Hurry! Count Your Blessings!

Here are my gratitudes for today:

image: louisville.com

1. Summertime - I'm having a lazy morning. It's payday, so I'm getting the budget all set for the month. I'm grateful for the chance to just sit here and get it done and not have to hurry about getting kids out the door. That's coming sooner than I'd like. It's been a great summer. We didn't plan a big vacation because of our Spring Break trip, but we've done little jaunts here and there. There have been lots of trips to the fountains in the area, a couple runs to the beach, a trip to Seattle for the Warden and me, and the vacation will end with the Portland to Coast relay for me and something yet-to-be-determined for Labor Day. #3's birthday is the day after school starts. For her, that means, the first day of school. The Freshmen go on the actual first day. She and #2 will go the day after. Happy birthday to her!

   

   image: theskinnyms.com

2. Good food - I've been struggling with stomach problems for months now. I believe I've mentioned that before. It's not been fun. I started by cutting out white flour, sugar, and other processed foods. It helped quite a bit. I'm now down to whole foods. It makes me happy to be at least trying to get healthy things into my body. I'm hoping it will pay off over the long run, and I'm sure it will. Cooking so simply is a bit of a challenge. For some reason, in my mind, I feel like making dinner has to be so complicated. Chicken breasts, broccoli, and quinoa just doesn't seem like it can be difficult enough to be considered dinner.
3. People who say it how it is - Maybe I live in the wrong culture, but I LOVE people who will just come up and tell you what's up even if it's something they know you don't want to hear. My brother that was just here is that way. I love that I never wonder where I stand with him. If there's ever a problem, he'll tell me, and we'll work it out. I love people like this.

For today, I need to take a three mile walk and get some new socks for this weekend's face. The budget is almost done, but of course, it doesn't quite add up, so I have some more slicing and dicing to do. I need to go get the cash and set up the kids' accounts for the new school year.

We, in the next couple days, will all write to #1, and I need to start getting her birthday package ready.

Our temple is now open, so I want to get over there.

I think for this new school year, I'm going to undertake a plan to have a freezer cooking day once a month or so. I've read about this but have never done it myself. Now that we're eating so much simpler, maybe this is something I can do.

Overjoyed

This gratitude list thing is kind of magical.

My list, this morning, will be SUPER easy. I feel overjoyed. I'll share why in a minute.

image: flickr.com

Over the weekend, I had an interesting experience. I had an opportunity to get hung up on something negative and useless. For some reason, my gratitude list popped into my head just at that moment, and I realized that with so much good in my life, why should I give time to something so negative? What good would it do me? So, I chose to let it go and dwell on the good.

Magical, huh?

Okay, as promised, here is my list of gratitude for this morning (easy, breezy):

My siblings and me

1. Family - my brother and his family are in town. I picked them up from the airport on Saturday evening and they spent the night here. We spent Sunday afternoon at my oldest brother's home having a barbecue. Most of us were there. Yesterday, we went to the beach together--three brothers, their families and me and my kids (the Warden had to work--it's go time in the world of a school administrator). It was so great to be around them all.
2. Being wanted - I thought, after spending so much of their vacation time with us, they'd want to have just some our-own-family time. This morning I got a phone call. My brother said they'd meet us at a certain exit on the freeway. It wasn't a question of did we want to go or anything. It was a "we'll meet you." I LOVED this. This was the happiest thing I could have heard. He WANTS us to be there. Oh, how I love to be wanted. With a big family, that is a rare occurrence--something that hasn't happened in a long time.
3. Missions - We received #1's email a day late. The town she's in was experiencing some flooding, so she and her companion spent their P-Day indoors. It was great that she was able to get out and write us. In the email, she mentioned "struggles." I will share here what I shared on Facebook. I figure there are people who read my blog who aren't my Facebook friends, and I think people need to know this fact. For those of you who are my Facebook friends, forgive me for the repeat:

image:
juliashinklephotography.com

A friend just wrote to me about receiving an email from #1. He mentioned "struggles" that she'd mentioned. I love #1's honestly and frankness, but for those who haven't served a mission and see those happy, smiling missionaries out there, this might come as a surprise--that they struggle. Here's what I shared with him....

