SNOW

Finally, the Boise area is receiving snow.  It's the first snow of the winter, and I hate to say it, but we really needed it.  I'm not a snow lover.  I'd rather it stay in the mountains, but even the mountains weren't getting the amount of snow that they need.  So bring it on!  (Here's me when I first went out in it... smiley and excited)

Josh is thrilled that Bogus Basin will hopefully open this coming week.  I hate to see my boy so distraught with the lack of snowboarding:)  It's pathetic.  In its 69 years of business, this is the latest that Bogus has ever opened.  I hate to see so many people out of work because of the lack of snow.

But I wasn't out of work today.  This is what I did.  (Matt's cool pic with his iPhone)

Thankfully, Matt could be home with me for most of the day to help me out with the snow removal.  And finally, I got to wear my ski pants and snow boots that I bought last year.  I figured it was time to just embrace being away from coastal climates and get myself some snow gear.  I still need to get some gloves for the snow.  I wore my running gloves to shovel.

Our driveway is big and makes for double the work.  But thankfully it is south-facing and melts quickly when the sun comes out.  (Here's me when I had been working for an hour with icy wind pelting me in the face... not so smiley and the excitement had left)

I ran this morning with Matt and my friend Natalie just as the snow was starting to fall.  I like running in the snow.  Tomorrow, we might have to put on our YakTrax to keep from slipping if the snow is still on the ground.  Here's a pic of Matt donning his headlamp and reflective belt.

A Visitor On My 1st Blog Anniversary

My blog is one year old today.  It's been fun for me to have a place to write and share things about me.  Happy birthday to Kim's Amazing Race!  If you want, read my very first entry.

Two days ago was the arrival of a visitor that has been waiting to say hello again to me for about 32 years.  When I was eight years old, her name was Chickenpox.  Today she is known as Shingles.  Yes, she has been hiding out for a long time and has decided to pay me a visit.  She is an unwelcomed guest, and I'd like her to leave now.

Here she is:

She's not much to look at.  She could be a lot uglier and vicious.  But even though she isn't very big, she is still a real pain in the back... literally.  I don't like her.  She's making me very uncomfortable.

I'm taking these huge, blue pills to hopefully shorten the length of her stay.  I think it may be working.

My Word

I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon of choosing ONE word that would be MY word for the year.  I thought about what I wanted from this new year 2012.  I thought about what I want and need to accomplish.  I thought about what I will change about myself.  I thought about what I will succeed at this coming year.  I thought about what I will share with others.

As I thought about these things, I went over in my mind many words that I could choose, but I wanted to pick one that would encompass this wide range of ideas I have swirling in my head.

So much is swirling through my head these last few weeks.  I have had the YM/YW mutual theme in my thoughts constantly, it seems.  And I love the theme that the Church chose to focus on.  I've been excited about it.  It has so many wonderful possibilities for the youth.

Why did I need to come up with a different theme (one word) for myself?  Come on, Kim, simplify!

 The YM/YW mutual theme for 2012 is the scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants 115:5.

"Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations."

There is so much in that little scripture.

For MY one word I chose ARISE.
I love that verb.  It is action and motion.  It is getting up to do what I am meant to do.  And that is the word I need to get me started each day.

It is the word that I need to keep me persevering when I want to quit something hard.  It is the word that puts me into action when I need to have a little motivation to start a new project or try something new.  It is the word that will help me to be the light and example that I need to be.

Please watch this video that the Church made.  It will make you smile and ARISE (and go back to the islands)!

ARISE!