2012! / 2011 Recap

I am ending 2011 with my erase board calendar stuck in September, 359 unread emails in my inbox and owing $2.55 to the library (total fines paid this year: $23.15). Nevertheless, I will skip ahead and join the rest of the world in 2012 and enjoy the chance to start afresh...but let's review 2011 first, and save me a lot of singular back posts (or inspire some):

Ben - Sometime in spring the husband formerly known as Ben became "Divorced Dad", named so because, he lived in his own apartment, provided mostly only financial support and made up for his lack of presence by being super fun, taking the kids for treats and buying them things outside of our norm. And when staying at his place, had things like ice cream topped with cereal for breakfast (may I suggest carmel pecan with honey bunches of oats...)

In July and probably the highlight of his year, he shook Eddie Vedder's hand at a concert in Seattle.

Avery - Started 2nd grade, continued learning violin.

Miles - Learned how to swim and ride a bike.

Cruz - Learned how to walk and speak.

(Britt - One up's Ben's Eddie Vedder encounter and attends a wedding where Magic Johnson is a guest...as well as Kenny G.)

Me and/or us - It was a good year for work and for play - It's a buyers market (thank you historically low interest rates (3.75%+/-), so I had a fun year negotiating and brokering home sales. I also had a chance to reprise my days as a "business analyst" (not necessarily the right term but it was my job title, "indentured servant" may be more appropriate) for my first employer out of college, when they brought a Chinese delegation through Los Angeles.

For fun we hit up Belize in March, Chicago in April, Lake Chelan in July and San Francisco in September. And the kids and I took up residence in California from late October to early December (We also started the year there in January). From there we hit the central coast, beaches in every coastal county in So. Cal, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. You just aren't living until they freeze your credit card for being in too many places in too short of a time. And you are grateful when they freeze your credit card when someone uses it in Brooklyn then Norway and you are nowhere near either of those places.

So that about sums up the year, looking back on it no wonder why it zipped by. We never took a moment to catch our breath. Just how we like it.

What are my wishes and hopes and dreams for the new year? (Besides fewer parking, speeding or red light camera tickets...please please please (make that 6 pleases) Last year was about not looking too far into the future, so as not to enjoy the here and now. It's easy to yearn for days of not changing diapers or making school lunches but when those days are gone they are gone, and furthermore the future will be filled with unseen/unpondered challenges of it's own I am certain. So this year I will build on that live in the present philosophy with another that spoke to me through a banner at the YMCA. It was one marked RESPONSIBILITY and referred to the verse in Ecclesiastes about whatever it is that you find to do, you do it with all your might.

Although I'm a bit worried that this will hinder my multi-tasking abilities, I do think that it will be efficient and rewarding. And it goes hand in hand with the only real resolution I made this year, which is to be a better cook. I like to cook; I like the creativity involved and of course I enjoy the end result. Unfortunately however, the last few years I have let Trader Joe's and Costco a lot of cooking for me. I appreciate that we have sophisticated convenience foods, but I need to hone some basic techniques and learn how to make a sauce for goodness sake. Other ways I will employ this idea - better workouts at the gym, more thorough teeth brushing, and being a more attentive parent - anywhere that I presently spend time out of necessity or desire may I improve my performance. That is my wish for 2012. Let the fun begin.

TCI - The Lost Footage

Due March 2010.

A gift to the earth.

What is more appropriate than a kid becoming completely potty trained* on Earth Day? It's the only gift a little guy, ahem, "big boy" can really give. No more diapers in the landfill from this dude. I was hoping that he would be trained before we moved into the new house but was thinking this might just be wishful thinking. But the Easter Bunny's gift of the undie megapack helped make a mom's pleas reality. At first he wanted to wear about five at a time - I get it, he was used to the padding- now he will wear one or two at a time and if they have a large character on the rear he insists that it go in the front (he's not the only one). Which looks a little uncomfortable to me. But I'm not complaining as long as he is keeping them dry. He's even amazingly waking up dry in the morning - I'm not going to risk going without a pull-up yet though.

His nursery teacher commented that when she took him potty he told her he wanted to stand on the potty to go. Oops, I guess this is what happens when most of your training happens in a porta-potty (at the lot) and now that it is warming up, I have been encouraging the go pee outside method. Yes neighbors - the Westbrooks are moving in...and marking our territory. (At home he stands on a stool and when we are in a public place I hover him over like an airplane)

Binkless and potty trained - now if we could just get him out of our bed at night...

