Saturday, July 3, 2010

'E' FOR EFFORT

This morning I got up, got ready, and drove up to the temple, all excited about doing a session. When I got there I found a sign saying it was closed for the day. Apparently the Saturday before a holiday that is celebrated on a Monday, is a holiday for the temple. Sigh.
It wasn't a complete loss though! The distribution center was open so I bought this video for all of our Young Women to have. I LOVED when I saw this for the first time, and have watched it over and over again. They're getting it as a Christmas gift for our 'Christmas in July' activity this month. I love any excuse to celebrate Christmas!!! Happy Holidays :)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

TO SUM IT UP.....

Tomorrow is the first day of my 33rd year. Sigh. I made a goal for myself to accomplish 32 things before I hit the double-digit, so here is a recap of what was accomplished up to the last day of my 32ews:

1.Learn 5 new songs on my guitar: Nope. The only time I picked up my guitar was when I was moving. It has been a lovely decoration this last year!

2.Participate in a sprint triathlon: I started training for one, and then I sort of fizzled. It’s the story of my exercise life!

3. Purchase a home: Done, done, done! I bought my first home in November and while it continues to deplete my savings, I LOVE it!

4. Finish my mission scrapbook: I’m still working on it. I’m much closer, but not completely finished yet. I feel good about the progress though!

5. Start my food storage: I have everything for my72 hour kit and about 3 months of food storage saved. Last month I finally added my water.

6. Ride a tandem bike: So close! Last summer my sister and I went to go ride one when we were in Oregon, at the coast, and when we took it for a test run it ended up being broken. They didn’t have any other ones, so the parking lot is the furthest we went. To be honest, though, they freak me out a little. I felt like I had no control and I was a tiny bit happy that it was broken.

7. Make a quilt: No, but I talked both grandmothers into making one for me!! I know that doesn’t count, but my desire is still there. One day it will be done.

8. Read scriptures every day: I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t complete this one. There were days that were hit and miss. I envy those people who are unwavering in this area of their life.

9. Learn to cook a new dish and host a dinner every other month: I did dinners, but not as regularly as anticipated. I did learn some delicious recipes though, and had fun in the process.

10. Exercise at least 3 times a week: Um, this one was hit and miss, but it was better than the year before. Those tennis shoes are my nemesis!

11. Go on a hot air balloon ride: Nope! This, I’m finding, is something that you really have to do with someone else that wants to do it. It’s not cheap either, so I’m still looking for participants.

12. Organize, clean out, and replace make-up: Done

13. Buy a nice camera: I bought my camera last November and have taken full advantage, although I'm sure people get tired of me saying 'okay, now smile!'

14. Go golfing on an actual golf course: Nope, but I don’t really mind that I didn’t do this. I went to the range just to hit balls and have discovered that I really stink at it!

15. Send a hand written letter to my nieces and nephews every month: I did it for half a year but then it sort of fizzled. I even sent pictures with them. I never heard back from them, or got any response, so I'm not sure if they even noticed it or not. It's probably something they would appreciate when they are a little older.

16. Get married in the temple: No comment!

17. Complete all assessments at work before leaving for the weekend: I actually did pretty good at this while I was working at my old job. I’ve been in a new job for a few months now, so it doesn’t count anymore.

18. Save at least 250 dollars a month: I was able to do this except for the 2 months after I bought my house, and up until I started my new job. Still, overall I was able to save about 3,500 dollars this last year, which ended up being more than 250 a month. Thank you, first time home buyer incentive!

19. Go sea kayaking: This was on our list of things to do when we were in San Diego last summer, but the weather didn’t cooperate. We were disappointed.

20. Get a barbecue grill: I bought a barbecue grill, but it ended up being a present for someone else. I’m still going to count it.

21. Go to Disneyland: Done, and I’m pleased to report that Disneyland really IS the happiest place on earth!

22. Get my cavities filled: Unfortunately my cavity filling turned into 3 cavities and a crown, but it got done!

23. Become a volunteer at Child Haven: This wasn’t done, but we are going to do a service project for Young Womens at the end of the month there :)

24. Go snow shoeing: Nope. I didn’t even look into it. I stayed as far away from snow as possible!

25. Take a cooking class: My friend and I signed up for an evening cooking class but not enough people were enrolled so they cancelled on us. We were going to learn how to make homemade pasta. Yum!

26. Get back into a size 8: Um..in my dreams

27. Go white water rafting: Nope

28. Visit Death Valley: Still no, and I REALLY want to do this one!

29. Teach Jack the Dog to roll over: That dog won’t learn anything! I worked on this one, but he just didn’t get it. Everytime he was down and I used the treat to try to get him to roll, he would jump back and think I was trying to play keep away. I love that dumb dog!

