2013 in review

It's time for my annual year in review post. It's pretty sad that my last year in review post is on the same page on this blog...I only had to scroll down a handful of posts to find it. But I guess that speaks to how priorities change and how I have my hands full with my two little cuties. Still, I enjoy reflecting on the year with this post, so here it is. 

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before? I became a stay-at-home mom. 
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Yes, for the most part. Yes, I'll make a few this year but plan to keep them very short and simple. Too many is too overwhelming. 
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Friends in my ward. 
4. Did anyone close to you die? I found out a childhood friend, Dennis Stauffer, passed away in a car accident a couple of years ago. We hadn't kept in close contact so I didn't find out until last month. We had our baptisms together, were in the same ward and went to the same Elementary School. I last saw him when I was 18 and took a bus from Minneapolis, where I was nannying, to Blacksburg, VA, and visited him. It's sad, especially because he had a 1-year-old son when he died. 
5. What countries did you visit? None
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? More patience, more organization and better time management skills. I seriously want to focus on these three things this year. 
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory and why? April and October: I left my job at CPS in April, which was difficult for me to do. I became so attached to my job in a way that you do when you go through something that is very trying and provides opportunities for serving others and personal growth. Add awesome coworkers to the mix and it's very difficult to walk away. I then volunteered there once a week until October, when I no longer had childcare for my kids. Again, I was very sad to leave. 
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Being a stay-at-home mom has been very eye-opening. (Wow, it's difficult but I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be at home with my boys.)
9. What was your biggest failure? No big regrets but lots of little things I would like to work on. 
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing serious
11. What was the best thing you bought? A season pass to the AZ Science Center for $30 (a living social deal). I took the boys almost once a a week during the summer. Oliver loved it and it was a great way to fill our time in an educational way (plus being in an air conditioned building was a definite plus). 
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Oliver has come such a long way since the beginning of the year. It was rough for him after Joshua was born and his behavior reflected that. He is doing so much better (which I honestly have to credit Love & Logic to some degree...I'm not perfect at applying it but it was a turning point for me with him). We also got rid of overnight diapers this year. He's such a big boy now! 
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Politicians always seem to fall into this category. I'm not very impressed with President Obama. 
14. Where did most of your money go? Formula + diapers would be big chunk of it. 
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Hawaii in April. It was a much-needed break for these exhausted parents. We left the boys with my mom so we got to sleep in...amazing. 
16. What song will always remind you of 2013? More than just one: Feel This Moment by Pitbull, Closer by Teagan and Sara, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, Deamons by Imagine Dragons, Best Day Of My Life by American Authors, Royals by Lorde and Justin Timberlake (went to his concert with my friend, Autumn). 
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier in general. 
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. I hit my goal weight about six months ago, thanks to Weight Watchers. I now weigh less than I did before I got pregnant with Josh. 
c) richer or poorer? About the same. 
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I would've had more time to do more family history (scrapbooking, journaling, blogging, etc. - especially the boys' books). This is my same answer as last year...still on my to-do list. I need to make it a priority. 
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Possibly Facebook. I'm not on there all the time but a couple of times a day, which feels like too much right now. (Again, I want to prioritize.) 
20. How did you spend Christmas? With our little family. It was the first Christmas in a few years where it was just us. It was nice. Wendel and I especially enjoyed seeing Oliver's excitement; this was the first year he was really into it. He loved the anticipation of opening his gifts almost more than the gift itself. 
21. Did you fall in love in 2012? Even more with my kids than before. I didn't think that was possible. 
22. What was your favorite TV program? Parenthood still remains a favorite but Big Bang Theory is a pretty close second. (Those are the only two shows we watch.) 
23. What was the best book you read? Love & Logic, followed by How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen and How to Listen So Your Kids Will Talk. Both were life-changing for me. 
24. What was your greatest musical discovery? I really like Imagine Dragons. 
25. What did you want and get? A vacation that involved sleeping in and eating yummy food.
26. What did you want and not get? Nothing comes to mind. 
27. What was your favorite film of this year? Nothing really amazing. There were fun ones, like Pitch Perfect, Thor and Iron Man 3. 
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 34. It was not my best birthday ever. 
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I can't think of anything. I feel very happy and blessed. 
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? Comfortable, casual and inexpensive (I mostly shop at thrift stores...there are some pretty great finds to be had though, if you're willing to do a little looking.)
31. What kept you sane? Wendel. (Same answer as last year...he's my rock.)
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Um...? 
33. What political issue stirred you the most?  6,000 CPS cases were never assigned to investigators over the past four years and as a result several supervisors are on administrative leave. There's a lot of attention in the media on CPS right now. I'm always interested in following CPS in the news because the people reporting the news really have no idea what it's like to be on the front lines. It frustrates me that those who are doing the difficult job of keeping Arizona's children safe are blamed no matter what they do. Meanwhile, they are underpaid, overworked (man, are they overworked...the amount of work is literally impossible to keep up with) and get burned out. Show me a politician who makes improving CPS a priority and that person will have my vote. I did recently read these ideas from Governor Jan Brewer, which is a great start. I really hope to see these put into action. 
34. Who did you miss? My coworkers (after I left CPS). I really miss them a lot, still. 
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013: Here's two: 1.Parenting is difficult. Not all kids are the same. It's easy to judge other moms or feel judged by other moms as a result of differences in parenting. I've come to realize that there are many different ways to be a "good mom" and no matter what kind of good mom you are, be the best you can for your kids, don't judge others and try not to be offended easily. 2. It's good to be busy doing good things. I'm grateful for a busy calling (Primary Secretary) and the busyness of taking care of two, active little boys. 
36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "I just want to feel this moment" by Pitbull. And when I say "this moment" I refer to sleep and how amazing it is. I knew I wouldn't get much sleep as a mom but man, do I miss it. Sleep is really amazing. 

