My word for 2010

I have this great Friend Laura who writes this wonderful blog- Lewis Family Letters. She makes me laugh, cry, think, inspires and challenges me. A few posts back she asks what is your one word for 2010. I especially liked this because I am never one to make new year's resolutions. So as I pondered what word best describes what I want to accomplish, do or be for 2010 a few came to mind.

Last year I vowed to "embrace" winter since the winter before I felt borderline depressed. So each time I thought in my head, "I hate winter" I would replace it with "I am embracing winter." It helped me redirect my thoughts into a somewhat positive manner. That and adding more vitamin D to my diet really helped me remain positive in the long dreary months. So embrace was out of the picture since I already did it and it was also Laura's word for the year. I knew she wouldn't mind if I used the same word, but I knew this wasn't my word for the year.

I also thought about the word "perspective" as in my own and that of others. Sometimes we get so absorbed in our own way of thinking we fail to see the other's perspective. But, no this wasn't the word for me either. I continued to really think hard about this all night and into the following day.

Today as I was making lunch and thinking about how much I did not want to go to the grocery store the word came into my mind- REPLENISH! That is it!

re·plen·ish

Pronunciation: \ri-ˈple-nish\

Function: verb

transitive verb1 a : to fill with persons or animals : stock b archaic : to supply fully : perfect c : to fill with inspiration or power : nourish
2 a : to fill or build up again ed his glass> b : to make good : replaceintransitive verb: to become full : fill up again I had already started to do this in my life. This week I got back to my regular exercise routine of 5x per week rather than a few times as of lately. I also started reading my scriptures daily which I am sad to say had slipped. These things need to be replenished in my life. Yesterday a friend and I went out to eat delicious Indian food. Over lunch she was telling me how badly she wanted to go to a reunion with her friends from school and she was unsure whether her husband would agree. She has a mother who lives with them who has dementia, an exchange student, 2 beautiful daughters, a niece living with her and life in general. We discussed the fact that when we don't take time for ourselves, to become full or fill up again, there is nothing left to give others. So today I made the decision to replenish myself even further by filling up with inspiration. I chose not to go to the grocery store and instead to sit on the couch with a blanket and Lola curled on my toes as I read the Ensign almost cover to cover (I skipped a few articles here and there). Then I read the Friend to help me magnify my calling as primary president and mother. I finished it off with reading a chapter from the scriptures. It felt so good to build up again the things that have been missing in my life. So my word for 2010 is replenish. How about yours?

Please come in and play

Lola loves to play in the snow, but since she can't bundle up like the kids I make her come in much sooner than they do. Much to her dismay!

Here she is waiting and whining for her kids to come in and play!

It is -11 outside with the wind whipping around like crazy! After a half an hour I made the kids come inside- much to their dismay! They too were whining about coming in and the fact that "it's not so bad outside."

Is that why Alyssa's cheeks are bright red? with strange lumps from the "not so cold?"

After ALL the snow paraphernalia is dumped and

then place in the dryer for next time...

It is time for hot chocolate with oodles of snowman marshmallows and mile high whip cream.

A kids gotta warm up ya know!

Out of the mouth of babes

I found this old scrap of paper that I had written down what the kids said verbatim. We were working on a Father's day project way back in June 2004 when the kids were only 3 1/2. . I asked them what type of superhero their dad is. I love the toddler talk and incorrect grammar. It warms my heart to read this and I wanted to save it forever before it gets destroyed.

Alyssa's words:

A horsey. A circle horsey. Okay I did enough. A blue horsey and a pink horsey. The horsey run away, but he didn't run away. He got lost and the ticks bite him. Jesus pulled the horsey out and He ride him. A doggie helped her. He went in the scary dark and it was trying to snow and Jesus pulled her out of the snow.. A horsey pulled Daddy out of the woods. Daddy would fly out to the woods. I'm gonna name him Superhero. He's gonna be batman and he's gonna be a boy. He change his costume. A horsey costume. He had his horsey mask on, he's all horsey. He went home to dinner and the kids change their ideas. He got a cow costume, pig, sheep, rooster- every costume that he wants to be. He ride a cow, horsey. He wrestles with me and I be a horsey and knock him over. I be a big horsey! I have some "heins" (reins) on and he ride me. My mommy got my carrots. I love him and mom loves me and Thurston love me and Za loves me.

Xander's words:

If Daddy were a superhero he would be Superman! Cause him fly. Me gonna be Superman soon! Hey, me can be a Little Superman. Daddy's like Superman because him's super! My favorite thing to do with Daddy is wrestle. Me like him. Daddy's ketchup man and I'm blue power ranger. Me love him. I like him cause him me's Dad.

It is interesting to see what things scared Alyssa- ticks, woods and the dark and how even back then she knew that Jesus would help. I love how Xander wanted to be just like him's dad and how he still LOVES to do thing with his dad. Just now they are building Lego's together in the other room and Xander said, "I love building with you because you have great ideas!"

1. a snow day to get caught up

2. a clean desk

3. memories not forgotten

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Today Xander and his friends got together to go roller skating. This was Xander's first time EVER on roller skates! He made me promise not to take pictures or video. I almost peed my pants laughing so hard with tears streaming down my face at the trip and falls and SPLITS that accompanied this learning. I wasn't necessarily laughing at him I was also remembering my learning how to skate and how many falls it took to get it right! He wanted to give up at first, but thankfully his friends encouraged him on and his "sticktoittiveness" and desire to get it right lead him forward and sometimes to his knees, but he persevered and GOT IT in the end!

Oh that was a great giggle, cry and trip down memory lane! I can still remember Friday nights at "Skateland" as a teenager. The wind whipping through my feathered hair as I went around in circles as fast as I could in SKIN TIGHT jeans. The boys, the loud music, the friends, the songs dedicated, the hopes that I would get picked for boys choice, backwards, slow dance, couples only...so many memories both happy and embarrassing. It was fun to revisit those feelings today at the rink, but I am SO glad I am not a teenager again!

1. great friends to create memories with

2. Alyssa having a fun play date too

3. All of Christmas put away and GONE until next year...

Favorite Boston places and faces

Last supper

Tonight for our last dinner together before Grandma Barbara and Uncle Michael go back to sunny California we had a delicious last supper. I made baked ziti, salad and "circle bread." I am always hesitant to make bread since sometimes it turns out and other times well.... but tonight it was DELICIOUS! Yum! We call it circle bread since after you roll it out you cut it as you would biscuits, dip one end in butter (margarine for those who are butter impaired), stack it in rows sideways in a bundt pan and it comes out looking like a rosette and tasting wonderful! So glad to be able to share a great dinner with a great family!

1. chinese food for lunch

2. snow falling

3. my bread being a success

Christmas 2009

What a great day we had with Grandma Barbara and Uncle Michael here to celebrate Christmas. The kids loved all of their gift and the top prize goes to their brand new ATV.

At first I was worried because Xander didn't seem too interested in it. He said, "Mom I told you that you didn't have to spend all that money on an atv. I feel bad." I told him to let us worry about how much money we spend and that he should just have fun. And fun was had by all!

Even Grandma Barbara got in on the action!

The next in line was their snowboards.

They have been asking for these for a very long time.

They realized that it takes a lot of work to get back up the hill with one foot still attached, but loved it still.

It was warm enough to take a walk in the woods and enjoy the sunshine and temperature over 32 degrees. A real heat wave for us lately. I loved having a white Christmas and family to celebrate and enjoy it with.

Lola is lovin' having all these extra people to play with and get love from!

1. Christmas will not come for another 364 more days! Hallelujah

2. my new "real" camera

3. the endless picture possibilities yet to come