Best laid plans and all...

I had plans. I always have plans. But these were bigger than usual. And lots of them. So many goals for this year. And then I met with the Bishop. And he asked me to be the Young Women's President in our ward. So...considering the time that will be involved in this calling (WHEW!!) I am going to have to take a serious look at what I had planned for the year personally and cull it down a bit.

Our young women are awesome. I heard many of them speak last night at New Beginnings and wow! What great spirits they have. I am excited. And scared to death. I'm great with little people. I know little people. Teenagers?? Not so much. But I'm committed.

And, I just keep reading Ether 12:27: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for it they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

I'm counting on that last line, for I am feeling pretty weak and humble at the moment.

Wish I had learned so young...

There was a bit of drama. Of course. There's always drama with Mason. "I want to go home. Now!" "Get these skis off my feet!" "I want to go sit in the house (the lodge)."

Once he figured out how fun it was, he was fine. He loved it. He skiied all day!

It's finished, it's finished!!

December Daily is done. I'm not going to feel even a little bit guilty that it turned out not to be a daily, but more of a mini looking back at December 2008. I love how it turned out and it is all done.





Title page - tree done with my Cricut



Day 1 - Putting the lights up on the house. Michael was just as excited as I was!



Day 2 - Didn't really happen on Dec. 2nd, but I wanted it in the album. Gingerbread house making with Giana and Macy.



Day 3 - Stealth shopping for Michael and a Secret Santa package for an ScrapShare friend.



Day 4 - Making cookies with a lot of little help. I love this acrylic. It looked like a cookie rack!



Day 5 - I took the boys to the Creche exhibit at the church. McKelle was playing in the pep band and Michael had a long day of surgery, so they missed it.



Day 6 - Micah's Rockin Rhythms group played at the Farmer's Market, plus all our outtakes from the Christmas photo shoot.





Day 7 - We gathered to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Yay for cable!!



Day 8 - Micah's Band and Rockin Rhythms Christmas concert program

Day 9-16

Day 9 - Picked out our tree. We wanted to cut a fresh one, but the only time we could go was at night. We decided not to tramp around the foothills in the dark and got a tree from Klickers instead.



Day 10 - The tree, all decorated. Mason fell asleep but covered his ears while Daddy pounded the tree into the holder.



Day 11 - Micah and Mitchell's school Christmas program. Abdsolutely the best I've ever been to!




Day 12 - A visit with Santa and an envelope for the letters to Santa. Which I saved. Somewhere. Probably hanging out with that gift I know I bought but couldn't find.




Day 13 - Just a few glimpses of our holiday house decor.



Day 14 - Sent out over 80 Christmas cards this year. Love that we have so many good friends to send them to.



Day 15 - McKelle's high school band Christmas concert program



Day 16 - We had a great time shopping for our Angel tree gifts, and we put together a basket for ding-dong-ditch as well.

Day 17-25

Day 17 - We could see a house up the hill from us that looked like it had a musical light program, so we took a drive to see it. Very cool!
Day 18 - First snow means snow cones, of course!



Day 19 - Michael's brother Josh and his family joined us to trek north to BC. We stopped at Miner's in Yakima for dinner.



Day 20 - Our first ferry ride and a picture of all 31 Wilwands!



Day 21 - We were so thrilled that Boppy felt well enough to bless baby Cassidy. The roads to church were pretty treacherous, so I think the Bishop was glad we came.



Day 22 - My children are polar bears.



Day 23 - My wonderful in-laws!
Day 24 - Christmas Eve at my mom's house. Prime rib and cheese fondue and a little concert by Macy.



Christmas Eve jammies, always wrapped in gold and opened the night before Christmas.






Day 25 - Christmas Day pictures. My dad spent the day with us, from stockings through breakfast, presents and Christmas dinner. Fabulous day!

One word for 2009

I have to admit that I forgot to put some thought into this, but when I read Ali's blog and all the comments about choosing a word for 2009, one popped into my head right away and seems to be just the right fit.

So, without further ado, my word for 2009 is:

LEARN


learn
Function:verb

Etymology:
Middle English lernen, from Old English leornian; akin to Old High German lernēn to learn, Old English last footprint, Latin lira furrow, track

1 a (1): to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience (2): memorize b: to come to be able c: to come to realize
2 anonstandard : teach bobsolete : to inform of something
3: to come to know : hear
intransitive verb
: to acquire knowledge or skill or a behavioral tendency
synonyms see discover
— learn·able \ˈlər-nə-bəl\ adjective
— learn·er noun
usage Learn in the sense of “teach” dates from the 13th century and was standard until at least the early 19th . But by Mark Twain's time it was receding to a speech form associated chiefly with the less educated . The present-day status of learn has not risen. This use persists in speech, but in writing it appears mainly in the representation of such speech or its deliberate imitation for effect.




I love this definition. I love that the word learn has aspects of teaching - some of my thoughts for this year definitely revolve around being more a teacher to my children.

As far as my own learning, I have several things in mind. More will follow, I am sure, as the year pans out. I have committed to learning Photoshop and I signed up for some highly regarded on-line classes to do so. I am committed to learning to use my new digital SLR. I am scoping out some local photography classes and I'm also signed up for a photography challenge on my favorite scrapbook message board.

I have some cooking things planned, both for me and for my children, including a Cookie-of-the-week. Should be fun!

I have committed to reading one book a week. This used to be nothing for me to do, but I've fallen off the wagon a bit. Life seems to get in the way of the pleasure I get from reading a good book. I need to visit our library and see if we're even eligible for cards (we're not in city limits :( ) but I've got a few to start out with. My first choice is "The Shack," one Santa brought Michael for Christmas so as soon as he finishes the last 50 pages, I am set to start.

Definitely more to come on this topic.