1 - My parents and Ryan's parents both drove across the valley to watch Parker's basketball game! We are blessed to have such supportive family, it really does mean the world to the kids that they support them all so much!
Two things that made me smile yesterday:
1 - Ryan - that's one reason I married him, he makes me laugh and smile
2 - Watching Parker play ball, he didn't have his best game , but he really went after the ball and has the knee wounds to prove it!
Three things I cooked today:
1 - Chicken Delight from a Pinch of Salt Lake
2 - Rice Pilaf
3 - Brownies
Four things that came in the mail yesterday:
1 - No Christmas Cards!!! I LOVE getting cards, I think people should keep sending them even through February!!
2 - 2 medical bills
3 - insurance statement
4 - a thank you note
Five places I went this week:
1 - On Parker's self proclaimed "Birthday Eve" we drove out to Thanksgiving
Point ans saw the light show, it was great and we decided to make it a new Christmas tradition! After, we drove out to Murray to the Christmas Utah house - it was AWESOME! The lights all danced to music that you tuned your radio to, it was so fun! Ryan's mom went with us and we had a wonderful time despite all of the SCREAMING on the way home courtesy of Addi!!
2 - On Parker's birthday we went over to Ryan's parents' for a family party. All of the nieces and nephews from out of state were in so we got together and had a little b-day celebration for Parker complete with a Dallas Cowboy Birthday Cake!
3- On New Years we celebrated the New Year and Parker's b-day with a sledding party up at my mom & dad's place! We had so much fun sledding down the hill and pulling the kids (and me) behind 4 wheelers in the arena! We planned to have a Family Snowman Building Contest, but the snow wouldn't roll so Brooke (my brother's girlfriend) and I did our best to create this beautiful snow face! We grazed on doughnuts, hot chocolate, yummy soup, rolls, pumpkin pie cake and birthday cake!I promised to post the potato cheese soup recipe so here it is:
Potato Cheese Soup
potatoes (1 potato per person)
3/4 of large Velveeta block
small onion, diced
1 cube butter
1-1 ½ c. milk
3/4 c. flour
peas, optional
Dice up cheese. Boil potatoes and onion 15-20 minutes. Stir butter, flour, and milk together to from paste. Add diced cheese. Combine with potatoes and onions, add peas if desired.
4 - On Wednesday I went to work, over to Mitchell's, and then over to a primary planning meeting. I love being able to spend time at the Mitchell's, we love them dearly. When I arrived at the church for the planning meeting, the presidency was all busy crazy trying to get everything ready for the next year. They had been there for hours and stayed until 10:45 pm, I was reminded how much so many people do as they serve in the church. I reminded myself to be more aware and appreciative of others as they try to magnify their callings.
5 - On Thursday we went swimming over at Ryan's parent's clubhouse with my niece and her family. They are up visiting from Texas and we were grateful for the chance to spend some time with them. Her children are all the same ages as mine just a few months older, they however are expecting their 5th child, and we will not be following suit
Six things I'll do today:
1 - Collapse..... (20 + new Sunbeams - need I say more)!!!!
2 - Schedule VT appointments - I missed last month and I have felt really bad about it, so here's to a new year!
3 - Finish this blog post - i hope!
4 - Call my grandparents
5 - Take a birthday present over to Kami (Hallee's friend; Rob & MaryAnn's daughter)
6 - Take a Nap - one can always dream!
Seven things I did this weekend:
1 - Put away Christmas decorations (it took four hours and I'm still not done - aghh)! Ry even put away the outdoor nativity. This is our second year with the nativity and last year we overheard Gracie explaining to Hallee who all the figures were, when she got to the wisemen she exclaimed "These are the ones who built their house on a rock"!! LOL!!
2 - Took Ryan's parents out to eat at Texas Roadhouse for their Christmas present - we had a great time, always do with them!! Their was an hour wait so Raye and I ran over to Macey's and......
3 - Redeemed a gift card I received for Christmas for 2 cute shirts!!
4 - Worked (i have great patients right now, but did have a scare Friday when one patient appeared to have a stroke while I was working with her, i haven't heard what ended up happening and so I am still a little worried).
5 - Went to the Mall - not a typo!! I went with my mom and Gracie after Parker's game. Gracie about hyperventilated when she looked down the aisle at Maceys and saw all the stores, she gasped, "Are we at the mall?", when I responded yes, she threw her arms around me and started jumping up and down. Apparently we don't get out much!!
6 - Went to Nartjie - now I started hyperventilating!! This is my store, i love everything in it and I found a killer clearance sale...I won't make you guess, but I got 12 items (for the girls) for 30.00!!!! Did I mention I love this store!!!??!!!
7 - Took pictures as Gracie got her EARS PIERCED!!! Gracie has wanted to get her ears pierced for over a year, we told her that she could do so as soon as she stopped sucking her thumb! The dentist told us to do whatever it took to get her to stop, so we blame him for the use of bribery!! Anyway, she decided about 10 months ago that she would try to stop, (we told her she had to stop for 21 days though)! When we were at the mall I casually mentioned to her that Dad and I had noticed how she had stopped sucking her thumb this past month and that she could get her ears pierced today! She was sooo excited, a little apprehensive (she was worried she might start sucking her thumb again and quickly decided that if that happened she would just take the earrings out and not wear them until she stopped again)!! She said it did hurt, but she was glad she did it!! I reassured her that just like she overcame her thumb sucking habit, she could overcome anything she needed or wanted to later on in life, she quickly lit and up and responded "yeah, my earrings will remind me that I can do it"! She is too cute - we are proud of you Gracie Raye!!!
