In a Rut

I swear as time goes on it gets harder and harder to keep acts of service at the forefront of my mind.

On Thursday, my act of kindness was to order Nathan's anniversary present.  I wanted to make sure that it's here in time for our anniversary next month.  It was a lot of fun working on it for him.  I wish I could say more, but I can't.

On Friday, I bought Nathan and his coworker lunch and took it to them at work.

On Saturday, I let Devon have control of the downstairs television and gave him a day off from chores.

On Sunday, Nathan and I taught our youth Sunday School class.

On Monday, I took care of myself.  I went to work and got my hair done.  And hung out with Nathan playing puzzle games on my phone. It was a good day.

On Tuesday, I let it go.  I came home to a ridiculously messy home and two boys who were playing video games, one of which had had a friend over.  Instead of harping on them, I asked them to pick up some stuff while I made dinner.  In reality I wanted to get onto them and pack the Xbox-es away.  This feels like a very frequent experience.

I feel like I'm getting in a service rut.  I have been focusing on other things, so my acts of service are not as thought intensive as I had hoped.  I want to shake it up a little and do more. That's my goal for the next 7 days.

It's Not Okay to Say "Retard"

My act of kindness today is to try to make people more aware of how the use of the word "retard" or any derivative is demeaning.

My friend Shan shared a link on facebook, which I shared as well, and will also share here:

I feel very strongly about this subject.  I have a great aunt who has Down Syndrome.  I have cousins and a brother who all fall on the Autism spectrum.  I have worked with kids, teens, and adults who have developmental and/or physical disabilities.

I feel the same way about the use of the phrases "That's gay" or "You're gay."  They are used in the same way as "retard" and "retarded"---that is, to imply that something or someone is stupid or slow or different.

It's not okay.  It's just like saying "nigger."  It's not okay to use that word, so why is it okay to call some one "retarded" or "gay"?

I don't know if it's a generational thing or a cultural thing to use these words.  When I was the site director of the Boys and Girls Club, the kids there would say things like that all of the time.  I continually reprimanded their use of these words/phrases by explaining just how demeaning they were.  And then I heard my boss refer to something as being "gay."  To this day, I wish that I had said something.  I brought it up in a round about way by mentioning in a conversation with him that I didn't let the kids use these phrases, but I never said anything directly to him about his use of it.

I feel like people use them thinking there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.  They think they're just words, with no power behind them.  But that's not true.  They are more than just words.  And this casual use of them gives them an unhealthy power because people believe it's okay when it's not.

I don't know that many people actually read my blog.  This is more for me to account for my acts of service. Still, if you do, please take a moment to read the blog I linked and please rethink how you use the words, and even more, how you view these people.  I have never met someone with special needs who did not touch my heart and  bless my life.

Minecraft and Boxed Noodles

Friday:  I stayed home today because I wasn't feeling well.  The boys were out of school (well, the younger two were, so we let our older one stay home, too), so Nathan called to instruct them to clean the house (his act of kindness to me, in theory).  Our 11 year old got really upset because he "had to clean the entire house by himself and couldn't do anything until Dad got home from work" (which was at 2:00 mind you).  He pouted and sulked and finally hid in his room, while his brothers and our 17 year old and I cleaned.  I went to talk to him very patiently (that was my act of kindness...I wanted to tell him to suck it up and get to work because he helped make the mess) and gave him the option to help (and therefore participate in any family activities that day) or to stay in his room.  I gave him 15 minutes to decide.  He finally chose to help, although it was somewhat grudgingly.  I cut him some slack, though, because his brothers hadn't been to stay with us in a couple of weeks (the holiday disrupted our normal schedule), and he has to readjust every time they are with us.

Saturday:  Our youngest got baptized today.  He lives in SLC, so that's where we were for the baptism.  Afterward, we stopped by Trader Joe's to pick up some things while we were up there.  My 11 year old helped me grocery shop (this is something that I usually like to do by myself).  I said yes to several things that he wanted that I would not usually buy.  Some were fruits, so that was fine.  We also bought some peanut butter cups (at $5 a box) because he wanted them, and some boxed noodles to try (I can't stand those things...these are just a slightly healthier version of Ramen Noodles...ick).