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*Who determined he was completely potty trained? Me, his mother. I am accepting accolades for this achievement (on behalf of Miles of course).

Binkless

Today marks four weeks of Miles without the bink. We weren't planning* on having him give it up just yet, I was still using it as a bribe for potty training, sleeping and general good behavior when we were in all of these stores we have to go to to pick out stuff for the house. But one day we forgot it and it just happened. The first couple days were painful - for me - I had to hide the binky stash from myself so I wouldn't give it to him. But he never missed a nap, and his behavior was the same. He asked for it for a few days, finally I gave him one I knew he hated to see what he would do. He said "not this one" and he and his dad had a ceremonial tossing (dunking really) of the bink into the trash. You could see the regret flash on his face for a second as he realized what he had done but was quickly cajoled into some chest thumping and celebrating his victory over that bit of silicone and colored plastic. We are now binkless.



*When Avery was two we were on the road - a new home every six weeks for a good portion of the year, thus we felt she and we, needed the binky. But as our travels came to an end we knew it was time to get rid of the pacifier - and give her a few months without it before a new baby came into the house and had one (which she stole all the time). But our great plan with her - because I think usually there should be a plan and some sort of explanation that the kid can wrap their mind around as to what happened to their little plastic friend - was that we would have accidentally left the binky on the plane and we'd have to get it next time we would be on a plane. She was a little sad, but our little scheme/trick/lie works and everytime she would see a plane fly by she would point and say "my binky!"

Short Cut

Time for my bi-annual hair cut and attempt at redoubling my efforts regarding appearance. Instead of continuing the constant creep toward a short-cut I just went for it this time. I had originally planned to either go darker and keep it long or blonder and shorter but I ended up with the above.

Considering that sunny days are supposedly few and far between here (I haven't felt that way...yet) and with the chance that a ray of light would actually catch my glowing streaks growing more slim - I also said aloha to highlights and opted to return to a darker hue. As hapened when I had "gone dark" once before, and despite my requests not to have it turn out red - it is very reddish at times - think Eastern-Bloc affinity for reddish dye red. In the picture it doesn't appear so and even though this was taken at the salon on the day it was cut, I think it is shorter than the picture shows also. Probably because my hair bends and shrinks in the moisture. Speaking of moisture, although I am not known for fabulous hair styles, the before picture is particularly hideous because a) it was raining outside and b) the owner or the salon gave my head a good ruffle to make it look even worse.

Ward (s)Hopping

Often, one of the saddest things about moving is leaving the ward* family, (aka congregation) (unless you are escaping a calling in the nursery). Such has been the case for us our last two moves especially. Although we are optimistic that we will again "land" in a particularly awesome ward, a perk of being new to an area and not having a permanent home is pretending like we actually have a choice in the matter of deciding which ward we attend (you don't, I tried once). Ward hopping.

We have been doing it for the last few weeks and sensing that the end to this freedom is eminent we made a particularly bold move this Sunday and attended three different wards. I know, you're adding up the commitment in your head and coming up with a whopping nine hours of devoted worship from the Westbrook family. I wish we had the stamina for a Sabbath day marathon like that, but it was Fast Sunday ( I'll let you determine why that would be an impossibly long day, albeit a great opportunity to really get the pulse and flavor of a ward). We did the abbreviated version and went to the three different wards that share a building. One of Ben's favorite jokes when we are introduced as visitors in Sunday School is to say that we just moved to the area and we are shopping for the ward with the least tithing (I could hear all of his jokes a million times and still giggle my head off heehee). So with ammunition like that why not start of our day with Sunday School?!

We actually arrived intending to attend the 11 o'clock services but when we arrived at 11:10 and knowing that Ben refuses to go into the chapel late. I suggested we catch the last hour of the ward we most likely would be attending. And we were right on time for that. After that they dismissed and left the building so we went to Sunday School (in a ward with particularly talented SS teachers - score) and capped off the day with Sacrament Meeting from the third and final ward. Not wanting to disturb the children's play and learning (wink wink), we left them in their primary and nursery classes - with the help of the eagle-eye watch of a friend, should Miles try to betray us with a necessary diaper change - and we attended sans kiddos!

