christmas toys for girls and boys

last year, we started the tradition that we don't put any presents under the tree until christmas eve after the kidlets are in bed. this effectively cuts down on the poking and prodding of wrapped gifts and the constantly asking to open one (just one!). so, this is what the children have been looking at for three weeks:



and this is what they woke up to on christmas morning:



the bikes were the highlight of the show. in fact, we should've waited to bring them out until the other gifts were opened. once the kids saw the bikes, we had to cajole them into opening their other presents - they just wanted to sit on their bikes, try to ride them on the carpet, etc. we did eventually get them to open everything else and they seem pleased with what they received. they were also pleased with what kawelo received - koa and kalei had a few squabbles over who got to play with his toys. kawelo just enjoyed chewing on whatever he could reach.



it warmed up to 50 degrees, so the kids got to ride their new bikes in the driveway.





it has been a great day!

toots

to me, this has been a marathon holiday season - thoroughly enjoyable, but cram-packed! i feel like i have accomplished quite a bit, and so am going to toot my own horn. here's most of the things i made in the last few months:

blankets for the kids (as their "practical" christmas gift from us)...



hats for kawelo and myself...



ornaments for our home & visiting teachees as well as the kids' primary teachers...



these adorable angel girls....



and this advent calendar for our ornament tree (in each package are two hershey kisses for the kids - one for each day in december till christmas).



whew!! i am beat!! but it was so fun to make decorations and gifts! i think we ("we" meaning me) are going to try to do a hand-crafted christmas next year. after koa broke several ornaments that i was sure were safe for him to handle and still not knowing where a few ornament hooks are located, i am determined to remove that stress from our christmas experience (at least until kawelo is 5 or older). so, i am looking forward to finding patterns and designs for ornaments that i can make and having the children create ornaments of their own for next year. this time, though, we'll get started early! (one of my new year's resolutions is to lessen my procrastinating - after being up till 3:30 am christmas morning finishing those blankets!) :)

kentucky pride

well, one of us fits in a little better in kentucky. kalei lost her first tooth tonight while munching on apple slices. james put the tooth in a baggie and kalei excitedly placed it under her pillow. she told her grandma flora that the tooth fairy is going to bring her a kitten. if by kitten, she means a dollar, she's right. if by kitten, she means a living creature, she'll be one disappointed girl in the morning... unless we can get josie to lay on her head.

party time

our ward party was friday night - which means it is now over!!! :)! for those of you who don't know, i was called to be the activities committee chair about four weeks ago, so i had four weeks to plan and execute the christmas party. (i have one married couple on my committee.) originally, i was told to plan for 75-100 people, then 120, and we ended up having about 140 people attend. it was a great turnout!! a lot of people invited friends and neighbors and i'm told everyone had a good time and had plenty to eat. this picture was taken as i was passing by my little family - james got to watch the kids while i checked the buffet table, refilled dishes, cut ham, replenished the lemonade, prompted santa, readied the primary kids for the nativity song, etc. even though it was totally nervewracking all day on Friday, i really enjoyed planning this par-tay and am looking forward to the next one! (after taking a few months off.)

winner?

i entered this photo in a contest for disneyfamily.com in their "scared of santa" category. this was our first christmas in arkansas and sau had a christmas celebration. somehow i ended up taking kalei alone. the point of our going was to have her picture taken with santa and she was excited as we stood in line. she happily pointed to the "man in red." then we got to the front of the line and i handed her to santa and stepped away. i had told her how things were going to go down, but apparently she had not fully realized this would be part of the bargain. she immediately began crying and reaching for me, and santa tried to hand her back to me! no way, jose! i'm sure this santa was a volunteer, but i gave him a look that let him know to suck it up until i got my photo. i took my picture and they took theirs, THEN santa's elf handed kalei a candy cane. she immediately cheered and was all smiles to santa, his elf, the christmas tree, the people walking by, etc. looking at this picture now makes me laugh, but at the time it wasn't so funny. feel free to vote for our picture! it's titled "good times."

