since the new year...

--I've been knitting a lot more. I can't say for sure where my motivation has come from, it's been so long since I picked up my needles, but I have been enjoying the rhythm immensely.

--We've had very cold temperatures. I haven't been able to warm up yet.


--I started sewing classes for Megan and Tess. First lesson we learned about the machine and how to thread it. Throughout the entire lesson Tess told me all the ways my sewing machine differed from her Nana's superior machine. I laughed. My machine may be 25 years old, but it can certainly hold it's own--has never failed me yet. Second lesson was practicing sewing straight and curved lines on paper. Once they got the pressure on the pedal down they did great.

--Bella got my old iphone for Christmas which acts as an ipod touch since it has no service. Anyway, she has been sending me "good night" text messages and listening to music in the morning like her dad. I guess they've all taken on that habit to want music when there is none.


--We set up skype so the girls are now able to see their cousins in Washington when they talk. Funny how the first few times they ended up staring at themselves instead of talking--they're getting the hang of it.

--I've been sleeping horribly or maybe it's just been the last three days. At any rate it feels like it's been forever since I've had a toss-less goodnight sleep.

--I've read Tuck Everlasting and Wishin' & Hopin'. Enjoyed them both.


--My dad, who's been playing a bachelor all week, came to dinner and to help Tess with her science project.

--I've been trying new recipes and my families been enjoying them. Go figure. Perhaps they're leaving their picky ways behind.

--Bella started taking piano lessons. I have a feeling she is going to catch on very quickly. Hoping to get a picture of her lesson today to go along with my 12of12.


--squinkies & lots of 'em.

--I'm ready for January to be over. The gray (inversion) is started to get at me.

holiday happenings

--We had a family party with my extended family and played musical chairs. Usually the little kids just play, but this year each generation had a turn. I'm thinking it was our parents that wanted to get a crack at it. Tess and my dad won and I got second place, lost to my cousin Nick. Man we were so close to sweeping it as a family.


--Megan and Bella had their annual Christmas violin performance last Tuesday night. Megan could not get her hat to agree with her. Each time she took a bow it would reposition in all sorts of crazy ways.

--I'm working on my 5th time through Pride and Prejudice in the last week. Don't judge me. I simply have not been able to get enough of it--it has kept me company while wrapping and folding laundry. It is good to laugh and swoon while doing work, no? One of my favorite lines, "i am not the sort of person to torment a respectable man. Please hear me when I say I cannot accept you." Tess, who was home from school Friday with pinkeye, got her first glimpse into the wonderful world of Jane Austen. I think I have managed to persuade her, although I'm quite sure she didn't follow it completely.


--Bella, who's the only experience violinist in her 5th grade orchestra, was able to play a solo at the school recital Wednesday. Though she has been quite modest about the whole thing I know she was thrilled to be able to do it. p.s. forgive my poor video capturing skills. I had to cut out the first few seconds because it was unwatchable. New years resolution--work on my video skills.


--Megan's dance class did a little demonstration for the parents Thursday after school--a little rendition of the nutcracker. I was quite impressed by her developing skills since the last time I saw her perform. If dancing is something she'd like to do, I dare say it will take her.

--It's snowed again last night after a warm weekend. My 80 year old neighbor told me he mowed his lawn for the first time ever in the month of December. Crazy. Hopefully it will be white for Christmas and then I'm all for 50 degree weather. Of course it's not the cold that gets me in the winter, it's the grayness.

--My studio is a disaster. So much so that it's difficult for me to come in here. Boxes, wrapping, filler, tags, ribbon, and all manner of packaging scattered about the room waiting to be used. It looks like Christmas is coming. Cannot believe it's less than a week away. Are you ready??

Happy Monday!
xo

12of 12 | December

Admittedly I was not too happy about having another Sunday. Not that I don't like Sundays, but around here they're just really low key. I had to laugh at myself because that's the exact reason why I started to do the 12of12 challenge. It allows you to capture your life on a normal, perhaps slow day, you wouldn't normally think to capture. I love the little pieces I ended up with today and hope you feel the same about your day.


