12-31-09

I started 2007 and 2008 at 141 pounds, high for me after holiday eating, with a resolution to lose those "last 10 pounds".

That makes starting the new year without added bulk and at my goal weight that much sweeter.

I'd like a morning routine shorter than 90 minutes, but I'd rather have energy to get through the day.

I'd like to eat dessert and go for coffee more often, but I'd rather stay disciplined and within my daily calorie limit.

I'd like to spend less time chopping fruits and veggies, but I'd rather stay well even when everyone around me is sick.

I'd like to sit at the computer or TV in the evenings instead of squeezing in a second workout, but I'd rather stay on track.

Now if only I could do something about those pudgy feet...

Happy new year!

12-30-09

Today was pretty uneventful. A quiet morning at home, to the office for the afternoon, and my last allergy shots of the year.

This evening Bruce and I did the day 2 workout for wii Active More Workouts together. I'm much better at water skiing in real life, but much better at squash on the wii.

I love this downtime week - the Christmas rush is over and New Years resolutions have not yet begun. And all the new gifts to enjoy!

12-29-09

Today was another vacation day. I was torn between staying in bed to read all day and working on my to do list before the year is over.

Turns out I did neither. Bruce was restless and suggested a trip to Portland. Anastasia wanted to spend her Christmas cash at Powell's books. We thought we'd pair that with a trip to OMSI, but crowds pushed us to seeing Sherlock Holmes in the theater instead. I finally got to eat at Chipolte too, yum!

We weren't very far into our outing when the snow started falling. I was ready to bolt for home, but Bruce wanted to wait until after rush hour. Gorgeous scenery, but too many white knuckles with slushy roads and closed on-ramps for me.

"Discover joy: Allow ourselves to complain of nothing, not even the weather." - E. B. Pusey

12-28-09

I've been requesting that Bruce cook a turkey for ages. Since we travel rather than host, we have never cooked a turkey and eaten off of it for days.

Turns out the secret to getting a bird in the house is hearing "get your turkey dinner for six; now half off in the deli" over the Safeway loudspeaker while grocery shopping. No sweet potatoes or corn included, but turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, and a pumpkin pie were.

Just goes to show that patience pays off and sometimes things come to pass long after you have given up hope.

Now who's going to eat all these leftovers?!? :)

12-27-09

Today I attended my first court of honor to see an eagle badge awarded in Boy Scouts.

It was in honor of Trevor Wolff, a friend at church.

The row of people represent each rank of the 'Trail to Eagle' (scout, tenderfoot, 2nd class, 1st class, star, life, eagle) and they walked us through Trevor's progression, starting in second grade.

"Life is a competition, not with others but with ourselves.

We should seek each day to live stronger, better, truer lives;

Each day to master some weakness of yesterday;

Each day to repair a mistake;

Each day to surpass ourselves." - David B. Haight

12-26-09

Took a break from my traditional after Christmas shopping spree for a midday black-and-red multi generational photo shoot. Two grandparents, four parents, and five kids. Say cheese and hope for the best!

My shopping damage:

$35.39 JC Penney

$78.46 JoAnn Fabric

$16.09 Artco Crafts

$40.29 Target

$28.41 TJ Maxx

$10.45 Kohl's (after return and kohl's cash)

$0 Nordstrom Rack

$12.69 Michaels

$4.90 Starbucks (to rest)

$226.68

See, hon, not so bad! Part prep for next year and part getting pent up demand out of my system. That's the downside of getting Christmas shopping done early.

"Avoid extremes: be moderate

In saving and in spending;

An equable and easy gait

Will win an easy ending." - Robert Service

12-25-09

Merry Christmas!

A tour around Anastasia's Christmas space: iTunes card (one of two), book from her brother, peppermint cocoa, vintage earrings from Grandma, tons of gum from stocking, and super cool candy flavored lip balms. And, of course, the cell phone. Not pictured: much much more.

We all got very spoiled this year. So many blessings and tokens of thoughtfulness.

"Bright sun shines across the drifts
And bright upon my Christmas gifts." - Marjorie Pickthall

12-24-09

The elves brought us our big gifts tonight - ENV Touches all around.

I thought I'd be posting a group photo of us all holding our new phones, but this photo Bruce took between the posed timer shots is too good to pass up. I'll caption it: OUR NEW REALITY. Where we text each other instead of talk to each other. Anastasia already has 100 messages...

I'll end with a joke from a Jokes in Texting website that I found when I was looking for relevant quotes:

Little bird in d sky dropped a POOPOO in my eye,i didn't scream, i didn't cry,just thanked God dat cows don't fly,bcoz it myt cover d CUTE face of mine.