Funny Cat Video

Kalei loves watching this "funny cat video." Thought I would share it with the rest of you to enjoy!

the man in red

we went to the kentucky history museum yesterday for their annual "christmas in kentucky" program. the kids got to make ornaments and get their picture taken with the clauses, but all the fun and games came to a crashing halt when big red showed up. big red is the western kentucky university mascot, who likes to pretend to eat peoples' heads with his giant mouth. koa loves to point out images of big red around campus (on the watertower, the buses, etc.), but was totally freaked out by the real thing. we're so glad koa wasn't upset by santa this year, but it was a different man in red that gave him the heebie-jeebies.

what rhymes with teeth?!

okay, so i was going to title this one "loose teeth sink (insert something that rhymes with teeth)", but i can't think of anything that rhymes with teeth! fleets? james suggested wreaths, but that doesn't make any sense. anyhoo, kalei has two loose teeth!!! first she starts kindergarten, then her teeth get loose, next thing you know, she'll have her driver's license and want to borrow my car! (hopefully, by then, i'll have ditched the minivan and will drive something worth noticing.) :)!

autumn splendor

it's been an odd year for fall colors, but we took a picnic to mammoth cave national park a few weeks ago to peep at the trees. the kids had fun collecting leaves of different shapes and colors. well... kalei had fun collecting leaves of different shapes and colors - koa had fun climbing on logs and shaking trees and running through the crunchy leaf piles. boys. :)

Re-Tagged

#1. I am cheap. I'm not ashamed to say it, but do not like spending money on silly things (it also may have something to do with the fact that when I open up my wallet there's no green ... thanks, Bess). I'll try to wear clothes for as long as possible before giving them over to the rag pile (I have a pair of jeans now that are threadbare in the crotch, but I'm going to get as much use out of them as I can ... the neighbors shouldn't care if I'm mowing the lawn in them right?)

#2. This kind of goes along with number one, but I don't buy any clothes. Pretty much everything I own has been given to me as a gift, or picked up by Bess (thanks to Malia for the Quicksilver apparel, to Dad for the Adidas gear, and the Bess for everything else). I can't remember the last item of clothing I bought fo my self

#3. I have been to a couple of different Bowl games: Holiday bowl (with the pride of the North Shore band), Hula Bowl with Kaulana one year (the Beach Boys were the post-game entertainment), Pro Bowls (courtesy of Jenny and Steve ... I know they were on Sunday, but since Steve Young was playing it's OK, right?), and Aloha Bowl to watch BYU. In addition, I have seen a number of college running backs that went on to make it big in the NFL ... saw Marshall Faulk when he was at San Diego State, LaDanian Tomlinson when he was at TCU, and watched Ricky Williams run all over UH as a freshman when Texas came to the islands.

#4. Along the lines of number three, I have been to a professional game in every one of the major sports. It started when Dad took me to see a Phoenix Suns exhibition game in Flagstaff against the Golden State Warriors (another NBA game was in Indianapolis to see the Pacers). I went with Steve to a Niners game (also an exhibition) at the old Candlestick to watch them play the Broncos in seats that were right up close to the top ... and can verify that all of the stories are true about the wind swirling around that ballpark. I went to a hockey game in Chicago where a fight broke out in the first 5 seconds of the game (a feud that had started in a previous game). My all time favorite however, is going to Wrigley for Bess' birthday and watching Sammy Sosa hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Marlins.

#5. I think that exercise is the cure for just about everything. At least when it concerns the workings of the human body, exercise in a proper amount can be very beneficial. With that said, it is ironic that I don't practice what I preach enough (especially when it comes down to taking a hour or so to work out or get some more done on a manuscript, lecture, or some other work-related project). I guess that's what resolutions are for.

#6. Even though I may complain from time to time, I really enjoy what I do for a living. Not many people can say that about their profession, and I am thankful to be able to do so. The teaching, the research, and the service are all part of the job description, but it makes it all worth it when you see a student have success after school. I am truely blessed to have a job I love, and to be able to go home to a family I love. I can't think of anything better (except maybe to be doing it in Hawaii...)

tagged! (updated #6)

malia tagged us to write 6 little-known things about ourselves. unfortunately, i am apparently an open book and can only think of 4 things. maybe james can fill in some more (or maybe i don't want him to......?). here goes:

1. i LOVE auctions!!! i love going to auctions and being there and bidding, even if i don't actually get what i'm bidding on. (that's auction rule #1: know your price limit!) ebay will do in a pinch, but it doesn't compare with being at an actual auction - they're so exciting!

2. i'm a cryer (crier?), and i don't like it. i still read the ensign even though i usually need the tissue box next to me, but i refuse to watch movies that i think will make me cry. the previews to "pursuit of happyness" made me cry, so i will not watch the movie.

