I don't really make New Year's resolutions. I prefer to think of each day as the start of a New Year...we can begin anew and change our lives starting right now, right where we are, this minute. (That isn't to say that I'm not above praying for changes to occur in the new year.) I'm making a few goals the focus of concerted prayer and fasting, but since these are things that I work on every day, and will continue to work on each day, I don't think of them as resolutions. Some things that have become part of my life day by day, things I am resolute about:
Be a parent first and foremost
Be grateful for everything!
Keep the commandments and repent quickly when I err
Be a better, more compassionate, service oriented person
Teach my children about the gospel, about the atonement, and about service
No wallowing...seeking instead for joy!
Actively seek education and excel at it
Take care of my own health and that of my children
Prepare myself further to be a worthy companion
This year, if all goes well, I will be finished with my bachelor's degree. I'll be taking the GRE and the CBEST. The GRE will help me have more options for graduate school, and the CBEST will (when combined with my bachelor's degree) permit me to earn some money substitute teaching before I begin graduate studies and possibly even during the time I'm in graduate school. This is requiring a lot of faith on my part as I'm trying to determine precisely the course the Lord wants me to take.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Game Day
Erin and Nick dropped in after Christmas to visit with the kids. They also brought a ton of really fun games for the kids as presents. "Swish," "Fastrack," "Quadrago," "Repello," and "Knot so Fast." So far the clear favorites are Fastrack and Quadrago.
Quadrago is like connect four, only three dimensional. Knot so Fast should be great for teaching everyone, but especially the boys, knots. We've been so addicted to the other two that we haven't given it it's fair play time yet.
So far, the days of vacation have been rather lazy...lots of sleeping, eating, and playing. We did get to the Bishop's storehouse on Tuesday, and it was wonderful, as usual. Other than that, not much productivity in the Cavanaugh house!
The kids have been enjoying the meals this week. Amazing how much energy I have for cooking when I don't have to worry about studying! Christmas we had chili verde (yum!), Monday - pizza, thanks to Erin and Nick, Tuesday was pasta, Wednesday we had BBQ pork sandwiches and cheesy potatoes. Tonight I'm thinking tacos, though I might save that for dinner on New Year's Day. I'm still reserving portions from each meal in individual containers in the freezer to make eating when I'm alone when my classes start much easier. When I made the pasta sauce, I made twice as much as I needed so I could save enough for a meal later in January. I wish I could get up the energy to do those "cooking for a month" days. It would be great to have pre-made meals ready to go when I'm being tortured by my college professors.
So far, the days of vacation have been rather lazy...lots of sleeping, eating, and playing. We did get to the Bishop's storehouse on Tuesday, and it was wonderful, as usual. Other than that, not much productivity in the Cavanaugh house!
The kids have been enjoying the meals this week. Amazing how much energy I have for cooking when I don't have to worry about studying! Christmas we had chili verde (yum!), Monday - pizza, thanks to Erin and Nick, Tuesday was pasta, Wednesday we had BBQ pork sandwiches and cheesy potatoes. Tonight I'm thinking tacos, though I might save that for dinner on New Year's Day. I'm still reserving portions from each meal in individual containers in the freezer to make eating when I'm alone when my classes start much easier. When I made the pasta sauce, I made twice as much as I needed so I could save enough for a meal later in January. I wish I could get up the energy to do those "cooking for a month" days. It would be great to have pre-made meals ready to go when I'm being tortured by my college professors.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
New Year's Eve
I think I've always had the kids on New Year's Eve...since they were born. This will be my first New Year's Eve solo.
Every year, the kids and I choose some "nommies" that we don't eat much the rest of the year. Examples: mozzarella sticks, hot chicken wings, egg rolls, taquitos, tamales, and etc. These are prepared foods that just require an oven or a toaster oven to bake. Those of you who know me well, know that I prefer to make healthy foods from scratch, so even having them in our freezer is surprising. We eat these items, along with sparkling cider and any other treats we feel like having, as our dinner on New Year's Eve. We watch movies, play games, or whatever we feel like doing. When the kids were little, we used to celebrate our New Year's on "New York Time," but now that the kids are older, we celebrate it California style, with snaps and sparklers (saved from the 4th of July) and horns when the New Year strikes.
The first day of the new year begins with another tradition...sherbet for breakfast! This is a symbol of all the sweet things we've been blessed with as well as all the blessings we will receive each day of the new year.
Since the kids will be with their dad, I don't know what I'll do about New Year's Eve. Any ideas?
