Power Outage

Things that Went Right Today:

1) Family sing-along by candlelight!

2) Registered for the team beachbody coach summit in LA this Summer.
3) LOVE the new 8 week diet plan I found. It's not about weight loss..just about changing your nutritional habits.

A huge snowstorm on the east coast knocked out our power last night.  At first we all groaned and just waited for it to come right back on like it usually does, but it was soon clear this might be a longer term situation. We decided rather than complain to just have fun with it though. Lit a bunch of candles in the living room and everyone gathered around while my daughter played Taylor Swift songs on the guitar and we all sang along. It was corny, but we had a wonderful time there together in the candlelight. This morning when we woke up we assumed we'd have power again, but no luck. I was less enthusiastic about this, because I had many things planned for the day, and it was getting rather cold in the house. The work on the master bathroom would be delayed again. School was out because of the weather so the kids were all home, and I had nightmare visions of them getting on each other's nerves (and therefore on mine) all day long. Wasn't too thrilled about the prospect. But as it turned out the forced break was fabulous. We got a fire going in the office and shut ourselves in there together to stay warm. We brought in crayons for the little ones to draw and some board games for the older kids. I cancelled all of my appointments and curled up on the couch with my travel books to plan my Italy trip. Had been wanting to do that for awhile, but hadn't had the time. Dreaming of sightseeing while listening to my children laughing and playing together equals BLISS! As does a day free of errands and hammering and saws from the bath remodel. I felt myself relaxing almost as if I was on vacation. There was almost a twinge of regret when the lights finally flickered back on late this afternoon. Back to real life. I wouldn't want the power to go out all the time. But it helped us to appreciate how much we rely on electricity...from the microwave, to the hot water for a shower, to light to read by, to the refrigerator...we are blessed in a multitude of ways every day by the power of electricity in our homes and lives. It's nice to be reminded from time to time how amazing the things we take for granted really are. And to have a little rest from the normal day-to-day bustling around and just hang out with my family. It was a very nice day all in all.

Do you ever felt like your spirit has an internal power outage? Like things go dark and you can't see your way ahead very clearly? Find yourself floundering around and bumping into things? Unable to function in the ways that you are used to. Resources feel limited and life feels a little bit cold? I think for various reasons we all feel that way sometimes when hard times come into our lives, or when we make mistakes or feel we aren't as competent as others around us maybe? Many things can cause our internal lights to falter some at times or even to threaten to go out all together. These moments in life can be short  or extended in duration, but the way that we choose to respond to them can make all the difference in how the experience shapes us going forward. We can wallow and complain, but that will rarely do any good.  We can feel bad about ourselves and fight to restore power, but that too can be a self defeating effort. Far better to take stock in what we have to feel excited about. Gather with family and friends and sing. Yes it may still be dark, but at least there will be music right? Why not dream a little? Play a little. Cancel the things that just don't matter, and rest and relax a little. Eventually the light will come back on and we can have new appreciation for all we had been missing. But until then, there is still joy to be found in small and simple things. I'm grateful this day for the power and strength I draw from others when mine wavers. For the warmth and light they share with me every day of my life. And I am grateful the power is back on! Today was a lovely day!

Small Stuff Matters

Things that Went Right Today:

1) Bought the domain name I wanted most!!! Yeah!
2) Puppy finally learning to use the pads (mostly)
3) Loving the "couch to 5K" app for my iphone!

We've all heard the phrase, "don't sweat the small stuff." I wholeheartedly agree with this. It's a philosophy that I strive to live by. No sense letting life's little worries get you down. In the grand scheme of things most of them won't end up mattering much anyway. Focusing on the good makes life way more fun in the present and keeps us aiming in a positive direction for the future. That's why I write a blog about thankfulness right? But today I'd like to say a word in praise of the "small stuff" that DOES matter. Because I'm finding that seemingly insignificant things can have a huge impact.

