Wednesday, December 31, 2008

... one whole year.

I have managed to blog something I'm thankful for every day this year. Actually, at 434 posts, I've managed more than once a day! I'm proud of myself - I was sure I would make it a month or two and then run out of steam.

I'm not sure I'm going to keep up this pace next year, or even if I want to try. The positive side for me has been that every day, and especially on bad days, it has forced me to find the silver lining in any problems that arise. (Like when the main plumbing line broke, or we struggled with potty training, or Ryan spent weeks in China). At some point during the day I start thinking about how I'm going to spin my experiences into something I am thankful for.

I'm thankful, too, for all my friends and family that keep up with my blog.

Happy 2009!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

... a cute jacket.

Check out the cute jacket I got for Rachael today at Children's Place! A whopping $8 on sale. I love sales. And cute fleece.

Monday, December 29, 2008

... cupcakes.

It started out innocently enough. Our treat for FHE tonight was chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. We did lots of sprinkles; Rachael of course had Princess Sprinkles. (This one has Snow White red apples on it.)
Of course this is what it looked like when she was finished. Not bad, usually for Rachael a cupcake is just a vehicle for frosting. She licks all the frosting off and hands it back. This time she ate some of the cupcake.
Then she decided she should wash her hands. (The above picture is very deceptive. Her face is really pretty clean. Her hands are a disaster.)
And this was what the bathroom door and doorknob looked like when she was finished.
Thank goodness clothes and kids wash. And the walls and doorknobs. So I can laugh and take pictures instead of getting frustrated. (The entire job took 10 seconds with a damp paper towel. yay!).

Sunday, December 28, 2008

... a good Christmas.

All in all, we had a lovely Christmas. Everyone got some great stuff, we spent four days mostly in our pajamas and enjoying being together. We reflected on our Savior's birth, watched lots of Christmas movies, and ate lots of good food. When the weather got really nasty all over the country we were really glad we were not traveling this year. I still miss lots of family at Christmas, but after all the chaos last year I have developed a new appreciation for our quiet Christmases at home. Happy Holidays.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

... a fun toy.

Our Christmas gift this year from Ryan's parents is a new Wii. It's a fun toy! I especially like that it's more interactive - you have to get off the sofa and play.

Wii are sore from playing all weekend, but Wii will play more this week, Wii are sure. Wii are a little out of shape and could use the exercise! Wii both like bowling, tennis, and 9 ball.

Friday, December 26, 2008

... and a hamburger party.

It's Friday Night Party Night! Well, food party at our house anyway. A Hamburger Party, to be specific.

We had grilled onions and mushrooms, bacon, cheese, and to top it all off, fry sauce. We also had homemade french fries to go with our fry sauce.

Now all I need is a raspberry shake from Arctic Circle...

... the Christmas coma.

I love that point on Christmas Day when you realize all the presents have been opened, most of the treats consumed, and the living room looks like it was hit with a Cat 5 tornado carrying wrapping paper, toys, and boxes. Ahhh... and it's a nice long weekend, so there's nothing left to do but enjoy all our great new stuff and spending time together.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

... she's polite.

Nearly every single time Rachael opened a present today she would say thank-you, totally without prompting. For example, she opened a doll from Nana, and as soon as the paper was part of the way off, she exclaimed, "It's a Fancy Nancy Doll! Thank you Nana!" It's too bad most of the gift givers were not here to hear it, but I was so proud of her for remembering to say thank you every time.

Occasionally there are bright spots to parenting... this would be one those times!


Wednesday, December 24, 2008

... and the tree made it.

Our poor Christmas tree is so dry that you can hear needles falling off at random. Most of the needles are hanging on by sheer will and there is a pile of green all the way around the bottom of the tree. (Think Charlie Brown here.) As you can tell by the branch in the foreground of this picture, anything close to where we walk by it every day is pretty bare. But from a distance it's still green, and I'm glad it made it until Christmas.
And next year we will be working on a better watering system for the tree...

... Christmas Eve.

Tonight we will have our family feast, watch Joy to the World, read the scriptures, play games, and just hang out together. Tonight Santa will visit and we will make sure he has Diet Coke and cookies. I love spending time with my family, even when it's just the three of us. And I love the opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

... more baking.

