Sunday Six

I am following the crowd, joining the family, keeping the tradition, caving to pressure... whatever you want to call it. My family has been doing this for a while and I have STUBBORNLY RESISTED. It is not that I am not grateful. I just didn't want to commit to a weekly post. I have a hard time with commitment. But, it is a new year, with lofty new resolutions, and maybe new traditions. We'll see. This may be a one time thing. Anyway, here goes... the 6 things I am grateful for most this week:



1. I am so grateful for modern medicine. This week my friend's 40 year old husband underwent open-heart surgery for an aortic aneurysm the size of a small potato. First of all, it was a miracle that they even discovered he had it- and even more miraculous that he was able to EASILY glide through the surgery. Also, my co-worker's friend also delivered a 1 pound baby this week (at 27 weeks) due to pre-eclampsia. The baby is doing well and expected to be fine. AMAZING! The drugs and technology we have available these days are such blessings.


2. I am grateful for new babies being welcomed into the world... both of which are NOT mine. There are two pregnancies that I am so excited about. Although it is not my place to announce them, I am thrilled for the families that are expecting. Congrats!


3. I am grateful for a new children's book series... Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love when I find fun books that I can read aloud to my kids. We read the first book (The Lightening Thief) in just a few days and have now started the second book (The Sea of Monsters). It is easier to read to your kids when you actually enjoy the book yourself. Books have come a long way... or maybe I just enjoy them more as an adult.


4. I am grateful for blogging and the opportunity I have to keep up with my friends and family that don't live near by. I feel like I know my friends and family so much better through blogging.


5. I am grateful the holidays are over. I love the Christmas season- the decorations, the music, the lights, the giving, the traditions, etc. I love the beginning of the new year. The feeling of a "new start" and new resolutions. But to be perfectly honest, I am ready for my darling children to get back to school and begin basketball. They have been cooped up for too long. They need more activities. Tomorrow, life will be back to normal. AAAHHHHHH!


6. I am grateful for Dr. Beckstrom, braces removed, and a beautifully straight smile. Garrett got his braces off on Tuesday. His teeth look great. We still have more to come, but the initial phase is over. I am thankful his teeth moved so quickly and that it was a pleasant experience for him. Dr. Beckstrom and his staff are fabulous.

Straight in Eight (months)

Remember this smile?

And then there was this...

Then this?

After 8 quick months, we have the all new and improved smile. Garrett's teeth moved so fast. Even the orthodontist was surprised. At Garrett's appointment in October, Dr. Beckstrom said they were going to begin the process of pushing Garrett's molars back to make room for his Canines to grow in. He said it would take quite a few months and that we were looking like April would be the month for brace removal. Well imagine our surprise when we went to his next appointment and they told us the shift was complete and we were preparing for retainers. His teeth look beautiful. Garrett did a great job taking care of them, brushing and flossing every day (usually more than once). Anyway, here is the final product of Phase I (Phase II will begin once he has lost all of his teeth). We really couldn't be happier.

Resolute

I was commenting on my mother-in-law's blog about New Year Resolutions. I realized that I never really accomplished (or even started) my resolutions for this year, and I only have 5 days left. I figured I could just carry over the resolutions into 2009. Then I remembered that I already did that from 2007. I was feeling really bad about myself. I decided that this year I am bound and determined to accomplish all of my resolutions for 2009. I have also decided that if I write them down, where other people can see them and hold me accountable, I maight actually follow through with them. I also realize that I need to set more realistic goals for myself. Working out 6 days a week just isn't going to happen when you work and are the mother of 3 children. So here goes... MY REALISTIC RESOLUTIONS:



1. I will eat more chocolate in 2009. (OK, so I don't really know if this is possible. I think I personally kept the workers at Hershey employed in 2008. But, I will do my best).

2. I will cook dinner for my family a few times this year. (See, no pressure. If I cook more than a few meals... I will feel so good about myself).

3. I will complain at least 4 days a week about some aspect of my life (work, chores, school, weight, snow, etc.).

4. I will buy myself some new running shoes (without making a committment to run).

5. I will waste more water (by taking a really long hot showers each day... I can actually get more time to myself).

6. I will take more naps in 2009 (Mmmmm, or should I say Zzzzzzzzzzzzz).

7. I will go see one more movie than I did last year (that means I have to see a total of 2).

I feel better now that I have those set. Bring on 2009... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I'm dreaming of a GREEN CHRISTMAS

Snow is over-rated. For goodness sake... it is just FROZEN WATER! I have heard people say that it isn't Christmas unless it is a WHITE Christmas. I am just here to say that Christmas comes in many colors and white isn't necessarily the Christmas color of choice in this home. I, personally, prefer a GREEN Christmas.

Anyway, this week we were fortunate enough to have two days of snow. On Monday, I was picking the kids up from school. I was on the phone while watching all of the kids come out of school. I said, "Oh my! There is a kid in just a t-shirt walking in this freezing cold weather. Does he not see the snow on the ground? And here is another kid in shorts and a t-shirt. does he not have a mother...(slowly fading to silence)?" Holy Crap- it is Garrett! Yeah- snow on the ground and my kid is wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I asked him, "Garrett, where is your coat?" His response, "I don't need one. I'm not cold". My response, "I don't care if you are not cold. You need to wear one so that people see that you own one and know that you have a mother that loves you. People are going to think that you don't have any warm clothes and that I am a negligent parent". Garrett replies, "So". I say, "So, they will put me in jail for abuse". His response, "Cool". The conversation obviously did not go in the direction I had hoped.

