Last night it snowed over a foot!
Our house faces north, which means our front yard still had several inches of snow leftover from previous storms. Our backyard snow had melted enough to see all the dog poop we hadn't picked up because of the snow. I was going to pick it up this weekend but didn't get around to it. Now it is once again covered and who knows when the snow will melt again.
School in the county, including the university, are closed for the day. That almost never happens in Utah, despite all the snow we get. I don't remember ever missing school because of snow when I was a kid. My freshman year at the U, there was a snow day, the first in over 20 years. I had gone to an early morning meeting at my church, trudging through the thick snow from my dorms, and didn't hear about classes being canceled until I was back in my room.
Steve's work texted him this morning and said he could choose whether or not to go to work today. He waffled awhile before choosing to go to work. I guess I didn't hide my disappointment well, because he came back inside a moment later announcing he was staying home! Yay! I want to do something special to commemorate the day. I don't know what yet. :)
Happy snow day!
Julie :)
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Monday, February 01, 2016
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Two Firsts...sort of
Good morning!
This morning we experienced a semi - momentous event; Matt went pee on the potty! Kind of. When we came home from the gym, I changed his diaper and told him that someday he'll go pee in the potty not a diaper. He then told me he wanted to go pee on the potty right then. So, I didn't put a diaper on him and put him on the little potty we got him a couple months ago. It looked like he was going to pee right away, but he didn't. He tooted quite a bit so I thought maybe he'd poop in the potty. Nope. He sat on the potty for an hour.
I know it seems a bit anti-climatic but it really is a big step. It was the first time he ever sat in the potty without pants and with the purpose of actually going pee. Usually he's obviously pretending. I think his bladder just got a little shy. Hopefully, he continues to make these little steps and we can start potty training in awhile.
The other first actually happened; we had Family Home Evening for the first time last night. I had asked Steve last week if we could start doing it weekly and he said ok. He's so supportive. After the gym yesterday morning, I went to Deseret Book and bought some things for lessons and activities with a toddler. After dinner and cleanup, we gathered in the living room. I said a prayer, told a story from the Book of Mormon with pictures, and then we played a new game while sipping on our treat - strawberry/banana/chocolate smoothies. The game was Noah's Ark Dominoes. Matt really liked it and we all had fun. We ended with a prayer then went downstairs to watch the movie Cars for the millionth time until Matt's bedtime.
As Matt gets older, there will be so many things pulling at us, so many time commitments that will interfere with family time. I really want to make FHE such an ingrained part of our lives that we'll do it even when our lives get crazier than they are right now. I believe it's important to have that family time that also focuses on the gospel. I really really appreciate Steve's willingness to go along with it.
I am always looking for potty training tips and FHE with a toddler ideas if you have any. :)
Julie :)
This morning we experienced a semi - momentous event; Matt went pee on the potty! Kind of. When we came home from the gym, I changed his diaper and told him that someday he'll go pee in the potty not a diaper. He then told me he wanted to go pee on the potty right then. So, I didn't put a diaper on him and put him on the little potty we got him a couple months ago. It looked like he was going to pee right away, but he didn't. He tooted quite a bit so I thought maybe he'd poop in the potty. Nope. He sat on the potty for an hour.
I know it seems a bit anti-climatic but it really is a big step. It was the first time he ever sat in the potty without pants and with the purpose of actually going pee. Usually he's obviously pretending. I think his bladder just got a little shy. Hopefully, he continues to make these little steps and we can start potty training in awhile.
The other first actually happened; we had Family Home Evening for the first time last night. I had asked Steve last week if we could start doing it weekly and he said ok. He's so supportive. After the gym yesterday morning, I went to Deseret Book and bought some things for lessons and activities with a toddler. After dinner and cleanup, we gathered in the living room. I said a prayer, told a story from the Book of Mormon with pictures, and then we played a new game while sipping on our treat - strawberry/banana/chocolate smoothies. The game was Noah's Ark Dominoes. Matt really liked it and we all had fun. We ended with a prayer then went downstairs to watch the movie Cars for the millionth time until Matt's bedtime.
As Matt gets older, there will be so many things pulling at us, so many time commitments that will interfere with family time. I really want to make FHE such an ingrained part of our lives that we'll do it even when our lives get crazier than they are right now. I believe it's important to have that family time that also focuses on the gospel. I really really appreciate Steve's willingness to go along with it.
I am always looking for potty training tips and FHE with a toddler ideas if you have any. :)
Julie :)
Friday, March 08, 2013
Surprised? We Were. Twice.
I'm pregnant again.
When I miscarried last December, I was a little surprised when Steve said he would like to try again for a kid. It made me feel better because I had worried that he wasn't too thrilled about our very unplanned pregnancy. And, it was something to hold on to when my bout with depression was at its darkest.
We had been advised to wait until after my first period after the miscarriage before we started trying to get pregnant again, so for all of December and a bit into January, we used protection. We gave it up after a month because all we heard and read about suggested that our first quick pregnancy was a bit of a fluke - the average 25-year old woman takes 6 months of trying to get pregnant and the time is lengthened as the woman gets older...and is even longer if the man is more advanced in age (i.e. old, like Steve. *grin*). We figured we had awhile.
My first period after the miscarriage never came and it worried me a little. The first part of February, I decided to see a doctor about it to see if something was wrong, maybe something the miscarriage had caused. Before I went to the doctor, though, I decided to rule out another possibilty and, without telling Steve I was doing it, took a home pregnancy test. It started to turn positive before I had even stood up from the toilet seat. I was stunned. Steve came in to the bathroom to see if I wanted him to make me a mug of hot chocolate before work. I wordlessly showed him the pregnancy stick. He was speechless for a few beats. "Wow," he said, "you must be really fertile."
Big difference between this pregnancy and the last - we knew it could end at any moment and it made us cautious in our excitement. I told my mom a few days after we learned about it because 1) I'm not good at keeping my own secrets and B) my dad and stepmom were visiting us that weekend and I was afraid I'd let it slip and I knew my mom would want to be the first to know. Good thing, too, because I did let it slip and was glad I had told her first. Steve and I decided not to tell anyone else until the 2-month mark, and then only immediate family members. Then we'd tell other people at the 3-month mark.
The thing is, we didn't really know how far along we were because I hadn't had a period. We went to the Air Force base clinic and had the pregnancy confirmed, but they couldn't tell how far along we were with the test they ran. We decided to wait to find out until our first OB doctor visit, but I guessed that I was 3-4 weeks pregnant by the time I took the test, since that's about when we had stopped using protection. And that's about when I had started to feel a little nauseated.
Yesterday, we went to our first OB appointment. I told the nurses about the miscarriage and not having had a period since but that I guessed to be about 8 weeks along, give or take. They were super cool. In fact, I really like the clinic and our doctor. We know several people who have gone there and have only heard good things. Our experience yesterday was wonderful - not a lot of wait time, very friendly staff, nice facility, great doctor, AND they are open later in the evening so I shouldn't have to miss too much work to go to appointments. Yay!
After all the preliminary stuff, the doctor came into the exam room and prepped to do the ultra sound (we'll have one every visit because our insurance pays for them). She said we were going to do a vaginal ultrasound because it would give a better indication of how things are going at this early of a stage. That lasted about half a second. She said, "You're futher along than you think. We're doing an abdominal ultrasound."
Turns out, I'm 13 1/2 weeks pregnant! I was stunned. STUNNED! It means we basically conceived very shortly after the miscarriage! We used protection! Sigh. I guess it was just meant to be.
I can't say I'm totally over the shock of being 5 weeks further along than I had thought, but there are some definite plusses. I was a little sad that I was already beginning to have a bulge at just 2 months. A slight bulge at 3 months is much more acceptable to me...my own standard for my own body, mind you. I've got to admit that after having a flat stomach for the first time in my life, I'm not thrilled with losing it, but I'm sure I'll deal with it. It's not like I'm dieting or anything. Trying to eat healthy = not eating a whole bag of corn chips when the craving overwhelms me.
So, this pregnancy, though somewhat more planned than the last, has definitely held some surprises for us. The big surprise that I'm glad we didn't get is that we don't seem to be having twins. Whew! It was so neat to see the little baby that is growing inside me and to hear its heartbeat. We didn't get to do either the last time, it was too early. We're still pretty cautious about our enthusiasm - the pain and heartbreak from last time is still too recent to forget, but it's nice to know that we've hit a crucial milestone of the first trimester. We know things can still happen, but it's less likely. *knock on wood*
In our shock of being further along than expected, we forgot to get an expected delivery date, so right now we're just looking at September. That's 6 months from now and good enough right now. We'll try to get a more "exact" date at our next appointment. AND, if baby cooperates, we may learn its gender at our next appointment - April 4!
I'll keep you up-dated, of course. *smile*
When I miscarried last December, I was a little surprised when Steve said he would like to try again for a kid. It made me feel better because I had worried that he wasn't too thrilled about our very unplanned pregnancy. And, it was something to hold on to when my bout with depression was at its darkest.
We had been advised to wait until after my first period after the miscarriage before we started trying to get pregnant again, so for all of December and a bit into January, we used protection. We gave it up after a month because all we heard and read about suggested that our first quick pregnancy was a bit of a fluke - the average 25-year old woman takes 6 months of trying to get pregnant and the time is lengthened as the woman gets older...and is even longer if the man is more advanced in age (i.e. old, like Steve. *grin*). We figured we had awhile.
My first period after the miscarriage never came and it worried me a little. The first part of February, I decided to see a doctor about it to see if something was wrong, maybe something the miscarriage had caused. Before I went to the doctor, though, I decided to rule out another possibilty and, without telling Steve I was doing it, took a home pregnancy test. It started to turn positive before I had even stood up from the toilet seat. I was stunned. Steve came in to the bathroom to see if I wanted him to make me a mug of hot chocolate before work. I wordlessly showed him the pregnancy stick. He was speechless for a few beats. "Wow," he said, "you must be really fertile."
Big difference between this pregnancy and the last - we knew it could end at any moment and it made us cautious in our excitement. I told my mom a few days after we learned about it because 1) I'm not good at keeping my own secrets and B) my dad and stepmom were visiting us that weekend and I was afraid I'd let it slip and I knew my mom would want to be the first to know. Good thing, too, because I did let it slip and was glad I had told her first. Steve and I decided not to tell anyone else until the 2-month mark, and then only immediate family members. Then we'd tell other people at the 3-month mark.
The thing is, we didn't really know how far along we were because I hadn't had a period. We went to the Air Force base clinic and had the pregnancy confirmed, but they couldn't tell how far along we were with the test they ran. We decided to wait to find out until our first OB doctor visit, but I guessed that I was 3-4 weeks pregnant by the time I took the test, since that's about when we had stopped using protection. And that's about when I had started to feel a little nauseated.
Yesterday, we went to our first OB appointment. I told the nurses about the miscarriage and not having had a period since but that I guessed to be about 8 weeks along, give or take. They were super cool. In fact, I really like the clinic and our doctor. We know several people who have gone there and have only heard good things. Our experience yesterday was wonderful - not a lot of wait time, very friendly staff, nice facility, great doctor, AND they are open later in the evening so I shouldn't have to miss too much work to go to appointments. Yay!
After all the preliminary stuff, the doctor came into the exam room and prepped to do the ultra sound (we'll have one every visit because our insurance pays for them). She said we were going to do a vaginal ultrasound because it would give a better indication of how things are going at this early of a stage. That lasted about half a second. She said, "You're futher along than you think. We're doing an abdominal ultrasound."
Turns out, I'm 13 1/2 weeks pregnant! I was stunned. STUNNED! It means we basically conceived very shortly after the miscarriage! We used protection! Sigh. I guess it was just meant to be.
I can't say I'm totally over the shock of being 5 weeks further along than I had thought, but there are some definite plusses. I was a little sad that I was already beginning to have a bulge at just 2 months. A slight bulge at 3 months is much more acceptable to me...my own standard for my own body, mind you. I've got to admit that after having a flat stomach for the first time in my life, I'm not thrilled with losing it, but I'm sure I'll deal with it. It's not like I'm dieting or anything. Trying to eat healthy = not eating a whole bag of corn chips when the craving overwhelms me.
So, this pregnancy, though somewhat more planned than the last, has definitely held some surprises for us. The big surprise that I'm glad we didn't get is that we don't seem to be having twins. Whew! It was so neat to see the little baby that is growing inside me and to hear its heartbeat. We didn't get to do either the last time, it was too early. We're still pretty cautious about our enthusiasm - the pain and heartbreak from last time is still too recent to forget, but it's nice to know that we've hit a crucial milestone of the first trimester. We know things can still happen, but it's less likely. *knock on wood*
In our shock of being further along than expected, we forgot to get an expected delivery date, so right now we're just looking at September. That's 6 months from now and good enough right now. We'll try to get a more "exact" date at our next appointment. AND, if baby cooperates, we may learn its gender at our next appointment - April 4!
I'll keep you up-dated, of course. *smile*
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
October Update
I realized yesterday that I forgot to do a September update. I've been busy. And I forgot. It's amazing what you can forget when you're not paying attention. I decided to write my October Update since it's close enough to the end of the month and because I'm at work with nothing to do but study for my upcoming International Accounting test. (yuck)
So, here we go.