Tonight we frosted sugar cookies. It was suppose to be our family night activity, but after we got back from taking treats to our friends last night, it was too late to get started. That's OK, Ryan had the day off today and we worked on them this afternoon. Rachael, of course, had a fantastic time. And devoured about four cookies when we were done!

Monday, December 22, 2008

... Christmas baking.

Christmas is such a great excuse for baking all the things I love to eat!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

... the choir program.

Whether I sing with the choir or just sit with the congregation, I always look forward to the choir program at Christmas. (Well, at Easter, too, to be honest.)

This year our program was really amazing. Our choir director either composed or arranged all the music, and it was really beautiful. Because he was the one to put it together it had a very cohesive quality that is difficult to attain. I was blessed to be a part of it!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

... Daddy's girl.

A couple of days ago Ryan took Rachael out to dinner and shopping. (I was at choir rehearsal). They went to McDonald's, then shopping for Christmas presents for me.

I love when Ryan spends time with Rachael, just the two of them. She always talks about it for days afterward. And I especially love when they shop for me!

I have promised not to ask what is in them - because Rachael probably would tell - and I have promised not to try and prompt her into telling me. I can't stop her from spilling the beans if that happens, but so far I have done really well at avoiding the subject entirely. I hope we make it to Christmas!

Friday, December 19, 2008

... spreading Christmas cheer.

Rachael and I did the grocery shopping today for what I hope will be the next week and a half. (I know it won't last that long... but hope springs eternal). She spent most of the trip around the store singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" or "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Usually at the top of her lungs. But if I had a nickel for every person that smiled or waved or chuckled out loud, I would have earned a lot of nickels today. I'm glad she's doing her part to spread the Christmas spirit.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

... indulgence.

This is the time of year when I really appreciate that my husband loves me. I am a little crazy about Christmas... for instance last night someone asked how many trees we have. I had to clarify how many are up in the house (three, counting Rachael's pink one) versus how many I actually own (four, again counting Rachael's tree; plus we get a live one every year). Might be a bit excessive. Although I did see an article this week on a woman with 61 trees. I don't think I need quite that many.

Ryan's family always said he was the Scrooge in the family, but I have to say, since we have been married he has been quite tolerant. He doesn't throw himself into it quite the way I do, but he lets me do pretty much whatever I want, within reason. Early in our marriage I used to get a budget for Christmas decorations every year; now that we are approaching 15 years together, I have noticed I have acquired quite a bit of stuff. He also hauls the boxes up from the basement every year, waits for me to decorate, then hauls the empty boxes back to the basement. Then we do it all again in January to put them away.

I'm grateful that even though he doesn't appreciate decorating for Christmas the way I do, he is generous and helpful.

The bonus for him? The two days after Thanksgiving we always watch all of the Star Wars movies.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

... No Room at the Inn.

Rachael got to participate in a nativity scene as Mary tonight. The Young Women did an activity called "No Room at the Inn," where they try to go caroling but get turned away at every door. Then they came back to one of the leader's houses to try caroling, but instead find a nativity scene in the garage. Rachael was Mary, and our neighbors Andrew and Trace were respectively Joseph and a Shepherd.

The Shepherd was totally embarrassed to be there (he's 11, and all the Young Women were there). Joseph really had no interest in participating, but then argued hotly with Mary over who should get to hold the baby. Mary, of course, being the youngest and most bossy, told everyone what to do and shushed both the boys and then all the Young Women because she was told everyone needed to be quiet. All in all it was a great three minutes. I hope the Young Women had a good time because I laughed myself silly.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

... Christmas dishes.

Not to long after we got out of school I decided I wanted a set of Christmas dishes. Many members of my family (although I should point out right off the top, NOT my dear husband) scoffed at me for wanting dishes that you only use for a couple of weeks ever year. I ignored them and bought myself a set. I pull them out almost every year for Thanksgiving and we use them until I put away the Christmas decorations in January. I know they are totally frivolous, but they make me happy. Maybe because they are frivolous.

I've noticed over the years that other family members have bought Christmas dishes, too... maybe I'm not completely crazy.

Monday, December 15, 2008

... scriptures.

We have had lots of lessons in Family Home Evening about obedience. Rachael is three, I expect we have a lot more in our future.