Wednesday night, it began snowing again. At 10:10 pm I get a call from my neighbor. "Did you hear that school is cancelled tomorrow?" Are you kidding? I look out side and see this...

Maybe we will get a couple of feet

OR maybe just 2-3 inches. This is what we woke up to...

And believe it or not, they actually cancelled school on Thursday. Yes- 3 inches of snow and school was cancelled. We just are not equipped to deal with the white powder here in the desert.

The kids loved it! They had snowball fights!They made snowmen!
They had more snowball fights!

They ate snow (but not the yellow kind). They had yet another snowball fight!

And they fell down at least forty-seven times.

Gracie liked the snow for about 2 1/2 minutes. Then she said "that snow stuff is too cold". Remember, she is my child that tells people she lives in California. I'm with her though, that snow stuff is TOO cold. Although it was fun for a minute, I'm dreaming of a GREEN Christmas in the 80's.

A Night re-Cap

Has it really been almost a month since I have last posted? A MONTH?! My goodness, where has time gone? Quick re-cap of time gone...

Bursitis in shoulder with an impinged tendon = OUCH!

Lidocaine = no help.

One painkiller = dizzy and throwing up ALL DAY!

Ultram = BAD!!!!

Finally = relief, after 4 days.

Went to SLC for the state Championship football game =Hurricane Tigers vs. Juan Diego Eagles.

50 seconds left in the game, Tigers tie it up = crazy exciting

8 seconds left in the game, Eagles kick a field goal and win = SO SAD! MAJOR DEPRESSION!

Thanksgiving = thankful

Had family in town = Very fun

Playing with the Carter's, Hyde/Maxwell's, Starr's, Brooks = Great time

Finals = YUCK!!!!, but over

Christmas coming = BAH HUMBUG! Trying to get over it!

Christmas concerts = merry.

Shopping = when?!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Grant's football team won the CHAMPIONSHIP on Saturday. We are so thrilled. We have had a great football season this year. Here is the football recap for you...

Garrett's team, unfortunately, lost in the semi-finals to a team from Moapa Valley. Moapa Valley is a small town in Nevada. Due to the size of the town, they allowed 4th, 5th and 6th graders to play on the same team. I don't know what they feed those boys down there, but they were GIANTS! Garrett's little team looked like midgets in comparison. We were sad about the loss, but it is good that these boys experience a loss now and then... they've been the champs for the past two years and I think they needed a little humbling :)

Grant's team played in the finals yesterday against Dixie. They were able to pull off a 6-19 win. Before the game, they announced each players name and called them out onto the field. Grant was chosen to be one of the captains for the championship game and was very proud of that. It was a good game, tight score for the first half. However, they held Dixie to one score and came off victorious. After the game they were given big trophies, took pictures, and the coaches announced they would have a big celebration party this week. That is all that matters at this age... the after game treats, trophies, and parties. Grant's loving the champion lifestyle.

Finally, our Hurricane Tigers won their semi-final game and are playing in the state championships this Friday. They will play at Rice Eccles stadium at 10:30 am. We are going to make the long drive up there for the game. We can't wait. We were unable to go this last week because the game was on Thursday. It was difficult for us to have to listen to it on the radio and not be able to watch it live. We couldn't stand not to be there for the championship!!! What kind of fans would we be?

The very next day BYU will play those DIRTY Utes in the same stadium where the Tigers will play on Friday. I hope BYU will bring their stuff to this game. It will hopefully be a good one. What am I going to do now that football season in winding down... I seriously won't have a life for a while. Maybe, I will finally find time to clean my house...just in time for the Holidays.

Tagged

My friend, Jill, tagged me on her blog. I am suppose to open the 4th picture from my 4th file and explain it. Well, here it is...

Isn't he a beauty?! Although maybe it's a she I can't tell? Anyway, the story behind the "cocadrilla"(not sure about the spelling, but this is how it sounds when you say it in Spanish) ... In February/March, Russ and I went to Mexico. We spent 4 days at an all inclusive resort on the beach in Cancun. We then drove 2 hours south to Boca Paila and spent the next 6 days fly-fishing. During one of our Cancun days we drove to Coba to check out the Mayan stuff (Right now I can't think of the right terms. You know what I am talking about... their pyramids/temples/architectural stuff... very cool). Anyway, as we got to Coba, there were two little kids- about the ages of Garrett and Grant- that had raw meat on a string. They would throw the meat into this pond and draw the crocs to the surface. If the tourists paid these kids, they would allow you to get close and take pictures. This was how they made a living there. CRAZY. Anyway, Russ paid them a few pesos and seriously got within three feet of the crocs and snapped some pictures. The others were much cooler, but this was my 4th in the file. I, too, got very close to this guy... like within 100 yards. I couldn't believe that a mother would send her two babies down to make money by playing with crocs. Who knows... maybe she used to have 4 kids down there making money. Hmmm. It was a fun trip. Coba was awesome.

I'll tag Jessica, Jill, Lisa, Tina and anyone else who wants to play. It is kinda fun.