Case in point...my dishwasher. Many months ago for reasons unknown one of the wheels on the lower rack fell off. Could be that the kids were too rough when pulling it in or out? Could be that someone stepped on it while climbing onto the counter. Could be the dog chewed it off. Will never know for sure. The truth is buried completely in denials as it so often is. But in any case it broke off. Would have made sense to have it fixed right away, but who has time to worry over things like that when the dishwasher works fine otherwise...so we forgot about it. Didn't sweat it. The lower rack rattled some, but basically worked ok even though it was slightly off balance. Not too surprisingly with it's unstable tracking another wheel broke off a few weeks later. Then another and so on. We still sort of ignored it, even when we were down to half the normal number of wheels. It was just an insignificant detail. Sure it was harder to move the rack now and this bugged us while loading the thing, but otherwise it wasn't worth worrying over. My son does the dishes so for many weeks I gave it nary a thought at all. Until the dishwasher stopped getting stuff clean. The dishes were often coming out looking dirtier than they went in, and so I finally investigated only to discover that there were no operable wheels left at all on the lower rack.  It was sitting directly on the spinner so it could not rotate and therefore not clean the dishes. Hmmm. Guess it was finally time to deal with the wheel issue. Called the repair company and ordered new wheels, and we hand washed for a week or so while waiting for the new parts. This was kind of a novelty at first and a fun time to talk with my kids. But with 9 of us living here right now it became burdensome pretty fast. We dirty an awful lot of dishes to put it mildly. My hands were beginning to look and feel like the Sahara Desert. The long awaited day arrived and the wheels came in the mail. We joyfully went to install them only to learn that although they had sent us the wheels, they had failed to send the little clips that secure them into place. To be fair I hadn't ordered them specifically when talking with the gal on the phone...but I guess I assumed they would send me all necessary parts to go with the wheels? Grrrr.  So now we're waiting again...still hand washing...for the silly little clippy things that have no name that are essential to secure the wheels, which are essential to the proper function of the lower rack and thus the entire dishwasher. My family has been thrown into a dishwashing frenzy and spent countless hours up to our elbows in soapy water, all because of a small little part with no name that I ever even knew was there before. It's a little thing. When it's working as it should you don't even notice it. But it's clearly a pretty crucial element in the overall system.

Think about your computer keyboard if the "R" key was missing. The rest of the keyboard could be in perfect working order, but it would be worthless just the same without that one key. Or try making cookies but leave the sugar out of the recipe. Yuck! Or type in an email address missing one number. Doesn't work does it? There are many examples, but the point I am making is that while we should not sweat the small stuff...we SHOULD respect it. Give it it's due when deserved.

Sometimes people feel like small stuff too. We think we are insignificant compared to the glory that others seem to merit. That maybe we aren't that important in the grand scheme of things or have little to offer. Others seem to have more beauty. Or more talent. Or more fame. Higher position. More friends. Sometimes we feel like that tiny little dishwasher part...slogging along doing what we do, without any notice or respect. So this is hats off to the little people.  The ordinary people who make this world work every day. We all matter. A family feels incomplete when one member is away. The quarterback cannot get the glory without the lineman doing his job well. I am "just a mom", but I think what I do every day benefits the world. Training my children to become hard working, moral, good citizens. My work  certainly matters in the lives of the 9 people put in my keeping. I am not famous, or noteworthy in any particular way, but I matter. And so do you! We all do. I am thankful this day for the regular folks. We may never have the same recognition or rewards as others for our labors, but our society is indebted to regular people nonetheless. And I'm thankful to know that as an ordinary woman, the things I do and think and feel can have extraordinary impact even still within my home and community. Small stuff matters!!!

Idols

Things that went right today:

1) Watched "Under the Tuscan Sun" and got so excited for my trip to Italy!
2) Chocolate fudge bundt cake
3) New blinds being installed in the upstairs bathrooms


American Idol returns tonight. I am openly willing to admit that I am a huge fan. I rarely watch TV generally, but during American Idol season I will be glued to the set every Wednesday and Thursday night to watch the hopefuls shine and falter, and to laugh and cry with the rest of the faithful followers (Oh come on...you know you watch it too!) I've wondered in the past what America's fascination has been with this show. In part it is the shock value of Simon Cowell's biting commentary. Will be quite a different feeling this year without him. Part of it is the music and the superstars that come on as guest hosts and performers. But mostly I think it is the thrill of watching otherwise regular folks just like you and me have a forum to showcase their talents. To rise above their ordinary circumstances and become wildly famous. Not for being outrageous. Or for making a lot of money. Or for marrying up. But for being good at what they do. Really good. And for working hard and having tremendous courage to reach beyond their comfort zones, to accept criticism and to grow. They represent us all as we reach for our dreams don't they? Their successes inspire us to take a chance in our own lives. I can't wait to watch this season unfold with my family!