We usually try to read one or two verses of the Book of Mormon; I read and Rachael repeats back. I once figured out that at the current rate it will take us over 150 years to finish. But tonight I think we came across the first scripture that Rachael found relevant, 1 Nephi 2:3.

"And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him."

(The scripture is about Lehi preparing to take his family into the wilderness).

Rachael immediately recognized the word 'obedient' and was pretty excited about it. So was I!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

... many things.

I'm thankful I got a break from playing the piano in Primary. It was nice to not have such a frantic Sunday.

I'm thankful Rachael only has two more weeks left in nursery. I'm pretty excited for her to be in Primary.

I'm thankful we had a good choir rehearsal this afternoon. The Christmas program is next week and I'm feeling like we will do all right.

I'm thankful I didn't crash into that car when I drove to the Stake Center tonight. Even though he really really deserved it.

I'm thankful I ended up sitting by the soprano soloists at the Messiah sing-along. I got dumped off the bench I was originally sitting on, but then I ended up with all those great sisters who can really sing.

I'm thankful I went to the Messiah sing-along because it's fun to pretend I know how to sing and it sounds pretty good when you sing with an entire group.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

... it's just a phase.

Rachael has been so obstinate and irrational lately. Sometimes I swear she's 13, not three. And I don't know if I'm glad for this little preview of what her teenage years will really be like or not. Some things are better left a mystery.

Fortunately, I know with her that it's just phase, and she will outgrow it. I'm hoping for sooner instead of later!

Friday, December 12, 2008

... a new tradition.

Last year Rachael and I went to see Southern Lights. It's a neat light sculpture exhibit that goes all the way through the Kentucky Horse Park. At the end, they have displays set up, a chance to see Santa Claus, pony rides, even a petting zoo. Rachael had such a great time we decided we needed to drag Daddy with us this year. Rachael loves the lights, but I think the petting zoo is her favorite.



Apparently I have a tradition, too. I took this picture below this year:

And I took this picture below last year. In case you can't make it out, it's a Star Wars speeder and ATST walker.
I'm good.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

... and visiting preschool.

Today Rachael and I visited the preschool at the Church of Christ. Her friend Clark goes to the program they have for three and four year olds, which is once a week on Thursday mornings. Rachael was reluctant to see anything at first, but then warmed up as the morning went on. She didn't actually stay for class but Niki showed us around the building and the different classes and activities they have.

With any luck, we will have Rachael signed up to start going in January. Hooray! I think Rachael is excited about it, too.

... Necco wafers.

When I was a kid we made a gingerbread house almost every year. And we almost always used Necco wafers for the roof. In recent years when I made gingerbread houses - and if it's a house - I usually use Frosted Mini Wheats. Partly because I like the frosted, thatched roof look; and partly because I could never find any Neccos.

I found them at Meijer this year! Hooray! Long live the Necco wafer roof. I can't wait to finish it.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

... crazy pose day.

Today in ballet class the girls we making a "sandcastle," where the teacher had them each strike a crazy pose. The first couple of times they really didn't get it but by the end they were having a great time. The moms sitting outside all had a great laugh each time, too!

The picture is not that great (once again, with the camera thru the one way mirror); Rachael is the one standing. Part of her pose involved one foot up but she kept losing her balance. I hope they do this again sometime soon!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

... the remote for the lights.

A couple of years ago I picked up this really ingenious remote for the Christmas lights. There is a brick that plugs into the wall (actually two, one labeled A and the other B), then you plug the lights into that. Then you can use the ON and OFF buttons on the remote to turn the lights on and off.

I love it! Besides having the obvious technology coolness factor, it's great to leave the remote on the counter so we can turn the lights on and off whenever we want. I like to have them on when we are home, but off when we leave because it's a live tree. Last year I put some lights on the deck and used the B plug to run them. It's so fun to turn on the lights like magic!

Monday, December 8, 2008

... a good dentist.

One of the things I despise the most about moving is finding new doctors and dentists. I'm still after a good doctor, but I think we have discovered a good dentist. We had cleanings a couple of weeks ago and today I had some sealant done, and I really like the dentist, the office, the office staff, etc. (If you live here in KY it's Dr. Gambrel & Madison Dental Associates).

I have to admit dentists kind of have the deck stacked against them; my dentist growing up was a family friend. He is the only dentist I remember as a child and he was our family dentist until we moved to Kentucky 3 1/2 years ago. But this new one is pretty good, and has the benefit of being extremely close by.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

... double duty decorations.