3. i love to start projects, but finishing them is another matter. i can think of at least six projects that i have started that still need finishing. i have great ideas and intentions, but once something is started, i will lose interest and put it down for a few days, weeks, or months. i usually finish what i start.... it just takes a while.

4. i am definitely ocd about locking doors and windows. all doors must be locked at all times whether we are home or not. all windows must be locked if they are shut. if i even introduce the thought into my head that a door might be unlocked after i've already gone to bed, i will not sleep until i go and check that door... and all the others.

5. james has just reminded me of another trait: i LOVE being cold! i would so rather be cold than hot. you can always get warmer - getting cooler is another story. poor james will be huddled in the blankets and i'll be sleeping with no covers at all. could i live in hawaii? i survived arkansas, so i think i would acclimate.

6. i remembered the other one i was trying to remember! (it took a while, but it came to me.) i have to sleep facing away from james. if i am facing him, i feel like he's sucking up all my oxygen and i get a little claustrophobic. he's very handsome, and i love looking at him at any other time, just not while i'm trying to breathe and sleep at the same time.

well, i found 6 things after all! i am tagging james to see what he comes up with, and i have really enjoyed reading everyone else's answers. thanks, malia! :)

halloween

last night was trunk or treat at the church and the kids had a blast. i was bummed to get to take the kids by myself (james has an evening class on wednesdays), but glad that koa wore his school bus and kawelo was content with his stroller confinement. kalei was her usual perfect self. they were pleased with their haul and i was pleased with their behavior, so we had a candy tasting picnic when we got home. ahhhhh.....halloween.

mama's boy?

i am secretly hoping that kawelo will like me best. i understand why kalei likes james best - with her, i wasn't quite to the point of not caring if i looked like a complete goofball to get a laugh, so james was the fun one. and with koa, i was already in the role of disciplinarian, so james was again the favored parent. i will understand if kawelo chooses james. james is my favorite, why shouldn't he be theirs? but way deep down, i'm hoping at least one of my offspring will pick me.

scooter-ific!

kalei and koa had a fabulous time on their scooters today.

kawelo and james were an appreciative audience for the silliness.

jumpin' for joy

at first, kawelo was not so sure about the jumperoo.....

..... but he's decided it's a good thing.

royalty for sale

well, i am facing a bit of a disappointment with kalei's school. in their amazingly tireless effort to raise money, the administrators at her school had an idea to have each class (each class, not each grade) nominate one boy and one girl to "run" for either prince, princess, queen, or king. the way the children "win" this contest is by raising the most money. they are not voted into this position like a simple popularity contest that would be annoying enough in itself. they do not achieve this goal by hard work, unless that hard work has a lot of dollar signs attached to it. the one with the most money wins. the losers get nothing. i hate this idea. i am sure it sounded like something new they could try that they hadn't introduced before. i'm sure no one thought about what this might be teaching the kids: money buys you what you want. period. i was talking to a friend whose daughter is in first grade and she said that her daughter's teacher had sent home an opt-out form for those parents who didn't want their children to participate. wonderful! someone actually thinking that some people might be turned off by this idea! so, when i stopped to pick up kalei today, i asked the ladies in the office if this could be done by every teacher if this is to be a yearly event. i was very polite and didn't even give a whiff of what i really thought of this "contest." the princi"pal" was there in the office and his suggestion was that if my child was nominated and i didn't want them to participate, then we could turn it down. yeah. my five-year-old would understand that. my eyes narrowed. that's when i informed the office ladies (the princi"pal" was finished listening at that point - at least pretend to listen to my suggestion!) that i didn't see how this promoted equality among the students or taught them anything helpful. i'm not angry about this whole thing, just disappointed. i'm trying to keep kalei five. i'm trying to keep her in modest clothes and looking like a kindergartner. she's surrounded by classmates who watch "zack & cody" and are going to be sharpei (from "high school musical") or hannah montana for halloween. i know that money can be a large factor in life. but it shouldn't start at five.

fall fun

yesterday, we went to a local orchard to pick pumpkins and enjoy their fall festival. the kids had a great time on the hay ride to the pumpkin patch (yes, we picked the green-turning-orange pumpkins on purpose) and in the castle bouncer. koa also played on a straw castle while kalei got her face painted. the temperature might still be in the upper 80's, but fall is here!

potty woes

koa is showing more interest in the potty. so far, he has only actually done something on the potty once, but we're encouraged that he'll sit on it. since this picture, koa has selected a bob the builder potty seat. now he doesn't have to worry about falling in. :) -bess

Days of Glory?

