Monday, December 31, 2007

As we deal with yet more snow today, I thought I would take a moment and wish everyone a happy new year. I am looking forward to what the coming year will bring. I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions (if something is important enough to change, do it now, don't wait for Jan. 1) but I do have several goals that I am currently working towards and will use the new year to rededicate myself to their attainment. I have come to realize in the past seven or so years that it is important to have goals in our lives - even tiny ones. I used to rebel against the idea of goals - kind of a rebellion against the Franklin Covey system that so many of my mission companions bought into - but have come to realize that goals are important (I still refuse to use a Franklin planner though). I think all of us have goals even if we don't have them written down or even if we haven't shared them with anyone. I have learned that we are much more apt to attain our goals if we do vocalize them. For example, one of the goals I have been working on for the past few months and have given myself until June to attain is to get rid of my pesky double chin. Another, more serious goal, is to spend more quality time with my children.

On another note, I made bread for the first time last night. And no, I didn't use Rhodes frozen bread, I made it from scratch, yeast and all. Although it didn't look as good or taste quite as good as Mom's bread, the boys scarfed it down. As easy as it was, I think I am going to do it more often. It sure tastes a lot better than store bought bread.

Michelle is out visiting a friend of ours (we have adopted her as our third grandma) who had bypass surgery on Wednesday so I am going to go get dinner ready.

Happy New Year,

Jason

11 comments:

chelsey said...

Happy New Years to you all! I tried to talk to the kids this morning about goals and got a blank stare in return. Hmmmm. I thought if I told them some of mine, they'd get the idea and be able to come up with one of their own. Geoff's was to visit LegoLand. Good luck there buddy. Sarah still hasn't come up with one.

Papa Doc said...

I am like Jason - I believe that New Year's resolutions are silly but I have never thought goals are silly. As we attain the ones we are working on, we need to set new ones and that may happen any day of the year, not necessarily on New Year's Day. I decided that as soon as Christmas was over and I had a couple of days off I would clean my bedroom closet and get my bedroom ready to paint, fix up, etc., etc.
I started today -- two shelves in the back of my closet are de-junked -- two more shelves left to go and then my bedroom will be re-done and that means re-organized, things thrown away, clothes re-cycled, etc.
I still haven't finished painting Ammon's bathroom. Removing the caulking is hard work and I have taken a very long break -- that, too, needs to be completed. There's always an abudance of things to accomplish in the house but I really need to set some spiritual goals as well.
I hope all of you re-evaluate what you are doing and how you are doing now that the new year has come.
The best part of New Years is to look back on what happened in a year's time and realize all the blessings that have come to us and to the rest of our family.
We love all of you and hope that you are happy and doing well in every way.
Mom

Mike and Adrianne said...

Jason, we tried calling you on Christmas but the cell phone number I have for you said it wasn't in service anymore. Then I tried calling your home phone but it was busy. So, I gave up. I'm pretty sure I used the right numbers because I used the ones Michelle put on the blog when you moved. Anyway, I hope you all had a great Christmas. You should post pictures if you took some.

Jason said...

I no longer have a cell phone. I just wasn't using it enough to justify the expense. Besides, I take a certain pleasure in not being in contact with the rest of humanity on occasion. The 9090 number is Michelle's business number (and the number all the political parties have - we get literally 4-5 calls a day from candidates) and the 5588 number is our home phone.

Now that the snow moved out, the cold has moved in. It was extremely cold and windy yesterday. There is no wind today but it is still don't-lick-the-flagpole cold.

Michelle said...

Home number 319-887-5588

alternate home number (office number) we are not always near this so we may not hear it ring
319-358-9090

Michelle's cell phone
319-325-3135

Jason's cell phone
he lost it and our plan was up so it is disconnected and gone forever. He never really used it anyway, it was a waste of money.

all three numbers listed above have answering machines so feel free to leave a message and we will call back. The best number to reach us on is the cell number 319-325-3135 because we do check those messages daily. Happy New Year

Michelle said...

Too funny Jason, we were writing our comments at the exact same time.

I forgot to add that the home phone number which ends in 5588 will ring busy if someone is on that line. The children are on it all the time. So seriously if you have to get a hold of us, keep trying either the office number since the children are not allowed to answer that line, or call my cell number. Please always leave a message. We don't have caller ID (waste of money, I think) so just calling won't do any good you have you let us know you've been there by leaving a message.
Thanks and happy 2008!!

Jess and Jen said...

Hey Jason, grow the goatee back in...it seems to hide my double chin pretty well!

Jason said...

I actually had a beard growing for about three weeks but it was driving me nuts - I just didn't have the patience to get past the itchy stage.

Papa Doc said...

I cannot believe that no one commented on Jason making bread. There is a man in our ward that makes bread all the time. It is Hal Shelley. I home teach him. He is good at it, and lots of people love to eat his bread.

So did you make your bread in the old fashioned way without a bread mixer and kneeder?

My mother made wonderful bread. Actually, so does Chris. I loved to be around when the bread came out of the oven. We always got to eat one loaf hot, usually with home made butter, too. We churned it ourselves. That is something we Chris and Jim Clarks have never done. But then we have never had a cow.

In my childhood home we had a milk separator and milked several cows each day. We separated the cream from the milk in the separator in the cellar, and then often sold the extra cream. We always churned butter. Often we would do it while watching TV. It was in a gallon container and had a handle to turn until the butter started to come. Mom would then add salt and pat it into shapes for storage in the fridge.

Imagine what it was like on her hot bread fresh from the oven. Then imagine some of her special homemade apricote or raspberry jam on it, too. You kids have never even lived yet.

Dad Clark

Mike and Adrianne said...

We made butter with the preschool kids when I worked there. They seemed to enjoy shaking their containers.

Jason said...

I proudly made my bread the old fashioned way. The only mixer and kneader used was powered by ATP.

Although I never had any of Grandma's butter, I have had her apricot jam. My mouth just started watering thinking about it.