Confession #27 I Actually Liked High School

Or at least I thought I did.

The other night, my husband and I had a great conversation about what we were like as teenagers. I decided that had we met in high school, nothing would have happened between us. We were SO different. We each had to do a lot of growing before it would work out between us.

In high school, I wasn't the most social person in our school, and I prefered to hang out with my family on the weekends mostly. I had a great group of friends, though. We didn't do much on the weekends, but we went to lunch together almost every day (we had an open campus) either at some fun place or at one of our houses. We talked a lot and we were involved in mostly the same extra curricular activities. As far as sporting events, I went to the football games, but that was because I was in the band. My "groupies" were not in the band. I never felt like high school was terrible...I had no enemies, I had friends, and I had fun. I still keep in touch with many of my high school friends, although, as with most high school friends, not to the extent I thought I would. And, I also got decent grades. Okay...very good grades. I seemed to have it all. Saying all that...I have NEVER wanted to go back to high school.

My husband, on the other hand, had very different experience. He was, self-admittedly, a nerd in high school. He had only a couple of friends and their idea of fun was to do their calculus homework together. He doesn't keep in touch with any of them. Peter was also not involved in many extra curricular activities. I think he was in the chess club for one semester and in one of their school plays as a chorus person. He quit both of those because they infringed on his study time.

As we were talking about our experiences in high school, I realized that despite the fact that I had fun in high school and I thought I liked who I was back then, I knew absolutely nothing. I was your typical self-absorbed teenager who thought only of herself. I felt like I deserved everything just for being me. I was mouthy to my parents. I told a few "white lies" that I shouldn't have. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted in life.

During this conversation, I realized that high school was not as great as I thought it was. I have learned so much since then. I have found parts of me that I never knew existed. For example, I never knew that I had such and intense love for cooking back then. I never knew that I had the ability to be friends with others who walked such different paths than I did. I never knew that I had a place in my heart for abused women and children and that it could take up so much space in my heart. I did always know that more than anything, I wanted to be a mom, but I never knew what joy could fill your heart just watching your two little boys giggle together over some private joke. I never knew that I was attractive to someone. I never knew that I enjoyed doing things that "Holly Homemaker" would do...cooking, cleaning, organizing, baking bread, quilting, card making, etc.

So, did I like high school? Yes I did. Was it wonderful? No it wasn't. Would I go back? Nope. Am I glad to be where I am today? Yup. Do I hope to know even more about myself 10, 20, 30, or even 50 years down the road? Sure thing. But as with high school, while I'm living it, I can like it!

Go class of 1996!

Confession #26 I Don't Really Do Spring Cleaning

I'm an organizing junkie. I love watching the organizing shows. I love purchasing containers of any sort. I love being able to divide things into categories...even if it is a "Miscellaneous" category. I love my label maker. I love having things color coordinated. I don't have to do this kind of stuff just in the spring, either.

I'll admit that the nicer weather gets me more motivated to get moving, but I would rather be outside than inside cleaning! I like to think that I can do my cleaning all winter. Except I don't really. There are a few things that I can keep up with really well...the kitchen, the laundry, and generally everything has it's own place and is usually in it. There are a few that I'm not so good at. These are the things that many people would consider their Spring Cleaning.

Dusting is terrible here. I can't even count the number of cobwebs that I have seen lately. The thought, "Just get a duster and get rid of it!" crosses my mind every time I see one. But do I actually go and get the duster. Nope. The duster is never close enough to me. It's always downstairs in the laundry room. And when I see a cobweb, I generally am doing something else and don't have the time to stop RIGHT NOW and get it.

Another one that is terrible here is my mini blinds. Every day when I open my blinds I notice how dusty they are. But I never manage to take the time to set a day aside and clean them. I've heard of putting them in your bathtub to clean them, but I guess I'm just not smart enough to figure out how to get them down. The ones in the kitchen right behind the sink are the worst.

The other one that I don't manage to do is to shampoo my carpets. Sure, I get out the carpet cleaner when there are obvious stains. But they never get really clean. I'm too cheap to pay for it...and good grief. I'M RENTING! (But we've lived here for 4 years and the carpets haven't been cleaned yet.)

So now I'm curious. Are you guys into Spring Cleaning? And do you really get some of the nitty gritty stuff done or is it mostly dejunking (which I do all the time)?

Confession #25 Answering the Phone is not Always a Priority

I'm not one of those people that screen every phone call I get. We are extremely poor right now while Peter is in school and therefore, no caller ID. I couldn't screen them even if I wanted to. But I have to admit, sometimes I just don't want to get off my butt to answer the phone.

