Still going, always changing - see our Online Garage Sale

Some pictures are posted below, but please see our entire listing on my facebook album: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=184416&id=508919445&l=48186f5865

glass 'cookie' jar $8

2 random square plates $2 each

 decorative peppers - whole lot for $5

 glass fruit and vegetables $2 each

 light $99

 George Forman - set it and forget it $19

 pampered chef stonewear $19

 punch bowl $5

   Nike, size 12 women's golf shirt $5

  HO wetsuit, Costco, women's size 10, $9

random earrings. $2 each
Purple/gold earrings from China
from target, light pink bracelet and earrings. $2

J pendant  $2

earrings from africa $1

 like mother of pearl, 2 pendants (one never worn).

3 watches, I wore for fashion, never cared to update the batteries $1 each.

Game boy advance games shown below $3 each

HP officejet 6210 all in one printer, scanner, fax, copier with cords, manual, and software $20ski/snow pant, reversible, dark blue/light blue, zips up both sides completely, elastic waist, about size 10-12, Columbia brand. Don't gauge off Alyssa's size as she never wore these. $8

Let us know if you are interested please. Don't be afraid to make an offer.

Plastic, really?

Last year, my bestie Amy visited from Idaho.  

Our good friend Aimee joined us in the reunion too. 

Amy brought her family which includes 3 special daughters.

 It was a sunny day and we played in the backyard.

The girls drew while sitting on the concrete b-ball court.   

I remember she asked me for 3 plastic cups for her girls to have water. 

I remember finding that question funny and odd.

Who can remember the last time I had a need for plastic cups on my house? 

My glasses are all one style and color.

Why would I own cheap plastic cups at my stage in life?  

Well, fast forward to 1/11/11, I am tired of washing 3-9 glasses a day

because no one knows which water glass is theirs.   

Thus, a need developed in our home for 3 different colored cups. 

I chose these plastic cups. 

Funny how this subject has come back to me.  

Even funnier is that Alyssa finds this super annoying,

which baffles me as to why she even cares. 

I hope our $9 in plastic saves us water, soap and hassle in the future.  

Sheesh, you'd think a small family of three would have a better system worked out.  

Representatives Glenn Anderson and Gigi Talcott

We had the wonderful opportunity to be visited by former Representative Gigi Talcott and current Representative Glenn Anderson Friday January 7th.

What a treat! 

Gigi connected with our family regarding WAVA and guided us to invite Anderson to our home. 

He had never met an Online Learning student and it was fun to educate him on the system.

It is our hope that he will continue to fight for education money and that Online Learning Programs will be funded and seen as equally beneficial, if not more, than brick and morter schools.

We took video of the meeting and enjoyed getting to know these two educational advocates. 
Alyssa did a great job speaking to these important WA state individuals who have helped guide the decisions in Olympia for many years.
http://www.glennanderson2010.org/

the worries of parenting

This past week in my spare time, I began ‘journaling’ this blog post in my mind.  I had all sorts of good stuff to lay in here.  I figured I would spend the next few weeks, using examples and documenting some ‘good’ stuff that has been happening in our home, for you to read.  However, when I sat down to write this, I was drawn to two church talks that led this post in a different path for me. 

As many of you know, lately, the subject of parenting is on my mind heavily.  Constantly, there are questions going through my mind, trying to understand situations, reasons, the value, and finding a solution.  This adventure is good for me because it is humbling and helps me to pray often.  The worry and burden feels stronger than ever.  I know what the Lord expects of us and what He has entrusted in us to care for his special daughter. 

In the “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states: “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.”

In a 1975 talk by Brother Flinders, he talks about three general stages we will pass through.  "1) the young child wanted to know, “Who tells me to do it?” 2) The accountable child wanted to know, “What are the rules?” and 3) the teenager wants to know, “Why should I do it?”  She begins searching for meanings she wants experience, discussion, and abstract thought. Sometimes the search for meaning becomes the question, “Why shouldn’t I do it?” straining her relationships with adults to test the perimeters of his freedom, rebelling against what he interprets as injustice or hypocrisy. He is not just posing intellectual questions; he is exploring spiritual questions, as a child of God whose moral awareness is expanding."

