I don't usually do these list things but this is for you Les...
Ten Years Ago:
1.) I had been married for almost two years. (I had been more than 4 years since me and Darin started dating)
2.) I had started my first official teaching job. I was teaching 3rd grade in Chualar. (That was my most memorable class ever).
3.) Me and Darin were living in studio apartment above a barn (ya that's right).
4.) I was in my second semester at Chapman college.
5.) I was driving a green minni van (with no kids) pretty pathetic. All I can say is it was really cheap.
Today's to do list:
1.) Make it to church - and actually make it to Sac. Mtg.
2.) Sleep
3.) DISHES & LAUNDRY ( they are my personal nemesis). If I end up in hell they are the reason. You know the saying cleanness in next to godliness then right now I am a goner.
4.) Learning Records for work.. AHU I hate Learning Records
5.) Try not to kill any of my offspring.
Places I have lived:
1.) San Francisco, CA ( I never left the hospital but I was there for three months).
2.) Oakland, CA (My grandparents for few months) I was not aloud to go to Mexico until I was six months old because my lungs were to weak (my parents were living in Mexico at the beginning of my moms pregnancy)
3.) Valley de Pueblo, Mexico (a few more months)
4.) Capitola, CA (two months)
5.) Prunedale, CA (18 years)
6.) Santa Cruz, CA (2 years)
7.) Royal Oaks, CA (12 years, we have lived in three places in Royal Oaks)
Royal Oaks is basically Prundale so I have pretty much lived the same place since I turned one.
If I were a millionaire: (Multi Millionaire?)
1.) Pay off my house
2.) Get out of debt
3.) Buy a vacation house in the Netherlands
4.) Get a cabin at the lake
5.) Get a Maid and a Nanny (part time) just for my sanity
Snacks I enjoy: ( I love all Snacks)
1.) Dehydrated Cesar flavor green beans
2.) Dried Mango from costco
3.) Fruit Smoothies
4.) Brussles cookies
5.) Baked Cheddar Onion and Sour Cream Ruffles
(stroop waffles and anything chocolate)
I will try to write something in the next week or so......
Here are some Rules for guys that Darin sent me afew weeks ago. I though I would share them with my readers:
Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules!
Please note... these are all numbered "1"
ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon
or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.
1. Shopping is NOT a sport.
And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a Problem.
See a doctor.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you won't dress like the Victoria 's Secret girls,don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something
Or tell us how you want it done.
Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus didNOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched.
We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine.Really.
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as SEX, CARS, the shotgun formation, or BASKETBALL.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;
We are all loved and hopefully it is not something we ever forget. My blogs entries are not usually overly religious. All though I am some what overly religious. Sometimes it is nice to get a reminder that we are loved. Last Saturday I was having a one of those days were everything seems to hit bottom and you find your self asking why. In the middle of my day the door bell rang and a friend stopped by to drop off my blue tooth and a hug. The hug changed my day and reminded me that I was loved. It reminded me that their were people out their who love me. Some times it is the small things that fall into place at the right time and remind us that we are loved and that someone is watching out for us all.
OK, so I have found myself with a literary dilemma recently. I have been obsessed with a series of books in which the writing is really not that polished and I can not pin point my obsession. Here is the basic question: What makes a good book?
I am sure the answer is different for everyone. Is it plot, characterization, setting, foreshadowing, literary language, genre or complexity? What is it about a book that makes us think I can not put this down. Does it have to do with being able to dive into another world so fully that the character's seem real that their experiences seem like your experiences. I am not quite sure. In general I love Fantasy, Science Fiction and Historiography. Since I don't have lots of time I like something that pulls me in and is easy to follow. I am doing to much to really enjoy anything overly complicated. I guess this book series does all these things.
So here goes I am going to admit it I am obsessed with the twilight series (and the host). I feel like I am admitting I watched Gossip Girl more than once (auh). It's possible that I could even be categorized as a twi-hard. Really I think I am just obsessed because the last book in the twilight series is coming out in a couple of weeks.
I always get a little obsessed before a new book in a series of books I like comes out (I was checking JK Rowlings web site and reading a bunch of fan fiction before Deathly Hallows came out). And Stephanie Meyers knows how to work the web. Something most authors are missing out on. If you are a fan of the books and have not checked out her site you are missing out http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html. The story Outtakes, Extras, Missing Chapters, Q & A's, Quote of the Day and Book Playlist really take the web site one step beyond most of the author sites I visit (Yes I visit the websites of all my favorite authors!). The first chapter of Midnight Sun on her site is also a must.