Surgery. I'm pretty much fully recovered from my June tummy tuck. It amazes me that it took so long to feel so close to 100% better. I'm not 100% better. I will consider myself 100% better when I no longer have any tightness around my stomach. It's almost gone and a lot of the time I forget it's there, which is a good indication that it's not as bad as it was OR that humans really do get accustumed to just about anything. I'm going with the former. Another good sign of improvement is my increased stomach muscle strength. I'm able to do sit-ups by myself as long as my feet are tucked under something, usually my sofa. I'm gradually increasing the number of sit-ups I do every night and find I'm able to go faster than when I started. The area around my belly button is still numb but that area is decreasing in size slowly.
I'm still loving the effects of the surgery. I've never enjoyed wearing pants so much! I'm really glad I did it; however, I think I'm done with plastic surgery. My breasts, upper arms, and thighs still have a lot of excess skin, but I can live with them. My body isn't perfect, but I don't need it to be. I'm okay with how I look...at least most of the time. :)
Work. When I interviewed for this job, I asked about the workload. I was told that it was enough to keep me pretty busy all the time but not so much that I'd feel a lot of stress to get things done. I was very happy since I like to be busy and productive. Three months into the job, I've pretty much figured out all the things I'm supposed to do and do them all too efficiently. The things that are supposed to take me all month to do, I finish earlier. It's a good thing, except that it leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. I'm hoping to pick up duties to supplement my current work load.
On the whole, I really enjoy my job. The people with whom I work are pretty terrific, especially those in the same building as my office. There are a couple people that annoy me but luckily I don't have to deal with them on a daily basis. And, in fact, I like them as people, but their silly office politics drive me batty. One of them is always forgetting that she doesn't have to do my job any more...she took over for a long time before they hired me and found she really likes it and doesn't want to give it up. Ah well. It's a good job and I'm glad to have it...most of the time.
School. I will be so happy when this semester ends! I know that one shouldn't wish away time, but it will really be good to get this semester finished. My classes this semester, International Accounting and Advanced Financial Reporting, had such potential to be really good, but the professors aren't teaching the material. It's kind of frustrating. After talking to several other Masters students last week, I decided to change from the Masters of Accounting program to the Masters of Tax program. It's not a very significant change except that the professors who teach the tax classes are better professors. I've had one before and loved his teaching style. The other is the favorite professor in the Accounting department because he is such a good teacher. So, I'll get better instruction and will still get a degree that will get me where I want to go - a PhD program. I'm struggling to balance full-time work with two Masters classes and a husband, but I'm making it work. I like my job, I like being in school, and I love my husband, but all three together stresses me out (although Steve is such a help, as I'll write below). I'm constantly fighting off the urge to quit school or work, reminding myself that it will be worth it if I perservere. Someday, I'll be doing what I want (teaching Accounting at a university), but in the meantime, I try to be grateful to be where I am instead of where I've been in the past (that job I hated in Salt Lake!).
Journaling. Still isn't happening. It's sad. My journal is now by my bed but I still neglect it. I really would like to record the events of my life more frequently. I need to figure out how I'm going to get back into the habit.
Exercising. Weber State has a Wellness Pays program that pays employees for doing healthy things. One of the things is a twelve-week exercise program. All I have to do is record when I exercise and after 12 weeks turn in the record and receive $20 on my next paycheck. I exercise any way, so I'm getting paid to do what I already do! I'm almost done with my 12 weeks and have only missed three days of exercising the whole time. Yay! Two of those days I was sick and the other day was a day I had class at night and didn't make it to the gym during the day. Mondays and Wednesdays are the nights I have class and so can't go walking with Steve and Sadie in the evening. Weber State allows employees 3 hours of paid "wellness time" every week, so I use that time to walk around the indoor track at the gym on the days I have class. I used to also walk Sadie every morning, but our family life has changed in such a way that I don't do that any more. I don't record the mileage any more, just the amount of time, so next year I'm going to make a goal that reflects that.
Steve. We found out the 16th of this month that Steve will be retired from the Air Force as of December 1, 2012! He had applied for early retirement for various reasons but we didn't think we'd find out as soon as we did or that it would be so soon. When he first decided to retire early, I was a little stressed, but not any more. It helps that I have a full-time job now. Even though it doesn't pay a lot, combined with his retirement, we'll be okay. In fact, we'll be making about what we're used to having to spend, since we are used to putting a healthy chunk of our income in savings. We won't be able to save as much until Steve gets another job, but at least we'll be able to pay all our bills and pretty much live like we're accustomed. Overall, it's a really good thing Steve is retiring. He's put in 22 years and has really earned this retirement. Whatever he ends up doing, I just hope it's something he enjoys.
Like I said, we found out on the 16th and the 18th was his last day of work since he has so much leave accrued. He has had to go on base a few times to do out-processing stuff, but mostly he's been at home. I'm constantly reminded of what a great man I married. Now that I'm working full-time, going to class, and having tons of homework, Steve has really stepped up to help around the house. He had stepped up before he retired, but since staying home all day, he's been even more helpful. Every weekend, while I'm in the Study doing homework, he's downstairs cleaning the house. Now he's even started taking over the cooking duties! Thank heavens for Pinterest and simple but delicious recipes! He gets a little bored, but mostly he's happy to be retired. He knows of some jobs on base that will be opening soon and has tons of contacts on base that will help him get a civilian job, so I'm pretty confident he'll get a job sooner or later. Until then, I'm just glad he's happy.
Other. We've been pretty busy lately. Lots of fun things happening. We've gone to a couple WSU football and volleyball games and a play called Charm. As a staff member, I get two tickets to lots of activities for free. It makes date nights easy to plan and very inexpensive. One night this month, my department at work had a dinner and bowling activity for all of us who had volunteered for the Tech Expo we hosted on campus. Steve and I decided to go to support my work and ended up having a blast. They had really tasty bbq brisket and chicken with corn bread, beans, and peach cobbler! After dinner, we played a few games of bowling and I actually did better than usual. Then we played billiards...I'm horrible at billiards. We played twice and I won once because he hit the 8 ball in when he shouldn't. It was a lot of fun. This next month, we'll be going to more games on campus, especially since basketball is starting. And, there's another play! We're active Wildcats.
Last Friday, we went with my cousin Cassie to Laughing Stock, a comedy improv group that we used to go to every cousins weekend. Before Laughing Stock, we ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant then had cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory...so overpriced but so yummy! Steve was such a good sport, listening to us babble incessantly. It was fun seeing Cassie and great to get back to Laughing Stock.
Sunday, Steve and I went to my nephew's Primary program in Sandy. It was the first time Steve has ever been to church with me (he's only ever been to family baptisms and a funeral with me), so I explained what to expect in Sacrament Meeting as we drove the hour to my brother's church house. My nephew, who is 4, was a hoot to watch during the program. He sings with such gusto and earnestness and is such a ham at times. Afterward, we had lunch at their house and played for a little bit. I'm glad to have family close by and will be sad if they end up moving away like they're hoping to.
October was a good month. I loved that it stayed warm most of the month and the fall colors were beautiful, as always. Last week, when the snow storm blew in and dropped a couple inches of snow, I realized that I'm so not ready for winter and the cold! I keep trying to convince Steve that we should move to a tropical island/country now that he's retired. There are places we could live like kings on his retirement alone! So far, I haven't convinced him, so I guess we'll stay put...for now.
Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you have a safe, fun holiday! I'll be dressing up as a bee again and may post a picture if I manage to take one.
So, here we go.
Surgery. I'm pretty much fully recovered from my June tummy tuck. It amazes me that it took so long to feel so close to 100% better. I'm not 100% better. I will consider myself 100% better when I no longer have any tightness around my stomach. It's almost gone and a lot of the time I forget it's there, which is a good indication that it's not as bad as it was OR that humans really do get accustumed to just about anything. I'm going with the former. Another good sign of improvement is my increased stomach muscle strength. I'm able to do sit-ups by myself as long as my feet are tucked under something, usually my sofa. I'm gradually increasing the number of sit-ups I do every night and find I'm able to go faster than when I started. The area around my belly button is still numb but that area is decreasing in size slowly.
I'm still loving the effects of the surgery. I've never enjoyed wearing pants so much! I'm really glad I did it; however, I think I'm done with plastic surgery. My breasts, upper arms, and thighs still have a lot of excess skin, but I can live with them. My body isn't perfect, but I don't need it to be. I'm okay with how I look...at least most of the time. :)
Work. When I interviewed for this job, I asked about the workload. I was told that it was enough to keep me pretty busy all the time but not so much that I'd feel a lot of stress to get things done. I was very happy since I like to be busy and productive. Three months into the job, I've pretty much figured out all the things I'm supposed to do and do them all too efficiently. The things that are supposed to take me all month to do, I finish earlier. It's a good thing, except that it leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. I'm hoping to pick up duties to supplement my current work load.
On the whole, I really enjoy my job. The people with whom I work are pretty terrific, especially those in the same building as my office. There are a couple people that annoy me but luckily I don't have to deal with them on a daily basis. And, in fact, I like them as people, but their silly office politics drive me batty. One of them is always forgetting that she doesn't have to do my job any more...she took over for a long time before they hired me and found she really likes it and doesn't want to give it up. Ah well. It's a good job and I'm glad to have it...most of the time.
School. I will be so happy when this semester ends! I know that one shouldn't wish away time, but it will really be good to get this semester finished. My classes this semester, International Accounting and Advanced Financial Reporting, had such potential to be really good, but the professors aren't teaching the material. It's kind of frustrating. After talking to several other Masters students last week, I decided to change from the Masters of Accounting program to the Masters of Tax program. It's not a very significant change except that the professors who teach the tax classes are better professors. I've had one before and loved his teaching style. The other is the favorite professor in the Accounting department because he is such a good teacher. So, I'll get better instruction and will still get a degree that will get me where I want to go - a PhD program. I'm struggling to balance full-time work with two Masters classes and a husband, but I'm making it work. I like my job, I like being in school, and I love my husband, but all three together stresses me out (although Steve is such a help, as I'll write below). I'm constantly fighting off the urge to quit school or work, reminding myself that it will be worth it if I perservere. Someday, I'll be doing what I want (teaching Accounting at a university), but in the meantime, I try to be grateful to be where I am instead of where I've been in the past (that job I hated in Salt Lake!).
Journaling. Still isn't happening. It's sad. My journal is now by my bed but I still neglect it. I really would like to record the events of my life more frequently. I need to figure out how I'm going to get back into the habit.
Exercising. Weber State has a Wellness Pays program that pays employees for doing healthy things. One of the things is a twelve-week exercise program. All I have to do is record when I exercise and after 12 weeks turn in the record and receive $20 on my next paycheck. I exercise any way, so I'm getting paid to do what I already do! I'm almost done with my 12 weeks and have only missed three days of exercising the whole time. Yay! Two of those days I was sick and the other day was a day I had class at night and didn't make it to the gym during the day. Mondays and Wednesdays are the nights I have class and so can't go walking with Steve and Sadie in the evening. Weber State allows employees 3 hours of paid "wellness time" every week, so I use that time to walk around the indoor track at the gym on the days I have class. I used to also walk Sadie every morning, but our family life has changed in such a way that I don't do that any more. I don't record the mileage any more, just the amount of time, so next year I'm going to make a goal that reflects that.
Steve. We found out the 16th of this month that Steve will be retired from the Air Force as of December 1, 2012! He had applied for early retirement for various reasons but we didn't think we'd find out as soon as we did or that it would be so soon. When he first decided to retire early, I was a little stressed, but not any more. It helps that I have a full-time job now. Even though it doesn't pay a lot, combined with his retirement, we'll be okay. In fact, we'll be making about what we're used to having to spend, since we are used to putting a healthy chunk of our income in savings. We won't be able to save as much until Steve gets another job, but at least we'll be able to pay all our bills and pretty much live like we're accustomed. Overall, it's a really good thing Steve is retiring. He's put in 22 years and has really earned this retirement. Whatever he ends up doing, I just hope it's something he enjoys.
Like I said, we found out on the 16th and the 18th was his last day of work since he has so much leave accrued. He has had to go on base a few times to do out-processing stuff, but mostly he's been at home. I'm constantly reminded of what a great man I married. Now that I'm working full-time, going to class, and having tons of homework, Steve has really stepped up to help around the house. He had stepped up before he retired, but since staying home all day, he's been even more helpful. Every weekend, while I'm in the Study doing homework, he's downstairs cleaning the house. Now he's even started taking over the cooking duties! Thank heavens for Pinterest and simple but delicious recipes! He gets a little bored, but mostly he's happy to be retired. He knows of some jobs on base that will be opening soon and has tons of contacts on base that will help him get a civilian job, so I'm pretty confident he'll get a job sooner or later. Until then, I'm just glad he's happy.
Other. We've been pretty busy lately. Lots of fun things happening. We've gone to a couple WSU football and volleyball games and a play called Charm. As a staff member, I get two tickets to lots of activities for free. It makes date nights easy to plan and very inexpensive. One night this month, my department at work had a dinner and bowling activity for all of us who had volunteered for the Tech Expo we hosted on campus. Steve and I decided to go to support my work and ended up having a blast. They had really tasty bbq brisket and chicken with corn bread, beans, and peach cobbler! After dinner, we played a few games of bowling and I actually did better than usual. Then we played billiards...I'm horrible at billiards. We played twice and I won once because he hit the 8 ball in when he shouldn't. It was a lot of fun. This next month, we'll be going to more games on campus, especially since basketball is starting. And, there's another play! We're active Wildcats.
