Goals, goals and more goals...

Every year on my birthday I always get all reflective and slightly introspective. And without fail it always generates feelings of desire to improve myself. For about 5 years I've made goals for the upcoming year- the number of goals dictated by the birthday I just had. 27 goals for my 27th year, etc. (this, however, is not my 27th year and it's been a while since it has been my 27th year)

Now, I've always used this blog as a place to record what I have done...but today I'd like to go on record with the things I'd like to do. I made a bucket list (inspired by this week's episode of Parks and Recreation) along with my goals list tonight and I'd like to put them down somewhere I can have easy access to them besides my cork board.

In no particular order I present my 31 goals in my 31st year...

1. Get to my pre-baby weight (yes, I know my baby is 5 years old and this is long overdue)
2. Blog 4x's a month. I don't scrapbook. I don't journal. I'm basically letting the crazy fantastical wonder circus that is my family's life walk past me without so much of a nod. And if I don't blog more, I'll never be able to make a blog book and will therefore be breaking major commandments.
   
3. Make a blog book. See above.
4. Complete 24 yoga practices. Love yoga, but I never make time for downward dog
5. Run a 5k. I've done this many times before but not a lot lately...
6. Run a 10K. This is my favorite race distance.
7. Read 2 Shakespearean plays
8. Make curry and use ingredients from the ethnic food store. Curry is my favorite food, but I'm scared to go in the ethnic food store for thai curry paste. Maybe I can recruit a friend to hold my hand...
9. Complete 5 hikes from the top 50 hikes list
10. Learn to swim
11. Finish the book of mormon again. I've been snail's pacing my way through for an embarrassing long time
12. Research and try natural beauty remedies. You know, like the face full of raw oats with cucumbers on my eyes.
13. Create and manage a budget. We have a rough budget and we're good with our money, but I'd like to be able to survive a surprise inspection from Dave Ramsey.
14. Go on a trip just with Brandon. It's been...so....very.........very............long.
15. Take a rec center class for me. Boxing maybe? I am a vicious beast of fury.
16. Certify in CPR/first aid.
17. Be vegetarian for a week (sorry Brandon)
18. Master the first 50 hymns and first 50 primary songs on the piano
19. Go stargazing with my family in rural nevada
20. Do a three week challenge on 7 good habits
21. Grow my hair out
22. Stop having to do push up sets on my knees
23. Read my sister's book
24. Buy a bike and learn to competently use it
25. Go to Big Bear, CA and be camping-esque
    
26. Get a facial
27. Run a 1m race with abby
28. Finally finish a room in my house. I'm thinking kitchen would be the fastest to finish
29. Make homemade tortillas
30. make my own granola
31. Get fully ready every day for three weeks

And now my overly long bucket list. Good thing I'm only 31 because it's going to take me the rest of my natural life.

1. snowmobile in Yellowstone
2. learn Spanish
   
3. run a triathlon
4. learn to play the violin
5. see the rain forest by Olympia, WA
6. visit machu picchu
7. Run a marathon
8. Do a handstand
9. Do a chin-up
10. be able to do bridge pose in yoga and crow
11. complete a jigsaw puzzle on my own
12. kayak
13. climb a rope
14. buy a nice camera and learn to use it
15. job in central park
16. learn a snow sport- ski/snowboard
17. go zip-lining
18. do every hike in red rock
19. have another baby
20. get another degree
21. be completely out of debt
22. take my family to Hershey, PA
23. take self-defense classes
24. see the northern lights
25. try postum (that fake herbal coffee thing that is so controversial to mormons)
26. study buddhism
27. see a cirque de soleil show
28. see Stonehenge
29. compete in the Philadelphia half marathon
30. go jet skiing
    
31. milk a cow
32. catch fireflies with abby
33. drive the pacific coast
34. paintball
35. go to a midnight mass for Christmas
36. throw a great murder mystery party
37. white water rafting
38. see the grave of my grandmother
39. learn basic sewing
40. be able to play every hymn on piano
41. make my own holondaise (I have no idea how to spell that) sauce
42. take a nap in a hammock
43. complete the S-T-P ride
44. pay for a stranger's dinner
45. see the Anasazi ruin
46. Study my family history

I think my plan is to review my yearly goals monthly and my bucket list annually. Hopefully my life will stop passing me by...The last few years it seems all I've accomplished is an excellent grocery list system. I know I'm being hard on myself when I say that, but there is nothing like a good list to be able to feel a sense of accomplishment.

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These are 32 of my favorite things...

November 2nd, 1979- a day the world got better (a.k.a. the day my husband was born). Surrounded by terrible pictures of him he would be embarrassed for people to see, I present my list of 32 things I love about Brandon K. Leavitt who this day turned 32.