"Love it! So glad she wrote back to you. Thank you for writing to her. Every missionary goes through a rather brutal tough patch in the beginning. She is no exception, so I'm sure your email was a HUGE lift for her--knowing that there's someone else out there rooting for her. Thanks...."

***

Having served a mission, I know how tough those first few months can be as you adapt to the job at hand. She is definitely having to step outside her comfort zone day in and day out. Learning a new language, adapting to a new culture and weather conditions all hit you at the same time.

I have no doubt she'll come through with flying colors, but she, like every missionary out there, has to learn to look past herself and her own needs and learn to fill the needs of those around her. So different from the life of most 19-year-olds out there.

She isn't unusual. She's just like every missionary you meet on the street. That's what they go to do--
struggle, stretch, and serve.

I have shared with her many times as she was growing up just what that was all about. I didn't want her to get the impressing that a mission was all sunshine and roses. You only ever hear the missionaries who have returned home tell you all the wonderful experiences they've had, so you get the impression that that's all that happens. It's not. It's totally different when you're actually living it. The successes come, but not without a lot of struggle and sacrifice.

She will struggle, and it will be great. That means she's not holed up in her apartment reading books. She's actually out there living it and doing it and pushing herself and reaching out and seeking to serve. YAY!!!

Although I hate to read that she's struggling, that really ends up being the happiest news of the day.

image: pacificcreststock.com

I will post her latest email later today. For now, I've got to get ready to go to the lake. I'm wanted there. YIPPEEEE!

Returning After Many Years

Hoping to go here tonight....

I haven't been to this temple since April 7, 1989. How do I remember the date? It was the first time I entered the temple as an adult. My younger brother and I went together with our parents. The Portland Temple was under construction, and we were both bound for missions, so this was our temple at that time.

So looking forward to going back!

I'm Running Away

Don't try to stop me!

The Warden has some kind of educational thingy up in Seattle, and I get to go along. It won't be a long trip, but it'll just be me and my man. Yippeee!!!

Oh, and my parents by marriage need to borrow our big van to move some things, so guess what we'll have to trade them for?....

Umm....This:

Okay, sheer honesty?

I'm scared

TO DEATH!

There...I said it.

Four More Days

image: hiusa.org

Four days!....and I'm feeling a bit frantic. What to do? What to do?

After a wee bit of stomach pain, the typhoid pills are taken, her things are all together, and she's busily packing her room away for a year and a half.

Why does that suddenly seem like SUCH a LONG time?

image: seasidecarouselmall.com

She wanted to go to the beach for one last time, so today, that's what we'll do. She's in search of a floppy cotton hat (on her packing list). There's a GREAT hat shop at the beach, but the kids usually try on the wackiest thing they can find. So much so that part of me wonders if there's a legit hat anywhere in the place. Regardless, that's where she wants to look.

She also still needs to get her driving record. That will happen Monday.

image: roadsideamerica.com

We'll take our traditional stop at the cheese factory on our way home today and pick up an ice cream cone. So happy for these little family customs that somehow bring stability and comfort during times like these.

I rode in the car with her yesterday, and I suddenly realized how I'm taking all of this for granted. It just hasn't clicked yet. We had people in our home the other night to say good-bye to her, and I just felt like Wow! How nice to have friends over.

When will this seem real?

Now that I look back, this is how I felt around the time she was born....Clueless! I went in to be induced that morning and was cracking jokes and having a good ol' time. Yup, clueless! That is EXACTLY what this feels like. Subsequent deliveries were met with a bit more realism and even a tiny bit (Haha! Yah, right....Tiny bit?) of trepidation.

She came home from saying good-bye to friends last night. She went straight downstairs to her room--very unlike her. I called out to her, and I could hear the tears in her voice. I haven't seen her cry since she was a baby. This child is a rock. I went down to talk to her. #3, lying in her bed across the room, eyes very wide with what look like shock, said, "She's crying." #1, busying herself with clearing her bed from all of the stuff she has yet to pack, chimed in, "And it's not pretty."

She assured me that she knew everything was going to be okay. She has such conviction for what she's doing. "It's just going to be such a long time." One of her friends is heading to Hawaii tomorrow and is currently waiting for his mission call. She knows that it will be two and a half years before she sees him again. Tough!

