Friday, April 17, 2015
Thursday, April 16, 2015
March goal report
1. Attend all 15 temples in Utah, attend the temple twice a month
January - Salt Lake City with Stephanie as she received her
endowment & Phoenix temple, February - Monticello temple & Provo temple, March - Jordan River temple & Bountiful temple
2. read the Ensign every month
January - check
February - check
March - check
3. dejunk, clean and organize my home
4. update all my photo albums, label and date them
While in St. George for a week, I started this process by organizing all the loose photos and starting putting them back in the albums where they belong
5. start writing my personal history
6. sew something for each grandchild
made Lizzie an apron
made Will a Superman cape
7. sew my Christmas presents
8. spend more time in my yard gardening, etc.
9. walk 10,000 steps 5 days a week (thanks to my new FitBit this will be measurable!)
January - I'm averaging about 6,000 steps over five days a week, thanks to my FitBit for keeping track. February - I need to kick that up once I can get outside more. Not doing as well as I would like to. March - my FitBit stopped working, but I'm doing my routine and hopefully hitting my goal.
10. Lose 15 pounds
Lost the two I put on plus one more. Moving in the right direction now. Slowly. March - slow progress, 1 pound lost
11. Read 15 books
Orphan Train
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
12. support and love my mother more in her advancing years
January - visited Mom at her home and took her to the Hardware Ranch, a place she use to visit as a child, February - called her several time a week, March - visited for the weekend, helped her set up her patio, went on some drives, helped her with her meds, etc.
13. strengthen the relationships with people I care about
January - went to breakfast with Kathleen, attended a concert with Shelley, Kevin, Marie and Cydnee, went to dinner at the Dixon's home, babysat for Adam and Syd so they could have a break, invited Cydnee over for a sleepover, visited Jordan and Jake and family, attended Kate's welcome home, went to the airport to welcome her, went to lunch with LaRita, February - attended a benefit dinner with the Lindleys, visited Claire and R and family, visited Sarah F., had the Densley's over for dinner, attended a bridal shower for Brooke, threw a birthday luncheon for Kathleen, attended and helped at Brooke's wedding reception, March - went to Sofia's thesis defense, enjoyed my mom, sisters and nieces at my 60th birthday party, met Mary R. for lunch, helped Dara with her finances and went to help her find a new place to live, had the Juan P.s over for dinner, went to lunch with Tiffany and Diane, went to dinner with Scott H. and Lori, spent time together getting a pedicure with my aunt Lorna and cousin Diane
14. serve at UVU in the Women's Success Center board
Met for two board meetings and contributed. Signed up to mentor three college students, got training and met with them individually (one widowed mother of five, one 18 year old, one 20 year old from a troubled family) to help them work towards receiving a college degree, attended more meetings and met with my mentees and provided breakfast, attended a talk by Sheri Dew sponsored by the Women's Success center, met with my mentees during the month
15. finish visiting the rest of the 50 states I haven't been to including: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma
2. read the Ensign every month
January - check
February - check
March - check
3. dejunk, clean and organize my home
4. update all my photo albums, label and date them
While in St. George for a week, I started this process by organizing all the loose photos and starting putting them back in the albums where they belong
5. start writing my personal history
6. sew something for each grandchild
made Lizzie an apron
made Will a Superman cape
7. sew my Christmas presents
8. spend more time in my yard gardening, etc.
9. walk 10,000 steps 5 days a week (thanks to my new FitBit this will be measurable!)
January - I'm averaging about 6,000 steps over five days a week, thanks to my FitBit for keeping track. February - I need to kick that up once I can get outside more. Not doing as well as I would like to. March - my FitBit stopped working, but I'm doing my routine and hopefully hitting my goal.
