Do You Pass the Test?

So, I didn't write this and I don't know who did. I got it from a friend of mine who emailed it to me. I thought it was cute!

*The Mom Test*

I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
'Why?' my daughter asked.
'Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty, and probably has germs' I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, 'Momma, how do you know all this stuff, you are so smart.'
I was thinking quickly. 'All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mom Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mom.'

We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new
information.
'OH...I get it!' she beamed, 'So if you don't pass the test you have to be the dad.'
'Exactly.' I replied back with a big smile on my face.

I don't know about you, but sometimes, I am darn pleased with myself and the answers I come up with for my kids. Sometimes I think I am absolutely brilliant because an idea comes to me and the kids actually love it. Sometimes we actually have days go by here when no child gets put in time out and they actually help clean up their room before bed time.

Other times, I know I fail "The Mom Test" miserably. I often wish that I was a doctor, a psychologist, an accountant, a plumber, a car mechanic, a nutritionist, a personal trainer, and an elementary school teacher as well as being a mother. If I was all those things, then I would have all the answers. Right? I would know when to take my kids to the doctor. I would know how to change my own oil in my car instead of waiting with two kids in the "oh so clean" waiting room. I wouldn't worry about Piglet saying his "L" sounds because I would know how to fix it. I could do my own taxes and feel without-a-doubt comfortable when I signed them and mailed them in.

The truth of the matter is that even if I was all those things, I wouldn't have all the answers. Things would still happen where there isn't a right answer. That's when I remind myself that I'm doing the best I can with what I have and I can always make improvements.

Pictures from www.jupiterimages.com.

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.

How Did You Do?

Awhile ago I posted a game called Ten Points. Basically it's a quiz to see how many movies that I watch that you also watch enough to get these quotes. You get 10 points for each correct answer with a total of 100 points.

Here are the answers:

1. The Sound of Music
2. Finding Nemo
3. While You Were Sleeping
4. The Parent Trap (the one with Hayley Mills)
5. Toy Story
6. Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth)
7. Cars
8. A Grand Day Out (a Wallace and Gromit short)
9. The Princess Bride
10. Sense and Sensibility

How did you do?

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!

A Tag

So, Heather sent out a tag and I thought I'd do it because my brain isn't working as of late and I thought this might be an easy post.

10 Years ago...
10 years ago I was in the middle of my 2nd year at BYU. I was just getting to know to of my best college friends.

5 things on my list to do today....
1. Go to the gym
2. Vacuum
3. Type a report of our last Primary Activity Day
4. Not make dinner...I have a RS dinner tonight.
5. Make my yearly doctor's appointment...YUCK

Snacks I enjoy.....
Anything with chocolate and peanut butter

What I would do if I were suddenly a millionaire.....
Pay off our student loans, finish paying for our van, buy a house, invest

3 bad habits......
1. Picking at my nails when I get nervous
2. Reading instead of doing work
3. Staying up late for no reason

5 places I have lived.....
1. Midland, TX
2. Provo, UT
3. Seattle, WA
4. Orem, UT
5. N/A

5 jobs I have had......
1. working for my dad's small business (cutting, routing, and staining wood blocks)
2. Receptionist
3. Telephone surveyor (one summer)
4. Special Events staff at BYU (football stadium and basketball arena)
5. Purchasing department for the DOI

5 things people don't know about me.......
1. I've never been pulled over.
2. When I find a pen that I like, I hoard it and keep very close tabs on it.
3. I ran a 5K one time and never again will I do it. Just not that fun, although I was proud of myself for doing it.
4. I didn't loose a tooth until 1st grade and then my teacher didn't believe me because the permanent tooth was already growing in.
5. I love Sharpies.



So, if you haven't been tagged lately and you want to do it, I'm all for it. It's passed on to you....

Ten Points!

So my family plays a game called Ten Points. Basically, you throw a quote from a movie into your conversation and then say, "Ten Points!" The first person to come up with the movie gets the 10 points. We really never keep count of who has how many points, but it's always satisfying to know the movie before the others.

So, I thought I'd play a version of that game here. Basically, I'm just going to put quotes from some of the movies that are watched in our house and see how many you know. Notice, I did not say that all the movies were my favorites...I said movies that are watched at our house. Don't forget that Piglet and Tigger watch movies, too.

And to give you a little hint that might make your guessing a bit easier...we don't watch too many movies on the big screen. Why pay $20 to get both of us into a movie and then come home and pay the baby sitter, too? It's cheaper to rent them when they come out. First, you can watch it more than once. Second, more people can watch it for cheaper. Third, you can make your own popcorn the way you like it instead of spending way too much money on that movie stuff. But I digress. These movies are not the new ones, (probably) but the ones that are tried and true.

Here goes!

1. "They were strawberries. It's been so cold lately that they turned blue!"


2. "Fish are friends. Not food."


3. "I like blonds. Chubby ones."


4. "You. You're twins. Do you share everything?"


5. "Hey look. I'm Picasso." "Uh, I don't get it." "You uncultured swine!"


6. "You want to tell me and I have no objection to hearing it."


7. "I don't need to see where I'm goin'. I just need to see where I've been."


8. "Everyone knows the moon is made of cheese."


9. "Nonsense. You're only saying that because nobody ever has."


10. "Have you a reliable atlas? I wish to check the position of the Nile."

So, you get 10 points for each one you get right. Let me know how you did and in a future post, I'll reveal the movies. Good luck!

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.