Life

I really thought that by the time I was 50 I'd have myself together. This life really is a journey, and I sometimes feel lost. I have the road map, gps, and destination, but I keep getting side tracked. It's like I see something shiny and forget what my goal is. Anyway....I just looked at my friend, Jenn's blog and she has inspired me to "keep on, keepin' on".

I hope I'm a joyful person, but I think I might be a whiner. I am so blessed but I want more - I want more time, more grandkids, more travel, more fabric, more, more, more! I had a real epiphany the other day when a friend reminded me that I'm lucky to have some time off during the summer. I was feeling sorry for myself because I didn't have the whole summer break off - I have to work six weeks of the break. She reminded me that I was lucky to have a job I love, great people to work with, and six weeks off.

So I'm trying to look at the glass half full again. I do love my life. And I'm so greatly blessed. Looking at the list of my favorite things is just the beginning of what I love and am blessed with. Could I have it any better? I don't think I need it to be better - life is rich beyond my wildest imagination if I just take the time to remember my blessings.

Ssprinnng!

Last week was spring break. It was so great to be off for a while. The first couple of days were all about me. I read, slept and mostly did nothing. My niece, Bonnie and her family came from Texas to visit for a few days. It was a great way to spend the rest of my time off. It snowed the first few days. The kids had a blast, they couldn't get enough of it. I went with them to the Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum - we were there for about five hours! I think my favorite part was watching the kids play in the sand and water. On Sunday we had some family come over to visit. It was great to see Chuck, Angie and their families. We had such a great time.

We've been watching the wildlife move back to their summer homes. On Friday a bull elk and his harem were walking up the road on the ridge behind our house. It was so funny to watch them marching single-file up the road. I guess that's easier than pushing through the brush. One night last week Jerry called me upstairs to see a Huge owl at the top of our deck eaves. He shined a light on him - he just sat there and looked at us with his big, round eyes. Then he went silently into the night and was gone. We woke up one Saturday to a tapping sound on the side of the house....a woodpecker was digging the bugs out of the space between our storm drain and the house. He was a busy, noisy bird. We had to clear a cute little song bird and his nest out of our deck heater. We watched about eight hawks flying around on Saturday. And we have too many deer on the hillside to count. I even saw a fox on my way home from work the other night. The WildLife is exciting around our house!

FEBRUARY

We're living in a Winter Wonderland. It's one of those snow storms that just hangs around and makes you want to make cinnamon rolls and chili and read a great book by the fire.....if only I could!

You'd think....

You'd think with all the time I had off over Christmas I'd have filled my blog with every detail. I especially love to post pics of the fam....not so. I spent the holidays doing all the things I love and lovin' every minute of it - except the bad cold I had.

We love having Santa come to our house for the adult kids. We can't help it, we love their faces when they open something great. I mean the grandkids are fun, but they just hurry through it all so they can play with their great new toy. The kids savor the moment, they open their stocking with relish and we can see the childish delight in their faces.

We did a couple of things this year that I plan to keep as tradition. I thought by now I'd have it all figured out, but we keep evolving and it's great. Here's what I learned.

1. SIMPLIFY
2. I don't have to make all the candy and cookies mom did...I had the girls up one Saturday, they picked a couple of sweets they wanted to learn to make - or wanted around. I added Scotch cookies - a family tradition since pioneer days.
3. We don't have to go out on Christmas Day. We have our big Celebration on Christmas Eve - dinner, program, presents. LOVE IT! Because of the snow, we didn't leave the house on Christmas Day. On the Sunday after we had a progressive dinner at the kids houses. LOVED IT! It gave them Christmas to spend with in-laws and letting the kids play. And we still got to see what everyone got.
4. Ask about Christmas memories, you'll talk and laugh for hours.
5. Parties between the holidays are just as fun.
6. Some traditions are meant to be thrown out...what a relief!
7. I don't have to put up five Christmas trees. Nor do I have to decorate the bathrooms, laundry, sewing, quilt, bonus rooms.....
8. The kids love picking through the old ornaments I'm not using. I love seeing them at the kids houses.

That's it. I wrote this mostly for myself - sorry people, but I want to remember what I learned so I can do it again next year!

I love family parties. I love to party. Period. But I really love having my family around. We hosted the Monson Social this year. Loved it! It helps that I have great in-laws that I like and consider friends as well as relatives. And that I have great kids who pitch in and help. I know I'm a super-freak when it comes to Christmas and snow and all that warm, fuzzy stuff. I'm thankful they tolerate me....