 6) There's food on the table. Our pantry runneth over - seriously. Much of it is storehouse food these days since we've gone through most of our food storage during this financial crisis. But we have it. None of us is going hungry.

 7) A loving bishop. 'Nuff said.

 8) Giving friends. Again - 'nuff said.

 See? There is so much more to be happy and joyful about. Life really is good. It's crazy, but it's a good crazy. The next time you hear or read me whining, refer me back to this post. Maybe that will be my New Year's Resolution. I don't usually make them because they almost always seem to backfire, but I can work to be more positive. To put on that happy face like I used to have to do when cashiering at Wal-Mart. And guess what? When you make yourself smile and be nice to people, after a little while you start to feel better yourself.

I think I need to blog more often. This has been pretty darn cathartic. :-) Merry Christmas!!

Christmas 2011 - Blah Post

This is just not a good Christmas time for me this year. A number of reasons including:

1. There's no money for presents. I have no inclination to do any shopping since I don't even know how much money I can use. And that's because I haven't been keeping up with the checkbook balance because it's too depressing. The phone is ringing off the hook from "toll-free call" which is code for bill collectors. And I'm afraid to share my worries with Richard because he's already so back-and-forth on his tipping point. Which leads to

2. Richard's back is no better. We've spent money and time and lost wages going to doctors and having procedures and nothing is working. He's in a great deal of pain constantly which causes him to be pretty grumpy. He tries really, really, really hard to not be and so when he just can't contain it anymore, it tends to all come out at once and often at surprising times for no apparent reason.

3. Richard's job is not covering the bills. He enjoys the people he works with and the fact that when he's done, he's done. But he knows that he's not making enough money to really pay everything and it's frustrating to know that if he has a doctor appointment, it costs him not only the wages for that day but also a "point." There is no approved time off until after Christmas.

4. I got the house decorated for Christmas, but it's still such a mess that I can't enjoy it. Flylady swears that if you follow her steps, that your family will notice and begin to step up. In the nearly 10 years since I started using her system, albeit rather disjointedly since I went back to work, that hasn't come true. The boys just assume that the house magically gets vacuumed and dusted - or they don't care if it does. And I'm so overwhelmed with all the financial stuff that I just can't even find the energy to do anything about it. Until I have a presidency meeting at my house. Then I feel like I have to clean up and get at least a room or two cleaned up.

So those are my thoughts this Christmas season - at least my blah thoughts. I'm going to put this out there and then I'm going to put on my big girl panties and spend the next week focusing on my blessings and making it a good Christmas for my family. Food and family - that much I can do. Think anyone will notice if I don't show up for school the next three days?

Priesthood Preview

Tonight was priesthood preview. My third and last. Looking at all those 11 yo boys - I can't believe they're all going to turn 12 in 2012. I remember most of them from kindergarten. And they're such varied sizes - from Patrick and John little to Andrew and Branden tall to Seth just humongous.

But it was a good evening and John did get something out of it. And James learned to lead music. And I ate brownies. How can it be a bad night if brownies are involved?

Ch-ch-changes

A month goes by and my how things have changed. There is no longer a The Colony 1st Ward and a The Colony 2nd Ward. We are one ward - The Colony Ward. This is exciting and scary all at the same time. For a few years now some of us have been saying that it should happen. But now that it has...it's definitely going to take some getting used to.

And yes...I'm still the Primary President. Only now I have over 60 kids in primary instead of between 30-40. Our room just doubled. I've said many times over the last two weeks: "Putting together a whole new primary board, much less a whole new ward, is not for the faint-hearted." This has been nuts. My stomach has been in knots. I've had to revamp my presidency - yay for the new people; boo for losing the ones I had. The TC2 presidency was just a dream team. We worked together and fed off each other so well. Absolutely from the beginning.

The new presidency will be awesome as well. It will just take a bit more time. The most positive part is that the cub scouts and seminary and some things were already combining just to have numbers, so for most of the kids this won't be a huge change in everything. However...in classes...major changes.

I think I have enough teachers today. I texted Bishop Warner (TC2's final bishop) and told him that since he called himself to the primary board as his last official act as TC2 bishop, he could come sub for Sunbeams. He called last night and asked if I really needed him to. Aww.... I told him that I would keep an eye out for him - and he was welcome to join us for crowd control anyway. :-)

So...I stayed up way late last night to watch the Rangers win Game 1 of the ALCS. Now I'm up at 6:00 getting ready for this first day of a brand new ward. I think a nap will be in order this afternoon. This morning is going to be AWESOME!

I Love Primary

Who knew? Who knew I would really, really enjoy being the primary president? I have the best counselors and secretary in the world. We complement each other quite nicely. We're all busy with our jobs and our families, but we find the time to get together every other week and keep our primary running smoothly.

Really.

It runs smoothly.