Sunday: Today my act of kindness was to play Minecraft with Nathan.  He and the boys are obsessed with this game, and I just don't get it!  So, in an effort to figure out what all the fuss was about, I played the game with him.  After about 30 minutes, I passed the controls to my 8 year old.

I still don't get the point of Minecraft.

Monday: Yesterday I picked up the living room before work.  Our house is a mess every time the younger boys come to visit.  Chaos always ensues despite my best efforts.  I came downstairs yesterday morning to trash that needed to be taken out, a sink full of dishes, a table with half full bowls of soup from the night before, and a war zone for a living room.  I wanted to run away.

Instead, I made myself breakfast and settled in to watch some Netflix before work.  After I finished eating, I put the living room back together (instead of screaming and running away).

Of course, by the time I got home last night it was already "lived in" again.  Thank you boys.

Chuck-A-What?

Yesterday, I took Devon, our 11 year old, to Sylvan to be assessed.  What we thought was going to be a four hour assessment turned into a 6 hour assessment (I bought and read a book during this time!).  He did a great job and actually had fun in the process.  We go next week to find out exactly what kind of intervention he needs (and exactly how poor we will be afterward!).  Anyway, I wanted to treat him because I knew it was a really long day for him, so my act of kindness was to let him choose any place he wanted to go for lunch.  I am a particular eater (I've improved quite a bit over the years), so this was big for me.

He chose Chuck-A-Rama.

It's a buffet restaurant that is popular in Utah.  And it's one of the LAST places I would have chosen.  But I sucked it up and took him there for a late lunch.  Then I took him shopping for shoes (he picked a pair of DCs) and clothes.  And cologne (He chose Nautica Blue).  And a DS game.  It was a lot of fun, and he even let me buy him two button down shirts and a pair of loafers (he's a tshirt and skater shoes kid)!

Today my act of kindness was to leave a note for one of the facilitators I supervise.  She made sure to leave me a document that she knew I would ask for (it's the end of the month) but hadn't asked for yet.  She totally rocks!  So I told her so!

Back in the Saddle

I lost focus on my challenge for a couple of weeks (I think that's how long it's been).  I had a bad PMDD episode which basically meant it took everything I had in order to function and there wasn't much left over for anything or anyone else.  The episode was preceded by a 40 hour work week done in 4 days and followed by an effort to return to normalcy after the episode.  This past weekend brought with it its own stress...as do most weekends these days.  Nathan and are coming up on our one year mark, which means a temple sealing is coming up soon as well....of course, this means that the adversary is actively pushing buttons in our lives to make the time leading up to the sealing as miserable as possible.  Which means weekends, especially Saturdays, tend to be rough.  This weekend was no exception.  Nathan and I are fine, btw, but life is more emotional for me and stressful for him.  This is why my focus has been inward lately.

But  I don't like that.  I don't like that I have been so focused on myself.  I know that when I try to focus on others I feel better and life goes better.  So I am back to making a concerted effort to serve others and love others so that change might happen, even if that change is only with me.

Today, I brought Nathan lunch at work.  He frequently works an entire shift (8:30 am - 7:15 pm) without eating an actual meal.  It's not ideal but it's a reality of his job.  When I talked to him after my morning of meetings (one of which included lunch), he mentioned that he hadn't eaten and asked me to bring him something on my way out to one of my sites.  I immediately agreed and then asked him what he wanted.  His choice required going slightly our of my way AND getting out of my car to order it.  But I love him, so I did it willingly.

I Chose to be Happy

On Friday, my act of kindness was to myself.  I know that goes against the rules, but as I made the rules, I can change them!  I chose to walk from the main campus up to the office building where my department is housed (I have an office on the main campus) instead of driving.  The walk there and back is about a mile total, which made me feel really good.  I also abstained from drinking Diet Coke even though I was in need of caffeine!

