2017

2017....I welcome you with open arms.

2016 was ROUGH.  I lost my dad. I lose my grandmother.
  I lost David Bowie and Prince and Alan Rickman and Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds and George Michael, and Prince, and, and ,and, and...  like seriously 2016, WTF?

I was forced to choose between Dumb and Dumber in the presidential elections.

I spent the last 4 months of 2015 and first 2 months of 2016 helping care for my dad, who was bed-ridden and dying. I suffered major depression and heartache. I gained back a large chunk of weight I had lost because I basically just didnt give a s*** anymore. My dad was my biggest champion and supporter, he told one of his best friends that having a daughter was one of the greatest blessings of his life and he was so proud of me.  I felt emotionally drained.
  I recently had a dream that I opened my front door and he was standing outside, down the walking path. I ran to him and we hugged and I cried and cried and cried and told him how much I missed him.  He told me he loved me and that he was proud of me and that he was ok and not to worry anymore.    I woke up in tears, yet strangely calm. I believe my dad visited me because I truly needed it.  I believe in the ministering of angels and my dad was one.

We didnt have a vacation last year.  Charles and I spent 1 1/2 days in Charleston SC for a mini getaway,.  It was fun, but not nearly long enough to recharge the batteries. I was physically drained.

I was called as 1st counselor in Relief Society at church.  This is a calling that has really stretched me and forced me to be more spiritually in tune.  I never realized how much of a load the presidency carries. I have realized that there is a heavy burden placed on the shoulders. You learn things about people and you really struggle with them and pray with them and for them and want to do all you can to help these women that you have grown to love and sometimes it is hard to turn that off.
You want to help them, and it hurts when you sometimes see them making bad choices and doing things that dont help their situations.  Some days I felt spiritually drained.

SO triple threat. Emotional,. Spiritual/Mental. Physical.

I have decided that first things first, I have to take care of Sarah.  Dentist, Pap Smear, Mammogram.
Eat healthier, exercise more.  I cant take care of others if I first dont take care of myself.  That is SUCH a hard lesson to learn, isnt it?

I have to respond to spiritual promptings immediately. I cant let it get away from me. I cant say "Oh later". I have to be better about listening and following those feelings and inspiration and thoughts.
I have to put myself in a more spiritual healthy environment.  I need to be better at reading scriptures. I need to be better at journaling. I need to be better at saying my personal daily prayers.  I need to be more spiritually prepared to combat the fiery darts of the adversary who tells me on a daily basis that I am worthless and that I cant do anything right. He tells me I am not good enough.  He tells me I am fat and lazy and so and so is a much better person than I am.  I have to do a better job at remembering who I am and remembering that I am the daughter of a king and I need to straighten my crown and  say Get Thee Behind Me Satan!
I need to go to the temple more often.

I need to work harder at being a better mother. I need more patience and kindness towards my children. Teenage boys are tough, and so is being the mother or teenage boys.
I need to do a better job of preparing them for the real world. I need to do better about teaching them laundry and cooking and cleaning. I need to help them save their money and remind them to pay their tithing. I need to be a better example to them. I need to spend more time with them one on one. Listen to them and what they want, need, think .  I need to get to know my kids better,.

I need to be a better wife.  I need to rely on my husband more. I need to trust that he can do things without me nagging and always going behind him and re-doing things. I need to reassure him daily that he is a great man and that I appreciate all his love and hard work, loyalty and dedication, I need to be more open and less stingy with my affection. I need to help him fulfill his potential and not be so protective of our time together. I think I hold him back in some ways.

I need to be a better friend. I need to let people know that I love and appreciate them on a more regular basis. I need to be the good example and the one that people know they can always turn to, talk to, rely on etc.  I want people to know that I wont judge, that I will do my best to listen and show compassion and help them in any way that I can.
At the same time I also need to learn to say NO.  I think sometimes we overextend ourselves. We say yes to everything and then it leaves us with very little in our vessels for ourselves and our families. I need to do a better job at balancing my life, organizing my time and prioritize my needs and wants.

I feel that 2017 is going to be a great year for me to expand my horizons, stretch my wings and fly.
baby steps, Sarah. Baby Steps.

2014 I hardly knew ye...2015 watch out!!

Its that time of year again. Out with the old and in with the new. I cannot believe how FAST this year had flown by. My year consisted of a whole lot of Carowinds Amusement Park, The Beach, and Work.

Finn graduated from 5th grade and advanced on to Jr. High.  Since Peter started 8th grade this year, they are both in the same school again, albeit only for a year.
Charles Decided to go back to school and has been applying to various Radiological Technician programs in Charlotte.  We should know by March if he has been accepted. Fingers crossed.
I have only gained back a small portion of the weight I lost last year, and that was due to my own negligence.  But, belts have been tightened and salads have been divvied! This year I will get those last stubborn few pounds off.
We started remodeling our kitchen (ourselves). That has been fun. Took out some cabinets to open up the layout .
 Got some new furniture that I have been desperately wanting for 17 years. (its nice to have hand me downs, but it was time to grow up and get my own.)
Finn started playing the viola...that has been an experience.  He also thinks he wants to get into doing Parkour. I have no idea what that means, but he seems pretty adamant about it.  Anything that will get him out and active!
i took up running.  To those who say it gets easier and you learn to love it. you lie.  Although it has gotten easier, I STILL hate it.

