Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Review, Reflect, Recommit



Happy New Year!!  I love the new year.  It gives me a time to review, reflect, and recommit.  For a few weeks now, I have been reviewing and reflecting about the past year.  What went well and what still needs to be worked on.  I did great on a couple of my goals like finishing the kids scrapbook pages and the blog entries for all the grandkids.  But I failed miserably with the notes to my friends.  I made it three months and then nothing! I went to the temple regularly, but seldom with a friend.

As I have been thinking about this new year, I have identified a couple of places that I want to recommit.
**I want to increase my testimony of fasting.  I find it very easy to talk myself out of fasting, and when I do fast, it seems that I'm only going without food, it's not been a spiritual experience.  I'd like for that to change.  So, I'm going to fast every fast Sunday, beginning with a prayer and a purpose.  I'm also going to read 12 conference talks about fasting.  And if that isn't enough, I'm going to go to the temple once each month, fasting and I'm going to bear my testimony this year, not just during my RS class, but in Sacrament meeting.

**I'm going to continue with the kids scrapbooks, completing three more years for each kid.

**My social goals seem to be the hardest for me.  I've tried to figure out something that would be good for me, stretch me a little, but something that I can accomplish.  I'm going to make and send birthday cards to my family and friend this year.

**I've had mixed success with my physical goals in the past.  This year, I'm going to continue to eat healthier and exercise more.  I'll continue with a personal trainer once a month.  I'm also gong to go back to an older goal that I let slip.  I'm going to do my hair and makeup, even on days that I'm not going anywhere.  I feel so much better when I'm presentable!

It has been pointed out to me that I'm an all or nothing kind of person.  That needs to change.  And this is the perfect time to that.  I want to be a little bit better today than yesterday...a little bit better this week than last week...a little bit better this year than last year.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

PJ's

I was really excited about the pajamas this year.  I found some that all matched!!








Christmas Eve Dinner

Amy and Todd "conga lined" mom back to her chair after dinner!




I don't remember how this tradition started, but it's alive and well!!

All wrapped and ready for the morning!

The Nativity

Probably my favorite advent activity every year is the nativity pageant.  This year was no exception.  It started with the boys bursting out in song!  Not Joy to the World, but Tell Me Why!!  They decided that their name should be "The Wise Men and Wyatt"!  I love that while they were singing, Emma came running in, sat down, and proceeded to swing her arms to the music.




I love that Todd takes his job as narrator seriously, trying to get some kind of a rehearsal in before the actual show. I love Kathy as the donkey.   I love that baby Jesus is my doll, Susie.  I love that the manger is Todd's stood, up-side-down.  I love that these teenagers are willing to dress up and take a part.I love this tradition.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Swing pictures, kinda

We weren't all together for our annual swing pictures, so we ad libed.  The Mortensen's on their porch swing after church...

...and the Johnson's here the next day.