Here's to a wonderful 2014!

Moving forward

Our Christmas card this year.

 A little recap from 2012 (I did this back in 2010 as well):

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before? Worked for CPS.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My resolutions from last year were the following: 01. Blog more often. 02. Read from the Book of Mormon daily with Wendel. 03. Write in my personal journal at least once a week. 04. Work on Oliver's book regularly. 05. Use my scripture journal with my personal scripture study at least one time each week. 06. Work out 3x / week. I pretty much failed at all of these.  Wendel and I did okay reading scriptures but not perfect, especially toward the end of the year.  I obviously didn't blog more often, I didn't write in my personal journal once a week and I didn't work on Oliver's book at all.  I wrote in my scripture journal a little but not much.  I did work out pretty regularly up until I got pregnant.  Overall, I did not do stellar with my goals.  I do have a few resolutions for this year, which will hopefully be more attainable (to come later in this post). 
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Other than me, I had several friends and two cousins give birth this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Wendel's grandmother, Rose Winnifred Pratt Burnham, died in December. We named Joshua's middle name (Pratt) after her (and after Wendel - Pratt is one of his middle names as well).
5. What countries did you visit? None
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? More patience.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory and why? December 24th, the day Joshua was born.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Working full time for CPS while being pregnant and being a mother to a 2-year-old.
9. What was your biggest failure? No big regrets
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing serious
11. What was the best thing you bought? Probably Wendel's Ford F-250.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Oliver's - he is fully potty trained as of a few months ago!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Political leaders - elections depress me with all of the lying candidates do about each other.
14. Where did most of your money go? Life.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The birth of our son, Joshua.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012? We Are Young by Fun
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder in some ways at this specific time - but I think this is mostly due to having just had a baby and the emotions that come with that adjustment, plus it is quite an adjustment for Oliver having a new baby in the house, which has been hard for me too. But we're getting through it. Overall, I would say I am happy and blessed. 
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter but it's worth it.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, both with money and with blessings.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I would've had more time to do more family history (scrapbooking, journaling, blogging, etc.).
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Nothing. No regrets.
20. How did you spend Christmas? In the hospital.  We were released at about 7:30 pm on Christmas evening.  We celebrated the next morning with my mom and brother, Tyson, who were in town.  Wendel's mom, Linda, came over as well. 
21. Did you fall in love in 2012? Yes, with my sweet new son, Joshua. 
22. What was your favorite TV program? Parenthood (my answer was the same in 2010 - love this show so much).
23. What was the best book you read? I didn't read much this year.
24. What was your greatest musical discovery? Not sure I really had a musical discovery. I am not very adventurous with music and tend to listen to a lot of talk radio commuting to and from work.
25. What did you want and get? A baby
26. What did you want and not get? Nothing comes to mind.
27. What was your favorite film of this year? I didn't see any amazing movies. Sad, but true. I didn't see many movies at all, so that's not saying much.
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33.  I don't recall what we did - probably went out to eat.  Wendel got us a weekend getaway to a place in Scottsdale, which we used at a later date.  My dad and his fiance, Dot, took Oliver for the weekend for us.  We ate at a really great Thai place and were able to sleep in - it doesn't get much better than that.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not sure.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? Comfortable.
31. What kept you sane? Wendel.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Taylor Swift.  I really like her music.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?  Not any one.  There were several issues that I followed and had opinions about.  I was frustrated with the election in general.
34. Who did you miss? My family.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012: I can do hard things. (I knew this before but was reminded of this several times throughout the year.)
36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

"So I'll be bold
As well as strong
And use my head alongside my heart...

