Sunday, May 31, 2009

What Not to Wear at a Cannibal Convention


This post is definitely for Matt. A girl at church was wearing Juicy Couture glasses we really liked. But of course the label made us think of the sweats which made us return to the age-old question, why would anyone want the word juicy across their tokus. We finally decided why - it's all part of the proper labeling of food as set down by the CFDA (Cannibals Food and Drug Administration). Kind of cheesy and kind of lame? Possibly, but the mental image gave Matt and me a chuckle.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Saddlerock Revisited

Do any of you remember last year when I tried to hike Wenatchee's best known hike aka Saddlerock? Do you remember me telling you how I was going to get into much better shape so as to conquer the "mountain" the next time? After the last time I posted (August 19th, in case you want to go back and refresh yourselves) I talked with all these women and they all mentioned an easier trail. "Oh," they said, "it was steep, you must have gone the wrong way. There is a MUCH easier trail." "Ah great," I thought, "maybe you're not as LAME as you thought." I never knew where this "easier" trail started, but I kept hearing rumors about it.

Yesterday I was at play group where some of the mothers were talking about going up it later that day with the Achievement Day girls (Kevin, that's the girls' equivalent of cub scouts). They asked me if I would come along to help out with the group. I accepted but felt some very real trepidation. What if this easier trail was the evil trail and I really am that LAME?

It turns out my fear was justified. We got to the trail head and all the time I kept expecting them to veer off in some other direction but they kept following the path I had traversed once before. Thankfully though, while it was still steep (we had to take baby side steps to keep ourselves from slipping all the way down) I did much better this time. Why, I'm not quite sure; though I am telling people it's because I am more used to the altitude now. Either way, I have conquered Saddlerock and the the 11 mile bike loop (that was Monday and my tokus is still sore) so I can now officially call myself a Wenatchen.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

New Calling

Just in case my mother is remotely curious, Matt and I have our new callings. Matt is the Elder's Quorum President to all of five elders and I am the First Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency. I'll be honest, it's the calling I was most hoping for, even if I only have three Mia Maids to advise. It was especially nice when the only one attending today seemed genuinely excited to have me as her leader. So here's hoping that in a year or two I'm still as excited about this calling as I am now.

By the way, if anyone has any great advice for me, I would love to have it.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Loving on my sisters

I adore my sisters. I especially love when we're all able to get together. I love that we all have strong personalities (that, I believe, comes from my mother) and are all fairly different, but when we get together it's mostly just happiness. Last weekend, we decided to get away to Nichole's friend's aunt's cabin (still with me) on Mount Hood. It was kind of short, just Friday afternoon till Sunday morning, but we scrap booked, slept, made really baggy pajamas, watched movies, took walk(s), cooked, ate way too much sugar and had an overall relaxing few days. I like to think of it as a true mother's day weekend.

My favorite part of the weekend came Saturday mid-morning when we were all busily making our pj's and Megan was urging us with all her might to take a walk with her. Melissa calmly explained that the weekend was meant to do whatever we wanted and she couldn't make us go. Two minutes later though everyone was inexplicably ready to enjoy a lovely sister's walk. I don't know why that's my favorite memory because at first blush it doesn't seem to make for a really heart-warming story. But I do love how the relationships we had as children (sometimes good, sometimes bad) have evolved into relationships with more love, respect, and a whole lot more giggling.

It's true what my mother says about your sisters. You may not love them as children but eventually they will grow up to be your best friends. I love you my dear sweet chicas.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

