My Testimony of the DVR!

So if I haven't yet borne my testimony of the DVR to you, let me take this opportunity to do so. I have a firm testimony of the DVR and believe it is a godsend to families all over who want to be good parents and spend time with their kids and yet, not miss out on their favorite tv shows at the same time! What a privilege it is to live in this day and age! The DVR has truly changed my life as well as my tv viewing habits. Now, whenever I have a moment to sit down, with a nice cold beverage...diet coke of course!, and turn the tv on and have a little down time...I never have to worry about whether or not there will be something good on the tv. There are always plenty of my shows waiting for me to watch. And I could just go on and on about not having to watch live tv and view commercials. All for a measly extra $5.00 per month on my dish bill. Who wouldn't sign up for such a deal?!

Okay, all kidding aside, I do love the DVR and was reminded of what a blessing it is in my life when I was bombarded this January will all the good tv shows I watch. Lost has started again, and then 24, American Idol, Heroes will be starting up again soon as will Survivor. Not to mention some long time favorites like Law & Order, Without a Trace, Cold Case and a newbie to this year's line up The Mentalist. I would be in a heap of trouble without the DVR. So here's to the DVR...I think I'll go fix myself a diet coke, on the rocks, and sit down for some television viewing right now!!

Pet Peeve of the Week

So the other night I was talking with a group of ladies who live in my neighborhood. The typical "mother woes" were being exchanged. Moms were lodging their complaints about the hardships of motherhood...particularly the never ending messes that kids tend to make and then leave for somebody else (mom) to clean up. The women who were talking were all younger than me and had much younger kids. I joined the conversation and added that it doesn't always get better just because they get older. At this point, the mom who started the conversation turns to me and says "well, at least you have girls, I have boys." What exactly does that mean. I guess my girls didn't read the memo stating that because of their gender they will value cleanliness and not make or leave messes, but rather become housekeepers themselves at a very young age. Granted, I have not had the opportunity to raise sons, but despite some differences that I acknowledge, when it comes to things like this, the only difference is that messes at my house tend to be of a Littlest Pet Shop and American Girl doll nature rather than Transformers and Legos. The other thing it means is that is made it onto my pet peeve list for the week.

2009 Top 10 List

Okay...January has been a bit rushed and even though it is now the 12th of January, I am just getting around to starting the month. Is it possible to be 12 days behind? I've decided to blog about the top ten things I am looking forward to in
2009. Here we go....
10. Our trip to Hawaii...I don't know if that will actually happen this year, but I sure am looking forward to it!
9. Loosing weight. I'm not going to limit myself to an actual number here, but if I weigh less at the end of 2009, even by a pound, I'm counting that as success!
8. Jeff and I teaching the marriage & family enrichment class in our ward. That should be interesting! Was that truly inspired?
7. Time spent having fun as a family. Again, not sure what that all entails, but we are going to Lake Powell in August.
6. My 39th birthday! Am I really going to be that old? I have to say, I am realizng that it really takes us this many years to become this beautiful! How's that for positive thinking.
5. Spring & Summer and the way my yard transforms into a splash of color. Something about this just makes me giddy. I think it is because every year it gets better. Kind of like me with aging.
4. Jeff being able to quit his job as his new company that he and a partner started will take off!
3. Finishing our basement!
2. Teenager! Our oldest daughter will become an official teen in April.
1. President Obama!

Elf on the Shelf

Have you heard of the "Elf on the Shelf"? Apparently some lady came up with the concept back in the early 70s to explain to her kids just how Santa knew if they were being good or bad. This little elf comes to your house and sits on the shelf. During the day, he doesn't look real, but at night, when everyone is fast asleep, he comes alive and travels back to the North Pole to relay to Santa all of the happenings at your house throughout the day. Then he returns to your house and resumes his position in a different place before everyone wakes up. (The new location is how you know he left during the night.) I actually remember my Grandma McAdams had one of these decorations when I was a kid, but I never knew it was an "elf on the shelf" or the theory behind the elf. She probably didn't know the meaning herself.