"Any anxious parent who has tried to educate himself with courses, classes, books, and magazine articles about raising children knows there is an abundance of conflicting and confusing opinions. Nearly all of these opinions seem partially correct, at least under certain circumstances. How can one be wise and avoid being deceived, as the Lord has counseled? This confusion that seems to come with too many “answers” and too many opinions can be overcome by relying on clearly defined and correct principles. Even though correct principles don’t always supply ready-made solutions, they do give us the vision necessary to proceed in the right direction. Correct principles are proper tools for parents."

 Sometimes the situations I face arrive so quickly or so often that I barely have time to think or pray about how to best deal with it.  So, I find myself attempting to stay ahead of it, exercising faith that I may be blessed and accept His will and praying to be obedient.  But man sometimes the constant barrage of challenging get so old.  How much can one take?  How many different ways TODAY is she going to say this, try this, pull this, or be this way? Man, I miss the sweet submissive 8-10 year old. 

Flinders goes on to guide, "What can a parent do?  First, realize your own role, and second, recognize the three stages of moral development through which the child will pass and finally, how I can best help her through this stage.  During this stage, she is supposed to feel differently about authority.  This new habit of questioning rules to find the principles is a good one.  If she finds enough good principles behind the rules, she will develop faith that there are principles that validate God-given laws.  This faith will guide her through the legalism of the law into the spirit of the gospel.  If parents understand these principles, they will be careful not to restrict moral growth by habitually using the wrong approach at any given stage. If adolescents are not allowed to reason things out, they may either rebel or become morally disabled, constantly dependent upon an authority figure to make their moral decisions." Certainly, I don't want that for Alyssa that is why I am pondering, studying, worrying and learning as much as I can.

Do you ever ask yourself? 

When do I give in?  When do I smooth this over by pretending this was just a misunderstanding?  If I do, what will be interpreted from it?  If I give an inch, will she take a mile?  Then what happens when she takes a mile?  When am I being manipulated/fooled?  What should determine if another person's choice makes me feel sad, bad, or mad? When do I not allow this action/behavior/result to become a habit?  How long should something be allowed to occur before it gets out of hand?  Can’t she believe where our hearts are looking?  Does she really believe we would want her to fail?  Is she learning from this?  How do we know if we are doing a good job? What would Jesus want me to do for her?  How would he she her love and tough love?  How would I want Jesus to show me love?  

This is the kind of stuff that baffles me:
1) If one random day, I do something that I have never done (let's call this a negative act) - such as place the almond milk container on it's side in the fridge because that is how it fits best - mark my words, within hours she will do it too.  BUT it won't be done correctly and the liquid will spill out.  It is simply amazing how quickly she will observe a new 'acceptable' lazy behavior that she can mimic now.  But the opposite doesn't work the way it should.  If I begin a new (let's call this a positive act) - such as clean the side of the peanut butter jar after each use and she observes me doing it - she still will put the PB away without completing the lid seal and with greasy mess on the outside for the next victim to deal with.  What the hey?

2) This has happened with the vacuum cord. I can't ever slip and be lazy and not put the cord properly wrapped up.  For if I do, I will pay for it for more than a month as that will create a new bad habit in her mind.  What the hey?

3) Alyssa and I eat our oatmeal with just cinnamon and raisens.  She doesn't appreciate it that way, but she will do it even while Troy is shoveling sugar in his.  So, this could go on for weeks.  Well, one day out of the blue, I decide - today we are having a spoonful of sugar today in ours.  She is elated of course.  Now, going back to plain oatmeal is pure torture for me to instill in her again and for the next two weeks until she gets used to it again, we battle.  This lack of inflexibility makes me wish I had never even offered the one frivalous day.  What the hey?

4) Same story with her bicyle.  She loves riding her bike and comes home with the most amazing and spiritual and appreciative comments about the stars and beauty and fresh air and her disgust for the people that litter and how she wants to organize a clean up for the 400 pieces of trash she has counted in a 4 mile span. She gets excited to bike faster and faster and has a personal record she keeps improving upon.  However, for the two week period over Christmas, swim was not in Covington and we had to drive her to Kent.  She got a nice break from the bike.  Starting back up in January was a battle. What the hey?

