Heaven

five excited little girls
their first crepes
savory and sweet
dancing around to the wii
singing Proud Mary
at the top of their lungs.

Sigh. . .

I've felt a little like this all week.



Please pray that I make it through the day. . . .  I am dragging!

Watching your life change

Last May I entered the family ward after 7 years in a singles' ward.  Making friends was hard.  I had a few friends who had just gotten married who switched over at the same time, but were also struggling.  I also struggle to make good friends.  I have always had one or two really close friends, and a lot of acquaintances.  It takes me a little to warm up to people. But, I figured the Lord had something to teach me, so I plunged right in.  I was appalled when in the second or third week I got a calling to teach Primary.  I thought it was going to be glorified babysitting, and I was not pleased.

I taught myself to get over the noise (sit near the front), how to deal with it when I can't (sit alone on the left side, and slide all the way in, a small family with one or two kids will sit next to you and bam--you have a kid to entertain you when you still cannot hear), and that it is fine if the only person you know is the Primary President and 8 fantastic kids.  You also slowly get to know their parents, so turns out, you end up getting to know half the ward council. Now, I am teaching the 7-going-on-8-year-olds, and I miss my first set of kids a ton--they were my only friends at church!

In the last few months (and mostly last week), three of my extremely close friends have left NC for new adventures in their lives, and I'm at a bit of a loss at the moment. I am still forcing myself to have a social life (thank you, Stake MidSingles calling--sigh--talk about love-hate relationship), but I am also trying to make friends among the women of my ward.  Luckily I have taught kids of both the RS president and the Primary president, and sadly, those are the two women in the ward I have truly grown to love (and I think would worry if I didn't make it to church).  There a few others.

I really look forward to hanging out at the P-pres's home. All of her kids adore me, and she is extremely genuine. B thinks I am nuts and burdening an already busy mother. What does it say about me, that the thing I am looking forward to most this week is a Saturday night spent with 7 kids and an amazing woman, watching a movie, making pizza, and Just Dance 2-ing it up (her honey is going to be at work--doctor)?   It is kind of shock to see the change in your life, just from the change in your ward.  

I know this is somewhat babble-y--sorry.  Happy Wednesday.  Is it Saturday yet?

Triangle Hotspots

So, despite my lack of computer, I was able to put this together for my ward's RS meeting last night.  My extra thanks to AP, the biggest Charity Pants I know, for the service section.  Happy day-tripping.  For those of you not in NC--sorry!

Triangle Hotspots 

1. Places to eat

• Durham: http://www.durham-nc.com/dining/eat/index.php
• Taste of Durham always has a delicious variety: http://www.tasteofdurham.org/
• Chapel Hill: http://www.visitchapelhill.org/dining
• Raleigh: http://www.visitraleigh.com/visitors/restaurants/   
• The Indy’s Triangle Dining Guide: http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/LocationSearch?locationSection=1218750
• Open Table: http://www.opentable.com/
• A splurge for foodies: http://www.tastecarolina.net/files/tours.php

2. .  Places to serve

• Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina—lots of different jobs; good for 12 and up; youth groups or families: http://www.foodbankcenc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FBCENCHome
• SEEDS—community gardens are healing: http://www.seedsnc.org/
• Achievement Academy of Durham—help young adults that have dropped out of school increase reading skills, get a GED, and enroll & succeed in postsecondary program: http://achievedurham.org/   
• Piedmont Wildlife Center—help with animal care! Fun! http://piedmontwildlifecenter.wordpress.com/
• Urban Ministries of Durham—provides food, clothing, and shelter to folks in need; help prepare and serve breakfast and lunch at the Community Cafe; evenings and weekends are reserved for groups: http://www.umdurham.org/
• WelcomeBaby—providing parenting education and support to young families: http://www.welcomebaby.org/
• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival—It's coming in April! Manage venues, sell tickets, watch movies: http://www.fullframefest.org/
• SeeSaw Studios—an afterschool program teaching design and entrepreneurship skills to teenagers: http://www.seesawstudio.org/SeeSaw_Studio/Home.html
• AnimalKind—the more volunteer hours worked at the ReTail thrift store, the more strays that are spayed and neutered. Everyone wins!: http://www.animalkind.org/retailsvolunteers.html
• Volunteer Center of Durham—find all sorts of orgs that need volunteers; match to your age, interest, and time commitment: http://www.thevolunteercenter.org/tp42/Default.asp?ID=139710

 3.  Events - Sign up for their RSS feeds, e-newsletters, or just link to their calendars, but it is fun for everyone!

• Durham: http://www.durham-nc.com/things/
• Chapel Hill: http://www.visitchapelhill.org/calendar/events/
• Raleigh: http://www.visitraleigh.com/visitors/events.search.php  