I promise I will only let myself obsess over this once. Here are a few of my favorite twilight sites: http://www.twilightlexiconblog.com/?page_id=17 The Twilight lexicon is a must the character bio's and personal correspondence give allot of background information not found in the books. http://www.twilightguy.com/ The twilight guy because Kaleb Nation is freakin hilarious. Stephanie's myspace http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfmfuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=52906350 has some background info (though most of it is also on her website). Twilight mom's is ok, but doesn't really offer anything new or different http://twilightmoms.com/About.php (they have some interviews with the characters in the movie twilight). More tidbits Andy at the Normal Mormon is kinda funny http://mormonhusbands.blogspot.com/2008/02/twilight-series-for-dummies-and-totally.html. My favorite fan fiction is at http://community.livejournal.com/sortofbeautiful/ & favorite writer of fan fiction http://borntobewild13.livejournal.com/tag/fanfiction. I would also check out the main characters myspace pages (each of the main characters have a myspace where they blog).
When I first read the books I liked them. Although I thought it might have to do with the fact that Stephanie Meyers was a LDS, Stay at Home Mom turned Best Seller who just happened to be my age. How could I not be supportive? It seemed like her books were written for an LDS female audience (she was writing for herself and so it was for an LDS audience). I wondered if other people liked them ,but couldn't find anyone that was not LDS who had read them. It seems like her non LDS fans are as obsessed with her as her LDS fans. I think her strength as a writer is capturing human relationships and emotions within non traditional genre setting. She has a way of creating interesting character dynamics within interesting worlds. She needs to work on giving her books more polish. She also is great at crossing genre lines. I love the way that she mixes romance and every day life with fantasy and science fiction. Just in case anyone cares I don't like Edward Cullen! I am a Jacob fan (even though he is not going to get the girl) I also like Ian from the Host (really how could you not). I am hopeful that Meyers can pull off a Rowling-esc ending that makes everyone happy. I thought that there was know way that JK Rowling was going to pull off an ending that people enjoyed for Deathly Hallows, but she did. I am pulling for Stephanie to tie up all her strings in Breaking Dawn. That's enough of my obsessing.
(I can't believe I have not posted since Mother's day). I find that I post more often when I am trying to procrastinate work. Having the older boys home also gives me less time to write. Everything feels like a chore with all four of the boys home. Doing errands is a complete joke.
I have been worrying recently that I don't do enough fun things with the boys. It feels like I am always asking them to clean or just plain listen. I worry that I am not helping to create enough fun experiences. That we are not making enough memories. I get so caught up in everything that I am trying to get done that I rarely do anything meaningful with the boys. I rarely make the time to play on their level.
I don't really remember my parents playing with me. I remember them reading to me. Talking with me listening to me. I remember them making time for me. Driving me every where. Being a part of my life and letting me be a part of their lives. I remember vacations. I don't know that I remember allot of "play". I played with my brother's all the time. I don't remember playing with my parents.
As a kid I always admired the families that played together. The families that may have had less than my family but made each day their own. Made each day special and unique. Darin plays with the boys. I find it hard to play and create real learning opportunities. This is sort of a stupid thing to worry about. Sometimes I worry that their memories of me as adults will be of a mom who was always nagging always trying to get them to do something.
Being a parent is so much harder than I would have ever guessed.I never thought that being a parent would be an Easy thing. I guess I though that there would be hard moments, hard periods, hard days. I didn't realize that those moments would happen so often. As a teacher it is easy to judge peoples parenting styles and to judge their children's behavior. It sorta comes with the job. But being a parent is much harder than it looks and so much harder than being a teacher. At least for me.
I guess my main concern is that my children will not have strong memories to build on when they have their own families. That they will only hold on to the negative memories and not remember the positive. That I don't spend enough time making memories with them that will last. It probably sounds dumb. It feels like there is so little time in the day and they are growing so fast.
I know that it is just a matter of prioritising my life to take the time to make each day my own. I guess I worry about this in all my relationships. That I don't give enough of myself. That I don't give enough time to make the lasting memories. I know I don't give Darin the time that he deserves.
What do we really remember? What determines what we remember? It is so unique for everyone. Can I control what my children remember? Can I sensor there experiences. I guess it would be very naive to assume that I could. I guess the best I can do is help them to create more meaningful memories. Then hopefully the good will out way the bad. I am doing so much and have myself spread so thin that I worry that if I give more of myself I will fall apart. Crazy Huh!
Many of you have probably read this little poem. It travels around the internet this time of year. I thought it was fitting and made small alterations.
Mothers:
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Pepperoni Pizza and cherry Kool-Aid saying 'It's okay honey, Mommy's here.'
And all the mothers who still rub their teenagers backs while they are getting sick.
Those who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses, diapers in their purse and binkies in their coat pockets.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers (sometimes in the cold rain) at baseball,soccer, football, and hockey games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars. So that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, mom?' they could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,' and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand)mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight, Moon', or Curious George (46 pages) twice a night for a year. And then read it again, 'Just one more time.'
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?'in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college -- or have their own families.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches (been there done that) , assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache she feels when she watches her son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
The jolt that takes her from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put her hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when she just wants to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in her home? Or the mother who gets to tired from waiting all night and falls asleep in there child's bed.
Or the need to flee from wherever she is and hug her child when she hears news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation... And for mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us...
Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray and never stop being a mother... For all the mothers in your life. 'Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall.'
