Christmas Break Update

Before Christmas, I posted a list of shows I wanted to watch during the Christmas break in order to help me accomplish my couch potato goal. Before the break, I actually caught up on Mad Men in one weekend. This weekend, I've completed season one of How I Met Your Mother.

I think I'm falling behind but I guess it didn't help that I've been distracted with the card game Wizard. I think we've played 12 hours of it over that last 3 days. One night, we logged 6 hours in a row, playing until 3am. It was fun waking up for church the next morning.

Sheldon cleaned the house while I was at church so I got what I wanted for Christmas. I didn't want to worry about cleaning while I was trying to accomplish my couch potato goal. This morning, I'm feeling a little bit of guilt for not accomplishing little chores on my list but not enough to actually do them yet. Maybe tomorrrow.

Well, I've got to go back to the couch now. I've got to stick to my training schedule better if I expect to meet my goal.

An uplifting evening

We had the wonderful opportunity to spend an uplifting evening with Sis. Elaine Dalton, General Young Women President of our church last week. She was holding a youth leadership training meeting and a youth fireside in Montreal. We even had the opportunity to have dinner with her as Stake YW leaders.

Her training and messages to the youth really hit home with me and the spirit was strong. There is a reason why this year's theme for the youth was from Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed for the Lord is with thee withersoever thou goest." Our youth need to be strong in these days where temptations are all around them and as parents, youth leaders, and as a church family, we need to do as Sis. Dalton says - to "circle the wagons" to protect the youth. And doesn't it seem worse now than when we were young when you hear about kids being bullied, suffering from depression, and even committing suicide? Or did we just not hear about those things so many years ago?

I have a renewed love for my calling and for those that I serve. I am so grateful for having the best counselors to work with. I am truly blessed with so many wonderful influences in my life.

Thank you!

Lindsey Guerrero (my 2nd counselor), Sis. Elaine Dalton (General YW President), me, and Sandy Robertson (my 1st counselor)

Christmas Wish List

It's been so crazy this year with both boys busy with school and extracurricular activities, adjusting to a new position at work, and my new calling at church that all I want for Christmas is to be a couch potato the whole break. I've even made a list of shows I want to catch up on or start watching:

1. Mad Men
2. The Office
3. Dexter
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. Modern Family
6. The Big Bang Theory
7. Private Practice

5 out of 7 shows are ones I'd have to start from Season 1. I have realistic expectations that I won't be able to watch all of these shows but it's such a relaxing thought to have nothing planned.

Who am I kidding? I give myself 2 days before I get sick of doing nothing but I'm going to give it my best effort to become a couch potato.

Now do you think my family will be on board with this idea?

Where do babies come from?

Questions like this seem easy now compared to the philosophical ones I got from Aidan yesterday.

1. Where did God come from?

2. What's the whole point of Heaven?

It's a sign

During the summer, our small laptop died.

We've also noticed that the picture on our old TV in the basement starts to shake if its been on for a long time.

On Labour Day weekend, we decided to send our big laptop to the shop to get fixed. It'll be a month before we get it back.

Just after Labour Day, our main TV died. We think it's due to a power surge.

The other day, the Playstation3 that is hooked up to the TV in the basement overheated and died.

We now only have our desktop computer working and we don't have any immediate plans to replace them.

Don't you think it's interesting that this all occurred around the same time the kids went back to school? It could be a sign. I say it's a blessing in disguise.

Evidence

Finally, another milestone

When your children are young, there are lots of milestones that happen - first tooth, first word, first steps. Now that I have a teenager and a preteen, milestones are far and few. Other than receiving the Aaronic priesthood and hitting puberty, it's been a long time since anything happened that changes the way we live...until now.

Connor attended his first youth conference this past weekend in Montreal. There were about 180 youth from the Ottawa, Kingston, and Montreal stakes. By the end of this 3-day retreat, Connor was on cloud-nine with the amount of new friends he made. Facebook has been a wonderful tool for him to keep connected with them all.

But how did youth conference affect the rest of the family?

One of Connor's new friends is a girl.