[click here to enlarge]

01. Doing my normal Sunday "morning" routine--working on Primary business.
02. Adam made breakfast for us all before he left.
03. My primary binder. It sees a lot of action during the week, but especially on Sundays.
04. Watching Adam take his leave to Tennessee.
05. Primary kids singing, "Once There Was A Snowman".
06. Finally a blue sky. I've missed this sun this past week.
07. Adam and I saying our final goodbyes.
08. Bella enjoying her after church time.
09. The word of the day is: gallivant\ GAL-uh-vant, v; to wander about, seeking pleasure or diversion; -- The girls have been putting the word of the day on our chalkboard for a week or so now. They've been using my dictionary app to help them. I'm actually quite enjoying the reminders myself.
10. Went to see my parents today. They told me I made their day and here's proof--my dad being my dad playing with the girls. I so remember that as a little girl. Makes me so happy to see them together.
11. The gifts are beginning to fill up under the tree.
12. We stuck around to watch a movie with my parents. As per usual we had bowls and bowls of popcorn.


I really can't believe it's December already. Seriously, I feel like we just got started and we've already done this now 12 times. I hope you've enjoyed playing along with me this year. I have loved having all of you participate with me each month & hope you're ready for round two--definitely planning on 12of12 for 2011.

Don't forget to share!!

the best a girl can have

a conversation had a few weeks ago while I was removing nail polish from my toes...

Adam: Can I paint your nails?
me: I'm sorry, what did you say?
Adam: I want to paint your nails.
me: Are you serious?
Adam: Ya, I need the practice so when the girls are older I can do it for them.



This is the type of father Adam is...always thinking about ways he can spend meaningful time with his girls doing something for them. He tells them he loves them all the time, but it's how he shows them that speaks the loudest. I do not say this lightly, he is the greatest, most amazing father a girl could have. My girls are blessed indeed, and so am I.

Thank you Adam for being what your girls need, for loving us through the hard days and unbelievably good ones. We love you.



dad, I know Adam is such a good father because you are my example of what a father should be. Thank you for always making me feel loved and adored. You're the best! I love you dearly.

christmas epiphany

I admit, and am not proud of the fact, that often during the holiday season I feel a little bah humbug. It's not that I don't love Christmas, giving, or the reason we celebrate the holiday in the first place, it's that somewhere along the lines I get overwhelmed with gifts I want to buy when money is tight, my time is no longer mine with constant parties and gatherings, the traffic is incredible and not to mention when the snow falls it's tough to get around, there's the things I want to make or get to that I never have time for, so much snacking on holiday deliciousness makes my pants feel tight...

I started out this Christmas season with the best attitude. The best. I thought, this year will be magical. Then days slipped by and slowly I descended from the "this year will be magical" place and found myself overwhelmed as I've been before. It's so frustrating to find myself back there, especially when I was determined not to let it creep in. I put a smile on my face and told myself that all was well, it worked at times, the frustration lifted, and then at others times I was back in it. I couldn't really make sense of it and found myself on my knees asking why?

Then it happened. Earlier in the week I was looking through the pictures I took of my family Christmas party on Sunday and I saw this...


[dad & tess]

Something clicked inside my head and I remembered what Adam said during his Christmas message Sunday, "how we treat Christmas affects us". I think I've been focusing far too much on the list that needs checking off and forgetting all the things that make Christmas magical that can't be checked off a list...people. Christmas is the time of year that brings us together. It's as if Christmas is the beginning and the motivation to keep us together all year long. It's about family. Neighbors. Friends. What I remember about Christmas as a little girl is not what I received, it's the family gatherings and the traditions we had together each year that are etched in my memory and will never be forgotten.

The other thing I remember about Christmas as a child was the things I gave. I remember the gifts I made at school as a young girl, wrapping them my own special way and being as excited to give it as I was to get gifts from Santa Claus. Christmas is about giving. I've come to the conclusion this year after spending a 357 days thinking about giving (my word for 2009) that we give because we love. If you think about it whether you're buying something, making something, or giving yourself as an act of service, you've taken time out of your life to think about someone other than yourself....there is definitely a level of love shared. It's no wonder that we celebrate Christmas because of Jesus Christ who was the supreme example of love and giving.

So while I may have bobbled back and forth the last couple of weeks, this week Christmas just got sweeter. I'm feeling the magic. I finished wrapping all the gifts this morning and cannot wait to give them to my family the next two days. I'm excited about all the Christmas plans we have left with our families. I'm looking forward to all the many holiday treats I'll come in contact with...I can get back on track in January. When I'm out in the crowds I've been saying Merry Christmas to anyone who crosses my path. Slow roads because of the snow = a lot of Christmas carols in the car.

I hope you feel the magic too. Merry Christmas!

a conversation

I was gone and Bella & Tess had a sleepover with Whitney last night so it was just Megan and her dad for most of the day.

This was the story I heard when I got back.


