I’ve been sitting on this for over two years. I stole lines from songs and poems that I like, tweaked some of them a little… don’t know whether I like it or not, but I LOVE the title. Where’d that come from? (My head, I think.)

Here is a list that I put together in hopes of finding a place to start: (Finding and watching the videos that go along with each item was a lot of fun too!)

1. Get in Shape, Girl! Anyone remember this?

2. Develop sound financial habits and goals:

3. Learn to speak Spanish better than this guy: 

4. Learn to play the guitar and ukulele. Yes, I have the Esteban Instructional Series…

5. Move into my own place.

All of these objectives will take time. There’s not one item listed  that will come with ease or without concentrated effort and/or practice. There’s no time like the present! (Okay, one clichéd quote.) The School of  Becca is now in session! And maybe… just maybe I’ll dance with the same exuberance that this guy does when I’ve accomplished these goals.

“Arnold Wiggins: one, The System: zero!”

Grandma and I wrapped gifts this afternoon.

I’ve always wanted to tie pretty bows.  So, this year I went online, watched some videos, read some instructions and learned how. I had a lot of fun! It takes a little longer to tie bows, rather than buy them, but I think the results are worth it. I also made some of the gifts I’ll be giving to my coworkers today… but they’re not wrapped yet, and I can’t tell you what they are.

The tree just looks prettier with presents around it.

I’m enjoying the Christmas Season more this year than I have in years past. I haven’t been able to pin down the reason, but I’m glad that the Spirit of Christmas is here!

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.“ ~Mark Twain
November 30 at 9:12 PM

Entertain me! Please send jokes, pics etc. I’ll be at an enthralling presentation all day. Text, email or facebook. Contact info on my profile.
December 1 at 10:38 AM

Deflated.
December 1 at 5:46 PM

On the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, join us in remembering our homeless brothers and sisters who we lost to life on the streets during 2010. Homeless Persons’ Memorial and Candle Light Vigil
December 1 at 10:42 PM

♥ ♥ Amazing talent! This made my night. ♥ ♥ Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus
December 1 at 10:51 PM

Rejuvenated.
December 1 at 10:55 PM

Tried to count to infinity, but it took FOREVER!
December 2 at 8:52 AM

And today I have blurbed nothing. I had a super busy week at work:

• Mondays are always quite hectic… with it being Monday and all.
• Tuesday, I completed 4 hour long assessments and completed data entry for 5 of my previous appointments.
• Wednesday, I sat through two 3 hour software demonstrations. (Thus the plea for entertainment) Then I went to open enrollment for my insurance.
• Thursday, I sat through another two 3 hour software demonstrations. The second was torturous for all involved. I went home and cried myself to sleep.
• Friday, I awoke with a migraine and stayed in bed ’til 10:45 AM. I went to work and did my best to catch up on the work that I missed Wednesday and Thursday… OH THE JOY!

Good week. I was surprised by how much I missed the people who I work with and my normal job when I was at the demos. I guess I really do love my job!

The morning grew weary. Salt Lake City sagged in despair and just as it was about to lose hope, four shining super stars took to the streets. Shovel to shoulder, they stood as a team. They were ready to bail snow – and bail snow they did. The Great Snow Bail Out of  2010 saved 15 or 16 vehicles that day. Some say it was more, some say it was less, some say they used plows, and some choose not to believe. Well, the proof is here, and you can’t deny the power of the four shining super stars who took to the streets with shovels on that cold and stark, snowy, winter day.

Covey loved Grandma and climbed right up and sat next to her, then on her lap, then in front of her. She snuggled up close to her with her blankie a few times. It was really sweet! Grandma kept saying, “She’s got beautiful eyes!” and Covey really does have big, brown, beautiful eyes. They hit it off so well, I just had to take a few pictures.

Here are cute pics:

Grandma doesn’t get around much anymore, so it was really sweet to see her have some interaction with Covey. What a good day!

I prepared my first full Thanksgiving meal all by myself this year. I definitely should have taken more pictures to commemorate! I only took three:

See, I cook!

Straight outta Candy Land!

My favorite!

I’m pretty proud of the way things turned out! I cooked for six people: My grandparents, my dad, two of my brothers and myself. We had traditional dishes, a few specific to our family traditions, and some that I just wanted to try.

• Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
• Black Olives
• Cheese Stuffed Celery
• Green Jello Salad
• Turkey
• Grandma’s Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Praline Yams
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Banana Cream Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping
• Egg Nogg with 7Up
• Sparkling Cranberry, Apple and Pear Juice

I cooked for years with my mom at a wedding reception center owned by my aunt and uncle. I’m sure that I owe the success of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner to that experience. My mom truly is a chef, and wonderful cook.

Duncan and Annie invited my dad and me over for breakfast on Thanksgiving. Summer always loves to play with my phone. (I don’t blame her, it’s a really cool phone!)  She’s a good little photographer. Here’s a picture she took of me with a blur of Mason in the corner- he doesn’t hold still for long.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, Thanksgiving this year turned out to be truly wonderful. I am sincerely thankful for my loving family and  my thoughtful and sincere friends. I’m thankful for the freedom and peace that I enjoy as a citizen of the United States of America. I’m thankful that I have found a job that I love, working with people who I love and doing work that is truly fulfilling. I’m thankful for the protection and shelter that I have living in a home with family. I love coming home to a warm and comfortable bed after a long day out and about. I’m thankful for my health and a body that works for me almost seamlessly day in and day out. I’m thankful for my dependable car and that I’m able to drive it pretty much anywhere I’d like to go. I have so many things to be thankful for – a truly beautiful life.  

Happy Thanksgiving! With love, Becca

On October 3, 1789 George Washington proposed Thanksgiving as a national holiday with the following:

WHEREAS, It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor;

WHEREAS, Both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me ‘to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable  us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Really, there is a story behind this. I spent a couple of hours trying to help a friend get home from Japan when he missed his flight. He brought this back for me… because I was successful! YAY! He wore it out in Tokyo and it was a huge hit. People wanted their picture taken with him and waved and smiled and laughed.

This Wikipedia article explains more about Harajuku Fashion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harujuku

I thought it only fitting to have a photo shoot. (Oh the fun we had!)

I was a pirate for Halloween this year.

My department at work dressed as characters from Peter Pan. We won all of the awards except for best women’s costume. It was tons of fun!

I love my family, my friends, my job and my co-workers. (Who double as my friends!) My life would be meaningless without the wonderful people who surround me.