Most of the time it is even someone I don't mind talking to. We have our number on the Do Not Call list and it seems to be working fairly well. Usually the people calling me are friends from the ward, family members, or my husband. All of those are fine people to talk to. It just so happens that these people have this knack for calling only a few minutes after I have sat down for the first time that day to watch The Rachael Ray show. It's one of the few shows I get to watch regularly and I guess I'm just selfish about it. I don't want to talk to anyone during that time. Tigger is down for his nap and Piglet loves watching the show just as much as I do. So often, I just don't answer the phone.

I wish that today I hadn't answered the phone. I suppose it was nothing too terrible, but it was something that I wanted to put off as long as possible. This time, it was the doctor's office calling. If you remember a previous post about all the things I hate about being pregnant, this was one of those things. The doctor's office called to remind me to do my 12 hour urine collection. I don't know how many of you have ever had to do this, but it stinks...literally. You have to collect all your urine and refrigerate it in an orange jug the size of a milk carton. First of all, the thought of having that in my refrigerator next to my food revolts me. Second of all, it is terribly embarrassing to walk into the doctor's office carrying this huge orange jug carrying all of my pee. Good grief. Let's be a bit conspicuous, shall we?!?!

If you are wondering why they do it, I'll tell you. My pregnancies are high risk because I'm extremely hypertensive during pregnancy. One of the first signs of pre-eclampsia is that your kidneys stop working. When this happens, you get proteins in your urine that aren't supposed to be there. This is why they collect it. To make sure my kidneys are working correctly. I should be grateful that modern medicine has made it possible for me to have babies because had I lived 100 years ago, or even crossed the plains, I would be dead from complications with my first.

So, now I'm off to the doctor's office to get the huge orange jug to go in my refrigerator. What fun!




P.S. I'm just glad I don't have the job of running the tests on all my urine!

Confession #24 I'm Late

And I don't mean late to work/church/appointments.

I'm 15 weeks late.

You remember that last post about thinking it's time to eliminate something? I think I need to, I just don't know what to start with. Lately I feel like I am barely keeping my head afloat. Any minute now I'm going to start drowning because I'm wearing myself out.

I have something scheduled every morning of the week. It requires me to get out of the house by 9 or 9:30 every morning. The things I have scheduled are actually all good things. I swap babysitting with a neighbor each week. This was an attempt to have at least ONE morning a week when I went to the gym. It's not turning into that. How ironic that the mornings I scheduled for ME TIME have turned into NOT ME TIME. I have doctor's appointments, Visiting Teaching (Hello?!?! 5 active sisters on my route), Kindergarten Registration, and a million other things that come up that prevent me from going to the gym.

Other things scheduled are playgroups (some of which I don't even go to...), preschool for Piglet, and presidency meetings. This is on top of the regular chores: laundry, cooking, dishes, bathrooms, etc. And because Peter is in the bishopric, he's busy too and he can't always be available to me. These are all good things. This is what makes it so hard to decide what to eliminate.

And to top all that off...I'm pregnant. I'm sorry, but you women out there who love being pregnant...what are you smoking?!?! Because I want some! I HATE being pregnant. I hate being so tired that every day things exhaust me. I hate feeling fat. I hate knowing that I'm going to be on bed rest at the end. I hate stressing about what is going to happen to my family when I AM on bed rest. I hate getting heart burn all the time. I hate how you can't fit through spaces that you used to be able to fit. I hate trying to hurry and get off the couch when the phone rings so you can answer it. I hate it when I get so big I can hardly take a normal breath of air. I hate how swollen I get. I hate going to a million and one doctor's appointments because I'm high risk. I hate having to find babysitters for said million and one doctor's appointments. I hate feeling so worn down I can't devote the time I want to my kids. I hate having to collect my urine just to make sure I don't have a kidney infection. (They usually make me do this about 3 times for the duration of my pregnancies.)

I suppose I shouldn't complain. I don't get morning sickness too badly. Just a bit of an upset stomach (at night with this one.) I don't get gestational diabetes. I don't ever go over my due date. In fact, I usually get induced at 37 weeks. This means tiny babies that come out with one push. But all this doesn't make up for all the things I hate about being pregnant.

And of course, the thing I love about being pregnant is the fact that I get to hold my own little newborn. You all know how indescribable that feeling is.

