Monday, April 11, 2011

We've Come Full Circle - Sister Update

We seem to be back on my blog again for the sister update. Unfortunately I haven't made a single post since the last sister update. Oh well, I guess my possible return will be a slow one. Enjoy!

SARAH

Last Week:
  • started back with THF. that was really tough when Mom came by and made my favorite chocolate chip cookies and I didn't even have one. I got him to put chips & salsa on my plan, though, so I at least have that (albeit limited portions). that also means I got back on the treadmill this week, and also got him to approve yoga instead of weight training.
  • didn't spend any money Monday through Thursday, other than one tank of gas, and monthly tuition for guitar, piano and preschool. But no stores, no restaurants, no unnecessary outings.
  • did lots of work on my old work project, which didn't really help me with my new one much. but at least that one is "officially" done now so I can really focus better.
  • watched Black Swan with Scott on pay-per-view. Stayed awake for the whole thing. Couldn't walk through the dark house alone afterward. Weird and creepy but loved the dancing.
  • finished & mailed Mi Na's xmas stocking
This Week:
  • SPRING BREAK!!!! that means we can sleep in, although it also means i need to entertain the boys every day. we're really hoping for good weather most of the week so there can be lots of biking and RC car driving outside. we've also talked about going to the skatepark, surfing at provo beach resort, hiking the Y, going swimming, one more day of SKIING, and maybe biking to the lake.
  • update my blog!!
  • start working on George's v2 xmas stocking
  • plan Oliver's baptism - make assignments & print programs
  • figure out how to afford this coffee table for the living room makeover. it'll probably have to be done in phases over time, which is a much less dramatic way to do a makeover.
  • new haircuts and baptism outfits for the whole crew. i'm not usually one for new easter outfits, but since Oli's baptism is the day before maybe we can justify it this year.
  • lots of promo for the lower lights provo show april 22 - do i really have to go flyering again?! - talk about pretending I'm 20 again
  • big announcement for rooftop series this week on cjanerun.com
ANNEE


Last Week:
  1. Ran the Tar Heel 10-miler on Saturday! The weather was ideal. My less than five hours of sleep the night before wasn’t. But, I still managed to pull out with a sub-8 minute mile pace for the whole race. Not too bad for a girl who’s getting kind of old. It would be more awesome if they had been flat 7:30 minute miles. Maybe that’s the goal for the next race, when there are fewer hills involved! Oh yeah, and the Espresso Love GU gel which they randomly handed me at mile 5, and I “ate” around mile 7 1/2 may or may not have had something to do with the extra kick in my step during the final two grueling miles. Maybe that Espresso Love GU was in violation of the Word of Wisdom? I think it may have been straight Espresso in gel format? I’m just guessing. It may have also been totally awesome.
  2. Managed to fully attend only one out of three of the baseball games. The second game was in conflict with the school art show which the little sisters really wanted to go to. So we left baseball minutes before George got up to bat, and made it to third base! The third game was in conflict with the pre-race spaghetti dinner I was hosting at my house for the group of girls from church who were also running the race. George was so kind to forgive me. I’ll try to be there for all of his “up-to-bats” this week.
  3. I made huge progress on my value quilt!! http://madeonmaple.blogspot.com/2011/04/company-in-sewing-garage.html. It’s only a baby size quilt, but it’s really lovely. It was very fun and I’m glad I gave it a go. It’s not done yet, but should get finished this week.
This Week:
  1. Spent Monday subbing for one of the kindergarten classes. Neither Jane nor Ruby were in my class, but lots of their friends were. It was totally funny and exhausting, all wrapped up into one big day of school day learning.
  2. Will spend all day Tuesday at the Zoo on the kindergarten field trip!
  3. Will finish reading “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” this week. http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Flower-Secret-Fan-Novel/dp/0812968069. It’s in my audible library should anyone feel the need to borrow it. It’s been an extremely compelling listen. But it’s kind of hard to listen to too. It’s sort of a tragic and complicated story about women’s issues in China during the 19th century. I hope there aren’t any women in China who are still treated this way today. But sometimes I fear that there are. Anyway, it’s been interesting to say the very least. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book. Randomly I also recently read “The Good Earth” which is also placed in China at about the same time in history. That story is told from the male perspective. I have to say that having recently read “The Good Earth” has significantly increased my appreciation for “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan”.
IE LI