So Kellie came home from school last week after hearing about the elf on the shelf and it was all she could talk about. She is convinced this is the real deal. (This is my daughter who has been skeptical about the whole Santa being real thing...so I'm surprised she is convinced about this. Actually I think getting coal for Christmas a few years ago sealed the deal for her and now she is a believer.) She refused to go to bed until we had gotten on line and ordered one of these "elf on the shelf" for our house.

The next morning she was up while Alex was getting ready for school. She excitedly told Alex all about how I had ordered one of these and it would be arriving in 3-5 business days. Alex comes busting into my bedroom and the following conversation took place:
Alex: Mom did you really order one of these elves on the shelves thing?
Me: Yes, I did
Alex: Mom, you know this isn't real. You know this is some dude in a costume. This is freaky having some dude in a costume come and hang out at our house until Christmas. (I'm sure she is thinking of all the conversations I have had with my children over the years about pedophiles and thinking I have lost my mind.)
Me: Alex, trust me...it isn't what you are thinking
Alex: Rolls her eyes and walks out of the room with a grunt and unrecognizable mumbling.

Jeff and I were telling our friends about this over the weekend while we were out to dinner. They suggested it would be hilarious if we found somebody to dress up in an elf costume and show up at our door. Can you just imagine the doorbell rings as we are sitting down at the dinner table. All the kids rush to the door to see who is here. They open the door to find some strange man in an elf costume who says "Hi, I'm your elf on the shelf." The thought of this scene has brought a smile to my face ever since it was suggested. So if you see me smiling during the holidays, now you'll know what I am thinking about!

Bad girls, bad girls...whatcha gonna do?

A sign of aging?

Last year about this time, I admitted to myself that yes...my eyesight was no longer 20/20 and there was a possibility that I needed to wear corrective eyewear. So I headed in for a vision exam and sure enough, I needed glasses. The eye doctor discouraged me from wearing contacts saying that because I have very sensitive eyes (those of you who know me at all...know the truth of that statement!) He told me that because I also had astigmatism, that would be harder than normal to wear contacts. He told me that it would be wise for me to wear my glasses at all times, but technically I didn't need them to drive, yet. So I picked out some frames that I liked and was on my way.

To be truthful, I liked the frames I picked out. I think they are fashionable and I look very smart and fabulous in my frames. But I have to admit...this wearing glasses thing is not very convenient. I often take them off because I think I am wearing sunglasses. Or sometimes I have this feeling when I am wearing them that I am in cognito or something, like I'm in disguise or others can't see me. (Is that normal for new glasses wearers?) And I also do not wear them all the time. I wear them more as an accessory and it depends on how well they "go" with my outfit as to whether or not I wear them. Sounds frivilous, I know, but it is true.

The past couple of weeks, I have been getting these horrendous headaches. I decided that either my vision had worsened and was creating the headaches or I had a brain tumor. Before I ran in for an MRI, I decided to try the vision route. Maybe it was time to try contacts. The whole putting your finger in your eye thing has always freaked me right out, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about accessorizing. Saturday I got my contacts. It took me no less than 30 minutes to get them in the first time, but I have to say...Wow! What a difference good eyesight makes. Objects are sharper and clearer...colors are brighter and more intense...I can actually read road signs from a fair distance...and I'm improving so that it now only takes me about 15 minutes to get the contacts in. Morale of the story is....life is so much better when it is in focus!!

President Elect Barack Obama

"It was the best of times...it was the worst of times". Last night when I got home from working my polling location I sat down with my diet coke to watch the election coverage. All the girls were still up and begged to watch until they had hopefully announced a president. Each of them has taken interest in this election and we have had many dinnertable discussions about politics and presidents.

I am hopeful about the possibilities President Obama has to offer our country. I am hopeful about both domestic and foreign policy changes. I believe he can unify and lead and I am grateful that my girls are growing up in an America that has elected a black man as President. Next stop: a woman president!