On Saturday, my act of kindness was laundry.  Our dryer had been out of commission for a couple of weeks, which meant we made due by hanging stuff up to dry and by using Nathan's parents' washer/dryer set.  On Friday, our dryer was fixed.  As in, the dryer repair man came, pushed the on button and it started.  Seriously.  Of course, every time Nathan and I tried that nothing happened.  Anyway, he cleaned some things, and went on his way.  So, I spent all of Saturday (and most of Sunday) washing, drying, and folding laundry while Nathan was as work (he was sick on Sunday) and Devon had a friend over.

On Sunday, my act of kindness was to magnify my church calling.  Nathan and I were called to teach Sunday School to the younger youth (12-14/15 yrs old).  We are responsible for teaching twice a month, but we split that so it's really on once a month each.  With Nathan home sick (stomach flu, blech), it was up to me to teach our ginormous class of teens.  I focused on the lesson both Saturday and Sunday, and then took what I had, said a prayer, and started teaching them.  It was soooo much fun, and I think they enjoyed it as well.

On Monday, I found out some surprising news.  My father remarried.  She's beautiful.  She's from the Philippines.  And she's young.  As in, younger than me.  By 12 years.  While the family members I spoke with were shocked and/or upset by the news, I laughed and simply said, "That's my dad."   To be fair, he did tell me before he left that he was going to find a bride.  I told him if she was younger than me, I wouldn't call her mom.

I chose to be happy about the situation.  And I genuinely am happy for him.  He's been divorced for 30 years, and in all that time he has never stopped looking for a wife.  I'm glad he has found one, and I pray that all works out well in his favor.  My only disappointment was that he didn't fly me to the Philippines for the wedding!

Lunch Date

I bought my coworker lunch today!  It was actually a lot of fun.  We were doing an event on campus (right during lunch time), and she said that we should get lunch on the way back to our offices.  Then she remembered that she had left her wallet in her office.  We decided that we would go back to the office first and then get lunch.  

Well, when it came time to actually go, I told her I would buy her lunch.  She agreed, but only if she could reciprocate next week, which I accepted.  Technically I benefit from this by getting lunch next week; however, when I made the offer I had no expectation or desire for reciprocation.  I only accepted because I knew that was the only way she would let me buy her lunch today.  

Back on the Wagon

Eek.  I have fallen down on the job.  These past few days have been crazy, and I honestly forgot to focus on others.  Oops. This whole act of kindness challenge is much harder than I thought it would be.  I realize how easy it is to get so caught up in my own things that I lose focus my focus on others.

On Friday, Feb. 1, I don't know that I did anything of note.  It was the beginning of a rough weekend.  Nathan and I went to Costco to grocery shop, and we have very different ideas about what we should buy.  Especially since we are starting Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, which means that I have to let go of some of my food buying habits (I like organic, high quality stuff, but it's expensive!).  I didn't realize how difficult it was going to be for me to not shop as I have been.  It meant buying more processed stuff that lasts longer and is cheaper.  I'm still determined to figure out a way to buy quality food on a budget, but our lack of time at home (and thus lack of time to make things from scratch) is definitely a roadblock I have to figure out.

On Saturday, Feb.2, I took my boys for a day-o-fun (Hang Time trampolines, lunch at Sonic, and then to their grandparents to watch the U of U basketball game, followed by homemade pizzas and a movie) instead of staying in bed all day like I wanted to.  It was a rough day for me because it was my Nana's birthday, and she passed away this summer, so the grief came back, especially since the rest of my family is so far away.  But I didn't want the boys to suffer because I was having a tough time.

On Sunday, Feb. 3, I was sick, and so was our 9 year old.  But I took a shower and went to my in-laws to celebrate Nathan's mom's birthday.  I didn't want my not feeling well to keep me from celebrating with her (it kept me from my sister-in-law's celebration the Sunday before).

