new year resolutions and other stuff

-Remember that time when it was New Year's Day? Well, I made myself a resolution here and there. Let's get it down in type form to solidify my commitment to a better 2011.

1. be more punctual
2. go to bed earlier
3. get me and kids into a daily household chore routine

A short and practical list, right? Number one is pretty heavy, though. It's going to take allllll year to make some headway on that one.

-Ellie's sporting a new smile for the next couple of years.


Don't feel too sorry for her. She was ecstatic to get a visit from the tooth fairy, complete with eight quarters and a hand-written note. Turns out the tooth fairy's fancy handwriting strikes a resemblance to my own chicken scratch... (how does a five-year-old notice that?)



The other front tooth is loose, but was salvageable. For now. That girl is quite the little putz so it's only a matter of time before the next collision finishes it off.

-Busy week over here, but good and productive. On Wednesday I threw a little Valentine's Day shindig for Thunderkids and fams. As of late, I'm in charge of weekly activities for Thunderbird students' kids and the moms. It's been a challenge to forego indulgence in all those party planning details that make me giddy, but I'm determined to make this a manageable responsibility. Actually, for the first time in a very long time, I don't think I have an unhealthy obsession with some corner of domesticity right now.

-I mean, I'm still going strong on the plant food business, but that's around to stay, and it's not taking any extra time. Except for this past week, that is. Last night I hosted a mini-class on healthy eating for ladies in my ward. I spent a few too many [hundred] hours perusing recipes in preparation for this class. I was actually quite nervous about the whole ordeal. It's not easy to make meat-less, dairy-less food look and sound appetizing to omnivores!

Of course, the only type of person who would show up to such an event is a bit more primed to the idea of vegetarianism than your average Kyle, for instance. So, I think it went well. I still likely came off extreme in my dietary philosophy, but there was some good discussion and taste-testing and the regular hullabaloo that makes a social event worthwhile.

And I remain just as convinced as I was six months ago that this will be a permanent lifestyle for me. I just can't imagine going back to my previous diet ever again. Not now that I feel as good as I do.