Blog? What Blog?

The Blog. Yet another aspect of my life that is being neglected right now. Eye-sh. Seems like we have been here, there, and everywhere in the past month. Lots going on, and blogging has slipped through the cracks. No excuses though. Just one of those seasons I guess.

Lots of thoughts going through my head tonight. Here goes:

It hurts when my kids hurt. I need to learn to separate their feelings from my own. And not project. Parenting...I must have missed that class in school! ;)

Nobody is perfect, but the Gospel is. If I could remember that everyone is a child of God, learning, making mistakes, and struggling towards perfection; much like myself, it would make a world of difference.

When I am feeling lonely, I need to reach out to someone. Especially when that other someone is also feeling lonely too.

Articulating my feelings from the start helps take an argument from point A to Z, without all the mess in between.

My family is the most important thing, and deserve my best. Not just whatever's leftover after a long day of making everyone else happy.

If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.

Less is best. Especially when it comes to scheduling time, one of our most precious commodities.

Listen and search your heart...where's the first place your mind wanders to when you have a moment of silence? That's where your heart is.

Any-hoo...hopefully I'm not writing a vague, ambiguous post that seems like it's fishing for concern or sympathy. Just getting some of my inner thoughts and feelings down on "screen"...LOL!! Feels good. Maybe I should do this bloggy thing more often?!? Ha ha!!

Presidential Holiday

We celebrated our nation's former presidents by going to our state's capitol, Springfield. Also home to our favorite president's tomb, home, and lotsa memorabilia...and we may or may not be related to him...LOL!! Isn't everyone somehow related to either Abraham Lincoln or Joseph Smith through some distant blood/marriage line?!? :)

Anyway, we grabbed a great hotel deal off of Priceline and headed south on Friday night.



(The top floor of our hotel, that's the teeny tiny capitol building to the top left of Avery's head. :) I wouldn't go that far on the terrace...no thank you!)

First order of business was getting some grub...the only constraint was "nothing we can normally get back home" (which mainly consists of fast-food, pizza, and Chinese). So we found a "middle-eastern" place downtown called the Holy Land Cafe. We were hoping to get a little hummus and pita action, maybe a little shawarma and fattoush...you know the deal-e-o. When we got inside I knew that it wasn't exactly what we were hoping for...but we got sucked in. Ugh!! What is it about feeling bad about offending these establishments? The people-pleaser in me decided to stay and just experiment. Lucky us, it turned out to be an all you can eat Vegetarian buffet (or boofay as Dennis would say!) What?!? They took pity on us and brought a plate of gyro meat for all of us to share. Not the best food I've ever eaten, but also not garbage either. It's the kind of thing that we'll always remember and laugh...'member when we ate at that little Mediterranean place that was all you can eat Vegetarian?!? Ha ha!



After our Vegetarian meal, we went back to the hotel to swim...girls had a great time. It was a bit crowded but we're probably overly sensitive to large crowds after our years of exile in the country. :) Parker was a little fish, and probably drank gallons of pool water in her open-mouth, shrieking, splashing fun. What a little stinker. We tried putting her in the hotel "crib" and she was up till after midnight yelling at Mark to "stop snoring, Dad, go seep!!" LOL!!

Saturday we had breakfast at the slowest IHOP of all time, and then hit the State's museum. It was great! We kept ourselves busy for hours. Who woulda thunk? The hands-on portion was one of the best in the area. I kept myself busy doing this:


(feng-shuing a dollhouse in the kids hands-on museum, don't judge me! Ha ha!)

while the girls did this:



and this:



and this:



After that, we walked around the Capitol building, held Lincoln's hand, visited his tomb, drove by his house, and enjoyed what Springfield had to offer.





It was a quick, fun little getaway that made some good memories for all of us.

