Lesson # 2: It is the little things that Matter.

As a church goer, I have my own struggles with what kind of mother and woman I should be. Where do I fit in? I think that most of us go through similar issues, and I don't know that  I have an answer yet.
However, I was thinking of the lessons that the holidays have taught me. So lesson number 2 is as follows.

Despite the fact that I am not crafty, I do not have play dates, I work full time and go to school at night. I enjoy hanging with my husband more than girls night out. This can, at times, lead to a lonely existence as a mother.

As I started into the holiday season, I started to wonder how I can  be aware and help those around me. As I am not the mother that will make pre-made cookie jars, or wrap a ribbon around a candle with a holiday poem, but I am someone who cares about others. I do want to help and assist anywhere I can.

Lesson #2 Make consistent and deliberate attempts.

I learned that the effort of saying hello, smiling to someone new, letting others know I am there for them, stopping by to say hi, this is enough. As long as my intent is pure, my acts are deliberate and I consistently try, I can influence the lives of those around me for the better, even without a red ribbon and poem attached to the candle.

As I write this down, I want you all to know, how much I love and care for you. How much I appreciate your words. Merry Christmas! 

It was worth it!

In my last post I lamented about the Holiday season starting and everything I am dreading about it. Yes, sounds a little grinchy but I was not ready AT ALL. So, I am learning my lesson and have decided that with all of our flaws, spending time and making the effort to enjoy the holidays is worth it.

I just left my brothers house where we spent the Thanksgiving Holiday. There were 40 or so family members in a very large house, pictures, food, 4-wheeling, shopping, card games, wrestling, Just Dance and of course plenty of opinions and conversation. Although I wasn't in the frame of mind to enjoy the holidays, I am pleased to announce that I did just that.

So for this holiday season, I am going to post the lessons I have learned rather than the moments I abhor about the holidays. (I may include some of those things too, but we will try to stay on the positives)

So lesson #1 is GET OVER YOURSELF! If it is a friend or acquaintance, we all have quirks and less desirable personality traits. Who cares. Find the the traits in others that you can relate to or enjoy. The holiday season is about spending time with those you love and if you are finding you don't love anyone, you have a majorly sad problem.

This lesson may be for me to learn and everyone else may have it down, but I really doubt it.

Are we ready for the season?

I am a genius. I know that this sounds a little conceded, but my actions have proven this to be true, or not so true in actuality. I have started a new job and Aesthetics school at night both in the same week and just one week before Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving comes around, then we start the parties and family gatherings, the shopping and celebrating of the season. So, why not tack on a couple more things to complete my insane life. In addition to trying to keep the house clean, plan meals, schedule the holidays,work and go to school, I am looking into starting a beehive. This in actuality cannot happen until April or May, however I have to save the money and learn all I can so I am ready in time.

Are you ready for the Holiday Season? Meeting with your family to "enjoy" the Holidays together, only to spend 60% of your time strategically placing yourself in a different room from that family member you would prefer not to be related to. Going over the Christmas list to see what you can get a deal on, what you can find on Ebay and what will not be included in the presents due to financial matters.
I am scared to death for the season, the bills, the recovery, the job and the hope to remember the "spirit" of Christmas.
Also I thought I would post our family picture that we are sending out this year. I stay away from pictures and there are very few over the last 5 years due to my increasing weight. However, I thought it was time, I got a great deal on a photographer and she gave me the cd to use, so I can watch the cost; since in my last family picture, my eight yr old was 3 months old, I thought I should bite the bullet.
Happy Holidays.

It has been a while........

