New Year's Yadies Yunch

Since we had 2 full weeks of Christmas Vacation to enjoy, Michelle and I were confident that we would be able to get together for Creative Friday twice. We were successful the first week, but when our second week came along we ran into a few snags. First Eva was sick, so our Wednesday plan moved to a Thursday or Friday plan but by Friday Lucas was sick so we moved to a Monday plan. But then on Monday (January 2nd) morning Michelle texted me to say Lucas was sick again!

Aargh!! I would think she's trying to uninvite me except that she was equally crushed by this latest blow. We had to formulate a new plan quickly so this is what we came up with...a Ladies Lunch (i.e., Yadies Yunch) at Los Hermanos for the 4 girls so we could still get together and exchange Christmas presents.

This was a first for our little foursome and it ended up being quite fun (possibly a new tradition). Whitney and took this self-portrait in the car (while parked)...check out the disco ball-like reflection on my forehead from her hat!

Our table was so covered in gifts we hardly fit!

Eva cracked us up with her continual lip gloss applications, she was loving it.

The perfectly primped pair!

Eva opened her gift from Whitney first, it was a box full of horses!

Whitney was cautiously excited (i.e., rude) when she opened her gift of 6 new books! Whitney doesn't think she's a reader, but Michelle wisely and thoughtfully found this series about a classroom hamster named Humphrey, so I'm really hoping this is the series that will light the reading fire under Whitney.

One of Whitney's Christmas presents was a Los Hermanos t-shirt which serves as an "Eternal Coupon" for a free $5 fancy drink when we go there. Michelle ordered Eva a fancy drink as well and this was her first dreamy sip (she later decided it wasn't her favorite).

Michelle gave me 3 new shirts! She has never bought clothes for me before and I was excited because I always need clothes and she has better style than I do, woohoo!! She was so nervous about her choices that she'd purchased a back-up gift just in case...no need.

 

My gifts to Michelle were a hodge podge of things I knew she'd like. I got her a book and a set of knitting needles from her Amazon Wish List (everyone should have one of those) and then a scripture journal and some gel pens to use with it (and for scripture markings) ala The Red Headed Hostess. (I bought the last 2 items for myself as well and am very excited for a year of fruitful scripture study!)

After all the gift giving we got to enjoy a table full of food!

Eva was finished eating first and kept trying to entice Whitney into playing with some of the toys she'd brought with her. Whitney wasn't super keen on this, but eventually consented to go outside (it was nice weather) to play for a few minutes (which ended up being 45 minutes!). Michelle and I were able to have serious conversations about our goals for the New Year.

I think it's funny that the receipt actually says "Eternal Coupon" on it. Two more visits and her shirt will have paid for itself.

Our group self-portrait upon leaving.

Then I grabbed Michelle for what would have been our Creative Friday self-portrait and first one of the New Year.

It ended up being a really fun outing and a great way to cushion the blow of not being able to have our regular Creative Friday!

**Have you had a Yadies Yunch recently?

Have you seen those scripture journals?

Do you have big plans for the New Year?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm having my first ever Mammogram this afternoon and am feeling a bit anxious about it.

Changes at Home

It worked out nicely that it was my turn to do the lesson for Family Home Evening last night since I was feeling so motivated for our family to make some changes. We ended up reviewing some of the information from the talks we'd heard in church yesterday, and then moved on to discussing our family goals for 2009.

We need more balance in the things we do, so we discussed the importance of working on physical, mental, spiritual and family areas that we can improve upon. The kids were very receptive to most everything, though Landon comically tried to move dates around (i.e., "Sure, but lets start next week" that type of thing.)

{Click to enlarge}

After discussing and agreeing on everything, Randy wrote them down on this paper that we will be laminating and hanging on our fridge, then Whitney illustrated everything for us. If you look closely you'll see a tickle fight in the bottom left corner, swimming, running, a piece of paper with The Articles of Faith, praying, fruits and vegetables, a TV, someone reading, and a big belly.

We have dubbed 2009 "The Year of the Belly!" Which means we're all working on losing ours!

I'm pretty excited about everything because I know we can do it. I think we just needed to decide what we wanted to do and then write it down so we won't forget. The kids will be instrumental in making things happen, and since this will involve more time together as a family I'm sure they won't let us forget about it.

Happy Birthday Jordan!!!

**Do you make family goals?
If you were to label your year what would it be?**

Sunday Thoughts

Our church time moved to 11:30-2:30 today so if I don't post my Sunday Thoughts before church (like today) they're going to be showing up later like this...just FYI. (All 9 Sunday post commenters can now breathe a sigh of relief, ha.)

I've been reading I Am A Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson again (thanks again Melinda) and have been highlighting passages like crazy. This one seemed especially good.


"Elder Bruce C. Hafen said: "Can we love and support each other without judging each other harshly? So many of us are trying our hardest to live the commandments, often against great odds in our personal lives and unique family situations. Heaven knows, the world isn't giving us much support in these relationships. Let us support one another, even when--especially when--we differ on matters of personal choice and circumstance. Those are usually differences of preference, not principle."

"In every woman's story there are unknowns--struggles only she knows about, fears she's tried to overcome but still harbors, disappointments and sorrows she bears. The last thing any of us wants--or needs--is to be judged by others who don't know our stories, in part or at all." page 104

I love this and really appreciate the reminder. We never have all the information about anyone and really don't need to be tsk-tsking about other people's lives anyway. I would really like to live without judgements (both about me and from me) and want to make this an area of improvement in my life this year.

**What do you think??**