Happy New Years Eve!

What do you remember about years past, parties, small gatherings, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV, all that football, some parade, fights, or arguments. It is hard to pinpoint just one thing. For me, I want to remember the good things. Like, the toasts that my husband and I began having when we got married. It may not be right at midnight, and we may not have one on New Years Eve at all, sometimes it was the next morning, and of course it is always Sparkling Apple Cider. I like to recall the hopes and dreams that we share in that moment, the honest and true moments filled with raw emotion, as we bare our souls to each other. That is what makes those moments special for me. Enjoy this last day of 2011, and look forward into the future with an open mind and open heart that you may embrace every opportunity!

Looking Toward a New Year!

Many people do it every year, that is make a New Years's resolution, which they break within the same week that it is made, sometimes. A resolution needs to be a lifestyle change, that happens gradually and not overnight. You can't expect to accomplish or succeed at something instantly. Which brings me to my idea. In church yesterday, a bright young man, who just returned from his mission gave a talk, and at one point, he challenged all of us to replace something we already do, with something we want to do. That is great! We don't need to try and fit something else into our already busy and hectic life, we just need to replace one thing with someting else. On my resolution list, there are several things that I want to accomplish, so I will pick one to start, and replace something I am already doing with that. As you may have read, I am a wife, and the mother of three very active girls, so it won't be easy. But, I did just finish up a college course, and more will not be starting for a while, so I have that time, and I have finished up with physical therapy, so there is some more time available... Maybe this just might work. Stay positive, right!

A wish for Christmas!

A wish for you this Christmas is that we take a moment to breathe, and not just breathe but ponder. Ponder moments in our lives of the meaning of family, and friends, of the season. Of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the magnitude of His sacrifice, and what we can now do in our daily lives to somehow tell Him how much that truly means.
Every New Year, I like many others write out my list of things that I hope to accomplish in the coming year, and have done so early, so I can get a jump start.
1. Tell my kids, all three of them that I love them, every single day!
2. Tell my husband I love him, every day!
3. Show my family how much I appreciate them, in action and deed!
4. Pray each morning for help, and each night in thanks!
5. Read the Book of Mormon, early this year!
6. Call extended family often and tell them how much they mean to me!
7. Practice the violin, and share my love of music with others!
8. Begin my Master's Degree, and diligently continue!
9. Attend the temple, and live the covenants that I have made there!
10. IF there is any time left, take a moment of "me" time and clean out the closets!
Thanks to everyone reading this, and I hope that your New Year is a wonderful one, and that you are able to take away from the season the Love that is felt for you!

I wish that I could make it, but...

That is my thought every year. I like to go visit people and drop off a plate of goodies and the like, but this year, I am just tired. Not sick and tired, just tired! My response in my head every time someone wants me to help with something or go to their house for some reason or another is just that, "I wish that I could make it, but..." All this going on in my mind while my mouth speaks the words, "Sure, I can, what do you need me to bring..." Aaargh!
As in a prior post, I mentioned that my plan this year was to boycott Christmas Cards. Well, that has not worked out so well! I have gotten more cards sent to me than in several years past, combined. So, my thought, maybe next year. As for my college course that I was taking, Success! I passed it! Now, onto applying for the Master's Degree Program! So, excited, and worried at the same time. But, first I need to get through the holidays!
I want to take a moment and wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season, and hope that your New Year is filled with prosperity, and good health!

Crazy People Everywhere!

I thought that driving in Boise was bad. When you are driving on a stretch of five lanes of traffic, and a vehicle starts in the far right lane, swerves across two lanes, cuts you off by a foot or two, on their way to the far left lane, speeds up and cuts back across cutting off yet another person, all to get back in the far right lane and take the exit that they nearly miss by all that swerving. But, that was nothing compared to the shoppers that were practically playing bumper cars at the Walmart last night. It was as if there were a traffic jam in the toy section, people were there shopping and to complicate matters, some had their kids in the aisles too. Touching and picking up every imaginable toy, and the shouts of "I want this one..." we like that of car horns. Only, it was not just that way in the toy area, it was that way everywhere else we seemed to be. I think these people followed us, causing congestion wherever we needed to go. Another similarity to the traffic in Boise, no turn signals or nods, or any kind of acknowledgements were give. It was as if I was Momma Bear protecting her cubs. I even saw people eyeing our cart,as though thinking, "Can I grab this out of their cart and get away with it before they caught me?" The bad thing. It is not even Christmas Eve yet. Sadly, for some Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year, so I am sure that the stores will be extra crowded. But, thankfully not for us, we are finished, no matter what my husband says.