Last Friday, we went with my cousin Cassie to Laughing Stock, a comedy improv group that we used to go to every cousins weekend. Before Laughing Stock, we ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant then had cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory...so overpriced but so yummy! Steve was such a good sport, listening to us babble incessantly. It was fun seeing Cassie and great to get back to Laughing Stock.
Sunday, Steve and I went to my nephew's Primary program in Sandy. It was the first time Steve has ever been to church with me (he's only ever been to family baptisms and a funeral with me), so I explained what to expect in Sacrament Meeting as we drove the hour to my brother's church house. My nephew, who is 4, was a hoot to watch during the program. He sings with such gusto and earnestness and is such a ham at times. Afterward, we had lunch at their house and played for a little bit. I'm glad to have family close by and will be sad if they end up moving away like they're hoping to.
October was a good month. I loved that it stayed warm most of the month and the fall colors were beautiful, as always. Last week, when the snow storm blew in and dropped a couple inches of snow, I realized that I'm so not ready for winter and the cold! I keep trying to convince Steve that we should move to a tropical island/country now that he's retired. There are places we could live like kings on his retirement alone! So far, I haven't convinced him, so I guess we'll stay put...for now.
Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you have a safe, fun holiday! I'll be dressing up as a bee again and may post a picture if I manage to take one.
Friday, May 11, 2012
My Mom
I am so excited that today is Friday, May 11th! My mom is coming to visit this weekend, which is always wonderful, but it is extra special since it's Mother's Day weekend. We have a weekend full of fun activities planned, things we hope she enjoys.
My mother's visits aren't stressful but very relaxed and fun. Mom doesn't judge the state of my house (I do a quick straightening beforehand, of course), my decoration, my cooking, my relationship with Steve, or anything else. She comes ready to have a good time, and we do our best to help her accomplish this and to make sure she feels at home. Her visits are my favorite because seeing us isn't her secondary purpose - she isn't here to go shopping or see a doctor or any other reason - the main reason she's here is to visit her daughter and son-in-law. It makes me feel special and very loved. (For the record, I love visits from people even if we're not the primary reason for the visit. So, come visit me even if you have another reason for doing so!)
My relationship with my mom has grown a lot as I've matured and become smarter. I appreciate our similarities and differences and am really, really thankful to be able to talk to her about my life without worrying too much about how that's going to affect our relationship. I know that she doesn't always agree with choices I make, but I know without a doubt that she will always love me.
Mom deserves a lot of the credit for me turning out as good as I have (however good that is). She instilled in me a sense of cleanliness and taught me the skills to obtain that state. Growing up, my brothers and I always had chores; we had a chore or two that had to be done after school before we could go out and play with friends AND we spent a good couple hours or so every Saturday cleaning the house. At times, I had wished that she was like my friend's mom who never made her do anything, not even make her own bed! Now, though, I'm so grateful to have learned to appreciate having a clean house and the know-how to clean it well.
Mom was the disciplinarian in our home. When we broke a rule or did something that was unacceptable (more often than not we knew it wasn't a good thing to do), she didn't let it slide. I like that she wasn't obscure or surprising in her discipline. We always knew what was good and what wasn't. We also knew without a doubt that we'd get punished. Mom was consistent and very fair - we all had the same standards and were equally punished when we didn't obey. She taught that there are consequences to our actions - it was our choice whether or not we did something and so we had to live with the consequences. It's probably one of the best lessons a person could ever learn. Thank you, Mom!
My mom wasn't all work and no play, though. I have happy memories of playing with her. When I was a teenager, she and I would always be on a team against my dad and older brother when playing Pinochle. We'd cheat horrifically and still lose every time. It was so fun, though! We'd giggle about it and I loved the conspiratorial glint in her eyes when she'd use our prearranged signals. I remember how we'd all get giggling so hard before family prayer, Mom giggling right along with us. It would make my dad so upset that a few times he'd leave the room, which made us laugh harder.
My love of walking comes from my mom. Off and on while I was growing up, she'd take me walking with her in the evenings. She walked pretty fast, so I had to work hard to keep up with her, but it kept me in shape when I was already showing signs of a tendency towards chubbiness. And we would talk. Talk about our day, boys, dreams, plans, everything. I learned to be able to trust my mom during these walks. I've always been able to talk to her.
Faith, hope, belief in a loving Father in Heaven and Savior were taught in our home. We're not the most religious family in the world, but my mom instilled in us these traits. Although I haven't always been as obedient to my beliefs as I could have been, I have never once doubted the things she taught me. The foundation she laid for me is priceless. I know people who didn't have that and they miss it, whether they know it or not. Having experienced the death of loved ones, how blessed am I to know that I will see them someday! How blessed am I to know that I can be forgiven of my sins by a Father who loves me and wants me to be happy! Thank you, Mom, for giving me these and so many other lights of knowledge and hope.
Mom, I definitely don't tell you often enough how much I love you and how much I appreciate being your daughter. This blog doesn't even begin to express my feelings, but I hope you're able to see the top of the iceberg and realize how much more lies hidden underneath. I'm so glad I'll get to spend Mother's Day weekend with you. I love you!!
Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!
My mother's visits aren't stressful but very relaxed and fun. Mom doesn't judge the state of my house (I do a quick straightening beforehand, of course), my decoration, my cooking, my relationship with Steve, or anything else. She comes ready to have a good time, and we do our best to help her accomplish this and to make sure she feels at home. Her visits are my favorite because seeing us isn't her secondary purpose - she isn't here to go shopping or see a doctor or any other reason - the main reason she's here is to visit her daughter and son-in-law. It makes me feel special and very loved. (For the record, I love visits from people even if we're not the primary reason for the visit. So, come visit me even if you have another reason for doing so!)
My relationship with my mom has grown a lot as I've matured and become smarter. I appreciate our similarities and differences and am really, really thankful to be able to talk to her about my life without worrying too much about how that's going to affect our relationship. I know that she doesn't always agree with choices I make, but I know without a doubt that she will always love me.
Mom deserves a lot of the credit for me turning out as good as I have (however good that is). She instilled in me a sense of cleanliness and taught me the skills to obtain that state. Growing up, my brothers and I always had chores; we had a chore or two that had to be done after school before we could go out and play with friends AND we spent a good couple hours or so every Saturday cleaning the house. At times, I had wished that she was like my friend's mom who never made her do anything, not even make her own bed! Now, though, I'm so grateful to have learned to appreciate having a clean house and the know-how to clean it well.
Mom was the disciplinarian in our home. When we broke a rule or did something that was unacceptable (more often than not we knew it wasn't a good thing to do), she didn't let it slide. I like that she wasn't obscure or surprising in her discipline. We always knew what was good and what wasn't. We also knew without a doubt that we'd get punished. Mom was consistent and very fair - we all had the same standards and were equally punished when we didn't obey. She taught that there are consequences to our actions - it was our choice whether or not we did something and so we had to live with the consequences. It's probably one of the best lessons a person could ever learn. Thank you, Mom!
My mom wasn't all work and no play, though. I have happy memories of playing with her. When I was a teenager, she and I would always be on a team against my dad and older brother when playing Pinochle. We'd cheat horrifically and still lose every time. It was so fun, though! We'd giggle about it and I loved the conspiratorial glint in her eyes when she'd use our prearranged signals. I remember how we'd all get giggling so hard before family prayer, Mom giggling right along with us. It would make my dad so upset that a few times he'd leave the room, which made us laugh harder.
My love of walking comes from my mom. Off and on while I was growing up, she'd take me walking with her in the evenings. She walked pretty fast, so I had to work hard to keep up with her, but it kept me in shape when I was already showing signs of a tendency towards chubbiness. And we would talk. Talk about our day, boys, dreams, plans, everything. I learned to be able to trust my mom during these walks. I've always been able to talk to her.
Faith, hope, belief in a loving Father in Heaven and Savior were taught in our home. We're not the most religious family in the world, but my mom instilled in us these traits. Although I haven't always been as obedient to my beliefs as I could have been, I have never once doubted the things she taught me. The foundation she laid for me is priceless. I know people who didn't have that and they miss it, whether they know it or not. Having experienced the death of loved ones, how blessed am I to know that I will see them someday! How blessed am I to know that I can be forgiven of my sins by a Father who loves me and wants me to be happy! Thank you, Mom, for giving me these and so many other lights of knowledge and hope.
Mom, I definitely don't tell you often enough how much I love you and how much I appreciate being your daughter. This blog doesn't even begin to express my feelings, but I hope you're able to see the top of the iceberg and realize how much more lies hidden underneath. I'm so glad I'll get to spend Mother's Day weekend with you. I love you!!
Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Spring Break 2012
It has been 6 years since I've had a Spring Break and even then I still had to work, so it wasn't really a true break. Not this year, baby! Since the student health center is closed when the university is closed, I'm free as a bird this week!
My break started at 1pm last Friday. Since Steve was able to get off work earlier than we thought, I asked to leave work early, too, and since I work for the most generous, amazing people, they said yes. I rushed home, helped Steve finish loading up the car - including Sadie, and we headed for Cedar City. Other than an accident in Provo, which slowed us down quite a bit, the drive was easy and we made it to Cedar in pretty good time. Starving and craving steak, Steve and I invited Mom to go to dinner with us at Ninja. I love Japanese hibachi restaurants and the steak there really hit the spot for me. Mom had never been, so I was even happier that we went there.
I love being in Cedar City. It's funny to me that for years and years all I could dream about (besides a dark handsome stranger who fell madly in love with me) was leaving Cedar and living almost anywhere else. Now, I miss it. A big part of that is being able to hang out with my family, but it's not just that. Cedar is my hometown. I know it, even though things change, I know where to find things, what streets can get me where I'm going. And, I have history there. I like driving around with Steve and telling him stories from my past. Cedar is a part of me.
We spent a few days in Cedar, having a grand time! I even got to go to lunch with some good friends I haven't seen awhile - thanks ladies! Yesterday morning, we packed up and took a quick trip to St. George to go to my bariatric surgeon's office for a band fill. It was so warm and lovely that I wanted to stay there the rest of the week. Instead, we headed for home and arrived around 3pm, giving us the rest of the day to unpack and relax from our fun trip.
So, what are my plans for the rest of my break? Unfortunately, since I didn't study at all the first half of Spring Break, the rest of the time will be pretty study-intensive. I am taking the GMAT (the exam to get into WSU's Master's of Accounting program) on March 24, so that is what I plan to focus on, but I also have a few things to work on for my actual classes, especially my online class.
When I'm not studying, I'll be walking Sadie, blogging (not a lot, but a little), cooking, thinking about what to plant in our patio garden this year, and maybe even reading a very little bit. So I wasn't too tempted to spend too much time on that last item, I stayed up late last night finishing the book I started in Cedar.
Even though I'm spending most of my time studying, it feels great to have a few days off - no work, no classes. After Spring Break, there is only 4 weeks left until finals week, then it will be Summer! No classes, no work, and no studying! And it will be warm weather!! Aaaahhh. Those will be the days. All I have to do is work hard and get through the next few weeks. Piece of cake!
Mmmmm. Cake. I don't have cake, but I do have girl scout cookies! Excuse me while I go grab a few to help me get through the next few hours of studying.
Happy Wednesday!
My break started at 1pm last Friday. Since Steve was able to get off work earlier than we thought, I asked to leave work early, too, and since I work for the most generous, amazing people, they said yes. I rushed home, helped Steve finish loading up the car - including Sadie, and we headed for Cedar City. Other than an accident in Provo, which slowed us down quite a bit, the drive was easy and we made it to Cedar in pretty good time. Starving and craving steak, Steve and I invited Mom to go to dinner with us at Ninja. I love Japanese hibachi restaurants and the steak there really hit the spot for me. Mom had never been, so I was even happier that we went there.
I love being in Cedar City. It's funny to me that for years and years all I could dream about (besides a dark handsome stranger who fell madly in love with me) was leaving Cedar and living almost anywhere else. Now, I miss it. A big part of that is being able to hang out with my family, but it's not just that. Cedar is my hometown. I know it, even though things change, I know where to find things, what streets can get me where I'm going. And, I have history there. I like driving around with Steve and telling him stories from my past. Cedar is a part of me.
We spent a few days in Cedar, having a grand time! I even got to go to lunch with some good friends I haven't seen awhile - thanks ladies! Yesterday morning, we packed up and took a quick trip to St. George to go to my bariatric surgeon's office for a band fill. It was so warm and lovely that I wanted to stay there the rest of the week. Instead, we headed for home and arrived around 3pm, giving us the rest of the day to unpack and relax from our fun trip.
So, what are my plans for the rest of my break? Unfortunately, since I didn't study at all the first half of Spring Break, the rest of the time will be pretty study-intensive. I am taking the GMAT (the exam to get into WSU's Master's of Accounting program) on March 24, so that is what I plan to focus on, but I also have a few things to work on for my actual classes, especially my online class.
When I'm not studying, I'll be walking Sadie, blogging (not a lot, but a little), cooking, thinking about what to plant in our patio garden this year, and maybe even reading a very little bit. So I wasn't too tempted to spend too much time on that last item, I stayed up late last night finishing the book I started in Cedar.
Even though I'm spending most of my time studying, it feels great to have a few days off - no work, no classes. After Spring Break, there is only 4 weeks left until finals week, then it will be Summer! No classes, no work, and no studying! And it will be warm weather!! Aaaahhh. Those will be the days. All I have to do is work hard and get through the next few weeks. Piece of cake!
Mmmmm. Cake. I don't have cake, but I do have girl scout cookies! Excuse me while I go grab a few to help me get through the next few hours of studying.
