Choice and Accountability

It was my choice and now I am being held accountable.

We pretty much ate our way through Walt Disney World.  In fact, the dining experience is one of my favorite things about that magical place.  But few do Key Lime Pie better than Wolfgang Puck.  What's a girl to do?

In fact, with so many temptations it was very difficult to walk away from any of the fine meals and desserts that found their way to our dining tables.

This is called The Grand Floridian Burger.  This was my Christmas Day Feast.  It is a burger topped with lobster, asparagus, and hollandaise.  Are you getting the picture?

See?  this one was KIND of healthy.  Look at all that fresh fruit...

And look how small these portions are...

And Erica and Derek shared this one...

On our last evening we dined at Les Chefs de France in the World Showcase at EPCOT.  Leave it to Disney to even have the "little chef" Remy from the movie, Ratatouille to welcome us to our french dining experience.

He was VERY realistic, but seemed content to remain on his silver platter with the grapes and cheese.

I can't see ordering Mac and Cheese when in a legit French Restaurant, but some of my brood did.  And it looks pretty good, huh?

Creme Brulee' Cheesecake, anyone?

Well, now we are back to reality.  We are paying the price for all those amazing meals, and I'm not talking about a credit card bill.  I'm talking about the extra pounds that have crept on during the last little while.  I remember hearing a great saying once that "if you give a dance you gotta pay the band". 

I am paying the band now.  It will be a slow process, wrought with sweat and tears.  But I am hopeful.  And NOBODY twisted my arm to put ANY of those delightful bites into my mouth...

Oh, here is one more.  Would you believe these are MAGNETS?  I am so glad that even though I thought these were adorable, I did not bring them home to put on my fridge.  Can you imagine dieting with a big, beautiful donut staring you in the face everyday? I don't think so!

At least now I can hide...

behind the organ in church.  I have really hated having to sit alone during Sacrament Meeting.  My husband has to sit up front, as he has most of our married life, but I had always had children to sit with me.  That changed when Miranda began attending the Singles Ward last Fall.

So I have been sitting alone...

But yesterday I received a new calling to be the Ward Organist.  At least one problem has been solved.  Now I have another one to face.   This is really going to push me.  I have never really paid much attention to the organ.  I think that subconsciously I thought it would be an effective way of burying my talent. "Oh no, I can play the piano but I CAN'T play the organ..."

I was given the opportunity a few years ago to be the organist, but it was such a brief calling.  I figured I must have been fired cause I didn't do a very good job.  I suppose I get to try again.

The downside of a new calling is being released from an old one.  I have been a Sunday School teacher for the 16-18 year olds.  Wow.  That, too, has been a challenge.  A delight at times, to be sure.  But a challenge nonetheless.

I am thankful that the Lord gives us new challenges.  What a great way to push ourselves and discover new abilities.  In my heart, I believe that I will always be a teacher.  I have had so many wonderful opportunites to teach in Young Womens, Relief Society, Sunday School, and Seminary.  That is when I am stretched the most.  That is when I grow the most.

One calling I have never had is as a Primary teacher.  I guess the Lord knows that would be asking way too much of me.  The thought makes me quiver in my boots...

Happiness is...

on everyone's lips, or rather the search for happiness is.   I have been awakened to this universal search for happiness.  It seems to be as sought after as fame, fortune, and power, and perhaps is just as elusive.  Coming home from Idaho a few days ago, I was on an airplane and the woman next to me was reading one of the latest self-help books on finding happiness "for no reason"; the napkin which rested under my ginger ale showed two bottles of Coca-Cola and the inscription: "Open Happiness".

The world would have us believe that finding happiness should be as easy an opening a coke bottle.

Is it?  Where do you find your happiness?  Can it be bottled, ready at a moment's notice to satisfy our thirst, our need?

My friend, Charlie Brown melodically believes that "HAPPINESS IS FINDING A PENCIL."  Sounds simple enough.  I'm not sure finding a pencil does it for me, though. Maybe Schroeder is on to something: "HAPPINESS IS LEARNING TO WHISTLE; or maybe Sally gets it: HAPPINESS IS PLAYING THE DRUM IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL BAND."

One of my New Year's Goals is to discover as many sources for happiness that I can, and to note them, and to make a collection of them.  In doing so, I hope to be able to open my own "coke bottle" at will to find the happiness I may be needing at the moment.

Here is part of the list I have come up with.  And please note that the Peanuts gang has contributed to my list.  One must give credit where credit is due.

Happiness is...
a good movie while folding laundry
a Friday night date with my sweetheart
a Saturday night date with my sweetheart;-)
HAPPINESS IS WALKING HAND IN HAND
finding a new favorite song
a good conversation
browsing in a book store
burying myself in a good book in front of the fireplace
HAPPINESS IS HAVING A SISTER (or in my case having THREE!)
a fresh batch of photos ready to be put in a scrapbook
having a beloved hobby
sharing in the happiness of my children
being a grandma
HAPPINESS IS BEING ALONE EVERY NOW AND THEN
spending time at the beach
learning how to paint
traveling the world, discovering its wonders
AND HAPPINESS IS COMING HOME AGAIN.

