I resolve - 2014 Here I come!

I did - in fact - see this on Pinterest - So I decided that I was going to retype it, and turn it into a monthly thing instead of a yearly goal resolution thing.  Let me explain how I see Goals for a little bit:

My dad used to tell me that Goals were like "Mile Markers" - that if I wanted to get to New York I had a very, very long way to go.  As I made my way Towards New York, the only way that I would really know if I had made it anywhere would be to look back and see how many miles I had come from.  The journey would be tedious - there would be days when I would go 4 or 5 miles, and others when I might only make it a few feet towards my goal of getting there.  However, when I was feeling discouraged, those mile markers would tell me whether or not I had come as far as I was thinking.  More often than not, I would look at the markers and realize that I had gone much further than I had anticipated - so, Goal Setting is a good thing to keep you on track, and help you to  not feel discouraged.  Mini goals give you the necessary feedback to inspire you to press forward even when you don't feel like you can go any further.  Mini goals are the key to accomplishing your dreams.

This is why people set goals with Weight-Loss (And I should know because I have had a very hard time losing weight).  But, if we never saw any success - any progress towards the final destination, then we would just give up.

I made New Year's resolutions last year - but this year I am trying a different approach entirely.  I am going to break them down to monthly resolutions - I am going to fill out this sheet each month and I am going to really work my hardest towards the goals that I set up for myself for each month.

Now you should notice that on this sheet I did not put anything in regards to weight loss / or management of weight - nor did I have anything down about money - saving money - etc.  This is not that those goals are not present - but those goals are really more of a lifestyle change than anything else.  These goals are attainable in a shorter period of time an by doing these things more often then I should hope to find myself in a better situation by December of 2014 - just because I would have changed who I am.

Taran-Tella - At the Davis County Fair

For those of you that know, and those of you that do not - we went to the DCF this weekend.  Out first stop was at the K-12 booth - We LOVE K-12, and we knew that they would be at the fair and I signed up and let them know that I would be stopping by.  Little did I know that their booth was in the Creature Encounters booth as well...

Ah - Creature encounters - Did you all know that I have a fear of spiders?  Not the typical fear - but a real big fear of them.  So, as we are going through the booth I can see that there are "Trained individuals" who are showing off these (Very Scary) things.

 Like - snakes... and spiders ... and Spiders... and SPIDERS.  oh, and there were scorpions too - but I really couldn't focus on anything other than the spider.  NOW - I being the adult am watching the kids around these things - They are walking by the snakes - and I do the adult thing - I encourage them to touch.  "See - it doesn't feel so bad- just try it".

 And yet - as we are going along we get to the spider - the Tarantella - And Aspen says that she is not going to do it.  I know what needs to be done but I am terrified - I say. "I'll do it if you do it."  And naturally, they can't believe it.  So - I talk to the handler who explains that I won't even be able to feel "Her" - I put my hands under his and stare right at him and before I know it he's taking my picture.  (And I am holding a giant spider).  I didn't look down - it was creepy!  But I made it through!

So, then all of the kids had to try it too - now, they were much more brave than myself - letting the handlers put them on their head and such.  It was super crazy! I mean, seriously - crazy.

Now, don't think that just because I let this guy drop a giant (fuzzy) arachnid into the palms of my hands that I am suddenly going to start adoring the house spider - I am not - they will still die! (And probably in a violent manner with my vacuum attachment) - But, I can at least mark this one thing off of my "bucket list" - Though, not that it was ever really ON my bucket list, but I'll put it on there as a bonus item, right? - Everyone likes a bonus item!

Fear not - there will be more pictures forthcoming - we actually did do other things at the Fair too - this one just happened to be a "highlight" - especially considering the subject matter. It was also the very first place that we stopped - so there was all kinds of excitement.

And don't forget - the Utah State Fair  is coming up in September - from the 5th to the 15th - and it's going to also be super exciting - I don't know if "Creature Encounters" will be there - but if they are, I might just touch a scorpion or something - I am hip! I am with "it"! I could do it?  But I don't think that I could let them put a fuzzy spider on my head - still not to that level just yet.

YW Girls Camp 2013 - Standing in Holy Places

Another year of Girls Camp preparations have come and gone - some of our successes are found on my "Pinterest" link above - and others, well, they were all successful - but I didn't take pictures of EVERYTHING so we will have to save it until I get a moment that I can put it together for ya'll.

SOCKS - Striving to Obtain the Celestial Kingdom Spiritually - and the 5 things to remember ?? PSSST! Prayer, Scripture, Sacrament, Service, Temples - Totally Awesome.

