Project 365

While Tonya was here at Christmas she asked me if I was going to do Project 365. She said she'd get me the album for Mother's Day/birthday combined. I told her I didn't know what Project 365 was; I'd never heard of it. She told me it's where you take a picture a day for a year and you document what the picture is and why you took it. (She had me check out Becky Higgins' blog - http://beckyhiggins.com/blog to get an idea of what she was talking about.) Hmmmm - sounded interesting, so I told her yes, I'd like to do that. She ordered the kit for me the day they went on sale but there were so many orders the website crashed. There have been lots of people upset that they didn't get the kit. I figure I can use something different as an album but I can't retake pictures from those days already past. Now, here it is almost a month later and I'm still taking a picture a day. Sometimes I've had to really look for something to photograph, and other days I have too many things to take pictures of. It'll be interesting at the end of the year to look back and see what happened, what was important and meaningful to me, and the memories it will stir up. This is a good year to do Project 365 - we're going to Colorado for Super Bowl weekend, I'm going to Minnesota to help my mom after knee surgery, Brad graduates from dental school, and Mitch completes his mission and will be coming home (we're going to pick him up). Those are just the things we know are coming - I'm sure there are many other things that will be happening too. I'm also looking forward to some of the simple ordinary things too that will document who I am and what makes me me! Think about doing this for yourself too. It takes effort, but I think in the long run it will definitely be worth it.

100 Day Heart Challenge

Shelly Weber (one of my football moms friends) won last year's 100 Day Heart Challenge sponsored by Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. She's healthier now, she lost weight, and looks GREAT! So, when she emailed me and mentioned they were doing it again this year and that they were accepting applications, I thought I'd at least apply. We had to write a 50 word or less statement as to why we wanted to do it and also had to commit to 12 weeks of nutrition classes at 7:30 every Wednesday morning and exercise 6 days a week. I applied and today was notified that I was one of the 15 women chosen to participate in this year's challenge. (There were 100 applicants.) I was suprised because I really didn't think I'd get picked, but I'm very excited. I've been wanting to get going again on losing weight, eating better, and exercising again. I think this will be the incentive I've needed to get me jumpstarted and keep me motivated. Anyone who knows me very well knows I can be very competitive! I'd like to be this year's winner, but even if I don't win the challenge, I still win. I'll be healthier and hopefully thinner. It's supposed to go till the end of May, so I'll keep you posted!

Nesting dolls

The girls wanted to "play" with my Russian nesting dolls, but I told them they weren't the play kind of doll. However, we took them apart and lay them all out so they could see how many dolls there were in the set. There's a total of 10 - the smallest is maybe an eighth of an inch big! You have to look pretty close to see that one.

72 Hour Kits

We had a ward activity where we put together 72 hour kits for emergency preparedness. We had a good turnout and people's minds were a little more at ease afterwards. The committee that chose and purchased the food did a great job in the variety of healthy foods to put in the kits.

Hawaiian princesses

Kelbee

Raimee

Brylee

Kelbee had Hawaiian day at school and wore the skirt, lei, etc. that Krysta had bought for her for it. Each one of the girls wanted a picture taken of them looking Hawaiian!

Football moms at Olive Garden

Jechelle, Suzanne, me, Sue, Shelly, Sally, Lena
Jechelle and Lena and Braden's blanket

Micki Sanner and her cookbook

Our monthly get-together was at the new Olive Garden in American Fork. Lena showed off the blanket she made for Braden and had embroidered - the blanket actually has 3 colors and is a replica of the German flag.

A couple of funny conversations - Jechelle's son Tabor is serving in Argentina and was serving with his 2nd mini-missionary. We asked what a mini-missionary is and apparently it's a priest-age young man that serves and lives the life of a missionary with the full-time missionary. I think they're only together through one transfer (6 weeks) but to have 2 in a row doesn't seem fair. Anyways, one of the lovely ladies (won't mention which one) hadn't heard her explain what a mini-missionary is, so she got in on the last part of the conversation and asked "is he a midget?" We all burst out laughing at that one, but at the same time you can see why she'd ask that if she hadn't heard everything!