Happy Wednesday!
Monday, December 19, 2011
In the Spirit of Christmas
Can you believe that Christmas is in just a few days?? Last night, lying in bed, I realized that a week from then would be Christmas night - all the presents would be open, Christmas Eve dinner would be eaten (except for some leftover, hopefully), and it would be another year until Christmas Day again. This month has gone by so quickly, and yet I'm feeling more Christmas spirit than I have in many years.
One reason may be due to having finished my Christmas shopping weeks ago. Steve and I knew that we wouldn't have much time together to do Christmas shopping until after we needed to deliver the presents to their intended receivers, so the weekend before Thanksgiving, we cranked out most of our shopping for our family members - including four people's birthdays! During the next couple weeks, we both finished shopping for each other and managed to wrap all the presents! It's kind of hard to get the presents for people so far in advance because I'm not patient about giving them - I want them to open the presents immediately because I'm so excited! However, it's been heavenly not having to worry about what to buy people and to not have to mess with the stores (too much) and the people milling inside. It's a weight off our shoulders, making my spirits so much lighter!
A bigger part of my Christmas spirit is due to last week. My husband took last week off, so we were able to spend a lot of time together, choosing to do some very Christmas-y activities. Here's a quick run-down of our fun, with pictures when available (not as much as I would have liked).
December 9-11: We drove to Cedar City for my youngest brother's wedding. Technically not "Christmas" but the decorations had a slight Christmas feel and their colors were red, white, and black. Everything was beautiful and what says Christmas more than love? It was great to see my brother marry such a lovely woman, to welcome two great little kids into my heart, to spend time with all my family, and to be reminded of the vows I made to my wonderful husband and to have the love I feel for him strengthened in many small and great ways.
Monday, December 12: Drove home after taking a quick trip to St. George to see my WLS surgeon. All is well and he is so thrilled that I'm doing so well. Me too, doc! When we got home, we curled up on the couch and watched a couple Christmas TV specials that we had recorded, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "A Charlie Brown Christmas Special". I love both shows, but I have a special place in my heart for the latter - it really touches me.
Tuesday, December 13: We cleaned all morning, and I mean cleaned! We had been so busy (and sick) lately that our house was not looking too well. Not only did we do the standard cleaning, but we also did some of the nitpicky things that don't get done as often like cleaning base boards and window sills. I had been a little grumpy at the start of the day but when we finished cleaning, my spirit felt refreshed. It really is true that a clean house helps one's attitude...at least it does mine. Having a clean house helped our very few but precious Christmas decorations and lovely tree really shine. That night, we watched "White Christmas", yet another classic Christmas movie that makes me very happy. Steve hadn't seen it for ages and was amused that I could quote it (but didn't too often to be annoying) and could sing along to all the songs (see last parenthetical note). Is there any greater Christmas movie moment than when the back of the stage opens up to the beautiful snowy Vermont scene while Bing and company sing White Christmas? I get chills every time I watch it.
I love our tree!
Wednesday, December 14: Steve and I went to see the new movie "Arthur Christmas". I knew it had received great reviews, but so had "The Muppets". I really enjoyed "The Muppets" (in large part because I was watching it with many family members, including nieces and nephews) but I didn't LOVE it, just liked it a lot. So, I was skeptical about "Arthur Christmas", really really skeptical. In fact, I had wanted to see "The Descendants" but the time schedule was better for "Arthur Christmas" and it's Christmas time and all, so we went to see it. I LOVED it! I laughed, I teared up, I got excited and anxious, and I felt Christmas. This is a movie I would like to own and watch every year with my own kids, if I ever have any, or with my nieces and nephews if I don't.
Thursday, December 15: At the beginning of the week, while watching tv, we saw a commercial for The Nutcracker. I said, "Oh how fun! I haven't seen that in years and years!" Next thing I know, Steve, my wonderful husband who doesn't love ballet/opera/fancyschmancyplays/etc., had bought us two tickets! So, this evening I put on my second-fanciest dress (having left my new dress for Kevin's wedding in Cedar, frustrating!), glammed up as much as I'm capable of being, and headed off with a very handsome husband to the ballet. I loved walking into Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake, watching the people mill about - especially the little girls who were loving being dressed up almost as much as me, and enjoying my overpriced mint chocolates and chocolate covered raspberries that my husband spoiled me with. The ballet was wonderful! I love the music, the story, the dancing, and especially the costumes. Time flew by, and even Steve enjoyed it more than he thought he would (though he wouldn't use "enjoy" to save his life).
Me before "The Nutcracker".
Not the best picture, but it was the best I could do.
Friday, December 16: Realizing that our budget was pretty much shot this month but still trying to be somewhat fiscally responsible, we decided to have a money-free date night. We ate a lovely homemade dinner of Swedish meatballs (first time every making them!), and then went to the Christmas Village in Ogden. It's one of our family traditions - second year! - and one I really enjoy. This year wasn't nearly as cold as last year, but it was still really nippy! I love the lights all around the park, the trees dressed in different colors, the houses with beautiful, whimsical scenes, and all the people and kids to provide great watching opportunities. I love walking around hand-in-hand with Steve. Back at home, we drank hot chocolate while bundled up on the couch, snuggled together, watching "Scrooged". What a funny, irreverent, heart-warming movie! I hadn't seen it before last year when Steve introduced it to me. It's another family tradition.
Saturday, December 17: We found out that Steve ended up having to work a few hours this day, right during the time we had planned to go to Salt Lake to see some of my family, go ice skating, and see the lights on Temple Square. Instead, my wonderful family came up to our house so that Steve could still be apart of our day together, though missing a few hours of it. It was my wonderful mom's birthday, so before they arrived, Steve and I bought a cake and some decorations and had everything ready for when Mom walked through the door. It was fun to see her surprise and happiness with the decorations (I forgot to take a picture at the time, but below is a incomplete re-creation).
We had lunch, she opened her presents, we played some games, Steve left for work, Cassie came, we did a little shopping at Hobby Lobby (love it!), then we bundled up and headed to the Christmas Village in Ogden. We started with Santa. Robbie was really excited to see him, and we thought it best to wait in line before it got too cold (it was already dark). I was impressed with how well Robbie did with Santa. Some kids end up getting scared, but not him. He said "Hi Santa!", climbed up on his lap, told Santa what he wants for Christmas, and then wished Santa a "Merry Christmas!". It was so cute! Then, because I'm a big kid at heart and wanted a candy cane that I hadn't stolen (yes, I stole a couple candy canes - I gave one to my mom), I sat on Santa's lap. I asked for another dog, a greyhound. I haven't decided for sure that I want another greyhound (though we're pretty sure we're going to get another dog next Spring), but it was all I could think of with such short notice.
Look at my cutie-patootie nephew! And isn't this a great-looking Santa?!
Dear Santa, please see my last blog post to see what I want for Christmas.
After Santa, we rode the little train in the middle of the Christmas village. It was only 50 cents per person and adults could ride it too (it was a really small train!). Being a kid at heart, I loved it! So did Robbie, who was the real reason we rode the train. I wish we had pictures of this! Oh well. We walked around the village, and I really got a kick out of how interested Robbie was in all the houses and their inner scenes. I thought he wouldn't be because he couldn't go inside, but he loved looking at them. He's such a cutie! Even though this was my second time seeing it in as many days, it was a different experience with my family. It was a lot of fun! I just with all my brothers and their families could have been there.
If you look closely, you can see Robbie at the igloo's door.
Cassie and Mom standing with a really big moose.
When we all got too cold, we headed to a nearby Italian restaurant. Luckily, Steve got off work a little early and was able to meet us there before we got seated. I was so happy to see him! Everyone parted ways after dinner, so Steve and I headed home alone. Again, we cuddled on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate and watched tv (we're loving season 1 of Raising Hope).
Sunday, December 18: Nothing. We didn't do a darn thing! I didn't even leave the house! (Steve was sweet enough to take the dog for her walks by himself so I wouldn't have to go out in the cold.) I read and read and read. It felt wonderful. I couldn't be this lazy every day, but after a few weeks of being busy (and sick), it was nice to be this lazy one day.
It was a really wonderful week with lots of Christmas fun, family, and spending time with Steve. This week he's back at work, so it will be less exciting, but I'm really looking forward to this weekend. We have some fun things planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (opening presents!!!).
I hope that you're all getting into the spirit of Christmas, that you're able to spend time with the marvelous people in your lives, and that with all the hustle and bustle of the season you're still able to feel the true meaning of the holiday...the perfect love of our Father and His Son and the hope and peace that this love brings to all of our lives.
One reason may be due to having finished my Christmas shopping weeks ago. Steve and I knew that we wouldn't have much time together to do Christmas shopping until after we needed to deliver the presents to their intended receivers, so the weekend before Thanksgiving, we cranked out most of our shopping for our family members - including four people's birthdays! During the next couple weeks, we both finished shopping for each other and managed to wrap all the presents! It's kind of hard to get the presents for people so far in advance because I'm not patient about giving them - I want them to open the presents immediately because I'm so excited! However, it's been heavenly not having to worry about what to buy people and to not have to mess with the stores (too much) and the people milling inside. It's a weight off our shoulders, making my spirits so much lighter!
A bigger part of my Christmas spirit is due to last week. My husband took last week off, so we were able to spend a lot of time together, choosing to do some very Christmas-y activities. Here's a quick run-down of our fun, with pictures when available (not as much as I would have liked).
December 9-11: We drove to Cedar City for my youngest brother's wedding. Technically not "Christmas" but the decorations had a slight Christmas feel and their colors were red, white, and black. Everything was beautiful and what says Christmas more than love? It was great to see my brother marry such a lovely woman, to welcome two great little kids into my heart, to spend time with all my family, and to be reminded of the vows I made to my wonderful husband and to have the love I feel for him strengthened in many small and great ways.
Monday, December 12: Drove home after taking a quick trip to St. George to see my WLS surgeon. All is well and he is so thrilled that I'm doing so well. Me too, doc! When we got home, we curled up on the couch and watched a couple Christmas TV specials that we had recorded, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "A Charlie Brown Christmas Special". I love both shows, but I have a special place in my heart for the latter - it really touches me.
Tuesday, December 13: We cleaned all morning, and I mean cleaned! We had been so busy (and sick) lately that our house was not looking too well. Not only did we do the standard cleaning, but we also did some of the nitpicky things that don't get done as often like cleaning base boards and window sills. I had been a little grumpy at the start of the day but when we finished cleaning, my spirit felt refreshed. It really is true that a clean house helps one's attitude...at least it does mine. Having a clean house helped our very few but precious Christmas decorations and lovely tree really shine. That night, we watched "White Christmas", yet another classic Christmas movie that makes me very happy. Steve hadn't seen it for ages and was amused that I could quote it (but didn't too often to be annoying) and could sing along to all the songs (see last parenthetical note). Is there any greater Christmas movie moment than when the back of the stage opens up to the beautiful snowy Vermont scene while Bing and company sing White Christmas? I get chills every time I watch it.
I love our tree!Wednesday, December 14: Steve and I went to see the new movie "Arthur Christmas". I knew it had received great reviews, but so had "The Muppets". I really enjoyed "The Muppets" (in large part because I was watching it with many family members, including nieces and nephews) but I didn't LOVE it, just liked it a lot. So, I was skeptical about "Arthur Christmas", really really skeptical. In fact, I had wanted to see "The Descendants" but the time schedule was better for "Arthur Christmas" and it's Christmas time and all, so we went to see it. I LOVED it! I laughed, I teared up, I got excited and anxious, and I felt Christmas. This is a movie I would like to own and watch every year with my own kids, if I ever have any, or with my nieces and nephews if I don't.
Thursday, December 15: At the beginning of the week, while watching tv, we saw a commercial for The Nutcracker. I said, "Oh how fun! I haven't seen that in years and years!" Next thing I know, Steve, my wonderful husband who doesn't love ballet/opera/fancyschmancyplays/etc., had bought us two tickets! So, this evening I put on my second-fanciest dress (having left my new dress for Kevin's wedding in Cedar, frustrating!), glammed up as much as I'm capable of being, and headed off with a very handsome husband to the ballet. I loved walking into Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake, watching the people mill about - especially the little girls who were loving being dressed up almost as much as me, and enjoying my overpriced mint chocolates and chocolate covered raspberries that my husband spoiled me with. The ballet was wonderful! I love the music, the story, the dancing, and especially the costumes. Time flew by, and even Steve enjoyed it more than he thought he would (though he wouldn't use "enjoy" to save his life).
Me before "The Nutcracker".Not the best picture, but it was the best I could do.
Friday, December 16: Realizing that our budget was pretty much shot this month but still trying to be somewhat fiscally responsible, we decided to have a money-free date night. We ate a lovely homemade dinner of Swedish meatballs (first time every making them!), and then went to the Christmas Village in Ogden. It's one of our family traditions - second year! - and one I really enjoy. This year wasn't nearly as cold as last year, but it was still really nippy! I love the lights all around the park, the trees dressed in different colors, the houses with beautiful, whimsical scenes, and all the people and kids to provide great watching opportunities. I love walking around hand-in-hand with Steve. Back at home, we drank hot chocolate while bundled up on the couch, snuggled together, watching "Scrooged". What a funny, irreverent, heart-warming movie! I hadn't seen it before last year when Steve introduced it to me. It's another family tradition.