[photo taken Sept 14 while Adam was home from work sick]

meg: said right when she woke up at 8:45am, "where's mom?"

adam: "she's at a church activity."

meg: "ahhh"

adam: "why do you like hanging out with mom so much and not with dad?"

meg: "because she's so smooth and you're so hairy."


while getting breakfast together

adam: "where am I so hairy?"

she stroked his arm

adam: would you love me more if I shaved my arms?

meg: definitely

13 miles, I can do this....right?

Can you tell by my title that I'm experiencing some doubt?


[circa 1980]

The dream all started with my dad. When I was a little girl he ran marathons and I remember going to the races with my family and watching for him. When we saw him coming we would run along side him for as long as we could, we were so excited. Since that time, somewhere in my mind, I've often thought about running a marathon too, but once I grew up and realized what a marathon was I sort of put my dream of running in the far far places of my brain because in reality do I really wanted to run for four hours? I was doubtful.

More recently I've followed many of your stories, via your blogs, from training to the actual race and have been so inspired that those desires to run from my childhood started to creep back and I've wanted to have a similar experience.

So last fall I told my sister-in-law Robyn (who inspired me so much last summer when she ran her first marathon) I was going to train to run a 1/2 marathon, let's be honest a marathon just seemed a bit too much for me...baby steps, and wondered if she would not only run with me, but help me train. She immediately sent me to Runners World to get a program going because I hadn't run in a very long time. I did a really good job at sticking to my goal, but I was still a bit hesitant to sign up for the 1/2 marathon in April and kept telling myself maybe I should just run a 10k...6 miles is good enough.

A couple of weeks ago at our family party Robyn told me about a 1/2 marathon in June we should do. My mind was racing...June, how far away is June? A race around the lake sounds beautiful, but could I really do this? 13 miles isn't so far, is it? Ya, I could do it. It's June. I've got loads of time. So I said, "Yes, let's do it. We'll make a weekend out of it." Immediately I was terrified.

So I am committed and with a plan in hand (thanks robyn) I start my training Monday. Last night Jill, I'm sure after seeing my hesitation, asked me why I wanted to do it? A part of me thinks I am crazy, but I want to prove to myself that I can because I never really thought I could. I can do this is apparently going to be my motto for the next 14 weeks.

Have you run a marathon or a 1/2 marathon?
Do you have any words of encouragement?

between them

Dad: "Meg do you know why I love you so much?"

Meg: "No."

Dad: "Do you want to know?"

Meg: "No."

Dad: "Ok, I guess it will just be Dad's secret."

Meg: "Well, if it's a secret then I want to know."

Dad: (moving in close, spoken in almost a whisper)
"because there's no one else like you."

lucky girl

His is second only to Adam, but was first for many many years. He is the best father a girl could hope for and I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have him.

Love you dad.

One of the reasons

I saw my family on Saturday night, there was some celebrating to do, and my dad came up to me all excited to tell me something. He explained that he read my blog about the watching your faith grow primary project and had decided to do it for sharing time. First of all it made me so happy that he was reading my blog and then so elated, that besides getting to know me better, he found inspiration reading my words. He told me I better not share this, sorry dad, but I had to. It is such a great example of why I blog. Why I choose to share my life...for connection, strength, and inspiration.

And I couldn't post today without showing you why my spring feelings are dashed. It was 50 something degrees yesterday and I woke up to this...

today

When I left my home this afternoon to go celebrate my dad's birthday I was unable to get online. I am fearful there is a problem so I am blogging while my dad, bro chris, and adam play pool.

Today has been a really great day. At church I was able to go to my own relief society, very rare, and listen to the most fabulous lesson on loneliness (it was actually a talk this woman gave at woman's conference). I am so grateful I was there today as it really gave me a perspective I needed. I really want to be able to share it all now, but know I can't do it justice. I have asked for a copy and will share my favorite parts with you when I get it.

I am here at my parents house, like I said, to celebrate my dad's 61st bday. I just love my dad. I am such a daddy's girl and have always been so grateful for him. A few days after father's day he wrote me an email telling me how much he loved me. He felt so blessed to have me as a daughter and grateful I was living my life the way he'd always hoped. I cried. Not that he doesn't regularly express he feelings for me, but it was perfect timing. It came on a day I needed it most. His words filled me up and made me feel needed. Accepted. Appreciated. Loved. He has the perfect way of making me feel that everything will be ok. No matter what. I just love being with him. I love joking with him. I love the way I feel when I've been with my dad. He is the best. I am a lucky lucky girl to have him for a father.

Happy Birthday Dad!