1.) Brandon should have a desert gardening show on public television. This man can keep a lush, green lawn in the most extreme of conditions. He frets over his fescue like it's a newborn babe.
2.) With all the legal education floating around this house, we can no longer watch legal thrillers or even Judge Judy. It's how we stay happily married.
3.) His tastes have become geriatric. My particular favorite is his taste in music. I married a man with Led Zepplin and Sublime CDs...now I get into his car and hear the sultry sounds of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. When he listens to my ipod he regularly complains it's what people listen to on their way to rob houses and hold up convenience stores (SO not true).
4.) He has a secret wish to be a hip hop dancer.
5.) He rarely eats breakfast, but when he does, he EATS himself some BREAKFAST. He calls it the country breakfast...this self titled wonder consists of every breakfast meat, every breakfast starch, over-easy eggs and a glass of OJ.

6.) He cannot wear snow hats or turtle necks convincingly. And I'm ok with that.
7.) He still holds the door open for me every time.
8.) Total hotel snob. Don't even try less than 4-stars. Holiday Inn? He feels like he might as well be camping.
9.) Even though he rarely flosses, his gums are as pink as a baby's behind. Makes me CRaZy!!!
10.) His pigeon impression is incredible.
11.) The man loves a blue cheese burger. I would say he most regularly craves burgers and nachos, and after a week of that...he craves a salad.

12.) His glasses always slip down his nose grandpa-style.
13.) World's funnest dad. We recently returned from Disneyland where he took Abby on every single ride (even the ones that made her cry) and stood in every autograph like with her the ENTIRE day. I thought he would be kidded out, but he surprised me by saying it was the best day ever.
14.) He is a fantastic provider! This man works HARD for the money and we are grateful for it
15.) He is a wonderful attorney. I think he is great with his family law cases. He's patient and attentive with his clients.

16.) Every time I ask him for a suggestion on what to give someone for a gift, he always says the same exact thing: "What about a nice pen?" We've yet to give anyone a pen. Maybe we should, but then he'd have to think of something new.
17.) He makes a bed like he's been doing it for a living.
18.) He's scared of being eaten by an animal or mauled. Particularly by sharks and bears.
19.) He never misses an episode of Ridiculousness.
20.) He spends a considerable amount of time buying cards. He reads multiple cards until he finds the one that makes him cry. When Abby gave me a birthday card she told me I would love it because, "It made dad cry really loud at Target."
21.) He lets me be me and often helps me be me. Whether it's running a 5K, wearing a Toga, or eating whole wheat brownies that admittedly tasted like yard clippings, he's very supportive.
22.) He loves to get the mail.
23.) He can't STAND people being barefoot anywhere but home. It makes him dry heave whenever he sees it. He even has a special method of trying on pants at a store so that his feet never touch the ground.
24.) He loves the rain. Every time it rains he acts like it's a holiday.
25.) He's become a big help at home. Even though he regularly works 11-12 hour days, he comes home and helps.
26.) Body of Adonis...I'm just saying...
27.) The man can SING. He never chooses to, but he has a lovely voice. My favorite is when he does a montage of songs from 7 Brides for 7 Brothers- complete with dance moves.
28.) He can roast the perfect marshmallow
29.) He's always fun to have in a group. He takes a joke well and isn't self conscious.
30.) He firmly believes that everyone needs slippers. About to the unalienable right level. Like there should be a slipper-assistance program for the needy.
31.) He can sleep through anything (see exhibit below).

32.) I used to lay awake at nights when I was first married and be star struck by the total stud I landed. 10 years later, that happens to me a lot more often. What a freakin' catch! Love you Brandon! Happy Birthday!

2 weekends in review

I love October. It is easily my favorite month and this month has been no exception. We've done some fun stuff so far this month and the end of the month will be action packed as well. In no particular order, here is some of what we've been up to...

Abby was chosen as student of the week this week. My buttons were bursting! Part of her official duties as student of the week is to create a poster with little tidbits about herself and it will hang in the kindergarten hallway for the rest of the year. For those of you curious what Abby put on her poster...She is 5 years old, her favorite color is all colors, favorite animal is bunny, favorite food is mac and cheese, her favorite place is disneyland, she wants to be a princess rock star when she grows up, her favorite thing to do is jump on the trampoline and if she could have a wish it would be to have treats everyday.

