New Year means New Goals...

I am trying to figure out some attainable goals for the next year. The kind of goals that I will actually succeed at. So, here's a couple of little ones, and then one that I'd like to pull off somehow.

First, I have several projects that I need to finish and USE. So, I have already put one of them up on the wall and finished the next one. That leaves 1 1/2 projects currently on my table to finish. I am so good at starting these lovely projects and so lousy at finishing them.

Next I would like to start reading my scriptures daily if I can. I've never been good at that. (Confession there.) And would really like to start. So I have been following the Sunday School schedule. I figured that it was a good way to have some sort of program and keep me on track because I'm in the Nursery now.

The big one: Organize my house. I know that it's an on-going project, but I would like to be a more active organizer. And get the house painted. The paint's old. It's tired and we need to stay a little bit longer so I would like to have it look nice. And put stuff on the walls: Pictures, vinyl something.

There you have it. I am doing well on the first one. Okay on the second and getting better (wince) on the third.

Next project: Quiet books and felt food.

Why I Love Chinooks... and Ibuprofen

Caught your attention, did I? The one thing that I LOVE about the Calgary area in the winter, is the phenomenon of a Chinook. Here's a warm wind that comes from B.C. and the moisture is all sucked out by the mountains and so it's just warm, not wet at all. The best thing is that it brings up the temperature into the positive end of the Celsius scale. Snow melts and we even have a little bit of grass showing. I think of it as our little blessing for living in such long, cold winters. So, I'm wearing a sweater when I go and pick up Caleb today. Hooray for Chinooks!

As to the ibuprofen reference... that's what I'm living on right now so I can function. Sciatica sucks! Thanks to a good friend (Kira) for understanding and pain management suggestions. I've had HUGE improvements (aka I can move again.) Want to appreciate being able to clean? Kill your back so you spend most of your day on it. Will I become the next Martha? Nope. Do I seriously appreciate that I can move again, and take care of my family again? You betcha. Now, I have to remember to pace myself a little more. Off to the Canadian Back Institute this week and the wait list for an MRI. Joy.

But -- I CAN MOVE AGAIN!

Pictures of Christmas...

Our Christmas tree, which the kids helped me decorate, "fancy" hot chocolate on Christmas eve and visiting with family (Enoch holding his 2 month old cousin).

We had a good Christmas. Not too crazy busy, but enough to keep us out of the house. We spent Christmas Eve at home this year and it was really nice to open presents with just our family. I could keep track of what everyone got, the kids were happy to take turns opening presents and I managed to stretch it out for about an hour. Then the kids happily played, I cleaned and Clark took a nap. We got to my parent's house at around 11:30ish and spent the rest of the day visiting and playing video games. We even spent the night so that I could go Boxing Day shopping in Airdrie.

New Years Eve was spent at our house. I was happy to discover that while there were a lot of people crammed into my little house, it didn't feel like we were sitting on each other. Hooray for the basement being done! (Pictures coming on that one...)

All in all, a nice break. I'm happy for the schedules again, just not as happy to have them so tight. Next adventure: Disneyland!

Welcome to 2010. Or as Caleb put it, "Hey, 2010 looks like 20 and 10!