This year we went to Heber Valley - and our camp was Sariah - It was really lovely - but I was disappointed that they allowed vehicles to stay in the area of the camp.  When we go to Piuta, there are no vehicles near the cabins which allows for a different feeling altogether - so, I was a little surprised by that - but it didn't detract too much from anything.  Just a nuisance.  Also, the camp missionaries - yeah - strict!  When they say that the fire is out at 10, and lights out are at 11, well- honey - they are NOT kidding.  They will stay there until you put it out - they don't just come and let you know and leave - nope - they hang out until the deed is done.

So, We did crafts - went on hikes - did the challenge courses - and dodged the rain a few times.  I have added below just a few of our adventures - like on day 1 - when I went on a lovely fun filled hike with the first years - and we got lost.  BUT, we found the 2nd years - who were even more lost than we were.  That was fun. :)  (That was also inspired - I mean, seriously?  We took a wrong turn and found a group of our girls that were lost?  How does that happen?  BUT, in places such as this I know that the Lord is looking out for all of his young ladies.)

 And we saw some beautiful sites in our "Lostdom" - though I feel like our fearless Stake leaders were really concerned that we were lost - so there was not a lot of time to stop and "smell the aspen trees" if you know what I mean.  But I did learn a few things about Aspen trees that I did not know before.  The powdery white stuff on their bark makes for a fantastic Deodorant, bug "spray", and sunscreen.  So you just rub in on your arms and pat it on your body (Test it first to be sure that you do not have an allergy) and viola!  You have a triple action piece of awesomeness.  They told us a lot more about it - how the bark was used to chew on because it was sweet and things like that - but personally, I wasn't going to try that part out.  The Indians already did that part for me - no need to test it again, right?

 Kadoodle and Aliyah on day 1 of camp - I am not quite sure what they were doing, but I got a picture of them anyway - because it's fun.  We did do shots on day 1 and then again on the day that we were leaving - But, I didn't put them all up here - because there are a ton of those.  One of my favorites was the one with the girls together though - would you choose the "Y" or the "U" ?? Slight "in cabin" rivalry going on through the week - but it was all in good fun.

 I want you all to know that there were a LOT more pictures - I have something like 1K+ - but I did not post them all here - just some highlights - like Day 1 - that was a highlight - getting to camp. So much fun. :)

 Kadoodle and I also did the swing on the challenge course - she was not NEARLY as scared to do this as I was - but I finally let go with one hand so that Nat-a-tat could get a picture of my mug.  I didn't go with the girls to many of the other challenge courses (there were something like 6 of them total).  The idea was to let the girls go on the courses by themselves so that they would feel the spirit and learn to do things on their own without the help of the leaders - so while they were away is when Nat and I did the swing - good thing no one was there to watch the scariness of it all.

 And there is Kadoodle!  See how free and easy going she is?  Amazing!  I could never be that way - so I am glad that she doesn't have a fear of heights or anything like that.  I need to put the videos up on YouTube - Nat didn't record the entire video like I was hoping, but it is enough to prove that all of the girls did it - even DeeAnn. :)  I don't have a video of me - that's before we got really creative with it all.

And - finally - one of my favorite pictures.  One of the girls leaders told them that if they cleaned their teeth with charcoal that their teeth would feel as clean as they do when they leave the dentist.  All of the girls tried this out - and though it may have worked, I still say that it looks to me like the girls got pranked by a leader that didn't even hang around to see the fruits of her labors! :)  I can't believe that they did that!  It was pretty funny to see them all with black gums until they got a good swish in. :)

There were some really spiritual moments at camp this year - I was slightly disappointed that our testimony meeting turned into the "Grateful for this and Grateful for that" meeting - those are not testimonies.  And Kadoodle did make the comment about "Why is it that our ward is the smallest, but we take the longest time at testimony meeting?" - I agree - I really dislike the story telling in TMeeting.  At FHE we had a great lesson about listening to the spirit that Nat-a-tat did for the girls.  I was impressed to see that Kadoodle was one of the first to get the point and make it back to the inner circle  (makes a mamma proud personally).

Camp is always full of fun and adventures - I won't write it all here but I am going to say that we had a great time like we always do - I was surprised that no one died, no - really.  With my work schedule I didn't feel like I had much time to get things together and plan out anything at all - yet, somehow it always comes together - and it did again this time around.  Thank goodness the Lord looks out for me.  Thank goodness Girls Camp was done at exactly the right time in my life - I needed it so badly this year.  Until Next Year - check out the Pinterest stuff we did!