5) She hates writing anything, in her journal, working on her handwriting, essay papers for school, answers on school work.  She hates the time spent on it, it is the worst thing in the world to her.  I coach and coach and coach and plead and beg and help and bribe to get her to find something in it she likes.  Right now, she is working on a 5 page research paper.  She was so excited to pick her topic of "deep sea creatures".  She loves watching the documentaries and looking at the books.  But the battle begins anytime we have to talk notes, outlines, hooks, thesis statements, and drafting the first pass.  I tell you what though, after all the fighting and crying, she is sure happy to share her final draft and proud of her accomplishment.  But the bizarre thing is that good feeling wont translate into the next assignment.  We start all over again.   What the hey?

6) Sunday, she will be officially introduced to the Personal Progress program in our church.  Of course, she is excited and she even knows how much journaling there is to do with it.  So, it will surely be interesting to see how much nudging I will have to do over four years to keep her mind set on the goal she wants to it. 

7) At this stage in her life, she has a comment for every single thing Troy and I say.  EVERYTHING.  It is enough to drive a person to drink, I tell you.  And of course, she is super emotional about everything.  Even if it is about my choice of utensil while stirring dinner. 

8) It is amazing how if she is looking forward to something, she will eat her meal in 5 minutes, but if she is dreading the next task, it will take her 40 minutes.  If she knows we are waiting on her while she is in the shower after swim team, she averages 21 minutes, but if she has her mutual activity, suddenly her time reduces to 12 minutes.
It is so hard to decide when to fight her, when to discipline her, when to let something go.  I feel like I walk on egg shells to not make her mad and to try to steer us away from creating a new bad habit etc. 

I often wonder:

Is this a genetic behavior or is this from her environment (i.e.: me)? 

Or is this simply hormonal or what is just God-given?

What can I influence?

More importantly what, if any, SHOULD I influence and only because the Lord wants me to?

Each day, we are running out of time to guide her, so I know each moment of learning is important. 

It is so mentally taxing to stay sane or focused on the goal each and every hour. 

 “Our major concern should be that of influencing our children’s desires or dispositions—not appealing to their intellects or their physiological natures. We must strive to influence their spiritual dispositions. Appealing to the child’s intellect or his physical senses, as is the popular approach toward education, may serve some purposes, but if that is all we do we are shortsighted and will probably be deceived."

"For example, we may teach them that they can choose their actions but not the consequences of those actions. We can also gently help them understand what the consequences of their actions may be in their own lives. We cannot do this alone. Success depends on divine assistance."

In this 2004 talk, we are reminded, "We must have the faith to teach our children and bid them to keep the commandments.  We should not let their choices weaken our faith. Our worthiness will not be measured according to their righteousness.  Sometimes as parents we feel we have failed when our children make mistakes or stray. Parents are never failures when they do their best to love, teach, pray, and care for their children. Their faith, prayers, and efforts will be consecrated to the good of their children.   I want to remind all of us today that no family has reached perfection. All families are subject to the conditions of mortality. All of us are given the gift of agency—to choose for ourselves and to learn from the consequences of our choices.”

I am so grateful for lds.org to search subjects and receive trusted counsel from the Prophet and Apostles that the Lord has given us in today’s time period.  What comfort to know we are not left here alone to figure this out and He is the best one to go to during this uncertain time and ANYTIME.  I log off now and will go find more scriptural guidance to read. 

My January Rant

Said family member in our home participates in a certain organization. 

Now, let's talk numbers and you tell me if this makes sense?

We pay $160 per month * 11 months = $1760 a year to participate.

On top of that we pay another $200 annual fee. 

And once a year in January, there is a large fundraising effort that is pretty much mandatory.

They want us to ask 10 people in our network of friends for money.

I guess they figure anyone can ask 10 people for $20 and viola, DUNZO?!

With 100% participation, they could raise a whopping $70,000.  

How is this done?