10. Lose 15 pounds
Lost the two I put on plus one more. Moving in the right direction now. Slowly. March - slow progress, 1 pound lost
11. Read 15 books
Orphan Train
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
12. support and love my mother more in her advancing years
January - visited Mom at her home and took her to the Hardware Ranch, a place she use to visit as a child, February - called her several time a week, March - visited for the weekend, helped her set up her patio, went on some drives, helped her with her meds, etc.
13. strengthen the relationships with people I care about
January - went to breakfast with Kathleen, attended a concert with Shelley, Kevin, Marie and Cydnee, went to dinner at the Dixon's home, babysat for Adam and Syd so they could have a break, invited Cydnee over for a sleepover, visited Jordan and Jake and family, attended Kate's welcome home, went to the airport to welcome her, went to lunch with LaRita, February - attended a benefit dinner with the Lindleys, visited Claire and R and family, visited Sarah F., had the Densley's over for dinner, attended a bridal shower for Brooke, threw a birthday luncheon for Kathleen, attended and helped at Brooke's wedding reception, March - went to Sofia's thesis defense, enjoyed my mom, sisters and nieces at my 60th birthday party, met Mary R. for lunch, helped Dara with her finances and went to help her find a new place to live, had the Juan P.s over for dinner, went to lunch with Tiffany and Diane, went to dinner with Scott H. and Lori, spent time together getting a pedicure with my aunt Lorna and cousin Diane
14. serve at UVU in the Women's Success Center board
Met for two board meetings and contributed. Signed up to mentor three college students, got training and met with them individually (one widowed mother of five, one 18 year old, one 20 year old from a troubled family) to help them work towards receiving a college degree, attended more meetings and met with my mentees and provided breakfast, attended a talk by Sheri Dew sponsored by the Women's Success center, met with my mentees during the month
15. finish visiting the rest of the 50 states I haven't been to including: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
15 days and counting
I'm going to retire from working at BYU on April 30. 15 more work days and then....DONE!
This is the end of an era, a very long one. I started working full-time here in August of 1979. Even though I was trained to teach Home Economics, there were no jobs to be found in that area at the time. I was thrilled to find a full-time job at BYU since I had just graduated and Rick was starting law school. I've worked in several different offices, all within the college of Family, Home and Social Sciences. I've worked stints of full-time, part-time, three-quarter time and I've been on call during almost all of those years (with a two year break teaching Home Economics at Independence High School.)
One of the greatest perks of working at BYU has been the opportunity I've had to see our four kids on campus as they have completed their education here as students. I also got to spend some time with R, Courtney and Chelsea since there were students here also (Jake had already graduated and was on to law school when he started dating Jord.)
I have such great memories of meeting them for lunch, going to the Bookstore with them, buying textbooks with my faculty/staff discount, bringing them treats and items from home, helping them get around and find where to go, loaning them my car, meeting their friends, hosting their friends with food during devotionals, helping them have access to printers, staplers and such, employing some of their friends, listening to them talk about their lives, their dates, their classes and their hopes and dreams. They have eaten their lunches in my office, as well as bummed some lunches off of me. It has truly been a pleasure to see them walk in to my office during the day and just sit down and chat. There have only been a few years since Jordan started school here in 1999, that one of them hasn't been on campus with me. At one point, Jordan, Claire and Dave were all students here. It has been a wonderful blessing to be able to work in the same location as my children who were going to school. I will cherish the memories!
As a final lunch a couple of weeks ago, I met Andy and Chelsea for the LAST TIME at the Pen Court for lunch in the ESC. The Pen Court was closing down for the semester and it was our last hurrah. They are graduating in April and I am retiring. No more lunches at the Pen Court. It's a mixed bag of emotions as we all close this chapter of our lives.
This is the end of an era, a very long one. I started working full-time here in August of 1979. Even though I was trained to teach Home Economics, there were no jobs to be found in that area at the time. I was thrilled to find a full-time job at BYU since I had just graduated and Rick was starting law school. I've worked in several different offices, all within the college of Family, Home and Social Sciences. I've worked stints of full-time, part-time, three-quarter time and I've been on call during almost all of those years (with a two year break teaching Home Economics at Independence High School.)
