Ni Hao!!

Our school started a Chinese immersion program in the 2010-2011 school year. How it works, is a kindergartener applies and then s/he starts the program in 1st grade. S/he will continue on through 6th grade, studying school curriculum for half the day in strictly Chinese and the other half of the day in English. Once you're in the program, you're in. You cannot decide to start in 3rd grade. Apparently, these kids are pretty much fluent by the time they leave elementary school. Crazy. I don't get how they can actually do it, but they do. Anyway...Jenna's teacher strongly recommended that she either be a part of this program or to do ALPS (accelerated learning program). I was hesitant about ALPS. First of all, not all schools have the program, so she'd have to go to another school where she knows NO ONE. Secondly, the schedule is year-round there, so she'd be on a totally different schedule from all of her friends and family. She is so shy, I just couldn't see that as a great thing for her. After talking to her and seeing her excitement about Chinese, we applied. They take siblings of current students first, so I wasn't sure she'd get in, but we got a letter yesterday telling us that she has been accepted. She is soooo excited!!! I think this will be a great thing for her--to challenge her academically and help her develop self-esteem.

12 Things About Kristen

1. She loves Jay from the British boy band, The Wanted because he's a vegetarian and British.

2. She loves mustaches.

3. She loves crackle nail polish.

4. She loves turtles.

5. She loves shades of blue.

6. She loves music--dancing, listen to, guitar, etc.

7. She loves being a vegetarian--still. It's been 14 1/2 months and she's still going strong.

8. She loves to shop--especially if she gets to buy things.

9. She is a night owl and hates mornings.

10. She loves to read magazines--especially about her favorite celebrities.

11. She loves action, adventure, and fantasy books and movies.

12. She loves warm weather and hanging out with her friends.

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!!!

12 year old Kristen!

 Kristen's 12th birthday was yesterday. It's so crazy to think that she's 12. One year until a teen; starting Jr. High; going into Young Women (which she did yesterday for the first time); etc.

Popping balloons to get the clues to find her gifts.

Opening gifts

The Wanted hoodie

We woke up to rain and then day ended with snow (brrr). We opened gifts after church and had one of her favorite lunches--cheese quesadillas with Doritos and fruits and veggies. She was a little embarrassed by a few of her gifts--she got a "The Wanted" (British boy band) hoodie

Mustache Ring (glittered)

and cd (we had to have them shipped from England); a mustache ring (she's obsessed with mustaches lately);

Moon Shoes. Wow--look at her jump!

a magazine with posters; a few little things (candy, gum, iTunes gift card, noise putty, glow in the dark stars, etc), and moon shoes. They're like trampolines for your feet. She's been DYING for them.
 We had Cafe Rio salad with cilantro lime rice for dinner (her FAVE) and then the cake. Oh. My. Gosh!! That cake was to die for. It was a triple chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and lined with mini Reese's peanut butter cups and then it had some of those chopped up on top.

The inside of that EVIL cake. :)

She sure chose a great cake and seemed very happy about it!

YUM!!!! Wow. She seemed very happy with her gifts and her day. Phew! You never know with teens (or pre-teens). :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We sure do love you, Krissy Cat!!!

5 Secrets to a Happy Marriage

We just had Stake Conference and I LOVED a message that one of the Seventy shared with us. The whole Saturday evening adult session revolved around marriage and this man shared the 5 secrets to a happy marriage. He said something that shocked me at first, but then as I thought about it, I realized it's true. He said ALL divorces happen because either the husband or the wife (or both) are selfish. It's really true. Anyway...here are the 5 secrets:

1) Happy marriages are possible but they require acts of love and affection
2) Happy Marriages require selflessness
3) Happy Marriages require tolerance, patience and forgiveness
4) Happy Marriages require time
5) Happy Marriages require righteous living

He then told us a quote by President Monson: Choose your love; Love your choice.

Reflections

My dad's brother's wife (my aunt) passed away last week from an unidentifiable bone marrow disease, possibly cancer. She was 54 years old. The funeral today made me reflect on life and how fragile it is. It was also fitting that during our scripture study this morning, we read Alma 34 and about how this life is the time to prepare to meet God. This life is for us to work on perfecting ourselves and we shouldn't procrastinate it and that the attitudes we have now, we'll take with us in the next life. It was kind of funny, in a way: I was walking over to the school to pick Jenna and her friend up and as I looked around at all the people--teens getting out of high school and middle school, kids coming home from the elementary school, all the parents, etc--I thought, "Someday, every single one of these people will die." Yes, it happens to all of us at some time or another, so it's good to be doing our very best every day and if we mess up, we hope there's another tomorrow to work at being better again.

Weekly Menu

I've been doing Bountiful Baskets for over 9 months now and love the variety of fresh fruits and veggies. It was around that time that I committed to eating healthier. I feel like I get in a rut with food, so I'm hoping by posting menus, I'll remember some of the things I've tried. I discovered some food blogs yesterday with yummy sounding things--hopefully the family will all eat them!! I'm still doing my challenge for another week and two days, so I do have to adjust things a little for me.

Monday: extra lean meatloaf, Dijon roasted butter potatoes, brussel sprouts, and fresh pineapple
Tuesday: cheesy potato soup, green salad with cucumbers, and homemade soft bread bowls
Wednesday: lemon chicken, stir fry veggies (with extra broccoli) with rice noodles, and egg rolls
Thursday: fajitas with all the trimmings and some kind of pasta--probably macaroni
Friday: lentil soup with sweet potato and spinach with corn bread and mango (kinda weird combo, I know)
Saturday: omelets, cantaloupe, and broccoli
Sunday: butter chicken, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and green salad

For snacks/treats this week, I want to try this cookie dough dip with apple slices and graham crackers, homemade pretzel bites, and avalanche bars (a twist on rice crispy treats).

Quick Update

Just a quick update:

Jarren is doing much better with his worrying. Phew! The kids were all out of school last Friday and Jon took the younger two to visit our parents. I stayed busy with the older two--reading, shopping at the mall, playing basketball, movies, etc.

I want to blog more and sometimes can't think of anything to write about, so....I'm going to do some food things and maybe books. I don't want this to be a food blog or book blog, but once in awhile I'll post something along those lines.