But I'll kneel down
Wait for now
I'll kneel down
Know my ground"

From I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons 

Maybe it's a stretch but I apply the lyrics to my experience working for CPS this past year.  I had to learn to be bold (I'm not naturally this way but had to be on my mission and again as an investigator for CPS) and strong (as I saw lots of abuse).  I had to use my head along with my heart - I couldn't just react with emotion.  I view the second part as kneeling down praying, because I did a lot of that as I prayed for strength to do this work and endurance to keep going - not just working for CPS but balancing work with being a mother and wife, as well as my calling at church and everything else in life - all while being pregnant.  

2012 was a good but very busy year.  I am sitting here pumping, listening to Joshua's sweet little cooing noises as he is hanging out in his swing.  I've been thinking I want to post about my goals for this year so I can solidify them.  I had a long list of goals in mind, in several different areas, that I wanted to tackle this year.  But I think I'm going to keep them to a minimum instead, so I can keep them attainable.

01. Become more patient. I never realized I struggled with patience until recently.  Being a parent - and a recent stay-at-home mom with a very jealous and defiant 2-year-old has brought this to light in a hurry.  I find myself getting easily frustrated with how easily frustrated and defiant Oliver gets (hmm - I think part of the problem is we are so much alike) and wishing patience came more easily to me. The plan: Study Love and Logic, study patience in the scriptures, Ensign and other books, and make concerted efforts to practice being patient with Oliver.  Part of this effort might include keeping track of what I learn / how I'm applying it either here or in a journal of some kind.

02.  Read from the scriptures / gospel study daily.  Even if it's just for ten minutes. The plan: read while I pump or at the beginning of the boys' nap time. 

03. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  The plan: Exercise as soon as I am able (I have to wait five more weeks) and be mindful of what I eat.  This might include joining Weight Watchers or it might not.  I've got 20 pounds to lose and I'm determined to do it. 

04. Give more to my calling.  I want to focus more on my calling - to really do my best and be mindful of the children I'm serving as Primary Secretary.  The plan: Set aside time to work on my calling, do not procrastinate, pray for help and pray for the children and sisters I serve with.  

 Those are the four I really want to focus on, so I'm going to drop everything else off of my list and do my best in these areas. 

Happy 2013!

resolutions and family photos

Are you surprised to see another post from me two days in a row? Or does anyone ever read this blog anymore? I am leaning toward the latter. In case anyone is still reading, I will share my New Year's resolutions with you. I will preface them with this quote: As we reflect on the value of resolving to do better, let us determine to discipline ourselves to carefully select the resolutions we make, to consider the purpose for making them, and finally to make commitments for keeping them and not letting any obstacle stop us. Let us remind ourselves at the beginning of each day that we can keep a resolution just for that day. - N. Eldon Tanner (I specifically like that he points out to carefully select the goals we make and consider the purpose for making them. I am all about being minimal with my goals this year, therefore only selecting a few goals that I really want to commit to.) 01. Blog more often (hence blog posts two days in a row). 02. Read from the Book of Mormon daily with Wendel. 03. Write in my personal journal at least once a week. 04. Work on Oliver's book regularly. 05. Use my scripture journal with my personal scripture study at least one time each week. 06. Work out 3x / week.  That's it. Most of my goals are focusing on family history this year. It is too important to let it keep slipping.

One thing I really wanted to do before leaving Seattle was get family pictures taken with the Seattle skyline behind us. I mentioned this here before but the most frustrating thing about having a hobby in photography is capturing other people's family but not being able to capture our own. Luckily my friend Julie was willing to take our photos for us and actually rearranged her whole schedule to make it happen. Things were a bit chaotic - we were in the middle of packing for our move, I was finishing up my practicum, Wendel had a lot of work projects on his plate with deadlines that needed attention...but we went for it anyway. Of course we forgot the diaper bag in our rush to get there, including Oliver's shoes, so we had to stop at the mall on our way and buy new shoes for him. It's always something in our busy lives! Oliver was so happy all the way up to Gasworks Park but when we got there he completely fell apart. He would not smile and was fussy and difficult. So it goes. Nonetheless, Julie was able to get some good shots. She was probably wondering why she volunteered to do this for us but she was patient and we are so grateful for her willingness to capture our little family. Here are some of my favorites (edited by me).

