Resolution Update

So I have been asked by a few people about how my long list of resolutions went for last year. I made one per day for the month of January and (by accident) have kept them on my side bar all year long. So here is my progress.
1. Scripture reading with kids. Well, I'm going to be honest- not doing so hot. We will go a good few weeks reading every single night and then not for a month or so. I wonder if it has to do with what rotation Phil is on, I will have to start noticing. This is still on top of my priority list to make a habit.
2. Lipstick wearing. Sounds silly in the first place. But I have been wearing it when I leave my house. I found this kind I really like- from Bare Minerals called Buxom- try it.
3. Exercise. That is a yep on exercise. I go to a local gym and am loving the spin classes.
4. Go Green. I have been using the reusable bags at the grocery store. No more bottled water in this house. We did buy it for our trips though.
5. Early to bed. I did really good at this for a while and then haven't done so hot. I usually don't stay up till 1-2am anymore, unless I am trying to finish Christmas gifts. :)
6.RS Lessons. Nope did this for a few weeks and then maybe one the rest of the year. I am now in primary, and don't even know what we are studying.
7.Water. I really need to do this now that I am pregnant and then breastfeeding. I don't know why this is so hard for me.
8.Christmas cards. They were designed by Thanksgiving and made the following week.
9. Call a friend. I actually forgot about this one. I think I have done OK in keeping in touch with people this past year.
10. Library. No go, plain and simple.
11. Friend magazine. Not every month. I don't know why we don't. Maybe now with early church we will do it more.
12. No TV before church. Yep, this was a good one. Now we need to work on after church, no sports or anything- might as well not even try.
13. Alyssa. This was to break her love for the TV. I think we have done it. She is fine to turn it off and do other things now without much discussion.
14. 7 am wake up. I did it for a while, probably when I was going to bed 'on time'. But not anymore.
15. Patriarchal blessing. It is really great to read this every little while.
16. Floss. Yep.
17. Scrapbook table. Not cleaned off entirely but more organized.
18. Go through clothes. Have taken bags to Good Will but still need to go through everything.
19. Shoes. Get rid of ones I don't wear. I have done this, this year.
20. Scrapbook. I have scrapbooked, at least other peoples pictures. I have done some of my own and am going to be doing a picture a day this year- Becky Higgins' project 365. I am excited about it.
21. Vote. Yep. I even went to the Iowa Caucus.
22. Temple. Not as much as we would like or should. Our Saturdays are the only day we can do it and they seem to be filled with everything else that needs to be done but the only day Phil can do it is Saturday.
23. Vegetables. Eat more during the day, yep!
24. Visiting teaching. Done before the last week. Yes, I think I can say the majority of the year.
25. Good, Better, Best. I have sure cut my projects this past year because of this and it has been great.
26. LASIK. I tried but was breastfeeding and then was pregnant before the 6 months in between that I had to wait. So not because I didn't try.
27. Take more pictures. I have taken more but still would love my 'dream' camera so I can really get going.
28. Go outside. I really didn't do this this past year but I am sure doing it now with this little puppy. I have been spending a lot more time out in the freezing cold than I would like, that's for sure.
29. Clutter. Keep kitchen counter clear from clutter. Did pretty good, Phil was happy with this one.
30. Don't freak out. When I turn 30, that is. Did good, not too traumatizing.
31. Progress. Well this is the only time I did anything with the progress, so I guess I failed at that one.

So all in all what do you think. Was my resolution list successful? I would say OK. At least I accomplished more than I failed on. Will I do this many again in one year? Hmmm, not this year- but it was fun to think about a lot of different areas and try to do things better. So welcome 2009, I am going resolution free this year if you were wondering.

It's a BOY!

Well I am a week late in telling everyone, but here it is. It's a BOY!! I am very excited, that's just what I ordered. ;) The girls are super excited cause that is what they both wanted and even though Phil thought it was a girl (he is wrong every time) he is overjoyed with another boy joining our little family. The ultrasound looked good, the dates match up which is always nice to see. So I guess we will be meeting this little guy around the first week of May. So exciting!

The Art of Gift Giving

I love giving gifts to others. It is something I would love to do all the time if I had the cash. I love the challenge of it, the planning for months, the excitement. I love how it makes you focus on the individual for a while, you have to think about just them and what they like or dislike. In our families for Christmas we usually draw names for Phil's side (6 siblings) and exchange gifts with everyone on my side (2 siblings). This year both sides of the family seemed so down on the gift giving. My family ended up exchanging just like normal. Phil's family finally decided they were going to do a sub-for-Santa instead of exchanging gifts with each other, which is fun except we weren't going to be there when they shopped, wrapped and delivered the gifts so we didn't participate. I decided why not buy for everyone this year, siblings and kids. It was so fun to figure out what to get everyone.

When I was in Utah this summer I took some of Phil's parents pictures (they were on a mission) and decided to make them digital pictures and scrapbook them. I grabbed 2 boxes of pictures that had a sleeve for each of their children. I didn't think it would be a big deal until I had them all scanned in and there were over 300 pictures. Wow! I started editing them and getting them printed and scrappin' them. It was quite the process. I thought since I was getting gifts for everyone why not make each sibling their own book with their childhood pictures in it. I made these couple gifts, cause Phil wasn't to happy about the whole present giving idea I had. It was so fun to see the finished products. Phil's parents book was quite large, it was good we didn't need to ship it. So I ended up making 8 scrapbooks.

Every year I make quilts/blankets for the new babies first Christmas. I started this when I first came into the family. There was only one nephew born before I 'joined' the fam so he is the only one without a blanket. Every year I try a new kind of blanket and this year I have loved the minky fabric so I decided to use that with the satin binding. There were 3 babies born this year, 2 boys and a girl.




I also made little bags for the little 2 year old girls and put a boa and lip gloss in them.

We also gave Iowa shirts to older nephews, fun church CD and book to older niece, a game to brothers, Nerf gun to a 6 year old nephew, and some aprons and baking stuff to sisters. I included pictures by request, so don't look too close at my handiwork.

This was such a fun Christmas for me. I was able to think about each of our family members and come up with my idea of what they might like. I still have my list for the in laws that got clumped with their spouses in getting the scrapbooks so maybe I will have to do this again next year, hmmm, don't tell Phil.

So the 'art' of gift giving. I think it is fun to give but there are certain limits you must and should have. Not too expensive of a gift to someone who isn't expecting anything, and on the flip side don't waste your money if it is crap, nothing too dangerous to kids, it is ok to give loud annoying gifts to others because they have the option of throwing it out, you get the idea.

So what do you think about the gift we were given. Not McKell, not Nate, not even the stroller-- yep the dog! My father, only my father would give someone a dog. The girls are in heaven as you can imagine, they have asked for a dog multiple times a day for the last year. Once Phil saw the girls with Teek (an ewok name from Star Wars) it was suddenly ok with him for them to have a dog.

At least it is a little shih tzu which are good dogs and very cute. (Thanks dad they LOVE it.) So again the 'art' of gift giving- no giving pets to other peoples children unless you have their permission. Which makes me wonder why I ever gave my boyfriend in high school a rabbit for Easter one year. WHAT???