So, that's it. That's my confession. That's why my blogging has suffered. That's why I'm barely staying afloat. That's why I am the way I am...take it or leave it.

Confession #23 My Family Home Evening Lessons Aren't Always Stellar

But last night's was!! In fact, it was so good, that I though I'd blog about it.

We talked about the Word of Wisdom from Doctrine and Covenants Section 89. We talked about how following the Word of Wisdom will make our bodies strong and it will make us run fast, and it will make us think clearly.

Now comes the fun part. I had spent some time before hand looking at the weekly ads that come from the grocery store. I cut out pictures of things in the ads and then glued each one to an index card. I got pictures of all kinds of things...fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, milk, nuts, ice cream, chips, beer, wine, tea, coffee, etc. We had three little sack lunch bags one labeled "Yes", another labeled "No" and the third labeled "Sometimes." The kids took turns picking one of the index cards and then deciding which bag it went into. They had tons of fun and even Tigger was getting into it.

So, there you go. A great idea for your next Family Home Evening Lesson. This could also work well talking about the different food groups and teaching your family about the food pyramid! Have fun with it and let me know how it works for you.




Image taken from lds.org.

Follow Up to Confession #2

Way back when I started this blog, I had written a post about having an updated 72 hour kit. I thought that too often my posts might sound like I'm not good at anything...when really I am. I just thought I'd give you a bit of an update on how I have remedied one of my very first confessions.

I am happy to report that now I have an updated 72 hour kit. I have the right size of diapers and I also have underwear for Piglet. There are two pairs of clothes for everyone...one for warm weather and one for cool weather. I have all the food groups represented and I even have a can opener to open the tuna. I have whistles for everyone and enough glow sticks to last for awhile. I have first aid basics and at least two flashlights in it. There is cash broken up into smaller bills and we even have colored pencils and coloring books for the kids. I'm sure that we don't have everything that could go into a 72 hour kit, but at least we have it.

Ya wanna see?!?!

I got the idea to put it into a (clean) rolling trash can from a friend. It's not too heavy for me to lift into the trunk of my van and it has a handle that makes it easy to roll. I used to keep it in duffel bags. I found those to be hard to carry because you had to carry about 4 of them each. This has turned out to be the best solution for us. I also keep a case of water bottles in the van under the seats in the stow-and-go storage.

Anyway, this time I can say that I've fixed one of my confessions!

Confession #21 My Kids Don't Brush Their Teeth in the Mornings

I know. Isn't it terrible?!?!

I would describe myself as having average dental habits. I brush my teeth twice a day...morning and night. I don't floss unless I'm trying to get something out from between my teeth. I don't use any kind of mouthwash. I also don't drink soft drinks or suck on hard candy.

I would also describe myself as having good genes and a fair amount of luck when it comes to my teeth. I never wore braces or retainers. I have naturally straight teeth. I think I've only had one cavity in my whole life. I have one wisdom tooth that is so far up, it will never come down and the other three just never existed, therefore, no wisdom teeth removal. I once didn't go to the dentist for 5 years (you know...after college, before I had insurance, when I was a poor newlywed, etc.) and when I finally went back, my teeth were still perfect. Not even much tartar build up.

I would also describe myself as "routine-less" in the mornings. This is the main reason why my kids don't brush their teeth. We get the important things done every day: getting dressed, eating breakfast together, and out the door with shoes and socks in tow even if they aren't actually on the feet yet. We even mostly get some of the "not-so-important" things done: making the beds, putting the pajamas away, the kitchen table cleared and wiped from any breakfast residue. These things just don't happen in any sort of predetermined order. This means that even though I have a mental list of what needs to be done, no one else knows what to do next, let alone if it is all done or not.

I can't wait for the fall. Piglet will be in kindergarten. This means that he will have to be in the same place at the same time every day. I'm really hoping this helps us have a better routine. I've tried making charts for the kids with pictures of the things that need to get done in the morning, but quite unsuccessfully. And it's not my kids' fault, either. It's totally 100% mine.

Believe it or not, I really do want to teach my kids good dental health. Gum disease is often a sign of other things. We diligently brush their teeth every night. They each get a turn and then we do it after them to make sure we get everything. Besides being a sign of good health, nasty teeth and bad breath have social consequences, too. I mean, have you ever tried to talk to someone with bad, greying teeth? It's like you can't even look at them because it's so disgusting.

Anyway, now I'm curious. How do you guys teach your kids about oral health? And really, am I like the ONLY person who doesn't floss?