As part of my TEN YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY celebrations, my husband and I went hiking. We did a three mile trail where you can see the original springs that started Las Vegas along with the ruins of the care takers house. Brandon looked at that springs, put his hand over his heart and started singing Home Means Nevada as a single tear rolled down his flush cheeks. He was definitely communing with his people (who are CRAZY, because according to our hike, Las Vegas was a HOLE to live in and in my opinion, most of it hasn't improved much)

Brandon sure knows how to take a flattering picture of his wife, doesn't he? We're out to dinner for our TEN YEAR anniversary and he decided to document how I look when I'm eating. In case you're wondering, that is a Brussels sprout in my mouth, and yes, I do actually really like them.

Please excuse the dark picture. All we had was a cell phone camera. This is our hotel suite we stayed at for our TEN YEAR wedding anniversary (have I mentioned that I've been married for ten years?)

We've spent some time getting ready for Halloween and the various festivities we're attending/administrating. As you can also tell from the chair behind my little witch, I'm behind on my household duties. Tis the price of fun.

We had a great family fun night where we hit the crepe shack and rode the carousel at the District. This is Brandon's new obsession (the crepe, not riding his plaster horse, but he does love that too). Who would have known he'd get hooked on nutella as badly as I am? Being married for TEN YEARS will do that to a person. I can almost stomach jalapeno kettle chips now...almost...check back in another TEN YEARS and I'll let you know.

Our primary had a drive-in movie party. It was awesome! We made cars out of cardboard boxes to "drive" in. This is a picture of Abby and I in our creations. I gave myself a jack-o-lantern head because I wanted to be the headless car-woman in honor of the season, but it didn't come off as terrifying as I had hoped. Actually, my jack-o-lantern head looks stressed and uncomfortable. Which, given the fact I'm currently primary president, may have been an accurate depiction.

Oh! And it was below 80 for a few days. Abigail dressed herself against the inclement weather (brr...75!) but we're back in shorts and t-shirts again! Home Means Nevada to us! :)

A rolling stone gathers no moss...

We have been extraordinarily busy. And thankfully, the above picture is the only thing that's gone horribly array. We've had a few slightly askews, a couple slightly off marks, but this was the only truly array. Wednesday, Abby came home from school just starting to cough. This child has never even so much as thrown up. So I'm thinking that my normally completely healthy kid with a super human immune system has gotten a cold from some hygiene-poor kindergartener. An hour later, she has a 104 degree fever. A few hours after that, I can't break the fever and she's making sounds I've only heard from a sea lion. The next day she isn't any better so I make a doctor appointment for the late afternoon. I'm thinking it's the flu, I'll show up to the doctor's office, he'll look at me with impatient eyes and say "really lady? why are you here?" and send me home telling her to rest.

...I didn't get impatient eyes from the doctor...I got "I'm about to call Child Protective Services" eyes. Apparently in 24 hours my little pumpkin managed to get para-flu, croup, and bronchitis. They sent her to the ER for chest x-rays just to make sure it wasn't any worse than that. Thankfully, it is not. She just is on a lot of medicine and popsicles. We've been watching retro episodes of Jem (remember that girl from the 80s who had holographic generating earrings and a rock band? Am I that old? 31 this month?...shudder...) and fraggle rock. It's been fun for me at least!

On to happier things...we completed a successful primary program, I've had a few parties at my house (including a baby shower. I must really love Brityn), decorated for Halloween and had some great times with family and friends.

One those phone times was the cousin talent show. There is Brinley, Abigail and Peyton (peyton's on drums). They're belting out Tao Cruz "Dynamite." And they did a respectable job. I felt like I was dropping it low at the club.

Ladies, let me tell you...this man is a stud. I know you might not be able to tell from this picture, but if women knew what I had, there would be a line out my door a mile long. And not only because he can eat an abnormally large pancake that has bacon embedded in it, but because he is the most Mr. Darcy-ish man you can find in the 21st century. I got a phone call from my sister Donna on Friday while she was sitting at the pier on the oregon coast, feeding sea lions. And if I'm not mistaken, I do believe she was eating a tillamok ice cream cone while talking to me too (but she neither confirmed or denied). I was in agony! The northwest is my happy place!!! During this conversation I was sweating out a 100 degree afternoon in brown, dusty vegas. I texted Brandon regarding my deep depression and he came home, packed up his ladies, booked as a ridiculously nice hotel, and drove me to San Diego so that I could touch the waters of the Pacific. It was perfect! And Abby got to go to Sea World, which is great, because she now wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up. A considerable improvement upon her previous choice of "pop star" in my opinion.

There's my studly mans best side as he's trying to mount this ladder in an attempt to win his daughter a prize...

And this is what became of his efforts. Better luck next time, B!

