My Fountain of Youth

Life here has been pretty busy. The first week of December the bishop asked me to be the YW President. I was both terrified and overwhelmed. Two weeks before Christmas we were sustained. December was filled with all kinds of anxiety and worry. Gradually I am becoming more comfortable with it all, but it's been a process. I still don't like it when someone says, "You're the president. You decide." or when the phone rings 3 times in a row. Teaching Gospel Doctrine had become comfortable, although I was a little worried about teaching the Old Testament this year :) And I'm amazed at how virtually impossible it is to stop thinking about the girls and all the things that I should do, could do, and/or want to do for them. They are constantly in my thoughts and prayers.

I really enjoy working with the YW. They are fun and full of life, and they help me feel young too! I am thankful I had these past two years in Sunday School to recharge my spiritual batteries, but I feel like the Lord is saying, "This is where I really need you right now". So, I will move forward with the faith that He will support me and strengthen me. Stretching and growing are not always comfortable, but it's tons better than being bored!

Other than all of that, we are doing well. The kids and I are enjoying off track time, but are starting to long for the warmth of spring. I know we're only half way through January, but it's always nice to have something to look forward to :)

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

May your Christmas be
filled with everything
that makes you smile!
From the Bailey Family

Utah Human Race 2009

Thanksgiving morning my husband, son, and I did the Utah Human Race 5K that started at the VF Factory Outlet in Draper, Utah. Our 11 year old son (M) ran the whole thing in about 30 minutes! Wow! My husband and I weren't quite as fast :) We both did a little walking too :) On the ride home M was planning how fast he'll run it next year and the next, hoping to beat his uncle's 25 minutes. Grandpa and Grandma Bailey ran/walked it too. This is our 2nd year and surely not our last! A new tradition perhaps.

Bravo Broadway!

Saturday evening my hubby and I took our daughter to the Utah Symphony's performance of Bravo Broadway! We enjoyed dinner at Costa Vida at the Gateway then rode trax to Abravanal Hall.
It was a fabulous evening! Our son was not interested, so he spent the evening at Grandma and Grandpa's. I think our daughter really enjoyed being the center of both our attention for the evening. She is such a sweet girl. I appreciate her interest in music. She is a girl after my own heart :)

Sounds of the Season Christmas Concert

After several invitations from my mother-in-law,
I decided to sing with her and my sister-in-law
and the South Jordan community Christmas choir.
Our concerts are December 3rd and 5th at Bingham High School.
The choir is about 100 people strong and will have
a few numbers accompanied by a small orchestra.
It's all coming together and I have to admit that
I'm getting excited. We've learned about 15 songs,
and although it's been exhausting at times, the end is in sight
and sometimes that's the icing :) So, if you are available
Thursday, December 3rd or Saturday December 5th at 7pm, please come!

My New Favorite Quote!

“I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk’s lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden. I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” --Marjorie Peay Hinckley

Time Off!

Ever since our tiny summer break I've been looking forward to October when the kids would be off track and we could play. We had told the kids that when we finished reading the Book of Mormon as a family we would reward ourselves with a vacation. Finishing up just as the kids went off track was perfect! I was dreaming of sunny southern California and the beach. However, looking at our schedule, we found it difficult to head out of town. Every weekend we had flag football and soccer games.
My husband was coaching our daughter's soccer team again (2 games per week + practices), and it was really important to our son that he not miss any of his flag football games (2 per week + a practice). Luckily, it would all be over on the 17th of October and we would have one last week for our vacation. Then, my husband's work went crazy and became stressful. Taking that week off, or even a few days, was not advised. I modified my dreams of California to a weekend in St. George, but in the end, that didn't work out either. So, me and my hopes of visiting the beach ended up spending a day at Lagoon, our somewhat local amusement park. My husband and the kids loved it! In part, because it was only an hour drive :) As for myself, I'm not a huge fan of amusement rides, so yah, not my kind of vacation.
Oh well, what can you do?
Start scanning the future for our next opportunity!!! :)

Fall or Winter?

The kids get out of school early today (2pm) and then are off track until October 26th, so I thought I'd slip in a quick post before my life gets too crazy. I'm looking forward to the time we'll get to spend together. I've been mentally making lists of things we can do. We were hit by a storm last night and I'm needing to get my garden in before it freezes. We have tomatoes galore that we are planning on bottling tomorrow, and now I get to pick them in the cold and the mud. I'm not super excited about that, but plan to wait until after school so the kids can help me. That alone may be an adventure and perhaps an effort in persuasion. You see, my kids can be great workers, once they get started. Getting them started is sometimes a challenge. They often decide to be uncooperative (complaining, arguing, whining, etc.), but I'm determined and have a quiet goal to help them experience the joy of work. I'll have to let you know how it goes.