Random thoughts

I love e-filing taxes! I already have my returns and with direct deposit they just show up unlike the pile of checks I need to take to the bank today.

I love being a new aunt. Baby Max is adorable and I am excited to meet him in May.

Being around children brings hope. I was just put in as an instructor for the Sunbeams. They are all adorable (although at the same time quite a handful - 8 kids with 3 adults and still things got a bit out of control). I get to teach the lesson next week and practice singing Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam - reverently. Just one week reminded me what we can learn from children about hope and happiness. Adults make life way to complicated. Having that experience was a great precursor to the hectic week I have scheduled.

First, I procrastinated reading The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker. (Does it say something about our society that we have to learn how to effectively read a book about being effective to become more effective? Kind of like how we have to schedule time to exercise. Something is wrong with a life that is spent sitting for 8 hours in a chair but I haven't quite figured out how to fix it.) Which I had to have read and outlined for a morning meeting so of course I read through dinner and late into the night and then through breakfast and on my commute. Brings back memories of school. You would think one would eventually get fed up with procrastination and just change but I am reminded again that change takes effort channeled in the correct direction. In the end it turned out all right and I just lost sleep.

Now onto the rest of the week filled with budget reviews and forecasts, huge annual fundraising events (again the recurring question - what am I going to wear and why doesn't ladies' formal wear include pockets?), roommates moving in and out (half of the living room is full of transitional stuff), packing for a trip home next week, and lots of cupcakes and chocolate flowers (I am starting to perfect the technique) for Kirsten and Jon's wedding (the supplies and end results are taking up the other half of the living room and the kitchen). I am looking forward to Sunday evening and going to bed really early!

Taxes

I procrastinated doing my taxes this year. Again. Next year my goal is to do them as soon as I get the necessary forms in the mail. Do I gain anything from waiting until the eleventh hour? Sure - the stress of having something hanging over my head for weeks. Do I need that? No. The great thing about e-filing is that I already know they have been accepted and expect my refunds within the next couple of weeks. Always so glad when there is a refund instead of having to pay extra. Now I can sleep soundly tonight knowing that I have satisfied my civic taxation duties for yet another year.

weekend at home

I spent a whirlwind weekend at home. Arriving Friday afternoon and leaving early Wednesday morning. The majority of the time was spent in the kitchen concocting fabulously delicious wedding treats for Gin and Josh. I discovered some amazing books by Mich Turner who runs Little Venice Cake Company (www.lvcc.co.uk) with a picture of the perfect cherry blossom cake. What could have been better for this cherry blossom wedding. It is said that a life spent searching for the perfect cherry blossom is a life well spent. I discovered all about chocolate plastique - just like fondant but it tastes good and gives a great smooth coating. And look at the incredible roses Aunt Joan found the afternoon of the wedding!

I also found that even though the cookie molds seemed to be quite user friendly from the description on the website they really were actually a bit tricky. But Dad and Jenkin came to the rescue with their incredible muscles - with much better results than my 'wacking' method. Yep those are all cookie covered oreos. We gave up on the molds and went to hand dipping when we realized we were running short on time. The chocolate and mint cups went much easier. Combined with the brownies, o'henry bars, lemon bars, sugar cookies, and frappe everything was a tremendous hit. We had lots of help both in the kitchen and at the reception without which there was no way it would have been pulled off. I didn't think to take pictures until half way through the reception but there were lots of photos taken by others so hopefully I will see some of them.

joining the blogging world

After perusing the blogs of family and friends for months on end (and quite honestly feeling a little bit like a stalker) I have finally decided I should reciprocate and put something up myself. I am actually only half reciprocating until I can decide that I will actually give this address to another living being. There is something about putting parts of your life out there for anyone to read that makes you feel like everything you type needs to be pithy and witty. But if you can get past that...it could be fun!