Meet the Family

I thought it would be fun to introduce you to the family. We’ll start with the parents.



Here’s Dad:

His life-long goal is to go to Sturgis on a Harley Davidson.


And Mom:


She does not like to have her picture taken. Usually, she’s hiding behind someone else or making a weird face.

Now, K. He is my oldest brother and is by far the biggest sports fan I’ve ever met. And, he has a big heart, too.

K is married to E.

E loves chocolate! If you want to keep your chocolate, don’t let E see it.

Then I come in.

And I’m definitely the smartest, prettiest, and favorite child. Yup, that’s right.

Then, J.

We like to play pranks on each other. He thinks he’s got one up on me, but you just wait! I’ve got a good one planned.


J is married to A.



I’m so glad he married her! We like to get pedicures.

J and A have two of the cutest little boys in the world.

C and M. They are the best.

C is full of energy!

He loves to play trucks with the village.


I love M’s cubby cheeks!

And bringing up the rear is Coach.

Coach loves to golf. And he thinks he’s good. But he’s not a very patient teacher.

How Was Your Christmas Day?

I love Christmas. This year, we had a fabulous day in my family. I’ll update later with some awesome pictures, (and by awesome I mean pictures that my family wishes weren’t on my camera) but for now, I’ll share some things I discovered over the past two days.

1. My mom and dad are hilarious when playing Cranium.

2. A “blue garbage man” will keep a 3 ½ year old occupied for hours.

3. There’s nothing quite like a white Christmas.

4. Even though I’m an adult, I still act like a 5 year old when it comes to opening my presents Christmas morning.

5. When my dad says that I got “stupid” presents, he means that I got lots of stuff I really wanted and needed.

6. My nephew sings the best rendition of Carrie Underwood’s “Wasted.” Even when he doesn’t “have enough time.”

7. I am not patient enough to put a puzzle together.

8. I like to be wrapped up like a burrito.

9. I want cheese fondue for Christmas Eve dinner every year.

10. When it snows, do not park your car on a slanted driveway. Because when you go to move, you might end up in the bushes.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Looks like my mom is on Santa's nice list this year!

Setting Goals

As soon as Christmas is over (and the holiday is always over sooner than I think it should be) the new year is upon us. Pretty soon, we'll be hearing about New Year's Resolutions all over the place. I've never been one to make New Year's Resolutions. I tend to make goals all through the year instead of in January. But this year, I decided to make some New Year's goals.

Last year, I heard of someone who sets goals by following a scripture. The scripture is Luke 2:52: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Here is a wonderful example for us to follow when it comes to setting goals.

Following this scripture, I will set goals to increase intelluectually (wisdom), physically (stature), spirtually (in favor with God), and socially (with man).

Let's just hope I'm still on track come February 1.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Happy 100!

This is my 100th post. I find it a bit hard to believe that I actually have that much to write about. Wait, I take that back. It's really not that hard to believe.

Last night, I had an overwhelming desire to write. This was a bit strange to me because I write all day long for work. Usually, I come home from work and don't want to even think about writing for at least 10 more hours. But last night was different. I didn't really know what I wanted to write about; I just knew I wanted to write. So that's what I did.

The song Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day was in my head. And this is what came as a result of that song and my writing mood.

"It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right,
I hope you have the time of your life." – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Green Day

Life is unpredictable. We don’t know where we’ll end up and sometimes we don’t even know how we got started. There are ups and downs; happy days and down right terrible days. Sometimes, we wonder what it’s all about. And then, one of those defining moments comes along. One of those times when you know all is good, that you’ve tried your best, and you have no regrets. One of those moments when everything, if even for just a small amount of time, is absolutely clear. You are certain. You are strong. You are headed down the correct path. When all the chaos of this life gets out of hand, it’s these defining moments that let us know that, “in the in it’s right.” It is then that I realize I’ve lived life the best that I know how. There are still plenty of things to learn and I have a lifetime yet to discover all the wonderful stuff in store. And I can’t help but think, even though my life has turned out differently than I ever planned, I certainly am having the time of my life.

Green Day got it right.

Freshly Fallen Snow

I love the stillness that comes after a snow fall. Tonight, a snow storm rolled through the valley. I looked out my window just before I closed the blinds for the evening and realized how still and calm the world seemed. I could see snow falling, lightly, through the glow of the street light; there was a fresh blanket of snow on the front grass; and not a single car was passing on the street. I looked down the rows of houses in my neighborhood and saw twinkling Christmas lights and porch lamps on waiting to greet the owner when he came home. For one, small moment the world seeemd at peace. The freshly fallen snow gave me a new hope for this life.

By tomorrow morning, the snow will have feet tracks, the cars will turn the snow into slush on the side of the road, and people will be busy making their way to work and school. I will likely be among those cursing the crazy drivers who go way too fast on wet roads or lamenting the ice the is surely forming. But for one moment, all is quiet and all is well.

Believe

In my office at home, I have a plaque that says, “believe.” Mo Mo gave it to me as a gift after she came to visit last summer. When she gave it to me she said, “I thought ‘believe’ would be a good thing to have in your office as you work on your writing. I hope it will remind you to believe.” Since that day, I’ve thought about what I believe.

This Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, I thought I’d make a list of things I believe in. This list is not everything I believe (because that list could get really long) but just some things I’ve thought about in the last few months. And when the world gets a little too much to handle, I think it’s nice to have a reminder of what it is we believe in.

I Believe…
- Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God.
- Everybody has a little bit of good inside of them.
- The difference between a good leader and a great leader is this: a good leader says, “get that project done.” A great leader jumps in and helps get the project finished.
- If we all lived the Golden Rule, there would be less violence, less sadness, less heartache, and more peace, love, and joy in the world.
- Families are forever.
- It’s important to dress your body as it is now instead of dressing the body you wish you had.
- Time heals all wounds.
- Good friends influence your life forever, even after they’ve left your presence.
- If I’m having a bad day, the nephews will make it all better.
- Everyone needs to feel like they are making a difference in the world.
- Sometimes, it really isn’t all about you.
- And sometimes it is.
- Self worth has nothing to do with being pretty, being popular, or even being liked.
- I live my life the way I do because of an inner conviction of what is true.
- My outward appearance reflects that inner conviction.

I invite you to make a list of what you believe in, also.