Pleasantly Surprised

The new year rolls around (faster and faster every year) and I find myself ONCE AGAIN planning to re-vamp my life and kick myself into gear.

I hadn't really planned on "New Year's Resolutions" until Sunday during Relief Society. They talked about Elder Uchtdorf's talk in general conference and related it to New Year's resolutions. It got me thinking...

*me thinking*

"I need to re-vamp my life."

*It was a short conversation*

I created some goals and started thinking....then I remembered last year's re-vamping (click here if you are interested in visiting my past).

In a moment of daringness I decided to take a look at that old blog, planning to say to myself "oh man...better luck this year".

And my face then turned to one of pleasant surprise.

Last Year's Goals (I may forget one or two...I'm going off of memory here):

• Read Infinite Atonement....DONE
• Keep a Cleaner Kitchen....DONE (for the most part)
• Rid of My Fear of Hand-Washing Dishes....DONE
• Get Rid of Using My Little Plastic Cards and Go Cash Only....DONE
• Looking Better on the Outside to Feel Better on the Inside....DONE (for the most part)

*Swelling with Pride*

Now if I can only do as good on my NEW goals...

I'm not exactly sure what my new goals are going to be....yet. But I have decided to base my goals on the four most important relationships that Elder Uchtdorf mentioned in his talk:

1. Relationship with God
2. Relationship with Family
3. Relationship with Fellowmen
4. Relationship with Myself

So, I've decided that I want to write out 4 daily tasks to accomplish that day, one task per relationship. I do want to come up with one larger goal, find out which category it fits in and have that day's goals always working towards that larger goal.

Unfortunately, I'd have to say that some of the things I really want to improve in my life...I'm not exactly sure how improve...cause its more of a state of mind.

Examples:

• Improve my dying need to please everyone.
• Feel that my self-worth is dependent upon what other's think of me.
• Don't be afraid to go and do, be more confident and outgoing.
• Don't let little things get me down.
• Don't compare myself to others.

You know...things like that...

But I'll figure it out and get back to you.

Christmas...ASIAN Style

How do you know you are celebrating Christmas with Asians...

• You spend half of Christmas singing karaoke
• Grandma gets upset if you don't say "karaoke" CORRECTLY (kah-rah-o-kay: Japanese meaning "without orchestra")
• One of the favorite gifts was a package of Japanese candy called Hi Chew
• Having to win BINGO in order to get your white elephant gift (we may have found a way to turn our WHITE elephant gift exchange into a ASIAN elephant gift exchange)
• You've turned "gift exchange" into a game show (we've in the past played games such as Let's Make a Deal, Family Feud, and Minute to Win It....this year was The Price is Right)

Let's not forget New Years traditions:

• Amongst the traditional holiday feast lies sushi or gyoza
• Along with the forks and spoons lies chopsticks
• And perhaps Uncle Brian will bring his karaoke machine again...just for good measure

What Eden REALLY Wants for Christmas...

Its true. If she could, Eden would give up all her Christmas presents to stay in Utah with everyone around to play with and spoil her.

Life of a Mother

Amen. I hear ya Hilary.

Currently my children are sleeping and I had a really good day. I'm not feeling so much like pulling my hair out (like I sometimes do) but I did happen to see this video on someone else's blog and it gave me a good laugh.

Kind of a "ha ha...its so true..." kind of laugh.

....and I only have 2 younger children....

Its Official....

We're moving to Colorado for 3rd and 4th year of med school!!!

Grand Junction....ready or not, here we come!

We're excited. Sad to leave behind our friends but excited to be closer to family.

My Little Wonder Pet

(To all you parents with children in love with Wonder Pets...like Eden.)

When stuck indoors

With the flu and the cold,

Being indoors

Grows kinda old.

Inside all day

Our sanity thins,

But that is when

The fun begins!

-Bethany Finlinson (AKA: Mom)

All it takes is:

1 mommy-made cape

1 box

1 sail (made from my feeding cover)

1 Wonder Pets logo (made of felt)

...Then let the adventures begin!!!

The Wonder Pets Save the Giraffe

"Oh no!

There is a baby animal that needs to be saved!

We are coming to save you baby animal!"

"To the fly boat!"

"A baby giraffe stuck in a some fabric!

This is serious!"

"I will cut the fabric with my (plastic) knife!"

"You are saved baby giraffe!

The Wonder Pets were here to help!"

Join us next time for "The Wonder Pets Save the Lego People!"

(No animals or toys or fabric were actually harmed during this rescue.)

A Love Story

I'm having an affair.

Even before we met, I knew it was love.

I'm in love.....with a new (used) car.

*Tears of joy stream down my face*

I say WE got the car...but really I call it "MY car."

You see, this isn't any old car. Its a Toyota Corolla. Ever since Tyson has known me I've wanted a Corolla. We would dream about "if we had money..." and he'd talk about his Volvo and I'd talk about my Corolla (yeah...we're BIG dreamers...haha). But little could I have imagined my dream would come true so quickly.

"But why a Corolla?" You ask?

I used to have a Corolla (technically it was owned by my parents and I drove it everyday to and from school). It was a blueish greenish color. And I loved that car. Then a fateful event occurred where a driver, that wasn't me and shall remain unnamed, ran my dear Corolla into several trees...killing my beautiful car.

*Moment of silence*

Then I met Tyson. And I met Tyson's Volkswagon Jetta.

(Side note: The first time I met the Jetta I thought "oh no, maybe he's a car guy...its a pretty car, leather interior, with seat warmers....SEAT WARMERS" I almost scratched Tyson off my prospects list right then and there. In my list of "no no's" while dating were "not an unnecessary spender" and "doesn't feel the need for speed" which equals..."not a car guy". Until I found out he simply bought it from a good family friend who was just getting rid of it and gave it to him at a ridiculously low price.)

Then I fell in love with the Jetta. OK, mostly I fell in love with the seat warmers in the Jetta. After all, I met Tyson in the winter.

The Jetta's been good to us....until recently.

Leaking oil....once....

Twice....

THREE TIMES.

Within the year. And all mechanics seem confused as to what the problem could be other than "a crack in the pipe". So, Tyson and I decided it was time to get a new car.

And we found the Corolla....MY Corolla.

As I drove it home (we bought it in Des Moines..so it was a 3 hour drive) I couldn't help thinking "This is my old Corolla's reincarnate. He came back to life a decade newer and in the color red." And I smiled.

For three hours I went back in time. I even found a station that played the music I would have listened to in my old Corolla. And I could sing all to all the lyrics.

*Sigh*

While this purchased put a little dent in us financially...Tyson's glad that he's found something that has made me so happy.

I'm not a car person.

But I am a Corolla person....obviously.

(Oh...I feel silly. Most of you are probably thinking, "she's nuts...." And if you saw it...its definitely nothing to be BRAGGING about. But I still love it. Don't mock me...)