So, the next three days, we will fill with packing, taking care of those last preparations, and having fun. She leaves on Tuesday.

We discussed her last dinner with us while we were driving around yesterday. She wants my mom's dip*. That is all. I tried to pin her down on a real meal. Nope. She wants my mom's dip. So, that will be what we shall have. I may add a meal around it, but if that's what the girl wants, that's what she shall have.

That's what you do when you only have a day left, I guess.











*For the recipe, see the Madhouse cookbook, and good luck.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Maximizing on Our Time at Disneyland

When we originally started planning this trip--about three years ago, we went to visit some friends who go to Disneyland often. They are former Southern California residents, so they knew all of the ins and outs of just how to do this trip.

image: ridemax.com

One of the things they shared with us was something called "Ridemax."

image: kk.org

You pay a fee for the use of the Ridemax website. You can log in and choose which park you're going to, what day and times you plan on being there, and which rides you plan on riding while you're there. The people behind Ridemax have done all the research as to which lines are shortest at what times and days. After you've chosen your rides, it automatically creates a plan for you so you end up at the shortest lines at the best times.

You can also mark on your plan when you want to take breaks and if you're willing to send a runner to get Fast Passes.

Here's an example of what we did....

We paid $14.95 for six months use of the site. It was the shortest plan offered. Let's say I was going to be at Disneyland from 8-9:50am on Monday. I chose Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and It's a Small World. This wasn't a real plan, this is just an example. I ask them to create an itinerary for me and end up with the following:

image: csdaley.com

Runner gets a fast pass for Indiana Jones at 8:05am while the rest of the group goes to visit It's a Small
World and waits in line for approximately one minute. After It's a Small World, the group goes to Pirates of the Caribbean at 8:30am and waits for four minutes. We then head over to Indiana Jones at 8:51am and wait for six minutes and use our Fast Passes to ride. Of course you have a whole hour left, so you can go back and modify and add other rides. Ridemax will tell you if you've chosen too many rides for the time frame you've chosen. You can remake your itinerary as many times as you want, and Ridemax will save your plans for you.

Everything I read as I researched this trip said to take a break in the middle of the day and go back to the park in the evening. This was very wise advice. We were all worn out by noon or so, so we'd head back to the house and relax for a bit. I would make two itineraries--one morning and one evening. That way, if we missed a ride in the morning, we could tack it onto the evening's plan.

The first morning, when we got up to go, and the plan was all set, the family all scoffed at my idea of using Ridemax: "Mom! This is a vacation. We don't have to have everything planned. Can't we just go for it and do what we want to do?"

I asked them to just be patient and see how it worked. If they didn't like it or it didn't work, we'd scrap it all and do it our own way.

image: free-city-guides.com

Truth is, it worked beautifully! Everybody recognized that as we arrived at Space Mountain late in the morning with the Fast Passes our runner (me) had picked up earlier in the morning. We were able to completely by-pass the entire huge, snaking line.

There were two times we chose not to follow the plan. The first time, we ended up waiting in a line for nearly an hour to ride Goofy's Sky School at California Adventure. Let's just say we became good friends with those around us in the line. The second time, we waited for at least 40 minutes for a 35 second ride on a roller coaster in Mickey's Toontown. Painful!

With Ridemax, we shot to the heads of lines thanks to Fast Passes. We also ended up in the shortest lines at the parks--less than 10 minutes most of the time, but never more than 20. Seriously, it was FABULOUS!

I think we all learned a little bit of the truth to the saying, "Fail to plan, and plan to fail." I can't imagine how long we would have waited had we not known about Ridemax. In this case, we all felt that our time was very well spent. We saw WAY more of Disneyland and California Adventure thanks to Ridemax.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

What I Learned from the Happiest Place on Earth

Yes! We finally did it! Mission accomplished....we went to Disneyland!

This trip was seriously YEARS in the making. Do you know how much it costs to take a family of nine to the happiest place on earth? Woah! That's some HUGE saving. But, we did it, and it was GREAT!

As we arrived the first night, I just kept pinching myself. Were we really there?

We had a BLAST! Everything went without a hitch, and when all was said and done, I had no regrets. We got to do everything we wanted to.