Confession #20 -- I Procrastinate

I may not be THE QUEEN of procrastinating, but I'm pretty good at it. And this is one of those things that I've just accepted about myself. I have a slight desire to change it, but not big enough to actually do it. I just have other things to worry about right now...and always.



Some of the things I procrastinate doing:

1. Making doctor's appointments for me and my kids. It's usually for the well child visits and the regular appointments. For some reason, I just can't pick up the phone. Whenever I think about making the appointments, I am either not by a phone or not by my calendar. Two very important things.
   
2. Making Visiting Teaching appointments. Don't know why...I always like going. I probably procrastinate doing this because of some of the same reasons as the doctors appointments. I have lately started making appointments by email. I can send an email at 11pm whereas, I cannot call at 11pm. And they can respond at their leisure, too.
   
3. Preparing Sharing Times. I should know better. I'm the President and therefore will teach sharing time the 1st Sunday of each month. I know this. But somehow, the first Sunday always sneaks up on me. It's always the Saturday before when I start thinking about it and realizing that it's my turn to teach the next day. Of all the things I procrastinate, this is one that I shouldn't.
   
4. Packing for a trip. I love going on trips just as much as the next person. I also love coming home to a clean and organized house. This means that I spend the majority of the time before a trip cleaning and not packing. This one drives my husband crazy. He starts packing about 24 hours before he leaves on a trip. I start maybe a couple of hours before. It always reminds me of when I was in college one summer. I had the opportunity to go on a fantastic Alaskan Cruise. I had so much to do before I left (classes, my calling, cleaning, etc.) that I literally started packing 30 minutes before I left the house. I didn't forget anything then and I haven't forgotten anything since. I am TRULY okay with this procrastination.
   
5. Cleaning the Bathrooms. Enough said.
   
6. Going to bed. As I have said before on this blog, Peter and I go to bed way too late. This one gets procrastinated because basically, it's too much work to get ready for bed. It's too much work to get in my jammies, brush my teeth, wash my face, read scriptures, say prayers, etc. It's so much work that I put off doing it in the hopes that it becomes less work. It never does.

I've always been a procrastinator. In high school and college I was always up late the night before a big paper or project was due. There is something about a high pressure situation (like papers and projects due) that make me concentrate better. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is better work, mostly because I don't have anything to compare it to. I've never done something early. Why do today what I can put off until tomorrow?!?!

Confession #19 I Don't Write in a Journal

This one actually makes me feel extremely guilty. I come from a family of RECORD KEEPERS. And I mean RECORD KEEPERS. My mother, not only has written her own life history, but has written one for each of her 8 children that accounts for the time until they left home...18ish. My grandmother's life history is full of lists. Lists of all of the wards she has lived in, all of the callings she has held, all of the choirs that she participated in, all of the places she has visited, and much, much more.


I have been taught from an early age that records are important things. I agree. I have learned much about relatives from reading their records. After my dad died, my aunt collected and put togther a book of memories that his 7 siblings and their parents had. It is a priceless collection. I have learned much about my great, great grandmother (who lived during polygamy) and whenever I get my girl, she will be named after her.


Even though I don't keep a journal to record my thoughts, I still have many forms of records. I label the back of ALL of my pictures so that one day I won't wonder who it is. My family exchanges emails once a week that talk about what is happening in our lives...and I print those and keep them together. I write down all the funny things that the kids say and keep them together.


With all the records that I keep, I shouldn't feel so guilty that I don't keep a daily journal. The older I get and the more I have on my plate, the more I think that writing in a journal because I feel guilty isn't the best way. It would turn into a chore rather than something I enjoy. I don't have time for more chores. So, I guess I'm just saying that I may not write in a journal, but what I'm doing right now to keep a history is just going to have to be okay for right now.

Confession #18 -- I'm the Second Worst Back Seat Driver

And I'm only the second worst because my kids are the first.

About a year a go when I was teaching Piglet more of his colors we looked for colors when we were driving around in the car. Red and green were the colors we found the most. He soon learned wheat red and green mean. Now he tells me at every opportunity he gets: "Stop Mom!", "Go, mom, it's green!", "Don't slow down, it's green.", "Don't hit that car, mom!", "You're too close!"

It drives me batty some times! Now Tigger has started in on me, too: "Slow down for the bumps!", "You're going too fast!" (How would he know?!?!), "Stupid driver...be nice."

That last one he learned from me. I'm not a road rage kind of gal, but I will often comment on how stupid other drivers are, because let's face it...there are stupid drivers out there.

But not me.

