pops

{Pops and I in 1999, with his Thanksgiving feast that I dished out for him.}

Important things to know about my Dad:

He loves me.

Also peanuts and the color yellow.

My baby was born on his birthday.

He cried when I told him.

He leaves messages on my phone all the time.

Sometimes 3, or 9.

And they all begin with "This is your Dad.... Bob."

He has thousands of movies.

He tells very cheesy jokes. {I yam what I yam.}

He lives and breathes for good Blue Grass music.

He thinks I'm funny.

Old Spice smells like him.

My children are the highlight of his day.

He is so endearing.

He has MS.

He struggles.

He's happy.

He's one of my best friends.

{Pops and I.}

Love you Daddy. Happy Birthday.

accountability

{This picture has nothing to do with this post. In fact, it very well may be down hill from here.}

For all the roles in my life I have made it my own very serious occupation to always see room for improvement. What self respecting female wouldn't?

So we sat down last night to a very romantic in-house date, and over homemade pretzels that tasted like baking soda (have you made those before? why in heavens name do they have to taste like that?) we wrote goals for 2011.

I look forward to crossing them off. Or getting chubbier, sticking my kids in front of the TV and eating romen for the rest of the year. Mostly crossing them off though.

Here are some of them:

Mother
• help Queenie and Chichi memorize the Articles of Faith
• have a teaching moment daily (cooking, arts, or math)
• have a read aloud daily with each child
• become room mom for next school year
Wife
• read a book with B of his choosing
• visit the temple at least quarterly
• plan 3 major group dates/activities/events
Teacher
• read all scriptures corresponding with lesson
• use interactive and interesting teaching tools for each lesson
Visiting Teacher
• visit within the first 2 weeks of the month
Professional
• do mini photo shoot twice a month
• bring camera on every family outing
Personal
• compelete all 4 steps of laundry every Monday (sort, wash, fold, put away)
• plan out weekly meals on Wednesdays using coupons and sales
• read 4 classics
• run a 5k or two
• daily gospel study
• organize a monthly group social event
• finish furnishing front room within a budget
• save treats for Friday Saturday and Sundays

on the spin cycle

Life is like laundry. Wait for it-

Things pile up.

But I'm quick to wash the clothes that attract me. For instance, my new yellow cardigan.

Hmm? What about the many stained baby bibs in the hamper, you say? Don't they deserve some immediate attention?

I say it'll be just fine waiting right there and when I get a minute, I SAID WHEN I GET A MINUTE I'll wash them OKAY.

Basically, what I'm saying is- don't keep letting your fun little cardies in life get washed before you focus on what's really important- bibs.

Bibs are important.

Never mind.

My goal for 2011- the basics.