Last Week:
  • Went visiting teaching. It's all "done" for the month, but hopefully there will be other opportunities to help out.
  • Did three workouts.
  • Took Mi Na in for her 9 month checkup. She's in the 40th percentile for weight, 74th for height, and 26th for head circumference.
  • I did the coupon thing. I got some great deals, but it took a lot of time and planning.
  • Hit a wall, figuratively speaking. Just one more week of tax season, and maybe then our kids will remember how to sleep and be kind to each other.
  • A Sunday picnic with my family.
This Week:
  • I really want to get to bed around 10 and wake up around 5:30. Everything works out so much better when I can do that.
  • A trip to the farm
  • A couple of play dates
  • Be more consistent with workouts
  • Sew an Easter dress or skirt for Mi Na. Do you have any skirt or dress pattern recommendations, Annee?
  • Purchase an Easter outfit for myself (?)
  • BYU Management Society Dinner. I have to figure out babysitting. I've never had a babysitter put Mi Na down for bed, how will this work?
RACHEL



Last Week:
  • I don't know what I was thinking when I said try not to work past midnight. I failed that goal every day. Including Friday & Saturday.
  • Sadly I did not make it to Anthropologie.
  • Ken celebrated our (now unofficial) anniversary by making French Dip Sandwiches and trying to wait up for me. I made it in time to have one for breakfast.
  • I received a very thoughtful and sweet flower arrangement from the Sazband family. Thank you thank you again!
  • Worked 98.7 billable hours. As I added it up I did not believe it, so I understand if you don't. It may sound horrible, and while I wouldn't say it's awesome, there is something amazing and faith promoting about accomplishing something that you could never have done on your own. I was given an impossible task/schedule this season, and somehow, I am doing it. It feels good to be helped and remembered and to receive what I need most in the exact moments I need it.
This Week:
  • Work.
  • Anthropologie on Thursday/Friday. I don't care what it takes, I will be there.
  • Desperately continue to gather referrals for a new salon. A haircut MUST happen this weekend or Monday. I am so ashamed.
  • Attend a baseball game with a partner and a client on Friday. I'm nervous. Baseball games are long.
  • Marriott School Alumni Gala on Saturday with Elder Uchtdorf.
  • Dream item: See Atlas Shrugged which comes out on Friday. Won't happen, writing it anyway.
CHRISTINE

Last Week:
  • Finally got my taxes sent off in the mail AND helped two friends get their taxes done, it's nice to be able to be helpful thanks to my degree. You may ask why someone would use such an outdated method as sending taxes in the mail when there are much more convenient and quicker methods now with e-filing, but apparently the IRS has a different birthday on record for me, and whatever birthday they have is what social security has for me? Not sure what's wrong with it all but it's actually gotten me questioning my birthday a little.
  • Finally got the headlight on the Jetta fixed. I had gone some time with it burned out and eventually got pulled over because of it. Luckily the cop barely glanced at my license and simply told me my headlight was out, but I guess that was enough of a push to get it fixed.
  • Went bowling! For some reason I had been craving bowling for a little bit, so I got to go get my fix. Random I know.
  • Enjoyed a charity fashion show and dance party with Addie, Beth, and Katie. Maybe all of the designs were just so high fashion and beyond me, but it definitely was some pretty crazy stuff, definitely not what I thought was currently fashion, but fun nonetheless.
This Week:
  • Went to a Utah Bees game with friends Monday night. The crowd was pretty sparse but it was fun to get excited for warm summer nights and the heckling was pretty great.
  • Attend my last college class ever. I realize that I should probably be a little more sentimental about this, but in fact I'm pretty indifferent about it. Maybe it just hasn't really hit me yet.
  • Start packing up my room. This I am a little more sad about, I really like my room a lot.
  • Complete a creative final project for my strategy class, study for two small finals, and prepare for my take-home spreadsheets final. Luckily finals this semester are not looking too bad at all, so that's definitely a plus.
  • Hike the Y with the Wileys.

11 comments:

Rachel F. said...