We have several things that are designed to be decorations which have been dual purposed this year as toys. Some stuffed animals, a cute nativity (Rachael says "A-tivitiy") and the pink tinsel tree are all marvelous play things. I'm glad we have lots of things for Rachael to play with - it keeps her away from my tree covered in glass ornaments!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

... Christmas letters.

I am agonizing over our annual holiday letter; what to say, which pictures to use. The bright side is that soon my email and mailbox will contain the same type of letters in return and I can't wait to hear how everyone is doing. It makes all the stress of writing one worth it!

Friday, December 5, 2008

... rescuing Rudolph.

Tonight Rachael and I went to the Richmond Christmas Parade. We left Daddy home; he's fighting off a cold and the 20 degree weather would not have agreed with him. We were suppose to go to a friend's house who lives right on the parade route, but we didn't make it in time before the roads closed, so we ended up at a different spot. Despite the below freezing weather Rachael had a marvelous time. She's pretty sure the entire parade was just for her enjoyment.

The best part of the night for me was later, though, when we realized we had left Rudolph. She wanted to take him to the parade, but in rounding up all our stuff at the end he was forgotten. I have had Rudolph for awhile; I bought him at Media Play when we lived in Westminster. (At least 9 years ago!). Rachael has become quite attached to him lately. I threw on my coat over my pajamas and headed back to our spot.

I made it! I saw the clean up crew heading down the street but got there ahead of them. There was Rudolph, waiting for me. I feel like a hero tonight.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

... Christmas decorations.

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love everything about it - the music, the decorations, the gift giving, the choir program, and especially the reason to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

We have been decorating the house for Christmas; it always feels so much more cheerful this time of year when we are finished! Rachael has really gotten into this year, too. She has her own pink tinsel tree that she adores.

One night after we were finished with the family tree, she asked me where all the nutcrackers go. I told her the kitchen. (They do - most of them go up on top of the cabinets). A few minutes later I found she had set them all up in the kitchen... but down at Rachael height. It was a shame to move them!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

... Photoshop.

I just finished touching up the pictures I took last week, and I think I got a couple of good ones. I'm glad we have Photoshop - it helps make a good picture into a great picture. Here's my favorite one:I'm glad for the experience, too. I learn something new every time I try something new.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

... my shopping buddy.

I love shopping with Rachael when she's all dressed up and being cute. I went out in a sloppy sweatshirt and a pair of jeans... and no one cares what I look like. Everyone is interested in the little girl and her cute hat.

Monday, December 1, 2008

... a fun treat.

Today Louan and I made dipped pretzels for our Relief Society sisters. I am doing a demonstration of these at our activity tomorrow night, and we thought it would be fun to have some done up already to hand out as treats. They turned out really cute!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

... an easy lesson.

Today in Relief Society we had the easiest lesson ever... we showed the video of President Uchtdorf's talk from the last General Relief Society Meeting. Some days I wish we could have every lesson on TV. It was nice.

We also had a little time for discussion, too, and I think that was good. And I love getting in front of a group of people and saying "what did you learn?" and getting 30 blank stares... good times. Fortunately the blank stares didn't last long!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

... leftovers.

Ah, Thanksgiving leftovers. One of the best reasons to have a huge meal is so that you can eat it for days afterward. We have turkey sandwiches, stuffing, potatoes, and even cranberry relish. Yesterday I made turkey soup, so now we have that, too. I shouldn't have to cook for a week.

Friday, November 28, 2008

... blogging friends.

Because I kind of use this blog as a journal, and because someday I will go back and look at the list of all the blogs I read and not remember any of them, I wanted to write a post about all the bloggers on my page. (I have tried to use blogger's pseudonymns and not use last names where it applies.)

Perspicacious Words is Ryan's blog. He likes to document all his fishing trips. For the family he documents his trips to China. I format it with periods to keep it at the top of my list.

Applegators is David Applegate and Megean Boardman. They are getting married in less than 3 weeks! Meg used to live in our ward (her family is still here) and although I don't know her really well it's fun to keep up with her as she prepares to get married.

B&B Transplants is Ben and Breanne. Breanne used to be one my Young Women when I lived in Longmont, CO and was in the YW organization. She's all grown up and married and almost graduated from BYU-I. She and her husband live in Rexburg.

