anyone want to trade cars?

I had to go get emission testing done on my awesome car yesterday.

It failed.

I got kind of offended. Then I was annoyed with myself for getting offended that my car failed the emissions test.

"It's a '01 Oldsmobile Alero, that has 147,000 miles on it for crying out loud. It's about time for it to start failing emissions."

That's what I had to tell myself last night as I was driving (after adding air to the leaky tire) to Checker Auto.

So sad. I was really hoping that I had developed a more healthy, moderate, relaxed attitude toward life, but alas my type A personality is still alive and well.

In conclusion:

I still need to work on the type A thing some more.

I can now add "environmentally challenged" to the growing list of issues of my high maintenance car needs addressed.



Note: We replaced the gas cap and the car passed emission the second time around. I'm so glad it was something little.

adventures of the amazing sophie

Some (slightly) more coherent thoughts on change...

Some big changes for us this week.

as of last night...

• We are in a new ward (we are on number 5 since moving to Tucson).
• We will be attending church in the new building which only 3 minutes from our house. (We should now be 10 minutes closer to being on time).
• I am no longer serving with the Young Women.

as with any big change, I have mixed feelings...

• Anxious to meet new people.
• Ecstatic about meeting in the new building.
• Excited to have old friends in our new ward.
• Regretful about things I could have done better.
• Grateful for the things I learned from the girls and the leaders I served with, and for the friends I made.
• Sad about leaving the most fantastic girls.

I will miss seeing their smiles every Tuesday and Sunday, (and sometimes Saturdays and Thursdays). These young women are wonderful in every way. I loved spending the last few years , singing, cooking, eating, painting, teaching, camping, swimming, crafting, sewing, dancing, filming, photographing, photo shopping, baking, laughing, hiking, and serving, with these young women.

To my fabulous girls:
Thank you... for being wonderful...for being excellent examples...for being so good to each other and to your leaders...and for listening to all my analogies :) When you're in the neighborhood come come say hi.

To the amazing women I've served with over the past 2.5 years:
Thank you...for your examples...for teaching me...for your strength...and for your friendship. I hope that we will find ourselves serving together again sometime.

To the wonderful Vail ward:
Thank you...for all the things that great wards do...for the support...for the help...for watching out for us...for teaching our girls.

To the people in our new ward that we already know:
Woohoo!

To the people in our new ward that we don't know:
Here we come. We will be the family in the back with the two-year-old that can't seem to find her quiet voice, and the five-year-old with the pink bag who thinks church is a great big party every week.

the discomfort zone

This is Sophie's comfort zone (more of a nest really). Doesn't it look nice?

I think I've spent a sufficient amount of time today in the awkwardness of trying to expand my horizons. There was some anxiety and uneasiness involved. It was tough...and uncomfortable...and probably worth it. I'm pretty sure I grew as a person, but right now I'm ready to climb back into my cozy little world.

I'm thinking hot chocolate, and the new book I haven't had a chance to start yet would be perfect.

But let's be realistic...I'll probably have to settle for taking Ella to ballet and going grocery shopping.

Which actually sounds fantastic. A perfectly mundane and wonderfully normal thing to do.

The book and hot chocolate will happen later...

Yes later tonight will be great...

Like 10:30...

Perfect...

I can't wait....

It's turning out to be a good day.

Some thoughts on change...

A little bit of change isn't necessarily a bad thing...it can be quite useful...

A lot of change has a tendency to just weigh you down.

So empty your pockets once in a while.

??????????

(Thanks to Ella, my trusty assistant, for stacking all of my change for the photo above)

A little bit of winter

Snow in the mountains. Not quite the Colorado Rocky Mountains, but still very pretty.

Full washes from all the rain.

A little bit of flooding.

Fantastic sunsets.

The cold rainy weather was fun while it lasted.

on my mind

There's nothing like a good run and a hot shower to improve my mood.

Ella's seems to be doing really well with her reading at school, but she doesn't like to read at home.

I want to go back to school.

I'm excited to try out a new camera lens.

I'm not so sure about Facebook.

I think it would be awesome to move to Europe for a few years or back East.

Sophie's toes point in when she runs. Do I need to call the doctor?

I need to donate some money to Haiti.

When is Glee going to be back?

I think I want pizza for lunch.

I have to go pick up my new glasses sometime.

The car needs new tires....and probably an oil change.

I hope my car doesn't break down in the middle of running errands this afternoon.

The girls have a new little cousin...I hope we get to see him soon.

I'm really looking forward to making some Valentine cupcakes.

I'm not looking forward to Ella's dentist appointment tomorrow.

I'm so not looking forward to taxes this year. Maybe we need an accountant.

I don't know why I keep getting this sharp pain in my stomach. I wish it would go away.

I really should go to Costco today, but I do not enjoy shopping there. Maybe I can get away with just going to the grocery store.

Why is my bank account $60 off?

Wow, the sky sure is blue today.

I'm looking forward to this weekend.