New Years Resolutions

I typically do not make resolutions... the word resolution implies that i have the resolve to see it through. Lets face it... I might not. So instead, i set goals. Is there much difference? No. But it makes me less stressed to say its just a goal :-)
So, here they are.
1. Lay off the trash t.v. (ie: keeping up with the kardashians)
2. While watching The Young and the Restless (NOT trash tv), be on the elliptical.
3. Make it a point to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
4. Start piano lessons at some point this year.
5. Deal with stress in more productive ways... like, NOT being rude to jeff :-)
6. Read.
7. Finish what I start.
Additions:
8. Meet my blog friend Rachael :-)
9. Meet my blog friend Emily
10. Run the Warrior Dash in May (and complete it)
I love to read but have a tendency to start books and not finish them. Which in turn stresses me out b/c i feel "unfinished". This makes me be rude to Jeff b/c somehow he is to blame, right?! :-)
In general, i'd like to attend to my lack of discipline which i feel defines me. I'm gonna be 30 this year (*gasp*) and I dont want to be known as someone who lacks discipline with my tongue, with my body, with my walk with the Lord, etc... I want to be disciplined with my time so that I can enjoy the opportunities i have to goof off and spend with my family. So by working on time management, i'll be less stressed, more enjoyable and will be a more of a blessing to my family, and those around me. This is my goal in general.

What goals do you have for 2010?
PS. I promise i'll post Christmas pics one day soon...

Our little family (minus spud)

Have i mentioned lately that i love my little family? Cause i do. We loaded up and went to the mountain house to join jeff's parents/jason and liz for Christmas and had a great time relaxing. For now i'll just leave you with my 2 fav. family pics. There are TONS more of the entire Christmas time, but i had to get these up. I'm so grateful for all God has blessed us with in 2009.

Trip to the Bass Pro Santa

So you can see our most successful pic at the top. I've attached the other ones, as well. I thought they all turned out fine. She wouldnt really smile but we really didnt work to get her to smile, either. We didnt want to keep the line waiting. Ironic, seeing as how every other person in line took their sweet time. Oh, well. Live and learn.

Rhyan did GREAT! She really enjoyed her trip to the mall, i think. My first thought on this is "oh no". I hate shopping. I'm not girly. Lord help me if she is :-) I have a feeling that if she likes it, i'll start enjoying it, too. Until she's a teenager anyways. I just love spending time with her, no matter what. But it was tons of fun seeing her look all around at the people, the decorations, etc... We went to the food court after seeing Santa and got some grub. Rhyan was so good and waited in line w/ us, just chewing on her book. But when we started eating, she was suddenly discontent. Turns out, since we've been letting her eat a little of what we eat, she is no longer happy to watch us eat. She wants to PARTICIPATE! But kung pow chicken is a bit spicy for her :-) So as i was searching for something for her to eat, it occurred to us that there are peas and carrots in the fried rice. I picked them out for her and she was quite happy to eat them! SO CUTE!

Update on her head (i forgot to post about this! SORRY!). She has to wear it for 2 more weeks full time and then can go to nights only. We are still doing therapy weekly for now. Her head tilt is still not alot better. We continue to do stretches at home. I'll admit that i think she is SO cute w/o her helmet on and i'm SO excited for her to not have to wear it during day hours :-)

We're headed to sky valley for Christmas Day. I'll try to post stuff when we return. Till then, I hope you all enjoy Christmas with your loved ones and remember that the birth of Christ was the beginning of us having hope for redemption. And that apart from the cross and His sacrificial death, he would have been no more than any other ordinary baby. But He was a baby who was born to die. What a humbling thought. And how grateful we are that salvation came in the form of this baby. Celebrate it!

Bath Time is FUN time!

Thanksgiving... a little late

The weekend before Thanksgiving was the Tankersley family Thanksgiving get together. We typically gather at Uncle Wayne and aunt Cathy's home in beautiful Madison and keeping with tradition we enjoyed this years festivities there, as well. The land they live on is just to die for and so it made for a beautiful background for our family pics :-)

In other news, Rhyan got pink eye the week of thanksgiving. So for all the family who checks this thing and who cuddled up w/ Rhyan that weekend, be ware. Luckily, Jeff was off that week and could be home with her. So, anyone want to fess up to a recent case of pinkeye so i'll know who to blame it on?! Haha... Her little eye was so pitiful!