It has been a while since my last post. This is the same starting line that covers 75% of blogs. This blog is no different. Sometimes we forget that as we are living our lives, we need to post our lives.  I will take the challenge. ( Yes a little dramatic, but this post was seeming to go there. )
August and September were big months for our family. After 13 years of marriage,starting businesses, moving back home, and having children together, Mike and I decided to start again. NO, we are not talking about divorce here, we are talking about making a new life for ourselves. So, we left everything, our beautiful home, our friends, family, co-workers, some people we will miss and some we will not miss. My husband is a contractor and after 7 years, there was no business left. We had to decide what to do next. Mike was determined to never have another job so reliant on the economy again.
So, here we are in Provo, UT. Mike has decided to become a dentist. His degree is in Industrial Design, so this is an art degree. He has no sciences. Yes, you heard me right. No sciences, you kind of need science to become a dentist. So, he has to go to university to get his science classes (two years) and then can attend dental school. yippee..... a six year transition. Ok I will try that again, YIPPEE, Mike is going to dental school!!!! Better?
We are renting a little house, the kids love their new school, we live in a great neighborhood and we are so totally poor. I am looking for a job, and will be attending esthetician school at night. (I really am a whore for skincare, I will buy anything :) So, everyone that sells Arbonne or Avon or Mary Kay, stay away, and don't get me started on Sephora, seriously, don't.)
I am terrified to see if we will be able to fund our new life, but it is simpler and sweeter, so this should be good for us.
Now you can see that while I was living my life or trying to wade through my life, I have forgotten to post. I do have a couple of stories to share, thus I can see a few more posts in my future. Well in my near future of course.
To a new life!

Soul Mates

A little over 13 years ago just 2 months before my husband and I were married, we adopted our first child. She was the runt of the litter, a beautiful chocolate color, and had a tail that never stopped wagging.

Our chocolate lab Roxy has been with us for every move, every new home, every child's birth. She was very annoyed by each new dog we added to our home, but ultimately invited and mothered each of them as well.

After 13 years, she died yesterday. She no longer could use her back legs and had gone as long as she could. In the early morning, just before Mike took her to the vet, the children loved her, took pictures and said goodbye. Although my brain knew her time had come, my heart was broken. My very husband, who in the past was unable to show emotion, cried the entire time he dug her grave in the back yard.

As I watched her carried from the truck to the grave, it was clear that her spirit had left her body. Watching her laid gently in the ground, wrapped in her rose printed sheet, still wearing her pink rhinestone collar, was almost unbearable.

The children and I found comfort in knowing that she would be in heaven, wagging her tail, smiling at those that need comfort and begging for hot dogs from those that she knew would give in to her powers. She was our first addition to our family and will always be with us. It is amazing to me how these sweet creatures touch our hearts. We love you Roxy.

Lessons from Roxy:

Show joy and happiness each day.
Love those around you.

Happiness can be found in a great meal, family, and a good scratch.

Never trust those that don't like dogs.

8th Birthday! What a list!

My daughter is turning 8 in August. She if very excited. I tell my children to make a list of what they want, they may only get one or two things, but make me a list. Below is a picture of the list that was left on my nightstand last night.

In case you can't read her list, it is as follows:
Dork Diary's
Slushy Magic (as seen on tv)
Puppet Collection
Pink DS
A Robot
Craft Set
Makeup Set
Mustache Collection (she loves fake mustaches)
DSi or 3DSLite

Seriously.....

I did it for a girl.

I have an eleven year old boy. He struggles with his weight. He is 5'6", 170 lbs, size 11 men's shoe and just finished the 5th grade. I have tried not to make him feel self conscious, but we do try to limit mindless snacking and my husband and I have been waking early with him to do workouts, bike rides, "Just Dance 2", whatever we feel like doing to get some exercise. Shamefully I must say that sometimes he wakes himself and works out on his own when I am too tired to move. So, before we started this regimen every morning, we were doing it occasionally (we now are more diligent). But, one morning I woke to what sounded like elephants in the living room. My 11 yr old was dancing away to "Rasputin". Note: I had not heard this song until the Just Dance video game provided it as one of the selections. The song is disco and sings words to the effect of "Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen, there was a cat that really was gone. Ra-Ra-Rasputin Russia's greatest love machine, it was a shame how he carried on..." I know, so wrong, yet so right.
Back to the story, so there he is dancing his little heart out. I smile at him and start breakfast. Later that day after school, my son tells me that he has decided to work out for "personal reasons". But he also gives me look like he would like to tell me more. So, I ask him what "personal reasons" means and he states to me that he can tell me when his father, little sister and little brother are out of the room. I then ask them to leave.
Once we were alone my son says that he "did it for a girl". He wanted to work out for a girl. I ask him if she knows he likes her. He tells me that he told her after school that he "likes, likes her". I asked what she said back and he said that she said "thanks",  he said "but in a nice way, not like a snotty thanks".
So, he has decided to turn himself into a workout fool, dancing to tale of Rasputin, for the love of his life that he intends to play Magic cards with later.
To be 11again.