That doesn't mean that there aren't constant challenges and changes. But we each enjoy our calling and we enjoy the kids. That feeling translates to the kids and life in the primary room is calm and fun and wonderful. I look forward to seeing the kids, the teachers and the rest of the adults.

Primary is AWESOME!

The Start of a New Year

Society says that the new year begins on January 1st. In my life with everyone in school (or most everyone), the new year begins at the end of August. New clothes, new books, new pens and pencils and folders and binders and backpacks and instruments and a host of other cool things. Actually, new clothes usually wait for the temperature to go down because what's the point of buying fall clothes when it's still 105 outside?

It's been a bit of a rough time, but we have somewhat of a promising outlook. Ok, not really, but I choose to see it as promising somehow. Richard has a job. He's working for Williams-Sonoma right here in town at their catalog call center. He works Monday-Friday either 8-4:30 or 8:30-5. The schedule is awesome. The "commute" (I put it in parentheses because he's still in town) is awesome. The lack of stress over the job is awesome. The pay and benefits? Not so awesome. Low pay and no benefits. But he's working. It's something. And we'll have to see how it works out.

We've made it through two weeks of school and now it's time for Labor Day weekend. I have a plan. Really - I do. Today I'm doing nothing and I'm not expecting anyone else to do any work either. Today is relax from the first two weeks of school day. It's nearly 1:00 and I'm still in my pajamas. But I paid the bills - so that's something. (As I hear the boys play and then yell at each other for playing "too hard," I'm thinking I might have to come up with a better plan for them, but maybe I'll just close my door instead.)

As I think about where we are in this life, I realize that, other than our financial woes, we are in a really good place. We have a roof over our head, even if it is too expensive and there's no way to sell it. And we like our roof over our head, so we'll deal. We have food in the pantry and the refrigerator - including Diet Coke. :-) We may not have the trendiest clothes in the world, but we are clothed appropriately for the weather. We have air conditioning - which is probably the hugest blessing right now with the heat we've had this summer. We have the basic necessities and quite a few of the wants. And we have friends. Oh do we have friends. We have a bishop who loves us and is there for us. We have family who help when needed - in many ways.

I look at the bills we have to pay and wonder how we're going to pay them with the money we're making. (Our insurance just went up $500/month (we have insurance - that's a blessing too) because Richard is no longer teaching. That's gonna be interesting.) But somehow, something works out. Today I tried to pay my emergency room bill from Texas City. I'd waited until after September 1st so that I could use our newly-minted medical flex card. When I typed in all the information, the website couldn't find a matching account. I checked, double-checked and triple-checked the information. Couldn't find it. So I called. Gave all the information to a computer voice. She couldn't find it either. I requested a customer service rep. The office is closed on weekends. Little blessings in the form of someone else's hands - most likely my daddy's.

So...that's where we are. Same song, same verse, 462nd time we've sung it. But...it's just a little bit different this time. The stress isn't there like it used to be. The worry and the loneliness of it isn't there. We'll get through this. (It's not like we're the only ones in the country who have been downsized in one form or another.) Chris will graduate this year and he will go to college this summer. James will get a violin. The orchestra fees will get paid. The bills will get paid. Cooler temperatures and fall colors will get here. The only constant is change. And sometimes the change isn't in the big picture. It's in how we perceive the big picture.

New Day

It's a new day. I printed off a 7-day free pass to 24 Hour Fitness and I'm going to check it out this morning. Beginning tomorrow, I will get back on my diet. Had my swimsuit on yesterday and looked in the mirror. Eww! Seriously, I look about 6 months pregnant. It's not pretty. I've got to do something.

I don't think there is anyway that I can afford to actually join the gym, but I'm looking at being 45 years old, really out of shape and really overweight. I know I would feel better if I lost the weight (again) and got stronger. I know that I would have a better "later-in-life" if I would up my strength and stamina. Knowing that my grandmother lost about 10-12 inches in her elderly years and my mom probably lost at least 3, I've got to start taking care of that.

So...introduction today and strength training the rest of the week. Then? I don't know. I guess if this is something that I'm supposed to do that a way will be provided, but how do I justify it when Chris needs his wisdom teeth out, James and John need braces and Richard's just in all kinds of issues. What could I give up? Eating out? Probably need to do that anyway. Pedicures? Hmmm...there's a thought. Especially as fall and winter come along. Hmmm...I just might be able to make this work! :-)

Ok...so...gym. I can do this. And I can keep it up. And I can eat better. Help me out people!

Holy Cow!

Has it really been three months since I last blogged? Whoops. Let me justify it by saying that spring and early summer has been a stressful and busy time. Richard quit his job - sorta. We had the bajillion end-of-year concerts/banquets/parties/etc. Chris was involved in the multi-stake youth Jubilee which ended with three performances the last weekend of June. Then scout camp for James the following Monday. Not to mention birthdays in there. And primary. PRIMARY! And the end of the school year for me - which meant getting John ready for middle school. Ack!