The question naturally comes to mind...who are MY idols? Who do I look to in my life for inspiration, guidance, and examples to follow. Of course there are the obvious...Martin Luthor King, Mother Teresa, Neil Armstrong, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Jesus of Nazereth...people who magnified their time on this Earth and through determination and courage made concrete differences in the lives of others. Often paying heavy prices to offer their gifts to the rest of us. Then there are those who bless us with their talents...both God given and developed through blood, sweat and tears...Mozart to Joe Montana. Gershwin and Michael Jordan to Sinatra and Michelangelo. We benefit from their hours and years of practiced skill. Public servants like firefighters and police that keep us safe need to be mentioned. Of course we can't forget the men and women serving in the military that help us sleep easier at night. And there are the idols of business too...Buffet, Gates, Trump and the like...who show us how to use both brains and guts to achieve greatness in financial things, and benefit society with products that enrich our lives, generous philanthropic grants, and jobs for so many who need them. I could never begin to acknowledge the many individuals who have made a true difference in the world and who deserve admiration and praise. But today I want to say a word about the unassuming heros that rarely are spoken of as idols. The volunteers on the sidelines at the Special olympics,  the mothers kissing boo boos better,  the missionaries digging wells in Africa. Blood and organ donors. The candy striper holding the hand of an elderly patient who is lonely. Classroom volunteers. Scout leaders and youth soccer coaches. Normal every day people who give of themselves and offer time and kindness to others when no is watching. Not for gain or notoriety. Just to reach out and touch the life of someone else in need, because their loving heart was big enough to share.  I am thankful this day for the generosity and quiet acts of service and kindness I witness every day in my community. These angels have blessed me personally and inspire me to give more of myself as well. They are my idols!!! Now on with the show!

Never shut up

Things That Went Right Today:

1) Going out to a motorcycle stunt show tonight! Should be really fun.
2) California omelet. Great way to start the day.
3) Antique shopping with my daughter this afternoon.

Ok I admit it...I may have a slight tendency to talk too much. Actually to be more accurate, I rarely shut up. My emotions spill out in words. Everything I know and believe I long to share. I even THINK out loud for goodness sake. I am not alone in this affliction however. It seems to be a rather common female trait. Many women (and some men too) out there are just like me. We just simply love to talk. Need conversation almost as much as eating or breathing. In fact, my son came home from cub scouts one day to inform me that the native american symbol for "noise" was a picture of three women talking. He found this hilarious for some reason. Energetic, extroverted, type 'A' women such as myself have been known to take this natural inborn drive to impressive levels. I have been known to yammer out full paragraphs without taking a breath. It's a skill acquired from years of practice.

In my defense, I am also a good listener. I genuinely love people. Interacting with them and learning from them. I will drop everything if a friend needs to chat. Connecting with others is typically the primary objective of my speech. But even still I have come to realize in recent years that I could stand to channel my incessant babbling. Find a healthy outlet for my insatiable desire to express myself. First I discovered texting. This was going fine for awhile until I realized that it could get rather expensive and also a tad annoying to the recipients if not kept in check. Solution? I guess I COULD learn to be quiet. There is merit in this. It is often in tranquil silence that we find our centers and connect with more ethereal things. OR I could keep right on talking, but just not out loud. Eureka!!! The beauty of the blog! I wonder how many relationships have been improved by people having someplace to vent besides chattering endlessly to their significant others? I wonder how much brilliance has been discovered when folks have the opportunity to explore ideas openly. How many outwardly reserved individuals have found a place to let their voices be heard. I am thankful this day for my blog. For a place to talk and talk and talk to my heart's content and never have to shut up! And I'm thankful for those of you who "listen." Thank you my friends.

Hard Shells

Things That Went Right Today:

1) LOVED my first toastmasters meeting. SO much fun.
2) Shower tile almost done!
3) Found a great couch to 5K app for my iphone.


A popcorn kernel...hard, tasteless, nearly impossible to chew. Could chip a tooth. Not an ideal snack. But apply a little heat and a miracle happens. It pops into a light fluffy morsel bearing little resemblance to it's former state.  Popcorn is one of the most versatile and popular treats around actually. Standing alone it's a low calorie healthy food, but a little butter and salt make it even more delish. Not to mention carmel corn and kettle corn and cheese topped popcorn. Tasty for sure. I wonder who was the first person to look at a tiny little seemingly impenetrable kernel of corn and think..."hey maybe I could heat this up and see what happens?" I'm guessing it happened by accident long ago. How fortunate for us all that strange discovery.