12-23-09

Back to my word for the year:

re·lin·quish (r-lngkwsh)

1. To retire from; give up or abandon.

2. To put aside or desist from

3. To let go; surrender.

4. To cease holding physically; release

This waiting time before Christmas is a perfect time to relinquish: let go of expectations, guilt, things undone and just give in to the quiet and calm and family time.

Reflecting on my 2009 goals:
I will put aside time to scrapbook more and relinquish the idea that it takes incredible energy to organize and create.
I will cease to physically hold enough Christmas gifts and supplies to last me years. I will carve out time to finish projects, I will seek out joy, and I will make fruitcake this year!
I will cease to hold these extra 15 pounds. Well, at least 10 of them! I will relinquish the patterns and influences that keep me from eating well and exercising.
I will relinquish the need to do our finances my way and work with Bruce to put aside more money and desist from feeling deprived when I'm not spending excessively.
I will abandon my mindset that I have to do everything, do it quickly, and do it perfectly at work. I will relinquish more to others, surrender my to do list, and stay away from the office more.

The goal that has been most neglected this year, which I am focusing on these last days of the year, is the scrapbooking one. Today I continued work on the birthday album and getting 2008 photos added to the kids albums.

12-22-09

Today's focus: gift wrapping. For not giving each toehr gifts this year (cell phones instead), we sure have a ton of gifts under the tree!

What do you associate with Christmas? I found some words for the season: candles, cards, carols, cookies, decorations, eggnog, family, feast, friends, fruitcake, garland, gifts, gingerbread, greetings, holly, joy, lights, ornament, peace, poinsetta, star, stocking, tinsel, train, tree, wreath. I would add peppermint - peppermint bark, perrermint candy, and Peppermint mochas at Starbucks.

Officially ready for Christmas!

"I love the Christmas-tide, and yet,

I notice this, each year I live;

I always like the gifts I get,

But how I love the gifts I give!" ~ Carolyn Wells

12-21-09

Joy to the World, my work is done...

I don't have to go back until next Monday.

Let every heart prepare for rest,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Time to stop eating and start getting my final Christmas preparations done so I can just "be". Here's the family playing "In A Pickle". Fun game, but always sems to end in frustration.

12-20-09

Another busy day, but at least off my feet most of it today.

6am wake up, even on weekends

Exercise

Church

Sunday School - 6 students, but they were wired on the last Sunday before Christmas!

To Vancouver to see Avatar in 3D - got the last four tickets, had to sit in second row

Dinner at Red Robin

Shopping trip to Kohls (more time in line than shopping)

Stop in Woodland to see Christmas lights choreographed to music (today's photo)

More exercise (see dinner at Red Robin!)

Rush to do weekend chores to watch Survivor finale

Back to work tomorrow to rest!

12-19-09

Today was the big day. Cookie Baking Day!

One phone call to Grama for help.

Two sisters sharing a kitchen, an oven, and a spatula.

Three bags of coconut used. And tons of chocolate chips and butter.

Four cousins getting along all day.

Five trips to the grocery store for needed supplies (thanks Bruce!).

Sixteen different types of cookies made:

Luscious Lemon Drops

Grama's Fruitcake Cookies

Funfetti Cremes

Scotcharoos (AKA Fancy Rice Krispie Treats)

Macadamian Macaroons

Magic Cookie Bars (twice, experiencing difficulties)

Plain Ole' Chocolate Chip (for the dishwasher and grocery runner)

Dorothy Peanut Butter Balls (need more training before attempting these again!)

Snickerdoodles

Turtles (sticky gooey yum)

Peppermint Bark (double batch)

Peanut Butter Kisses (thanks to Anastasia and Eva)

Peanut Chewies

Pretzel Hugs (lifted from a scrapbook layout in a magazine!)

Margie's Frosted Cashew Cookies (no idea who Margie is, gotta love internet recipes)

Cashew Snaps

Long day, ready to sit a spell. But also a step closer to being ready for Christmas...

12-18-09

Yay! The kids made it to Christmas break, and Mom made it to a weekend!

Tonight Anastasia and I went to the Nutcracker. Her BFF Loren was Clare, and many other friends were in the ballet too. It was very well done.

Then home to keep going on the pre-baking for the big baking day tomorrow...

12-17-09

Nice things about tonight:

A yummy low calorie dinner.

The kids did great at their band concert.

Excitement in the air about the week ending soon.

