Who says flowers don't last?

Two weeks ago I turned 27.  I had the most wonderful day with my little family!  It was the best birthday I've had in years.  Jon gave me a beautiful bouquet of roses that have yet to see the garbage can.  Two weeks.

Mamou and Grandpa babysat the kids for us while Jon took me to buy new running shoes(!!), followed by a delicious dinner at Macaroni Grill and a movie (Avatar).  I'm the last person I'd thought would say these words but--I . Liked . Avatar.  We watched it in 3D which provided even better visual effects.  Some of the actors weren't the greatest and the story line on the human end was a little cheesy but all in all, a good movie.

Just a pretty picture of a quiet snowy night for your viewing pleasure.

The ONLY good thing that comes from inversions

are sunsets like these.

On the homefront

The new year is going quite well.  Jonah moved to a big boy bed after we got back from our Christmas vacation.  He did so well out of his crib that we felt comfortable moving him.  Our big worry was that he'd get out of bed during naps or at night but so far he waits for us to come get him to get out (YAY!).  Jonah loves to vacuum and sweep and help with the laundry and any other way he can.  He also loves playing with Sophie and pushing her around in the dolly stroller.

Sophie is not quite walking.  She is perfectly capable but unsure of her own abilities.  I'm not worried, she'll get it soon--plus, she's still my baby and it's so bittersweet to see her grow.  She loves to dance to any music she hears, loves to talk, and has mastered the "Green Family Scowl".

I'm still dabbling with my photography stuff and just got the newest addition to my camera equipment family--the Nikon 50mm 1.8D lens.  Putting that lens on my camera is like having a new camera all together!


One of my dear friends has the same birthday as me and we usually celebrate by going to lunch together--well, we go to lunch often but especially on our birthday!  We celebrated a couple days early this year.

My sister's cute growing belly.  She, of course, is always a part of the weekly lunch dates.

Jon is working hard with school and has taken on an international marketing project with prospects of traveling to Angola or other such destinations.  He is still working out an internship for this summer so we're not quite sure where we'll be or what we'll be doing.  It takes patience and faith to not have things planned even a month in advance but it is an adventure and something we'll never forget.

Sarah's Resolutions

Every year I make resolutions and every year there's something that gets thrown under the rug not too long after January.  I considered not making resolutions this year and instead making goals periodically as I do throughout the year anyway but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a fresh start on some things.

52 Weeks of Scripture Study
I've read 1 Nephi 1 more times than I can count.  I know I need something different to keep me motivated and and, to put it frankly, to keep me from getting BORED.  I decided to study my scriptures this year in a weekly theme format.  I have written down 52 different topics that I have questions about, need a stronger testimony of, or just enjoy reading about.  I will study one of these topics each week, allowing me to dig deeper into each subject and something that will keep me from getting lost in the same stories I've been reading for years.

1000 Miles to Nowhere
I did a lot of running last year and I loved it.  I put more races under my belt last year than any other year.  But races are expensive $$$ and add up awfully quickly when you focus on longer distances like I do.  So this year (I stole this idea from my brother Jeff) I'm committing myself to running 1000 miles.  If I decide to throw a few races in there, I will only reach my goal faster.  I'll be adding a countdown to the blog so you can watch along with me as the miles diminish.  Now all I need is a new pair of shoes.

These are just a couple of the goals I'm working for this year among the other annual repeats.  I've decided to log my progress, thoughts, feelings, and happenings during my journey.  Feel free to follow along!  Here is my new running blog: 1000 Miles to Nowhere.

What goals have you made this year?

Merry Christmas with the Greens

Our alternating Christmas and Thanksgiving schedule had us in St. George with my family this year.  My brother Jake and his family live there and we decided it was a central location for the Greens to gather.  We arrived last Tuesday just in time for the boys to head down to Las Vegas for the BYU bowl game against Oregon State.  The boys "froze their nuggets off" (as we say in my family) but at least they got to see a win!  While the boys were at the game, the kids and moms made a spectacular gingerbread house.

We spent most of our time lounging around and hardly preventing disastrous behavior from the 8 grandchildren.  We did get out for an afternoon of four-wheeling and the kids got plenty of play time with Grandpa.

Isn't it comforting that when things get busy, kids won't let themselves starve?  This is what I walked in on while we were preparing for our four-wheeling trip.  The parents were all in preparation mode and I guess the kids got hungry waiting.

 On Christmas Eve some of the kids participated in the reading of the Nativity story and as usually happens, there were more laughing adults than any reverence!  Aren't traditions wonderful?

 

Christmas morning was memorable.  Jonah was so excited to see what Santa had brought and especially that he had eaten the hodgepodge of treats he had picked for him the night before.  Mimi and Grandpa Green prepared some delicious pork spare ribs for dinner and after the kids crashed, we adults gathered around the puzzle table to finish the 1000 piece Noah's Ark puzzle we had started the day before.

My sweet Jonathan gave me a subscription to Runner's World fueling my excitement for next years running adventures.  I've got some goal-making to do...more on that later.

Mimi got all the girls matching Christmas skirts.  What beautiful children!

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!