Every year, the kids and I choose some "nommies" that we don't eat much the rest of the year. Examples: mozzarella sticks, hot chicken wings, egg rolls, taquitos, tamales, and etc. These are prepared foods that just require an oven or a toaster oven to bake. Those of you who know me well, know that I prefer to make healthy foods from scratch, so even having them in our freezer is surprising. We eat these items, along with sparkling cider and any other treats we feel like having, as our dinner on New Year's Eve. We watch movies, play games, or whatever we feel like doing. When the kids were little, we used to celebrate our New Year's on "New York Time," but now that the kids are older, we celebrate it California style, with snaps and sparklers (saved from the 4th of July) and horns when the New Year strikes.
The first day of the new year begins with another tradition...sherbet for breakfast! This is a symbol of all the sweet things we've been blessed with as well as all the blessings we will receive each day of the new year.
Since the kids will be with their dad, I don't know what I'll do about New Year's Eve. Any ideas?
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas
Christmas morning came on my favorite day of the week...Sunday! I got to spend a tiny portion of the day in my favorite place of learning...church! We had been practicing our cantata for months, and to be honest, I was beginning to get annoyed with it. However, when our meeting closed for the day, the congregation sang "Away in a Manger," and all at once, I was struck with the sure testimony of the reality of our Savior and his love for us. The spirit overcame me and I could not sing. I felt like this was a gift from the Savior to me personally, a light into my heart and a lift to my spirits that I needed with every fiber of my being. It was another of the gifts of "true Christmas" that the Father blessed me with this Christmas. I'm so grateful!
The children were pretty happy with their gifts. Kelly loved her memory foam pillow (from me) and the nail polishes and remover from her siblings (all sparkly colors!). Joe was so happy to find a guitar case under the tree from me, and thrilled with the portal "turret" that he received from his siblings. Laine received the exact pillow pet she had been wanting (a panda) and from her siblings, she received a desk organizer and a bunch of writing supplies. Johnny was excited that he now has a new set of scriptures with a snap, exactly what he hoped to get. From his siblings, he received a big block of pepper jack cheese, a weather radio and a lamp (kind of like a lava lamp, only with little fish inside that "swim" around). Santa brought the family a telescope, a game called the Settlers of Catan, a new Brandon Mull book, and a bunch of edible treats for pets and people.
We have been so blessed this year. I'm looking forward to 2012 for a variety of reasons, but I can't let the year pass away without expressing again how grateful I am for the blessings the Lord has placed in our lives. We couldn't make it through each day without the love of all of our friends and family!
The children were pretty happy with their gifts. Kelly loved her memory foam pillow (from me) and the nail polishes and remover from her siblings (all sparkly colors!). Joe was so happy to find a guitar case under the tree from me, and thrilled with the portal "turret" that he received from his siblings. Laine received the exact pillow pet she had been wanting (a panda) and from her siblings, she received a desk organizer and a bunch of writing supplies. Johnny was excited that he now has a new set of scriptures with a snap, exactly what he hoped to get. From his siblings, he received a big block of pepper jack cheese, a weather radio and a lamp (kind of like a lava lamp, only with little fish inside that "swim" around). Santa brought the family a telescope, a game called the Settlers of Catan, a new Brandon Mull book, and a bunch of edible treats for pets and people.
We have been so blessed this year. I'm looking forward to 2012 for a variety of reasons, but I can't let the year pass away without expressing again how grateful I am for the blessings the Lord has placed in our lives. We couldn't make it through each day without the love of all of our friends and family!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Whew!
Whew! Managed to complete this semester with all A's. I wish I could take all the credit, but I know I couldn't have done it without divine intervention from time to time. (Like the day when I got really sick and had to go home, missing a critical class...turned out that the class was CANCELED!)
I'm looking forward to a few weeks off before the next semester. My classes coming up are Cognitive Psychology, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, the Psychology of Aging, and Multicultural Aging. Five days of classes each week, plus two online courses. I truly hope I'm able to keep the pace up next semester. I have the feeling that grad school will be even more challenging. Only two more semesters until my bachelors is complete.
I'm using the break to prep for the GRE and the CBEST, as well as to start my reading for the spring semester. I'm also hoping to qualify for financial aid for the next academic year. Borrowing money feels so foreign to me.
I'm looking forward to a few weeks off before the next semester. My classes coming up are Cognitive Psychology, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, the Psychology of Aging, and Multicultural Aging. Five days of classes each week, plus two online courses. I truly hope I'm able to keep the pace up next semester. I have the feeling that grad school will be even more challenging. Only two more semesters until my bachelors is complete.
I'm using the break to prep for the GRE and the CBEST, as well as to start my reading for the spring semester. I'm also hoping to qualify for financial aid for the next academic year. Borrowing money feels so foreign to me.
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