So...that's pretty much us in a nutshell. (Nut being the operative syllable there.)

Summer is flying by! We just celebrated John's 11th birthday. How the heck did that happen?!? He's 11! No more cub scouts! No more elementary school! He has a Facebook page and will be getting a phone! 'Scuse me - what? Where did my baby go? Oh wait...he's still here as he curls up and snuggles next to me. :-) Whew!

The fact that John's had his birthday means that it's already July. JULY! I have six weeks left until inservice. Man! I'd better get going on the relaxing and rejunvenating! Here's to July 4th pancake breakfasts and barbeques and fireworks (done by the professionals, of course.) And naps. Gotta throw those naps in. What else is summer for if not napping?

Happy 4th to all three people who even check back in to see if I've posted in forever. I'll try to do better. We'll see....

April 10, 1999

Twelve years ago today our middle child was born. We had waited a good two year to get him here. Many months of not getting pregnant, a miscarriage and finally he was ready to join our family. And we're blessed on a daily basis to have him.

He turns twelve today. Twelve is important. His father ordained him to the Aaronic priesthood today. His brother and his grandfather (who shares his birthday) were in the circle. When I asked him how he felt afterward he said, "AWESOME!" Of course you do, James. Because you are awesome. And we're blessed to have you.

He's been a smiler and a heart-on-his-sleeve kind of boy since he was born. He's been totally social since he was born. And he finds butterflies wherever he goes. And we're blessed to have him.

Happy birthday to my favorite 12-year-old, to the newest member of our deacons' quorum, to our newest priesthood holder. I now have three priesthood holders in my home. What a blessing!

Headaches...

suck. I don't use that word very often, but in this case it's absolutely appropriate. Today was our first day back at school. Overall, it went really well...except for that stupid songbook that I can't find. I have Book One and Book Three. I need Book Two and I can't find it. ARGH!

But other than that, it was a good day. Then I came home. I put the towels in the dryer and took a Facebook break. From there, it was all downhill. My shoulders and neck are so, sooo tight. My head has been pounding all night - off and on. It's all from my shoulders.

I wonder which of the children I should blame today.

Crazy week ahead: Tuesday - RS dinner; Wednesday - pinewood derby car weigh-in (the car which we haven't even built - don't know what we're doing about that); Thursday - Camey choir, Pinewood Derby; Friday - party; Saturday - Saturday school and hopefully some yard work.

Can I just hide in bed? Nah...it's gonna be fun! If my head quits hurting. On the positive side, we have free chair massages at school tomorrow. Think that's coincidence? I don't either. :-)

First of Many

Today was my first Sunday as the official Primary President. I am amazed at the ideas and thoughts that keep "popping" in my head at random moments. I'm amazed at how I'm not nearly as interested in my Facebook games as I used to be. (Oh...don't worry. I'm still playing them.)

I'm excited to be working with my awesome counselors and secretary! I think there will be lots of laughter, lots of lightness, and lots of spirit. I was told by a teacher today that she could really feel the Spirit in the room today. Well, that wasn't me. That was Suzanne. But, hopefully, we can foster a spirit in the room that invites the Spirit.

Of course we're constantly in need of callings and teachers. We're constantly in need of cub leaders. It's a program that is always in some state of flux. But that just might be a good thing. We're making a few changes in the way we're organizing everything and that will take some time to implement. There are some ideas that we came up with that we haven't been able to figure out how to do yet.

I think we need to have a teacher training - where we introduce these ideas and things to them and let them know how important they are to the success of the children. We, as a presidency, can give opportunities and ideas, but in the long run, it's the teachers themselves who interact the closest with each of the children.

I look forward to Sundays again. I look forward to going to primary. I look forward to working with my friends and sisters in the gospel. It's gonna be a great year in The Colony 2nd Ward Primary!

What Is Going On?

Seriously! Earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear disasters - all horrendous. But they seem to pale in comparison to the heartaches being suffered by so many of my friends these days. Friends have lost parents (three off-hand in the last six months,) we lost our Webelos leader who was only 33 and left behind a wife and three children, a member of our ward and primary board lost her son this week (after losing her mother about six months ago) and now I find out that another friend's brother just died. He was 35 and leaves behind a wife, three children age 5 and under and one on the way.

If bad things come in threes, I think I've seen enough to last for a while. Although many of these tragedies has affected me because I know the people involved, none of them have affected me directly. I don't know whether to feel blessed or worried - or both.

I talked to Dad yesterday - just to check up on him. He's doing fine - especially for a 92-year-old. I was hoping to go see him this week (SPRING BREAK!) but I'm needed here for a presidency meeting (last night), dinner for a ward family (the one who lost their son), and as a chauffeur for my sil when she has her gall bladder out on Friday.

