Correct as Usual, King Friday

My kids watch a lot of crappy tv. Correction, they don't watch a LOT of tv, but a lot of what they watch is crap. I try to weed out the stuff I can't stand, like My Friends Tigger and Poop and Special (Ed) Agent Oso. Bleh.
Even the good stuff, like Little Einsteins and Dinosaur Train can just grate on you after a while. Therefore I decided to teach them to like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
Mr. Rogers is a man that I love. He's someone who will never let me down. Sometimes the people we look up to are the people that let us down the hardest.
Mr. Rogers never let a kid down. He taught us not to be scared of the dark. He introduced us to Yo Yo Ma. He taught us to be nice and neighborly. He taught us that puppets are fun, not creepy. And most of all, he loved us, just the way we are.
I miss Mr. Rogers and everything he stood for. I miss simpler times, when grown-ups were infallible. I miss seeing Lady Elaine Fairchilde and thinking she looks just like my Aunt Glenna.
Thank goodness for reruns and syndication. At least I get to share this treasure with my girls. After all, it is such a good feeling to know you're alive.

Did I Ever Step in it.

Recently I said something that was out of place and very reactionary. Not a big surprise to those of you who know me well. I tend to talk first, think second.
But this time, I realized what I did and stopped.
That's a first for me.
Reflecting on this small miracle, I realized that it's when I step in it, and someone tells me that I stepped in it (because sometimes you can't smell your own stink), that I learn life's greatest lessons.
I remember some of the absolute most stupid things that I've ever said with great shame. However, from the gentle (and not-so-gentle) reprimands of my loved ones, I've realized what idiocy came from my mouth and changed the way I think about many things.
This isn't to say that every time I say something dumb I've learned from it, but maybe it is happening more and more often. Maybe I'm finally growing. Maybe I'll learn to turn the other cheek and jump over a few cow pies instead of stepping in every single country landmine that's out there.

A Little Sunshine

"I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort. I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of repentance. Wise are those who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out by others and change their course. What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another's virtues more than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears."

Gordon B. Hinckley

I Can't Think of a Title That isn't Cheesy

Ok, so one of my bffs in middle school, jr high, and high school was Karen Clark. She was a fiery red-head, trumpet player, RHS Junior Miss, all around amazing person. I was kinda more of the weird, drama club, combat boot and plaid wearing pseudo-bad girl. Today I might have been considered goth or emo, but those classifications didn't exist in Rigby High School as much as cowboy and non-cowboy. Karen and I were of the latter group, and we got along splendidly.
We were supposed to room together at USU, but she decided to go to Ricks at the last minute. We kept in touch pretty well. As the years went on, we stayed in touch with the occasional phone call, KC sends me a Halloween card every year, and I send her a Christmas card every year.
This year, she surprised me by sending me an amazon gift card for my birthday. Kinda out of the blue. I thought it was cool, and bought a couple of cds and a book I've been wanting, thanked KC, then promptly forgot about it.
Last weekend, my little family had a struggle. It was a rough weekend, and it all came to a head on Monday afternoon. When Dan came home that night, he hugged me tight, told me he loved me, and handed me the mail.
My music from amazon had arrived. We put in the cds after dinner and danced with the girls, and for the first time in a few days, felt happy and blessed with what I have and who I am right now, without feeling sorry for myself.
Thanks, KC, and all those old friends who help me when I need it, even if you don't know that you are helping.

Resolved:

I could have sworn I posted my new years resolutions here last year. Perhaps I deleted the post when I realized they weren't going to be met.

Here are a few of my goals for 2010:

1. Do a better job of having sincere daily prayer.
2. Read more, more often. (DVR is a blessing and a curse)
3. Complain less about not having much money.
4. Run a half-marathon, train for another triathlon after that.
5. Be a better mom by spending 1 on 1 time with each child, each day.
6. Be a better wife by listening more and being more interested in what Dan has to say.
7. Be a better daughter/sister/aunt/friend by being less sarcastic and mean and showing them more love instead.
8. Eat cleaner food, more locally grown produce and support sustainable farming when possible. Also, follow through with Meatless Mondays. Meatless, not vegan.
   
9. Be happy with who I am, no matter what that may be at the moment.

I'm not making a resolution about my weight this year. I'm going to eat well and run a lot and that about sums it up.

How about you? Do you have any goals for the coming year that are out of the ordinary?

A Funny Thing Pancho's Girl Said

So, I was at my house last night, hosting a little farewell dinner for my cousins, the Giacosas, when someone noticed it was almost midnight. "Almost my birthday!" I told my mom, the only other person that did any significant effort that fateful day, 34 years ago. My little brother's girlfriend asked how old I would be at midnight. I told her thirty-four. She didn't miss a step and said "Congratulations! You'll officially be more than 10 years old than me!"
AWE.SOME.
Here's the thing, I know I look good for my age. I'm in fairly decent condition and my face isn't that of a 34 year old. I have a healthy self-image and have never tried to make people think I'm younger than what I really am. They tend to assume it on their own (at least those older than me do. Those younger than me could give a rat's ass about some middle-aged lady's age).
Still, for that half a second until I came up with a smooth come-back, I was in shock. The poor girl, Alycia, nearly fell off her chair trying to apologize. All I could do was give a good, hearty, belly laugh and decide to not take myself too seriously.
Happy birthday to me! All 34 years of me! And guess what? Tomorrow we start the year I turn 35! Woot!

Tyrannosaurus Regina

Sparky asked me,
after being deep in thought,
"What was the wife of T-Rex called?
Was she the T-Queen?"