Be the Pigeon is my friend Chris from Firestone, CO. His wife also blogs on Only With the Heart. Chris has a great sense of humor.

Blog with the Stanworths is my good friend Erica and her husband Jamey in Firestone. When I lived in CO Erica was my favoritest hairdresser ever. We also served together in Primary. I love keeping up with her family on her blog.

Building on the (little) rock is my friend Rochelle. We used to live in the same ward together in Colorado, but now she and her husband live in Utah. She has four kids; her third is a daughter named Sadie that is about four weeks older than Rachael. She was a great mommy resource for me when I was a new mommy. Now she is a source of inspiration because I am serving in RS and she did that very well for a long time.

Family Doings is D'Ann and her family in Berea. Until very recently we lived in the same ward! Then our ward split. Now I love keeping up with her via her blog since we don't see each other nearly as often. She's also a reader and has great suggestions for books to read.

Gang of Seven is Amy's blog. Amy is my sister-in-law's sister-in-law. OK so I guess that makes us not really related but she's lots of fun and we run into each other once in awhile for family gatherings. She is the mom of five boys ages 8 to newborn and she is amazing.

Good Times is my sweet friend Ashly who used to live here in Richmond but moved to Louisville. We are the same age and even went to Ricks College the same year (although we didn't know each other then). She still comes out to Richmond to visit occasionally. She has also offered to watch Rachael so Ryan and I can go to the temple and I am seriously going to take her up on that. One day.

Haley & Doug are our friends from Firestone. Doug got made a High Priest while we lived there but is only a couple of months older than Ryan. He is affectionately referred to as Old Man Lindhardt.

Jamestown Holler is one my my newest friends, Stacy. She recently moved here from Texas and is building a new house here in Richmond. It's fun to see her new house pics - it reminds me of when we built a new house.

Jessie's Jabbers is my friend Jessie. She blogs about her family and especially her cute daughter Aiden who is a little older than Rachael. Jessie lived here in Richmond with her family when we first moved here, then she moved to Illinois but now she is back. She's also Megean's sister (from Applegators). She is amazing at crochet and has her own webstite, littlecrochic.com.

Just in case you wanted to know is my friend Jen from Frederick. She loves animals and gardening, and has three boys. She's the only one I know that loves it when a bat lands on the deck. And photographs it for her blog. Plus her youngest son makes up the cutest little song titles.

Kirynie is my friend Kelsey's baby girl. Kelsey and I were friends in high school. He now lives with his family in England. (This is a private blog).

Lauren and Matt is another couple that was recently married. Lauren was another of my Young Women from Colorado. They currently live in Utah. I'm so happy to see my former YW so blessed.

Little Town Adventures is my friend Karin from high school and from my ward growing up. She has two cute girls, one of whom is named Rachel. (This is also a private blog).

Lubin' Life is Denisha's blog. Denisha is Kristy's daughter; Kristy lives in my ward here in Richmond and we used to serve in RS together. Denisha has two darling daughters. I'm kind of a lurker on her blog.

Manly Musings is Shane's blog. Shane is married to Rochelle of Building on the (little) rock fame. Shane used to think blogging was cool but apparently has better things to do with his time.

My Life as a Big Brother is Evan's blog. Evan is Amy's (Gang of Seven) oldest son; he is eight years old and I think the youngest blogger I know.

My Miscellaneous Musings is my dear friend Carli's blog. This is the first blog I ever followed regularly. I still love to check on her and her husband and their three cute kids. She is a very passionate person in everything she does.

My Providential Existence is my wonderful sister-in-law Lorie's blog. She's the only other member of our families (besides Ryan) with her own blog. I really love keeping up with my nephews and their family, especially since they live all the way out in California.

Nikki's Party Time is my good friend Nikki who used to live here in KY but recently moved to Utah. We miss her dearly but enjoy keeping up with her.

Only With the Heart is Jolayne, married to Chris of Be the Pigeon. They have three girls, the youngest of whom is also three years old. Ryan and Chris were good friends before we left Colorado and I think we would have all been great friends if we were still there. I'm glad we can still keep in touch through blogging.

