Resolution Check-Up

Okay, after not doing well over the summer months, I am back on track and making some progress.

Lose weight - Okay, not making progress in this area. I am actually up a couple more pounds. Life has been stressful and I've been eating my way through it. Ugh!

Earn YW Medallion - FINISHED! I am encouraging McKayla to finish hers so we can get our awards together.

Write my grandma's life history - I told you last month that my computer crashed. The hard drive went bad and nothing can be salvaged. I lost everything! I am still sobbing and trying to get motivated to start over.

Do major projects early
CPE - My total for the year is 44 hours. -FINSIHED in May
Christmas cards - I worked on them a little more but still not finished (getting close, though).
nieces and nephews birthday presents - FINISHED!
Christmas gifts - I finished a couple more and did some shopping. I'm feeling good about this area.

Write a book - I worked on this one and made some progress.

Get 7 hours of sleep per night - I started off the month really well and was feeling pretty great. This week I've been stressed and waking up at 2 am. That means I'm getting 4 to 4 1/2 hours of sleep. There hasn't even been time for a 10-minute power nap. So, I'm ending the month tired but I had three really good weeks so I'm counting this one as mostly a success.


Conclusion: Someone come kick my butt and get me back in gear for September!

parent-teacher conferences

Being a parent of mostly-good, generally-likeable students means parent-teacher conferences are generally not too stressful for me.

Until now.

I am in charge of the teacher dinner tonight. I'll be feeding 60 which should be a piece of cake (I've fed 200 for 3 days before). However, I had this nagging feeling all last night that I was forgetting something. I went over the menu in my mind. Yes, I had purchased everything. I went over the schedule for today. Yes, I had time to get everything done. I went over what I'd need to serve the meal. Yes, I had gathered every utensil/serving spoon I would need.

So, what was the problem?

I realized the problem at 2 am when I awoke remembering that I forgot to deliver the 30 chicken cordon bleus to the lady who is helping me cook them. Oops! One would think that since I couldn't do anything about that at 2 am that I'd be able to go back to sleep. Yep, one would think that....

Anyway, the menu for today:

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Sauce
Rice
Tossed Green Salad with Dressing
Rolls (from Texas Roadhouse)
Apple Pie
Vanilla Ice Cream

Certainly not a dietician's dream meal but, heck, I'd eat it. And enjoy it!

BLT Wraps

I love BLTs - they are just the perfect summer food.

I came across this recipe in the newspaper and decided to try it! I was a huge hit with my family and with a group of girlfriends. Hope it's a big success at your home too.

BLT Wraps
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C salsa
1/4 C diced red onion
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (I like more tomato)
6 leaves green leafy lettuce
6 10-inch tomato tortillas/wraps

Beat together cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in salsa and onion. Spread equal amounts on the tortillas. Sprinkle with bacon and tomatoes. Lay a lettuce leaf on top and tightly roll the tortilla.

missionary moment

A Brakston update:

*He is serving as a zone leader
*He is in Mesa
*His letters home keep getting shorter
*He is missing receiving mail (people just aren't writing much anymore)
*He can no longer speak proper English (he gets the words in the wrong order)
*He is super-happy that he is guaranteed to stay Spanish-speaking for his entire mission
*He comes home 4 months from yesterday!

choices

If we don't choose what to do, others will choose for us.

We are all busy. I can't remember the last time I talked to an adult that told me they didn't have enough to do. There are so many demands on our time. So many things compete for our attention. The only good news is that we have control. We can focus our best energy on what matters most.

I have some absolutes for every day:

1) time with the Lord (prayer, scriptures, etc)
2) time for me (exercise, reading, blogging, etc)
3) time for my children (listening, watching, special treats, etc)

What are your absolutes?

He's the KING!

You'd have thought I'd have been all cried out. When I got the call yesterday morning that, based on the voting, Alec was part of Riverton's Homecoming court, I hung up the phone and cried. (They were happy tears.)

I had the privilege of escorting Alec out onto the football field amidst the students' chants of "Alec. Alec. Alec." Sure enough, when they announced that he was the 2010 Homecoming King, all I heard was a pretty deafening cheer from the students. That overwhelming love and support re-started those darn tears! I ended up on the stand in front of hundreds of students (and parents) bawling my eyes out.

All I could think was that when they told me (a few hours after his birth) that Alec had Down syndrome I cried. I cried because I worried that he wouldn't have any friends, and that kids would be mean to him and make fun of him. Never, in my wildest dreams did I EVER imagine that I would one day stand and watch Alec be crowned high school Homecoming King in front of his peers who were cheering insanely loudly for him.


The tears are still coming. Maybe they'll never stop.

And, Alec, you'll always be a King in my book!

a new regret

I just returned from a funeral that left me feeling like I'd blown it.

The funeral was for a 92-year-old sweet sister who lived in our ward until about 3 1/2 years ago when she moved into an assisted living center. Beth was such a quiet, gracious, loving woman. I really loved her.

She always had a kind word. She was gentle and caring and really served others. Since being in the nursing home, she has never once forgotten our family at Christmas. She always sent a card with a handwritten message.

Do you want to know how many times I managed to make it over to see her? ONCE. Isn't that sad? Why didn't I make time to go see her more? Now it's too late.

I'm not the type to beat myself up over past mistakes. I just hope I learn from this one.