Coconut... at first glance not too appetizing. Tough bark-like exterior. Looks more like a fuzzy bowling ball than anything you would want to consume. And they are extremely difficult to crack. Even using knives it's a chore to get one of those crazy things open. Takes a special touch and the proper tools. The practiced hand of an expert though can open them right up easily to expose the soft tender center and sweet milk. Not everyone is a fan of coconut, but those of us who are think they are well worth the effort.

Oysters...prehistoric throwbacks. Seriously why would anyone ever have considered trying to eat one anyway? First you have to wrench them off of a rock deep in the ocean. They are not too attractive really all covered in barnacles and scaly dirty looking shells. Then you need to figure out how to pry them open only to discover that even the insides look rather unappealing. Slimy, briny, bizarre little creatures. But yet somehow in spite of their unbecoming appearances they are considered quite a delicacy and fetch a handsome price in fancy restaurants from coast to coast. And every now and then when you open one up you find an exquisite pearl formed by the friction of a grain of sand trapped inside the shell. Beauty embedded in the beast.

People too can come with hard shells. Or they develop them over time due to heartbreak or life experiences that cause them to build protective walls. People can at first glance seem unappealing or difficult to reach at their cores. Sometimes it takes persistence...being willing to go the distance and put forth the effort to break through to the person within. Sometimes it takes a little heat or the hard whack over the head that life can so often unexpectedly deliver to reveal who a person really is deep down. Even to themselves. But underneath the tough exterior if we are patient and love unconditionally, we can often discover hidden beauty we may otherwise have missed. The sweet tender heart that was afraid of being hurt. The bright warm personality hiding behind the mask, but wanting so desperately to come forth. Just needing a helping hand to find the courage to show itself. The roughest outsides can often contain the softest inner spirits if we take the time to coax them out by building trust and friendship and safety for others. Never judge a character at first glance. Never assume that first impressions are the only reality. Keep reaching for those who are difficult to reach. Loving others even when they don't deserve it. Expecting greatness of the unremarkable. And sometimes if you are really lucky you will find the pearls. I am thankful this day for the lessons I have learned about love from those who seemed unloveable. They have often proved to be the relationships that have taught me the most.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

 Things That Went Right Today:

1) Puppy learned how to "sit" (if she would learn to not piddle on the floor that would be even better)
2) Friend coming to dinner tonight
3) Got my car back from the shop.

Adapted from a talk I gave in a church women's meeting a few years ago. The assigned topic I was given was "Bloom Where You Are Planted." Before beginning I passed out a basket of flowers and asked each woman to choose one to take home with her:

     I'd like you to use your imagination and go on a little journey with me. Try to clear your mind. You can close your eyes if it is helpful to you. Let these walls fall away and in your mind's eye envision yourself strolling through a quiet garden full of flowers. Now this is the most beautiful garden you have ever seen. I want you to try to see  it in as much detail as you can, to try to make it as real as possible to your senses. For instance, what colors do you see? Cheerful yellows? Vibrant reds? Peaceful lavenders? What variety of flowers surround you? Stunning roses? Happy daisies? Fiery snap dragons? Are there shady places? Flowers climbing up rock formations or blooming along the banks of a small pond perhaps?  I would venture to guess that each person would view a different scene because we all have  unique visions of beauty, and that's ok. The importance in this exercise is the serenity and contentment that you feel in this place.
     Today I'd like you to think of each of us as a single flower in the vast garden of this world. And of God as an expert gardener carefully and lovingly planting and grooming his masterpieces according to his perfect and eternal design. If you were to walk with me down my imagination's path, certain images would stand out in particular. I'm going to highlight a few for you and tell you what I have learned as I've been thinking these past few weeks.
     The first thing I notice is the incredible variety of flowers. So many colors, shapes, sizes and heights...each flower requiring different conditions in which to thrive.  Some need sun, some shade. Some need lots of water, some only a little.  Some like daffodils bloom in early Spring, others in Summer like roses. A wise gardener knows what to plant and when and where. Picture for a minute an impatiens jealously seeking a marigold's coveted place in the sun. The marigold is usually planted in the front row. Our impatiens wants the marigold's bright beauty failing to appreciate her own. Those of you who are gardeners know what would happen if the impatiens moved into the marigold's place. She would quickly wilt from the sun's heat and fail to grow. But in her optimum shady place, she thrives and becomes quite hardy. No, she can never become a marigold, but she can find artistry and perfection in her own sphere.
    So it is with us. I fear that we waste precious time in subtle discontent hashing out "if onlys". "If only I had a little more money." "If only I were a little older or a little younger." "If only I was a little more beautiful...taller maybe." "If only I lived in a different part of the country or had a better job or a more considerate husband." "If only life had spared me my struggles and pain." "If only I could live in so-and-so's  shoes, then I would be happy."  Do we trust in God's wisdom though? Do we really believe that He loves us and will place us in conditions that will best help us to grow? May we all seek contentment in this trust.
     Along these lines, I also notice in my garden that all of my flowers are at different stages of development. Think of the seedlings first planted indoors, so delicate they require very tender handling and monitoring. But as they grow, they gain strength in stages until they are ready to be moved outdoors to face the elements. If left too long in their seed pots they will eventually be stifled and die, but if moved too soon they will not thrive. Once placed outdoors they continue to grow...day by day in stages.      Consider the example of the day lily. Day lilies are charming flowers. As a new gardner I might think it would be nice to have a small row of day lilies along the back of one flower bed. Well it wouldn't take me long to learn that as day lilies mature, their bulbs multiply and their beauty spreads rapidly. A wise gardener learns to work with this, dividing the bulbs regularly and thereby spreading their beauty around the garden, or by using day lilies top fill in large spaces. At times in our lives we are seedlings..delicate and needing extra care. At other times we are day lilies...strong and hardy...dividing and spreading our love and grace to greater spheres. The trick seems to be in patient progression, magnifying each stage of our journey as we are in it. There is joy to be found in every stage of our lives. Carpe diem...seize the day.
   A couple of quick random thoughts...
   One: The very elements that threaten a tender flower's existence..rain, sun, wind...are the same ones that ultimately strengthen and sustain it's life. Let's try not to face life's hard times with fear. They may in the end prove to be the true essence of our purpose and creation. The moments that made all the difference.
   Two: I notice in the garden that the flowers reach and stretch toward the sun as a source of warmth, light and life. We too have a source of light in the Son...the son of God. As we look to Him and reach to Him, He will embrace us with warmth and love.
   Three: If we take a closer look through the eyes of the gardener, not all is serene and lovely. The rain doesn't always fall when it's needed. And the sun can sometimes feel too hot.  Bugs threaten to destroy. Deer wander through and chew up the plants. The gardener's work is never done...pruning, carrying water where needed and pulling weeds. Always remember that we are never truly alone. The good shepherd is continually watching over his flock and will not leave you comfortless. Imagine the magnitude of His concern and His great love for each of us.
    Finally, if I were to ask all of you what your favorite flower is, I would get dozens of different answers. Beauty is expressed in so many various ways. Azaleas are majestic in bloom with hundreds of blossoms. They are stunning. Yet who could deny the simple elegance of a single perfect rose bud? Is one better than the other? No...just different. The wise gardener plants these flowers side by side in complementing patterns to create a greater picture than each alone could paint. Some give shade to others and blooming seasons alternate to provide consistent beauty. We aren't in this alone. Let's help each other to bloom.
    These are just a few of my thoughts. Spend some time exploring your own gardens. There are many more insights to be gained. As I look around this room today I see an exquisite and wonderful garden before me. The flowers I gave you were meant to symbolize the many varieties of loveliness, both of body and of spirit, that I see in each of you. So much potential. You truly are wonders of nature. Daughters of God so lovingly nurtured by the Master Gardener. I encourage you to trust in His wisdom, to reach for the sunlight and to bloom wherever he has planted you!


Today I am thankful for the lovely flowers that surround me in my life. The women who are my teachers,  confidants and inspiration. For my Mother and sisters and dear friends. You all add beauty to my world every day. Thank you for all that you are!

Laundry

Things that went Right Today:

1) Master bathroom remodel underway. Long overdue
2) My Shakeology stuff came from beach body. It really DOES taste good. Yeah!
3) Carpets cleaned. Not so scary to walk in the basement now.