I've been tagged, so here are the answers that everyone has been waiting for:
1. who were your friends? Kaulana, Chris, Packard, Wallen
2. what sports did you play? Baseball, volleyball, track
3. what kind of car did you drive? station wagon (but it was mostly riding the bus)
4. on friday nights, what were you doing? Probably at home watching the A-Team
5. were you a party animal? No
6. were you considered a flirt? No
7. were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Band (the Holiday Bowl trip was good fun)
8. were you a nerd? Depends who you ask ... if it's not me, then probably
9. did you get suspended/expelled? Nope
10. can you still sing the fight song? Our fight song didn't have any words to it (that I know of ... it was the knock-off version of the USC fight song) ... I can sing you our alma matter though
11. who was your favorite teacher? I'd have to say Mrs. Lemone for English
12. where did you sit during lunch? In the cafe
13. name of school? Kahuku High and Elementary (probably should include Intermediate in there too)
14. school mascot? Way back when Kahuku was poor (oh wait, they still are poor...) we got old football uniforms from Iolani (a private school) that said Red Raiders ... so that became our mascot by default (not very politically correct either)
15. school colors? Red and black
16. rival high school? Some of my sisters have put St. Louis, but when I was in High School they always beat us, so for me it was Waianae and Farrington
17. did you go to prom? Yes
18. if you could go back and do it again, would you? No
19. what do you remember most about graduation? Having to read off all of the names of the dignitaries (senators, etc.) who came and hoping to get their names right
20. where did you go for senior skip day? I heard they went to Malaikahana, but I couldn't get a ride and didn't want to walk...
21. favorite memory? This is sad, but probably some goofy band trip
22. were you in any clubs? If I was, I can't remember
23. where did you go most often for lunch? The cafe
24. have you gained some weight since then? All muscle ...
25. who was your senior prom date? Vangi in 11th grade, and Mahala as a senior
26. are you planning on going to your 10-year reunion? Come and gone already (yes I attended)
27. how many fights did you get in? None
28. who was your high school sweetheart? I was a lone wolf (didn't want to limit the James-enator to just one lady...)
29. do you still talk to people from high school? Kaulana is the only one (who is not family, of course)
30. did you win prom queen or king? No
31. where did you work in high school? PCC (brass band)
32. what were your grades? OK. I was salutatorian
33. what was your dress style? Cool 80's (long hair in the back, pants with multiple pockets and/or zippers, jams, t-shirts) ... as opposed to uncool 80's

days of yore

malia tagged us to answer these ?'s about high school. :)

1. who were your friends? susie & brenda till they graduated, then brandy, cheryl, & meg

2. what sports did you play? none - i was in student council and did drama.

3. what kind of car did you drive? station wagon (yuck!), then red mustang (yay! then wrecked - sad!), then blue datsun (cute!)

4. on friday nights, what were you doing? football games (my boyfriend played)

5. were you a party animal? no

6. were you considered a flirt? probably - before i got a steady boyfriend.

7. were you in band, orchestra, or choir? NO WAY! NOT cool at my school. :)

8. were you a nerd? probably.

9. did you get suspended/expelled? um... i got two friday schools (you stay after school on friday for 3-4 hours) for skipping school.

10. can you still sing the fight song? "warsaw high, oh warsaw high, warsaw high, we're all for you!..." not imaginative, but catchy.

11. who was your favorite teacher? deb schafer - she taught drama my senior year because the regular teacher was out on leave. she was straight out of college and awesome!

12. where did you sit during lunch? in the hallway leading to the cafeteria (there were benches and such).

13. name of school? warsaw community high school

14. school mascot? tiger

15. school colors? black and orange

16. rival high school? wawasee high school ("wawasee, wawasee, gonna get beat!" again, not imaginative, but catchy.)

17. did you go to prom? yes - junior & senior years

18. if you could go back and do it again, would you? no, thank you.

19. what do you remember most about graduation? feeling excited and that it was about time! also, that i had found the quote that the seniors had chosen to be our class thought: thomas payne, "we have it in our power to begin the world again."