Not only is she a girl, but she's a girl who may have a crush on Connor due to the number of times she calls him and writes on his Facebook wall each day even after Connor tells her he's interested in somebody else (that's another story). We've had to adjust to the number of times the phone rings in the house, limit how long Connor is on the phone, and start being stern when we tell him to get off the phone when it's time for dinner. Wait until this girl's parents receive the long distance phone bill!

That's not all though.

Connor's made other friends. These friends are older. These friends are female. These friends want Connor and a couple of the older young men in our ward to go hang out with them. Did I mention these friends live 2 hours away and I think one of the young men can drive?

A is for Awesome

And for Alex Wong who I'm betting is going to win this season's So You Think You Can Dance. He's a ballet dancer from Vancouver (another reason why he's great) and he proves it in this dance that he can indeed tackle any style.

Forgetfulness

The other morning, I opened the microwave and saw a ziplock bag with ground beef inside. The other night, I opened the oven and saw four taco shells on a baking sheet inside.

I think Sheldon is getting early-onset Alzheimer's.

Warning! This may not be true.

The increased testosterone flowing through Connor's body due to puberty has spawned many arguments lately that included threats to beat his brother up. This card that Aidan created for Connor's 14th birthday contains evidence of this but there's also a slight glimmer of hope that deep down inside they may love each other.

But then again, it may not be true.

Snow at the end of April?

14 and counting

Happy 14th anniversary, Sheldon.

Happy 14th birthday, Connor.

Let me introduce...

my newest niece, Jessica Mei-Yin Lee-Wen.

Now if only I can convince hubby to fly me Down Under to meet my little namesake.

Marketing 101 for Men

Thanks to The Friend's Hubby for sharing this with me.

1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" That's direct marketing.

2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you say, "He's very rich. Marry him!" That's advertising.

3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say, " Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me!" That's telemarketing.

4. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie. You walk up to her and pour her a drink. You open the door of the car for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm rich. Will you marry me?" That's public relations.

5. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich! Can you marry me?" That's brand recognition.

6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. That's customer feedback.

7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" and she introduces you to her husband. That's demand and supply gap.

8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say anything, another person approaches and tells her, "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him. That's competition eating into your market share.

9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say, "I'm rich. Marry me!" your wife arrives. That's restriction for entering new markets.

New Beginnings

After serving in my previous callings at church for the last 5 years or so, they have released me and called me to be Stake Young Women's President. I approach this calling humbly as I want to serve each ward YW presidency to the best of my ability. I want to be able to provide them with the guidance and instruction they need to make the program successful. Most importantly, I want to be able to help shape these young women's lives and prepare them to be leaders; as mothers in their home, and leaders in their community and in the world.

I loved serving as a youth leader over 10 years ago. And as I see those young women who I love so dearly now get married and have their own families, I see how the teachings in YW can help shape their lives.

I'm so excited to work with my councilors and secretary. They are the most vibrant group of women who are organized and have a great sense of responsibility. They're also a lot of fun. What a sense of humour! They each have qualities that I look up to in them. I can't wait to see where this new adventure takes us.

Oh and another perk to this calling...I get to be at Connor's first church dance and youth conference this year. He's worried I'm going to embarrass him, take pictures and put it on Facebook, etc.

Who me?

Mousetrap

Warning: this video is not for rodents or those without a sense of humour.

Enjoy!

Superbowl Ads

Not many Superbowl ads caught my attention but I did like these ones:

Google

Bud Light
E-trade

They obviously have some feminine appeal to them. Not speaking as an expert, but I think this one does a good job appealing to men: Dodge. Men, what do you think?

I thought you were dead

All for a Good Cause

Something fun the men at work did and it's all for a good cause. Visit the website to get your copy today or to follow the entertaining blog postings! Calendars are only $10. Local orders can save the shipping by ordering directly from me.

Moustaches - The Men of McMillan from McMillan on Vimeo.

Saturdays of late

This is what my house sounds like these past few Saturdays.

Connor's First All-Nighter

Connor experienced his first sleepover (minus the sleeping) this month. He had a hair appointment after I picked him up. He slept through most of it. Luckily there was no sleepy head-jerking; that would have given him an interesting hair cut.