OK I know that one of my New Year's resolutions was to refrain from whining. I may have to break that just for a tiny second here though, because I'm not sure how to discuss the dreaded laundry topic without something of a whine coming through.
Over the years I have been blessed with 9 beautiful, wonderful, fabulous bundles of joy! They are the greatest delights of my life aside from the bundles of laundry that accompany them.  Let's say two loads of personal laundry a week each times 11 people. That is 22 loads. Add in 4 loads of sheets and towels and maybe a random load of extra stuff and it's averaging about 27 loads a week at our house. Except wait...you have to add in the clean clothes that get rewashed because they ended up dumped on the floor while a child is deciding what to wear and then get trampled over. And the 25 pairs of underwear that the potty training child went through...today! And the 15 towels required to clean up the major flood caused when the toilet overflowed...again!   I won't even mention the puppy generated laundry. That would definitely be a whine if I did that. And the hand towels in the kitchen that everyone insists on using once and then tossing into the hamper. Even though the paper towels are sitting right there on the counter. And the teenagers who wear three outfits in a day sometimes. And the football gear...unmentionable as well. EEWW! And in the interest of full disclosure I must admit the extra loads that happen because I started a load and then forgot about it until it reeked and had to be run again. And my all time personal top pet laundry peeve...the piles of folded clothes that I gave to a child to put away and rather than do that they stuffed them on the closet floor until they melded in with the laundry also being stashed there. Pulling folded clothes out of a dirty laundry bin makes me go wild. It's not pretty. Believe me. You get the picture. Laundry is a huge force to be reckoned with at our house. A constant steady drain on my time and energy.
I have tried to fight it with creativity. In our laundry room rather than just one set of washer/dryers, we installed two stacked high capacity sets side by side. So we have a veritable laundry mat up there. This is wonderful in terms of getting the clothes washed and dried in a more timely fashion. Trouble is though that they still need to be folded and put away, and when I am washing two huge loads at a time I can get behind pretty quickly if I'm not pretty diligent. Then I end up with gigantic mountains of clean clothes in the laundry room that serve to pile guilt upon me every time I walk by and see them and know that I have a half hour of work sitting there that I really should get to...and then an hour, and then...well...depends how long I wait. But at least the family can rummage through the stack for something to wear if they get desperate right? I also gave up sock matching years ago. It was becoming the bane of my existence trying to match up so many different sizes and styles.  I could watch a whole episode of daytime TV while trying to match the socks of the week. But the thing is I don't really like TV so...the solution became two big laundry baskets under my folding table. One for dark socks and one for light socks. If anyone needs socks they have to go on a hunt. And occasionally I will offer financial incentives to the kids to go on a folding binge. Not ideal, but it's saved me from a life of soaps! I also have offloaded some of the responsibility to other family members. My husband now does all of his own laundry. Partly because I needed the help, but partly because he got tired of his clothes getting lost in the laundry room chaos and then being "borrowed" and run off with by his sons never to be seen again. He figured to protect his stuff he better intervene. And knew me well enough to know that presenting me with the issue in complaint form was unlikely to go over well. Good decision!  When our children turn twelve years old I teach them to do their own wash. Which in theory should release me from a lot of the workload. Um...NOT! See they have tricks that they figure out right away. If they leave the laundry wet in the washer and then leave for school, then in order for me to run a load ...you guessed it...I have to finish the load that is sitting there. And if they just simply elect not to do laundry for extended periods of time than the massive explosion out of the hamper and closet to the floor is likely to get on mom's nerves which occasionally results in her 'helping out". They are smart.  So really at age twelve they begin to be taught. I don't think they really fully integrate the lesson until they move out of the house. I hope they do at least and are actually washing 7 pairs of underwear a week? I just try not to think about it. I do also have the children help with putting their clothes away. Even the little ones. But this can often backfire and I find clothes thrown in a corner halfway to their ultimate destination. Or put in the wrong person's dresser. Sigh. We'll keep at it.
Over the holidays the situation became a tad out of hand. We played and had fun, but yesterday the day of reckoning came at last. I HAD to tackle the mound that had been building to epic proportions. It took all day, but I'm proud to say it was accomplished and my laundry room (and conscience) are now clear.  I played some music and danced a little. Had kids wander through and chat and even help some when the atmosphere was jovial. Funny how that works isn't it?  And as I worked I actually found joy in the task. There can be an odd comfort in repetitive mundane work at times. A rhythm and order to it. The laundry room is peaceful and warm, and there is satisfaction in tasks that can be finished and measured. Additionally there is a sense of happiness that comes from serving the people I love in this simple way. Am I ever going to love doing laundry? Probably not. It's kind of a necessary evil. But I can stop fighting it so hard and realize that whining about it does no good. Keep striving for solutions to streamline the process perhaps. Laundry may be boring, but it is not meaningless. It's a very important job. The clothes themselves have little importance to me, but the people inside them are my whole world. I am thankful today that we are blessed to have plenty of clothes to keep our family warm and dry. So many people in the world do not.  That huge pile of laundry that makes me whine is actually a great privilege indeed. And it reminds me how many fantastic people I get to share my life with as well. When the little ones all grow up and move away I will have far less laundry to do. But I suspect I will long for the crazy laundry days and wish I could have it all back to hear my young ones laughing down the hall again. I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts!!!