On Monday, Feb. 4, I don't think I did anything.  How selfish is that?  I went home, said hi to my boys, and took a bath to unwind.  It, too, was a rough day.  I won't go into details, but it ended better, thank heavens.  Perhaps my act of kindness was to myself.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, I spent some time talking with my coworker.  It's something I've done before (with this person), but this was needed, I think.  She needed to talk, to process.  She's dealing with some things and needed a listening ear.  I even stayed at work later than I had planned in order to talk with her.

On Wednesday, Feb. 6, I made a point to make dinner for my family.  I know this seems like such a little thing, but I'm not kidding when I say that Nathan and I work crazy hours and sitting down together as a family to an actual meal (as opposed to a fend for yourself night) only happens a couple of times a week.  I made a point to listen to my 11 year old as he excitedly told me about telling a girl in his class that he likes her!

I'm back in the mindset of serving others, and I'm excited about it.  I'm still figuring out what I want to do today.  I really hope that whatever I do, big or small, makes a difference to someone!

"Isn't It About...Time?"

On Tuesday, I spent some one on one time with my 11 year old.  This does not get to happen very often, so I'm glad for the opportunity!  We worked on his science project together, and I listened as he told me random stuff.  Then we watched a movie together (I let him pick).  It was a lot of fun!

Wednesday's act of kindness was cleaning my house.  Yes, I know that benefits me, but it benefits my family even more.  There is something to be said for a clean environment and the effect that it has on everyone's attitudes.  I had some help from my 17 year old, which was nice.  He focused on the downstairs, which allowed me to focus on the upstairs, including the boys' bathroom, which was NASTY.  Boys are gross.  Anyway, it was worth it to have Nathan come home and say, "Thank you for cleaning."  And having a clean house made it easier to make dinner, eat dinner together, have family scripture reading and prayer, and sit and discuss Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover with Nathan.  We didn't have anything looming over our heads...like guilt for having a dirty bathroom or knowing that our time was better spent folding clothes.  It was already taken care of!

Looking back at these two acts, they really all focus around time together, which is one of the most important things.

Change

Yesterday, I was racking my brain for an act of service idea.  I know that at some point I am going to repeat myself, but it has barely been a month, so I'm not terribly eager to do so.  I'm also broke, which means buying something that benefits a charity or buying groceries for someone is out of the question.  Not that service has to result from spending money.  It's just that a lot of ideas involve treating someone, or buying gift cards to give to random people.

I thought about going home and making treats for someone, but I knew that the likelihood of this happening on a weeknight was slim, especially since I've had a headache since last week.  All I wanted to do when I got home was spend a little time with my family and go to bed (which is what I did).

Then I remembered that I had some random change in a bowl in my office.  I grabbed some on my way out of the office and headed straight to the vending machine down the hall.  I had no idea how much sodas/water cost (why don't they post prices anymore?), so I just stuck in $1.25 and walked away.  Hopefully someone was pleasantly surprised when they went to get a drink!

"I am here"

So, on Friday, my act of kindness was to respond to an email from the boys' mother in a way that was as kind as could possibly be.  She sent some communication that seemed as though it was meant to hurt, which could have had me responding in a way that was negative (kind of an "in your face, you <insert derogatory word here>" way).  Instead, I chose not to throw things back in her face, and instead did my best to focus on the needs of the boys and the issues at hand (which was not something she focused on).  My response was not perfect, but it was far better (nicer) than it would have been if I'd let myself react in the way that I think she wanted me to react. 

It's interesting for me to serve the boys' mom (not that this was all that serving; I just chose to be nice instead of the witch that I am capable of being when you mess with me or my family).  She has been the product of many a prayer.  I have found that praying for her and wishing her the best allows me to not dislike her so, which not only benefits me, but it also benefits the boys.