Okay, so maybe I have done a few dumb things in my driving career, but as mentioned before, I've never been pulled over. I've also never been in a car accident when I was driving. Because of that, I'm the safest driver I know.

Or at least that's what my control issues are telling me. The number of drivers I trust completely, I can count on one hand. My husband isn't even on that list. I'd rather drive because, we will both admit, that I am the better driver. I can't fall asleep when someone else is driving unless I'm in the back seat and can't see the road. This is because the first wreck I was in was because I was asleep in the passenger side and I woke up flying forward to the windshield because the driver fell asleep. I'm pretty sure these issues stem from me feeling like I have to be in complete control of the car to feel safe.

Because I'm the safest driver I know, I also feel like I have to tell everyone else how to be safe. I'm the worst with my husband and siblings. Sometimes, I literally have to bite my tounge to keep from saying things to him about his driving. In some ways I feel like I'm a Driver's Ed teacher every time I'm not driving. I have my foot on my imaginary brake on the passenger side and I'm constantly pointing out things that the driver might have missed...someone who MIGHT change lanes...someone who MIGHT turn without a blinker...the light that MIGHT change soon...etc.

I'm learning how to be nicer about things. My husband thinks I've come a long way since we were married 6 years ago. I think I have too. I also think that I'll come even further when Piglet and Tigger are learning how to drive. Then I might actually get a taste of my own medicine!

Confession #17 -- I Don't Like Shopping for Clothes

I used to...before I had kids. But ever since the pregnancies, my body has changed shape, and not in a good way. I think what happens when you have kids is that clothing never fits right anymore. They don't make pants that fit your hips and your waist. If they fit up top, the legs are so baggy it looks like you are wearing a tent. Someone needs to invent a clothing store that has cute clothing tailored to the "post pregnancy" body.

But alas. I haven't purchased a brand new pair of jeans for almost 3 years and it was about time. I'm a used clothing shopper. Not only is it better for my wallet, but sometimes you can find really great things. But jeans are one of those things that you either get really lucky at the used clothing stores or you have to buy new. After looking for and not finding the perfect pair of jeans at the used clothing stores, I decided that I deserved a brand spankin' new pair after 3 years.

One of the reasons I don't like shopping for clothes (besides the fact that they never fit right) is because I have two little boys. I'm trying to teach them about modesty and therefore, it's inappropriate for them to go into the fitting rooms with me. That means that I have to go when Peter is home to watch the boys...usually on a weekend. Stores are BUSY on weekends and I don't like fighting the crowds.

Another reason I don't like shopping for clothes is that I'm between average and petite. Average pants are usually so long they are dragging on the floor by 4 inches or more. Petites are just too short and you can't do that. I can sometimes get by with a petite if I plan only wearing my beloved flip flops with it...and flip flops only. I suppose some would say the solution to that is to wear 4 inch heels all the time. But I DON'T THINK SO!

So, on Saturday, I braved the crowds at the mall and went shopping for jeans. There is one little store that I have lots of luck in so I started there. I encountered the same problem. The average ones were too long and the petites were too short. Then the sales girl told me that their jeans shrink a lot shorter, but that they stretch out as you wear them so to get a snug pair. I thought that maybe I could get an average. So, I looked for the size smaller in average. That's always nice, right? But without divulging my size (because what normal girl would...) I soon found that they didn't have any in the color I wanted and the size I wanted. Bummer for me. I hate shopping for clothes.

So, while at the mall, I decided to take a jaunt down to JC Penney because I would never have a chance to shop by myself again...at least in the forseeable future. I don't usually have the best of luck there, but it was worth a try, right? I searched the shelves and racks for the right color and the right size and the right length. I found some to try on and lo and behold! A pair that was perfect. Now, to look at the price. Originally it was $40. Pretty average for a pair of jeans. But lucky for me it was President's Day Weekend and that means SALE! The sale price was $18.99. Even better. But I looked closely at the tag and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a pricetag with $3.97 written on it. This couldn't be real. Only one other pair of jeans on the entire rack had that same tag on it, so I thought for sure it was a mistake.

I took it to the counter and asked the gal at the register what the deal was with that. She looked it up for me and WOW! It really was only $3.97! SCORE! My shopping trip was a success after all!



But, after all that, I still don't like shopping for clothes.

Confession #16 I Don't Know What's For Dinner!

So, um, I haven't done a good grocery shopping run for about a month and a half now. And it's not that I don't want to, either. I actually find it enjoyable. I like looking for good deals and I like looking around new stores.