Back from Boise...

And so much to do! Robyn's surgery went well, inspite of the long wait. Even though we had to wait all day, after not eating, she did not complain! What a trooper! Her surgery was good, and she now sports a purple cast, wrapped in an ace bandage because they cracked it to allow for swelling. The good and bad thing, they sent us home with a wheelchair. Good, because I don't have to worry about her tripping over herself, and also Anna can't use one or both as a weapon aginst us. Bad, because it is a wheelchair, it takes up a lot of floor space in the crowded house, and that pretty much confines all of us to the house. Bummer!
The other thing, why is is that when you go on a trip of any kind, there is ALWAYS a mountain of laundry to get done when you get home? More than the normal amount too. What is up with that? So, despite to eary hour, it is 6 a.m. here, I am off to it!

An Upcoming Christmas Party...

and a kid in a cast. Just the idea is scary, but I know that I need to take little girls to the Christmas Party at church. They will have a nice time, and there will be a lot of smiling friendly faces, and possibly S-A-N-T-A will be there. So, that is something I will have to really consider this year! Plus, the shopping trip for the family went well the other day. I mentioned before that I was going to do a lot of our bargain shopping at Deseret Industries this year, and I was really please with how things turned out. The little girls each will get a few toys, and story books, and several new (for them), complete outfits. And, my teenager, who went with to help pick things out, was able to find a few really "cool" jeans, and shirts to match, plus she was able to find a skirt that we both agreed on, which was major! Plus, a messenger bag for college, a book that she likes, and a few penguin stuffed animals! All-in-all, the trip there was a success! There will be more under the tree for them that we had originally thought! After next week, we will go to the friendly-neighborhood Wally-Mart, that is actually 20 minutes away, and pick up a few inexpensive items to fill in! Such a relief, I cannot tell you!

The Debate: Christmas Cards, Yes or No.

I usually am and have always been to this point a "Yes!" All the way! I enjoyed creating and revising my list of family and friends that I sent the cards to each year, picking out the cards, usually from the selection at Costco, but sometimes, getting some cute ones on the clearance rack the year before, and one year even making them myself with stamps. But, after that initial happiness wares off, and I have spend countless hours of time, not to mention quite a bit of money on stamps, I get bummed when I only get back three or four cards in the mail. You see, I love getting a hand written card in the mail. It is just nice to get a card from a friend or family member, if nothing else than to break up the monotony of the bills, and junk mail that is in the mailbox the rest of the year. In the past few years, I would even send a little '"newsletter" of sorts with pictures and happenings of our little family, just to keep people up to date.
Sadly, this year, it is not happening, and the worst part, I am not upset about it. With Robyn's upcoming surgery, I am busy focusing on her, and will be throughout the rest of the holiday. And, I just want to se how many cards we get this year, just out of curiosity. If I do get a card from someone, I will send them a card back, out of respect and kindness, but for this year, that is it.
If you have seen the movie with Tim Allen, "Christmas with the Kranks", or read the book it was based on by John Grisham, "Skipping Christmas." That is what I am doing, in regards to Cards Only!

What to do when?

What do you do when you already know Christmas morning will be pretty barren? As I have found, you invent new traditions, along with finding a bargain wherever you can!
In years past, the Christmases have been pretty good ones, as far as gifts for the kids and others goes. We have always been generous with gifts for extended family in the past and the kids always got at least one "big" gift. Last year though, in order to accomplish that, Christmas was on Credit, and so we are now struggling to pay for last Christmas this year. So, this year for extended family, I started making homemade gifts back in March, which I have mentioned before, Jim and I are forgoing our individual gifts to each other to use his rewards points, and $25 cash to purchase a set of camping dishes that we can use this summer, for the extended family member that I "drew", they are getting $50 worth of gift cards that I used my grocery store points for, that I didn't pay for in a cash sense, I just had to spend a huge sum of money at the grocery store, and for the kids, I will be going to Walmart for their one big gift, of which there are still some good deals inspite being after the Black Friday sales are finished. And by big, I do not mean big in that sense, I mean a board game, a smaller Barbie doll, or coloring books, and new crayons. They will also be receiving a few clothing gifts that I will pick up at Deseret Industries this year. Just the idea is a humbling one, and I am nervous as to what their reactions will be, but it is just something we will have to face. But, we can do it together. There is more to Christmas than what is under the tree, and we are going to discover that as a family this year.