I love this one.

And this one.

Oliver is 20 months old in these pictures.

And here is one of Julie and Me. 

 

feeling inspired

A few things I've been inspired by lately that you should check out:

1. Motherhood Matters I love this campaign. The challenges have already started but you can still join in.

From their site: "Popular culture promises that by recognizing and focusing on our own needs, we will find empowerment.  In reality it creates a culture of comparison, distraction and discontent, none of which lead to empowerment.  The act of mothering … caring for, teaching, and nurturing, has just the opposite effect.  It emboldens us with confidence, contentment and purpose."

Being a mother is the most amazing thing ever. I love that this campaign recognizes and celebrates motherhood. 
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2. Paper Coterie  If you know me, you know I am all about record keeping. This site is full of inspiration in that department. They are generously giving $40 of product to everyone who wants it - for free. You only pay shipping. This is good until Friday. How cool is that? I am loving the Prompt Me book. But even more inspirational than their products is the video they share here, of Dr. Brene Brown. It is kind of long (24 minutes) and I almost didn't watch it for that reason. But I gave it a shot, mostly in the background while I was doing other things. But what she was saying really resonated with me, so I kept pushing pause and typing out what I was hearing. I found myself nodding in agreement and feeling inspired. You really should go and watch / listen to it. It is good stuff. She is a vulnerability researcher. She talks about moving from scarcity to joy. Here are a few things that stood out to me:

"I really think today, to cultivate purpose and meaning and joy in our lives, you have to break a lot of the rules about who you think you're supposed to be."

"Joy is born from ordinary moments."

Dr. Brown researched people who have been through difficult times. One person said, "What got me through was the reservoir of joyful moments I had in my life."

"The first and the biggest thing we do to combat scarcity...is to practice gratitude in some way. In those minutes when we are complaining because everything doesn't look like the catalog and our kids are out of control and we're still twenty pounds away from wanting to have our picture taken...in those exact moments when that is happening, we are probably actively squandering the joy that is right in front of us that we're gonna need because nobody rides for free. Hard times are going to happen. They're a part of our lives. We're going to get that phone call that we never wish we did and there are going to be difficult struggles. I think the most dangerous thing we do is we don't allow ourselves to soften into joy and gratitude out of the fear that those moments are coming."

She talked about picturing the worst-case scenario. I could relate a lot to this because I do that all the time. Constantly. She said we do this because "we're trying to beat vulnerability to the punch...we're trying to practice vulnerability and sorrow to prepare ourselves, almost as if we think about it and it happens, it will hurt less. The only thing that's certain is we're not taking advantage of an incredible moment." 

"Another way to combat scarcity is to make room for play in our lives." "Play is time spent without purpose...in our culture, that is an anxiety attack...we have even turned play into purpose."

I love her Venn diagram idea - have everyone in the family write down what play looks like to them and then see where they intersect and then incorporate that into family together time.

She concludes by saying, "To move out of scarcity, we need to look at ourselves and say 'I'm enough.' What I have is not only enough, it's remarkable - if I stop and be grateful for it."
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Her comments resonate with me so much. This is partially why I keep records, keep a gratitude journal, keep a blog, write letters to Oliver, take photos...to experience joy through gratitude. What a powerful video.

3. Lastly, a few things that I've found via Pinterest that have been inspiring me lately (click on the link and then click on the images to take you to the original source):

• Car Trunk Organization (I've been wanting to do something like this for a while now)

• Kitchen Freezer Organization (I really need to do this at some point)

•  Great idea for keeping bugs out of drinks. Cute too.

• Awesome laundry tip. 

• Color sorting activity for kids  

• ABC box activity - such a fun idea for kids

• These homemade popsicles would be perfect for Summer.  And these. And this Strawberry Pineapple Limeade.  

• This cool under-the-sink idea.

Okay, you get the point. Lots of inspiration on Pinterest. It really is my unwinding time. After a long day of work or studying / school, I come home and set the timer (this is key, lest I get sucked into a vortex where time does not exist), and just relax while gathering inspiration. It helps me unwind.