Orchard Family Blog is Jenny who used to live here for only a few months but has moved to Connecticut. She has four boys! She still visits here from time to time because her mother-in-law is a sweet lady in our ward.

Ordinary Adventures is another KY friend who has since moved, Courtney. She and her husband and daughter now live in Chicago. One of my all time favorite blogs was when Paige swallowed a button.

Professional Students is a cousin of mine who lives in Michigan. We actually haven't seen each other in years, but we are both married and each have one little girl. As you might have guessed, she and her husband are both students.

Snips, Snails and a Pinch of Sugar is another Colorado friend, Brandy. We never seemed to be in the same circles in the ward (if I was in Primary, she was in YW, etc) but we have managed run into each other off and on the last couple of years so it's been great to still check in on her family. She has four boys and one sweet girl.

So here we are is the blog of an old college friend of Ryan and I; actually it's his wife's blog. They recently moved from Denver to Evanston, WY. They have three darling kids. (This is a private blog).

So the journey begins is Carrie, my best friend from high school. She hasn't blogged in awhile.

Team Tippets is a new friend, Niki. She has three cute boys and we have playdates with her son Clark sometimes. Clark and Rachael will be Sunbeams together in January.

The Way I See the World is my sweet friend Becky. She has her own photography business in CO and sometimes she posts pics from her sessions, sometimes pics from her family. She's extremely talented!

Tirsa & Blaine live in CO and although we didn't get to know each other that well before we moved, they have two darling adopted children and it's always great to know another adoption advocate.

Vaulted Skies is a friend from CO who moved to Oregon, JoAnn. I just recently stumbled across her blog.

And of course there is our family blog, The Family Ricks, because I am just so cool that I need two blogs.

I'm grateful for all of you and I'm so thankful we live in an era where I can stalk people on the computer to keep up with them instead of doing something useful, like writing them letters.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

... Thanksgiving.

What a great day to have gratitude journal!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love cooking all day, eating a big meal, and especially hanging around with the family. I enjoy having a day where we are really suppose to reflect on all the things we are thankful for and that make us happy.

In no particular order, here is a gigantic paragraph on some of the things I thought about today:

A warm and comfortable house ~ We always have enough food ~ We have lots of great friends ~ We have wonderful supportive families that love us ~ We have a really great ward here in Richmond ~ The gospel of Jesus Christ and that families are forever ~ Singing with the choir ~ Long distance phone calls ~ My beautiful charming 3 year old and all her 'why' questions ~ Rachael's birthmother and her family ~ Hot chocolate ~ Living in a free country ~ And all the veterans that have fought to keep it that way ~ Clothes that fit ~ My laptop computer ~ All my great camera gear ~ My wonderful husband ~ Christmas decorations ~ Facebook ~ Our family vacation to Disney World.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

... my photography assistant.

A friend of mine asked me to come and take some family pictures for her. I'm not really much of a photographer, so I was flattered to be asked. We decided to go over to the lake at what I knew would be around sunset.

My sweet and wonderful husband set up all my gear, charged batteries for both the flash and the camera, put on the tripod quick release plate, and even wrote a cheat sheet of how to use the camera best in aperture priority and manual priority. Then he sent me on my way with a dose of confidence.

If I ever decide to become a professional photographer, I have a fantastic built-in assistant! Thanks handsome!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

... and hot chocolate.


I'm pretty sure this picture says it all.
(That implement in the front is a Frother. It's awesome.)

... a good checkup.

A little over a year ago I had laser eye surgery done, which I love. I still can't believe I can just get up in the morning without chasing down my glasses.

Today I had an eye exam and my eyes are still great and still have 20/20 vision. Hooray!

Monday, November 24, 2008

... the dentist.

Actually I'm not crazy about visiting the dentist. But I am grateful for good dental care. I need some new sealant on a couple of teeth, and I was wondering what would happen to my teeth if sealant were not an option. The short answer is, it would be long and painful. I'm so glad we have such great advances that let me keep all my teeth!

Ryan also had an appointment today, and his teeth are in great shape.

Rachael had a visit with the pediatric dentist last week, and she did a great job! They even took x-rays (her back teeth are starting to touch) and she did really well. I'm glad we go to a pediatric dentist for her; they make it so much more fun to see the dentist.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

... Stake Conference.