Eight people I spoke with yesterday:
1 - Olya - my beautiful girlfriend from Russia (we always say that because it sounds so exotic), she called to check in on me! I miss talking to and seeing her regularly even though we live in the same neighborhood, she used to watch my kids before Addi was born and so I got to see her a lot more!!
2 - Steph - oh I love this girl! We talked about music time stuff and committed as we usually do to dejunk 50 items this week!! We do this like every month, you would think we would run out of stuff to dejunk, but not yet!!
3 - Scott & Kristy - they shared with us what a nice time they had at ward temple night and that there was a good turnout - too bad we weren't there (Ryan's Steelers were playing (& losing) their first playoff game tonight)!!
4 - Teresa R. - I ran into an old friend that Ryan and I grew up with at Parker's b-ball game, it was fun because since both our folks were there they all got to see her too!
5 - Lizzy - we talked ever so briefly at the b-ball game, our boys aren't playing on the same team this year so we just get to see each other in passing
6 - Jeff and Jennifer - Ry coaches with Jeff, they are such Awesome neighbors!!
7 - John L. (aka Red) - I grew up with John, he took the missionary discussions at our home, he is like family to me! He and his family moved to Colorado several years ago, but moved back to Utah about 2 years ago! Ryan now works at the same company and so he gets to see John everyday! Yesterday, he brought his daughter McKenna over earlier in the day, the girls hit it off so well that they came back later that night and watched the Steelers game and the girls got to play again.
8 - Krista B. - coordinating music and sharing time. I love working with this woman, she is organized, efficient, and really gets it!! I hope to be more like her someday when I grow a foot or two!!
Nine totally random thoughts on my mind today:
1 - Pinewood derby - Ry's the Pack master and we need to make a car
2 - Ikea, I just want to go there, LOOOOOOVE that store!!!
3 - Valentine gifts - I'm ancy for some new, fun ideas..anyone???
4 - Parker's room - we are trying to finish a room for him in the basement, hopefully he will be moving in by next weekend!!
5 - Swimming - trying to figure out when I'm, going to take the kids swimming this week and where in the world my swimsuit is (i couldn't find it this week and had to wear my suit from many, many years ago - let's just say not a pretty sight)!!!!
6 - Food - not so random for me, but I'm anxious to try some new recipes
7 - New Year's Resolutions - too many things to improve/work on, I have to shrink the very large list
8 - Budget - I need to do ours for this month, I don't like thinking about this so I'm going to start thinking about
9 - Food - Again!!! Specifically Jen's sugar cookie pan bars, mmmmm!
10 - Julie K. - I need to call her and schedule a get together, i miss her!!
Ten emotions I felt today:
1 - Curiosity - i have an appointment with the Bishop Tuesday night - yikes!
2 - Relief- sharing/singing time wasn't as hard as I expected!! The sunbeams all 20 + of them were darling and sang out at the top of their lungs!
3 - Saddness- I spoke to a friend today who just went through a really hard time, I wasn't aware of this until recently, but I feel bad that I wasn't there for her. I also feel bad because I think she was hurt that I wasn't there for her.
4 - Proud - I am proud of Parker for choosing to fast today, it is so hard for him, still hard for me at times, but I have a very strong testimony of the blessings that fasting provides us and our families.
5 - Overwhelmed - I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't feel overwhelmed, I probably need to work on this!! There is a lot of house to pick up, a lot of things I would like and need to do today, this week, this month, this year - and too little time!! I guess it is always a matter of priorities and hopefully I'm setting those right!
6 - Regretful - should have had my paperwork done before tonight now I'll be up late doing it ...again, I tend to procrastinate my paperwork - uggghhh!
7- Excited - excited for a new year, fresh start, I am trying to decide how to make this year a wonderful one for our family and am excited about the possibilities
8- Anxious - what's new
9 - Peaceful - I always feel peaceful during singing time when we are underway and singing, the children always invite the Spirit - it is awesome!
10- Grateful - grateful for the chance to be a mom and to be surrounded with these sweet kids (who didn't seem quite so sweet a few hours ago in Sacrament Meeting)! The kids and I have been really consistent with our family prayers each morning and evening and I love hearing them talk to their Heavenly Father. I love hearing them express their love and concern for each other (it is not always so evident at other times), and I love hearing them ask their Heavenly Father for help with the things that are important to them. Today Parker was saying a prayer to end his fast and he was telling Heavenly Father how he would try a little harder to fast a little longer and that he would try and keep a calendar to help him remember when it was Fast Sunday! Gracie recently prayed that if she got to play with a friend after school that they would be able to walk over safely without someone getting them and if they had to drive she asked that their car would not break down! Sometimes they make me giggle, but usually I am just humbled to hear them talking to their Father in Heaven with such faith and gratitude.
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