R is for RAV and other automobiles

Little Red - it's got soul but it's not a soldier.

The Oxcart - Loved, until the pig incident.

Prius - Loved.  What a champ.

Also the Oxcart - Loved.  4WD.  Awesome.

Corolla - Sunroof + Blue Tooth = thanks, Dad.

The Van - my favorite ride, because now I've got people, ya know?  Just don't forget I'm only in my 20's.

Pin It Tuesday

Pin It Tuesday!

VALENTINO'S PIZZA CRUST

This pizza crust is a part of a favorite meal at our house!  It's EASY PEASY to make and can be split up into smaller pizzas so everyone can put their own toppings on.  You see ... it is VERY important to add the cheese and stuff to your very own dinner.  The kids love it!  Sometimes we make a double batch to do bread with, too.  I like put a little extra virgin olive oil on the pan and sprinkle a little bit of garlic powder on the pan to sneak in a little flavor.  LOVE!

this is me

this is me

How do you feel about your calling right now?

Intimidated.  I regret not having practiced, or touched, an organ for the last six years.  Oh well.  I haven't heard anybody laugh yet.  And two little girls came and sat on the bench with me last week.  They thought the organ (and maybe me?) were cool.  I still have dreams of playing a loud, and beautiful song.  Just like I said, in my dreams.

the ZOO!

Q is for QUEEN

Q is for Queen

When I was in junior high and high school, during my S.E.O.P.'s (I'm disappointed I remembered such a useless term) I would try to make things difficult for my teacher or counselor.  I don't know why I felt the need to do that, but I didn't know why I was being pressured into choosing a long-term career when up to that point, my only paid position was to be terrorized by neighbor children.  Literally, terrorized.  Here were some of my occupational goals:

During a 9th grade career lecture, I said I wanted to be a mortician.  I think I had heard my dad talk about it and thought it was interesting.  When I announced my plan, it scared the teachers and the counselor.  Success.

From about 10th grade forward, I decided I wanted to be the Queen of England.  I knew that would be a pretty big task, but I was up for it.  For example, I didn't want to convert so I was going to have to do a lot of missionary work to make Mormonism the state religion over there.  And, I was going to have to marry Prince William.  Which, at that time looked like a pretty good option as well.  Imagine my disappointment in November of 2010 when he announced his engagement.  Luckily, his looks resembled either a horse or his dad so I wasn't as interested.  And furthermore, I had my sights set on Jake.  Hook, line, and sinker.

Other jobs I've been interested in since my youth:

News Reporter

Teacher

Singer

Pianist

Presidential Communications Director

Presidential Speech Writer

Financial Educator

Financial Counselor

Google - anything - that place looks fun

Development Specialist

HR

Anything I could do from home

Preschool Teacher

I'm a job coach now, and have been for five years.  My last employee is #161 since I started.  This has turned out to be the most interesting work I think I could do.  If I was a psychologist, or had a reality show like of The Office, I would still work here.  If I work forever, I'd like to have this job, I think.  Unless George W. starts hiring for anything.

a favorite blog of mine

IHeart Organizing

Wendy sent me a link to this blog several months ago ... and I have loved it and stalked it loyally since then.  I love the ideas and the color this blogger uses to do her projects, organize her home AMAZINGLY, and still make it a livable, comfortable place for her family.

Although, I don't have near her talent or resources, I've tried a little project here or there to organize in a cute way.  Because why organize if it's not cute, right?

I made rings for each day of the week and also for the clothes that are up and coming .... you know ... the 4T's and 10's.  Generally, I'm not here in the  morning when my kids get up and ready for the day but I'd still like to see that they have something presentable to wear.  Or something to wear at all.

I put 3M hooks inside their closet doors to hold tomorrow's clothes and another hook on the other door for a sock corral.  Are we the only family losing socks more often then the kids wear them?  That way, when the kids take them off, rather than put them in the hamper, they'll put them in their own laundry bag that zips up and can be tossed in the wash.  No more missing socks .... we hope.

