A Simple Woman's Daybook~January 26, 2012

Taking a Moment to Contemplate the Journey!

Just For Today...Thursday, January 26, 2012

Our lives pass swiftly by!
I want to do something to remember
the everyday moments and my thoughts.
That is what this daybook is all about.
Focusing on the little things that become my life.
One week at a time.

Outside my window...it is pitch black out and 9:20 pm. I wasn't ready to go to bed so thought I'd try blogging for a big change. Honestly, I have been blogging like a maniac since 2007 and all of a sudden I have just really tapered off. I have just been so busy with other things. But back in the saddle right now so that is good.

It has been cold to moderately warm this week. We had a little rain but mostly it is what I call "Fling." Not winter for sure and a combination of Fall and Spring. Everyone is so worried but I think it will be OK. When it is well into February and still no rain then I will get alarmed but until then I am just enjoying the weather each day as it comes. I am hoping for snow for Utah though they are really needing it.

From the learning room...we as humans are capable of doing far more then we think we can with a little determination, faith, and tenacity we can even surprise ourselves. Something like that happened to me yesterday with genealogy and I was flabbergasted. I worked really hard at something for 6 hours and I was successful. I proclaimed myself as graduating out of being a beginner and into the realm of an intermediate genealogist. I was so excited, I cried. The thing about this that was so neat was that I was alone and on a research quest in Berkeley @UC. I was out of my comfort zone in so many aspects of the experiences of the entire day and as I prayed my way through it I was able to find every single thing I have set out to do. I am not a mechanical person at all and I was able to learn to use some research tools that required some coordination and mechanical skills. I did It! Woohoo. Never give up is all I can think, not if there a breath left in ya and if it is something you truly want, and you are willing to pay the price...it can be yours.

I am reading...scriptures, my class notes from all kinds of sources, online resources, all in an attempt to get a class together for the students at the Family History Center. This is a big deal to me because you cannot fake knowledge in anyway in genealogy. You either know it or you don't when it comes to any certain aspect of the research. Well, when you are just learning the thought of teaching it is pretty ominous.

From the kitchen...the kitchen is closed! Well, not really but I try not to think about it when I don't have to. Tonight we actually went out to dinner so that was great. We have had things in the freezer that we had made ahead so food was a non-issue this week. Yippee! Don't get me wrong we eat well, it is just I don't think about it once it is all planned.

I am missing...balance. I have to chill and figure out how I can get everything in that I truly want to do. Blogging is one of them but I just haven't had it lately. Could it be burnout after nearly 1600 posts on this blog alone? I don't think we have had a routine and normalcy since before Halloween. Maybe longer...I just can't remember back past when I started in with the fall decorating and since then....craziness and packed schedules daily. It is insane. I feel like we both need to just back away from the phone or something clever like that, if we want a moment to collect our thoughts. We have a knack for getting ourselves in this pickle semi-regularly it seems.

I am hearing...Michael Buble...The Best of Me. Love it. Music is my refuge, it is just such a happiness maker for me when I get stressed.

I am wearing...Smart Socks, love those things, blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a red boiled wool vest. Earlier I had a fun scarf on that our grandsons, Spencer and Ross gave me for Christmas. have since fanned the jewelry and the shoes.

I am quoting..."Music is what feelings sound like." So true.

Somethings that made me especially happy this past week...it has been a wonderful week. Our sweet nephew and his new bride got married over the weekend. It was the best and fanciest wedding I have ever been to, I think. It was one of those over the top, perfect days. We left home a little after noon and we did not get home until almost 10:15 PM. It was only 45 minutes from here so it wasn't like we were in the car much. It was all celebration. Nick is my brother Steve's son. Just seeing Steve there with hair and a smile on his face to see their son marry was wonderful after his bout with cancer this past summer.

It was such a joy to be with all the family and even our son Chris flew in and that was fantastic. Jim and I read the Prayer of the Faithful in the Catholic wedding ceremony and that was a real honor to be asked. We also did that when our niece, Alesha, got married. The rest of the week has just been full of things that needed doing and it has all been good. Family and friends have blessed me so much this week and grandkids have delighted us through photos and notes from the kids. And then there was my accomplishment, after a big struggle yesterday, and all is well for me! It was a week of miracles for both Jim and me in our work. And for you too I hope! And all these blessing have been divine. So, thanking God for it all.

I am going...to see my group of friends that I meet with each Friday morning and then I have a design consultation to do. I have gotten two appointments in the past week after not doing much in that realm of design for about a year. It is a sign that things are picking up with the economy some. I am also hoping to drop off a birthday gift for my sweet freind, Faye, who had a birthday last week. And if all goes well with all of that I am sneaking into a matinee tomorrow or Saturday afternoon to see War Horse finally. I cannot wait for Jim any longer, as he has been working so hard (14 hour days at the Temple) and so when he gets home he just needs to crash.

One of my guilty pleasures...going back to bed after Jim leaves for work..once in a blue moon I do it. Today was one of those days. It was nice. We have been up at 5:00 am for the past two weeks that he has been working everyday and I don't know how we did that all the time for years on end. Ugh. It feels like we are still on Eastern Time.

Pet Peeve...accidentally running out of milk. I always think there is some in our outside refrigerator and often I am dead wrong. Not a fun discovery at 5:00 am.

One of my favorite things...This funny, faux leopard scarf that I bought in Rhode Island. I was so darn cold and it is the coziest thing ever. It is kind of like a big scrunchy with elastic inside of it so it is fun. I just like to warp it around my neck and then I feel like purring. It is so warm.

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...Zip! This weekend for sure.

I am curious about...how I am going to do all the things on my bucket list while I am so busy just putting out fires on a daily basis? I need a better plan.

If I could change one thing it would be...myself. Redefining times are here.

A few plans for the rest of the week...whoops, I think I said all that under, I am going...
I did miss one thing though. I am going with my good friend, Maureen, to the Stake President's fireside this Sunday night. It is an annual event where our Stake President from church and his wife speak to all of the women of this area. It is always the best. As much as I love our Stake President, the real treat is listening to our super sweet, friend, Faye. Geesh, I still have her birthday present sitting here. Must get my act together...seriously.

A photo and thoughts I'm sharing this week...

The San Francisco Bay and Bridge

One of the fun things our whole family loves to do is take photos. Photography is just such a multifaceted hobby. It collects favorite memories, captures the moment, preserves your family history and creates (on occasion) exceptionally beautiful art. This photo was taken my our son, Chris, last Sunday morning before the sun came up. We were taking him to the airport so he could fly home, but first he wanted some shots of the City. So up at 5:00, out the door at 5:30 and on the shore of Treasure Island before sunrise. That is when this beautiful blue hour photo was snagged. I do not know a lot about photography, but I do love taking blue hour photos.

They can be taken just before sunrise and just after dark. You can Google The Blue Hour and find out exactly which times during any given day you will get a shot at the blue hour by entering your zipcode. Such fun! This will always remind me of the great weekend we had with our son and how much fun it was to run around the Island in the dark with our cameras. Not surprisingly, we were not the only ones doing this at that crazy hour of the day. Memories captured~loved every minute of it.