Saturday, December 17: We found out that Steve ended up having to work a few hours this day, right during the time we had planned to go to Salt Lake to see some of my family, go ice skating, and see the lights on Temple Square. Instead, my wonderful family came up to our house so that Steve could still be apart of our day together, though missing a few hours of it. It was my wonderful mom's birthday, so before they arrived, Steve and I bought a cake and some decorations and had everything ready for when Mom walked through the door. It was fun to see her surprise and happiness with the decorations (I forgot to take a picture at the time, but below is a incomplete re-creation).
There was also a German Chocolate cake and a few presents. It was fun!
We had lunch, she opened her presents, we played some games, Steve left for work, Cassie came, we did a little shopping at Hobby Lobby (love it!), then we bundled up and headed to the Christmas Village in Ogden. We started with Santa. Robbie was really excited to see him, and we thought it best to wait in line before it got too cold (it was already dark). I was impressed with how well Robbie did with Santa. Some kids end up getting scared, but not him. He said "Hi Santa!", climbed up on his lap, told Santa what he wants for Christmas, and then wished Santa a "Merry Christmas!". It was so cute! Then, because I'm a big kid at heart and wanted a candy cane that I hadn't stolen (yes, I stole a couple candy canes - I gave one to my mom), I sat on Santa's lap. I asked for another dog, a greyhound. I haven't decided for sure that I want another greyhound (though we're pretty sure we're going to get another dog next Spring), but it was all I could think of with such short notice.
Look at my cutie-patootie nephew! And isn't this a great-looking Santa?!
Dear Santa, please see my last blog post to see what I want for Christmas.
If you look closely, you can see Robbie at the igloo's door.
Cassie and Mom standing with a really big moose.Sunday, December 18: Nothing. We didn't do a darn thing! I didn't even leave the house! (Steve was sweet enough to take the dog for her walks by himself so I wouldn't have to go out in the cold.) I read and read and read. It felt wonderful. I couldn't be this lazy every day, but after a few weeks of being busy (and sick), it was nice to be this lazy one day.
It was a really wonderful week with lots of Christmas fun, family, and spending time with Steve. This week he's back at work, so it will be less exciting, but I'm really looking forward to this weekend. We have some fun things planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (opening presents!!!).
I hope that you're all getting into the spirit of Christmas, that you're able to spend time with the marvelous people in your lives, and that with all the hustle and bustle of the season you're still able to feel the true meaning of the holiday...the perfect love of our Father and His Son and the hope and peace that this love brings to all of our lives.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A Thankful Thanksgiving
I know, it's pretty cliche to make a list of things I'm thankful for at Thanksgiving, but there's a reason things are sometimes cliche - they are good and they are right. There's no bad time to make a gratitude list, so here goes mine:
I'm Thankful For:
1. Steve. He pretty much dominates this list. He is the best man I have ever known, better than I deserve. Steve is sweet, strong, smart, sexy, sure, silly, and simply stupendous. (That list wasn't intended to be all s's but once it got going, I went with it.) We really are a good team, best friends, and intense Skip Bo rivals (I recently had a 12-game winning streak). I trust him completely and feel comfortable being myself 100%. He sees me at my best and my worst...and he doesn't think my worst is all that bad. We don't really fight, but we don't always agree. I feel happiest when I'm cuddled up next to him with his arms around me. I'm so thankful for the man he is, for the woman he makes me want to be, and for the life we share.
2. Our home. We have officially been in our house for a year now, and I can't believe it. In ways, I feel it can't possibly be just a year, in other ways, it feels like we've lived there for years and years. From the moment we moved in, it felt like home. I know a big part of that was because I was there with Steve, but it really does fit our preferences and personalities. It's large enough to fit houseguests, has some nice, distinct quirks, and it is in a pleasant, quiet neighborhood. There are a lot of places to walk in our neighborhood, and I love that most of the neighborhoods around us are quite festive for all the holidays. I feel like we like in a small town, but we're really close to big towns with lots of shopping and eating options. It's pretty darn close to perfect.
3. My job. Working at the Student Health Center at Weber State University is pretty darn close to being the perfect job while going to school. I don't work too many hours so have plenty of time to do homework and spend time with Steve, it's close to home and really close to my classes (one building over), they are really accomodating if I need to take time off to take a test or talk to a professor, and I get to do homework at work if it's not busy - which is quite often. An added, and important, bonus is the great people I work with. They're all very nice and I enjoy chatting with them. I'm very fortunate to be in the position where I can afford to work this job while going to school instead of needing to work a full time job in order to pay the bills. I'm thankful that my husband has a good job and is happy to support me while I go to school. I hope to return the favor someday.
4. My mom. I have a wonderful mother. She taught me how to be a lady, taught me to be strong and independent, and taught me how to work and be proud of a job well done. My mom is beautiful, inside and out, and I'm proud when people tell me that I look like her or that they see her in me or vice versa. Mom came to visit us last month and I really enjoyed spending time with her. She didn't come for any other reason except to see us and to go to the places around our home that we love. One of my favorite times was window shopping on Historic 25th Street in Ogden. We stopped at all the stores Steve and I enjoy, discovered an Argentinian bakery with yummy pastries, and bought chocolates at a cute, unique shop. The whole time, we laughed and talked. It was wonderful being with her. I'll always remember that weekend and how special she made me feel by making a trip up just to spend time with me and Steve. That's the kind of wonderful mom she is. I'm thankful she's my mom and I'm thankful for all the lessons she has taught me (even when I wasn't willing to learn from her).
5. My family. I grew up with three brothers. They were great. We fought, of course, but we had a grand time playing with each other too. They taught me to be strong, to stand up for myself and not be pushed around by boys, and they taught me a little bit about what kind of man I wanted to marry someday (they probably didn't realize they were teaching me this). They tolerated my bratty phase, my bossy phase, and my distant phase. Now we're all really good friends. And, they married, or are about to marry, good women who I really enjoy spending time with. One of my favorite traditions that I'm afraid is disappearing now that I live away from Cedar is making Christmas candies with my sister-in-laws. We spend all day making delicious confections to pass out to friends. This year, I'll be doing it on my own and it won't be the same. I'm thankful that we get along so well and have such loving relationships. I'm especially thankful for my brothers' kids. I love being an aunt and I have the most adorable niece and nephews in the world. I love them so much. I'm also thankful to be gaining a new niece and nephew in a couple weeks when my brother gets remarried. They are cute kids and I'm excited to get to know them, be a part of their lives, and to learn to love them.
6. My dad. I have an interesting relationship with my dad, but no matter what, I love him and am thankful for him and for the things he has taught me. When I was younger, he taught me that I should expect to be treated like a lady by the men in my life, he took me on practice dates, and he taught me not to settle when it came to choosing the man I would spend the rest of my life with. I married a man who has all the same wonderfully good points as my dad yet who is also unlike him in all the ways I wanted. I'm thankful that my dad's second wife is nice and who has treated us well from the beginning. I'm also thankful to have a cute little sister. She's closer in age to my niece, but she's my sister and I love her and marvel at how great she is.
7. Friends. I have always been blessed with wonderful people in my life. Angels disguised as friends. These friends have been with me through thick and thin times (literally and figuratively); we've shared dreams, secrets, tons of laughs, and our share of tears. I've met my friends at school, at work, through other friends, and a few of my closest friends are cousins of mine. Our lives have sometimes taken us away from each other, but our spirits remain close. I don't see my friends as often as I used to or would like, but every day some memory or thought about one or more of them comes to mind. I pray for my friends and hope they're doing well and are happy. And, when we actually get to spend time with each other, it's as if no time has passed and I'm just as at-ease and happy with them as ever. My mom once told me a true friend is one that you can reconnect with as easily as if you were never apart. That is how it is with my friends. I'm so very thankful for my friends. I am who I am in large part because of their influence and example.
8. My body. Even when I was obese, I had a healthy body; I could walk, hike, play tennis, swim, and other fun activities, though often with lots of huffing and puffing and a red face. Now I really appreciate my body. I am thankful to be able to run and ride a bike again and to do other things that I hadn't done when I was so heavy. I'm thankful that my body is more healthy now - not just because of the lost weight but also because of the increased activity and healthier food. I can comfortably fit in theater seats, airplane seats, office chairs, and that I don't worry about breaking flimsy-looking chairs at restaurants or people's houses. I don't limit myself any more - I live my life to its fullest. I even went skydiving last year. Yes, I'm very thankful for my slimmer, healthier body and all the activities it allows me to do.
9. Sadie. I was a little nervous about getting a dog. I knew it would change our lifestyle. And, the first week or two, I had a few rough patches. However, I really enjoy having Sadie in our lives now. She is such a loving, well-behaved dog. If you need a smile, come over and see our crazy dog. She will warm your heart with her big welcome - a furiously wagging tail and maybe even some rare greyhound kisses. Petting her releases happiness molecules that travel from your hand all the way up to your head and heart. An added benefit of having Sadie is having to walk her a few times every day...even if it's blistering hot or freezing cold. And, taking her for a quick two-minute walk to do her business isn't going to cut it. That girl doesn't do anything until she's been walked for at least 10 minutes, so you get a good walk in.
Well, I'm done with work and off to class, so I'd better end this post. I hope everyone has a wonderful turkey day with family and friends.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm Thankful For:
1. Steve. He pretty much dominates this list. He is the best man I have ever known, better than I deserve. Steve is sweet, strong, smart, sexy, sure, silly, and simply stupendous. (That list wasn't intended to be all s's but once it got going, I went with it.) We really are a good team, best friends, and intense Skip Bo rivals (I recently had a 12-game winning streak). I trust him completely and feel comfortable being myself 100%. He sees me at my best and my worst...and he doesn't think my worst is all that bad. We don't really fight, but we don't always agree. I feel happiest when I'm cuddled up next to him with his arms around me. I'm so thankful for the man he is, for the woman he makes me want to be, and for the life we share.
2. Our home. We have officially been in our house for a year now, and I can't believe it. In ways, I feel it can't possibly be just a year, in other ways, it feels like we've lived there for years and years. From the moment we moved in, it felt like home. I know a big part of that was because I was there with Steve, but it really does fit our preferences and personalities. It's large enough to fit houseguests, has some nice, distinct quirks, and it is in a pleasant, quiet neighborhood. There are a lot of places to walk in our neighborhood, and I love that most of the neighborhoods around us are quite festive for all the holidays. I feel like we like in a small town, but we're really close to big towns with lots of shopping and eating options. It's pretty darn close to perfect.
3. My job. Working at the Student Health Center at Weber State University is pretty darn close to being the perfect job while going to school. I don't work too many hours so have plenty of time to do homework and spend time with Steve, it's close to home and really close to my classes (one building over), they are really accomodating if I need to take time off to take a test or talk to a professor, and I get to do homework at work if it's not busy - which is quite often. An added, and important, bonus is the great people I work with. They're all very nice and I enjoy chatting with them. I'm very fortunate to be in the position where I can afford to work this job while going to school instead of needing to work a full time job in order to pay the bills. I'm thankful that my husband has a good job and is happy to support me while I go to school. I hope to return the favor someday.
4. My mom. I have a wonderful mother. She taught me how to be a lady, taught me to be strong and independent, and taught me how to work and be proud of a job well done. My mom is beautiful, inside and out, and I'm proud when people tell me that I look like her or that they see her in me or vice versa. Mom came to visit us last month and I really enjoyed spending time with her. She didn't come for any other reason except to see us and to go to the places around our home that we love. One of my favorite times was window shopping on Historic 25th Street in Ogden. We stopped at all the stores Steve and I enjoy, discovered an Argentinian bakery with yummy pastries, and bought chocolates at a cute, unique shop. The whole time, we laughed and talked. It was wonderful being with her. I'll always remember that weekend and how special she made me feel by making a trip up just to spend time with me and Steve. That's the kind of wonderful mom she is. I'm thankful she's my mom and I'm thankful for all the lessons she has taught me (even when I wasn't willing to learn from her).
5. My family. I grew up with three brothers. They were great. We fought, of course, but we had a grand time playing with each other too. They taught me to be strong, to stand up for myself and not be pushed around by boys, and they taught me a little bit about what kind of man I wanted to marry someday (they probably didn't realize they were teaching me this). They tolerated my bratty phase, my bossy phase, and my distant phase. Now we're all really good friends. And, they married, or are about to marry, good women who I really enjoy spending time with. One of my favorite traditions that I'm afraid is disappearing now that I live away from Cedar is making Christmas candies with my sister-in-laws. We spend all day making delicious confections to pass out to friends. This year, I'll be doing it on my own and it won't be the same. I'm thankful that we get along so well and have such loving relationships. I'm especially thankful for my brothers' kids. I love being an aunt and I have the most adorable niece and nephews in the world. I love them so much. I'm also thankful to be gaining a new niece and nephew in a couple weeks when my brother gets remarried. They are cute kids and I'm excited to get to know them, be a part of their lives, and to learn to love them.
6. My dad. I have an interesting relationship with my dad, but no matter what, I love him and am thankful for him and for the things he has taught me. When I was younger, he taught me that I should expect to be treated like a lady by the men in my life, he took me on practice dates, and he taught me not to settle when it came to choosing the man I would spend the rest of my life with. I married a man who has all the same wonderfully good points as my dad yet who is also unlike him in all the ways I wanted. I'm thankful that my dad's second wife is nice and who has treated us well from the beginning. I'm also thankful to have a cute little sister. She's closer in age to my niece, but she's my sister and I love her and marvel at how great she is.