Today was Stake Conference! I sang with the choir - we have been rehearsing for about four weeks. It was amazing. We sang "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" which is awesome, and instead of being accompanied by the piano, we had a trio consisting of a cello, oboe, and clarinet. The musicians were all from our ward, too, so that's fun. I'm so glad I participated - I learned so much singing with a choir of 40 people. Our director was really great, too. He is in our ward also Justify Fulland leads our ward choir. He never criticizes; just works and works until you get it right.

As if that wasn't enough, our visiting General Authorities were Elder Richard G Scott from the Quorum of the 12 and Elder John J Chipman of the Seventy. They were both incredible speakers. We also had Mayor Jim Newberry, the mayor of Lexington. (Which is a little odd because most of our stake is not in Lexington but actually cities south and east.) He is not a member of the church, but gave a nice talk and welcomed Elder Scott. I've never been to a church conference before where one of the speakers was not a member, so that was a neat experience.

Another unique experince was Elder Scott calling on his authority as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve to invoke a special blessing on all of us in the Lexington Stake. The blessing included answers to prayers, protection of homes and lives, and peace of mind in a difficult world.

After conference was over I ended up in the crowd to shake hands with Elder Scott and Elder Chipman. Since it was impossible to get out anyway, I waited long enough to shake both their hands. In case you're wondering, Elder Scott is very gracious in person. He is also short - only about as tall as I am!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

... a hamburger party.

Once in awhile - usually a Friday or Saturday night - we have a pizza party, and we all make our own pizzas. While we were at Disney we saw what they called a "toppings bar," for hamburgers. You can see where this is going... hamburger party! Why did it take us so long to come up with this idea?

Tonight Ryan made hamburgers and fixed bacon, onions, and cheese to go on top of them. We also got out the ketchup, Miracle Whip, fry sauce, and BBQ sauce. Rachael saw the pepperoni in the fridge and decided we needed to have that at our burger party, too.

It was a hit! Even Rachael, who doesn't ever eat the bun with the burger, threw her whole self into the party. Her burger has pepperoni and cheese on it. And ketchup.

Friday, November 21, 2008

... available tickets.

Last night after we got home from Florida I was suppose to go see Twilight with a group of friends. But, like and idiot, I forgot to buy my ticket ahead of time, and of course there were none left. So I went down to the theater anyway to see if one would become available and to hang out for a little while, but of course another ticket was out of the question, so I went home.

This afternoon, though, I found there were some available tickets for a show tonight, so I called my friend Cathy and we are off to see the 8:40 showing. It's not the midnight show from last night, but I think I'll survive. And I'll be home in bed at a decent hour!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

... safe travels.

I'm always grateful when we land safely when we fly. Especially when we land in a snowstorm. In 30 degree weather. After a sunny vacation.

Seriously, we almost got back on the plane and went back to Florida.

At least Rachael loved the snow!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

... we're flexible.

Today we planned to spend the entire day at Animal Kingdom. After a couple of hours, though, it was obvious that Rachael just wasn't enjoying herself as much as she had at the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. Ryan and I both got to go on the rides we really wanted to (K Safari for me, Expedition Everest for Ryan [which he had to ride alone - Rach is too short]). We also saw "It's Tough to be a Bug," and met some characters. After a quick lunch we decided to head back over to the Magic Kingdom so Rachael could have more fun.

I'm glad we planned our trip to be flexible and make changes like that. We all had a great time this afternoon, and Rachael got to see the Princesses again... her absolute favorite thing to do.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

... good walking shoes.

We hiked all over the Magic Kingdom yesterday and all over Epcot today. Rachael was so worn out yesterday evening she crawled into the stroller and fell asleep. Tonight she made it until we got back to the hotel, but literally put herself to bed after I got her pajamas on.

My feet are sore but I'm glad I have comfortable shoes because I know it would be worse if I didn't!

Monday, November 17, 2008

... a magical family vacation.

With all the time Ryan has spent in China this year, we haven't done much for family vacation time. We finally put together a Disney vacation, and we are so excited to spend four days at Disney World, playing and having fun.

I'm so glad we get a chance to escape from the real world and to give our daughter one of those classic childhood experiences.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

... lists.

I love having lists of all the things I need to do before I go, of all the things I need to pack and all the things I need buy.

Now if I would just write everything down, I would be in great shape!