Oh! And Abby's writing has really taken off. I love that she tried to make her own penmanship paper with the lines and dashes on her white board. For those of you who haven't had a phonics class in a while, I'll read it for you: My favorite mom is Jamie. Mom, Dad, Abigail. I love it!!! I know I'm her ONLY mom, but at least I'm still her favorite.

And I actually thought I would miss Gospel Doctrine...

This happy looking lady is my estranged sister Judy. I haven't talked to her in a very, very long time (because she detests me and my kind [my kind being the entire rest of my family]). This picture has nothing to do with the rest of my post or anything going on in my life, but thought I would include for posterity's sake. She wrote an e-book and my father found it on amazon.com. This is the photo that went with the book. Literary, eh?

On to happier things....primary!! Every year (well, for the last two primary programs), we have done our version of American Idol. As a presidency we make ourselves look ridiculous and then "judge" the children as they sing us the songs they will be performing in the program. Here are pictures from this year's Primary Idol!...

From left to right, we have Wanda Words (me), the handsome and dapper Victor Volume (Michele) and the always sunny Susan Smiles (Brityn Smith). I think highlights included Michele's British accent which was strongly Eastern European, Brityn's personality fitting her character oh-so-well, and the fact that I spilled a whole bottle of water in that purse before sitting down. That poor little dog was swimming.

Here we are, preparing to be ruthless. (Hey grandparents, that's Abigail in the red/black dress with the silver head band. Thanks for the dress! She thinks now that it's below 100 it's time for christmas dresses).

Oh that Wanda Words! She's vicious...

Next year ladies? I dunno how we're going to top that sweet stash though, Michele!

Other highlights from the week...
- painted my front doors blue (love it! I'll include pictures soon)
- painted my table legs the same blue (not so much. Currently passively looking for new table)
- Had brunch at Layers bakery with some of my lady friends. May I recommend the toast. Sounds boring, but it may be the best thing I had all week.
- Took the cousins (Brinley, Parker and Abby) on a 1 mile run. They did AWESOME. and they actually liked it! Abby ran 1.5 miles and only walked for about 2 minutes of it. I was so proud of her.
- Had a hot date with the husband. We ate Thai food and actually went to see the Bellagio fountains. They were doing a 9/11 tribute and I just had to get my patriotic on.
- I braved a baby shower and survived. Dang! I hate those things. It's a good thing they served fudge or I would never have stayed for the presents.

What kind of mom would I be if I didn't record the first week of school...

Abby had her first week of school last week and I would be very disappointed with myself if I didn't record it (I did take pictures, I just can't find my camera).

Monday- We had bought a special first-day-of-school outfit, but in true Abigail style, she had to switch it up on the way out the door. She wouldn't wear the cardigan because it had polka dots and "only boys wear polka dots." She also wanted to finish her outfit with every piece of costume jewelry she owns. Needless to say, the morning started with us butting heads. But after we reached our compromise, somewhere between tasteful and bedazzled, she had a great first day of school! She made several new friends and has some old friends in her class as well. She has 45 kids in her class!

For FHE that night, we started something new. I wrote down a list of things that I feel like my family did a good job of teaching me and we're going to concentrate on one each week as a family goal. This last week's was BE KIND. We started the week of by taking Sister Doty (a lady in our ward who is dying of cancer) some flowers, treats and a card. It was a nice start to the week.

So you may ask what I do during the 2.5 hours while Abby is in school? Well, I'll tell you. I've been shoveling rock out of my back yard and taking it to the dump. Yep, I...Jamie Leavitt...have been sweating, shoveling, blistering, hauling, hitching, and swearing. I want a back yard pretty darn bad.

Tuesday- We had our favorite Flordians come for a visit. The Hales!!! Abby and I were lucky enough to lunch with Carin Hales herself and to have dinner with John later in the week. This was also the day I tried my hand at canning peaches with my in-laws. I got to tell you, you don't want me on your wagon team if we have to cross the plains. I am a horrible canner, sewer, and have yet to establish any type of food storage.

Wednesday- Abby is still loving school and I am loving the rocks less and less. At this point, I have called a landscaper to just "see how much it would cost...."

Thursday- Landscaper shows up. I see how much they would charge me for removing the rocks and am shocked that anyone would do that crappy job for less than 75k. So my 4 days of rock shoveling came to an end and I signed a landscape contract.

Friday- Abby's school week ends a little rough. She was devastated that another little girl accidentally wrote on her favorite shirt with marker. Oh, and she was ticked at me for being third-to-last to be picked up. As for my landscape project? Becky has given me the brilliant idea of improving my cinder block walls with some art work...I'll let you know how it goes!

