Sunday, December 31, 2023

2023 reflection

Last year I wrote down 23 things I wanted to do in 2023, and here's how I did.....

I wanted to host at least 6 dinners at my home -- and I did.

I wanted to read at least a book a month.  I did much more than that: 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. 

  1. Our missing  Hearts
  2. Lessons in Chemistry
  3. Verity
  4. The Covenant of Water
  5. The Girl who drank the moon
  6. The Summer before the War
  7. The Boys from Biloxi
  8. Remarkably beautiful creatures
  9. Mad Honey
  10. A time for Mercy
  11. Hello Beautiful 
  12. Carrie Soto is back
  13. River Sing Me Home
  14. Book of Delights
  15. The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeyset
  16. Tom Lake
  17. Homecoming 
  18. Better than Happy by Jody Moore
  19. Who is Maud Dixon
  20. Faith after Doubt

Visit one new country✔️ Austria 


Follow through on kids book with Addison. I didn't do this...but it's still on my list for this year.  I want to get on it now so it's ready for Christmas 


Be in a show. ✔️. A Christmas Carol on Ogden 


Redo stools✔️ and chairs ✔️


Go to temple once a week.   I didn't get in once a week, but more like twice amonth.  I will work on this.


Reach out to Gary more.  All my siblings connect on phone weekly 

Once a month sibling lunches / dinners ✔️


Lunch date every week with someone


Figure out all of my thousands of pics - hmmmm


Duolingo. Practice Spanish out loud daily✔️. I'm at a 420 day streak at this point


Read the Gospels over and over.  I read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 12 times this year ✔️


Love my body✔️


Bear my testimony 6 times ✔️


Create a fun file. Schedule deliberately with grands 


Workout/ walk  5 times a week. 


Meditation 5 minutes  a day. 


Learn school programs ✔️


Get rid of one bag of stuff to DI a month- de clutter organize spaces ✔️ moving took care of this. 


Spend more time outside.  


Volunteer.    Directed SNAP  program ✔️. In charge of Girls camp ✔️ helped Rosalinda✔️

WOW-- this year was a year of change.  

Last year at this time the thought of moving our of my beloved Bountiful hadn't even entered our heads or hearts, yet here we are in Layton.

This was a big life-changing decision, and mostly, I'm glad we did it. I do miss my big tub, and sunset views.  

In our RAINBOW home, we have added more cement and put in a basement door and will finish that space in the next few months.  We will rent out half of the basement and keep the other half for a downstairs family room/playroom. 

We have made some new acquaintances-- hopefully, we can call them friends soon as well.  I now walk with Bonnie Benedict twice a week.  She has lived in this ward for over 20 years and we walk the streets and she points out where people live , tells me old ward stories and fills me in on different aspects of her neighborhood.  She lives in the upper third of our ward, I live in the lower third and then we also have a lot of apartments and townhomes.    This ward feels very "mission fieldy."  Lots of need.  It's like we called ourselves on a mission to Layton.

Wayne and I are on a Layton Temple committee now..this would never have happened had we stayed in Bountiful.  

We have new church callings with Wayne over the priests and me over the Primary.  I have been blessed with the counselors and secretary that help me.  Marilee Ellsworth, Jayne Merrill and Jill Swenson are all dedicated, awesome  and fun to work with.   Wayne has 17 priests he's over with only 4 active ones...it's a challenge, but he's up for it.  

We are closer to Monson's and Addison's homes so we do help with and see our grands more.

It's been a year of loss as well.  Preston Brown's suicide was devastating.  AND our dear friend Eric Johnston's death was impactful as well.  

It's always amazing to me how the years just keep rolling along and everything changes and everything stays the same. 

It will be interesting to see what 2024 brings.

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