My resolutions

Things that went right today:
1) Son missed his flight back to college so we have a few more hours with him.
2) Tropical scented hand lotion. Feels like I'm at the beach on this cold winter day.
3) It's a brand new wonderful year! Here's to 2011!

To create an air of accountability for myself, I've decided to put my personal resolutions for the coming year in print in a public way. I'm counting on my friends to make sure I stay in line. Now the below list is only a starting place. My total list of hopes and dreams is WAY to big to tackle all at once. And some things are too personal to publish. The list will grow and change as the year goes on and boxes get checked off and new goals are added. So this list is more representative than comprehensive, but it's a place to start and a direction to begin walking in right? I would encourage you all to put your resolutions on paper as well. To make them real and alive for you. I've divided my list into three parts

Things to cut OUT in the coming year:

1) FAT...we're switching to 1% milk. The kids are not thrilled, but I am undaunted. It's a small but concrete thing I can do for my family's health.
2) DIAPERS...had the youngest almost potty trained last fall but then we sort of went backwards on it. This is the year! The time is now for this house to be diaper free for the first time in 20 years. Wow! Seriously motivated on this one.
3)  SODA...I am not enforcing this one with the kids until I am fully practicing what I preach. This could get rough, because as I've previously admitted to others I am a bit addicted. But between the sugar, salt and caffeine it seems that soda is one of the worst substances you can put into your body. I'd like to keep it out of mine going forward. Better not talk about it anymore though or I may break my resolve on day one. A giant Dr. Pepper sure sounds good right now. Uh oh.
4) WHINING...enough said.

Things to add IN to my life this year:

1) ENTERPRISE...I hope to get my preschool, blog, beachbody coaching and websites all running smoothly throughout this year. These are all things I am excited about doing so I'm finding renewed energy as I'm adding them into my world.
2) TRAVEL...I'm planning to make a trip to Italy this spring to visit a dear friend and Boston this Fall to soak up some American history. Additionally my 18 year old son and I plan to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in the Summer. We had planned to go last year, but that didn't work out for various reasons so we are trying it again this summer. What a great experience that will be to share with him. Hope we can make it to the top!!
3) PERSONAL GROWTH AND FULFILLMENT:
 Piano lessons starting next week.
 Tennis lessons this Spring (this could be highly entertaining to observers. Let's just say I haven't played    in about 25 years. Yikes)
 Ballroom dance lessons (yes...I'm serious. Salsa maybe? Why not?)
 Joining toastmasters this month to try to get back into public speaking.
 Hoping to run a 5 K in the Spring. I "ran" one once before but cheated and walked some. Trying again.
 Signing up for karate with my 9 year old son. Hope I don't die. I'll admit I'm a little scared.

Things to RECOMMIT to anew:

1) Connecting daily with my creator through prayer and scripture reading.
2) Bedtime stories with my little ones. They just won't stay little forever.
3) Fitness and health (the dreaded sweat!).


I'm all revved up for the year ahead as I look at this list. I am thankful that my family is healthy and for the myriad of blessings we have that will make the above list possible. I'm also grateful for those of you who take the time to read my crazy ramblings here and encourage me to keep on writing. It is a wonderful outlet for me and I appreciate your friendship and support more than you know. Happy New year!!!