So, this Booster Club of moms go to a lot of trouble/hours

to rally the 350 familes,

produce templates,

schedule 3 buildings for the BLANK-A-THON,

sending tons of emails,

gathering paperwork and mail and checks,

making lists upon lists to track this information

holding mandatory family meetings,

and then has to find/buy incentives for the families to participate.

 

I can't leave out the wonderful incentives though: 

1/7 - ice cream sandwiches

1/14 - cupcakes

1/21 - donuts

free water bottles if participant gets 10 donations

free t-shirts if participant raises $200

Clearly, we can't resist such luxury! 

Give me a break people.

 Now, what did you think I did?

 Of course, I emailed the lead and basically said,

"... it seems that I can simply write a check for $200

and be done with this whole sha-bang right? 

I mean, we want to be in good standing with the group and with your the committe

but really, how can I ask people to pay for a calorie burning activity for my family member?

So please be frank and tell me if your group will consider us a 'good' family

if we use this quick pen on check method.....?"

Fortunately, she was happy to reply, that we would be viewed

as a great family if we contributed the $200, PHEW!

"Oh and 1 more question for you lady,

can we still qualify for the free water bottle incentive

even though we aren't asking 10 people for donations".

Sadly, she added, "NOPE, but at least you get the free t-shirt!"

Well, I seriously thought about submitting 10 envelopes

of cash with 10 fake names

just for the darn water bottle.

But who has time for that ridiculous time waste?

A better suggestion to this silly process:

It would be so much easier on all our lives if

each family just had a due increase of $18 a month.

For $178, instead of $160

our month of January wouldn't be burdened

 with asking 10 friends and family for money.  

Oh, and please keep your t-shirts, waterbottles, donuts, ice cream and cupcakes!

I will take a $1 per month credit back to my dues please.

Don't pull the 'some families can't afford an extra $18'

excuse which makes fundraising a necessity.

I call bull-honkey to that. 

What is to prevent the families from just asking

friends/family to fund their entire annual dues?

Heck, anyone on here just want to fund my entire yearly entertainment budget

so I won't have to make choices of this versus that?

Sorry to be frank, but everyone makes their financial choices. 

Some choose to pay for cable tv, others consider that a waste.

Some people choose to live by a strict grocery budget, yet others won't.

Some families choose to go to movie theaters for entertainment, while others say HECK NO.

Some people change their own oil, but others still pay $50 for that. 

So, if a family wants to burn calories utilizing an expensive club/team,

then make some choices and plan in advance how to fund it yourself.

So, I ask myself one final question:

"Surely, there must be something good that comes with this January activity,

because I won't take credit for being the first person to figure out this nonsense?"

Only two possible conclusions come to mind

1) good for the families to gather, have fun, play, and compete?

2) good for the community to have the opportunity to contribute dollars toward a group of people who hopefully will become dutiful citizens, thereby improving the society?

I mean, with goals like:

Physical Development

Intellectual Competance

and

Preparation for Life

who would resist throwing dollars

at local citizens simply for exercising during a 2 hour event?

I will make you all a deal: 

You don't ask me to pay for

your family to burn calories

via activities like karate, dance, ballet, triathlon, basketball, running,

gym memberships, cheerleading, wrestling, or anything else

and I won't ask you to fund my life either!

Fair enough friends and family?

This is what I looked like on 1/2/2004

Hope you have a good laugh at the below photos. 

On 1/1/2004, my boyfriend and I were in a car accident here in Maple Valley at 8:00pm on Wax Road.  We were headed home from Kent, we had just crossed under Hwy 18 and we started sliding on the hill coming into town.  We were trying to make it home to watch a program. 

The situation is interesting to remember.  We started sliding and were actually headed toward an innocent little chain link fence on the left side of the road.  BUT we panicked and swerved and slid quite a few feet further down the hill.  When it became apparent that we would make contact with the telephone pole, I remember feeling relief.  I just wanted to stop and not feel so vulnerable.  However, I had no idea the kind of unforgiving power that pole would have.  It was a nasty impact. 

Quickly, my left eye swelled up

By 1/3/2004, I looked like this - so hilarious.

Car pictured in the ditch is not mine, we hit the first telephone pole shown in the lower left corner. 

 I said goodbye to my favorite vehicle, a little Ford Explorer Sport. 