Next week we will be responsible and settle into the ward we are obligated to attend by way of the map and we will do so with a glad spirit. But in the meantime, we enjoyed our visits.

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Definition of Ward (via Wikipedia):
A ward typically consists of 200 to 500 active church members within an area that is within a reasonable travel time of the meetinghouse. ("Reasonable" will vary between countries and regions.) A stake may be organized if there are at least three ward-sized branches in adjacent areas. Once the stake has been organized, the ward-sized branches are organized into wards. If there are not sufficient congregations in an area to form a stake, a district (analogous to but smaller than a stake) is formed to oversee local congregations. In areas where there are greater numbers of active church members (such as Utah), the area of a ward can be as small as one-fourth or one-fifth of a square mile.

When a ward(s) become of a greater size, the ward will divide geographically. Generally, if both geographic divisions are in a reasonable time of the meetinghouse, then they will meet at the same building, but at different times. Most ward buildings are designed to house up to three or four wards.
Individuals can find out what ward they reside in by either talking to a local LDS leader or by using the meetinghouse locator tool on the church's webpage.

Historical Orgin - The term ward originally referred to the political subdivision of some of the municipalities in the Mid-western United States where members of the LDS Church resided, and in particular the political organization of Nauvoo, Illinois in the 1840's. Bishops were assigned duties and responsibility over specific ward boundaries in these cities, and over time individual congregations were defined by these boundaries. After the Mormon Exodus to Utah, this same terminology was preserved in the establishment of communities throughout the western USA. Indeed, voting districts of several Utah communities still follow the historical boundaries of their original LDS congregations. Due to the religious connection of this term, traditional Mormon pioneer communities generally do not use the term ward to define voting districts for political purposes.

You don't own me.

That's right, I went into a Target for the first time in a long time and I got out of there without spending over $50 (A feat I had previously thought impossible). And to be honest, it wasn't as exciting as I thought it was going to be. I guess I haven't been missing anything this past year after all. Although I did enjoy the familiar popcorny smell and bright lighting.

My semi-annual trip to the salon.

I actually promised myself that I would start having standing appointments at the salon, instead of getting to the point where I am so frustrated with my hair that I want to cut it myself. After 4 years of not highlighting my hair (I just couldn't bear to let anyone but Heidi bring foil anywhere near my head, even if I had to fold them myself :)), and after realizing that I would not be in the vicinity of the Stuart Fraser salon for a long time, I had Chelsey go ahead and bring the sunlight back into my 'do this summer during our long layover in California.

Well, someone forgot to tell me that summer was over and that it might be a good time to freshen up the three inch visible roots. I think part of me was hoping that Heid or Chels would come visit us and want to work while on vacation. So I had to find someone and after reading good reviews online I found Danne who is supposed to be great at giving you hair that is appropriate for the Hawaii climate (HUMID!!!) and your lifestyle (I don't have one). He is Bumble trained so I felt like the girls would approve. Also, (besides the H. & C.) I prefer to go to men. My last three, now four, have been men, and although I'm not screening, straight men who like long hair which makes Ben happy (that they will keep my hair long, not that they are straight). Anyhow, Danne was no exception to this, even though I wanted to go a lot shorter (it's just too hot) and lighter, he ended up keeping it longish and taking it darker, via lowlights (even though he did compliment Chels' color choice and work). I think he knew what would suit me best even though next time I think I will still try to talk him into shorter and lighter :) One thing that was crazy was that he never used scissors once, just a razor as far as I could tell. He really seemed to understand my super-fine, curly underneath, straight on top hair and he identified the cowlick in my bangs immediately. Now if only I could learn how to use product...
Here are some before and after pics:


How I end up wearing my hair everyday, no matter how ambitious I started out:

The reason why I wear it in a bun everyday...
( i asked avery to take a pic of my hair and I think she was intent on getting the pony)

A few days after the cut/highlights:

(It looks lighter in these pics than it does in person...probably from the light through the window)

Bonus Footage:

Because I know Sara loves it when I add stuff to a post days later...I was using the laptop and found some pictures of my hair after a couple (semi-annual, also) trips in Maryland. I don't think of myself as one who changes styles often, but maybe I have enjoyed a little more variety than I thought. I'd say these were late summer (bottom) and winter (top) 2005.

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before (yikes)

after (no cut, only semi-permanent color)