Thanksgiving Weekend

We Dave and Carson started preparing for Thanksgiving on Wednesday night. Dave signed us up for bringing rolls even after I said I didn't want to bake so I put that back on him. The first batch was cloverleaf rolls, hence all of the little pieces of dough. The second batch was just regular rolls because the boys decided making all those little dough balls was way too time-consuming.

Times like this I wish I could eat wheat. The rolls looked so yummy.



Thanksgiving morning I joined a friend for a 5 mile run before our family headed to Quincy to feast with Dave's family. And what a feast it was, too! Ham AND turkey, all the fixin's, plus so many desserts. Sadly no pictures from the visit.

We came home on Friday afternoon. That night we enjoyed seeing The Muppets movie where I laughed, sang and even danced a little in my seat much to the horror of my children. Dave made a point of buying the large size popcorn and pop just to prove that he doesn't always say "no".

Finally it was Saturday and time to decorate from Christmas. Dave hauled up all of the boxes from the basement and then the kids and I got busy putting out the decorations. Carson put out all the Sugar Town decor while Katelyn and worked on the tree. Carson came in after most of the decorating had been completed to rearrange some of the ornaments put the finishing touches on the tree.

This is how we decorate the top of the tree--the "Dad Stepstool"

Sunday was church and getting ready for the new week.

It was a very nice Thanksgiving weekend.

My Christmas List

Dave and the kids have been bugging me to get a Christmas list written down for them. I told Dave that all I wanted for Christmas was the Honda's brake light finally fixed--it's been out since May and we have had the replacement bulb for awhile. Well, Dave fixed the light last weekend so Christmas came early. I don't feel like I need any more stuff. But Dave said I needed to make a list because he knows "gifts" is one of my love languages and he doesn't want me to feel unloved this Christmas.

Well, family, you forget that right up there with "gifts" is "acts of service" as a love language. So with that in mind, I give you my Christmas list...

• A hug and a kiss every day from my two kids. An "I love you" thrown in occassionally would also be awesome.
• A "Good-bye, Mom" every day as they leave for school.
• A helping hand with dinner or folding laundry.
• Someone besides me to sweep the kitchen floor or vacuum the downstairs regularly, without being asked!
• More expressions of gratitude. A simple "Thanks for scraping my car windows, Mom" would mean so much.

That's it, family. Giving me these things on my this Christmas list would say "I love you" more than anything you could buy for me.

Our DVR

When we up-graded our TV last year, we also up-graded our cable box. The new box came with a DVR. There are two people in this house who use it regularly and often complain that the other has too much saved that is taking up too much space. Those conversations are actually quite comical and each tries to argue why their show should remain on the DVR.

If I list what is usually on the DVR, can you guess who the two high-frequency users are? Here you go...

• Sportsnation
• Trout TV
• North to Alaska fishing show
• Seasons on the Fly
• Various TMC movies: currently there is Spartacus, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Cane, and Adventures of Robin Hood. Over the summer we had Singin' in the Rain, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, Great Expectations, Music Man, Casablanca, Frankenstein, How the West Was Won, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, All is Quiet on the Western Front

There you have it. Those shows and movies are usually what fill up the space on our DVR.

"Dream with Courage and Flexibility"

I read that quote about a year ago. It was in a newsletter from the Spokane Guild School and came from the WA state chairman to the state disability commission. It struck a chord with me then and from time to time during this past year it has come to my mind. I think it has meant different things to me depending on what my life was like at that time; during the spring and summer I thought of that quote as I was making my goals for the races I wanted to compete in. Today it means something a little different as I think about my children and their dreams.

Dreaming is easy, but it takes courage to turn those dreams into goals. Goals require hard work, and often times, moving outside of the comfortable spot we all seem to want to settle into. Courage is required to continue moving forward even when obstacles appear or the work to achieve seems too hard.

Courage is also needed to be flexible when events beyond your control impede your ability to meet the goals in the way that was originally dreamed. Courage and flexibility are necessary so that the dreams/goals do not define your whole existence. Because when dreams/goals define you, then it is very hard to give up the original dream and move forward on an altered course. Flexibility combined with courage is needed so the new path, maybe even with new dreams, does not feel like a failure.

I love my children dearly. I am so proud of the work that they have both put in recently on their dreams. They set goals and worked towards those goals. Each had their dreams interrupted by events beyond their control. One child has been able to redefine the goal and path. For the other one, the interruption is still too new, too raw to recognize that maybe the dream needs to be redefined.

I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want

I was going to write an open letter to my family telling them that what I want, really really want is a hot shower in the morning. However, I discovered that there is something else that I want just a little bit more than a hot shower (although it would be nice to have a hot shower when I'm chilled to the bone in the morning).

So what I want, what I really really want is to be able to look at my childrens' progress reports and shout for joy rather than groan in disappointment. I want my smart, capable children to care enough about their grades to put forth their best effort all the time. I want them to understand that turning in their assignments on time is part of putting forth their best effort. I want them to not tell me every night "No, I don't have any homework" when it is clear that there are things they can be doing. What I want is for them to live up to their potential. I want them to be working harder than me on securing their success in academics.

If I can't have those things, then what I want is to be the kind of mother who won't kick the kids to the curb when they come crying because their first choice college plans don't work out because of their grades and they have no back up plan. Because you know what? My gut reaction would be to be less than sympathetic & say "I told you so. Guess you should have cared a little more about your grades and performance. Good luck out there in the world."

