Small Fail

Yesterday we didn't read the scriptures as a family. Not even a week and I failed on my goal. Boo.

Well, I can look at this two ways.

1) Epic failure. What's the point. Way TOO large of a goal

OR

2) Yes, will not be able to say we read the scriptures as a family every day this year even though I WAS able to blog every day last year, BUT getting 6 people to do something every day is a lot harder than getting one person to do something every day. And so, we will just continue as if we didn't miss.

Of course I'm going with outlook # 2. I am disappointed, but Sundays are very challenging for us, especially now that we have changed to 1:00 pm church. Tennyson was a wreck by the time we got home from my dad's for dinner and it was all we could do to get him to bed. I totally forgot about scriptures as I was worrying about my OTHER goal of keeping my temper in check...We will just read scriptures before church to avoid this in the future.

Tonight we used family night as our scripture reading.

SCRIPTURE TRACKER

Moses 6: 62

Scripture Tracker update

So....no one has called me out on my missing Scripture Tracker the past two days. What's up people?!?!?! Where's the love? Just kidding!

Actually, we've done very well and read every night since I made the goal. I just can't seem to remember to post it. Tonight's post is brought to you by the Letter S and the number 3

Wednesday Jan. 4, 2012

Scripture Tracker

1Ne. chp. 1 vs 8 - 15

Thurs. Jan. 5, 2012

Scripture Tracker

1Ne. chp. 1 vs 16- 20

Fri. Jan. 6, 2012

Scripture Tracker

1 Ne. chp. 2 vs 1-9

My favorite part about all of this, besides feeling like we are heading in the right direction is seeing how excited Sanders gets about it. He sits with his own scriptures taking his book mark in and out of his book. When it's his turn to read he usually just wants someone else to read his verse...but from HIS book.

I can already see the change in my family. I can't wait to see how far we go by the end of the year!

Before and after

You thought that meant I would be showing you my project didn't you? Well, that's not quite done yet. I really need Saturday to be in the middle of the week some weeks.

Today, for you, I have my After pictures of me. They would have a lot more impact if I also had Before pictures.

Well, these are the best "before" pics I can come up with.  They are all from November or December. You see I am the one that takes the the pictures in our family and therefore there are not many of me. Especially full length ones. But I guess theses are excellent before pictures because most of them are not me at my best...which is what you want in a before picture...you know, frowning, no make-up slouched a bit. Just so the After picture looks that much better.

Anyway.

Before

 Christmas morning. ( I REALLY need a new robe if I am going to let people take my picture in it)

 OK these next ones are really misleading because I am wearing a shirt that, even back then, was 5 sizes too big. I had to tie a knot in the front just so I didn't trip over it.

 But you can see the fullness of my face and my legs. In the after picture I am wearing the same pants as this picture.

Again with the face and the wide belly.

Now on to the After. Are you ready?

------Ok, I have to say one more thing before I show the After pictures. I have only been at this for 6 weeks. I am not the tiniest thing you have ever seen and there is still room for improvement, but it is a big giant step in the right direction for me.

Ok. *deep breath* I think I am ready now. You? Oh, right. You've been ready 5 pictures ago. ;) Can you tell I'm nervous about what you will think?  I am.

Here goes:

After

So that's me. 10 lbs lighter and 8.5 inches smaller.  

Oh, today was a MUCH better day food wise. I am so grateful for the tender mercies in my life.

Round 3

Today in the mail I received a package.

A package from Westminster Fibers.

I knew it was a rejection letter, but for about five minutes I sat with it on my lap pretending that I would tear open the seal and in it find a letter containing nothing but manufacturer love. I knew it wasn't reality, but who says a girl can't dream? It felt really good to live the dream....if only for a few moments.

You can't stay in dream world forever and I soon opened the package to find my suspicions were right.



However, this time around I do not feel gut punched. Instead I feel hopeful. Let me share with you why.




First off, at least they actually looked at my designs AND came to a consensus.Which of course means more than one person looked at it.

Also my, "designs are very similar to several artists that we are currently licensing with that same look."

Which I am taking to mean that I am not completely void of talent! Sounds good to me!! Yes, I may be unoriginal, right now, but if I had gotten there first they may have signed me on.

Am I stretching it a bit? Perhaps. But I'm cool with that ;)

Thankfully, I had a fit of inspiration last week and already have a line that is almost ready to submit. I don't LOVE it like I love the first line, but I kind of feel like I need to just get my foot in the door and then work from there.

Round 3......bring it!

Enough is enough

I am tired of doing all of the household chores myself. Seriously tired. Household chores are not a talent of mine. I have a hard time cleaning up after just me. Add 5 more people who think I'm responsible for their mess as well (Ok, Kev is pretty good) and that spells disaster. I mean that in the most literal sense of the word. My house is a disaster.

Tonight for FHE I introduced the chore sticks. It's a bunch of Popsicle sticks that have chores written on them. Some are everyday chores, once a week, only Mondays, etc.

I really hadn't thought it all the way through or discussed it much with Kev. So as I was explaining the individual chores I got to bathrooms and realized it would be easier to divide up all the jobs need to complete one bathroom instead of one person doing the whole room. I was thinking out loud and said, "Well, I think for the bathroom, we'll break it up."

To which Beckham immediately asked for clarification, "Why are we going to break up the bathroom?"

At least I know he was listening.

They seemed excited.

I'll know it's worked if when I hear the doorbell ring I don't have to hurry and clean before I answer it.