20. where did you go for senior skip day? i didn't skip on that day.

21. favorite memory? being Annie, proms, friday night football, powder puff football & all homecoming activities, driving pre-license, tattoos (i'm telling you, my kids won't get away with much because i've already been there, done that) :)

22. were you in any clubs? i don't think i was officially in any clubs.

23. where did you go most often for lunch? we weren't allowed off-campus.

24. have you gained some weight since then? i don't even want to think about it. in other words, heck yeah.

25. who was your senior prom date? ben

26. are you planning on going to your 10-year reunion? actually, it should've been last summer, but apparently there wasn't one.

27. how many fights did you get in? just one - kinda. i was in charge of powder puff football for three years and this girl who was kinda a friend of mine wanted to play our senior year (she had not played any previous year), but she did not attend any of the required meetings to play (we handed out release forms and explained all the rules and we even had a meeting DURING SCHOOL and she didn't come to that one). so she went crying to the student council advisor who let her in, even though i had told her that she was out of luck. she and i had it out in drama class (how appropriate). we didn't come to blows, but i think everyone there thought we would. :)

28. who was your high school sweetheart? ben long

29. do you still talk to people from high school? the ones i knew from church.

30. did you win prom queen or king? no

31. where did you work in high school? my dad's veterinarian office

32. what were your grades? pretty good - i was 25th out of 420-something

33. what was your dress style? comfy all the way! i even had these adorable bunny slippers i would wear to school with cute pajama pants. :)!

i am definitely tagging james (some of his answers might surprise me) & jeni & alan (i can't wait to read your answers!).

plunge taken

well, all i can say is i'm glad i never had a c-section. friday morning, i had a minor outpatient surgery: a tubal ligation. i have been voluntarily sterilized. it hurts, and i'm very ouchy, but i feel good about this. james and i prayed and discussed and decided that our family is complete. kawelo is the perfect caboose to our family train, and i didn't particularly want the worry of having a surprise addition to our family when i'm 45. i didn't realize it would hurt so badly, but i have no regrets. well, i do have one regret: asking for chocolate cake when i woke up. what am i going to do with all this cake? :) -bess

new & improved

well, i finally did it. i procrastinated and made excuses until i couldn't ignore the fact that the boys needed haircuts.... BAD. so, with clippers in hand, i buzzed kawelo. it was fabulous. he didn't cry or fuss - just took it in stride. james wasn't even holding him - i plunked him down backwards in his baby tub. revelation: no matter how koa squirms and cries, the clippers are not a torture device. that gave me the confidence i needed to face tropical storm koa. koa doesn't enjoy getting his hair cut. normally, we bribe him with suckers (about 6 - they have to be replaced often since haircut suckers tend to get hairy) and james has to hold him and secure his head so that i can shave the sides and back and finger-cut the top (with his scar, i can't just shave the whole thing). this time, however, i used my head. what does koa love? movies. what has been our best purchase ever? a portable dvd player. hello?! why has this not occurred to me before? koa sat all by himself during the haircut. he still got suckers, but only complained if hair fell on him or i was blocking his view of the movie. i'm not saying that this was such a wonderful experience that i will be sure to give him a haircut every 3-4 weeks, but maybe, just maybe, i won't wait three months between trims. :)

brown thumb therapy

i know, i know, it's supposed to be green thumb therapy. however, plants sadly seem to turn brown in my care. we've had a few casualties this year. in the spring, we ripped out the existing bushes and weird rose plants in the front yard and transplanted two boxwoods from the back to the front and planted a beautiful dogwood tree. then there was a tragedy: a late frost. ol' jack frost, that gardener's nemesis, came and started the slow death of one of the boxwoods and the dogwood. he started the ball rolling, and i'm sad to say i finished them off. i remembered to feed my kids, but i forgot to water the plants. apparently they need watering more often than once a week. who knew? we did have some success this summer with impatiens. since our front yard is mostly shade areas, the impatiens are huge! and still thriving! it's a minor miracle! in fact, i was so encouraged by their success, that yesterday i bought this piece of paradise. the tall plant in the picture is supposedly a variety of hibiscus that is hardy even in winter. her name is lucy althea (hibiscus "lucy") and she promises to have large, red flowers all summer. she is now in the spot where our dead stick of a dogwood has stood all summer. her instruction card says to keep her soil evenly moist. i'll do my best. i hope she makes it.

