The Reason Why I Have Always Revered the Name of Grandma

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?n=beatrice-bradshaw&pid=138938892

To my cousin Holley, I wish we could have used every last word you wrote, for your tribute was moving and beautiful.

My own personal memories are forthcoming....I'm still gathering my thoughts and still a little shellshocked, to be honest.

Knock, Knock

Yesterday afternoon I sat at my computer watching The Biggest Loser, episode 1 of season who-the-heck-knows-anymore. I love this show! I recently had a skinny man tell me that he thought the show was horrible and that the fat people were treated poorly. Um, NO-YOU DO NOT GET A SAY IN THIS-YOU ARE SKINNY (and have never, ever been fat by the way). So, if you are skinny and have never been 100+ pounds overweight, don't bother telling me how TBL is a horrible show, capitalizing on the obesity epidemic in America. I can't hear you! I'm covering my ears, "la la la la la la!"

Anyway, I sat watching the show with my bowl of ice cream and three cookies. At some point I got completely emotional and was seriously crying, no weeping, as I brought yet another spoonful of ice cream to my lips.

No the irony is not lost on me.

Then a knock came at my door. I wasn't expecting anyone and I really didn't feel like getting my butt up off the chair....but the knocking got louder and louder and louder until finally I said, "WHAT???"

And there, in front of me, were all my excuses from the past six months piled high, coming back to bite me in the rear end.

The pile was huge! Let me enumerate:

1. I don't want to pay for the gym. The only gym in town is grody and I hate it. So, if I am going to pay for a gym, it's not going to be that one and the next closest gym is 7 miles away and I do not want to drive all that way in the snow at 6 a.m. on winter mornings! (there may be more than one excuse here...)

2. No one will work out with me. I lost my most consistent work out partner a couple years back when I went back to school and she had to find another partner/partners. She works out at the church now MWF w/ some other chicas......which brings me to my next excuse.....

3. I can't work out at 9 a.m. I have to work-work, and I need to be clocked in then.

4. I don't want to work out at home. I hate getting all dressed in my work-out clothes and getting all sweaty in my family room. Yuck!

5. H. does workouts by himself, harder than I can do, so I can't work out with him!

The other night I told H. I was going to need to buy myself a Wii. I've wanted one for a while, but only for the workout capability. I told him I needed to get back to working out. He invited me to join him and I invoke excuse #5, telling him "I need my own motivation!"

And this is where my excuses get a little tricky......I wanted to buy a Wii....to work out at home....wait a minute, doesn't that violate excuse #4?

Honestly people, it was like my excuse world just came tumbling through my door, big, hairy, and ugly.

So last night I tell H., I'm getting up tomorrow morning and I'm going to work out to my 30-Day Shred video by Jillian, level 1.

He says, "ok."

I look at him defiantly.

He says, "because you need your own motivation?"

I look at him more defiantly and say, "yes!"

He gets a bemused look on his face and wisely turns away and never says another word.

I renewed my BodyBugg subscription (9.95/month), found the cord that powers up the Bugg (because it has been dying slowly in a drawer for months), download the latest version of the software (because it has been a VERY long time since I documented my calorie intake/output and apparently there is a new version), and I set my alarm for 6:30.

I woke up 3 times last night in anticipation, not wanting to miss the alarm. At one point it was so light in my room I was sure I had missed my alarm. Then when I looked at my clock it said 3:30. I was like, "what the???" Then realized the TV had been left on all night.

At 6:30 I got up. I dressed. I put my hair up. I had a few swigs of water. I turned on Jillian and away we went.

Now its 7:46. I've exercised, showered, dressed, made lunches for the kiddos, and am now blogging. I'm a little behind on my clock in for work, but I have a fluid job that way.

Now for a description of what the exercise felt like.

Pure and unadulterated HELL. Yep, my own personal version of the telestial kingdom on earth. My body hurts, I ache all over, I want to return to bed. I am slumped over and hung low.

The video lasts for all of 22 minutes. I'm not kidding.

When I had to "run" downstairs to fetch my clean clothes, I could barely hobble down and then back up? Oh man, that was a nightmare.

It will take approximately 2 weeks to go from feeling like a weakling to feeling like exercise is actually empowering me, at least physically.

But mentally and emotionally, I feel better already.

