Resolutions Schmesolutions!

I don't typically make New Years Resolutions. Last year I set a few goals and didn't get one of them accomplished.  I didn't even copy the one I stole correctly. I'm that lame.

I am going to try one more time because I really do want to make a goal and succeed at it.  Here are my goals for 2011.

• Finish Personal Progress
• Run a 5k (at Whaling Days in Silverdale - the last weekend of July.)
• Drink enough water everyday
• Read the Book of Mormon twice. (1 chapter a day and 2 on Sundays is all it takes to read the B.O.M in 6 months. Give it a try! I know you'll like it. )

That's all I've got in that area.

Each year I try to do something new that I've never done before. To me those milestones are equally as important as resolutions.  Here are my accomplishments for 2010.

• I spent 2 full months without my husband while working full time, taking care of my kids and getting my house packed up to move to Washington.
• I swam in Long Lake fully clothed. (Swimming fully clothed is not a first, the Long Lake part is.)
• I ate eel. It was delish.
• We welcomed Anna into our home.
• Played 'music' on the violin and the viola
• I ate corned beef and cabbage. It's now one of my favorite foods and we have eaten it 5 or 6 times this year. (thanks Liz and Ben!)
• I am homeschooling.
• I made a rag doll...5 of them.
• I played a song on the organ using the pedals. (In the privacy of my own home.)

I think that is all.

One last note.  My little brother came to stay the night at our house on Tuesday. When they were packing up on Wednesday he wanted to vacuum my front room. I told him he'd have to do it using the hose because the belt was broken. I had plans to go to the store and buy a new belt on Friday and told him not to worry about it. He called me yesterday and told me not to buy one, he picked one up for me. I thought that was very nice of him. Last night when we got to a different brother's house he had me open a gift. He wrapped the belt. I like opening presents so this was all fine and good with me. The gift had an old USB thumb drive package in it and a note that said 'Have your kids open the big present.' This actually bothered me a little because he had a huge box that he wanted my kids to open and I knew they were going to be disappointed to find a small vacuum belt in it. But I played along. The kids opened the present to find not only a vacuum belt but a new vacuum to use that belt! Adam bought me a new vacuum.  What a huge blessing that is! Ours has been dying for almost a year but I keep 'fixing' it to make it last longer. Now that we have a new vacuum I'm going to let Matthew take the old one apart and we're going to try to build something new with it.  I think that is a great idea.  THANKS ADAM FOR THE VACUUM! We LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry--in a non blasphemous way.

Tonight we had friends over for dinner.  We've been meaning to have them over for about 4 months and it finally happened tonight. It was so fun we've decided to do it again tomorrow for Family Home Evening and then some games. 

For dinner I made an awesome meatloaf. It was delicious.

I am thankful for friends and yummy meatloaf.

I also like leaves that change colors in the fall. I took this photo on my cell phone through a dirty windshield on a street in my neighborhood...not too shabby! I LOVE WHERE I LIVE!

I'm all unpacked...5 months later.

When we moved into this house I unpacked everything in about 4 days. I didn't want to live with boxes and only half my things any longer. We'd already been doing that for three months. Anyway, at the end of the pack job I always seem to have a few boxes of stuff that doesn't have a home and I can't seem to figure out what to do with them. I had that same problem with this move. Instead of putting those boxes in the garage and not worrying about them I put them in my entry way. I had to look at them everyday and so did anyone that came over. I'm happy to announce that this week I FINALLY unpacked the last of my crap junk things. Here is the ugly before picture and the beautiful after picture.

Seattle Temple Trip

Nicole went to the temple for the first time on Saturday with the youth from the Pt. Townsend Ward with her cousin Regann. My Dad, Gina, Spencer and I were able to attend as well, along with Ryan and Rhonda. (Regann's parents, my brother and s-i-l) While we were in the temple, Matthew waited in the lobby with Mayson, Harmon, Nolahn and Payton. Here are some pictures from the trip and the lunch afterwards.

 Rhonda in the waiting room of the temple.

 This is what happens when you leave your camera with 3 boys who lose their brains when they are together unsupervised.

 from left to right:

Mayson, Matthew, Nolahn, Payton, Regann, Nicole and Harmon

Ryan's kids 

 The girls

 the boys

 Me with my kiddos

 Me with Nicole on her first day at the temple

 Spencer in front of the temple

 Ryan in front of Spencer in front of the temple. He wouldn't move! He thought it was funny. I thought it was funny after he moved, I had a photo and then we were at the restaurant.

A reflection of the temple in the driveway. This photo was an accident but it's AWESOME! 

 Me and Gina

Ryan, Rhonda and Matthew at the restaurant after the temple 

 Dad and Nolahn

 GROUP SHOT!

Matthew's awesome 'tuck in' job 

bff Matthew and Mayson 

It was a wonderful day!

Sign of Fall...

WARNING to my friend Trishelle, below are nasty pictures that you will NOT like.


I LOVE Autumn. It's my favorite FAVORITE season. (I typed holiday and had to delete it.) I love the trees changing colors, the brisk air and all the holidays that seem to follow so closely behind the beginning of this season. One thing I don't love is that migration of spiders from outside--where they belong and inside where they are disgusting. I'm not terrified of spiders like my friend Trishelle, but I don't like having them in my home.

For instance, check out this little monster that was on my wall yesterday just as Nicole was leaving for band. He looks big in the photo, but he was huge! Easily the size of a silver dollar. He's moved on to spider heaven now, thanks to me and my broom. I've got skills.

Our guest came back for another visit...

This time he took a nap on our back porch-in the middle of the day.

Our new neighbor 'Joe'

This evening Ken and I came home from the the super market and saw a huge raccoon run across our driveway, stop and stare at us, and then run up a tree.

Right as 'Joe' ran across the drive, the kids ran out of the house. They were going to see it. We quickly sent them back in the house and explained that raccoons aren't interested in playing.

I called my Dad to tell him about it, because that is what I do whenever I ever see anything exciting, and then it showed up again in the back yard. It was looking for a treat. I got it on video. I was talking to my Dad while I recorded and when I hung up with him I also ended the video. But I also got some still shots of 'Joe'. They are in the post right below this one. I took them on my phone so I had to send them separately.

I tried previewing this video and it said to try again later. I'm not sure why that would be be. Anyway, if it doesn't work, try again and if it still doesn't work, let me know and I'll try something different.

We live in an enchanted forest...

Look at these tall trees! They're my favorite!

Our house from the other side of the cul de sac.

The view down our street.

I LOVE IT!!

The Melting Pot

Thursday night I was able to go out to dinner with my parents and Gina at my most favorite restaraunt, The Melting Pot. It's a fondue restaraunt. We were there for a little over 2 hours. The conversation was nice and the food was great, as always. While we were on the ferry, Gina and I took a few pics of us together. We were pretty happy with how some of them turned out, so I thought I'd share those as well.