Day Eight - Passions

Life has been a little busy lately. Sorry for dropping the ball on this "daily post" run. We're getting ready to move at the end of this month to a new place, and along with all of my other responsibilities, I feel guilty every time I sit down at my computer.  I've gotten to a point though where I just need a little down time.  So here's a little post about 5 of my passions.

1.  The gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's difficult for me to express in words how I feel about the Savior.  All I can really say is that the decisions in my life are all based upon striving to be like Him and returning to his presence.  The more in line I am with keeping my life in line with His teachings, the more joy I feel.  I am so grateful for all that the Savior has taught and sacrificed for my sake.

2. Families.  Not just my family, but all families.  I agree with Elder M. Russell Ballard's recent remarks at General Conference:

"And, of course, societies at large are strengthened as families grow stronger. Commitments to family and values are the basic cause. Nearly everything else is effect. When couples marry and make commitments to each other, they greatly increase their chances of economic well-being. When children are born in wedlock and have both a mom and a dad, their opportunities and their likelihood of occupational success skyrocket. And when families work and play together, neighborhoods and communities flourish, economies improve, and less government and fewer costly safety nets are required.

So the bad news is that family breakdown is causing a host of societal and economic ills. But the good news is that, like any cause and effect, those ills can be reversed if what is causing them is changed. Inequities are resolved by living correct principles and values. Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families. If we will devote ourselves to this cause, we will improve every other aspect of our lives and will become, as a people and as a church, an example and a beacon for all peoples of the earth."

(You can read the full article here.)

I am passionate about strengthening families.

3.  Order.  So we're in the middle of a move.  Boxes are everywhere.  Many of my things don't have a "home" right now.  I am trying to decide what can be packed and what we're still using.  It is driving me NUTS!  I tell the love of my life every night before we go to bed, "I could never live like this all the time."  And every morning, I make all the beds because that is the one thing in my home that can still be organized! :)

4.  Learning.  I loved school.  I want to go back at some point, but I want to go back forever.   I don't really even care if I ever get a degree.  I would really like to just take all sorts of different classes (excluding math).  I'm one of those people that sometimes reads textbooks just for fun (not as frequently now that two people call me "mom").  I know I don't have to be in school to learn, and I do enjoy learning new things everyday.  I really enjoy a classroom setting though (maybe it has to do with my passion for order).

5.  Rules.  I guess this probably just translates to my need for order in non-materialistic means.  I ALWAYS read the directions.  I don't ever enter the "EXIT" door.  I like to know what is expected of me and of everyone else.  I have learned to not freak out when others break rules though.  I had a tough time with that when I was kid (sorry to my brothers).  And now I just feel like I sound crazy...I promise I am not a power-hungry-rule-enforcing type of person.  I like rules mostly for me.  They make me feel safe.

Easter

I am super glad Daddy didn't get called into work on Saturday while we were coloring Easter eggs.  J was so fun to watch color the eggs, but I'm pretty sure it would have been a disastrous event had there not been two adults to watch/help/control him.  Even with the both of us helping he managed to crack two of our eggs.  Oh well...that's why we hard boil them, right?

So why two of almost the exact same picture?  Because they make me laugh.  Little Miss is still going through that awkward smile stage.  At least we hope it's a stage.  If not, we're not even bothering with hiring a photographer for her wedding!  I kid.  I told her a week ago to pull her cheeks up when she smiles to avoid the wide mouth grimace she's been making.  Well, doing that made her eyes disappear so I suggested she tries to make her eyes wide too.  And we get the crazed look. Haha!  I keep waiting for her to snarl.

I didn't get too many good pictures of Easter morning.  Those kids were quick with finding eggs.

C thought it was hilarious that the bunny hid an egg in my plant.  Do you like how she is wearing pajama pants over her jammies?  It's not that cold.  She's really into layering her clothing these days.  She has to have at least one thing layered in each of her outfits.  She thinks it's really cool.

J got his first set of Hot wheels.  They were long overdue.  I wish I had gotten them months ago.  Now whenever he gets into something he shouldn't I just say, "Where are your cars?" and he abandons all mischief.  I'm really hoping they don't lose their magical powers!