big sister

bald is beautiful

kawelo is three months old now. he is happy and balding. i remember kalei's hair mostly fell out, also, but since she's a girl, we just left it and let it grow in and be all different lengths until it was long enough to shape into a bob. what do i do with kawelo's wispies? koa's head was shaved at 10 weeks, so i don't know what to do with a boy in this situation. he's got the full "friar tuck" look going with wispies on top and thicker, longer growth on the sides and back. do i shave him? the chinese shave babies' heads so that the hair will grow in thicker. he could use some of that. some people leave boys' hair alone till they're one and then cut it. i definitely can't let it go that long without action. i am nothing, if not a woman of action! :) and my action is: wait another week or so and see if it's still bugging me. :)

such sweet sorrow

what's that line from "romeo & juliet" - "parting is such sweet sorrow..." that's exactly how i feel about kalei's old clothes. twice a year a local church hosts a consignment sale and this will be the second one i've participated in as a seller. we know we're finished having children and there's no need to hold onto the clothes kalei has outgrown, but it's still kinda hard to part with some of the more adorable ones. i picked them out just for her! she looked so incredibly cute in them! of course, she'd look cute in a paper bag, but these clothes remind me of when she was still my baby. i know it's time to move on and look ahead, but there are a few items that i simply need to hold onto - i can't handle too much sweet sorrow at once. :)

road to maturity

several events in the past year have led to my feeling more like a grown-up. even though i had two kids already, i didn't really feel like i was older than 20 until we bought our home last summer. buying our home was awesome! i could paint the walls any color i chose (thank you, james, for that freedom!) and replace flooring and plant whatever i wanted. however, there is a side to home-ownership that is decidedly un-fun. replacing the chimney cap. fixing the air conditioning. having shingles replaced. even though each of these is totally not where i want to spend money, they are necessary and i need to look beyond the money vacuum and see the benefits of home maintenance. kalei's going to school has also inspired more maturity in me. now it really matters that she is in bed by 9, and that she eats enough breakfast so that her brain doesn't shut down 2 hours after she gets to school. each of these events has prodded me to put aside my own desires (to ignore the rusty chimney cap and blow some money at the pottery barn outlet! or to let kalei and koa stay up until james gets home after teaching a night class!) and focus on what's best for the kids, or the house. now i get to focus on what's best for our family. i'd really like to go to china. i think it'd be awesome to stand on the great wall. however, the prophets have counseled us for longer than i've been alive that debt is a no-no. we have been warned and warned to get out of it as fast as we can. so, with that in mind, i've decided to stay home. james' trip is paid for, but he won't make enough by teaching the class to even cover my airfare. i'm disappointed, but, honestly, china was never on my list of top 5 places to visit. so, like the mature person i'm trying to be, i'll set my goals and focus on debt-reduction so that we will be in a better place by the next summer olympics. that way, i'll be able to go somewhere that is in my top 5: london. :) -bess

Budding Artists

Here's our tribute to "So You Think You Can Dance" as referenced by Malia (when I figure out how to link to the actual blog, I'll do it, but for now you'll have to trust that she's made such a reference). Not only dancers, but photographers too! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

11 weeks young

kawelo is 11 weeks old now and it seems like it's just flown! since he's our last baby, we're really trying to savor his babyness and time is slipping by way too fast. at his 2 month appointment he was already 13 pounds, and we think he's been our smallest baby! he loves to watch kalei and koa run around and he coos and quivers like he just can't wait to get out there and tear it up with them. koa calls him "beddo," since he can't say his v's or l's, and is generally good with him (although he will poke him awake if he gets bored while shopping - little stinker). kalei loves "baby kawelo" and remembers him in her prayers every night. he's definitely a blessing and the perfect caboose to our family train. -bess

Doing a Yahoo search on yourself

So with all of the extra time I have now before classes start and things get really crazy, I decided on a whim to do a Yahoo search on myself (I guess some people "Google" themselves, but I am partial to the Yahoo search so that's what I went with). In addition to the department webpage (which I had to lobby for a year to be added to) and all of the old research stuff that is out there, I was surprised to see that I was listed in the WKU Libraries blog. Although I am glad that our upcoming journal is being advertised, I guess you never really know what is floating out there on the internet about you ... kind of frightening when you think about it. -James-

fix it or forget it?

