Let's Talk About 2013

 

I don't make New Years Resolutions. 2013 is the perfect example of why. Early this year, I had the idea I should learn to water ski in 2013. Good goal. However, what I didn't know is that by the time my family's Bear Lake trip came around this summer, I would be recovering from emergency surgery to remove a hemorrhaging cyst and my infected appendix. Not an ideal time to take up water skiing. (I probably had enough pain meds that I could have done it. But I didn't have enough pain meds to talk my family into letting me.) It's a good thing I technically didn't set a water skiing resolution for 2013, because I would have failed miserably.

 

It's much more convenient for me to set my resolutions retroactively. So today, on the last day of 2013, here are the goals I would have set for this year, if I had been smart enough.

 

Resolution #1) Start a new job. After years of applying and interviewing, I was finally offered a job I wanted with the LDS Church. I work in Risk Management and I love it.



 

 

I also said good-bye to my job (but NEVER my friends) at American Insurance. After 10 years, a lot of good memories and a lot of bad days, it was definitely time for a new chapter.



Resolution #2) Spend time with my family.

 

Especially my sister.

 

Resolution #3) Do fun things. Like Disneyland.

 

 

The Manti Pageant.

 

 

 

Shakespeare Festival.

Tea parties.

 

Photo shoots on the floor at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.



 

Bear Lake.

 

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.

 

Resolution #4) Attend two new-to-me temples: Brigham City, Utah and Seattle, Washington.

 

Resolution #5) Join Facebook (which I did reluctantly but now enjoy) and the Mixies Book Club. Read Wonder. Talk about it incessantly because it's Just. That. Good.

 

Resolution #6) Finish off the year with a fabulous family Christmas.

 

 

It's very possible that Sandra Bullock said it best, ""Life is a series of disastrous moments. In between those moments, that's when you savor, savor, savor." I bid farewell to 2013, a year of disastrous moments and a lot of savoring in between. And I am excited to welcome 2014, a year that promises a little more of this...



 

And a lot more of this....

And few-to-no disasters. Because it's going to be MY year.



Saturday Is A Special Day

Attended a session at the Mount Timpanogos temple today, bringing my temple count for 2013 to ten: Brigham City, Jordan River, Twin Falls, Logan, Salt Lake, Oquirrh Mountain, St. George, Bountiful, Seattle, Mount Timp. I also went to a funeral today which was mostly music performed by an ensemble of Tabernacle Choir members; a service so beautiful it almost made a temple visit seem irrelevant. (I said almost.) Ate Olive Garden leftovers for dinner and am curled up on my couch reading a profound book by a Pakistani teenage girl. Life is good.

Christmas 2013

I think Lauren likes her present.

 

I also love that Christmas exploded all over my Dad's living room. Happy holidays!

Christmas Pre-Show

This picture of Carly screams Christmas to me. Love the boots, love the hat, love the coat, love the bag of M&Ms, love the smile. She just IS Christmas.

Tricia and I were at a friend's wedding dinner and I pestered her until she agreed to pose for this photo. I think you can see why. It turned out great.

Best night ever!!! Tricia and I went to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas Concert this year. Like just about everyone else in America, I have always wanted to go. This year I lucked into tickets because my visiting teacher is in the orchestra and her parents won tickets in the lottery. And that is how it's done.... Pre-concert, we went to dinner with Dad at City Creek, where I opted for the mango pork enchilada from Red Iguana. Yum. Then Tricia and I went to Tiffany's. Yum again. The employees always want you to try on rings when you go there. I made that mistake once and I won't do it again. They're SO much fun to put on - and heartbreaking to take off. When I am rich, I want to own a purse in Tiffany blue. The other thing I really, really want is one of the iconic blue boxes. When I am rich. 

Hastily taken photo of the stage when the senior missionary/usher was not looking (or at least pretending he didn't know I was snapping photos on my phone). He knew.

Happy girls! Let the music begin! Richard Elliott's organ arrangement that night of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" was exceptionally wonderful. What a perfect night.

Encounters of the Awkward Kind

I was walking into the little girls room when a store employee stopped me. "You may feel more comfortable using this restroom," she said, pointing to the men's room.

Long, awkward pause. I didn't know how to explain that typically I feel more comfortable using the women's room. "Oh, I just cleaned this one. There's no one in there," she says.

Ok, but could she promise that no one would come in during the next couple of minutes? Or see me walking in and out? Too weird. No decision I made felt comfortable at that moment.

Quality of Life

One of the factors I had to think about when deciding if I should stay at my long-time job or switch to something new was "quality of life." Which is hard to predict when so much about a new job opportunity is unknown. So I am pleased to report that my "quality of life" factor has definitely seen some improvements since my career change. Here's some reasons why:

 

* As I have previously documented on this blog, my Dad leaves treats at my desk on a pretty regular basis.

* Lunch time jaunts to art exhibits on Temple Square, including the Norman Rockwell exhibit currently at the Church History Museum and the Christmas Season Art Showcase at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

*The chocolate milk that I remember fondly from my childhood at the Church Office Building cafeteria is still the best there is.

* Being downtown is awesome for walkability. I can pop over to Deseret Book, the Lion House or City Creek any time I please. Which is dangerous for my bank account, but still enjoyable. Plus there are more people around, so the pan handlers tend to behave better and I feel more comfortable walking around.

 

* Christmas on Temple Square never gets old. There are beautiful Christmas trees in the lobby of my building and even choirs who perform during the month of December.

 

* I have senior missionaries call up to my desk to announce my visitors. You can't beat that! 

 

It's amazing what a difference these small things make. Yay for lucky decisions!!!

Decisions, Decisions

I brought one of these items for my breakfast this morning. The other three were left at my desk compliments of dear old dad. I'll let you guess which I'm going to enjoy for my breakfast this morning.