 Here's a picture of C all ready for church.  I didn't get one of brother.  We get him dressed 2 seconds before we leave so that his clothes are clean for church.  Daddy was also at work that morning so between me scrambling to gather props for Primary singing time, printing off papers, cleaning up lunch and getting the kids out the door, taking pictures wasn't very high on my list.  We can't do everything, right?

C sang "Jesus Has Risen" in Sacrament meeting for Easter (along with the other Primary children), and she was beaming about it all day.  Oh how I hope I can keep that enthusiasm and confidence a part of her as she grows up. 

Hope you had a happy Easter as well!

Day Seven - Pet Peeves

I honestly don't know if I even have 10 pet peeves to share.  Here goes...

1.  When people are rude to someone who is trying to serve them.  For example, if someone gets annoyed with their waiter or mad at a customer service rep.  I just feel like most of the time the person they are getting upset with really has no say in the situation or truly feels bad if they did make a mistake.  I also always worry that perhaps the waiter or whoever is trying to help is having a really bad day.  What if something terrible happened at home and they are doing their best that day to just make it through work?
2.  When I ask someone what they are thinking about and they say "nothing."  That's not true.  If you don't want to share what's on your mind with me that if fine, but just tell me that.
3.  Road rage.  I don't understand it at all.  I think people that get upset on the road just look ridiculous.  Plus, it solves NOTHING.  Getting angry doesn't make you feel better, and it doesn't make the other person magically want to be helpful towards you.

4.  Constant negativity (like this post maybe?).  Sometimes things in life are a bummer, and we all need to vent, mourn, whatever.  It bugs me though when people find something to complain about  in the good things that happen to them as well.

5.  Belching.  It's ALWAYS gross and rude.  It never happens in our house.  The family knows all wrath will come upon them if they do.
6.  Getting splashed in the face.  I hated swimming with my brothers for this very reason.  I warned Adam about it when we were dating.  I don't know why, but if I get splashed in the face anger boils up inside of me.  Anger is not an emotion I frequently feel so it kind of frustrates me that I have difficulty controlling it over some water in my face.  If we ever swim together please, please, please don't splash any water in my direction!

alright, this is probably my lamest post yet.  I have thought all night (the kiddos woke me up a few times and somehow this is what I thought of as I drifted back to sleep) and these are the only pet peeves I can come up with.  All the readers should be happy though knowing that most likely you haven't annoyed me!  It takes a lot to get me bugged...

Day Six - Your Dream Job

Ta-Dah!  I'm doing it!

I think she was the smiliest baby ever!

Please get that flash out of my face!

Where has the last year gone?

My little cheeseballs!

For as long as I can remember, all I wanted to do was be a stay at home mom. In 10th grade my English teacher had everyone in the room take turns sharing what their dream job was. When she came to me, I replied, "I want to be a stay at home mom." She responded, "I don't think you understand. There are no limitations. If there was going to be nothing standing in your way and you could do whatever you wanted to do, what would it be?" Unfortunately for her, I don't think she understood. I told her that my answer was still the same, and she moved on to a girl who wanted to be a novelist.

Now that I'm here, I still don't think my answer would change. There are days when I get lonely for adult interaction, days I wonder what it would be like to use a vocabulary beyond "potty, boo-boo, and tummy," days I feel like I can't pretend to be Steve from Blue's Clues for one more second, days I lose my patience, days I sound like a broken record "Put your shoes on, put your shoes on, put your shoes on..."

But there are also days where C tells me, "Oooh, you look beautiful Mommy," days when J kisses me on the cheek just because, days when I hear them giggling in the other room, days when they remind me how blessed we are to live in this world Heavenly Father created for us, days when I can eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch, days when I feel the spirit tell me that I'm doing okay, days like today...when I look at their old pictures and realize it's going way too fast, and it hurts to breathe just thinking about the time when they won't be at home.

Nope, I don't think my old English teacher understood at all.

Here are some other jobs I think would be fun:

Professional Organizer

English and literature teacher (ironic, huh?)
Editor
Librarian
Gardener
Dietician
Pilates Instructor
Party Planner
Chorus Teacher