january rocked

LOOKING BACK

1. SEVEN POUND WEIGHT LOSS!
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2. Menus planned and executed.

3. January FHE service project accomplished.
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4. Had first stake camp meeting…assigned to YCLs.

HEADING FORWARD

1. Personal scripture study must be better.

2. Only on book two of my 75 book challenge….need to bust it this month.

3. Restocking the freezer with meals.

4. Nikki’s 10th birthday to plan.

5. Adam will be gone for a week to Nashville.

6. Want to drop another seven to eight pounds….so took a NO SWEETS challenge for the month of February!!!

goals, goals, goals 2012

I love goals. I live to accomplish goals.

But I am far from perfect…so I am challenging myself a little more than usual this year. Here are the big ones:

PHYSICAL
1. 50 pounds of weight loss
2. Log ten miles per week
3. Track food daily (My Fitness Pal, free app, awesome)

–I am down 40 lbs from two years ago when I started “trying.” In fact, to my surprise, currently, I am down five pounds from Thanksgiving. How did that happen? Regardless, I am motivated to continue. I would like to drop another 50 lbs by the end of the year. Very slow and steady and long-term. Adam and I are walking at night together, which is one of our favorite things. We got away from it this past year. So we are getting back on track. And it is the perfect time of year in Las Vegas to walk at night. We must enjoy it while we can. :)

MENTAL
1. Read 75 books

–This is a big challenge for me considering I homeschool. It seems that my time is always cut in half by the kids’ schooling demands. It is so worth it, but I really want to read more for myself. I think I read 20 books last year. So I am trying to be home more…finding more quiet moments. That is helping.

SPIRITUAL
1. Finish Old Testament
2. Attend temple twice/month

–Yeah, I am still in Genesis two years later. So embarrassing. I am reading other scriptures with the family, but this is something I really want to accomplish. The last time I read the whole Old Testament was in high school during Seminary. I figure it’s time to take the challenge again. Part of this goal will include writing every day on the subjects and stories I study. And yes, I will be including the books in the Old Testament in my 75 count. There’s no way I could accomplish both, otherwise. Hey, I am a realist, people.

EMOTIONAL
1. Serve each child once a week on purpose

–I am trying to strengthen the bonds between myself and each child. I am so excited to try this experiment and blog it. I am assigning each child a day during the week. I am going to intentionally serve the assigned child in some way on that day. I want to do something above and beyond the normal mom duties so they feel extra special that day. I think this will help each kid feel extra special more often. I love the new phases they are each growing into right now. I can’t wait to get to know my kids even better.

OTHER
1. Make a written dinner menu every two weeks
2. Be home everyday when my boys get home from public school, except in extreme circumstances
3. Finish moving into our home…little odds and ends projects that need doing
4. Document and post our weekly dates this year

I don’t plan on failing. So I am hoping to look back in December and see that this is all accomplished.

2008 in review (july-december)

JULY was full of wonderful adoption preparations. My girlfriends helped me pack and shop for the kids. My mom helped me put their rooms together. We also met our children over the video for the first time.

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August was….well a cornacoupia of emotions. In short, we became parents–gaining four amazing Spanish-speaking Sunshines. And we spent one hell of a month in Bogota. Another thanks to grandma, grandpa, uncle brian, and tia jena for flying out to help. It feels surreal, doesn’t it?

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SEPTEMBER was the month that saw us home. We drove from LA to LV. We immunized and enrolled our munchkins. And we spent two weeks attacking the lice-infested hair of our daughters.

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OCTOBER was full of rock-climbing, bike riding, and Halloween. Adoption-wise, the kids started to pick up a bit more English, and respond well to school. Their first trip to Logan, UT (7.5 hours) went off without a hitch. These munchkins were born to be our children–they are excellent travelers. And yes, most of our travel is DVD-free! It is possible. :)

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NOVEMBER was the month that Amy (and Mya) and Jes flew into visit. We scrapped, ate Cold Stone ice cream cake for Amy’s 30th, and cruised the strip in the minivan. We spent Thanksgiving with the Penning clan in Logan, UT. While in Logan, we took real autumn family pictures. I believe we have felt more like a family since November.

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DECEMBER was just last month, but it seems likes ages ago. We hit a turning point adoption wise and language wise in December. I like to think it is the spirit of the season that forged us closer together. The children’s language jumped forward during Christmas Break. Also during December, we started to see lots and lots of kisses given freely to us and to each other without Adam and I initiating….what a wonderful feeling. December 2008 is most decidedly a keeper. December also brought Kavika to our door. The jury is still out on how long Kavika will be with us. But for now, he is part of our family.

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2008 in review (jan-june)

Hey Readers! Obviously, 2008 was a huge year for this not-so-little McFamily. Please bear with the next two posts. They are for my journal, after all. :)

JANUARY started our year with great sorrow over my grandfather’s passing, and great sadness over another miscarriage. Most of January was spent in bed. At least, I had beautiful snowy goodness to look at. I also had a more-available-than-usual husband since we were away for his Master’s. On the adoption front, January was one of our very busiest months…full of paperwork and trips to fed-ex (yuck!)

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FEBRUARY was spent training for the SLC 1/2 marathon (more like crawling) and watching baby Spencer while Jaimee and Brian headed to Tahiti. Adoption wise we finished up our home study interviews and accomplished our mandatory physicals.  

MARCH was spent losing weight, touring Southern Utah, and celebrating ADAM’S 30th birthday.

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APRIL was one of the best months of my life. I ran/walked/jogged a 1/2 marathon! We also participated in our second Race for the Cure with our buddies in LV. But even more significant was the Adoption Shower that was thrown for us in Las Vegas. I still tear up when I think about the outpouring of love toward us and our children. It was one of the most joyous occasions I can remember.

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MAYwas Zionfest #4. Our most favorite yearly friend retreat. We even made t-shirts this time. :)

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JUNE was full of sad goodbyes and happy hellos. We said goodbye to my sister and her family. They were amazing hosts while we were at school. They have also been two of our biggest champions and supporters from the early beginnings of our adoption process. 

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But back to Las Vegas we went as Adam graduated from Utah State University with his MBA. And our friends welcomed us back with open arms, as if we had never left.

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