i've always been late. i was born 2 weeks late, and it's been downhill from there. my senior year of high school, my dad taught seminary in our living room and i would walk in late - still in my pj's. i was only on time for my wedding because i woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. my parents are very polite about it, but will tell me it takes 20 minutes to get to their chapel when, in reality, it only takes 10 in the hopes that i will get to church on time when we visit. i think i'm supposed to be embarassed by my perpetual lateness and make a resolution to do something about it, but i have way too many things already on the "to be fixed" plate to add something that just seems to be a part of me. i'm afraid to pray for help on this because i don't want Heavenly Father to send me some kind of awful experience to teach me to be on time. i mean, life itself is already enough of a refiner's fire without me asking Him to turn up the heat. i do want to eventually be a punctual person, but first i want to be a patient person, a charitable person, a humble person, a budgeted person.... :)

great expectations

perhaps jumping right into calorie counting was a bit lofty in the goal setting department. apparently i am unable to go cold turkey on sugar at this time. there are two, sometimes three, times during the day when i get munchy: late morning, mid-afternoon, and late evening. i prowl the kitchen looking for just the right snack, and rarely does celery hit the spot. however, i am working on making healthy-ish calorie substitutions. for example, instead of ice cream, i'll pick an ice pop. still technically empty calories, but less of them, right? that's a step in the right direction! :) and it's a frozen liquid, so it's almost like having a cup of kool-aid, and that kinda meets part of the eight daily glasses of water recommendation! i'm telling you, i'm this close to a healthy diet... or an honorary degree in rationalization. :)

choice & accountability

okay, so this is the first day of calorie counting. even though i have thoroughly enjoyed indulging every chocolate cake/cookie dough/m&m/ice cream craving i've had for the past year, the time has come to break myself of this extremely delicious habit. i must admit i'll miss it. the children won't because i hardly ever ate anything scrumptious in front of them - i didn't want to share. i'm hoping the benefits of weight loss will overshadow the sadness and, perhaps, crankiness of sugar deprivation. i've heard it takes 21 days to break a habit. 21 days = 504 hours. wish me luck! 4 hours down, only 500 to go. :)

lost in the details

today i had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting. my topic was "primary organization and its current role in the church." as usual, the topic ended up being more for my benefit than anyone else's. :) the story of how the primary was organized was really interesting. who knew primary didn't get organized until almost 50 years after the church was official?! not me. but reading about the amazing woman that got the ball rolling to get primary established and finding talks from prophets and primary presidents about how vitally important primary is and how much Heavenly Father is depending on us to rear up a righteous generation was so inspiring to me! preparing for this talk helped me see primary again. it helped me focus beyond the mechanics and really look at the children today and see them for who they are preparing to become: seminary students, missionaries, institute students, primary teachers, bishops, mothers, and fathers. kawelo needed to be fed during senior primary's singing time and it was wonderful to sit and listen to the children sing. some sang out of tune or abnormally loud, but i couldn't help but think that no sound must be sweeter to our Heavenly Father than children singing that they're "trying to be like Jesus." i love that Heavenly Father looks over our fumbling mortality and sees what's in our hearts. i love that today, listening to the children, was more inspiring than even mo-tab could've been. (cue whitney houston's "i believe the children are our future...") :)

Getting Better with Age?

So Barry Bonds broke the all-time home run record this week. It has not been without controversy, as some have suggested that he has used performance enhancing substances (steroids), and there have been pictures posted at the beginning of his career and now:

I'm not sure if he is guilty or not, but I don't mind that he has the record. Records are made to be broken, and someday his name will be replaced. As far as I know, he has never tested positive for any banned substance ... of course athletes with millions of dollars may be able to keep one or two (or many) steps ahead of the testing agencies. With that said, I'd like to enter my own evidence ... and you can judge whether or not I am also guilty of using performance enhancing substances:

Despite the quality of the more recent photograph (Kalei is a budding photographer who loves to take pictures), I think that you can see the definate change in my body that has taken place over just a few years... OK, I admit to ingesting performance enhancing substances ... if by "performance enhancing" you mean that I am actually slower and can't jump as high as I once could, and by "substances" you mean cookies, ice cream, and pizza. I would just like to think of it as getting better with age. Hey, if Barry Bonds can do it, so can I.