Is that too much?

What I Was Thinking About When I Had Nothing Else To Think About

Every day I have a about 30 quiet moments before work. I use this time for scripture study and prayer.  I try very hard during that time to pay particular attention to thoughts, impressions, or feelings that might enter my mind knowing that those things are often from God to guide me through the day, week, year, or life. I can't say that I have any miraculous revelations to share. Matter of fact, the quietness is sometimes difficult to bear because often (or is it almost always) nothing comes and my mind is a blank. That blankness leaves me feeling "less than". I have been taught my whole life that reading the scriptures will draw me near to God and that prayer is my communication tool with God. I feel like I must be lacking some certain skill in either prayer or listening to seemingly consistently feel like there is a lack of inspiration to guide my path that day.

I'm fortunate that I also get almost 30 minutes every day to have a quiet lunch at my home. I come home in between school assignments. Those 30 minutes are often spent putting left-over cereal bowls in the dishwasher, sweeping the kitchen floor, folding laundry, etc. But today, even though those things needed to be done, I chose to not think about them. Instead I thought about what I was lacking. I pondered on what it would be like to be humble and holy enough to be so in-tune with God that I could be constantly cognizant of His hand directing my life. I wondered what President Monson felt like each day. I was curious to know how the Pope identified the feelings. I thought about my cousins Stephanie, Stacie, and Scott, good Christian peoople who I believe have figured out the secret of keeping God close and hearing His voice. I pictured my dad, who for several years had left God's path, but returned and is able to keep God's will in his view. My mom, also, is an example of being a hearer and doer of God's word. And as I thought about people who are true followers of Christ, the more people who kept coming to my mind.

So what I was thinking about when I had nothing else to think about is how much I want to feel God's words and love in my heart. How I want those 30 minutes of quiet time in the morning to be the uninterrupted stream of personal revelation from God that I dream it could be. I am grateful for those inspirations when they do come and to be honest, I know that I have definitely received inspiration from God throughout my life thus far. I thank God immediately when I recognize the inspirations. I just want to be the type of person who knows that I am not letting God down.

I have a long way to travel on that path.

Farewell Colette

I'm not sure what sparked the idea in the first place. All I know is that about a 9 months ago Carson came home one day from the barber shop with the tiniest little rat tail. He loved that little tail. Much thought was put into naming it. The first suggestion was Remy after the little rat in Disney's Ratatouille. But Carson rejected that suggestion because it had to be a girl's name. Sticking with Ratatouille as inspiration, Colette was selected as the chosen name.

Colette symbolized Carson's quirky personality and willingness to march to the beat of his own drum. Yes, Colette drove me crazy especially as she continued to grow & became more apparent with each haircut. At each haircut, Katelyn would plead with Carson to get Colette cut off. Once she even had a co-worker write Carson a note telling him that the tail just wasn't cool. Dave tolerated the tail better than either Katelyn or I did, but was anxious to see Colette gone. Carson was completely unphased by all of that and stuck by his guns believing that Colette, indeed, was very cool.

But as this year's wrestling season approached he came to the realization that if Colette stayed he would have to wear a hair net under his wrestling headgear. As cool as Colette was in his mind, the prospect of wearing a hair net definitely was not. And so he had a decision to make.

Today he decided to say good-bye to Colette. I asked if he wanted me to take the camera to the barber shop so I could document the farewell. He said no. He also declined the offer of Skittles--the treat we used to keep him still on his very first haircut as a little boy. He said he would hold still all on his own & let Irv do what he needed to do. And so he did.

Carson is now officially Colette-free and ready to get wrastlin'

Jinkies, I Hope It Grows Fast

I have an awesome hairstylist. She pretty much can work miracles with my hair. Unfortunately, the last time I had my haircut I forgot to schedule my next appointment. Because she is so awesome, she is booked and you can't be worked in.

I didn't realize my critical error until too late. And by too late I mean I was way overdue for a haircut and I was ready to cut it myself. Fortunately a friend saved me from another critical error and gave me the name of her hairstylist. I was desparate and so I took her recommendation (especially since she has a really cute haircut).

Well, I went on Friday to get my haircut. I thought I had explained what I wanted, the quirks of my hair (I have some weird wave patterns) and what length I like to wear my bangs. I guess what I had described wasn't what the stylist heard. She got the length right, but pretty everything else went wrong.

I now have a blunt, slightly undercut, chin-length bob with straight across bangs that are about a half inch above my eyebrows.

I look like Velma from Scooby-doo.

You can bet I'm getting on my regular stylist's schedule for 7 weeks from now.

Welcome November

Adios, October. You give me the "blahs" so I can't say I'm sorry to see you go.

Good morning and welcome, November.

I can already tell we are going to get off to a great start since I just saw this on the news...


It is NoShaveNovember!

Yay! A whole month of not shaving?! That's awesome.

Ew, you say?

Well chances are my legs are either going to be covered in long pants, tights, or some other leg covering all winter long so you'll never know.

What about armpits?

Yeah, I will be shaving those because, ew.

Why NoShaveNovember?

The news said it was actually for guys & something about raising awareness for prostate cancer. But I say if the guys can go a month without shaving, so can I.

And with that, November is off to a great start.

Well except for my stupid clock that keeps resetting itself overnight & falling back an hour. It's never been the same since I killed it & it revived itself.