Saturday- We hit the lake with our posse. I had my first open water swim and I am pretty sure it was about 5 miles. Wouldn't you say that's about right, Linds? That evening we played water kickball as an extended family.

Sunday- Brandon left us for Fresno early in the morning. For those who don't know (and because I need to write it down or I'll forget) Brandon was in a car accident about 2.5 weeks ago. Our little civic got crushed by an ambulance who failed to stop. The irony of an ambulance hitting an attorney has yet to get old. What necessitated the trip to Fresno was a new car. He bought one private party from a doctor in fresno in order to avoid the sales tax he would pay on a dealer's lot. He is a pretty happy clam in his new car.

Labor Day- Abby was actually itching to go back to school. Maybe because we cleaned the house all morning? Hmm. She did get to go to a family swim/bbq and then go play with her cousins while I hit the movies for a girl's night.

It was a good week. just dropped her off for kindergarten about 20 minutes ago and she was mauled by a bunch of little girls when she got through the gate. I'm so glad she is making friends

Princess Abigail Turns 5

I know I'm the kind of blogger who does Christmas and Birthdays, but really, what else is there? ;) Oh that Brandon has opened his own firm? Yes, there is that. That we managed to participate in an epic 24th of July parade which involved figuring out how to get an inflatable pool full of water on a flatbed trailer from my house to the stake center without losing all of its contents? Well, yes, that was a true miracle. That Abby shot her first bow and arrow and it was a powder pink cross bow? That we went on vacation to Mt. Hood? That I entered a P90x challenge with my friend Max, one in which he is sure to lose and be forced to humiliate himself by doing Yoga in front of his close friends and family? That Brandon dressed up like a civil war solider in shorts for reasons that aren't exactly clear to me? Well, I guess I've missed a few tidbits in the last two months, but I'm going to get Abby's birthday! In no particular order (because I've yet to figure out how to use blogger's photos so that I get them in chronological order) I present to you Abigail at 5.

Hello Princesses! Welcome to my house. This is Abby's friend birthday party (minus one friend, Lexi, who came late). It was Princess themed. For posterity's sake, from left to right...Lacey Treese, (who is my new favorite kid! I loved when she told me that her vacation to Tillamook, Oregon "smelled like cow farts"), Abigail "The Birthday Girl" Leavitt, Natalie Hodge, Emma Chatwin, Madelyn Price, Madeline "The Salsa Dancer of Toddler-hood" Smith, Meghan Christensen, Abbie Thompson, Daisy Thompson and Hailey Larson. Phew! 11 Princesses a tired queen makes.

So you may wonder what Abby is like at 5...well, let me tell you

• She is convinced that she doesn't need to go to dance classes any more. She told me on Tuesday that she already knows all the dance moves there are and that real dancing "comes from the heart."
• She is easily the best behaved child in her classes. Her preschool teacher actually teared up thinking about losing her. Yep, she's that golden.
• She still cries every night when her dad gets her ready for bed.
• She sleeps with every stuffed animal she owns in bed with her.
• She is frequently timid but gloriously thrilled with herself in moments of bravery.
• She's a picky eater. As a baby she ate grapefruit and sauerkraut, I thought she would have eaten just about anything...I was wrong.
• She organizes all of her barbies in her doll house at least once a day.
• To her, the more accessories she has on, the better she looks.
• She screams bloody murder when there is a tangle in her hair.
• Her favorite colors are "rainbow," her favorite restaurant is Sweet Tomatoes, and she likes to sing Give Said the Little Stream every night before bed.
• She is an exceptional sharer.
• She embarrasses easily.
• She still laughs exactly like she did when she was a baby.

This is Abby one year ago. How you've grown! But how your sense of fashion has stayed exactly the same :)

We had a few parties...first, the party with cousins...

The aforementioned friends party...which I haven't recovered from yet. My kitchen island is covered in hot pink frosting (which has fantastic staining powers, what the HECK is in that stuff?) and my couch is absolutely covered in glitter from all the ball gowns that sat on it.

Pre-destruction. I don't think it will look like this again for at least a week.

My favorite party? The one in Washington State! Woot! I love the Northwest. It is my happy place. It was so weird this time. I went home and crazy fell in love with my little tiny town I'm from (well, tiny next to the cities I've been in for the last decade). Everything was beautiful, fragrant, and charming. I wished I could have spent the whole summer there and I think so does Abigail. Thank you family for a wonderful visit! (I'm serious about the whole summer thing...what do you think? My suitcase, your living room, next July?)

Happy, Happy Birthday, Abigail Dear. You have NO idea how many people love you, nor how well they love you, nor how lovable you are. They don't get better than you and I am one seriously lucky mom...

...but you've got to work on having cleaner friends.