Saturday's act of kindness revolved around my Grandma.  I called her to check in and see how she was doing.  She lives alone and far away, so I rarely get to see her.  But I like to check in with her via phone every so often (as opposed to email).  She's the only grandparent I have left, so I want her to know that she is appreciated! 

It's funny.  Everytime I call my Grandma, I'm reminded of my past communication with my Grandpa.  My Grandpa was not very educated.  He was a Mississippi farm boy in a time when the harvest was more imporant than going to school.  He may have had an 8th grade education.  Anyway, he would send me "letters" when I was in college.  They were hand drawn pictures of him doing something different each time, with the accompanying phrase, "I am here.  Grandpa."  In return, I would send him hand drawn pictures of me on campus doing various things and an accompanying "I am here."  It was our thing.  He passed away several years ago, so of course that stopped, but I've tried hard to keep in touch with my Grandma ever since, because I know how important it is.

Today (Sunday), I dug out our chess sets for my boys to play with.  My 17 year old loves chess, but had no idea where we kept our chess set.  I found it for him so that he and my 11 year old could play, and they had a great time doing it!  I really love watching our boys interact together (when it's going well, that is!).  We have a very unique blended family, so when I see these two boys bonding like brothers, it warms my heart!

Bunches O' Stuff

Eek!  It's been over a week since I've reported my acts of service.  I got sick, and then we had a holiday, and life is insane.  Sorry.

Okay, so here's my recap:

Wednesday: I helped a co-worker post something to one of our Facebook pages.  She's been having trouble with it, so I took a look at it for her and then posted the info.

Thursday:  I dropped two of my classes for this semester so that I could focus more on my family.

Friday: I denied my boys junk food in the form of cake/brownie box mixes.  And sprinkles.  They are full of awful, awful things, like preservatives and artificial ingredients.  I know I'm not one to talk since I have a diet coke habit, but I'm trying.  They, of course, didn't see it as an act of service.  Oh well.

Saturday: I apologized to an old friend for something that happened years ago.  Honestly, I thought I had already apologized for it, but apparently I hadn't.  I felt awful about it (the incident and the not apologizing).  I also agreed to a last minute extended family trip because I knew my boys would enjoy it, even though my PMDD was getting worse.  The thought of going out of town at the last minute and being surrounded by people, and then having to take care of the boys alone on Monday (Nathan had to work) in front of his family caused me a great deal of anxiety.  But I said a prayer, took a deep breath, and told his mom we would go.

Sunday: I took notes in Relief Society for a sister who had a calling in either Primary or Young Women and couldn't be there.

Monday:  I bought my boys McFlurry's.  I know.  It completely contradicts Friday's act of service.  But, I was planning on hot chocolate or fudge from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Park City....only I forgot it was the Sundance Film Festival so there was no way to access the shop.

Tuesday: Okay, so Tuesday was a really rough day for me.  For some reason Tuesday was THE day my PMDD was at it's worst and I felt like a complete failure at being a mom and at my job (though surprisingly not at being a wife--I'm an awesome wife).  I practically cried on the phone to Nathan, and then again that night.  I came home and said hi to my kids before disappearing to the bathtub with my new book (Game of Thrones---SOOOO good!).  Nathan ended up serving me.  He listened to me, and he got my CPAP ready for me (I seriously needed good sleep).  I think the only service I did was to disappear into my room so as not to inflict my bummer attitude onto my kids and so as not to continually bring Nathan down.

Wednesday: I talked a friend through a serious anxiety attack.  Via text message.  Not an easy thing to do, but I was at work when it happened.

Thursday: I took some time to get to know one of my fellow office mates at one of my off campus sites (he works for the site).

Let Them Eat Ice Cream!

I am giving up fast food.  I am participating in a weight loss challenge starting tomorrow and running through April 30, which means no fast food for me until May (if I have any hope of getting healthier and losing weight).  Of course, I had to say good-bye to fast food today, which made it the perfect day to do this particular act of kindness.

While buying my Burger King burger (yum) and fries (meh), I paid for the order behind me.  I had no idea what they ordered, but there were three people in the car, so I was slightly worried about the potential cost.  Still, this was something that has been on my list for a while, and I knew I wouldn't have a chance to do it for a while if I missed this opportunity.  I didn't even ask for the total as I told him to use the same card. 

It turned out that they had only ordered three ice cream cones and the total was less than $4.  I was able to serve complete strangers in a fun way for only a little extra money!  It was a lot of fun!

One day, when we have more money, Nathan and I want to go to a nice restaurant and pick out a young couple and take care of their check for them.  And then watch their reactions when they find out their bill has been paid!

Praise and Forgiveness

Friday: Once a month, I meet with my supervisor and with the department head.  This is an opportunity to go over the projects I'm working on, get feedback, etc.  This past Friday, my bosses were finishing up a meeting when I got there, so I sat in on what was happening.  Some projects that my coworkers were working on came up, and I made sure to praise my coworkers and their ideas to the department head. 

Saturday: On Saturday, I forgave.  I won't go into details because they aren't important.  While I was still hurt, I wasn't angry, and I didn't hold what happened against the individual.  It was an interesting experience to choose to let go of it and forgive the person. 

Sunday: On Sunday, my act of kindness was kind of silly.  Through all three hours of church I worked hard to really listen to the speakers and teachers for all three hours of church.  I have a tendency to zone out (I'm NOT an auditory learner), but this Sunday, I pulled out my phone to take notes on what was said.  So many people had prepared talks and lessons, and I wanted to make sure that their work was appreciated. 

Monday:  One of my site facilitators has been sick since last week (I covered for her last Thursday evening).  Today was her first day back at work, and when I showed up to the site I could tell that she still wasn't 100%.  Normally, when I have things that need to go up to the classrooms, I give them to her and she takes care of it.  Instead, I decided to take up everything tonight.  It wasn't much, but it saved her a trip upstairs, which meant she got to rest at her desk. 

Have I Ever Told You You're Amazing?

Today I decided that my act of service would be to sincerely comment on my friends' blogs.  This was partially because Kat commented on my blog, and partially because it was something that I could do that didn't cost money but connected me to others.

I haven't read blogs in a while.  I used to actively blog so I would catch up on my friends' blogs fairly regularly.  Then life got super crazy--I got married and gained several kids--and I didn't keep up with it.  

As I read various blogs I remembered just how amazing, talented, and wonderful my friends are.  I only commented on three blogs, but I read several.  Shan is awesome.  We were drama therapists-in-training together.  She's an amazing mother, a talented writer, and a gifted drama therapist.  She's crafty and creative to boot!  Christen is hilarious.  We were best friends in 9th grade, and I was drawn to her outgoing personality.  She, too, is creative and a fantastic mom.  Kasie is also hilarious.  She's one of the most fun people I have ever met, and I can't think about Kansas without thinking about her.  

I have so many more amazing friends, and I realize how infrequently I let them know how much I love and admire them.  So that's what I did tonight.  Or at least, I started the process.  

Say a Little Prayer

Yesterday, I prayed for several friends and family members.  

I have a history with prayer.  My prayers get answered.  I remember an instance in grad school when my friend Shan asked me to pray for her and her grandmother.  I don't remember the specifics (this was several years ago), but I remember her saying that she knew my prayers got heard and answered.  This experience has stood out to me because she and I are of different faiths.  But a prayer is a prayer.  

I have friends who are looking for new jobs, buying houses, having money problems, etc.  My prayers yesterday were sometimes very specific and at other times very general, but I have no doubt that the Lord is very aware of these individuals and their families.  Those prayers were heard and these families will be blessed.  It may take a while and it may not be in the way they are looking for, but they will be blessed.

French Toast and Job Finds

This is the first week of classes for the new semester so things have been crazy busy at work, thus my lack of posting.  But I have NOT forgotten my challenge!

Thursday: My act of kindness was to be a considerate driver.  You may think this is no biggie, but I live in Utah, home of the worst drivers ever. 