I would love to hear what some of your sources for happiness are.

I have one more that I would like to share, but again, I must give credit where due:  I was reminded of this source while reading in the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, chapter 44, verse 5:

"the sacred word of God, to which we owe ALL our happiness"

Thanks for the reminder, Captain Moroni.

Happiness is reading my scriptures every morning while laying in my warm bed.  Can't get better than that...

Never Dreamed...

I would ever have the opportunity to golf at one of the beautiful courses in Walt Disney World.  It just seemed like too much of an extravagance that I would never allow myself.  It is so nice when the men in my life are able to use their charms to get me to change my mind...

It was a beautiful day, although a little chilly, when Brian, Robert, Derek and I headed off to the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course to play 18 holes.  The other girls spent their afternoon at the spa at the Grand Floridian.  They thought I was crazy to choose golf over a spa, but look who I got to spend my time with?

I think I made the right choice.

Robert had brought everyone a Disney character golf ball to start off with.  I chose to use Minnie Mouse.  She and I were doing surprisingly well, until I think it was around the 8th hole.  There was a water hazard that I thought ended before the bunker to the left.  I thought I was perfectly lined up to miss the water; hit my shot exactly where I wanted it to go.  Then walked up over the bunker to discover that the water went clear across.  Hmmmm.....good-bye Minnie.

One of my favorite things to do on a beautiful course is to take lots of pictures.  The scenery was gorgeous and much of it was at Saratoga Springs, which is our home resort in the Disney Vacation Club.  It was fun to see places we have stayed before.

All the boys played really well.  Brian and Robert even had a little wager going.  The deal they had worked out earlier was that the loser would have to wear matching shirts with me to one of the WDW parks.  Apparently they felt this would be the ultimate punishment.  I have tried not to take that too personally...

The game was so close that it came down to a 7 foot putt for Robert to win on the 18th hole.

Guess who had to be "matchy-matchy" with me?

What a great day.  Thanks, guys, for letting me tag along.

Delightfully lazy day

I am enjoying the most lazy day I can remember in a very long time.  One of my guilty pleasures for the day has been eating Dots while soaking in the hot tub. 

Not enough time...

to explore Vero Beach Resort in Florida. Because of a cancelled flight out of Portland, Oregon on the first day of our trip, we missed a whole day at Vero Beach with the rest of our family.  What a beautiful place it is, too!

When we did finally make it to Vero Beach after an hour and a half drive from the Orlando airport, it was so late, everyone except Jackie remained asleep.  We quickly fell into the beds that they had ready for us and slept!  I don't know why travel days are so exhausting.

The next morning we were greeted by the littlest angel, our granddaughter Evelyn.  Her smiles made all the worries and stress of the two preceding days vanish away.

I was so thankful we had scheduled in some relaxation time for that day.  It was perfect.

One of the highlights was the First Annual Haws Family Football game.  I chose to watch Evelyn while the rest of the family faced off for an exciting game.  Miranda was the official photographer.

The lobby of the resort was simply gorgeous.  THIS is why I didn't bother to decorate my house for Christmas.

We enjoyed having Derek Young along with us on the trip.  He sure seems like one of the family to me, and I really appreciate that he shared his pictures with me.  He got ones of the pool, the beach, and the miniature golf that I didn't get.

Vero Beach is a fun place.  Regrettably our stay there was shortened, but our memories are filled with the special times we managed to squeeze into our brief visit there.

When, not IF, I ever go back there, I will certainly plan to stay at least a week!

Some moments...

define us.  Some moments are imprinted in our memories.  Some moments in their subtlety scream for our attention.

Last night when we got home from our New Years Eve Party, we were delighted to see that our daughters were home too.  We gathered as a family and brought in the new year with a prayer given by our patriarch.

Afterwards, without really any words spoken, Miranda was snuggling on the couch with her dad.  I was seated across from them on a chair and watched the sweet exchange.  Clearly they were simply reveling in the moment of being together.  At least that was my initial thought.  Then here comes the silent scream.  I understood.  This was Miranda's last night at home.  This was their last moment together for a very long time.  Few words were spoken.  They weren't needed. 

I also realized that few words were spoken in order not to stir up tears that were very close to the surface.  Especially for me as I watched and comprehended the significance of the moment.

Our lives are changing dramatically with the turn of the calendar.  Today, January 1st, 2010, our final child is leaving us.  We will commence rattling around in this big old empty house as we began 26 years ago; just Brian and I again.  We are carrying more pounds, sporting more wrinkles, battling the aches and pains of age.  We hardly resemble those fresh faces of yesteryear that attracted us to each other in the first place.  Fortunately, we have come to recognize the qualities that are more important, qualities that bind us together with shared faith, shared love, shared family, shared purpose.

Here's to a new year.  Here's to new challenges. Here's to new goals.  Here's to new triumphs.

Here's to a beautiful new co-ed at BYU-Idaho.  Rexburg, I am offering you my final gift.  Be kind to her.  Take her in gently.  She will be one of your brightest gems.

Thanks for the beautiful photo, Derek.