That's that.  A small, weekday project.

p.s.  I have discovered and am in LOVE with Picasa 3!

Pin It Tuesday

Pin It Tuesday!

Today is the debut of my newest series ... mostly for the sake of remembering which Pins I've really tested, and my review of the featured Pin.

Noah got a splinter over the weekend on, I'm guessing, a wooden deck.  It was not discovered until tonight when I saw the thing blatently staring at me from his left heel.  I've always and will always have a terrible fear of the pain splinters are, even more so when they are removed.  Seeing Noah's splinter tonight made me feel like I might change my children's lives by using innovative techniques that are basically pain-free when removing splinters.

I got busy reading an entire chapter book to the kids and forgot about the aforementioned pain in my boy's heel.  Really, it wasn't a pain because he didn't even know it was there.  After he was sound asleep, drooling a small lake onto his pillow, I snuck into his room to save the day the pain-free way ... Pinterest style.

First, I tried this:
Painlessly remove a stubborn splinter


This may be a great idea.  I tried good, old-fashioned rubber cement.  Maybe I needed to use a load more, because covering the slivers newly claimed home did not do the trick.  I think it shined his skin, and the splinter nicely.


 Next, I read about this idea that I pinned because it sounded like it would come in handy.
How to Remove a Splinter


It didn't come in handy.  It takes at least 24 hours to remove the splinter.  You use water and 1/4 tsp. of baking soda to cover the area and then cover with a band-aid.  After 24 hours you can remove the band-aid and rinse the skin to see if the splinter is sticking out.  If it's not, you're supposed to try again.  Does the average person have 24+ hours to spend waiting to see if the sliver, in their actual person, WANTS to come out?  I didn't think so.  This Pin sounds like a great trick if we owned a time-machine.  No go.

You wanna know how this splinter is getting out of my toddler's foot?  The time-tested and proven method of tweezers and possibly a needle.  And, without Mom.  I bow out and will now turn the "save the day the painful way" to my courageous husband.

And, to theses two poor, poor Pins .... they will be deleted from the "Good to Know" board.  I have strict standards for my Pins ... you're good, or you're gone!

this is me

this is me

What do you love about being a woman?

playing dolls, having my hair curled, wearing dresses, singing, playing with my friends, being smart, learning the piano, babysitting, Merry Miss, being a special daughter, being the baby sister, being a girl cousin, going to young women's, learning to be a leader, working at a fabric store, Personal Progress, the scriptures, going to Relief Society, visiting teaching, dating, kissing, hugs, taking care of my home, making a house into a home, being the wife, being the mom, examples from other women that are strong and courageous, clothes, fingernail polish, wedding ring, flowers in my hair, the plan of salvation, the gospel

from the beginning of my life, before the beginning of my life, my identity is female.  it will always be so.  it is who i am.  i am blessed to be and to know that i am a woman, a daughter of God.

Are you a winner?

Abbi's softball season ended last Tuesday.  She enjoyed it so much, mostly because she got to be with her team.  In fact, she figured she was there playing with ALL the girls, not against the other team.  So, that made it all the better for her.  To Abbi, the more the merrier when it comes to kids.  She loved being the catcher and she loved left-field.  She wasn't afraid of the ball when it came to her or when she was up to bat.  She did very well for her first year.  She even tagged a girl out who was running to third!

That said ... I've wondered this before but now I just needed to think out loud about it (or on the blog)....

There is no score keeping allowed at little league games.  It's so casual, our team was never even sure what the other team name was during the end-of-game cheer.  But the last game rolled around and all the kids got trophies that say:

CHAMPION

Machine Pitch Softball

Abbi was SO SO excited to get her first trophy.  Here's my question ... When we reward children with awards and trophies when there was no measurable or identified success, are we setting them up for disappointment in the future.

Let's say Abbi gets a 100% on a test.  Where's the trophy that day?

What about when she plays a sport where trophies or ribbons are given to the actual season winners and she's not on that team?

Is this how we've all been set up to think success is only in winning?  Do I only think I've done a good job when I've been celebrated and showered with an award?