Speaking of which, there are only five weeks of school left! That is both exciting and scary (there is so much to do in that five weeks). I also only have two more weeks left at work. We are interviewing for my position and that just feels weird. I feel like I did at the end of my mission...so tired and worn out, so grateful for the experiences I had and the relationships I built...but so needing to be done only because my body was calling it quits. It's that conflict of loving what I'm doing and not wanting to let that go in some ways, but in other ways being so ready for the next phase of life...the one where I can spend more time with my little guy, get our home in order, focus on our family's history a little more...recuperate from the last...well, seven years of being in school since we've been married (but even more before that). I'm finding that I really have to push myself to get through these last five weeks of college classes (of all time). Lots of self-talk ("You can do this...just a little longer...keep going...") Lots of sighing. Occasional headaches. Wanting to finish on a high note but fearing that I don't have the energy to do that. So many thoughts and feelings attached to this huge milestone. Sure, I will still have my practicum next year, but it's not the same as being in class, turning in assignments, getting a grade, being on campus. Yay for feeling inspired by so many good things and being excited about my future!

someday

Someday I will have an amazing bedroom that is cute and clean and actually feels like a sanctuary. I can picture it in my mind and I'm pretty excited about it.

Someday I will *usually* have a clean kitchen without any clutter (as opposed to usually having a messy kitchen with dishes in the sink).

Someday I will catch up on Oliver's baby book (working on it but way behind).

I will plan meals and actually have time to prepare them on days other than Sundays.

I will start up our photography business again and get a website up.

Someday I will be done with school. Forever.

Someday we will go to Hawaii. Or on a cruise. Or to Ireland. Or all three.

Someday we will also go to Russia (to visit Wendel's mission) and Australia (to visit my mission). Oh yes, we will.

We will own a mini van.

I will scrapbook again.

Someday I will lose the rest of this lingering baby weight and I will look good in a swimming suit again (okay, maybe that second part is too much to ask for...I will take looking good in jeans again).

Someday I will be an adoption caseworker or work in the adoption field in some capacity (ideally working part time while our kids are in school).

Someday I will read for fun again.

Someday I will never have to write another paper as long as I live (and then I will probably realize that I kind of miss it).

I will be a really good photographer. I will push myself beyond what I am capable of now (or maybe I will just be okay with my current skill level because other things and people will be more important).

Someday I want to learn how to sew and quilt.

But for today, I am really happy with my life. It's a beautiful life and I'm grateful to be living it.

asia pacific new year's celebration

ETA: This is a free event!

I volunteer at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, a great non-profit organization that promotes diversity while educating the community about Asian cultures. This Saturday, February 7th, is the annual Asia Pacific New Year's Celebration (you can read a bit about it if you scroll through the posts at that link). It's at the Tacoma Dome from 9-5. There will be food, performers and vendors representing many different Asian cultures, with an emphasis on the Tongan culture this year. This would be a great event to take your family to. Just thought I would let you know about it.

Another thing worth mentioning: 90 Day Goals started today. My goals are simplistic this time around, as my life is so busy right now. But I'm pretty excited to get back into the swing of things. I love having the support of a "goal group" to help me accomplish my goals.

My posts have been few lately...hopefully I can catch up a bit soon.

a happy day

So I never posted about last Saturday. Quite a happy and full day for us. First, W ran a half marathon. This was one of his goals for our goal group, and also something he has wanted to do for a long time. Maybe it was because I knew this was a long time goal for him that he was finally accomplishing, or because I knew that he worked hard to prepare...whatever the reason, I was standing there waiting by the finish line and the guy next to me, who knew W was running the half (not full) marathon, said to me, "He'll actually be coming around that bend over there, not across this finish line here." I turned around to see what he meant and right then W came around the bend and I got so emotional. I was actually crying so much that my vision was blurred and therefore the pictures I took of him didn't turn out so great. I felt a little ridiculous as I thanked the guy for telling me where to look as tears streamed down my face. I'm just really proud of him. (The only bad thing was W's hurt foot - he hurt it at about mile three and persevered for the rest of the ten miles on it. Poor guy.)

After the run, we went garage sale hunting and found some treasures. This cute red stool was only $1. I thought it would be fun for photo shoots. The two-tired basket on top will be fun to store scrapbook supplies in. Maybe some of my mini albums or stamps. I got a couple of movies (although the one on top that you can see, Sixteen Candles, was really disappointing. I thought it would be like Pretty in Pink but it wasn't very clean and we thought it was pretty dumb overall. Good thing I only paid .25 for it). The book I got is P.S. I Love You. I heard the movie is good but I haven't seen it so I'm excited to read the book.