Did you know that on this season of TBL that they made the contestants weigh in before they went to "the ranch," in front of their friends, family, and home towns? Yes, a scale with a big nasty number on it for all the world to see.

I'm seriously considering it.

This Year's Motto

Two years ago we decided to adopt a family motto for the year. The year 2008 was the "Year of Positive Thinking." We adopted the motto on January 1 and on January 3 I won a trip to Disneyland for four. Needless to say, the Nichols family started REALLY believing in our yearly motto.

Last year, 2009, our motto was.....hmmmm.....can't remember. Seriously, we came up with one, but I'm not sure it really took.

So, last night the kids want us to come up with our motto for 2010. I was on the computer in the basement, Harold was fiddling around with something or other on his iPod...but they persisted. They brought both he and I a scrap of paper and a pen and insisted we write a motto for 2010.

At first I declined, I'm busy! I said. They came back, they showed me the paper and pen....come on mom!!

So, I wrote down my motto.

Ok, I'm not the most original person, but I got a kick out of it. I folded up my paper and sent the kiddos scampering off.

A few minutes later they reappeared in the basement with our new motto for 2010. They had combined all the entries to reflect how each family member felt about this coming year. Now, before I unveil the new motto, I'd like to recap everyone's entries, exactly as written.

H: The year of becoming strong.
J: 2010: The Year of Living Dangerously.
S: The Year of wishes! (coming true)
M: The Year of Following Your Dreams!

Without further adieu.........drum roll please.......

The Nichols Family Motto for 2010:
The year of dangerously following your dreams and wishes strongly!!

Now, that's a motto I can really support!

Jalapeno Jelly

Um, ever tried it? Never underestimate the power of jalapenos and sugar in a crystal clear jar.

Get a cracker, spread on some cheese (preferably some derivative of cream cheese), and slap on some jelly. Mmmmmmmmm................

Thanks Julie!! (from whom I received my first bottle of JJ.....see it was meant to be, I always wanted to be known as JJ when I was a kid and no one EVER called me that! Now the JJ refers to a yummy green spread.) Mmmmmmmmm..........

The picture is courtesy (unasked) of JJ's blog:

Rocky Road

Have I ever expressed how much I love Rocky Road? Breyers of course. Those chocolate covered nuts are a DEEE-light!

Have you ever really looked at your house? Like, deep down, looked at your house. You know, walls, baseboards, door jams? Carpet, lineoleum, paint color? Front door, back door, pantry door?

People, it's brutal!

There are holes and marks and dings and stains. There's wear and tear, burn out, and blow out.

I'm thinking my realtor wouldn't like me telling you all this.

But, the good news is: We've scrubbed, scraped, painted, plumped, mopped, moved, picked up, shut up, cleaned up, put down, taken out and done a once over more than once.

We had our first showing on Saturday and it was nerve-wracking. We were beheaded chickens. We were whirling dervishes.

And to think I get to do this at least 20 more times before an offer will even come in. Sah-weet. Now that sounds like a good time people!

Note: M. found a man's wedding band. I spent an hour calling neighbors, trying to find an owner. H. took it to church and made an announcement. No takers. Then, just now, M. comes running in....

M.: MOM! Where's that ring?

Me: Why?

M.: A lady was driving around the street where I found it and asked, "have any of you seen a man's ring around? My husband lost his ring here the other day."

Me: Sah-weet! I'll get it!

M: Took the ring out the door and we won't have to come up with a FOUND! sign for the mailboxes.

Got a big anniversary coming up. 15 years of wedded bliss. Why do we use that expression? I've heard it several times from different sources.

{fill in the blank} years of wedded bliss!!

Where did that come from?

I was just talking to a friend on the phone. When you get married you take a good long look at your potential mate and you say to yourself:

This person has these good qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
etc.
etc.

And this person has these not so great qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
etc.

Then you take a look in the mirror and you say, I have these great qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
etc.

And I have these NOT so great qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
etc.

And you realize, marriage is all about taking the bad with the good and knowing your spouse did the same and LOVING THE HECK OUT OF THEM for taking you with all your flaws and loving you anyway.

There's a reason the Lord said "and they twain shall be one."

I'm a better person because I'm married to Harold. There is no doubt in my mind that I made the 100% correct choice 15 years ago. My father told me I deserved the best, and he was right. And I chose the best.

