Does this job make my butt look big?

So I am back in the working world again...thank you, bad economy. Actually, I feel very fortunate to have gotten a job, because I know that there are lots of people out there (including someone very close to me) who are looking for employment. (No names but it rhymes with Nectar Pamboa.) Anyway, I am blessed to have been able to find employment in this lousy job market.
And I didn't just get any old job. I put that trusty Mt Sac AA degree to work! That's right, I'm getting my reward for fifteen years of driving all the way to Walnut and edging out eighteen-year-olds for general education classes necessary for getting a two year degree. I am an Instructional Aide. That means that I work at an elementary school (and not just any elementary school--a really good one) helping third graders become more proficient at reading. And I really like my job. Of course, I love kids, and third graders are sort of fun because they try to think. They like me, and I like them. And I love the adults that I work with. Fortunately, I have a super boss who makes me laugh because she says funny things all the time. That, and she's pretty smart. All of the people that I work with are really helpful and nice to me. Which is a huge plus.
Okay, so here's the hitch: I used to go to the gym every morning, and I had a great routine going on. I knew that Monday was a weights/cardio class taught by my good friend, Leslie. Tuesday was all cardio. Wednesday was kickboxing. Thursday was step class (great cardio!). Friday was a really hard weights/cardio class. And Saturdays: run up and down Euclid. It was sooooo good! I drank a little protein smoothie, did my gym thing, and then finished the smoothie with a fried egg white afterward. I was in control. And I did all this by 10:00am. After that, I could take on the world!
So now I am struggling to figure out how to fit in the gym, the smoothies, the energy, and most of all, the enthusiasm. Is is possible to work (sitting on my tush for three hours straight) and still stay slim? This is my dilemma. I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Those adorable grandbabies!

Here are the two little men that make me smile, no matter what. I read an awesome quote that said, "Grandchildren fill your soul, a part of you that you never knew was missing." That's it. Exactly.

There are those who thought she wouldn't do it, but we all know that once Camille makes up her mind to do something, she does it! So, on November 19, 2008, she entered the Provo MTC to train to become a missionary and serve the Lord for the next 18 months. It has been veeeeeeery quiet around here since then (sniff!), but we are all glad she is there.
Camille is the type of girl who makes things happen...I believe amazing things are going to happen in Concepcion, Chile!

My Treasures

I love this painting. It is such a great story, which goes something like this: Cornelia, who devoted herself to being the best mother she could and raised her two sons to become brave men, had a female visitor one day. This woman sat in Cornelia's home and showed off her beautiful, expensive jewels as she boasted of her wealth. When she asked Cornelia to show her what treasures she (Cornelia) owned, Cornelia pointed to her two sons and said, "These are my treasures."

I have been blessed with six priceless Treasures. What is the value of a long-distance phone call just to say "hi"? What price is there for watching a 14-year-old cry over the loss of a beloved pet? How much more than any symphony ticket would I pay just to hear a beginner practice whole-heartedly at the piano? Is there a more valuable lesson than one taught by your own offspring from the pulpit? What costs could I possibly put on watching a child grow and make changes even though it is incredibly hard? How could any sound be more rich and melodic than that of my own child's singing?

As the Mastercard commercial says, "there are somethings money can't buy." But being a Mother is beyond Priceless. It is God-like. In a world where basically everything is valued for profitability and net gains, there are those little commodities whose worth is more infinite, more meaningful and priceless than any wealth imaginable. We mothers know what they are.

P.S. Click  here if you would like to know more about this painting.

My apologies

Okay, what do geometry, chin-ups, bowling and blogging all have in common? ...I'll tell you: I'm not very good at any of them. So I'm writing today to admit my awareness of my blogging deficiency (the first step is admit you have a problem), to make a change for the better (I'm writing this now, so there you go), and to commit to doing better in the future (uh-oh, now I'm in trouble). It's not that I don't want to have an interesting, articulate, up-to-the-minute adventurous blog, it's just that there's so much going on around here. I guess I get busy. I know, I know, if there's so darn much going on, why don't I just write about it? I didn't mention that it's really dull stuff going on. Or at least Not Adventurous.
But since I didn't name my blog "The Adventures of Suzie Gamboa," I will commit now to being a better blogger. "Better," as in more often than every 6 months. That's a start. One step at a time.

Gratitude

Last Sunday we had a lesson on being Grateful. I always thought I was a grateful person, but ever since I saw The Secret I have realized how much gratitude enables me to do and be. Anyway, it just so happens that Adri gave me a Gratitude Journal for Mother's Day, and in it she had written the most beautiful quote:
"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life."
Wow! To be a whole different person! A better, complete, grateful person! I realize that I have tons and tons to be thankful for...probably too many to list. Of course there are the big things that I just can't imagine living without: my faith, my family, the gospel of Jesus Christ, living in America. But then there are those little things, too, that make me really happy: flowers in bloom, bubble baths, dark chocolate, knowing all the words to old songs, starry skies, pushing a kid on a swing, kittens, fudge (ok, I got chocolate in there twice), seeing old couples hold hands. It seems the more I am grateful for, the more there is still to appreciate, and then it just keeps going on and on and on...and I am so grateful for that.

In the beginning...

Ok, so now I'm an official Blogger. Or perhaps, Blogguer, si vous plait. Just kidding, I don't really speak French (despite a year of college), but I wish I did. Anyway, here I am with my blog. So now I need to think about interesting things to write about, which shouldn't be too hard since I can always think of things when I'm not anywhere near a computer, but somehow my brain melts as my keys hit the keyboard. And I need to learn how to download pictures from the camera to the computer. I think my kids can show me how to do that. I also need to learn how to add links to my blog. That way, if I see any cool links, I can add them. So pretty much I'm just here rambling......but, hey, I started my blog!