But, my life has been so busy that I literally have been running out of time to go. I have something scheduled every morning (which is, IMO the best time to go grocery shopping...not as many crowds, better produce selection, and all the good deals aren't gone). Even Saturday mornings are filled with activities. When I walk into the kitchen I feel like I need to see a sign that says NO FOOD HERE!! I keep us stocked on milk, eggs, cheese, fresh produce, etc, but like I said, it's been a month and a half now since I've done a good grocery run.

I feel like every day I am scraping the barrel, so to speak, when it comes to getting dinner ready. I have to be really creative and use my food storage well. It's starting to get old. At least I have food storage. So, for my sake (so I can have it in writing) and for yours if you are wondering what to make, I am compiling a list of things I can make for dinner that I can make in a pinch. In making this list, I am assuming that there are some basics stored away in the freezer or pantry ...chicken, ground beef, pasta, etc. I do have some basics now, but at the rate I'm going that won't last long. I'VE GOT TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING!!

-Baked Potatoes
-Pasta with a bit of butter and parmesean cheese (yummy with freshly ground pepper!)
-Taco Soup (canned beans, corn, taco seasoning, onion, ground beef...that's about it!)
-Omlettes (Peter is a great omlette maker!)
-Tuna Casserole (This is always one of the options LOWEST on my list.)
-Breakfast at Dinner (pancakes, waffles, cereal, etc.)
-Chicken Enchiladas (I have in food storage enchilada sauce and I actually have chicken and tortillas today.....HHmmm....maybe I'll do that today.
-Spaghetti
-Hearty sandwiches...with whatever meat and veggies you have.

Well, there you have it. It may not be a long list, but it helped me for at least tonight. What are some of your standby favorites?!?!

Confession #15 I Still Sleep With My Baby Blanket

You know how there are just some things that bring comfort to you no matter what? Hot chocolate and a good book. A nice warm bubble bath. A visit to mom's house. Well, for me it's my Blankie. It's been with me through everything. I was so little when I got it that I don't even remember getting it. It's always been there...kind of like this constant companion.

Peter teases me about sleeping with it. He's mostly just jealous because I cuddle it more than I cuddle him. What can I say? When I sleep on my side, I need something to hold in my arms to keep my chest cavity open. It's the perfect size to fit right in between my arms and it's soft. Peter is a little big for that...plus, he snores.

My Blankie is so threadbare that I'm afraid every time I wash it. I'm afraid it will end up in shreds. The ties that my Grandma used to tie the layers together were all pulled out years ago when I was a fidgiting kid. Because of that, the little batting that is left has been migrating to one corner of the blanket preventing it from ever lying flat again. The fabric is so thin that you can see through it easily. The binding on the edge is literally hanging on by threads. Occasionally I have to actually cut parts of it off because they end up in loops that I catch with my fingers. But I could never give it up. It may be thin and ragged, but it still keeps me warm.

My sister is the same way with her Blankie. One time when she flew somewhere, she put the blanket in the suitcase (much like I did). We have never made that mistake again. They lost her suitcase and she had to sleep without it for a few days. There was a palpable fear that she would never see her Blankie again. Now, it gets tucked nicely in a large carry on bag so as to never loose it again. It's thin. I can do that.

Peter sometimes thinks it's funny to take it and hide it from me. He can only try this when I'm in an extremely jovial mood because otherwise, it's just not funny. One time he hid it in the morning and as I cleaned that day I found it. I noticed it was missing when I made the bed and I sniffed it out. He has never tried that one again.

My sister and I get heckled by our family for this, but it doesn't matter. I tell them that I want to hand it down to my little girl...if I ever have one. They always laugh and ask how much of it will actually be left for a daughter. But, I don't care. I always sleep better with Blankie folded in my arms.

Confession #14 I Haven't Vacuumed for a Long Time

I think I have a really bad relationship with vacuums. They all seem to hate me. Because my last one pretty much died on me, I got a new one less than a year ago. I did some research and ended up getting one from Costco...right down the middle of the line...not to expensive, and not the cheapest (despite the fact that Peter would have gotten the cheapest no matter what...You cannot always sacrifice quality for cost).



We brought it home, put it together, and it worked fantastically. We loved it! For about a month. Then we started noticing that it just wasn't getting all the stuff off the carpet. The hose was filled with carpet fuzz. So much that we had to literally push a broom handle through it to get it all out. Then it worked great for another little while. Then on Halloween night, Peter was vacuuming while waiting for Trick or Treaters and you would not believe the burning rubber smell that came from that thing. It was so bad that you could feel it in your eyes. I took it in to a vacuum repair shop because surely it was worth fixing it rather than buying a new one! Right??