Instead I'm sure I'll forget something for this trip.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

... a makeshift date.

Ryan got signed up to help manage the parking lot at the Stake Center tonight. This is important because our stake has decided to use the parking lot as a fundraiser activity at UK home games. The stake center is but a stone's throw from the stadium; so they are charging to park in the parking lot, and using the money for youth activities. (How Ryan got nominated is a gigantic rant I will save for another blog. Or another time.)

To make lemonade out of lemons, we hired a babysitter and went as a date. We took the DVD player and watched a movie and had hot chocolate (OK that was just me) and movie candy. It was fun to spend a few hours with just the two of us, even if we did have to maintain the parking lot.

Friday, November 14, 2008

... a self esteem boost.

Today I was trying on clothes in a dressing room at a store. Which I hate. No one looks good in dressing rooms, I'm pretty sure. My sweet little angel turned to me and said, "Mommy, you are an astonishing beauty." I have no idea where she heard that phrase but she picked a great time to use it!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

... the VT coordinator.

I'm pretty good to at least try and do my visiting teaching every month. At the very least I try to check in with all the sisters I visit. But I am horrible about reporting at the end of the month! I'm glad we have a diligent VT coordinator who calls me to get my report. You'd think I would be better since I'm a counselor in the RS presidency... I'm working on it!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

... the Disney guidebook.

A few months ago I bought a 2008 Walt Disney World for Kids book at the Disney store. We were tenatively planning a trip for next year sometime when I ran across it on sale, so I picked it up. It's been lots of fun to look at the reviews and descrptions of all the parks, rides, and other attractions. It's got a lot of feedback from kids, so we know which rides are scary or dark.

It's also got a countdown for things to do in the 10 days leading up to your trip, so now we have something to check on every day.

I'm so glad I bought the book!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

... Veteran's Day.

I'm grateful we have a day once a year to remember all those that have fought in wars on our behalf. They worked so hard for our freedom; I try not to take that for granted.

Monday, November 10, 2008

... the new TV.

OK, we watch way more TV in this house than we ought to. But I'm glad that we got a new one just the same!

We celebrated by having a movie night for Family Home Evening.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

... the TV died.

Today our TV finally fried itself. In the 5 years we have owned it, we have made a lot of repairs, so this wasn't actually a big surprise. My extremely adept husband pulled it apart and replaced a couple of fuses - he even had the right fuses already! - but to no avail. It has gone the way of the Sony Betamax.

There are some good things about it, though. First, we had to spend the entire day Sunday without a television. This is typically a day where we watch a movie in the afternoon and random shows in the evening, and it was actually nice to take a break from it. Second, although the picture quality was great and the screen was great, the entire TV was huge because it's a rear-projection model. In our other house this wasn't a problem because there was a built-in spot for a large TV, but in this house it just sits on the floor and takes up space. Now we can finally justify a TV that will not take up so much room.

Merry Christmas to us...

Saturday, November 8, 2008

A New Blog

When I started this blog, I had intended it to be a place just for me to write down something every day that I am thankful for or that makes me happy. Since then, it has kind of morphed into a combination of things I am thankful for and a regular journal, and I vacillate all the time between posting news and events or just things I am thankful for. A few days it occurred to me I could do both!

So, without further adieu, I announce our Family Blog, at http://family-ricks.blogspot.com. Both Ryan and I will contribute, and we will try to post fun family activities and vacations as well as day to day randomness.

We will both still maintain our personal blogs, and now I feel like I can go back to posting things that inspire me without documenting my entire life. Ryan will still be posting plenty of fishing logs on his blog, too.

Update your bookmarks! :)

Friday, November 7, 2008

... craft time.

Yesterday morning out of the clear blue Rachael announced she would like to do a craft. I didn't have any great ideas, but we headed upstairs to where my craft stuff is at. After reviewing the choices, she decided beaded necklaces would be fun. We got the craft beads and some ribbon and got to work. She's pretty adept at stringing the beads herself. This project also had another benefit - she spent all day working on it at random intervals. It was a fun project and we will certainly do it again sometime!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

... and autumn.

The weather has been just unbelievably beautiful the last couple of days, so yesterday Rachael and I loaded up the camera gear and went to a local park with lots of different trees. We had a wonderful time!






My favorite girl to photograph had a great time playing in the leaves and the trees.