While we were standing in a line on our last day, the Warden got to talking to one of the guys who was supervising the line. The "cast member" (as they call all those who work at Disneyland) shared quite a bit of insight into the Disneyland mindset.

He shared that all who work there are "cast members" because they
feel that everyday they are part of a big show. Every day, when they come to work, their job is to entertain their "guests."

What a service these people provide. Their focus isn't on themselves or how they feel about ANYTHING. It's all about those who stand in their lines, walk on their paths, watch their performances, etc., etc., etc.

Once I knew this, Disneyland became a different place. These people were there to serve me and make sure I had a great time.

As we approached the place where you meet princesses, I walked up to the "royal page" and said, "Hey! How's it going?" He was a young man in his late teens by the look of him. I had momentarily forgotten that this young man was in costume. He was playing a part. His job was to stay in character and make me feel that I was truly going to be meeting some royal princesses. My greeting was met with "Welcome, dear lady," and he ushered me into the line I was to wait in.

Of course he did. It was his job to be a character in this play of the day at Disneyland.

Another thing the cast member had shared with the Warden while we waited earlier was that he was known as the "lead." In other words, as far as that ride went, he was the main character. He was the guy in charge. Of course, he had others he answers to but his responsibility was to lead in that particular area of the park. Others, he mentioned, had parts they were responsible for but his place was there. It was his specialty. He understood all there was to know about that one job.


All of these things have been jelling in my mind....

• What if I were to face every day as if I were a cast member in a much larger show?
• What if I were to focus my efforts on making sure that others were enjoying the performance that is life?
• What if I were to stay in character no matter how others interacted with me?
• What if I were to accept the responsibility for being the "lead" in my life?
• What if, as lead, I came to understand my role so well that I can make those things I'm responsible for run flawlessly?

I felt safe the entire time I was there. It was clear that each cast member knew his/her role. There was more than one time when I got on a ride with #7 and was concerned for her safety. It was then that I realized that I needed to learn to trust more. I needed to trust that those "leads" and "cast members" had done their jobs. They followed the rules and learned their parts and their main focus was me and my family and all the other individuals and families who came to enjoy their time there.

I have my own kingdom here. It CAN be the happiest place on earth. It is my own little show, and I am one of the leads. As lead, I'm in charge. I can make things go the way I want them to--any way I envision them. As lead, though, there are responsibilities that I need to take on that will keep the other cast members and those who visit my kingdom safe. One of the best things I can do is learn my part and be consistent in seeing to my role.


I now see that I also need to learn to be trustworthy--to learn my job and do it every day without fail. I need my children to know that as the lead, I have done my part and they can ride the ride of life without fear. They can trust that I have prepared them for the ride ahead.

Now that we're home, it feels like it was all a dream. Did we really go? 

Thank you to the Magic Kingdom for helping me understand my own kingdom a little bit better.

Looking Forward

2012!  For twelve years, I've been dreading 2012, and here it is staring me in the face just a few days away--the year our oldest child will leave the roost.  In many ways, though, I'm excited.  She's a good kid.  She'll do good things for this world.

As I'm looking ahead at 2012, here are the other things that lie ahead for the Madhouse:

Tomorrow, #4 will turn 12, so in January, he will become an Aaronic Priesthood holder and pass the sacrament at church on Sundays.
In February, there will be the American Mothers Gala and the Mother of the Year will be named.
In March, the Warden and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary.
Also in March, I'm hoping for a trip to Disneyland--think I'll be able to talk the Warden into that one?
In April, I will graduate from college and #3 will receive her Young Womanhood Recognition Award.
In August (I think), as already mentioned, #1 will head to college.
#3 will go to high school in September and will shortly thereafter probably get her drivers permit.
Also in September, #6 will go to Kindergarten and #7 will go to preschool.

Mixed in amongst these major things will be a bunch of more minor occurrences....
Potty training, driver's licenses and lessons, an Eagle project, other scout activities, soccer, basketball, track, cross country, music lessons, church activities and responsibilities, goals to set and meet, and blog posts....lots and lots of blog posts--just to get me through it all sanely.

What lies ahead for you in 2012?

Wordless Wednesday - Way Back Video (Camera's Broken, and I need a laugh)