Not so nice things about tonight:

Wasting calories on a nasty drink. I know better than to frequent establishments other than Starbucks.

The oven locked shut in clean mode when I'm trying to bake cookies.

Child who waits until an hour before the concert to realize appropriate clothes have *disappeared*.

No time or desire left to workout tonight.

Gotta cling to the good, it's almost Friday!

12-16-09

Busy, hectic day.

Up early, no time to excerise. To PeEll by 7:30am for a meeting, then on to Christmas team lunch at Clarks. A little bit of time in the Cosmopolis office, then hightail it home for 3 more allergy shots before insurance changes. A few mintues at home, then to church for Simple Supper and carol singing. We had a very high spirited rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas.

Oh bring us some figgy pudding...

"This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ." - Frank McKibben

12-15-09

Bruce got this adorable little angel today as a thank you for his volunteerism.

And he's an angel indeed:

- Having dinner ready when I get home even when he's not home.

- Offering to bring my snacks (that I left on the counter this morning) to work.

- Exchanging Christmas cards so I can finish up that holiday chore.

- Taking me out to Starbucks.

- Wondering what he can do to lighten my load.

- Loving me no matter what.

"The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly." ~G.K. Chesterton

12-14-09

"Is next week Christmas?!" Yes, Virginia, it's screaming towards us...

A first and last today...

FIRST bad weather driving day of this winter. I was praying that the weather would either be warmed up and safe, or so bad that I would not try to make it to an operations meeting in Vail. No such luck. After a 90 minute early morning drive, I decided it was wise to turn back, just a few miles from my destination.

LAST basketball game of the season. It's been fun leaving work early and watching the girls play. It's too bad they had to end with a bad loss, but the Lady Mustangs should be proud of their season.

12-13-09

Nobody wants to spend the holidays alone, but one day is sure nice!

I turned up the Christmas carols as my family walked out the door, and left them or my The Christmas Train audiobook on most of the day.

I was hoping for a nap or some extended reading time, but this coming week will be so hectic (allergy shots, final basketball game, band concert, Nutcracker, Cookie Baking Day) that I decided I better keep pressing on my to do list. With a little bit of scrapbooking. And a long overdue manicure, with a new color - Shim-Merry Chic (gold with red and green sparkles)

Ready for another week...

“Spend some time alone every day.” - Dalai Lama

12-12-09

For a Saturday I sure flunked taking photos.

Crawled out of bed at 5:30, peeked outside. No snow. Wrapped gifts until family stirred, then made a run for Target. Love the boy who tries on 5 pair of black jeans in various sizes and brands, takes forever and still doesn't get them back on hangers, then says "none of them fit very good."

Afternoon was a series of short activities, including filming Xander's Rube Goldberg science project. Hip Hop Santa swings his hips and triggers the toy car to go down the ramp. The car has a pin taped to it, which pops the balloon, which lowers the hammer. This releases the billiard ball, which knocks over the book, which releases the pebble to fall down the noodle. Ends with the RC dinosaur making a racket.

And after dinner we went to Fred Meyer to separately shop for $25 of stocking fillers, after drawing names. We're in the Christmas spirit!

12-11-09

Made it back in town today with enough time to get my allergy shots and still make it to Anastasia's game.

They played at a small school with a tiny gym; the court wasn't even regulation size. Without bleacher seating we couldn't see them at one basket, but had a great view (right on the out of bounds line, no wiggle room) at the other basket.

Here's Anastasia stealing the ball from a Lady Knight.

TGIF, bracing for the storm.

12-10-09

Some of you will be getting your Christmas cards postmarked from the Heathman Lodge, since that is what I did last night in my rustic posh hotel room.

This is about the ninth year that I have spent a night in December at the Heathman in Vancouver at a two day managers meeting. Some call it a sheep dipping, some call it a love in, but the official name is Joint Session.

I can vouch for the wonderful food and the great Christmas aura at this place. Except the decorated trees crack me up - they are filled with the oddest nature ornaments (this one is more normal than others) and they are upside down!

I had to wait for the huge conference room to empty out so my peers wouldn't see me taking a photo of the tree that was in my line of sight all day.

12-09-09

I'm not a big fan of the Nutcracker ballet (but Anastasia and I are going next week), but I like nutcrackers.

There is a funny IHOP ad with nutcrackers playing right now; I see it when I am too intent on running rather than pushing the Tivo remote to the next news segment.

The Christmas book I'm reading for my book club this month has a wooden WW1 soldier in it.

