twenty-eight

goal #6 - daily meaningful prayers.

this is one that i should already be doing ... i know ... it may come as a shock to some of you, but i have been a little lax in my daily prayers. i am starting right now ... not missing a day.

29.

goal #5 - in the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, "early to bed and early to ri-ise, makes a man (and woman) healthy and wealthy and wise." (it's also a primary song!)

for the next 29 days (at least) i'm going to go to bed at (if not before) 11pm and get up at (if not before) 7am. i think i'd like to get back to mission standard {in bed 10:30pm, out of bed 6:30am ... }. those were the days i was closest to the Spirit, spent at least an hour learning and listening. in those early morning hours it's almost like the world is kept at bay a little longer.

three times ten

goal #4 - the next thing my mind goes to when i think 'goal' is scripture reading... appropriate that this falls on sunday - the day when i should be thinking about my Savior.

i will read my scriptures daily ... even if it's just one verse - 30 minutes would be pie in the sky fantabulous but baby steps.

and now for breaking news:

auntie em finally got pictures!! ... my little big sister has delivered her 4th girl (5th child).

Josie Jean Rowe - born 3/26/09 10:15am, weighing in at 6lbs 3oz and measuring 20in.

this newest big sister isn't sure if she'll be able to let anyone else hold her baby.

thirty-one ...

goal #3 - i am tired of weighty matters ... but (see how big it is??) i have one more goal that will help (i hope).

drink.more.water. any would be more ...

a friend in my ward has this GREAT recipe for flavoring water with cranberry juice and lemon. it's refreshing and yummy and i could drink a gallon of it. here's to more water - clink me!

32 days ...

goal #2 {still on the weighty matters} i'm going to eat better.

do NOT interpret that to mean that i am cutting out all sweets or that i am going to only eat salads. i am, however, going to write down everything i'm putting in my mouth for the next 32 days and see if i can't embarrass myself into eating more health consciously.

33 days starts today ...

i have 33 days until i'm 33 ...

i've been thinking a lot about it ... (since andy just got older than me)

i want to do something - make some goals for my 33rd year ...

i'm not sure why - but whenever i think of goals my mind automatically goes to losing weight - it's a weighty matter that weighs heavy on my mind (and body). i think i'd be in sexy body heaven if i could lose 35 lbs... ok, so maybe not sexy nude body ... but definitely sexy in a bathing suit and laying on the beach in hawaii body {maybe that was TMI??}

so there you have it: goal #1 exercise at least 5 times a week - and maybe by the time i'm 35 - i will have lost 35 (hee hee!!)

we are complete

james is a lucky man ...

visit the happy couple's blog!!

i'm the lucky one

andy's birthday happens to be on the luckiest day of the year ... st. patty's day. (side note: both my grandma's have the same birthday as well ... strange.)
this year we are turning 33, but andy always leads the way. so to commemorate this momentous occasion ... turning 33 in the 3rd month of the year '09 (3x3) - i decided to put it into words, the 33 reason's that i'm the luckiest {why andy's the best}

1. he was born to a house load of girls and knows how to be a gentleman.
2. he was raised in the church (and follows it's teachings).
3. he is a good example for others.
4. he's helpful.
5. he stops to help 'damsels in distress' (on the side of the road).
6. he shares what he knows.
7. he's strong - to lift heavy things.
8. he's strong - doesn't give in to negative peer pressure.
9. he's strong, but sensitive - he's not afraid to cry.
10. he is tender-hearted [read: push-over] when it comes to teary-eyed kidlets.
11. "he wrestles wis us." - ammon and easton
12. he likes to hold my hand.
13. he's patient.
14. he has good, strong massaging hands.
15. he wants to be better.
16. he honors his priesthood.
17. he loves our kids.
18. he likes to hold babies - our own or otherwise ... he's just good with babies!
19. "he's silly - like when he asked if he had to eat all his green eggs and green butter on his toast and green milk that we made him for his birthday!" - abi

20. he makes me laugh too ... like when he makes up the words to songs cuz he can't decipher them on the radio.
21. he is a good sport, i usually get my way.
22. he likes the house to be clean - he'd make a great housewife!
23. he has a good relationship with his mom ... they talk about most anything.
24. he provides for our family, even if he has to work long into the night and on the weekends.
25. he's cute.
26. "he reads to me." - elyssa
27. he reads the scriptures with me.
28. he likes to spend time alone with me.
29. he's a great kisser (is that TMI??)
30. he tells me i'm beautiful.
31. he makes me want to be better.
32. he's a great friend.
33. he shows me he loves me everyday.

there are a million more ...

Happy Birthday, Andy!

thanks for being so wonderful!

Share what you know.

if i had 3 days to write, i wouldn't be able to put into words all the wonderful things i learned at Time Out For Women. this was my 4th Time Out and it never ceases to amaze me that they can just get better and better.

let me share what I know ...
"He is the tender behind the mercy"
i can change the world with the Lord's help.
i'm never 'out of range' or 'dropped' when i'm communicating with my Father.
communication involves talking and listening.
He is counting on me to be invincible.
i have a Heavenly Father and he loves me.
He expects me to love me.
the atonement is for every.single.day.
He re-established the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.
we have a living prophet on the earth. today.
i am brave.
Heavenly Father loves my kids as much as i do. and more.
i don't have to earn God's love - i already have it.

Ob-la-di ob-la-da ...

so ... since i'm on constant 'catch-up' with this here blog ... i'll share a photo-recap:

my wonderful, helpful, 'always-able-to-watch-my-kids' in-laws did what they do best and came to my rescue so i could take a few hours and hang with my little sister while she got her hair cut and colored. when i came home this is what i found!

we had a teacher work day - NO SCHOOL!! - on friday and although it's not warm ... it was sunny and we took full advantage of it!

my sisters and brother invited me to go out to dinner with them and hang out friday night ... we went to red robin and somehow ended up at wal-mart ... it was fun!! we got ice cream on the way back to my house and had dessert with andy - since he wasn't invited to the sibling's night out!

i liked kiley's haircut so much that i totally copied her! Mirinda lives with her sister who just moved into our church boundries!! She did a great job ... and although she straightened it so that she could make sure it was all even and beautiful ... i don't think i'll ever to get it back to that look - without some serious help!! i've been wearing it curly and i'm loving it!!

my poor van has been in the shop again ... the transmission is dying a horrible death ... but this time we got ourselves a rental ... and ooo baby!! i likes me this pimped out mommy ride! how do i survive without a DVD player in my van!?

my hair in this picture is not a good example of how i'm fixing it ... this is post-workout hair ...

o ... and we can't forget ... it snowed ... yeah ... full on snow - it's MARCH ... the flowers are beginning to bud, it's supposed to be spring!?

full moon or not ... "La-la how the life goes on"