Birthdays and a Belated Valentine

Today would have been my father-in-law Dennis' 68th birthday. The brothers decided it would be nice to share our favorite "Dennis" memory to remember him today. I've been thinking about it for the past few days and it's been tough to narrow it down to one in particular. I even pulled out my scrapbooks to try and remember something that would be fun to share. And I thought of a good one. But then I came across these pictures from Christmas of 1999 and couldn't pass up the chance to share them. I think this might be my new favorite picture of Dennis and Mark together (probably one of the only pics of them together...lol!) I just love how they (but especially Dennis) are both looking straight on at the camera and that Dennis is actually smiling!! That didn't usually happen in photos of him. But I got one!! Ha ha!

Christmas 1999 was our 2nd Christmas as a married couple. Our first one we had only been married for a week or so. This was the Christmas after Mark had been through his cancer scare during the summer of 1999. We had a different perspective that year, we were feeling a little rattled from our first year of marriage, but Christmas was a time to let all of that unease go and just enjoy our time together. Dennis and Laurie both did so much for us this first year to help us stay strong. They were endlessly supportive and loving, and I remember really feeling like a part of the family at this point. I remember one time in particular during that summer feeling so emotional and scared that my stress began to manifest itself physically. I got an infection and me being sick was the last thing that Mark or I needed during everything else we were dealing with. We were at Dennis and Laurie's house in Rexburg for some reason, and I broke down. Bawling my eyes out in their living room, I remember Laurie wrapping her arms around me and Dennis sitting close by asking what he could do to help me/us...it was intense. He was the one to offer it first...would I like a priesthood blessing? I agreed, grateful and humble. I gained much needed strength and the ability to endure my trials that night, but more than anything I knew that my in-laws loved me. Enjoying Christmas at their home that year I felt grateful to not only have my husband healthy and here with me, but I was grateful to be a part of a bigger family who I knew had my back and loved me like their own.



This picture brings back so many memories of this period of our lives. We were pretty young and naive still. Even though we were 25 here, we had so much to learn about each other, marriage, family, life, etc. But the thing that held us together was our love and our friendship. Mark has always been my best friend. I've always loved talking and laughing with him. I remember being so afraid that it would all be taken away from me...so soon, so early. I am grateful that after all these years, after ALL we've been through, he is still standing by my side. I love him and am grateful for what we've learned and shared together. I think Dennis and Laurie would feel the same way.

(Happy Belated Valentine's to my valentine...Mark.)

The Dulldrums

So it's right around yuck-thirty around these parts...for me at least. I get like this every year, mid-winter. Tired of the constant gray days with little sunshine, I begin to feel a little discouraged and sorry for myself. The magical coziness of Christmas and the New Year is past, but the first buds of spring have yet to burst forth beckoning new beginnings. So from now until then, I kind of sink into a funk...a dulldrum if you will. My lack of posts lately is in large part due to that lack of inspiration, or fresh ideas. Blah, blah, blah...cry me a river right?

Anyway, I found a little sumpin' this morning to try and spark an attitude adjustment and thought I'd share it with you, in case you find yourself feelin' a little lethargic these days.

7 Ways to Adjust Your Attitude:

1. Take a Friend to Lunch: Try taking a friend to lunch or dinner. Not only will you get a nice visit in with a friend you care about, but the act of generosity will likely boost your spirits. (Who wants to join me? Anyone, anyone? This tip actually compounds my problem with feeling lonely and isolated, so it's probably a good idea to just skip this one before I burst into tears...oh how I've tried...the tales I could tell...the End.)

2. Listen to Your Favorite Song: Carry your portable CD or MP3 player with you and listen to your favorite tunes. A recent study in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia found that music decreased anxiety experienced by patients before surgery. (I would agree with this...Parker and I just got done dancing to a little Maroon 5 a minute ago and I feel LOADS better! LOL!)

3. Discover the Extrovert in You: "Merely acting extroverted will make you feel happier," says William Fleeson, Ph.D., a psychology professor who studies happiness at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Fleeson suggests acting assertive, bold, adventurous, and talkative to practice being an extrovert. (Remind me to tell you how I tried to start a PLAYGROUP in this dadgum Ward of mine...seriously the self-pity is oozing off of this blog post!)