She has also had a cold since the start of november, I think, with it reaching its alltime grossness this week. Her little nose is runny (and getting raw) and she's coughing but no fever. She's also about to break through her second tooth which is bothering her some. She is such a trooper, though. She still naps great and sleeps through the night like a champ. We'll hear her coughing sometimes in the middle of the night (4ish or something) and feel so bad for her. But one night i thought it'd be nice of me to get her up, change her, clean out her nose and then just let her sleep on my chest in the rocker so she'd be on an incline. Well, the girl associates ONLY the bed with sleep, i guess. The whole time i held her she looked at me (in the dark) and touched my face and looked at me like "what are we doing?". I put her back down and she got herself back to sleep. I tell you what, doing babywise with Rhyan has made her some more independent! Its bittersweet. I'm proud of her but miss cuddling with her (not that she's ever been real cuddly, but i take what i can get).

In other news, After 2 rounds of antibiotics i still have a sore throat and pressure in my sinuses. The Christmas musical is this coming weekend so it'd be nice to get well so that i dont sound like a dying frog on my solo :-) I think all in attendance would appreciate that.

Ok, on to turkey day related pics.
Jenny's dog and Rhyan loved each other!

Aunt Cathy and her sweet Mama

The Tankersley Kids (jeff's mom and aunt and uncles)

Uncle Wayne and Aunt Cathy's family

Uncle Brian and Aunt Becky's family

Ronni and Andy (the out-laws... i mean, in-laws!)

Jeff and I... Rhyan was taking a nap in all of these pics :-(

The whole Tank. Family. Not sure how the tall ones ended up on the hill.

And this one's just for fun so we can all be jealous of Rhyans thighs :-)

Sorry Guys!

Sorry I've not posted well, lately. Unfortunately, that trend will continue :-( Like most of you this time of year, I am absolutely overwhelmed with way too much to do and far too little time.

In case any of you care, one of the biggest things going on right now is the start of the discipleship ministry at our church. I am the chairperson of a previously non-existent team. Staff positions have done in the past what our team is currently attempting to accomplish after over a year and a half of the ministry being leaderless. Its a huge task, but one well worth the effort.

Our plan is to implement classes (6-7 classes for adults, 2-3 for youth, 2-3 for kids) for all ages on Sunday nights starting mid January. We are hand picking facilitators to lead these classes, attempting to choose material, have a training class for all "leaders", make a brochure for the winter semester, have a "kickoff" lunch after church one sunday to push the ministry, start registration that day, order materials for those who register and then give them classes to meet in and let it roll! Its VERY exciting b/c we have a fairly spiritually immature church who I think will be moved by learning to dig deep into Gods Word. In fact, our team is clinging to the promise that Gods Word "does not return void"!

Jeff and I, because our marriage is the example for all to follow (insert chuckle here), will be leading a married couples class. We are currently deciding on material but may lean towards a combo of the 5 love languages and For men/women only. These 2 resources would combine to make for a 12 week semester. The other possibility is some material called "Making love last forever". We're still praying about what to do and trying to read through the material. Jeff has promised that if I lead the class (b/c he already teaches a sunday school class) that he'll be the sex appeal that draws the masses to our class :-). I know, gag. Haha.

I've also said "yes" to teaching some extra days. I'll be at Collins Hill tomorrow AND Monday meaning I'll only get a 2 day weekend like "regular" folks. I dont see how you "regular" folks do it :-). I'm exhausted.

And the Christmas musical is on the 13th... in which I have a solo that I have yet to learn (i'm such a good steward, huh?) and a trio I have yet to practice in.

These are all GREAT things! I'm grateful for them all... but they seem to be piling on all in such a short time. So as soon as i get time, i'll try to upload some pics and such, but for now, bear with my blog slothfulness :-)

How we do things in these parts of town

Disclaimer: I do not condone this and try my best to not laugh when i see it happening. But Jeff says that this is just the way to do things right.

So sometimes Rhyan gets full before we think she should. So jeff does this: