Someday...

This is going to be my inspiration.

My inspiration to keep going to the gym and to continue to try to not eat everything in sight. I have learned that I am an emotional eater. Thus when I am happy I eat, sad I eat, tired I eat, stressed I eat and guess what I do when I'm bored...yep-EAT.

Do any of you have any recommendations?

DECADE IN REVIEW

The highly tedious task of reviewing the past decade has fallen to me (Bartus). As part of this task, it is my opportunity to determine what events are most prominent. I promise none of my bias will trickle through – as I am born of the new era of reporters and journalists – no agenda; strictly fact.

The following lists contain, but are not limited to, the highs of highs, and the lows of lows, experienced from 2000 to 2010.

Bart(18-28 years old)
1. Served a mission in Bolivia
2.Dated Canessa
3. Broke-up with Canessa

4. Graduated from U of U with Bachelors in Civil Engineering
5. Dated Canessa
6. Broke-up with Canessa
7. Bought the house
8. Dated Canessa
9. Got Married (to Canessa)
10. Regretted buying the house
11. Worked on the house
12. Graduated from U of U with Masters in Geotechnical Engineering
13. Passed Professional Engineering Licensure exam
14. Worked
15. Worked

This has been a most eventful decade me! Several of the landmark experiences of life have taken place. Experiences I will draw from, and be affected by, every day of my life. Although this list may appear to be lots of work, and no fun, it should be noted that amidst the work there was play. I had the opportunity to go to Europe twice with my Mom, and there was a spattering of water ski trips and such.

Canessa (16-26 years old)

1. Graduated from Skyline High School
2. Dated Doug
3. Graduated from Dixie High College
4. Dated Louis
5. Study abroad in Nauvoo

6. Days of 47 Royalty
7. Dated Bart8. Dated Jake
9. Dated Gavin
10. Dated Josh
11. Dated………
12. Graduated from U of U with Bachelors in Nursing

13. Volunteered in orphanages in Ecuador
14. Got Married (Surprise Surprise – to BART)

15. Started the Family Nurse Practitioner program at BYU

Canessa’s list implies a little more fun than mine; however, I must admit (aside from a little too much dating – she should have stopped with me the first time) she made a conscious decision to make the most of short, tender, young adult years. This was one thing that really attracted me to her – adventurous and driven. She also went to Europe numerous times, Hawaii a couple of times, cruises, New York ….. the list can go on (and on). The many things she has accomplished over this decade are impressive; not to mention the quality and precision with which she does everything. I am very proud of her, and lucky to have her as my partner throughout life and beyond.

It’s amazing how a single decade can alter the course of your life so dramatically.

This blog is dedicated to a life-changing past decade, and high hopes for the decade facing us.

My cute sister-in-laws!

I am not crafty and I don't have the time to be crafty-even if I wanted too but my 5 cute sister-in-laws have started an "Etsy" shop and I want to support them in their new venture. They were nice enough to try to convince me to make little headbands and be apart of the Dutch Sisters but I have hundreds of pages of reading to do (so that someday I can be a good nurse practitioner!!!). Just in case anyone actually reads this blog and isn't already a Dutch Sister I want to let you know about it the great stuff the girls offer.

Hello Family & Friends,
Over the Christmas break my sisters and I decided to start up our own "Etsy" Shop. This is a website where people from all over the world share their talents and sell their handmade items. Each of us is selling something different, something that we love, and something that ties us together as sisters. We love making things and are excited to share our new adventure with each of you. There are scarfs, headbands, beanies, bags, kids aprons, and hand painted boards. We're slowly getting our shop up and running. If you'd like to take a peek here are our web addresses:


The Etsy site web address is: www.thedutchsisters.etsy.comOur blog address is: www.thedutchsisters.blogspot.com


Here's a little bio about all of us "Dutch Sisters":
Our grandparents immigrated from Holland in 1949. Our Grandmother was a wonderful woman. She was very talented and creative. She had a great love for making handmade items and instilled that same love in her grandchildren.
Like our Grandmother, we hope to share our talents and a little of what we love with you as well.

"The Five Dutch Sisters" Sjaanie * Rebekka * Mary Ann * Joanna * Katie

It has been 5 years since...

I'm skiing! I ski! I'm a skier! (I stole that line from What about Bob...and changed it a little).

From left to right-Bart, Ness, Joanna and Matt.

Christmas has already come and gone!

I have had a great Christmas break. I have been lazy...I've slept in, gone to the gym, went shopping and out to lunch, stayed up late and worked as little as possible. BUT not all of us like to waste our time away. Take for instance my husband Bartus.

This is Bartus (or Bart-what ever you like to call him), he has been very busy over the holidays. Not only does he grow a beard, which then he shaves into a foomanchoo with super long side chops for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, he also does many house projects.

We have yucky plastered popcorn ceilings in 2 basement rooms. Bart decided that was unacceptable so he got a belt sander and sanded the ceiling (I think this took 5-6 hours-his shoulders were very tired) and then textured the ceiling, sanded and resanded, then he sanded and spackled the walls and finally finished by painting the ceiling and the walls and all the trim in the room.

This is the BEFORE picture.

This is the AFTER picture.

I think the ceiling and the room in general look fabulous and I am grateful for such a hardworking, handyman husband. A few days later Bart started his next project...to replace 5 windows in the upstairs of our house. He is very good at installing windows because now he has replaced ALL the windows in the entire house by himself (with the big windows he occasionally needed help).

The new windows look great and they aren't cold or drafty. Bart is a happy worker and he certainly accomplished more than I did over this break. Did I also mention that he still worked 40 hours a week while doing all these projects? Yea, I think he is amazing. :)

The feast of Sinterklass...& Swarte Piet

"Sinterklass kapoentje

Gooi wat in mijn schoentje

Gooi wat in mijn laarsje

Dank U Sinterklassje"

For many centuries the people of the Netherlands have celebrated Sinterklass day. On the eve of December 5th, Sinterklass and his helper Swarte Piet leave gifts for good children in their wooden shoes.

Sinterklass lives in Spain and spends all year recording, in a big red book, if children have been good or bad. Sinterklass rides a white horse and Swarte Piet carries the big bag of gifts. At night they ride across Hollands rooftops, listening through the chimney to see if the kids are being good. Piet then jumps down the chimney and exchanges the hay and carrots (left in the wooden shoes) for a gift and a chocolate letter that begin with the childs name. (I love chocolate, thus getting a dark chocolate "C" is a fabulous way to start out the Christmas season.)

All of the Leeflangs (which means Live Long in Dutch) get together and celebrate by eating lots of Dutch food-like split pea soup, waissil, gingerbread cookies, and a frozen eggnog mixture- these all have Dutch names but I don't know what they are. Then Sinterklass and Swarte Piet come and visit us. We end with a white elephant gift exchange that comes with a special poem and creative wrapping-which is a Dutch tradition as well.

The gift we got was so creative.

The poem read, " To be sung to the chorus of Jingle Bells. Cough, cough, cough. Cough, cough, cough. Coughing all the day. Oh what fun, this season is with all the germs it brings."

It was wrapped in a tissue box and contained cough drops and nighttime cold medication. Hooray, for Sinterklass day!

A LATE Thanksgiving recap

........................................................................

Over Thanksgiving break I did everything possible except study...which of course I regretted during finals. Cambria came down from Rexburg so we went and got pedicures from Color My Nails school. Only $10.

........................................................................I decided to be adventurous and try TEAL toes. I was affraid that the teal might look like fungus but it didn't.

Next was the 5th annual CRAIGO PIE NIGHT. My mom invites lots of neighbors and friend over to the house, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I helped my mom this year by actually making some pies-not just eating the pies. We made 20 pies and had 75 people come over. This is a great way to start out the 5lb holiday gain.

........................................................................This is a happy Bart. I have lovingly nicknamed Bart a garbage disposal. He eats and eats and eats and eats.

I had to post this picture of Katie bug and Colin. They went to the Lamda Delta Sigma winter formal. I absolutley love Katie's dress. I wish I had a place to wear it-Katie is only 6 inches taller than me but that shouldn't be a problem-right?