Well, after replacing a part that had melted, it worked fantastically again! But a couple of weeks ago when I vacuumed, I noticed another problem. It sucked things off of the carpet, but the smell that lingered was terrible. Maybe not as bad as the burning rubber smell, but it smelled just like all the dirt had been picked up, stirred into the air, and left there to settle back down on the floor again. I could hardly breathe because it literally smelled like a dust storm.



So, now what do I do? I don't have the money to get a new one and at the rate we are going, I don't have money to get it fixed again. I have taken this thing apart and to my untrained eye, there is nothing I can do. So I do nothing.



But that only lasts a little while. Last night I did some yoga after the kids went to bed and it was terrible being that close to the floor where I could actually see the dirt and grunge that has accumulated. And I shudder to think that my kids are playing on the carpet the way it is. My only consolation is that at least they are old enough not to put things in their mouths, but still, I hate the idea that they are playing in it.

Confession #13 -- I Don't Mind Doing Laundry

WOW! Somehow the weekend got ahead of me! I didn't even check my email for over 2 days! That's a record for me.

Anyway, Mondays at our house are designated "Laundry Day" because that's all I do on Mondays. I don't like the idea of doing laundry every day for two reasons. 1. It's hard to do full loads that way and therefore it wastes water. And 2. I don't mind doing laundry, but I certainly don't love it. I only do it one day a week...unless there is some sort of emergency with any kind of bodily fluid. And with children, those happen more often than I would like. Besides, doing it all at once gives me the opportunity to sit down and fold clothes while watching a movie without feeling guilty!

Some people might call me obsessive compulsive about things I do. I have to do things in even numbers (including the number of kids I have). I have to align everything. I tuck the sheets on the bed just so on the corners EVERY DAY. I fold clothing so that it all ends up the same size. I match socks up...even all the plain white ones all three of the boys at my house wear. A new white sock can not be matched up with the old white sock...and I can tell the difference. Clothes are arranged in drawers so as to best use the space available.

I guess this is mostly why I don't mind doing laundry. Nobody else could do my laundry as perfect as I could. I'm sure that someday I'll have to give up all my quirks about laundry, but not today.

And if any of you want to cut your laundry time down, just watch and learn from this video.

Another reason I do my laundry all in one day: I actually stand a chance at having ALL the laundry clean at once...until it's time to get ready for bed and the dirty clothes go back in the laundry baskets, that is.

Confession #12 -- I'm Really Terrible at Washing my Face

I have always been a lucky soul with skin that is usually fantastic. Occasionally I get little blemishes, but rarely even a zit dares show itself on my face. I hardly ever wear makeup...mostly just on Sundays and other out of the ordinary activities. Because of that, I was always lazy about washing my face. I wash it in the shower every morning, but not with anything special. I wash it only on the nights that I wear makeup and even only that if I remember to.



But this has to change. I'll be 30 this year and I'm noticing more and more that my face is not it's youthful self anymore. No wrinkles yet, but it certainly doesn't have even coloring. I have a neighbor who sells Mary Kay. And really, even though I don't wear makeup much, I have absolutely loved anything I have gotten from Mary Kay. I went to my neighbor's house last night and I finally got the basic skin care package. It's been on my mind for awhile, but I never got around to it. But this time I got it. I have loved it. All morning I have been feeling my face and looking at myself in the mirror. I feel a bit silly doing it, but it is such a difference from yesterday that I can't help myself!



So, now that I've shelled out the money for this fantastic stuff, I plan on using it. And then maybe, just maybe, I might be able to take this confession back!

Confession #11 -- I Don't Know Everything

Even though Piglet thinks I do.

Piglet is at that fantastic age of 4 where children learn not only better coordination, and social skills, but masses of knowledge as well. I actually really like to see him learn. He is doing really well with recognizing the letters and knowing what sounds they make. He is not so keen on writing, but that will come in time. I love it when he picks up a new skill or somehow applies the new knowledge that has learned.

But, he is also at this lovely age of 4 where they tend to ask a lot of questions. I usually try to answer them to the best of my ability because I believe that it helps him learn and it conveys the idea that asking questions about life is a good thing. I also try to answer them so he knows that I'm paying attention to him.

