Christmas Assignment

So for the past couple of days I have been doing an online course about scrap-booking. I know, not my normal thing to be into, but is really fun to put some of my thousands of photos to use. The best part, its all digital! www.jessicasprague.com has the best ideas and funnest courses. The one I am doing right now is all about the holidays, getting organized, and remembering all the joy that is found around this time of the year. I just wanted to share with everyone the first couple of "assignments." I think this is a fun way to go through this holiday season. I'll post some of my work on the photography blog soon.

"Assignment 1: Write your Values & Goals Put it down in ink (or on your blog) so that you can confirm to yourself what you really want. This will become the foundation of all the (many) decisions you'll make during the next 6 weeks or so. Want to be more worshipful as a family? Write that down. Want to feel more organized about all the holiday stuff? (Keep reading)

The second exercise is a little tougher, because it involves a commitment. Are you ready?

Assignment 2: Commit. Find a way to include at least 20 minutes of recording/writing/photographing/savoring/printing/gluing/scrapbooking/remembering/slowing down EVERY DAY in December. This one, I won't lie to you, kind of freaks me out. TWENTY WHOLE MINUTES. I know, right? But it'll be so good, and I'll be doing this right along with you. LOTS of things count toward your tally, and this is a gift that you're giving to you of something that is just about as precious a thing as there is: your time.

And Assignment 3: Organize is a bonus. If you did note down that you would like to be more organized, I came across a real treat in my researches: check out Organized Christmas. It's a collection of articles, gift ideas, and printable planner forms you can use to help de-stress the holidays."

Crusin Ledger

Just a little something for the grandparents and family far away. Look how big he is! Can you believe it?!

Halloween 2009

Potty training is hard to do

Someday she will hate me for taking these photos. Then, she will have children of her own and understand. For several months now Winter has been potty training. She was totally on her own schedule for this one. These photos are from a time when we battled. I know, everything says don't push them to do it, and I wasn't. It just so happened on this day she was in panties and refusing to use the toilet, so I was making her go put her pull-up on. She said she would go potty and that she didn't want a pull-up. FINE! So she is in there on the potty and the next thing I hear is splash, splash, slish, splash. No she wasn't playing in the water with her hands, she was bobbing her butt up and down, in and out of the water. So I made her get off for playing on the potty. She screamed and cried, I yelled and threaten. She absolutely refused to put on a pull-up so back to the potty she was sent to go and then could get panties back on. It was silent. I thought for sure she was in the bathroom being bad. Instead I found this...



All tuckered out and asleep on the toilet. Potty training is hard to do. I scooped her up and laid her in bed. Quickly slipped on a pull-up and she took a two hour nap. Winter is now successfully potty trained!!

St. George Marathon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon - just for a little background information.

Cory never stops amazing me. With very little time to train and the longest run he did before the marathon being 13 miles, he finished his 26.2 miles in 5 and half hours. I can't even run down our street to get the camera without crapping up and almost passing out from not being able to breathe.

I was very concerned that he might be literally dying at the end of it, but he wasn't. He was in really good shape and even smiling as he came in for his high fives. He then SPRINTED the last 200 yards or so. After running 26 miles, he sprinted the last part, seriously, he can do anything.

Way to go Cory! You did it and you made it look easy.