I still miss this cute thing.  



Because my ex is mostly likely not reading this, I need to add the disclaimer that I was not driving during this accident.  BUT in case he is reading it, I am glad he was ok.  His side of the car came in contact with the brutal telephone pole.  His head was just inches from being slammed into the pole itself.  It was a close call indeed. 

Funny memory now though!

The Gondola Grand Opening

Because we knew that Crystal Mountain had been turning skiers away the past two days, we were sure to arrive by 7:30 this morning. We wanted prime parking and the excitement of the new Gondola. 

Here we are near the front of the line, just minutes before we are about to hop onboard.

 It is never a good sign to see this last minute adjustment to a chair.  YIKES

Beautiful ride up 

 Amazing views

 Riding up Green Valley chair with the Gondola Chair in the background.

 Riding up Northway - We took her in the Expert Terrain area, double black diamond.

 Troy watching from above, this is Alyssa.

 This is the kind of form I like to see.

Troy

 Mt Rainier - does it get any clearer?!

 Taken from the back side of the Summit chair

An amazing day for sunglasses. 

The last four New Years together

As a new family, we have celebrated the last four New Years together.

12/31/2007 - Nehalem, OR

12/31/2007 - Alyssa

 12/31/2007 - group gathering, fun party, wild night

A year later, married, happier, content, and much more mild

celebrating with Apple Cider at home

 12/31/2008

 

 12/31/2008 - home

Then, a year later, we were off on a 10 day trip in Southern California
12/31/2009 - San Diego Sea World
In bed and asleep in our hotel by 9pm

 1/1/2010 - Palm Springs with Tonya's Family

Another year later, we are quietly home, doing mundane everyday kind of tasks. 
It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures ranging from 24-37 degrees. 
12/31/2010
Troy cleaned the garage, behind the oven, bathroom and grocery shopped. 
He washed my car, went to the library, dropped off at goodwill, and scanned some old photos for me.
He sold another $150 garage sale item. 
What a great productive day!

Alyssa took her Science Semester Assessment and boy did she study for it. 
She got 100%.  
She learned about compound and simple interest math problems.
She is now officially done with 58.5% of 6th grade having logged 523 hours already since August.
She played piano and is teaching herself the "Could I hold the baby" song.
She is already preparing for her March recital. 
Roxy got 2 sunny walks on the trail.
With all this clear weather, it was a good day for the yard to be cleaned up of all dog droppings. 
Kids are so lucky to be able to have that responsibility.

No vacation day either for me. 
I worked from home.
I found time to vaccum, clean the cat box, touch up paint, and clean the fridge. 
Fridays are sheet cleaning days .  Don't we all love fresh sheets?
  I baked cookies for tomorrow and planned a new meal for tomorrow night.
I also updated my Death Binder with all new statements.

It was a full day. 
It feels great to end the year with a nice clean home.
We are ready to reset tomorrow.

A relaxing moment to end our year (I know you are shocked).

Family movie tonight was this:

And now we are off to bed early so
we can be ready to head to the mountain in the wee hours of the morning.
Happy New Year to you all.

Christmas Day 2010 - Crystal

As we were driving up this morning, I told Alyssa how proud I was of her not bugging us all month long about Christmas and presents etc.  She said, she honestly forgot that we did presents.  She remembered our Jesus stocking tradition, she remembered our ski trips and vacations, but forgot that presents came too!  I love it.  It made it all the more special and she seemed all the more grateful.

Here we are, 8:30am, about to walk up to buy our GO card.

 Last night had 9 inches of snow.  Today was a mild 37 degrees and partly sunny skies.  Can't beat that!

 Nothing beats a photo, like a Santa on the Slopes photo!

 A special photo for her to cherish and start a tradition like I did 31 years ago!

 Yes, we really took her in the Avalanche Zone, in the Bear Pits, black diamond.  She did amazing.

Eating our lunch at the car, able to sit on the bed of the truck and enjoy the fresh mountain air.

We love these vegan soups, good for backpacking and skiing.

 Enjoying the Christmas lunch.

 It was so great, we may just have to go again on New Years Day,

to keep our holiday ski momentum going!