This is the hard part because sometimes, the questions are so many and they come so fast, that I really do start to tune him out. And he often asks questions when I'm trying to concentrate on something else...driving during rush hour, cooking dinner, typing on the computer. And sometimes I really do get irritated when he asks so many questions. I try my hardest to not let him know that I'm irritated, but that doesn't always work. And my rule of thumb is that I never ask him to stop asking questions, no matter how much I don't like it.

I'm afraid I don't always follow my rule of thumb. Peter asked if I was going to share this next little quip with you and my first response was. "No!" mostly because it was really irritating at the time and I was really angry about it. But in looking back at it, I suppose there is sort of a funny side to it. Here it is:

We were madly trying to get ready for stake conference. Because we have afternoon church, it was much earlier than we normally get ready for church. In all the hustle and bustle of gathering snacks, toys, and other things to occupy their time, Piglet was asking questions incessantly. We finally got in the car and were on the way to the church and I had HAD it with the questions. I said, much more grumpily than I should have, "Piglet, stop asking questions! It's irritating!"

His response: "What does irritating mean?"

Confession #10 -- It's almost 10am and I'm still in my Pajamas

I LOVE PAJAMAS! And being in them is the greatest thing. But I have to admit that I don't usually stay in them until 10am. I usually have already left the house with the kids for whatever errands need to be done or for a playdate with some friends. As much as I love pajamas, I still feel guilty every time I wear them past 8am. Somehow I think that I should be more on top of it all. And I know that I would get more done if I didn't stay in them and that's what makes me change out of them by 8am. I guess I just have this thought that morning people are somehow better than night people.

I am a night person al the way. I could stay up reading a book until all hours of the morning. I could start a movie at 11 and stay up watching it. I could start to bake something at 11 and stay up until it's done. But ask me to get up early?!?! That's almost impossilbe. And once I'm asleep, you better not bug me until I am good and ready to get up. Unfortunately, my kids often wake up before I'm ready to get up and end up being the recipient of a few grouchy comments. Gotta work on that!

I suppose that it doesn't really matter whether you are a night person or a morning person...as long as you are a person working on making yourself better. Even if, for me, it means trying my hardest to be at least a tolerable morning person!

Confession #9 -- I Have a LOVE/HATE Relationship with Food

I LOVE cooking food.



I HATE cleaning up after making food.



I LOVE trying new foods.



I HATE how some new foods (new spices in particular) give me horrible heart burn.



I LOVE crunchy cold cereal...especially Honey Bunches of Oats.



I HATE that no matter how long I wait to put milk on my cold cereal, it always gets soggy because I'm getting stuff for the kids.



I LOVE anything with milk chocolate and peanut butter.



I HATE how the calories of milk chocolate and peanut butter add up fast.



I LOVE ice cream with loads of chunks in them. Especially Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup.



I HATE ice cream made out of berries.



I LOVE fresh spinach. I eat a lot of it.



I HATE green peas. My poor children are going to grow up not eating them at our house. I can't stand even the smell of them.



I LOVE reading recipes. I check out cookbooks from the library often.



I HATE the smell of burned popcorn.



I LOVE the smell of freshly baked bread. That's one of the reasons I make all of ours.





And that's about all I can think of to illustrate my LOVE/HATE relationship with food. I'm sure as I go along with this blog, I'll think of a few other things I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with.

Confession #8 -- I Wasn't Always Like This

I love reading Laughadaisy's Retro Pages because I am a product of the 80s and 90s, too. Reading her last post, it reminded me of my college days, too. When I was a much more wild person. Peter often tells me that if he had known me during my college days, he would have never been interested. Truth be told, at that point, I would have never been interested in him, either. Good thing we met after I was done.

Anyway, back to my college memory. I had two roommates that I did everything with. I still keep in touch with them, too, because they are cool like that. One of them was just like me (at the time). We giggled a lot, and we were always on the look out for the really cute guys. You know the kind that were way out of our reach. Whereever we were, we were being goofy. The other roommate was tall, black, and beautiful. She was the one that toned us down. She was always more serious and I think she wondered about our sanity once in awhile.

We lived in a complex that had a pool and one summer there was a really, really, really good looking guy that was hired to keep the pool up. He knew he looked good and he often strutted around without a shirt on. We liked to watch him out the window. One day the three of us were watching out the window and the two of us sillies got the idea to whistle at him. Well, we did, and then we ducked really fast. Our roommate was left standing at the window, mortified that the pool guy thought she had whistled at him because she wouldn't have in a million years. We had a good laugh, but I'm always glad that she forgave us for that one!!