We were talking about food storage and I mentioned Krysta's ward's performance of the Ten Virgins and I said I wanted to be prepared, I don't want to have to look at the Lord and say - could you hold on for a couple of hours while I run out and get the things we need. I'll be right back. Nosiree, I want to be one of the 5 prepared virgins to which one of these dear ladies replied - I hate to tell you this but you're not a virgin!!

As we were talking about wheat and having to grind it, etc, another one of these dear friends asked if you could buy pre-ground wheat. 2 of us looked at her and said - it's called flour. Oh yeah, that's why we love to get together. We laugh alot, and can laugh at ourselves and each other.

While we were sitting waiting for everyone to arrive, a gal that was in our ward in Provo about 20 years ago was also there and she'd just published a cookbook. She was pretty excited about that - she'd been working on it for 6 years. It's a beautiful-looking book. (I'm telling you - she hasn't aged in 20 years!!)

Her 1st car

Brie had been looking for a car for awhile - around Utah Valley and up in Salt Lake. She was really excited about the black one until she took it to our friend Cole Giles and he told her the real truth about the car - it'd been in an accident and there were several things wrong with it. We are so grateful for his expert advice so she didn't end up with a lemon.
She and Krysta then found the white one (a Chevy Aveo) she fell in love with it. This one got a "clean bill of health" from Cole, so she is now the proud owner of her own car. She loves the car and loves the freedom owning it gives her.
Wish you all could have heard the excitement in her voice when she called to tell me "your youngest daughter is now a new car owner!!" Oh yeah, and the best thing of all according to her - "look at the key, isn't it so cute?!!" Oh good - that's the most important thing about the car!

All tuckered out

Brylee

She sat down on the stairs and when we looked over at her we found her like this. How often have we been this tired and wish we could do exactly what she's doing. It amazes me how kids can just fall asleep in the most uncomfortable-looking positions - they're bodies just give out on them!!

Sisters

Tonya, Krysta, Brie, Missy
L-R: Tonya, Krysta, Missy, Brie

The girls like to take sisters pictures of the 4 of them together. We've taken them over the years in many different places. Believe it or not, they didn't coordinate what they'd wear in this picture. I give them and the grandkids alot of credit for today - it was freakin' cold outside!!

Pictures with Papi, I mean Santa!

Setting up
Are we having fun yet?

Look at the difference in the 2 pictures of Lizzy's face

The girls wanted pictures of all the grandkids with their Papi, I mean Santa, so Krysta picked a spot in Lehi and arranged for someone to come and take pictures. No easy task trying to coordinate 7 children ages 1-6 on a cold January day where jackets weren't part of the picture attire.

As we stood out by State Street in Lehi taking pictures of Santa, we did get a few honks and waves. We were joking about how Dave should stop at a local gas station/convenience store dressed in his Santa suit and ask "Which way is North?" However, by the time we were done taking pictures and on our way home, we both forgot.

Playing Wii

Missy got Jeff a Wii for his birthday last May, and brought it to our house over the holidays so we could all play it. Even the little ones can play it - I hate to admit it but they can also beat Nammi in some of the games!! There's nothing that makes the ego feel better than being beaten by a 6 year-old!!

Kelbee's new hair color

Kelbee had been asking Krysta for a long time to change her hair color. Krysta finally said OK and they went to get a color that was barely light brown with maybe a touch of red. It wasn't the color the box said it would be - it turned out much redder than expected. However, Kelbee looked cute as ever.

The spaghetti story

Dave is so good with kids, and pretty creative sometimes too. Years and years ago (when we were still living in Minnesota) after a spaghetti dinner he told our kids a story and used a couple of the leftover spaghetti noodles as part of the story. He threw them against the cupboard and somehow incorporated them into the story. It made such an impression on our kids that they've talked about it off and on over the years and so the grandkids wanted Papi to tell them a spaghetti story. Not wanting to disappoint them, he made a special batch of spaghetti noodles and told them a story. I probably should have listened to the story so I could say what it was about, but I didn't think of it at the time.