My 30th Birthday

I think this birthday has been one of the most memorable birthdays of my life. I really spoiled myself as well as have a good time with my family. It has really made me reflect on where I've come in the last 30 years. I've done a lot of growing and made a lot of mistakes, but for what I've done and experienced I would say I've found happiness. I know that sounds weird for someone who has lost a husband to cancer, watched family members suffer with different situations, and is raising a child without her dad. Nonetheless, I am happy and find joy every day in the midst of all the stress.  I try every day to look for the positive and avoid complaining about every little thing that gets to me. Notice the key word there, TRY!!, it doesn't always work, but when I do I have a pleasant day, and I have more patience with Melissa. 

I hope that my next 30 years are just as full of joy as my first 30 years. I know things are going to happen that are hard to deal with, but you just deal with it and put a smile on your face. If you can't control it, there is no reason to complain.

I am so thankful for my family, they are amazing. I love serving them and hanging out with them. They are my best friends!! They put the biggest smile on my face. I'm one of those people who look forward to family reunions in any way, shape, or form. Yeah, sometimes there is drama, but who doesn't have it occasionally. I'm learning that how you react is half the battle!! I'm still working on it. It's a good thing I'm not perfect, that gives me another 30 years to work on things right!!

Hair Donation

It's taken a long time and a lot of patience for me to get my hair this long. I have been growing out my hair for 3 years...and yes if you do the math that is since Joe died. I decided after he died that I was going to grow out my hair and donate it to make wigs for cancer patients. It was finally long enough and I wanted to do it before I started a new semester.  It was hard for me to do, but I'm very pleased with the outcome. I'm definitely lighter on my feet without all that hair!! It took a good 2 lbs off of me!! Just kidding, although it was getting pretty heavy on my neck. I don't know if it makes me look older and younger though. Somebody said it made me look my age and someone else said I looked 12. I don't know, I just know it feels better and not so hard to do.  I'm glad I'm done!!!!

The beginning of this new year has been fun and full of new things for Melissa. It's been really fun for me to show her all these new things to do also. She learned how to build a snowman, learned how to sew a straight line on her little sewing machine, and her preschool teacher told me the other day she recognizes 25 out of 26 letters in the alphabet. That is a pretty big accomplishment since she didn't even recognize one of them at the beginning of the school year. I'm very proud of her! What she is most excited about though, is dance lessons. She started that today and had a very good time. There are 3 little girls in her class and she loves her teacher. Itwill be fun to watch her learn. Too cute! Of course she is the shortest one in her class, but very cute in her little ballerina outfit. She came home showing off her moves! So far this year has been great...a great end to my 20's. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what my 30's lay in store for me considering the lifetime I lived in my 20's. Time will tell, it's up to me how to handle each experience as it comes. If there is anything I've learned is to take one thing a day at a time and to work on how to react to things as they come. My reaction will determine how it turns out.

Christmas Morning

4:17 AM Exactly...Melissa pops her head up and says...did you make it to bed BEFORE santa came? Of course was my reply before she realized that it was Christmas morning and upstairs was an explosion of Christmas toys and fun things for everyone!! She jumped up and knocked on Steve's door...if there was any question on whether he was awake or not and they awaited anxiously at the bottom of the stairs for the words, ready, set, and GO!

I walked to the top of the stairs and unknown to me, mom was JUST turning off the lights and was hoping to lay down for a few minutes before the Christmas morning flurries. SORRY!! They weren't waiting. I barely got the camera ready before the whirwind came running up the stairs into the awaiting assortment of toys. I love seeing Melissa so excited. She was ecstatic with every little thing she got, down to the slinky and ceramic bear in her stocking. As the other family trickled in and we opened presents she was more than grateful for everything. She made sure to thank everyone personally who gave her a present. It was pretty cute.

We had lots of fun, playing games, playing barbies (She got a lot of them) and combing their hair (I know Jana knows what I'm talking about) I could still spend hours combing barbies hair. Although she woke up with a fever and a terrible cough, she did pretty well, and as the day went on the 4 hour nap helped a lot!!

I personally had the best Christmas ever. I really enjoyed buying Christmas this year. I was able to help a lot of people and the meaning of Christmas was burning deep for me this year. As excited as Melissa was about her princess Barbies, I was just as excited to help the people that I helped this year. It was the best part for me. To tell you the truth, I really didn't look in my stocking for a good hour after everything. I didn't play with my Christmas toy until about 9pm last night. Melissa and I played a Disney Princess Wii game for an hour before bed. I had a lot of fun with her. It's been really fun this year!!

Christmas Party

This was a crazy night. I am so grateful that the Ward Christmas Party turned out so well. Tyler Rogalsky was a lifesaver by helping at the last minute. I am so glad that party is over, but even more glad when I look back at how much help I received from everybody. I'm very grateful. We had lots of fun!! Mom, Steph, and I sang a song which was a little scary! I thought we did a good job though. Melissa asked for a pink unicorn (so random) from Santa. I think she has seen Santa 3 times this year. Crazy...she asked for something different everytime she sees him. She even asks the blow up Santas that are on display at Walmart. She yells up at them (like they are going to answer) to tell him what she wants. She has even started asking the fake Santa's what she thinks I want. She keeps telling them I want the black bird barbie. 3 guesses on what that is...She cracks me up sometimes. She is at a fun age. I'm always surprised what comes up next.

Zoo Day

This is the best sour face I have seen in a while. Steph and her kids and Melissa and I went to the zoo that day because it was free admission. We all got huge tubes of sour sugar powder and that is what we were eating. By the end we were so tired of it. Steph mixed all of her flavors together and Melissa got a taste of it. She had sour candy up her nose and everything. Her face is priceless.

Fall Semester Happenings

I finally figured out how to do this blog thingy so I'm excited! Not that there is a whole lot to tell you about. After I sold the house in September, I decided to wait and decide later what I will do. I'm still at Mom and Dad's house and quite happy for the moment until we decide what the next step is. It really helped a lot being there this semester with Melissa starting preschool and me going through another semester of school...

Melissa loves preschool! She is learning so fast and is so good...her teachers tell me they nicknamed her "the Count" from Sesame Street because she counts everything in sight! She does really well in math, thank goodness because I wouldn't be able to help her much. I did pass my math class this semester though, I know it's a miracle!

We went to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving and had an absolutely fantastic time. Melissa figured out how fun it is to swim with arm floaties on and without me so that was a relief. We went to the Hogle Zoo and watched the animals eat their Thanksgiving dinner which was really cool. We checked out the Clark Planetarium, the Children's Museum and walked around Temple Square to see all the Christmas lights. Needless to say, Melissa was begging to go to bed she was so tired. We had a great time. It was hard to go home.

We can't wait for Christmas and be able to enjoy the holidays this year. The semester is almost over so it will be nice to have a breather.