Shakes, Jakes and Pancakes

  This is NOT Jake.....I was too lazy to format my picture properly.....so my friend Google helped.

Every New Year our family sets a big list of family goals.  Last year, in a fit of rage when the hubs wasn't around much.......I tore up the 2010 goals and shoved them deep into the trash can.  No one noticed.  This year one of the goals that everyone but me decided might be acceptable was to get a dog. 

I apologize right now for any dog lovers out there.  I used to be one when I was little and had my own dog.  Now I live in reality.  I am not a dog lover.  Gasp.....  I would rather bear 4 more children and raise them to adulthood.  I would rather have a rat.  I would rather.....do a lot of things.

Despite the fight I put up, we have a dog.  Some of my requirements for a dog were; he could not be mobile...no amublation of any form.  He could not eat or defecate.  He could not be conscious.  He could lay on a dog bed and not move.  He could not dig.  He could not chew.  He could not live in my house EVER.  He could not bark.   My neighbor upon hearing the requirements for a dog sent me to Cabela's to find a stuffed animal.  I did not laugh.  I appreciated her insight. Of my crucial demands, these were met; he does not chew, he does not dig, he has a dog bed.

His name is Jake.  He is an Irish Setter.  He is the size of a colt, maybe bigger.  He is 6 years old......score 1 for me.  He hardly barks.  He is very sweet natured.  He is almost what I was looking for except that his heart beats.  We found him on KSL and jumped the gun a little when he seemed to be what we were looking for.  We don't have a fenced yard......so Jake is a house dog:(  Jake loves me and it makes it very hard to not love him back.  He wants to sleep with me.....who doesn't though.  Let's rephrase.....everyone in the family wants to sleep with me except for Fire.  She wants her space.  He likes to watch me cook.  He keeps me company while I do laundry.  He is a good walking partner.  Sure I can find things about him which cause complaint....I mean I am still myself after all.  Do I love dogs? NO.  Do I love Jake? Ya.

If I Could Trade Places With Someone Else For A Day.....

I struggle right now whether to be straight about my answer here or not. There are lots of people that I wouldn't mind trying their life out for a day. I could live with being rich, I could live with having toned glutes and abs. Frankly I could live with being my toddler, which would mean drinking chocolate milk and hanging out naked all day. I wouldn't even mind being the love o' my crush. But if truth be told I would like to be someone.....and I don't even know who she is.......that has the energy to do it all; be a fantastic, sweet tempered mother, a smoking hot wife, a real Betty in the kitchen, the skill to bring all of my home decorating fantasies to fruition, the wherewithall to squeeze in some sort of intense jump training workout, and the baffling ability to be lead by the Spirit in all my doings....to know what it would be like to be able to do the right thing without feeling like every step I took wasn't happening underwater with weights around my extremities....to have peace in my home and in my heart, to not struggle with feeling like I am tempted beyond my capacity at every turn. I don't know who this person is.....but I wouldn't mind being her for a day. P.S. It would really be icing on the cake if she had great hair to boot.

Set Goals You Can Accomplish

On my private blog I am doing a 30 day challenge.  Today I am supposed to be posting my goals for the month.  Yeppers, I am going to post goals to accomplish in the next three days.  Some of you may feel that is cheating and I should post of  all of November.  Nah.  There is a much brighter possibility that I will accomplish a small list in a small amount of time.
Sometimes when I have to make a To Do list.....I like to add some things that I can already check off.  You know, just to get my engine started.  Help me feel like I can get something done.
My Short Term Goals For October
1.  Get out of bed.
2.  Dispose of dead bodies.
3.  Make soup for ward Trunk or Treat party. (This is looking sketchy.)
4.  Eat Chinese food.  (This is looking like a sure bet.)
5.  Launder every stitch of clothing not being worn or having already been put away.  (I will NOT make a goal to put all of the laundry away.  In essence setting myself up for failure.)
6.  Trick or Treat
7.  Halloween party
8.  Pack clothing, food, toys for 6 people for 7 days.
9.  Finish reading Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer.  (This is also looking like it will have a positive outcome.)
10.  Drive to Disneyland:)