4. Take Ten: Give yourself ten minutes out of every day to reconnect with yourself, suggests Marston. "We live in a fast-paced culture where we're all moving at warp speed with ridiculous to-do lists," she says. If we take time to be quiet, we can get in touch with our values and priorities. "With some adjustments and time, soon our outer life will be matching up with our inner life," she says. (I have really taken this tip to heart...and am trying to take a few minutes to "search my heart" each day, and find out where I really am in there, underneath all the layers, and issues, and stuff.)

5. Count Your Blessings: A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that individuals with a more grateful outlook on life exhibited a heightened state of well being. According to the study, "research has shown that gratitude is linked with positive emotions including contentment, happiness, and hope." At some point during the day, make a simple list of five or ten things that you are grateful for in your life. (I truly whole-heartedly believe that when we are feeling sorry for ourselves, if we stop and count our blessings and feel grateful, we can turn it around. Amen.)

6. Shake It Off: Try not to take things personally. Instead, develop the habit of looking at other people's actions as just the way they are and less of a personal statement about you. Keep in mind that you can't make another person change but you can change your own thoughts. (I think this is my favorite for right now. I have had SUCH a problem with this lately. I get so critical of people because they don't take the time to see what is right in front of them...instead of always taking things so personally I need to just let people be who they are...flaws, inadequacies, and all.)

7. Just Say Om: Cultivate your spiritual side. This could mean checking out some meditation classes (often yoga studios are a good source), exploring the local religious centers in your neighborhood or asking a friend to recommend a good spiritual book. (Anyone know where I can find a good spiritual book?!? LOL!! Ahem...hint: it's blue and it's got gold letters on the cover...it always comes back to this, doesn't it?!? Know it's true.)

So anyway, maybe this is a good little kick in the rear. I need to do something cuz this whole feeling sorry for myself but not doing anything about it isn't really working for me anymore.

Got any other advice? (Be gentle.)

The Resident Toddler

Some recent Parker-isms:

-Loves dinosaurs...says "rawr" with her nose scrunched up and her little white teeth bared. Wiggles her fingers as if they are claws. Simultaneously says, "I di-sore...rawr."

-Loves pirates. Saw an episode of Bubble Guppies about pirates and hasn't stopped talking about it yet. "Geo, Pirate, arrrr!" (Sounds very similar to the dinosaur rawr previously mentioned). Will close one eye (or try), and say "arrrr" out of the corner of her mouth. Pretty hilarious.

-Loves oranges/clementines/juice/etc. A few days ago, I gave her an orange with bkfst, and some juice during the day. Little did I know Mark gave her another 1 1/2 oranges and more juice later on in the day. She should be good on her Vitamin C for awhile...uh hum.

-Loves books. I found her some Dora chapter books recently and she insists on reading all of the stories in them in one sitting, multiple times a day. Although I love that she loves Dora, I'm getting a little tired of saying "vamanos!" and "we did it!" over and over again. Although hearing her talk about how "swiper is a sneaky fox" kind of melts my heart.

-Hates socks. She will rip them off of her little feet and leave them all over the house. Watching her do this is something else too...she pulls and grunts, and wrestles them until she is victorious.

-Hates high chairs. She is sitting in a booster or the bar stools at home, but the tough thing is taking her out to restaurants. She wants to sit in a regular chair, but that means she takes off every 5 seconds and commences running the perimeter of the establishment, laughing her head off the whole way. We went to Olive Garden in Bloomington for Mark's bday on Monday, and she ran from one end of the place to the other. Mark and I were horrified and had visions of her bowling over a wait staff holding one of those gigantic serving trays. Banned for life from the OG, that would have been a travesty!

-She calls cheeseburgers "turkey sandwiches". We drive past the same billboard for McDonalds every day, and she says, "look Mom, turkey sandwich!" It kind of cracks me up. So if she ever tells you she wants a turkey sandwich, what she really means is a hot and juicy cheeseburger!!

