Why I love 4 Year- Olds

I LOVE 4 year olds.  They are so spontaneous, fearless, uninhibited and too small to truly understand that the grown-up phrases spilling out of their mouths are hilarious.  They are brutally honest, unassuming and imaginative.  They are just all- around FUN! 

 I have been telling Isaac for the last few weeks, as his 5th birthday is just around the corner, that I absolutely love 4 year olds and I don't want him to have any more birthdays.  Last week he woke up in the middle of the night crying because he didn't want to have a birthday... one, because I said I like 4 year olds the best, and two, because then he will be closer to dying.   What?  Dying?  I felt so bad that my little guy was thinking these things because of some comment I had made.  

I assured him that I absolutely love 5 year olds too and that 5 year olds still have a lot of life ahead of them. ;-)  Thankfully, he has changed his mind and does want to have a birthday after all.  If only to get presents.

The following clip demonstrates why I love 4 year olds so much.  This is from Isaac's preschool program last year.  Isaac is on the far right bottom row (just in case you cant tell) but check out the boys on the back row too... Hilarious.    You have to watch until the end to get the full laugh value. (P.S.  The loud monotone singer---Isaac.)

Someday is Now

I wrote this little poem for my Young Women's class after I couldn't find the one that I was looking for. Our lesson was about finding joy in our lives now. I was inspired by President Monson's talk in General Confrence about finding joy in the journey, and am thankful I have come to the following realization.

NOW

Back then, I was studying hard in high school
Making friends and desperate to be cool

“Someday I’ll be happy” said my youthful heart
When I’ll make my own choices,
When I make my own start.
When I won’t have to fight against all these temptations
and have to live up to such high expectations.

Then the day came- I walked out the front door.
In a lonely college dorm room I longed for more.

“Someday I’ll be happy” my mind spoke me.
When I’ll get a good job and can buy a T.V.
When ramen noodles are a thing of the past.
When my prince charming will sweep me up fast.

Well, prince charming came, so did the degree.
But working 8 to 5 seemed boring to me.

“Someday I’ll be happy” the logic seemed clear
When I can have babies and hold them near
When I don’t have to work to put food on the table
When my husband’s job is a little more stable.

Well, the babies came, and came some more.
And I ran around looking after every little chore.

“Someday I’ll be happy, how familiar this sounds”
When I can go to the gym and lose a few pounds
When I’ll have less laundry and far fewer dishes
When my kids will be older and obey my wishes

As the kids got older and moved away
I felt their loss every day

“One day I was happy” I reminisced
When the house was so noisy,many little ones to kiss.
When I had diapers to change and challenges to meet
When I heard the patter of little feet

“Oh I wish I could have a little more time”
To tuck them in bed, and read nursery rhymes
To push them on swings
And cheer on their teams
To hear their giggles, squeals and screams.


Those days passed unnoticed,
I’m not sure how.
I wish I had known

That someday is NOW!

Happy 60th Birthday Dad!

This is just a little tribute to my wonderful Dad who is turning 60 today.

You are the best. I feel so blessed to have had the greatest dad. Thank you for your love and awesome example to me all these years...

Love you Dad!

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Cutest Little Cup Stackers in Texas

Jackson and Mason had their annual school sport stacking competition today.  They have to stack cups in certain configurations as fast as they can.  They'll find out on Monday if they placed... regardless, the school does a great job of exposing the kids to lots of different experiences and this is one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Mason is in the striped shirt (watch for his happy reaction after the first clip, it's priceless), and Jackson in the gray jacket... the last clip is Jackson attempting to do a more advanced configuration, the cycle, for the first time.

25 Things( that you probably don't care to know, but I had fun writing)

1.  I love kids, sweet kids, snotty kids, bratty kids, stinky kids, all kids... they are a light in a sometimes dark world.

2.  Love being a mother and believe it is where I can do the most good.

3.  My childhood ambition was to be an astronaut, until the Challenger exploded when I was  in 4th grade... little did I know the closest I could get to God was by holding a new born baby, and holding a child who was soon returning to Him.  Both of which I have been so blessed to experience.

4.  I love history... history books, biographies and historical novels are the only books worth reading.  No romance novels for me, not even Twilight, I tried.  Sorry girls!

5.  I have struggled with social anxiety and chronic anxiety for much of my life... thankfully I have overcome it... mostly.

6.  My biggest fears are being trapped, in a crowd or elsewhere, flying, and losing someone I love.  I also have a fear of failure, which has caused me to regret not trying things I should have.

7.  I played soccer in high school although my enthusiasm was unequally proportionate to my talent (or lack of)  I still love to play from time to time.  But now enjoy being the cheerleader for my boys.

8.  I have only traveled out of the USA one time...to the Philippines -- where I lived in a decrepit open-air hospital for two weeks.  It gave me a true appreciation for the country I love, and a deeper sense of compassion for people living in abject poverty.

9.  I am a terrible speller... thank goodness for spell check.

10.  Common sense is not my strong suit and forgetfulness is one of my biggest vices...  I lose everything.  Chances are, if I've lost my keys they can usually be found in the refrigerator or on the back of the toilet.  I have also locked myself out of the car many times, once with a baby inside!

11.  I am also hopelessly clumsy. Nuff said.

12.  I traveled the country with my clogging team as a teenager and still love to break out clogging when no one is looking, or sometimes just to embarrass my kids.

13.  When I was younger my dad had the clunkiest cars... the banana boat car was especially painfully embarrassing to me.  My dad would bring me to school and honk the horn really loud so that everyone would see me getting out of the junker.  I would duck and scream in horror.  I now understand why my Dad got such a thrill out of that. 

I seriously can't wait to buy my own junker so I can do the same thing... then my kids will be thrilled to inherit it when they turn 16 ;  )

14.  I love reading the stories of my ancestors and am deeply thankful and proud of my Mormon pioneer heritage.  I'm also thankful for my awesome parents who have spent their lives in public service, one as a teacher and one as a firefighter, and have taught me the value of kindness and helpfulness to others.  xoxo

15.  I love to run... a good long run is so cleansing.

16.  I met my husband at a camp for children and teenagers who have cancer.  We were both counselors there, apparently when I won the "chubby bunny" contest he knew I was the one.

17.  My favorite color is yellow.

18.  I took 6 years of Spanish in junior high and high school and now can't speak a word of it.  I wish I could go back and take that opportunity more seriously.  Now I will need to invest in Rosetta Stone.

19.  I am addicted to sugar!  Chocolate and ice cream being my worst vices.   I also love a good avocado sandwich.

20.  I enjoy cleaning ... I know I am ill.

21.  Have lived in 3 states, Utah, Virginia and Texas ya'll!

22.  Things I despise:  whining, people who give out dirty looks when they see you have more than one child, people playing games or texting on their cell phones at church or while driving... (not mentioning any names here) and ingratitude (refer to #8).

23.  My greatest accomplishment was giving birth at 39 weeks to two babies... one that weighed 7 lbs 5 oz., the other who weighed 8 lbs.   I'm also thankful for the doctors who sacrifice so much of their family time,  to help poor souls like me!  

24.  I once rode a trash can  that was propped up on ice blocks down a very steep hill... with disastrous consequences... refer to #10.   

25.  I am a child of God and am thankful for that knowledge!

The Magic of Christmas

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