Suddenly, being called as the primary president isn't nearly so daunting. In the face of what everyone else is going through, I think I'll just shut up and be grateful for my blessings.

Tender Feelings These Days

I'm just not sure how I feel about 2011. Richard went back to work at the end of January and it's been downhill ever since. His back still hurts and his mood is awful. I find myself not doing much of anything around the house - just no real energy to do it.

Then this week, a good friend lost her husband suddenly. He'd been battling MRSA for a good two years, but he became septic and died last Tuesday. He was John's Webelos leader. His wife had been John's Bear den leader.

The funeral was today. It was sad and uplifting all at the same time. Sad because he left behind a wife and three children, ages 11, 7 and 4. Uplifting because I got to see my sons show their emotions and comfort their friends and each other. Many of the boys wore their scout shirts to the funeral as a sign of respect and honor.

So...if the dust bunnies don't get vacuumed up today, if the dishes pile up for a couple of days, if we eat hot dogs for dinner tonight...it's okay. But we will have FHE, scripture reading and prayer tonight. And we will remember our friends in our prayers. We will remember and learn more about the Plan of Salvation and be grateful for that knowledge. We will honor our friend and scout leader, Jack Wright, by continuing to learn from his example in our lives.

First Sunday

It's the first Sunday of the year. The first Sunday as the first ward using the building. The first Sunday at 9:00 in quite some time. This makes for some interesting confusion at the beginning of the second hour.

Specifically, somebody suddenly realized that we can't have Gospel Doctrine class in the chapel because the next ward will need to get in there before the end of the class. Oops. So...we move it to the second overflow. But that's right by the nursery (in the 3rd overflow) and that would interrupt the class. The Gospel Doctrine teacher made a unilateral decision to kick the nursery out and put them in the too-small normally-used nursery room. The newly-assigned nursery assistant (the nursery leader and her other assistant (husband and wife) were out sick) did a fabulous job of dealing with the whole thing and within 10 minutes we had them moved to another spot where they had more room. Oh...did I mention the primary president was out sick? Suz took care of nursery and by the end of the first hour, we had a plan in place for next week and the rest of the year. Yay! Flexibility is the key!

The sunbeam classroom was filled with chairs from the Relief Society room. What? ARGH! Richard (the new sunbeam teacher!) and I moved them all out in the hallway and got his room ready for the new sunbeams. He escorted them from nursery and we made a big deal of welcoming them into primary. They had a GREAT day! They went home with crowns that they had decorated and huge smiles on their faces. (They're teacher did too.)

While the presidency was running around like chickens putting out the nursery and sunbeam fires, the rest of the primary was sitting in their chairs, listening to piano music and talking quietly and reverently. I was so proud of them! Fast Sunday at 10:00 am - they were tired and hungry? ;-)

Even though we got off to a rough start, I think we ended on the positive side. All the kids got a lesson and felt our love. In the end, isn't that what primary is all about?

1-1-11

Happy New Year!

Today's the day we watch the Rose Parade, take down Christmas, make some resolutions and eat black-eyed peas for luck. Maybe that's why 2010 was such a hard year - we didn't have our black-eyed peas last year.

We celebrated the entrance of 2011 with a jigsaw puzzle, 80's music and some Martinelli's. Chris was at a church youth dance and then the after-breakfast at another house. Richard slept until 9:00. PM. Seriously. We didn't have enough people to play our new board games because Richard was asleep and Chris was gone, so we worked on the puzzle. It was a lazy New Year's Eve, but I think it was enjoyed.

Now to the new year. January 1st doesn't really seem like a new year to me. When both parents are teachers and all the children are in school, the new year is really in the fall. That's when everything "feels" new. But we did roll over from 2010 to 2011, so I guess I'll jump on the bandwagon.

I hate resolutions. As I said before, I always make the same ones and I always break them by about February. But I'm going to try. I have three personal goals for this year:
1) Lose the weight I lost and regained last year. I know how and I know I can - and I think I'm motivated again.
2) Read my scriptures daily. It doesn't have to be in the morning. It can be after school when I to my email and read them online. I think I have this idea of curling up by the fire for 30 minutes and reading in absolute silence and reverence. That's not really my life right now so why not read how I can?
3) Get back on track with our debt-reduction plan. With all the surgeries and holidays, it kinda fell apart. We didn't go into any more debt (whew!), but we weren't doing very well at reducing it either. Well, technically I guess we did go into more debt with the medical bills that are arriving daily. :-( But what can you do?

Family goals: more focus on the Spirit in our home. With the trials of late, I've realized that the spirit has been missing more often than not. We need to do spiritual FHE's, and we need to TALK. Better dinners. More together time.

So those are my goals for the new year. Wonder if I'll make it to February....