4.  Attractions

• NC Fairgrounds - These fairgrounds are THE place to be in mid-October, but you’d be surprised how many other events take place there (Yay--Roller Derby!): http://www.ncstatefair.org/events/calendar.htm
• Museums:
• Nasher Museum (Free to all on Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of SunTrust): http://nasher.duke.edu/
• Ackland (free): http://www.ackland.org/index.php
• NC Museum of Life and Science (membership or one-time fee, but look for deal days--Admission waived for Durham County residents on Wednesdays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., though a $2 per person contribution requested): http://www.ncmls.org/
• Morehead Planetarium (pay per show, but discount if you hit multiple shows on various days—a household membership is a tax deductable $60, so if you are taking a largish group, and would want to come back, get the membership): http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/    
• NC Museum of Art:  http://www.ncartmuseum.org/ (Admission to the Museum’s permanent collection and Museum Park is free. There is a charge for some special exhibitions and programs, such as concerts, films, classes, and performances.)
• List of all the area museums can be found on the visitor’s bureau websites. 
• Duke Chapel (free unless there is a wedding, funeral, or other special event): http://www.chapel.duke.edu/calendar.html
• Botanical Gardens
• Duke Gardens (free admission): http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/
• UNC (free admission):  http://www.ncbg.unc.edu/
• The Forest Theatre: http://ncbg.unc.edu/pages/40/ with http://www.paperhand.org/
• Farmer’s Markets
• Carrboro: http://www.carrborofarmersmarket.com/
• Durham: http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/
• Raleigh (and they have a restaurant): http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh/
• CSAs in the area: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/csafarms.html
• The Arts
• DPAC: http://www.dpacnc.com/
• Memorial Hall (Chapel Hill): http://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/
• Progress Energy Center (Raleigh), includes Carolina Ballet, opera, and the NC Symphony: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/event-calendar.  
• Art Walks:
• Chapel Hill (Second Friday)—free!: http://2ndfridayartwalk.com/   
• Durham (Spring and Fall): http://www.durhamartwalk.com/index.php
• Raleigh (First Friday)—free!: http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/firstfriday/index.htm
• Music
• Cats Cradle:  http://www.catscradle.com/
• Jazz:  NCCentral or the Beyu café: http://www.beyucafe.com/
• Bluegrass, Friday’s on the Front Porch at the Carolina Inn (usually throughout the summer): http://www.carolinainn.com/hotel-events/chapel-hill-event-calendar.php?year=2011&month=6 or Broad Street Café: http://www.thebroadstreetcafe.com/ —Irregardless Café even has dancing after 9pm: http://www.irregardless.com/.
• The Lincoln Theatre: http://www.lincolntheatre.com/
• Live music venues: http://www.trianglesource.com/venues/category/live-music/
• Music in general: http://eventful.com/raleigh/events/categories/music
• Books
• Libraries:
• Durham: http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org/
• Chapel Hill: http://chapelhillpubliclibrary.org/
• Used Book Stores (my favorite is the readers corner in Raleigh): http://www.raleigh.com/used-book-stores/business-directory
• Movie Theaters
• Regular Theaters: http://www.fandango.com/
• Raleighwood (Restaurant and Theater—new movies, old movies, and charity screenings): http://www.raleighwoodmovies.com/
• Independent and Foreign film venues
• Chelsea (Chapel Hill): http://www.thechelseatheater.com/
• Carolina Theatre (Durham): http://www.carolinatheatre.org/
• Outdoor Movies (mostly during the summer)
• Lumina (Southern Village, Chapel Hill—they also have fun kids events and other community things, so subscribe to their newsletter): http://www.thelumina.com/
• Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre: http://www.boothamphitheatre.com/movies.htm
• NC Museum of Art: http://ncartmuseum.org/calendar/type/films/ (they are showing the Red Shoes in March!)
• Blue Ridge Theater (Raleigh--$1.50 a movie): http://raleigh.mrmovietimes.com/movie-theaters/Carmike-Blue-Ridge-14-Cinema.html  
• Sports:
• Carolina Hurricanes: http://hurricanes.nhl.com/
• Nascar (technically this is in Charlotte, but if you like that sort of thing, it is a good ol’ boy time): http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/lms/
• Durham Bulls (Minor League baseball that is fun for the whole family all summer—take advantage!): http://www.durhambulls.com/
• Roller Derby (really, it is a fun experience): http://www.carolinarollergirls.com/
• University Sports:
• Duke: http://www.goduke.com/
• UNC:  http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/
• NC State: http://www.gopack.com/
• Area trails
• Bike/Walk Durham: http://www.bikewalkdurham.org/
• Chapel Hill: http://www.trails.com/city-trails.aspx?keyword=Chapel%20Hill&state=NC
• Area 5Ks
• Race for the Cure (I try to do this every year—let me know if you want to start a team): http://www.komennctriangle.org/
• Area 5Ks: http://www.runnc.com/Race_Schedule.htm   

