What Did You Do The Last Day of January

This is how Kaleb spent his day.


Boys will be boys!

Day One of Needs vs. Wants

So it's only day one and I want to cheat already. I know, weak. So I dyed my hair last night. My kids kept teasing me about all my gray hair. So I bought me a golden brown color kit. I even knew better than buying anything with the word golden in it because it gives me a weird red hair color - yuck! So can I buy a new color, is that a need or a want? I need to feel better about myself don't I? I also wanted a haircut but since it's a want I have to talk someone into giving me one, Kellie, I wished you lived closer, David won't do it.
Alright, enough of the whining, my hair color will fade in a few weeks and I will be happy that I can go without buying something just to make me feel better about myself. It's good for me right, thats what we tell our kids to make them feel better.

My February Resolution

So most people do New Year Resolution's, but I'm a bit of a procrastinator, funny thing is that's not even one of my resolutions. Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about wants and needs lately and how I truly apply that to my life. A general conference article from May 1999 came back to mind, one that David and I had taken many quotes from and stuck them on our fridge, I think it's time to bring it back. The article is called Greed, Selfishness and Overindulgence (I tried to hyperlink this but I ma having technical difficulties) by Elder Joe J. Christensen of the Seventy.. Here are some of the quotes that we had written down:
"There, there, little luxury, don't you cry. You'll be a necessity by and by."

"How many truly great individuals do you know who never had to struggle."

"I choose not to give our children what I can afford to give them. I hold back for their sake."

"Children who always get what they want will want as long as they live."

"Fix it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."

"How much house do we really need to accommodate our family comfortably?"

So as I have been reminded of these it gives me new resolve to make some changes. I am by far not wealthy, but I have enough to share. Elder Christensen goes on to quote C.S. Lewis on being generous. He quotes, "I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare... If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us,...they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them." Reminds me of the widows mite.
He closes by adding "if we desire our families to live lives of depth and meaning, we must have the courage to examine honestly where our treasures lie and avoid the pitfalls that result from greed, selfishness, and overindulgence. Let us each remember:
First: Not to confuse wants with needs.
Second: Avoid spoiling our children.
Third: Live modestly and avoid debt.
Fourth: Be generous in giving to others."

So this outlines my February resolutions. I am going to start by following the first point, "not to confuse wants with needs" to do this I am going to live the extreme of that for one month. Kellie (my sister) has agreed to do it with me.
For the month of February we will not purchase one item that is not a necessity. If we don't need it we won't buy it. We have built in an exception ( I know, weak form the start) we will allow ourselves one food want (most likely something chocolate) a week. Lets face it we don't want to be crazy here. I figured if we could do it for one month it will show us what we really can live without so we can focus on more important things.

Christmas Party

Kellie and her family were down from Utah for half the week and Kellie wanted to do a Christmas party while she was here. Since she needed a place to have it she used our home. The nice thing about letting Kellie have a party at your house is she will come and clean your house first. Every shelf got dusted, 4 chess sets included, piece by piece, windows washed, bathrooms cleaned. You can have a party here anytime Kellie!

David and Ashley


Courtney & her snowman


Ashley trying to pin the nose on the snowman.


Cameron, after they spun her around a dozen times.


Porter, Kaden and my little Russian boy


Kellie's Family


Ethan enjoying the pinata spoils!

New Traditions

We have started a new tradition, it started with two years in a row, now that we've gone three times in a row I guess that constitutes a tradition. Jon Schmidt, he's our new tradition. He does a Christmas performance every year and he is a lot of fun. After leaving one of his shows it always inspires you to go and practice the piano a little more. If you ever get a chance to go and see him, do it, you won't be disappointed.

Arizona Sunsets

We have been getting the best sunsets and sunrises lateley. I just thought I would share one from the other day. We also get our share of city wildlife, we get lots of rabbits and lots of birds in our neighborhood. We get lots of quail, the occasional woodpecker(who loves the plastic street light across the street), we've even had a few roadrunners, but the weirdest one I saw the other day was a crane flying near our house. I saw this big bird fly by and it was huge, then we realized it was a crane. I'm still holding out for a pink flamingo!

I'm Finished!!!!

I am officially done with school for the semester. Yea! I remember my third week in, thinking this is never going to end, but it did, amazing isn't it, how time just keeps on going :-) Anyway, I had my last two finals last night and I'm to the point I don't even care what grade I got (well, I say that now but I know I'll be anxiously awaiting my grades). So I learned a few things on the way. I had been out of school for 13 years and I have to admit I was nervous about going back. I learned I can kind of do hard things (see Holli and her Darn Poster). I can't b.s. my way through a paper as good as I used to, but give me time; and last but not least, I kind of liked going back to school. Now I get a month off, yea again, my kids are so jealous, but I plan to see this degree through this time so I will start back in the spring. Hopefully this time I won't be as nervous.

For my Utah friends and family, I was out shopping last night and I thought to myself, you know, I should have wore a jacket, it's a little nippy out. I don't know why I thought you guys might enjoy that little thought ! :-)