So what are my goals this year??  I find that I do better with vague overall well-being goals than deliberate specific resolutions.  With specific measurable resolutions I find myself discouraged when I break one and I think "well whats the point?""I will exercise 3-4 times per week".  Yep, aint gonna happen.
But with more broad goals, it is easier to feel like I am accomplishing something. "get more exercise" is a lot easier for me, because as long as I am doing SOMETHING, it is more than what I was doing.
So this year my thoughts are as follows:

1. Count my blessings a little more often. I want to show more gratitude to my heavenly father, and to those around me. Not just at thanksgiving, but all the time.

2. Making more memories with my loved ones. Time is short. This year at work we lost several clients, and found out that others are going through health crises. These are people I have come to respect, admire and love(almost like family). I don't want those around me to never know how much I love them and should the unthinkable happen, I want happy memories that they can always look back on and remember fun and laughter, yet also love and service.

3. Make healthier lifestyle choices to continue maintaining my weight loss. This means exercising more, getting more sleep, drinking more water, and working harder to keepa large portion of  gluten, dairy and sugar out of my diet. Everything in moderation.

4. Stop worrying about what other people think of me. I need to do what makes me happy and not worry about the talking and gossip. I have been trying to be a more authentic me and not stifle that because they might think I am weird. Yes, I am quirky and eccentric and I need to not be embarrassed of that.To quote Weezer "I don't care what they say about us anyway...I dont care about that"(OKI know that was from The Blue Album in 1994, but it still applies).  

5. Be Nice and Work Hard. Our Regional manager AJ gave us that quote when he came to visit our center ,and I love it. So simple. Just be nice. Always. Work hard. Always. Be the best you can be. 

6. Do not stifle others dreams. My biggest flaw with my kids is not encouraging them to do the things they want to do because "it isn't practical" etc. Finn wants to be a professional skateboarder. Is it practical? No. But he has an interest in it, and who am i to tell him he cant do something. Will he ever be a Tony Hawk or Jamie Thomas? Probably not, but I cant tell him that.Who knows. Maybe he will. If I listened to those who told me no to things I wouldn't have the amazing career that I do. so this year I am encouraging others around me to step outside their comfort zones (MY comfort zone) and DO IT!

and last but not least...
. 7.. BE HAPPY. Men are that they might have joy. If we ask, the Lord will always provide what we need. I know that to be true, i have seen it countless times in my own life. If I am unhappy the Lord has always given me the tools to help me change my circumstances.

Here is to grabbing 2015 by the you know whats and making it the best year ever.

The Obligatory New Year Post...Happy 2014

wow, 2014 already.  I cannot even believe it. I am shaking my head, wondering where the year went.

2013...I hardly knew ye.

What a GREAT year I had. Seriously.

I really was careful with my vacation time at work, and was able to have some really great adventures with my family.  

We went to the Ashboro zoo.

Boys and hubby went to the beach in Nags Head

I got to go work at the center in Birmingham Alabama. While I was there I got to go to a Book Signing at Books a Million. It was for the very last Robert Jordan book. It was written by Brandon Sanderson. So I stood in line for 3 hours to meet him and get his signatures in the books.  Also in attendance was Harriet, (who was robert jordans widow...and his editor).  So that was quite an interesting adventure.  I felt like Penny on the big bang theory, being surrounded by a bunch of Leonards and Sheldons and Amy's. I had no idea what they were all talking about.  I was just there as a gift for my husband and picked one up for my brother in law.

Then this summer we went on a truly EPIC vacation.

2 weeks.

2400 miles

4 states. (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado)

7 National Parks (capitol Reef UT, Bryce Canyon UT, Grand Canyon AZ ,Petrified forest AZ , Mesa Verde CO, Arches UT and Canyonlands UT)

1 State Park (Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab UT)

4 National Monuments/reserves  (Lake Powell UT/AZ, Walnut Canyon AZ, Four corners and Grand Staircase Escalante)

5National forests (Dixie National Forest, Fishlake National forest, Kaibab NF, Coconino NF, and Uinta NF)

1 Truly spectacular tour of Upper Antelope Canyon in Page AZ

1 car stuck in the sand.(Thanks Lake Powell...)

2 truly awesome mexican restaurants(Gallup NM and Green River UT)

1 truly TERRIBLE "Chinese" dinner (richfield UT)

1 or 2 tourist trap type things, just for fun

3 days with 60+ people for the McBride family reunion-Minute to win it, games, talent show, lots of little babies to snuggle...

1600 Photos on my memory Card

Countless oohs and aahs and ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!

Am I ready to go back. Absolutely.  The desert and Canyons call to my soul.

what else what else???

Oh yeah...

Finn Played Flag Football this year

He was in a play at school (end of 4th grade)

They went swimming...a lot.

Went apple picking:

Participated in the Pinewood Derby:

Got a new cat named Joseph Blue:

Went to the Renaissance festival:

and then did homemade Duck Dynasty Costumes for Halloween.  They were AWESOME (If I do say so myself)

what else??

Oh yeah:

we went to the charlotte Knights baseball game and fireworks skyshow extravaganza

look at these seats!!  Thanks to a super awesome client who got us these tix!!

hmmm, I know there was more.

Oh yeah, I got a new camera. And I LOVE IT! 

It takes pictures like THIS (this is just the normal 200x zoom)

 I know there was more... 

Hubby and I played a lot of Discgolf this year:

I took up drawing. Trying to develop my artistic talent. (Or re-develop)

 How can I forget?? Panthers made it to the playoffs!  Division Champs baby! Im pretty sure it's because of me.

Oh yeah. and I lost 58 pounds this year. 

Dont know how 2014 is going to be able to top this amazing year.

but here's looking ahead to wonderful things!!