And while the happily ever after part is yet to come.....I'm pretty happy with my Rocky Road.

4187

Today was a long day, in a very good way. First things first, we went to SLC in sleet/ice/snow/rain/wind to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert featuring Natalie Cole and David McCullough as narrator. But first, we saw Music and The Spoken Word. It was their 4187th broadcast. Wow. First time for me though!

The music, the singers, the dancers, the bells (oh how I loved the bells!), the organ (I loved the organ even more than the bells), the mood.

Finally, finally I can say I felt the Spirit of Christmas. Thanks W&A for the invite and the terrific company in the most dreadful weather ever! So glad you have 4-wheel drive.

We went to the last hour of church and I was so tired I was dozing during the lesson about the martyrom of Joseph Smith. Too bad, because I love the subject of Joseph Smith.

Today, as we waited for the activities at the conference center to start suddenly everyone rose and was on their feet and the crowd went completely silent as our prophet Thomas S. Monsen entered to take his seat. Such reverence and love. I felt the spirit and thought, one day I will meet the Savior and I cannot even imagine the love and reverence I will feel for him. But today I got a small taste of it and I liked it. I will also feel a similar feeling on the day that I meet Joseph Smith.

Then we had made dinner for a local family and they had to cancel at the last minute so we invited my parents and sister's family to dinner. I was so happy they came!

As we finished up dinner prep I put on the DVD Joy to the World. As the MoTab sang there were images of baby Jesus and Mary.

Then I thought, I cannot believe the Savior of the world came to the earth as a small, beautiful, perfect infant who had to have his every need filled by his mother....just like every other baby that comes to this earth.

Jesus Christ is my Savior. And, I am grateful that the Spirit of His birth finally got to my core today.

Then we got to meet with our bishop, the annual trek to settle up and declare ourselves. Again, a peaceful, grateful spirit entered my heart.

I am blessed, truly, truly blessed.

Extinction

Our microwave died this week. It was a dinosaur that my parents bought for us the first week of our marriage. It was huge and took up tons of counter space. It was brown and black. I think it was one of the first models to have a button for popcorn popping.

When it died I didn't even cry. I didn't mourn its loss. I just figured, hey, we'll live without it. It's gone to a better place, microwave heaven.

Then one night my eldest said {very loudly}, "I can't believe we don't have a microwave, this is so stupid!"

I only needed it once, last Sunday, for softening butter that had come directly from the freezer. But, I figured out how to live my butter-softening life without it. I used time. That's right, I was patient.

So the big beast was taken away. H. told me he was going to put it directly into our garbage can. I thought for sure the microwave would be stashed into some dusty corner of the garage until a trip to the dump arouse. But, no.

So this morning I get a call. "I forgot to take out the garbage."

"The one with the BIG FAT MICROWAVE in it?"

"Yep, that's the one."

Me, in my best Napolean Dynamite voice, "hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, can you bring me some chapstick?"

"Just ask the nurse, she's got like five sticks in her drawer."

"Sick!"

So I got up from my chair, wearing PJs and slippers and threw on a big yellow and green jacket we inherited from a friend years ago, thinking this would be enough to keep me warm in subzero temps (close enough).

I used the shovel to remove the snow from our driveway to the garbage. Then I saw what I knew was going to happen one week ago but decided to promptly forget and deny, that our garbage was spilling out of the can for our neighbors to see. Then I used the shovel to remove the snow from the top of the garbage can. Then I started trying to move that dang thing. Then my hands were frozen from gripping the handle with snow on it. Then there was snow in my slippers. Then I reached inside the jacket and used the endy bits to cover my hands and tried again.

Then I finally got the can up onto the top of the driveway. Then I fixed the can so that I could basically steer it from the front as I let gravity bring the can down our half icy driveway. (The top half is snow/ice free, but the bottom half is a mess.)

Then I prayed I wouldn't fall and break anything because that would really Scrooge me out and I've been feeling pretty scroogey already.

Then I got down to the end of the drive and parked the can directly behind my car so when I pull out I need to remember NOT to hit the can.

Then I trudged inside, muttering under my breath, "You're welcome!"

Then I remembered all the bajillion times my dear husband does these things and I never have to think about it. And then I thought,

"Thanks honey, you're the best!"