7. Friends. I have always been blessed with wonderful people in my life. Angels disguised as friends. These friends have been with me through thick and thin times (literally and figuratively); we've shared dreams, secrets, tons of laughs, and our share of tears. I've met my friends at school, at work, through other friends, and a few of my closest friends are cousins of mine. Our lives have sometimes taken us away from each other, but our spirits remain close. I don't see my friends as often as I used to or would like, but every day some memory or thought about one or more of them comes to mind. I pray for my friends and hope they're doing well and are happy. And, when we actually get to spend time with each other, it's as if no time has passed and I'm just as at-ease and happy with them as ever. My mom once told me a true friend is one that you can reconnect with as easily as if you were never apart. That is how it is with my friends. I'm so very thankful for my friends. I am who I am in large part because of their influence and example.
8. My body. Even when I was obese, I had a healthy body; I could walk, hike, play tennis, swim, and other fun activities, though often with lots of huffing and puffing and a red face. Now I really appreciate my body. I am thankful to be able to run and ride a bike again and to do other things that I hadn't done when I was so heavy. I'm thankful that my body is more healthy now - not just because of the lost weight but also because of the increased activity and healthier food. I can comfortably fit in theater seats, airplane seats, office chairs, and that I don't worry about breaking flimsy-looking chairs at restaurants or people's houses. I don't limit myself any more - I live my life to its fullest. I even went skydiving last year. Yes, I'm very thankful for my slimmer, healthier body and all the activities it allows me to do.
9. Sadie. I was a little nervous about getting a dog. I knew it would change our lifestyle. And, the first week or two, I had a few rough patches. However, I really enjoy having Sadie in our lives now. She is such a loving, well-behaved dog. If you need a smile, come over and see our crazy dog. She will warm your heart with her big welcome - a furiously wagging tail and maybe even some rare greyhound kisses. Petting her releases happiness molecules that travel from your hand all the way up to your head and heart. An added benefit of having Sadie is having to walk her a few times every day...even if it's blistering hot or freezing cold. And, taking her for a quick two-minute walk to do her business isn't going to cut it. That girl doesn't do anything until she's been walked for at least 10 minutes, so you get a good walk in.
Well, I'm done with work and off to class, so I'd better end this post. I hope everyone has a wonderful turkey day with family and friends.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 04, 2011
Life Update: School, Family, Work, Hair...You know, the important things
School
I must say that I enjoy being back in school and am not too ashamed to admit that one of those reasons is that while in school I don't feel too bad about not working full-time somewhere. Granted, with going to class and having homework, I put in almost as many hours as a full-time job but it's totally different, I don't care what anyone says.
I have three classes this semester: Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, and Individual Tax. The latter class is my favorite, partially due to the course content and partially due to the professor. My other two classes aren't difficult classes but the professors have wonky teaching styles, so the classes tend to be a bit more challenging than they probably should be. Oh well, I love a good academic challenge, especially when I end up getting As, which I am on track to get in all three classes.
I'm not really good at making friends in my classes, especially at the beginning. I tend to like to work out problems on my own, I learn the material better that way, so I kind of stick to myself. Eventually, though, I get to know the people in my classes (and I end up being known as a smartie) and really enjoy becoming friendly with them. While getting my undergrad at SUU, I ended up making some really good friends from my classes. This is beginning to happen in my classes here at Weber. I'm already becoming friends with a gal in my Cost Accounting class and slowly I'm getting to know other people in my classes, talking to them about homework, the professors, our career plans, etc. Even though it takes me a bit of time to get to this point, I really like the social element of school.
Work
When I started school, Steve told me that he was fine if I didn't work at all, so I could concentrate on school. That was really sweet, but I kind of wanted to work a little to kind of help with the family finances, even if just a tiny bit. I told him I'd work part-time but only if I got something on campus. Well, I did! Yay! I work 20 hours a week at the Student Health Center and really enjoy it. They understand that I'm a student first so have worked with me if I needed to miss work to finish a huge project and they allow me to do homework at work if it's slow. And of course they work around my school schedule. It's pretty much perfect for me. And, I really like everyone I work with. Colette, the office manager, is my direct supervisor. We sit at the front desk and help the students when they come in to see one of the two doctors on staff. It's also great because I don't work weekends, nights, or holidays! In fact, I don't think I work at all after the semester ends and I know I have the summer off. So, it's not a ton of money, but I feel good about bringing a little to the table and it actually does help with our budget and financial goals.
Family
After making several trips to Cedar and other various places to see family over the summer, after we went to my nephew's baptism the first weekend in September, Steve and I decided to not take any big trips until Thanksgiving. I kind of thought I'd be bereft of seeing my family for all that time...silly Julie! We ended up seeing my brother who lives in Sandy for 4 weekends in a row after that and October was chock full of family visits!
My youngest brother visited the first weekend, along with his girlfriend (now fiancee) and her son. We had a blast going to Lagoon with them and just sitting around playing games and chatting. The next weekend my mom came up. The best part of her visit was that she came up just to see us - there was no other reason. It felt good that she had just wanted to spend time with us. We had a lot of fun with her. Steve was working when she got here Friday evening, so I got to spend a few hours just her and me, which was really wonderful. We showed her some of our favorite things in our area and just really enjoyed her company. Two weekends later, my dad, stepmom, and little sister came up to go to the Weber State vs. SUU football game. It was a fun game to go to, even though Weber shot themselves in the foot with all their penalties. I even got to see my great friend, Cardine, at the game - Bonus! Finally, last weekend we babysat my nephew while Jason and Rachel attended the University of Utah football game. My nephew absolutely adores Steve and our dog, Sadie, so a good time was had by all. And, we wore both him and Sadie out by throwing the ball around the fenced in tennis court.
I'm blessed to have such a close family and really enjoyed getting to have so many fun visits from them lately.
Hair
In September I decided to have my hair cut short. It wasn't a HUGE difference because my hair was currently an A-line bob just a couple inches below my chin. After the hair cut, the front was just a couple inches shorter, the big difference was the back - it was short. I liked it, though I didn't love the front so ended up tucking it behind my ears all the time. A couple days ago, I went in for a touch up and ended up with even shorter hair. I liked it a lot though. Then this morning, I got the crazy idea to cut my bangs. It had been so long since I had cut my own bangs that I had forgotten the cardinal rules*. Now instead of having whispy, feminine, adult bangs, I have chunky, blunt, child-like bangs. Oh, and for the first time since cutting my hair short, I feel really boyish.
Now, I could totally let this ruin my life, or I can remember that hair grows back - in fact, bangs tend to grow faster than other hair - and have fun with my new look.
The biggest hurdle to this latter, and better, approach is my husband. It's funny how much more I worry about how I look now that I'm married. Before, I wanted to look good to hopefully be found attractive by a guy who would then want to date me. However, I had this idea that they get what they see, so if I had blonde hair, they'd better like blondes, etc. Now though, it's harder (though obviously not impossible) for me to change my look because I kind of feel like Steve fell for a girl who looked a certain way and if I change that look it's kind of unfair to him. Fortunately, he says he loves me no matter what I look like, that I look beautiful no matter what, but I still want to look my best for him.
Oh well, tough noogies. Me being me, I change my hair. Sometimes it's going to look really good, other times it may not. Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun with short hair...just not the uber short bangs.
Life
Life is good. One indication of that for me is not ever dreading a certain day, especially Mondays. Of course I still prefer the weekend because I get to see Steve more and we have lots of fun together, but I never wake up wishing it weren't that day. Thursdays are my longest days but even then, I don't mind them because I enjoy what I'm doing throughout the day.
What's not to enjoy? I am married to the most wonderful man I've ever known, we have a comfortable, nice home and a crazy, cute dog, I'm healthy both body and mind, I get to go to school to learn new things and meet new people, I have a job I enjoy, and my life is filled with wonderful friends and family.
Yeah, life is defitely good.
* The first cardinal rule = Don't Ever Cut Your Own Bangs. If you sin against this rule, please remember the following: don't cut your bangs while hair is still wet and always cut them longer than you think they should be. Since you tend to pull your hair down before you cut, if you cut them where you think you want them, when you let go of the hair, they'll be a good deal shorter than you wanted.
I must say that I enjoy being back in school and am not too ashamed to admit that one of those reasons is that while in school I don't feel too bad about not working full-time somewhere. Granted, with going to class and having homework, I put in almost as many hours as a full-time job but it's totally different, I don't care what anyone says.
I have three classes this semester: Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, and Individual Tax. The latter class is my favorite, partially due to the course content and partially due to the professor. My other two classes aren't difficult classes but the professors have wonky teaching styles, so the classes tend to be a bit more challenging than they probably should be. Oh well, I love a good academic challenge, especially when I end up getting As, which I am on track to get in all three classes.
I'm not really good at making friends in my classes, especially at the beginning. I tend to like to work out problems on my own, I learn the material better that way, so I kind of stick to myself. Eventually, though, I get to know the people in my classes (and I end up being known as a smartie) and really enjoy becoming friendly with them. While getting my undergrad at SUU, I ended up making some really good friends from my classes. This is beginning to happen in my classes here at Weber. I'm already becoming friends with a gal in my Cost Accounting class and slowly I'm getting to know other people in my classes, talking to them about homework, the professors, our career plans, etc. Even though it takes me a bit of time to get to this point, I really like the social element of school.
Work
When I started school, Steve told me that he was fine if I didn't work at all, so I could concentrate on school. That was really sweet, but I kind of wanted to work a little to kind of help with the family finances, even if just a tiny bit. I told him I'd work part-time but only if I got something on campus. Well, I did! Yay! I work 20 hours a week at the Student Health Center and really enjoy it. They understand that I'm a student first so have worked with me if I needed to miss work to finish a huge project and they allow me to do homework at work if it's slow. And of course they work around my school schedule. It's pretty much perfect for me. And, I really like everyone I work with. Colette, the office manager, is my direct supervisor. We sit at the front desk and help the students when they come in to see one of the two doctors on staff. It's also great because I don't work weekends, nights, or holidays! In fact, I don't think I work at all after the semester ends and I know I have the summer off. So, it's not a ton of money, but I feel good about bringing a little to the table and it actually does help with our budget and financial goals.
Family
After making several trips to Cedar and other various places to see family over the summer, after we went to my nephew's baptism the first weekend in September, Steve and I decided to not take any big trips until Thanksgiving. I kind of thought I'd be bereft of seeing my family for all that time...silly Julie! We ended up seeing my brother who lives in Sandy for 4 weekends in a row after that and October was chock full of family visits!
My youngest brother visited the first weekend, along with his girlfriend (now fiancee) and her son. We had a blast going to Lagoon with them and just sitting around playing games and chatting. The next weekend my mom came up. The best part of her visit was that she came up just to see us - there was no other reason. It felt good that she had just wanted to spend time with us. We had a lot of fun with her. Steve was working when she got here Friday evening, so I got to spend a few hours just her and me, which was really wonderful. We showed her some of our favorite things in our area and just really enjoyed her company. Two weekends later, my dad, stepmom, and little sister came up to go to the Weber State vs. SUU football game. It was a fun game to go to, even though Weber shot themselves in the foot with all their penalties. I even got to see my great friend, Cardine, at the game - Bonus! Finally, last weekend we babysat my nephew while Jason and Rachel attended the University of Utah football game. My nephew absolutely adores Steve and our dog, Sadie, so a good time was had by all. And, we wore both him and Sadie out by throwing the ball around the fenced in tennis court.
I'm blessed to have such a close family and really enjoyed getting to have so many fun visits from them lately.
Hair
In September I decided to have my hair cut short. It wasn't a HUGE difference because my hair was currently an A-line bob just a couple inches below my chin. After the hair cut, the front was just a couple inches shorter, the big difference was the back - it was short. I liked it, though I didn't love the front so ended up tucking it behind my ears all the time. A couple days ago, I went in for a touch up and ended up with even shorter hair. I liked it a lot though. Then this morning, I got the crazy idea to cut my bangs. It had been so long since I had cut my own bangs that I had forgotten the cardinal rules*. Now instead of having whispy, feminine, adult bangs, I have chunky, blunt, child-like bangs. Oh, and for the first time since cutting my hair short, I feel really boyish.
Now, I could totally let this ruin my life, or I can remember that hair grows back - in fact, bangs tend to grow faster than other hair - and have fun with my new look.
The biggest hurdle to this latter, and better, approach is my husband. It's funny how much more I worry about how I look now that I'm married. Before, I wanted to look good to hopefully be found attractive by a guy who would then want to date me. However, I had this idea that they get what they see, so if I had blonde hair, they'd better like blondes, etc. Now though, it's harder (though obviously not impossible) for me to change my look because I kind of feel like Steve fell for a girl who looked a certain way and if I change that look it's kind of unfair to him. Fortunately, he says he loves me no matter what I look like, that I look beautiful no matter what, but I still want to look my best for him.
Oh well, tough noogies. Me being me, I change my hair. Sometimes it's going to look really good, other times it may not. Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun with short hair...just not the uber short bangs.
Life
Life is good. One indication of that for me is not ever dreading a certain day, especially Mondays. Of course I still prefer the weekend because I get to see Steve more and we have lots of fun together, but I never wake up wishing it weren't that day. Thursdays are my longest days but even then, I don't mind them because I enjoy what I'm doing throughout the day.
What's not to enjoy? I am married to the most wonderful man I've ever known, we have a comfortable, nice home and a crazy, cute dog, I'm healthy both body and mind, I get to go to school to learn new things and meet new people, I have a job I enjoy, and my life is filled with wonderful friends and family.
