Nothing happening laundry list of things

I am sick of seeing that last blog post, but I don't really have anything interesting to say to replace it with, so I'll just give you a laundry list of things going through my head.

Christmas was great, but it's over. I guess I am taking down the tree today.

I am really into dance music right now. Like Mix 107.9 type music. I haven't ever listened to that kind of stuff before. Its fun. There are a lot of words bleeped out of many of the songs lyrics, but it really gets you going. Great for exercising in your basement.

Dirty air is gross. I notice Sunny coughing a lot more when the air is dirty. And my poor dad with is sorry one-and-a-half lungs can't breathe either.

I have to start eating regular again. No more candy and cake 10 times a day.

I am less than 10 pounds away from my goal weight at Weight Watchers. I think 2010 might be my year. In fact, if I knuckled down hard, I could probably meet my goal this month. People lose 10 pounds in a week on biggest loser. I could do it in a month if I tried.

I started lifting weights a little in my basement. We have them so I figured I might as well lift them. I really like it. In only three weeks I can already see a difference.

Me and Steve got snow shoes for Christmas. We are totally stoked. I think we will snowshoe today! Neither of us has really ever been, but that's no reason not to start.

Sunny is adorable. She is really attached to Mom right now, but she is super cute. She talks so much. I can't believe her vocabulary. She is 20 months now. Where did the time go. I should do an update on just her. I know I should..I will.
She just learned about her elbows.

We still don't have a van. I guess we decided to wait until we have reason to buy one. They are more expensive to run than car. Is the convenience worth it? You tell me van people?

I got called to be second councilor in the Relief Society, so I guess that is a big job. The business hasn't materialized yet, but I haven't planned anything either, so...

I won the Silver Pen Award at the Valley Journals. It's the most prestigious award they give. They have about 75 writers and me and one other person got one. You'd think it would have included a Silver Pen, but no. It's a plaque. Either way, it's the first time I have ever been awarded. I remember being in Misty's bedroom when I was a teenager and younger seeing all her certificates and ribbons for things she'd been awarded all over the walls in her room. I was not scholastically gifted, so this is my first award.

Alyssa is having her first ever medicine. She's 4 and never had a prescription medicine. That's pretty good. Who says being a germ-a-phoebe doesn't pay off. She loves it. It's like manna from heaven for her. Who knew antibiotics could be so tasty.

I got a new DVD. It's a abs video to firm up my abs, so expect to see results next time you see me. I haven't tried it yet, I just got it yesterday. You'll be like, "look at her abs! No way she's had two pregnancies where she got so big she could have been carrying twins!"

I realize surgery is probably the only way to really firm up my "abs" and by abs I mean loose skin, but this video was only $15 and surgery costs a lot more, plus there is pain and suffering involved with surgery.

Anyway...I guess that is enough. I am excited for the new year. I love new beginnings. I hope 2010 is the best year yet, full of interesting experiences, races, growing children and fun.

A Big Thanks to all Santa's Christmas Elves!

My friend (and former mission companion) works at a Head Start Program in Smithfield. She sent out an e-mail a few weeks ago detailing some desperate needs of some of the families in her class.

This is not the same kind of needs had by those who know how to “work” the Sub-4-Santa system.

According to what she told me, she approached one of the mothers and asked how she could help their family. The mother responded by saying that they would be fine and she didn’t need anything. After some hesitation she finally told my friend she was having a hard time getting the money together to buy a box of crayons for her kids for Christmas. So she asked if she would be able to get a box of crayons so the kids could color at home.

Really?!? Are there seriously people who can’t scrape together enough money to buy crayons? That is devastating to me.


So…I put my elf hat on and made some phone calls to some of my Elf friends and this was the result.

Thanks to the more than generous donations from my friends and family, I was able to collect, and buy all this stuff. Me and my mom shopped and bought all this for around $300.

It was like feeding 5000 with 2 loaves. I can’t believe how far the money got us.

We bought things for three boys ages 5,4 and 2. They each got 10 pair socks, 10 pair underwear, 2 outfits, Jackets, coats, hat and gloves, boots, Chutes and Ladders, Imaginext Dragon Castle, Hot Wheels busy airport, set of three balls, stuffed animals, Big can Carmel Popcorn, Monopoly, Ride-on Fire Truck, and various other stuff. Plus Mom and Dad each got a gently used coat.


As you can see it filled my living room. I just barely got it into my car when I transported it to where it needed to go.

Not pictured is the bags and boxes of other things we collected for other children in the class. We were not only able to help this one family but lots of other little boys and girls in the school.

I wept as I was checking out at the stores. I am sure people thought I was having some kind of a breakdown, but it was so horrifying to imagine myself as a mom who was not able to provide a coat and hat for my child during the winter.

I am especially grateful for the abundance I have been blessed with. I am grateful to be able to share with those who have less. I am so thankful to have such generous charitable friends and family who hear of a need and act to fill it.

May we have a Merry Christmas and remember those who cannot provide for themselves this season.
Post Note: If anyone wants an opportunity to give, there is still plenty more opportunity. The preschool my friend works at has 70 low income students. My friend tells me stories of children with no coats in -7 degree weather, kids whose underwear is full of holes and 5 sizes too big, kids wearing no socks and kids going to homes afterschool where they may or may not eat until they come back to the schools.

Let me know if you’d like to help. What do they need? Everything.

Missing

Okay, my pink kitty diaper bag is missing. Does anyone know where it is?

Also missing, Pink boots, child size seven. Where are they? Does anyone know?

I lose stuff.

Killing me softly

Why must gluttony always equal punishment?

The allure of all this Christmas candy is forcing me into bad behavior and killing me.

All this Christmas candy is making me sick. Literally. I just ate the most delicious coconut bon-bon and a chocolate truffle this after a day when I ate over the legal limit of candy comsumtion for a 30-something. Now I am lying around in pain. Why do I do this to myself?

Here I go...Yes...It's happening.....No more Christmas candy. It's only December 6th and already I am done. Sad. I just can't keep doing this to myself for the rest of the month.

Strummin my pain with its sticky fingers, singing my life with its words...killing me softly with its song, killing me softly with its song telling my whole life with its words killing me softly...........with it's song.