I remember my Grampa Rod actually breaking nuts open to eat them when I was growing up. And somewhere (with Mom's ornaments?) there are ornaments made out of half walnut shells with mice snuggled inside.

That exhausts anything I can think of related to nutcrackers.

At the Heathman Lodge tomorrow night with Western Timberlands, I'll catch you on the backside...

12-08-09

Bruce and I are not winter wonderland types. We don't wish for snow, go seek the snow, or venture outside anymore than we have to in inclimate weather. Bruce's hands and feet get cold, and I'm just always cold.

In honor of our unbelievably low temperatures of late, I walked around the house looking for the coldest Christmas decoration I could find. It wasn't easy, I have lots of snowmen. But this snow family looks the most artic to me. They look the way I feel! The littlest guy with button earmuffs cracks me up.

Bundle up! And keep the snow away until i get back from my Vancouver trip!

"Choosing shorts or long underwear on a particular day is about weather; the ratio of shorts to long underwear in the drawer is about climate." -Charles Wohlforth. Couldn't resist, given Climategate.

12-07-09

Tired of basketball photos yet?

I'm not tired of watching games yet, just wary of how I feel after sitting in the bleachers for an hour. Today's game was close most of the way through and the Mustangs won by 5 points. Anastasia is making phenomenal improvement (that's her with the ball) and the team seems to be melding.

So thankful that basketball is an indoor sport; we Pacific Northwesterners are not used to it being this cold! Our heat pump can't keep up - house was 56 degrees again! Time to work out to warm up!

12-06-09

I did it!

I got all my weekend task list done.

I got into a smaller pant size.

I'm feeling ready to take on another December week.

Not teaching Sunday School this morning was a nice treat. We had the children's program and a mega coffee hour instead of the normal routine today. The preschoolers did great with their scarves as they sang "Bundle Up".

We need to bundle up indeed; our walk today didn't even get us around the block, and there is some snow on the ground.

"A little smile, a word of cheer, A bit of love from someone near, A little gift from one held dear, Best wishes for the coming year… These make a Merry Christmas!" - John Greenleaf Whittier

12-05-09

Today was operation "Get ready for Christmas". Well, after selling plates at the church pancake breakfast this morning.

What I've accomplished so far:

Made more fruitcake

Wrote several Christmas cards

Made two batches of stir fry for lunches before veggies went bad

Wrapped gifts while watching Year One

Lake walk (cold but sunny)

Planned meals for next week

Painted nails while watching Four Christmases

What I still hope to get done this weekend:

Packages ready for post office run

Scrapbook

Finishing touches on homemade gifts

Remaining "weekend chores", plus a Winco date

Mall shopping trip (coupons burning a hole in my wallet)

Finish one novel and start my book club December read

“In hell there is no other punishment than to begin over and over again the tasks left unfinished in your lifetime.” - Andre Gide

12-04-09

Wow, I'm still up at 11pm!

Since I live for dessert (and Larry wanted to be in my blog), it seems fitting to post a photo of the dessert portion of our progressive dinner festivities.

It was really fun to spend time with our wacky group of friends and to take a break from counting calories to enjoy course after course of yummy food. It's also really fun to see how different families decorate for Christmas.

“If Jesus Christ were to come today people would not even crucify him. They would ask him to dinner; and hear what he had to say, and make fun of it.” - Thomas Carlyle

12-03-09

Marriage Man strikes again.

Tonight we filmed another installment of advertising videos for couples retreat. We're selling gift certificates for the retreat, so did a Christmas themed skit. Based on the true story of our first Christmas. Explaining why I still get tuna fish in my stocking most years.

"It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it." ~ Eileen Elias Freeman

12-02-09

Baby, it's cold outside! Woke up to 28 degrees and my car iced over. Forgot that it was late start at school today (first Wed of each month), so woke up Bruce and almost woke up the kids. Oops!

But he was a sweetie and de-iced my car for me. In his jammies. And his hat.

The PUD came today to read our meter to end the conservation contest, so maybe I'll splurge and use the electric blanket again tonight!

"Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation." - Kin Hubbard

12-01-09

Another basketball game tongiht. The Landy Mustangs dominated- for both points and fouls!

Tick tock, tick tock. I feel liek there is so much to do by Friday. But now the progressive dinner may be cancelled, which would postpone the holiday stress antoher week or so.

I've been reading a book that has thoughts to ponder for each month, and it's been funny to see the December entries as laced with realism rather than the normal sugar coated view of this crazy month.

"The month of December is a hodgepode of conflicting emotions, overwrough expectations, and exhaustion." - Sarah Ban Breathnach