-She is still pretty partial to Mom & Dad doing things for her. (Did I tell you about the time she threw up on the Nursery leader after we made her "cry it out"?!? Another story for another day I guess...wink, wink.) Anyway, Maryn and Avery are great helpers but she is a little picky and sometimes rebuffs them. Instead, one day she said "NO! And then very calmly and diplomatically used both of her arms to indicate with a nod of her head "Mommy do it" (pointing at me), and then turning to Mark with her arms, nodding, and saying "Daddy do it". She had us rolling. Although we all know she is the one who rules this roost!! Aye yi yi, we are in for it!!

She's getting so big, so smart, and so articulate. She is such a joy to have in our home.

The Day the Snow Finally Came...

Well it finally came today. We woke to a frosted lawn and snow-drifted roads this morning. It was a welcome sight. Parker didn't even know what it was at first...that's kind of sad don't you think? Anyways, the girls were delighted and so were Mark and I, until we both set out to drive in it.

I made my way to a new playgroup at the Church this morning...went my usual back roads through the country route and about slid off the road a few times. I kept reminding myself that it was just the fact that it my first time out, and that things would be fine...I probably should've turned back then. Ho hum. After playgroup (another post for another day), I had to run to the grocery store cuz Charlie was out of food, and I knew it would be another few days till we'd be making any trips to town. By the time I got done with that, got a quick lunch from the Wendy's drive thru, and got back on the road the snow was really coming down and a LA-HOT was accumulating already. I decided to take the Interstate home to make sure I didn't slide off into some farmer's field. It took me almost an hour to get home!! Boo-hoo and whoa is me! The first snow and I should be all melancholy and sentimental and instead I am cursing the skies above for the tension headache I now have and for the huge timesuck it was to drive today. :-(

Alas all is not lost...Mark came home early due to the College closing down for inclement weather and we were able to watch a new episode of Revenge while Parker finished her nap. Pretty sweet treat for a snowy winter afternoon. And we just got done with our dinner of homemade chicken noodle soup and warm rolls for dinner. Chocolate chip cookies are baking in the oven right now.

Maybe this whole snowed-in winter thing isn't ALL that bad!! ;-) Maybe we'll even get to kick it off with a snow day tomorrow and get a 4 day weekend!!

In the Year 2000...

Knock, knock...
Who's there?
2012.
2012, who?!?
The End.

Anyone else a little baffled about the New Year? It kind of crept up on me to be quite honest with you. I can't say I'm too sad to see 2011 gone, but am I really ready for a New Year? Am I really ready to make all kinds of sincere resolutions to do and be better, making drastic changes and all that uncomfortable stuff? In some ways, yes, kind of, but I think I'm also going to go pretty easy on myself at the same time. 2012 more than anything I think for me is going to be about being gentle with myself, those around me, and just taking things a day at a time for the most part. Too much expectations are never a good thing for me, so it seems. So the solution for my resolutions is to just not think about it. Make sense? Kind of, it'll be a work in progress...

But in the meantime, here's a fun little questionnaire for all to share...please feel free to copy and paste to your own blog or just leave your answers in my comments. Whatever you fancy. No expectations...:)


A bad habit I’m going to break: Where to begin? Biting my nails, emotionally eating, isolating myself, smack-talking people at Church, feeling sorry for myself, ...you get the idea.

A new skill I’d like to learn: Being more social...spontaneous lunches with people I wouldn't normally be friends with, having people over to the house more often, initiating friendships instead of waiting around for people to approach me...and all that jazz.

A person I hope to be more like: Any of my sisters for all types of reasons. I'd like to make exercise a daily priority like Shauna, be more creative and fun with my kids like Melanie (including making hot breakfast 3x a week!!), and more patient and unconditionally loving like Erin.

A good deed I’m going to do: Give things away with no expectation of return.

A place I’d like to visit: Nauvoo, sometime this Spring/Summer/Fall...it must happen THIS year!

A book I’d like to read: Tina Fey's Bossypants...Mark bought it for me and it has been collecting dust, but I really do want to read it!

A new food I’d like to try: Not sure of a food I haven't tried yet, but I would love to go to one of Rick Bayless's restaurants in downtown Chicago at some point.

I’m going to do better at: Making time for myself.