How do I know when I've earned an award (or reward) if they're given out willy nilly?

How do I recognize when it was my responsibility and expectation to do what I did or if I went above and beyond when the rewards are inconsistent?

I believe this is the foundation for the fear of failure, some cases of depression, or apathy.  Our culture (sports, education, peers) teaches that we should look forward to happiness.  And, that happiness comes from achievements, recognition, and awards.

Don't get me wrong.  I think observed positive behavior should be recognized, children (and people in general) should be taught to find value in their success on their own.  I don't try to excel for recognition.  I want to excel to be a valuable person and to improve myself.  There are people who find a lot of motivation in recognition, but I hope that is not where they find their self-worth.

Am I getting anywhere, here?

Brass tacks:

• I think kids should celebrate at the end of the season whether they were the best team or not.
• I think trophies have their place and should be given to teams to are actively, and purposely, participating in a competitive sport. 
• Kids should be taught the value of trying and personal improvement.
• You should brush twice a day to keep the dentist away.
• Kids should learn how to be proud of themselves without feeling bad or hurting others.
• Kids should be taught how to be good winners and losers.
• I'm really hungry right now.

P is for PARENTS

P is for Parents

my favorite picture of them

I really like these two.  I'm not going to try to editorialize my thoughts and feelings this time.  I'm just gonna think about it while I look at this picture.

this is me

this is me

What are your roles?

girl
daughter
sister
granddaughter
great-granddaughter
niece
cousin
friend
student
neighbor
primary child
young woman
youth city council member
youth city mayor
employee
youth Olympic council president
relief society member
high school graduate
nanny
pianist/accompanist
teacher
roommate
college graduate
financial counselor
supervisor
FHE committee chair
relief society counselor
young women's counselor
visiting teacher
girlfriend
fiance
wife
mom
daughter-in-law

O is for OGDEN

O is for Ogden

I am from a city with its own name, its own mayor and city council, its own fire and police department, and with the best city administration.  Sometimes people accidentally refer to my city as Ogden.  They are wrong.  Ogden is nearby but it is NOT the city I am from.

There are some things that I like to do in the actual city of Ogden.

Megaplex Movie Theater

El Matador

Timbermine

Treehouse Museum

Ogden Temple

Deseret Book

Weber River Trail

See the old homes east of Washington and some east of Harrison

Rodeo 

I am planning on attending the Rodeo this year.  Anyone want to join me?

our summer fun

 

Probably no one cares, but at home we are really enjoying Crayola's Dry Erase Activity Center.  Abbi uses it for the worksheets and spelling words we practice each week.  Noah is learning to trace and to free-hand circles.  They love when we get these out!  Anyway, I thought if any of my mom friends were interested, these are pretty inexpensive on Amazon.  I found them at OfficeMax for the best price - check out the link below.  They're perfect for the bait-and-switch you can pull on your kids.  They think it's markers and fun, but those sneaky spelling words and circles get right in, too.  I wish these were around when I was a kid.

All About Me - #22

Here and Now

Your current philosophy is - "He or she who hesitates is lost."

Something memorable that happened to you this month (January) - Jake and I slept all the way through New Years' Eve and New Years

Two things you did today (1/19/12) -  napped on Jake's shoulder and had lunch at Zupa's with my parents and Noah

Two people who occupy your thoughts the most - Noah and Abbi

Something you learned this week - people pretend to be clueless

Something you need to learn now - how to maximize my time

Your most important goal right now - being sealed in the temple

It would be a relief right now if - our letter from the First Presidency was here

The best word to describe your current love life - Jake

The best word to describe your current relationship - Jake

The best word to describe you current work situation - ongoing

The best word to describe your life - overflowing

Your biggest obstacle right now - 2 words

You are happier today than in the past - yes or no

The most important thing in life - my family

The last person you said "I love you to" - Abbi and Noah in bed

A piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child - never forget the truth of the song "I am a Child of God"

Now that you have answered all the questions in All About Me, write one more question you would like to be asked - How do you live a happy life?

The answer - one day at a time with realistic expectations