One of the greatest perks of working at BYU has been the opportunity I've had to see our four kids on campus as they have completed their education here as students. I also got to spend some time with R, Courtney and Chelsea since there were students here also (Jake had already graduated and was on to law school when he started dating Jord.)
I have such great memories of meeting them for lunch, going to the Bookstore with them, buying textbooks with my faculty/staff discount, bringing them treats and items from home, helping them get around and find where to go, loaning them my car, meeting their friends, hosting their friends with food during devotionals, helping them have access to printers, staplers and such, employing some of their friends, listening to them talk about their lives, their dates, their classes and their hopes and dreams. They have eaten their lunches in my office, as well as bummed some lunches off of me. It has truly been a pleasure to see them walk in to my office during the day and just sit down and chat. There have only been a few years since Jordan started school here in 1999, that one of them hasn't been on campus with me. At one point, Jordan, Claire and Dave were all students here. It has been a wonderful blessing to be able to work in the same location as my children who were going to school. I will cherish the memories!
As a final lunch a couple of weeks ago, I met Andy and Chelsea for the LAST TIME at the Pen Court for lunch in the ESC. The Pen Court was closing down for the semester and it was our last hurrah. They are graduating in April and I am retiring. No more lunches at the Pen Court. It's a mixed bag of emotions as we all close this chapter of our lives.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
You were born to lead
The Keynote speaker was Sheri Dew with an introduction and speech by former YW general president Elaine Dalton. Both of these women are such an inspiration to me. They lead with conviction and love and they are wonderful speakers. I took copious notes and want to share some of what they said. I was inspired, motivated, encouraged, and rewarded for attending and I'm so happy I go be there with Chelsea.
Elaine Dalton said: Ordinary Mary, mother of Jesus. Extraordinary task accomplished. Using our ordinary talents and abilities can change the world. Leadership is hard. It can be exhilarating, rewarding...but it is never easy. It's about influence. Learn techniques to influence. The leader doesn't have to have all the answers. They just need to know how to find the answers. Be a person people will follow. Leaders are needed everywhere. The leadership of women is critical. Women can see things. We know what the needs are. We can be a combination of courage and compassion. We will have direct influence on 1,000s of people over our lifetimes.
Sheri Dew gave an inspiring address. Speaking to women of all ages, she said, "The best leaders are perpetual learners. An inspired leader is always learning -- from mistakes, from others, and from experience. I'm not sure it is possible for a poor learner to be a good leader."
She shared seven principles of influence:
1. Your leadership is not about YOU. Lift others, don't elevate yourself. Help others do and become more than they could become on their own. Model for others how to do something. Selfless leaders tend to be optomistic and positive.
2. Leadership is utterly dependent on trust. Without trust it is only a strategy. Relationships of trust bear fruit. How can we trust someone...that their motives are pure, their judgement is good, we will feel the truth. Do people you lead trust you?
3. Experience is the best teacher. New experiences lead to results. First - Experiences, second -beliefs, third - action, forth- results. What new experiences can you give to people you lead?
4. The best leaders are perpetual learners. Learn from mistakes, hire the brains, ask good questions, the best you can do is the best you can do. Leadership exposes your weaknesses. You can't hide, ignore or deny. You must acknowledge and compensate for inadequacies. Leaders accept responsibility. It is always important to know what you do not know.
5. The best leaders are both courageous and kind. Always show more kindness than seems necessary. Everyone has value and wants that value to be recognized. Leadership is sometime lonely. Show courage, compassion and consideration.
6. It's easier to motivate someone to do something difficult than to motivate them to do something easy. Our leaders should call upon us to do more. A life that doesn't stretch us doesn't help us to grow.
7. Inspired leadership endures. It is devoted to something greater than themselves. Every woman giver her life to what she believes in. Each day, endeavor to be more than you were.
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