5.  Websites:

• Durham: http://www.durham-nc.com/         
• Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Hillsborough:  http://www.visitchapelhill.org/
• Raleigh: http://www.visitraleigh.com/index
• General NC: http://www.visitnc.com/
• The Indy: http://www.indyweek.com/ (great food and event reviews)
• Coupon sites (Don’t be afraid to take advantage):
• Living Social: http://livingsocial.com/
• Groupon: http://www.groupon.com/

General North Carolina 

1.  Attractions

• Biltmore: http://www.biltmore.com/
• Civil War spots:
• Near the coast: http://www.coastalguide.com/attractions/NC_civil_war_military.shtml
• throughout the state: http://www.visitnc.com/journeys/articles/history-historic-sites/1/on-the-north-carolina-civil-war-trail
• NC Civil War facts: http://www.visitnc.com/journeys/articles/history-historic-sites/1/north-carolina-civil-war-facts
• Reenactments: http://www.civilwarhome.com/reenact.htm
• Blueridge mountains:  
• the parkway: http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=69
• the mountains: http://www.blueridgeonline.com/
• Smokey Mountain Railroad: http://www.gsmr.com/:
• The beach! http://www.ncbeaches.com/
•  the aquariums: http://www.ncaquariums.com/
• The outer banks: http://www.outerbanks.org/
• Lighthouses: http://www.carolinalights.com/
• The zoo! http://www.nczoo.org/
• The Conservator’s Center: http://www.conservatorscenter.org/about.cfm
• Tiger preserve: http://www.carolinatigerrescue.org/
• The Western North Carolina Nature Center: http://www.wildwnc.org/
• Highland games: http://www.gmhg.org/events.htm
• Highland games: http://www.gmhg.org/events.htm
• Pirate stuff: http://www.ncmaritime.org/Blackbeard/default.htm
• Gems: http://www.suite101.com/content/dig-your-own-gems-in-north-carolina-a94925
• Art: and Antiques: 
• PIttsboro: http://pittsboronc.gov/
• Pinehurst
• Carrboro
• Farms
• tours:  Tour various local farms and get the skinny on the best places to get locally grown food: http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/
• Pick your own farms: http://www.pickyourown.org/NC.htm
• Hiking: http://www.trails.com/stateactivity.aspx?area=10008
• State Parks: http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/by_activity/main.php
• Festivals: http://www.ncfestivals.com/events/default.asp
• NC Jazz Festival: http://ncjazzfestival.com/
• Bluegrass festivals throughout the state: http://www.bluegrassfestivalguide.com/nc.htm
• Seafood festival: http://www.ncseafoodfestival.org/events.htm?id=1
• Balloon Festival: http://www.carolinaballoonfest.com/
• Old Salem (our NC version of the Pennsylvania Amish—fantastic at Christmas, etc.): http://www.oldsalem.org/   

Sigh. . .

My phone has died and my computer is coughing its last (and has been since Thanksgiving).  I may be slightly quiet for a while.  Good news, after being without a phone since Thursday, I have my mom's old flip phone.  If you texted me in that time, sorry, I completely missed it.  Until Verizon gets the iPhone (please be soon!), I'm stuck with this one.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thankful

Frog-eye salad

Turkey

Paper plates

Friends

A Sister who has inherited her dad's need (and means) to procrastinate.

Remembering the stories behind our platters--or what we have served on them the most

A little lady butter dish that Dawna Larsen would covet 

Catching up on my tv shows

Brothers

Clean clothes*

A good book or a bunch of them

Fairy Tales

The prospect of many days off

Sleeping in (even if it is only 8 am)

Cooking for a bunch of people

Cyber Monday

Seeing someone you are excited to see

Playing games

Being surrounded by amazing people--and longing for others

Contemplating who will be visiting soon

Deciding where to put the Christmas tree in a few days.

Ziploc

"The Ru Sisters have a problem with scale." 

"We just have generous hearts."

"But we are broke."

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

Making yourself feel better

How not to cheer up your sister when no one shows up for the church activity she has planned:

"You plan too many activities, anyway."

I'll go cry in my room now.  It is definitely time to rethink my approach.