I got this fun jar for $2. I thought it would be fun to put more scrapbook supplies in it. It has a wide opening so I could even store small stamps in it.

And I got these cute American Eagle shoes for $1!

I also got a Polaroid camera for $2, another cute wire basket (you can see part of it in the picture of the jar) and a few other things. I LOVE garage sales.

After that, we went out to eat at our favorite breakfast place, Sunbreak Cafe(even though it was past lunchtime by the time we got there...luckily they serve breakfast until 2). If you live around the Seattle area and haven't been here, you have to go. It's so good.

We then went and saw the youth in our ward perform in the Dance Festival. Basically, there were tons of teenagers performing dances they've been practicing for months. It was fun to see them out there having fun. After that, we went and saw our friend Crystal, who is in the hospital on bed rest with twins. It was fun to hang out, but W fell asleep...exhausted from his run.

All in all, it was a good day.

happy friday!

Um, this is a self-portrait I took in the mirror really quickly this morning for my 365 challenge. I am on day 118 out of 365. Still a long ways to go but it's kind of fun (sometimes).

I just wanted to share some things that are making me happy lately.

1. Joshua Radin's music, especially this song. (I couldn't find it on youtube other than live, which didn't have good volume, or set to a movie scene. If you're a LOST fan and aren't caught up, you might just want to listen and not watch.)

2. I got a package from my in mail yesterday with this and this. He came to visit once and was not satisfied with the knifes we have (they are pretty bad, I must say. We got them for our wedding. They were probably originally $9.99 and on sale for $7.99. That's the kind of knives we're talking about here). My dad is quite the chef and knows all about good kitchen supplies. I was thrilled and used one of them to cut some vegetables for dinner last night. There was such an amazing difference. I love these knives!

3. I found out this morning that Neil Diamond is coming in concert in September! I know I am a dork, but I grew up on his music and absolutely love it. I have always wanted to go to one of his concerts. W told me he would take me for my birthday. Yay!

4. We booked a week in Mexico in September! I'm really excited.

5. This blog. I always feel inspired when I visit it. Danielle is an amazing photographer, decorator, crafter, she has such incredible taste...her blog is eye candy to me.

6. This mascara.

7. Today is the end of the 90-day goal group we've been a part of. I'm excited about the goals I've accomplished. We're having a little get together tonight to celebrate our success.

And one thing that did not make me happy this week...standing in line for TWO HOURS to get two tiny scoops of Baskin Robbins ice-cream for .31 a scoop. Seriously, people (including me) do crazy things for a good deal. It really wasn't worth it at all and I'm vowing never to do it again. But it is cool that they do it for a good cause. Did anyone else out there go?

I'm looking forward to the weekend. I hope everyone has a good one.

goals

So I haven't listed my goals here on my blog yet. I am super excited about goals this year because we are part of a "goal group." We basically support and encourage each other to reach our goals, which each person sets in the following areas: personal, physical, intellectual, spiritual, and financial. Then we pair up - someone will call me every morning and night and I will call someone every morning and night and we will see how the goal progress is coming along. Pretty intense, but pretty cool. The duration of the goals is ninety days. I am so excited about it, in fact, that I made this little book to track my progress.





[You can see the rest of this book here.]

So here are my goals:
Personal: 1. Sing a duet in public. I have never done this and the thought of it scares me. But I have committed to doing it in a little over a week! 2. Take a self-portrait every day for a year. Crazy, but I'm excited about it. It will be good for improving my photography skills and allowing me a little time each day to be creative. You can see what I have so far here.
Physical: Work out 3x a week. Not a big deal to most people, but school seriously takes over my life and it's difficult to find time to do much else. ETA: Go to bed between 11 and 11:30 every week night (unless I have a huge paper pending...I have to give myself a little room here).
Financial: As a couple W and I are going to set aside money each month to build up our food storage.
Spiritual: 1. Read the Book of Mormon in the 90 days. 2. Read another uplifting book by a General Authority.
Intellectual: Get A+s or A-s this quarter again.


I also chose my word of the year (as prompted by Ali). My word to focus on this year is balance (as you can see on the inside cover of my mini book). I really want to balance my time between all aspects of my life - this did not happen last quarter so I really want to work on it for this quarter (and year).

I love fresh starts.