It's a Wonderful Life

Here's to all the random things I find myself grateful for lately.
  • I don't want you to think that I cried all day Mother's Day being without offspring because I didn't at all, but all the same I am thankful it's done. I love the mothers in my life (be they sisters, mothers, or friends) who are amazing examples of the myriad of ways to be a wonderful mother, but I am grateful to be out from under the microscope that with pity oozing from its lens says, "You don't have children? That's okay you don't have children, you're a "mother" all the same." I realize this is all true but I'd rather not be piercingly reminded of it. Is that okay?
  • Okay . . . on a happier note I am thankful for Priesthood Blessings. I don't know how people live without them. Kevin, email me and I'll explain them to you.
  • With the above, I am thankful for a worthy Priesthood holder located in easy living quarters of me. Yep, that's my husband.
  • Small projects that can be completed quickly, thus giving me a sense of accomplishment without the endless hours of toil.
  • The excitement and adventure that comes with a ward split. I got a call the other night asking if I wanted to stay Gospel Doctrine teacher, because that could be arranged but I opted instead for the unknown, except maybe for Primary. I'm really afraid of Primary and will only do it if that's really where God wants me.
  • Although I'd really like to be working today, I'm thankful that I know I won't (my computer crashed on Friday) so I can plan my schedule accordingly. I tell you, the commercials are true - knowledge is power.
  • A much better experience at Gear Up yesterday and last Thursday to remind me just how much I do love these kids.
  • Anticipation. I don't love surprises as much as love anticipation. I loved anticipating my sewing class and now I am loving anticipating my weekend with my sisters (less poor Natalie who's stuck in Virginia) and my mother. It's going to be grr-ate.
  • Waking up at 6:00 and knowing I could get up but choosing to doze in and out until 7:30 instead and not feeling the least bit guilty about it.
  • Having a somewhat steady journal to be able to look to remember the minutia of my life be it the joys or the pains. I don't know why this made it onto the list but I am grateful for it all the same.

Okay, I think that's it. It's been an interesting week for me. Not sure exactly how, but just interesting. So thanks for letting me replay part of it here for you.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Mother's Day (sort of)

Matt and I were discussing what we should do to celebrate Mother's Day since I have no offspring to call me such names. Don't worry, my psyche is doing well. We decided that doing nothing would be just fine by me. I know I nurture others and "mother" in my own special way, but, honestly, I would just as soon have a fun dinner and call it good.

But today as we walked downtown to get a shake at our local malt shop we passed by this baby boutique going out of business. Everything in the store was 40% to 75% off so Matthew suggested I go in and get some things for our eventual babies. I was pretty hesitant about it afraid it might jinx us but Matt persisted and I went in and got some fun items. My favorite being those super cute little baby girl shoes.

So there you go, Happy Mother's Day to me. Pregnancy pants and some cute shoes for my babies, be they girl or boy. I may not be pregnant, in fact, I might never get pregnant, but on the off chance that I don't, I've got some fun gifts for the next couple of years worth of baby showers. Happy Mother's Day!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Knowledge is Power

Even Quilting Knowledge. Yep, in about an hour I'm going to my very first quilting class and I couldn't be more excited. I've been counting down the days for the last two weeks the way I do when I get a haircut. Matt is flabbergasted by it all but it doesn't dampen my spirits one iota.
The class I am taking is only three hours long as covers the basics of the long-arm sewing machine. This machine takes up most of the space of an 8' x 10' room and is the best thing to happen to machine quilting since the advent of . . . something else really cool, like thread maybe.
Anyway, I have three unfinished projects that I have been absolutely dying to finish but need the class to teach me the tools I need to do it. So it's off to the Attic Window Quilt Shoppe (how do you feel about names like 'Shoppe' instead of 'Shop'?) I go to learn the tricks of the trade so I can feel the breeze of quilting-freedom running through my hair. Hmmm . . . maybe that last phrase was stretching it.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Up with the Sun

I love the sun. I love springtime, and I love longer days. What I'm not so in love with is my internal clock that says, "the sun is awake so Sara should be awake too." Or, "the sun is still asleep so Sara should stay in bed." I've been waking up at 6:00 am for the past week thanks to Mr. Sun peeking out earlier and earlier but it wasn't until today that I finally succumbed. Normally I just tell myself to go back to bed and spend the next hour or so going in and out of consciousness.

But this morning I skipped out of bed and greeted the sun. Which is both good and bad. Good because, think of all the extra stuff I can do with my day when I wake up that much earlier. Bad because, one, I ended up spending the vast majority of the first two hours on facebook (I joined this morning) and two, by 7:30 I was ready already so up and at em I started my dishwasher, which hopefully did not cause too much noise for our upstairs neighbors. Usually I try not to turn on any major appliances until at least 8:00. Did number two make sense?

Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that I'm not sure how well I like this new awake time.