Over the River and Through the Woods - to Circe's house we go....

I've thought a lot about this post; how I was going to start it, how I am going to finish it, things that I would like to write about in it... (Without sounding too B*t*chy) The purpose of this trip was to come to Indiana to watch the eldest graduate from high school.  This is a huge stepping stone - one that we are glad that we are not going to miss.  But, as I have planned out trip, planned to get together, texted, emailed, etc., I have found a mix of emotions about the events that got us here.  And then - then I started to struggle with how I was going to handle typing my feelings and thoughts about this event.

After all - There are multiple things happening here.
1) The Eldest is graduating from high school (Which is awesome)
2) The Ex Wives are both in one location (Which makes no sense to me)
3) The Eldest has not seen her father in 3 years (maybe 4, but who is counting)
4) The Blauthor of this Blob is feeling a great deal of anger towards the Ex's and the Eldest (regardless of being happy for the eldest, due to some past trickery on their parts - unbeknownst to the eldest and squiggly.)

I think to myself about my own Ex - how things could have turned out just like the situation I am about to find myself in this week.  If I had been (Or he had been) less than reasonable - less than adult - then we very well could have turned our children into little jerks as we fought over them, their time, their upbringing.  All to culminate in one day where we have to get together for their graduation and be awkward around each other.

In this circumstance I find myself... and oddly - it's not even about me.  It's about the Misses and how he was taken advantage of in a very vulnerable time in his life by a very manipulative ex who basically stole  his eldest away, 1600 miles across country, thus degrading his personal relationship with her.  In the meantime, the eldest found that her relationship with the Misses was highly strained - but she was convinced that it was due to the lack of communication on his part.  Never being told, or realizing on her own, that a lot of the reason that he did not reach out the way that she expected was due to her mother making it difficult on him to communicate.

Regardless of it not being about me though, I feel compelled to be angered by the lack of respect that either of the ex's have for parenting in general.  Why in the heck would you want to eliminate a relationship of your own child with their other parent?  Selfishness.  There is no other reason save control, manipulation,deviousness.... which all lead back to selfishness.  The second ex wife , squiggly's mom, she has no reason to even be involved here - she has no reason to even stay in touch the way that she has and to become friends with the first ex wife... other than manipulation - just another way to get back at the Misses.  To bring out the eldest, to your home, and then do family pictures with her - Ex number 2?  You are not her mom, or her step mother even.  Your live in boyfriend is not her father, or step-father even.  The only tie in your unit to the eldest is your child who is only a half child to the eldest.  so, to stand in the way of her father gaining a relationship, by bringing her to Utah- taking her all over the place, but never letting her see her Dad, well - that's the most horrible thing that I think I have ever witnessed other than the first Ex wife stealing away with the eldest to a state 1600 Miles away in the first place.

I have other issues with Ex number 2 - after all- if you could read some of the idiocy that this woman spews forth from her mouth you would wonder how it is that she ever made it in the civilized world. Seriously - lets let an 11 year old make decisions because she has so many problems and issues and we want her to be comfy in the world... BARF - Anyway - it will be an interesting trip, that's for certain.

So - Stinkin' - Close

To being done!  Do you all realize that the reason I am never here is not just because I am constantly at work, but because I am also going 100MPH with School, Soccer, and other activities.  I am toast, Ya'll, TOAST.  

Anyway, I got a new camera - my D7000.  I saved and saved and saved for almost 2.5 years to get this camera - and it finally is mine.  However, it does come with quite the learning curve.  I have had a heck of a time getting things to look right on this camera.  Everything seems to be fuzzy.  Everything seems to not turn out right.  

When I first got the camera, I had a slight accident with it.  I was at Mesa Verde when it slipped it's strap and fell - crashing - to the ground.  My 18-55mm lens was toast.  I continued to shoot with my 55-200mm but was disappointed -feeling like the pictures were just too blurry.  

I was so discouraged, that I didn't even attempt to pull them off of the SD Card that was on the camera.  Instead - I just left them there.  BUT - today I decided that I needed to clean off my card and see just what kind of cruddy photographs I had taken.  

And really?  They weren't very cruddy at all. In fact - most of them have turned out to be really nice.  

So, once again - maybe it's just me and not the camera?  I need lessons.  Anyone want to help out with that?

Lookie What I got!

It's  a Speed Queen - it's commercial - it is going to be amazing... :)