Yeah, life is defitely good.
* The first cardinal rule = Don't Ever Cut Your Own Bangs. If you sin against this rule, please remember the following: don't cut your bangs while hair is still wet and always cut them longer than you think they should be. Since you tend to pull your hair down before you cut, if you cut them where you think you want them, when you let go of the hair, they'll be a good deal shorter than you wanted.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Week with the Kids
I love being an aunt. I have three nephews and one niece and absolutely adore each of them to pieces. With my oldest nephew Porter and his sister Brooke I used to have sleepovers or "date nights" when I lived in Cedar City. I've missed hanging out with them as much as I used to. So, with Steve's seal of approval, I invited Porter and Brooke to spend a week with us. We had a ton of fun...though we may have overdone things a tad...okay, we spoiled the heck out of them! Oh well, that's what aunts and uncles without children of their own are for, right? Right? Here's a quick run-down of our week of fun with pictures!
Saturday, June 25:
We had a family reunion in Vernal this weekend, so Corey and I decided that this would be a good time to meet up and for him to hand over his kids for a week. We left Vernal after the reunion, mid-afternoon, stopping in Heber City for hamburgers, fries, and shakes. Mmmm. We got home around 8pm, so after taking Sadie for a long walk along the river path, we played a game then went to bed.
Sunday, June 26:
We went to Cars 2 in 3D (not worth the money to see it in 3D, trust me). I liked the movie more than I thought I would. We had planned to take the kids to Fat Cats, an arcade, after the movie, but it was closed on Sundays (good for them!), so we went out to eat at Iggy's for lunch. After running home to let Sadie out of her kennel for a bit, we went to the Ogden Raptor's baseball game. It was my first time going to a Raptor's game and I really enjoyed it. They won, which is always fun, but it was a good game - several home runs, close score, friendly and loud fans, and ice cream.
Steve and the kids in front of the stadium
Brooke and Porter
Me and Steve
After the game, we ate Chinese take out and watched Kindergarten Cop. We were all pretty tired and went to bed happily.
Monday, June 27:
My brother Jason, his wife Rachel, and their son came up around 10am for our fun filled day. We started by going to the AF Museum close to the base. Porter said it "blew his mind". It was really cool to see the planes up close and was extra nice to have Steve there to offer additional information about the planes and bombs and such.
Brooke, Robbie, and Porter
Brooke, Steve, me, and Porter
Jason, Robbie, Rachel, Porter, Steve, Brooke
They're trying to look tough - some pulled it off better than others. :)
After the museum, we headed to Riverdale park for a picnic that Brooke and I had put together earlier that day (sandwiches, chips, carrots, and grapes). I forgot to get pictures of us eating and of us playing donkeyball. Oh well. I'm just glad I got these three.
Sadie is thrilled to be at the park with us instead of in her kennel.
Robbie loves playing with Sadie
Getting ready to leave the park
We took Sadie back home then headed to the big event for the day - Boondocks. It is a mini amusement park; bumper boats, go carts (for adults and for kids), laser tag, arcade, mini golf, bowling, batting cages, and food. My favorite by far was the bumper boats! I figured to get a little wet, but we all got absolutely soaked! Of course I chose to wear a dress and to do my hair down. Both not the best decisions, but oh well. Luckily, Steve loves me even when I'm a mess.
Jason, Robbie, Steve, and Porter - in line at the go carts
Brooke and me after getting soaked on the bumper boats.
Look at those freckles!
Rachel, Robbie, and Jason in line for go carts
Porter driving on the kids go cart track.
He started off in 5th and ended up in 1st! Great driving!
Brooke driving on the kids go cart track
We went on the bumper boats twice, go carts three times, laser tag a couple times, and played arcade games until our allotted $5 each was used up. We ate dinner there and had surprisingly good pizza and hamburgers/nuggets for the kids. We left after a few hours, all of us tired but happy.
Jason and Rachel ran a couple quick errands then came up to our house with a surprise - ice cream! We lit sparklers and played Sorry. It was a great day!
Tuesday, June 28:
Steve had to go back to work this day, unfortunately. Jason and Rachel invited us to their house for a church activity and swimming at their pool. The church activity was outside of the church on the lawn. They had finger paints, water colors, play dough, and other activities for the kids. The hit of the event was Sadie. We brought her along so she wouldn't have to be in her kennel all day. By the end of the activity, she and I were surrounded by kids petting her and asking questions. I'm so glad she is so good with kids! Heck, she loves anyone who will pet her. It was a really warm day, so jumping into Jason's pool after a nice lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches was so refreshing! Sorry, no picture of me in my cute new red, white, and blue swimsuit. Darn it!
Porter and Brooke inside the train station
Saturday, June 25:
We had a family reunion in Vernal this weekend, so Corey and I decided that this would be a good time to meet up and for him to hand over his kids for a week. We left Vernal after the reunion, mid-afternoon, stopping in Heber City for hamburgers, fries, and shakes. Mmmm. We got home around 8pm, so after taking Sadie for a long walk along the river path, we played a game then went to bed.
Sunday, June 26:
We went to Cars 2 in 3D (not worth the money to see it in 3D, trust me). I liked the movie more than I thought I would. We had planned to take the kids to Fat Cats, an arcade, after the movie, but it was closed on Sundays (good for them!), so we went out to eat at Iggy's for lunch. After running home to let Sadie out of her kennel for a bit, we went to the Ogden Raptor's baseball game. It was my first time going to a Raptor's game and I really enjoyed it. They won, which is always fun, but it was a good game - several home runs, close score, friendly and loud fans, and ice cream.
Steve and the kids in front of the stadium
Brooke and Porter
Me and SteveAfter the game, we ate Chinese take out and watched Kindergarten Cop. We were all pretty tired and went to bed happily.
Monday, June 27:
My brother Jason, his wife Rachel, and their son came up around 10am for our fun filled day. We started by going to the AF Museum close to the base. Porter said it "blew his mind". It was really cool to see the planes up close and was extra nice to have Steve there to offer additional information about the planes and bombs and such.
Brooke, Robbie, and Porter
Brooke, Steve, me, and Porter
Jason, Robbie, Rachel, Porter, Steve, BrookeThey're trying to look tough - some pulled it off better than others. :)
After the museum, we headed to Riverdale park for a picnic that Brooke and I had put together earlier that day (sandwiches, chips, carrots, and grapes). I forgot to get pictures of us eating and of us playing donkeyball. Oh well. I'm just glad I got these three.
Sadie is thrilled to be at the park with us instead of in her kennel.
Robbie loves playing with Sadie
Getting ready to leave the parkWe took Sadie back home then headed to the big event for the day - Boondocks. It is a mini amusement park; bumper boats, go carts (for adults and for kids), laser tag, arcade, mini golf, bowling, batting cages, and food. My favorite by far was the bumper boats! I figured to get a little wet, but we all got absolutely soaked! Of course I chose to wear a dress and to do my hair down. Both not the best decisions, but oh well. Luckily, Steve loves me even when I'm a mess.
Jason, Robbie, Steve, and Porter - in line at the go carts
Brooke and me after getting soaked on the bumper boats.Look at those freckles!
Rachel, Robbie, and Jason in line for go carts
Porter driving on the kids go cart track.He started off in 5th and ended up in 1st! Great driving!
Brooke driving on the kids go cart trackWe went on the bumper boats twice, go carts three times, laser tag a couple times, and played arcade games until our allotted $5 each was used up. We ate dinner there and had surprisingly good pizza and hamburgers/nuggets for the kids. We left after a few hours, all of us tired but happy.
Jason and Rachel ran a couple quick errands then came up to our house with a surprise - ice cream! We lit sparklers and played Sorry. It was a great day!
Tuesday, June 28:
Steve had to go back to work this day, unfortunately. Jason and Rachel invited us to their house for a church activity and swimming at their pool. The church activity was outside of the church on the lawn. They had finger paints, water colors, play dough, and other activities for the kids. The hit of the event was Sadie. We brought her along so she wouldn't have to be in her kennel all day. By the end of the activity, she and I were surrounded by kids petting her and asking questions. I'm so glad she is so good with kids! Heck, she loves anyone who will pet her. It was a really warm day, so jumping into Jason's pool after a nice lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches was so refreshing! Sorry, no picture of me in my cute new red, white, and blue swimsuit. Darn it!
Porter, Rachel, Brooke, Jason, and Robbie
We swam for a couple hours then headed back home. We got there just after Steve got home from work. The three of us took quick showers then went to a Japanese hibachi/sushi restaurant. The food was really good, the cook was entertaining, and I finally got to eat a little sushi after over 2 years! We went home and watched a weird cartoon Garfield movie that I hope to never think about again after writing this. Again, we all went to be happy and exhausted.
Wednesday, June 29:
Honestly, by this day I was plum tuckered out, so the kids and I took the morning off. We walked Sadie but mostly just relaxed. We played some games, mostly Wii, and watched tv. Steve came home for lunch, and then we headed out. I took them to the Ogden Union Depot to see the old trains and the train station. I love that you get to climb on the trains and even see inside a few of them. Incidentally, this is where my cousin Cassie took our wedding pictures (coming soon).
Porter and Brooke on top of a train
Me on top of a train
Porter
One of my favorite pictures - it was his idea
Wednesday, June 29:
Honestly, by this day I was plum tuckered out, so the kids and I took the morning off. We walked Sadie but mostly just relaxed. We played some games, mostly Wii, and watched tv. Steve came home for lunch, and then we headed out. I took them to the Ogden Union Depot to see the old trains and the train station. I love that you get to climb on the trains and even see inside a few of them. Incidentally, this is where my cousin Cassie took our wedding pictures (coming soon).
Porter and Brooke on top of a train
Me on top of a train
PorterOne of my favorite pictures - it was his idea
Inside one of the trains
Porter and Brooke inside the train stationAfter leaving the train depot, we went to a nearby pottery painting store, Color Me Mine, where the kids and I chose and painted pieces of pottery. I've wanted to do it for months and enjoyed it as much as the kids. These pictures show the unfinished pieces. They are being glazed then fired in the kiln. I'll get to pick them up this week, just in time to take them to Cedar this weekend when I go for Shakespeare. The colors will be more vibrant and deep.
Porter with his monkey head and 4 wheeler
Brooke and her dog
My flower plate
We went home and walked Sadie before Steve got home. We made tacos for dinner, and then we went to Fat Cats. The kids had been looking forward to this all week...well, since last November. Steve and I surprised them with hundreds of tickets that we've been saving for when they came. We also played some games and won a few more hundred tickets. In all, he and I contributed 1400 tickets! The kids were able to get some really good toys and were in 7th heaven. Afterward, we went to our favorite ice cream parlor, Birch Creek Mercantile, for ice cream.
Thursday, June 30:
I took the kids to the dinosaur park in Ogden for our morning activity. It was really enjoyable, but I'd like to go back with Steve so I can have time to read the descriptions of all the dinosaurs!
Looking for dinosaur bones
A wooly rhino! Who knew?
Panning for gold. They were thrilled they got to take home their finds.
After lunch, we went to Riverdale park for the kids to play in the splash park. It was overcrowded, so they didn't play there long. They tried the playground, but it was crowded too, so we went home after only an hour. We came home and chilled until Steve came home. For dinner, we made personal pizzas. Everyone got to put on their own toppings. They all ended up tasting delicious!
After dinner, we had game night. We had a water balloon fight (boys v. girls), had a water gun fight (started out adults v. kids but ended up as a free for all), blew bubbles with our extra large wands, colored pictures on the driveway with sidewalk chalk, played Sorry and Uno, then lit sparklers when it was dark enough. It was a great evening!
Friday, July 1:
All week long, we'd had cold cereal for breakfast. The kids and I decided to have a hot breakfast this morning since Steve didn't have to work. We had pancakes and English muffins topped with an egg salad of sorts with bacon. We packed up and headed to Cedar. It was the end of our week together.
I was kind of surprised to find that I was neither relieved or sad when the end of the week came. It was a good, fun, long week that left me exhausted and filled with wonderful memories. I'm really grateful that Steve is so supportive of me wanting to spend time with my family and he is soooo good with the kids. They love him and feel comfortable with him like he's been in the family for years. I'm already looking forward to next year!
Porter with his monkey head and 4 wheeler
Brooke and her dog
My flower plateWe went home and walked Sadie before Steve got home. We made tacos for dinner, and then we went to Fat Cats. The kids had been looking forward to this all week...well, since last November. Steve and I surprised them with hundreds of tickets that we've been saving for when they came. We also played some games and won a few more hundred tickets. In all, he and I contributed 1400 tickets! The kids were able to get some really good toys and were in 7th heaven. Afterward, we went to our favorite ice cream parlor, Birch Creek Mercantile, for ice cream.
Thursday, June 30:
I took the kids to the dinosaur park in Ogden for our morning activity. It was really enjoyable, but I'd like to go back with Steve so I can have time to read the descriptions of all the dinosaurs!
Looking for dinosaur bones
A wooly rhino! Who knew?
Panning for gold. They were thrilled they got to take home their finds.After lunch, we went to Riverdale park for the kids to play in the splash park. It was overcrowded, so they didn't play there long. They tried the playground, but it was crowded too, so we went home after only an hour. We came home and chilled until Steve came home. For dinner, we made personal pizzas. Everyone got to put on their own toppings. They all ended up tasting delicious!