Friday: Nathan and I treated two of our boys to breakfast at Kneaders (they have THE BEST french toast).  I know this means three acts of kindness to family, but these are the two boys who don't live with us, so treats for them are less frequent.  Technically this violates my rules but I'm still counting it. 

Saturday: On Saturday, I was chatting with a friend online and she mentioned that she was looking for a job.  I accessed my employer's job site and sent her links for three different jobs at the university that she might be interested in.

Sunday: On Sunday, I checked in with a friend to see how she was doing.  Things have been rough lately and I wanted to make sure she was okay. 

Monday: This was the first day of classes, and it was Nathan's first day back in school for a couple of semesters.  His MW night class is at one of my off campus locations (I'm a coordinator for extended studies), so I bought him dinner at the grill there and had it waiting for him when he arrived straight from work. 

Tuesday: Today, I hunted down a textbook for Nathan on KSL, picked it up, and dropped it off to him at work so that he could get his assignment done for class tomorrow AND I texted a friend (a different one) about a potential job opening in my department.

A Listening Ear

Yesterday on my way to work, I decided that my act of kindness today was going to be to listen.  I had no idea who I would listen to, but I knew that was what I wanted to do.

My coworkers gave me the opportunity to listen, as did my boss.  And my best friend.  It was interesting to try to really focus on the other person and what they had to say instead of focusing on me.  And hopefully it made a difference to them!

Nerf Guns and Arm Wrestling

On Friday, Nathan and I drove to San Diego to pick up our three younger boys from their grandparents' house.  We stopped at Taco Bell for dinner, and sitting outside was a scraggly looking homeless man.  Once we got inside I asked Nathan if we could buy him some food as our act of kindness, to which he replied, "yes."  We both used the restroom and when I cam out Nathan was already in line.  He hugged me and whispered into my ear, "He's a drug dealer." 

Yes, my homeless man was not homeless.  Nathan had witnessed a drug deal while he was waiting on me.  Needless to say, he was not my act of kindness that day. 

Instead, we went with my original plan which was to give some gifts to the boys' grandparents.  Ex-inlaws are not always the easiest to deal with, but we are grateful for their love of the boys.

On Saturday, we stopped in Las Vegas on the way back to Utah and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.  It was the boys' first time to eat there, and they had a blast!  Our waitress, Ronnie, was simply wonderful, and she proceeded to arm wrestle all of the boys and let them win.  So we tipped her 30% as our act of kindness.

Sunday found us all in bed recovering from our quick trip out to California (and for me and Nathan, we were still grieving for our puppy, who we had to give away).  We had Christmas with the boys the night before and they received Nerf guns from Santa (their first EVER!).  They destroyed our house on reinacting xbox games with their guns (Nathan helped).  And I let them.  Normally, it would drive me crazy!  But I ignored the chaos and let them have fun as my act of kindness.  In the end, it worked out well because Nathan gave me an act of kindness by cleaning up the chaos!

I made dinner for my family on Monday, which was New Year's Eve.  Nathan and I had such crazy work schedules before the holiday break that family dinner didn't happen much.  It was basically "fend for yourself" most every night.  So me making dinner was actually a big deal.  We had cheese tortellina and spinach ravioli with broccoli and parmesan garlic toast.  I made sodas with our Soda Stream and then we watched Jeff Dunham. 

Today (Tuesday) was focused on cleaning our house.  Nathan and I tackled most of it, with our 9 year old helping.  The only thing of note I have is that I texted my good friend Nikki to wish her a happy birthday.  It's not much, but it's outside of my family and hopefully it made her day better.  I also upload music to my boys' iPod Shuffles they got from my father for Christmas, but I've already served my family twice this week so it doesn't count for my challenge.

I have realized that it is hard sometimes to come up with an act of kindness that is outside of my family.  Especially with the holidays...we are spending much more time together and I'm not at work or out much.  That said, my acts of kindness to my family are probably the most important ones I can do.