MVP

James is nearing the end of his first season of basketball. I'm no sports fan, but I'm a HUGE fan of this player. James isn't one of those kids with a natural ability for sports, but he always gives it all he's got, and he is always so encouraging of his team mates and even his opponents. This earns him MVP in my book. A few weeks ago, the ball was passed to him and after lining himself up in front of the basket and taking a deep breath, he shot the ball and made his very first basket! At this point, I found myslef leaping out of the bleachers yelling, "Good Job, James!" A friend behind me laughed a bit and said, "Hmmm...I wonder who his mother is....?..." I am! And I couldn't be more proud.

Lenten Promises

Vanilla Ice Cream Mashed with Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies

topped with a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie

This right here was the last bit of non-celebratory sugar for me for 40 days--I ate this yummy treat in the final hours of Mardi Gras yesterday. Lent started today, and I decided on the the following lenten promises; one for health, one for home, one for heart.

1. For Health: No non-celebratory sugar.

2. For Home: Spend 15 minutes each evening de-cluttering.

3. For Heart: Spend 1 minute for each day of lent in quiet prayer/meditation/peace.

The last time I gave up sugar for lent was when I was 19 and it was one of the dumbest things I've ever done...it's pure torture to turn away a big chocolate sundae that waiters bring to the table at your birthday dinner. So, my plan this time around is to say no to non-celebratory sugar...you know the popping a cookie in your mouth just because it's there kind of sugar. Now when there's something to celebrate or a special event then all bets are off. Lucky for me, my birthday, Jeff's birthday, and our anniversary all land somewhere in the next 40 days :) I gave up sugar as part of a challenge with my good friends Deirdre and Mary Alice for the 10 days before Thanskgiving and that went well. With the Christmas sugar fest behind me, I thought I'd give up non-celebratory sugar as a New Year's resolution. In theory (but not in practice) I'd like not to have a sweet every single day and I figured New Year's was a good time to start this new habit. Then on January 3rd, I found that we still had some chocolate-covered popcorn left from Christmas and decided that this was reason enough to celebrate...and I've been celebrating ever since. Hence, my first Lenten promise.

My second Lenten Promise is to declutter the piles of stuff that seem to pop up all over the place around here. My plan is to do this for 15 minutes each night after the kids go to bed. Often I collapse somewhere once the kids are finally in bed, but I know that carving out this time will make a world of difference.

Finally, I feel drawn to a Lenten promise that nourishes the spirit, so I'm choosing to add an additional minute each day of Lent to some time in prayer.

I'm a sucker for a fresh start and Lent always gives a great reason to re-commit and start anew. The kids were asking about Lent and I explained that a lot of people choose to give something up for Lent and then I went into the meaning that such a practice holds. The kids were trying to decide if they wanted to give up anything for lent and, if so, what. James thought it over for about 30 seconds before he said, "I know! I'll give up brushing my teeth for Lent!" Nice try. I quickly told him, "No, it has to be something that will make your life better...and not brushing your teeth will definitely not make your life better (though it might make our dentist's life better)". He mulled it over some more and said, "I'll stop annoying Meagan for Lent." We'll see how long that lasts.

I decided to start Lent in the right frame of mind and went to mass this morning and I have to say it was just lovely to be in the old pink church downtown and have some time to reflect on this Lenten season.

The Givens Girls Get-Together

Double Cousins: Carolyn, Annette (my aunt), Lois, and Carmen (my mom).

Once upon a time there were these two brothers, Harold and Art Givens, who fell in love with sisters, Teresa and Alda Pongratz. They married their sweethearts and each had a family. Their families farmed together, played together, cared for each other, went to church together, worked together, and went to school together. My mom is the youngest daughter of Harold and Teresa. I've always loved her stories about growing up on the farm and the special connection that she had to her cousins. It was amazing to me that this group of cousins shared the same aunts and uncles and the same grandparents on both sides of their family. Growing up in a small farmining community in Nebraska, these four girls were referred to as "The Givens Girls". My mom thought it'd be fun to have them all out to Tucson this winter for a "Givens Girls Reunion". They did so earlier this month for a whole week. There are quite a few "Givens Boys" too, but this was a time for just the girls. I called my mom and asked if Meagan and I could jump in on the fun for a day of their time together. Meagan and I had such a great time jumping in with the Givens Girls. We looked at old photographs, listened to their stories, laughed, and caught up on their families with a warm and sunny Tucson as a lovely backdrop. It was such a wonderful little get-away for Meagan and me. While not full blooded "Givens Girls" like these four, being with them made me grateful that Meagan and I have some of this rich "Givens Girl" blood coursing through our own veins.

Bring it on, Phil!

I hear Phil the Groundhog saw his shadow and now we are all in for another 6 weeks of winter. I say, BRING IT ON if we can keep having this much snow fun! My brother and his family were here from San Diego this past weekend to play in the snow. And play we did!

PK loved sledding, getting braver with each time down the hills. I would have gotten a photo of her big sister, but she was much too fast for my cranky camera.

Jeff and Meagan take on the big hills.

PK at Ski school. When Charlie boasted that he skis really well. She touted, "I stop really well!"

There, in the white hat, is the boy who "skis really well" ...until he pees his pants. But, that's another story.

We decided that the kids shouldn't be the only ones having fun, so we took Thatcher (the cute bundled peanut on Shawna's chest) and went cross-country skiing.

So much fun~!!

One more photo of PK, because she is so darn cute!