Annee you bought that dress?? Ah I debated about which one to buy with my Groupon. I ended up picking a different one and totally hate it. Then the 30 day return period lapsed and I vow to never buy a Shabby Apple dress again. So bitter. That one is cute, I should have gone with my gut!!

Rachel F. said...

Annee you bought that dress?? Ah I debated about which one to buy with my Groupon. I ended up picking a different one and totally hate it. Then the 30 day return period lapsed and I vow to never buy a Shabby Apple dress again. So bitter. That one is cute, I should have gone with my gut!!

Ie Li said...

98.7 hours! I don't even know what to say about that. It's almost over. I fully expect Steve to be at the office until 2 or 3 AM tonight. I am going to try to not wait for him and just get to bed.

Ie Li said...

Annee, you look great in that dress. I'm dreaming of the day that I can wear a dress again.

Annee said...

Too bad about your Shabby Apple purchase. Did you complain to them about the 30-day return policy. I've actually had them be very good with heir customer service. I hesitated about the dress because I think it's one of their more recognizable dresses. But I'm glad I got it. It will be useful all spring and summer long. But they definitely need to work on their sizing and quality. They are priced too high for the inconsistency in both areas.

Ie Li your yellow skirt is so cheerful. Mi Na is 9 months old?!

Glad too see the snow is melted Sarah! Go for the Easter outfits. You won't regret it. Do we need to worry about tickets for the big Lower Lights show? Thanks again for the v2 of George's stocking.

CZ I was not sentimental about my last college class at all! But then all of the sudden when we were pulling out of Provo to move to Texas when we were driving down Provo Center street about to get on the freeway, I totally started to cry. The end of an era.

Rachel, I'm dreaming about your first weekend of freedom! Are you countin down the hours?

Ie Li said...

Sarah, I was wondering the same thing about the Lower Lights show. I also love your preppy outfit. I *heart* peter pan collars. The coffee table is beautiful.

Annee, you're so fast. At everything. And yes, Mi Na is actually nine and a half months now. I'm such a slacker when it comes to scheduling well child checkups.

Rachel, that was so nice of Ken to make you that dinner/breakfast and try to wait up for you. What a sweet couple you make.

Christine, it seems to me like you've lived Provo to the fullest. Maybe that means it won't be very hard for you when you leave.

sarah said...

Annee - is Henry playing baseball this year or only George? Our season hasn't started yet here but I imagine it will be hard to make it to every game. Can Darin be there when you can't? Does he love watching his boys play or does it stress him out?

Ie Li - that picture is gorgeous! Love the picket fence and the house and the cherry blossoms and the yellow skirt and the cute baby! Where was it taken? That's very liberating to find a baby sitter who can put all your kids to bed - opens up all sorts of possibilities. Good luck with that.

Rachel - that picture of you in the black top is H-O-T HOT! Does working 9kagillian hours a day make it easier or harder to eat healthy? I can't even believe those working conditions are legal. What a nice gesture to get flowers at your desk. Kind of wish I would have thought of that one myself.

CZ - are you going to get to the bottom of the birthday issue? I can't wait to find out when your *real* birthday is. And are you still living and driving with an illegal license? I can't believe you got pulled over and he looked at it and didn't haul you off to jail again! You must have been so nervous.
We can hike the Y on Thursday afternoon or Friday any time.

Love you all.

Annee said...

Christine, are you even our sister? If you're going to question your birthday what else might you not know about yourself?!

Henry is not playing baseball. He had a moment of doubt and insecurity at try-outs and we did not force him to do it. Yes, Darin is taking full responsibility about the baseball season. He even attends all the practices! Those two are fully committed. It's pretty great. It seems like attending the games is the least I can do.

Ie Li said...

Sarah, we took that picture about a quarter mile from our house. We discovered it on our walk to our picnic spot. It's just a cute alley with a picket fence lined with trees. I don't believe we were trespassing. The trees were on the outside of the fence.

Also, we received Mi Na's stocking in the mail yesterday. It is so beautiful. Thank you thank you.

Rachel F. said...

Well folks, I just finished the first draft of the last return I was assigned this season. Amazing. There is still a lot of work to do (e-file at least 14 returns tomorrow - woa!) but the clouds are parting!!

Going home. Goodnight.

Annee said...

e-file 14 returns! That's amazingly crazy. I'm glad you made it home before your predicted 2am time.