After dinner, we had game night. We had a water balloon fight (boys v. girls), had a water gun fight (started out adults v. kids but ended up as a free for all), blew bubbles with our extra large wands, colored pictures on the driveway with sidewalk chalk, played Sorry and Uno, then lit sparklers when it was dark enough. It was a great evening!
Friday, July 1:
All week long, we'd had cold cereal for breakfast. The kids and I decided to have a hot breakfast this morning since Steve didn't have to work. We had pancakes and English muffins topped with an egg salad of sorts with bacon. We packed up and headed to Cedar. It was the end of our week together.
I was kind of surprised to find that I was neither relieved or sad when the end of the week came. It was a good, fun, long week that left me exhausted and filled with wonderful memories. I'm really grateful that Steve is so supportive of me wanting to spend time with my family and he is soooo good with the kids. They love him and feel comfortable with him like he's been in the family for years. I'm already looking forward to next year!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas...Past, Present, and Future
As a kid, I loved Christmas: the Christmas music (especially sung at church), the lights on the houses, the tree with all our school-made ornaments, and the traditions of our family. After moving to Cedar, we sometimes we went to Vernal to celebrate the holiday with extended family, but most of the time, we stayed home and celebrated it with just our family. Christmas Eve, after dinner of ham, potato casserole, rolls, veggies, and other goodnesses, we'd drive around looking at the lights on houses, singing Christmas carols. I'm sure us kids would fight at times, but I don't remember. *smile* When we got home, we read the Christmas story from the Bible and got to open one present before going to bed. When I was younger, I'd always hope for some really cool toy to open, but it was always pj's. After a few years, I caught on to the pattern and realized that present would always be pj's and finally understood the coolness of getting to wear brand-new pajamas to bed Christmas Eve. Of course, we would leave a plate full of homemade sugar cookies and a glass of milk for Santa. Then we'd put our individual stocking in our "place". This place signified where Santa was to put our gifts when he came.
Christmas morning, we weren't allowed to get out of bed until a certain time - preset the night before. I remember being awake in bed, willing the alarm clock to go faster so I could get out of bed. (I was an extremely obedient child, as you know.) Corey would come in and get me and sometimes we'd go look at our presents before waking up Jason and Kevin. We'd all play with our new toys an hour or so before waking up our parents (also a preset time from the night before). After showing them our loot, we'd open up the presents under the tree. We took turns (usually youngest, Kevin, to oldest, Dad), opening up one gift at a time, so we all got to be the center of attention for a moment and so that present would get its proper importance. It also stretched out the fun, something I really enjoyed. Oh, and we always had stuff in our stockings, too. Stocking stuffers wouldn't be anything extravagant, especially when compared to what I've heard about from other people, usually just an apple, orange, banana, some candy, nuts, and maybe a small toy. After presents were opened, we'd have Mom's breakfast casserole, then spend the morning playing with our toys and often playing the game(s) Santa had left for the family. For lunch, we'd have Mom's delicious clam chowder. I can eat clam chowder from restaurants, but none of them are as tasty as Mom's. I really need to learn how to make it someday. The rest of the day was really relaxed. Lots of spending time together. It was wonderful.
When my parents divorced, things changed. We developed new traditions, started having two Christmases - one at Mom's and one at Dad's, and I lost a little of my Christmas spirit. I hate to say it, but it's true. It took a few years, but eventually, I started to dislike Christmas. I still enjoyed the music/singing, the lights on houses, and all that stuff, but I started to dread Christmas Day. I hated leaving my mom all alone on Christmas Day when we went to Dad's. Then I felt bad leaving Dad's house because we usually didn't stay there very long. And, I felt bad bringing the gifts from him and Paula home to my mom's. I probably made it worse than I should have, but what can I say, I'm a sensitive gal. *smile* Then my brothers got married and started having kids. Kids make Christmas. That's all there is to it. Having in-laws to plan around, and then a nephew we only got to see on Christmas Eve complicated Christmas. It started to become a 2-day affair. Since Kevin only had Scott on Christmas Eve, we'd spend part of that day with Mom and part with Dad. Repeat that on Christmas Day. I always ended up being the one who coordinated when we'd go where, and frankly, I hated it. I always had fun once the festivities were upon us, of course. I just wish I had relaxed enough to enjoy it beforehand. Ah well. Live and learn, right?
Two years ago, I scheduled my lap band surgery for December 23rd for two reasons; one because it was the best time to take off work and the other to avoid some of the stress that I caused myself at this time of year. It helped. Then last year, I decided to go to Paris on Christmas Day. I was still around long enough to be able to enjoy the festivities, but I was determined to not let the normal frustrations interfere with my excitement. This was a break-through for me. I finally realized that I didn't need to make sure everyone was happy. This wasn't my responsibility. I didn't have kids, I was single. Why did I need to make the plans? So I didn't. And I had a really enjoyable Christmas. I realized how stupid I had been for so many years and was determined that I wouldn't be ever again...at least about Christmas.
This year is the first year in a long time that I won't be spending Christmas with my family. Steve and I are going to Denver for Christmas. We fly out tomorrow afternoon and are coming back Tuesday afternoon. Since we're leaving on Christmas Eve, we're opening our presents tomorrow morning and doing "traditional" Christmas Eve night stuff tonight. After dinner, we're going to watch a Christmas movie (probably the cartoon version of the Grinch since he's opposed to Charlie Brown), then drive around looking at the lights on people's houses. I'm betting I won't get him to sing carols with me. *smile* When we get home, we'll have hot chocolate and open our stocking stuffers. In the morning, we'll open our presents and have breakfast. I'm thinking of making a quiche or maybe Mom's breakfast casserole! (I just thought of that while I typed.)
I don't know what the future holds, but I know I want to be with Steve for every Christmas yet to come. I want to have traditions that are ours, traditions that we establish together and can pass on to our children, if we have them. I know that some years we'll spend with my family and hopefully we'll spend some with his family. No matter where we are, I'm going to be with Steve and that makes me happy. The future certainly looks bright.
Wherever you are going to be this Christmas, whoever you're going to be with, whatever your traditions are, I hope you have a very wonderful day!
Christmas morning, we weren't allowed to get out of bed until a certain time - preset the night before. I remember being awake in bed, willing the alarm clock to go faster so I could get out of bed. (I was an extremely obedient child, as you know.) Corey would come in and get me and sometimes we'd go look at our presents before waking up Jason and Kevin. We'd all play with our new toys an hour or so before waking up our parents (also a preset time from the night before). After showing them our loot, we'd open up the presents under the tree. We took turns (usually youngest, Kevin, to oldest, Dad), opening up one gift at a time, so we all got to be the center of attention for a moment and so that present would get its proper importance. It also stretched out the fun, something I really enjoyed. Oh, and we always had stuff in our stockings, too. Stocking stuffers wouldn't be anything extravagant, especially when compared to what I've heard about from other people, usually just an apple, orange, banana, some candy, nuts, and maybe a small toy. After presents were opened, we'd have Mom's breakfast casserole, then spend the morning playing with our toys and often playing the game(s) Santa had left for the family. For lunch, we'd have Mom's delicious clam chowder. I can eat clam chowder from restaurants, but none of them are as tasty as Mom's. I really need to learn how to make it someday. The rest of the day was really relaxed. Lots of spending time together. It was wonderful.
When my parents divorced, things changed. We developed new traditions, started having two Christmases - one at Mom's and one at Dad's, and I lost a little of my Christmas spirit. I hate to say it, but it's true. It took a few years, but eventually, I started to dislike Christmas. I still enjoyed the music/singing, the lights on houses, and all that stuff, but I started to dread Christmas Day. I hated leaving my mom all alone on Christmas Day when we went to Dad's. Then I felt bad leaving Dad's house because we usually didn't stay there very long. And, I felt bad bringing the gifts from him and Paula home to my mom's. I probably made it worse than I should have, but what can I say, I'm a sensitive gal. *smile* Then my brothers got married and started having kids. Kids make Christmas. That's all there is to it. Having in-laws to plan around, and then a nephew we only got to see on Christmas Eve complicated Christmas. It started to become a 2-day affair. Since Kevin only had Scott on Christmas Eve, we'd spend part of that day with Mom and part with Dad. Repeat that on Christmas Day. I always ended up being the one who coordinated when we'd go where, and frankly, I hated it. I always had fun once the festivities were upon us, of course. I just wish I had relaxed enough to enjoy it beforehand. Ah well. Live and learn, right?
Two years ago, I scheduled my lap band surgery for December 23rd for two reasons; one because it was the best time to take off work and the other to avoid some of the stress that I caused myself at this time of year. It helped. Then last year, I decided to go to Paris on Christmas Day. I was still around long enough to be able to enjoy the festivities, but I was determined to not let the normal frustrations interfere with my excitement. This was a break-through for me. I finally realized that I didn't need to make sure everyone was happy. This wasn't my responsibility. I didn't have kids, I was single. Why did I need to make the plans? So I didn't. And I had a really enjoyable Christmas. I realized how stupid I had been for so many years and was determined that I wouldn't be ever again...at least about Christmas.
This year is the first year in a long time that I won't be spending Christmas with my family. Steve and I are going to Denver for Christmas. We fly out tomorrow afternoon and are coming back Tuesday afternoon. Since we're leaving on Christmas Eve, we're opening our presents tomorrow morning and doing "traditional" Christmas Eve night stuff tonight. After dinner, we're going to watch a Christmas movie (probably the cartoon version of the Grinch since he's opposed to Charlie Brown), then drive around looking at the lights on people's houses. I'm betting I won't get him to sing carols with me. *smile* When we get home, we'll have hot chocolate and open our stocking stuffers. In the morning, we'll open our presents and have breakfast. I'm thinking of making a quiche or maybe Mom's breakfast casserole! (I just thought of that while I typed.)
I don't know what the future holds, but I know I want to be with Steve for every Christmas yet to come. I want to have traditions that are ours, traditions that we establish together and can pass on to our children, if we have them. I know that some years we'll spend with my family and hopefully we'll spend some with his family. No matter where we are, I'm going to be with Steve and that makes me happy. The future certainly looks bright.
Wherever you are going to be this Christmas, whoever you're going to be with, whatever your traditions are, I hope you have a very wonderful day!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Softball
I joined my work softball team on a whim. Last Spring, while watching the softball games of various friends and family members, I thought how fun it would be to play softball, to be a part of a team, run, hit the ball, move my body. Someday, I told myself, someday. Well, when the email went out inviting employees to join the co-ed team, I found myself responding. I attended the team meeting and got nervous, big time. These people could play...one of the gals is one of the softball coaches at SUU (where I work), which isn't intimidating at all. I told them I'd try my best but that I had never played on a team before so please don't expect too much.
I got more and more nervous, especially because playing kept getting put off; one practice was canceled, I couldn't make the other one, two weeks of games were canceled due to snow, so by the time our first game rolled around, I was sick with nerves. I don't know how to throw a ball and it had been over a year since I'd picked up a bat. And, friends and family were going to be in the stands watching! Sam, my ex, came up from St. George and gamely played catch with me beforehand, giving me pointers and plenty of encouragement.
Once the game started, I had a blast - I knew I would once I settled down. I play catcher. In this league, catcher is given to the worst player on the team...all I do is catch the ball when the pitcher pitches it. If a play is being made at home, I step out of the way and let the pitcher run up to take care of things. I don't care that I'm the worst player on the team. It's better than being in the outfield for two reasons; 1) I can't throw the ball, so if I was in right field and the ball managed to make its way to me, I'd have to throw it in and would look absolutely ridiculous and b) I'm in the game - I may not have a lot of responsibilities, but I get a hand on the ball a lot, get to practice throwing the ball (to the pitcher), and I get to chat with the umpire. I love it.
How have I been playing, you ask? Not too great, but not too shabby. I've had a couple hits, a couple strike outs, and made it on base one...I walked. My goal is to get on base due to hitting the ball and then to someday actually score. They aren't lofty goals, but they're mine and I like them.
My team is awesome. I'm one of three Julie's, which we all find terribly amusing. The guys on the team aren't as scary and demanding as I'd feared they'd be. They're very patient with me, give me encouragement, and give me high 5's when I do something even resembling a good job (like when I almost caught a foul ball). As a team, we laugh a lot and have a good time. And, we actually do a fair amount of winning, which is an added perk.
Two years ago, I would never have contemplated being on a softball team. Oh how my life has changed. I'm actually living it instead of letting it roll by like a twig in a stream. I'm doing things that I always held myself back from doing because of my weight. I love that my body can run, not very fast or for very long, but the feeling of the various parts of my body working in harmony to produce this feat is tremendous. I love when I swing the bat and can feel the power of my muscles in my arms and back. I'm about as graceless as a horse on roller blades when I throw the ball, but I'm getting better, and sometimes, every once in awhile, I throw it correctly and I can feel the difference. My body works and I revel in it.
I'll probably never be the best player on any team, but I love playing the game. I love being active and part of something outside myself. I love the sounds of the game; the ball hitting the bat, the Ump calling Strike (unless it's on me or someone on my team), the cheers of the people on the bleachers, and the kids running around laughing and having a grand ole time. I love the way my hand smells like my glove afterward. I love that my mom and friends come to the game to cheer me on. It's so cool to get up to bat and to have them rooting for me, even when I hit the ball right to the pitcher. I love putting on my jersey (#32) even though it's just on loan and I don't get to keep it. I love that my previously white(ish) shoes are now dirty from the red softball diamond dirt. I simply love playing the game.
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