30. Go to the temple at least once a month: Yep..at least that many times.

31. Visit my grandparents, parents, and siblings at least once: Done! It wasn’t always at their house, but I was able to see all of them in some setting over the last year.

32. Go on 32 dates while I'm 32-years-old: Nope. There were dates, but not that many.
So I didn't accomplish all of them, but I found myself focusing on most of them throughout the year. Some of the big ones were reached (like the house), and even the little ones kept me remembering that I had things to look forward to. All in all it was a good experience. 32 was a good year, with it's little ups and downs, but mostly ups. We'll see what comes next! 3 is a lucky number, so having 2 of them HAS to be good......

Saturday, June 26, 2010

THINGS I'M DISCOVERING

1. Dusting when you live in a desert is pointless
2. Jack the Dog loves spaghetti
3. I'm not meant to be in a job where I drive around all day...which, ironically, I'm in
4. Disneyland is magical for adults too
5. Aleve works significantly better than Extra Strength Tylenol
6. There are always good movies on the Hallmark Channel
7. Thinking you've let go of things isn't the same as actually letting go of them
8. Most movies can be seen for free by going to tvshack.net
9. Birthdays become increasingly difficult when your personal life doesn't change that much
10. Ceiling fans are lifesavers
11. If you don't pull weeds they eventually grow to the size of a small bush....landscaping :)
12. If I don't prepare my lunch the night before it doesn't get done
13. Celine Dion is my all time, favorite singer
14. No matter how old I am, I still find myself getting homesick
15. Financial worries can become consuming if you allow them to
16. Every once in a while a Diet Coke really DOES make everything better

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

ADVENTURES IN DISNEYLAND

For Maci's 7th birthday the Wilkerson girls went to Disneyland as a surprise. She just thought she was going to California to see the ocean. A few minutes before we got to our hotel, we let her read her card, saying that she was really going to Disneyland. It was 2 days at the 'happiest place on earth' and such good, good times!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

FAVORITE YW ACTIVITY EVER

As a YW presidency we've decided that we want to get to know our youth better. Our girls are amazing and we want to make sure everyone knows everybody. We decided that once a month, all of the leaders will do an additional activity with just one class. This month it is the Laurels and since it's Katelyn's birthday, we made it a birthday extravaganza!!!We got up and went to Katelyn's to surprise her and to have an early morning (7:30) breakfast. We ate french toast, fruit, juice, bacon - it was delicious!!!
Then we headed off to the outskirts of Las Vegas to do some target shooting with some super fun guns (and people that knew what they were doing). We've been talking about this for a month now, so we were way excited and ready to go!!
We had the best instructors today! Scott Hendricks is in our ward and works for the FBI. As a random sidenote, he also assisted in the arrest of Warren Jeffs. Anyhow, he and his friend, Matt Kershaw, who is also in our Stake, took the entire morning off just to let us play with all of their guns and ensure that we were safe. They seriously were awesome!
Me and Holly M., who is the Secretary, were on one team and the others on another. We divided up at first so we could have time to go through all the guns. Holly is new to our ward and she's always up for a good time!
Katelyn V. rocked the rifle with the clay pigeons. She's the only one who was able to hit them after they were in the air, and she did two in a row. This was her 'going away' activity, now that she's turned 18 and is going to be headed off to college and singles wards. We'll miss her! She is such a fantastic girl!
Aubrey N. was our little hand gun superhero. She had never shot one before and she literally hit black almost every single time! She's fantastic! When I have a daughter I want her to be like Aubrey. She is HILARIOUS and always makes us laugh.
Robyn V. is such a fantastic friend to have in your corner!! She is Katelyn's mom and my first counselor, and the woman never ceases to amaze me. I loved that she got to do this with her daughter! She is young at heart and I love that every time she teaches the girls you can just tell how much she cares for them. She is such a sweet person.
Holly proves that even being 7 1/2 months pregnant won't stop you from having fun. I only hope that I'm a tiny bit as cute as her one day when I'm pregnant! She did awesome!
Admittedly I was the special kid on the playground today. For some reason me and the hand guns just weren't feeling it, but me and the M-16....yes, we were. I LOVED shooting the big guns!!
So here is all of us. It was honestly one of the best Young Women activities I've ever participated in....as a youth or as a leader. We had so much fun!! Our instructors made it a great day for us. Good, good times. Can't wait for the Mia Maid activity.

Friday, June 11, 2010

THANK YOU

To the creative mastermind behind gummy vitamins for adults, I just want to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! I'd be willing to bet he or she is similar to myself. Hates swallowing pills, LOVE eating candy, and in desperate need of a daily vitamin supplement. Being healthy has never been so easy.....

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

TENDER

This made me so emotional