New Year's Resolution #3: Get out more

When was the last time I went some place new or gone exploring with Burt? It's definitely time for an adventure! We've had two straight weeks of inversion, fog, and smog, with absolutely no sunshine, so I desperately needed to get out of town!  Here are the scenic byway, ice sculptures, and fireworks pictures from my day trip to McCall, Idaho :).

So my secret is that I have a cell phone holder on my dash. If I plug in my headphones, I can take pictures using the volume control thingy. So today I just snapped and clicked and photographed my heart out... until the battery ran out.

 The drive to McCall started foggy and over cast, but luckily, it also started with four lanes.

In 2009 Chris and I took a day trip to McCall during the summer.  Personally I think I found the spot we stopped to try to take some Christmas card photos. I'd post it, but the sun was REALLY bright and we both have pained squinty eyes.

While the cell phone and the holder and the ear buds were pretty good, sometimes the scenery was just so pretty I had to pull over and explore a bit.

I started with fog, moved to sunny.  Then, BAM!, snow. The bridge is really pretty and very narrow.

Holy crap! Where'd all this snow come from? Can you spot the river? It's hiding!

There was this really great stretch of road where the river was full of huge boulders covered in snow and you could see the current serpentine through it. Sometimes you just have to take the mind pictures and enjoy the moment, you know?

GPS said it would take 2 1/2 hours to get here. Except I kind of stopped a lot, so it took a bit longer.  My first stop was to the Craft Faire, where I found some pretty earrings and some free hot chocolate!  Then I was off with my trusty map looking for the winning ice-sculptures. This baby at the Hunt Lodge Holiday Inn Express is called "Pharaoh's Tomb," where you can actually walk between the sphinx front legs inside the pyramid, won Grand Prize.

This pretty sculpture by The Mill  and Beside the Mill is another big one! It won Most Photogenic and is called, "Guardian Angels Among Us."

This is "The Great Wall" and the 3rd Place winner done by Toll Station Pizza and Pasta.

Trying to find as many sculptures on their 2014 Snow Scupture Locations map was like going on a scavenger hunt but racing against sunset (pictures are a little tougher in the dark!).  I found this 2nd place winner by Krahn's Home Furnishings just in the nick of time! It's called "Wonders Down Under" with all the characters from Finding Nemo,

You know the best thing about winter fireworks? The sun sets at 5:41 pm!

I read an article yesterday on how to dress warm. I got my long johns, my two pairs of socks, my many thin warm layers (long sleeve shirt, pull over, hoody, and winter coat), and my hat. Now what do I do about my frozen chin!?

You see those guys down there setting off fireworks? They are ON the lake!

Driving there wasn’t too bad.  It’s mountain driving, so lots of two-lane roads and switch backs, but it was really pretty. The drive back in the dark?  A bit terrifying!  I made it to McCall including scenery stops in 2 ½ hours.  I drove back to Boise in almost three.  Geesh!  Still, a really interesting and fun adventure!

New Year's Resolution #2: Live Healthier

Every year I resolve to eat healthier, live cleaner, and move more (basically I try to avoid the word "exercise" at all costs!). This year when I was shopping for Christmas presents I stumbled across Prevention's Total-Body Shape Up, and it caught my eye. It highlights four main areas: Change Your Habits, The Best Way to Get Fit, Eat Smarter (and Enjoy Food More), and Keep It Going.  The more I read the more I felt like I could actually do this stuff, which is saying something with my 4 joint replacements and chronic arthritis issues!

They also set a focus for each month.  "January is Set A Date."  They recommend putting a deadline on your calendar to get and stay motivated; setting a 4 week, 3 month, and 6 month goal; making your goals appropriate with your current fitness level; and recovering well by remember to fuel your body before and after exercise, to hydrate well, and to maintain a solid sleep schedule. I'm going to record my goals here, so I have some accountability and can report on my progress :).

4 week goal: Awareness. 

I'd like to educate myself about healthy food choices and about movement that will help, not hurt, my body. For now, I prefer to live in ignorance about how many calories is in that candy bar, but I want to meet the recommended daily fruits & vegetables, milk, and water servings.  There are so many restrictions with joint replacements, but the first month is all about setting up a program that improves strength, balance, and endurance. 

3 month goal: Complete Prevention's Walking Program. 

They suggest walking 5 times a week gradually increasing the duration and intensity. I'm going to ignore the mph they suggest because, let's face it, there is NO way I can walk 3-4 mph, but I CAN work my heart and meet my personal heart rate range.

6 month goal: Participate in a 5K. 

I checked with the rheumatologist and the ankle surgeon and the hip surgeon and both okayed a 5K. I see my friends and family get involved in running and triathlons, and it enriches their lives. I'm excited to try it!  I've registered for the Fit For Life Half Marathon (5K walking heat) for July 12th!

New Year Resolutions #1: Spiritually Centered

Sunday School Thought Questions

I got a new church calling!  I'm a Gospel Doctrine teacher, and they asked me to teach next week.  I laughed.  I couldn't help it.  When I told Mom about my new calling, she told me that Dad was going to be jealous and I thought he would start giving me books.  Turns out we were both right :).  That's okay, I appreciate all the resources I can get, which brings me to one of my New Year's resolutions.  When I was in Primary I felt so out of the loop that I thought it would be fun to post a question on Facebook from the Class Member Study Guide and have my own personal Gospel Doctrine discussion with my friends and family.  Now that it looks like I'm going to be teaching, then I really would like to get some feedback!  So here is the question for the week...

Lesson 2: “Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born”

In Abraham 3:11–12, 22–23 and Doctrine and Covenants 138:53–57, Abraham talks with the Lord face to face and learns that in the premortal life many “noble and great” spirits were foreordained to their mortal missions.

President Joseph F. Smith learns more about the “noble and great ones” in a vision of the Savior’s visit to the spirit world before His Resurrection (D&C 138:53–57). Whom did President Joseph F. Smith see in his vision of the spirit world? What were these people foreordained to do? 

Links have been added for your convenience, and I'd love your feedback!

Note:  I'd like to ask class members," What might you have been foreordained to do?"  But, I'm worried that might be to personal or need more time for reflection.  I can give them time to think about it and a card to write on, but I wonder if it should be asked...