Challenge #4--Playtime!

When you have a few minutes or a few days, what do you like to do in your “play” time?

As a mother of 3 busy kids, a wife of a self-employed entrepreneur, and the owner of a home staging business, I've come to realize I don't have a lot of "play" time.  I keep thinking when Alex goes to first grade, I'll finally be able to have more time (I'm SO over this half day of kindergarten thing), but time will tell in a few months if that is true.  To be honest, I'm a little nervous about having all my kids in school all day.  What am I going to do with all the time I will acquire?  Is this a mid-mom crisis?  I guess I'll have to wait and see... In the meantime, these are the things I like to do in my "play" time:

• Browsing different blogs in blogland and dreaming of completing many DIY projects.
• Scrolling through Pinterest - also dreaming of completing many DIY projects or making yummy desserts for my family
• Reading a book
• Shopping - not grocery shopping though, that is not fun.
• Vacationing - I LOVE going on vacation even if it is just for a few days.  I especially love vacationing when it is just Aaron and I.  It's nice to be together without the distraction of kids and work... well, kids at least.  We all know how Aaron will go through withdrawals if he can't check in with the office.  
• I love cooking - but I hate the whole meal planning/grocery shopping thing.  I need someone to do that for me.
• Watching TV.  When I get overwhelmed or need to decompress, I love "zoning" out for an hour in front of the tube.
• Playing card games with the neighbors on a weekend night

So, there you have it.  My list of what I like to do in my "play" time.  Nothing grand 
or even very exciting, but comforting to me nonetheless.  

Challenge #3--Always Something There to Remind Me...

Challenge #3--Always Something There to Remind Me...

A fill in the blank challenge this week: Whenever I ________, I ________.

Whenever I walk through the front entrance of Disneyland and make my way onto Main Street, I get teary eyed.  Okay, maybe I actually cry.  I just love Disneyland so much and get so excited.  It is a completely different place.  I mean, where else can grown ups wear cartooned-out shirts and a big Goofy hat without ridicule?


Since I'm a creature of habit, whenever I go to Baskin Robbins, I ALWAYS order a single scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.  Also, whenever I go to the Training Table, I ALWAYS order the #24 turkey sandwich.  I'm afraid that if I deviate from what I know I like, I might get something I hate and then I would just be wishing I ordered the usual.  


Whenever I hear a fire engine drive by our house, I remember when Abbi was little and she would freak out when she heard the sirens.  She could be completely asleep for her nap and as soon as the sirens came around the corner, it would wake her up and she would come running to find me.


Whenever "You've Got Mail" or "Sweet Home Alabama" is on tv, I always have to watch it; even if I have seen it a hundred times.


Whenever I sit in the chapel of the Oquirhh Mountain Temple, I remember the time I was there for the dedication with Adam and we met Pres. Monson.  He shook Adam's hand, talked with him and gave him a hug.  It was an experience I will never forget!


Whenever I see someone fall, I laugh.  I can't help it... it is an automatic instinct.  It's not that I think it is funny, It is automatic.  I can't help it!


Whenever my kids are happily playing with each other, I smile.  It makes me happy to know they are getting along; even if the moments are brief.


Whenever there is laundry to be done, I make piles in the bedrooms and then bring up each load one at a time.  Aaron on the other hand, likes to pile all the laundry at once in the laundry room.  Drives me crazy!


Whenever I see the trees blossoming in the springtime, I always sing "Popcorn Popping" in my head.


Whenever I drive by Salt Lake Community College's campus on 3900 S., I remember the feelings of morning sickness I had with Adam.  Aaron and I were taking a Business communications class together when I was first pregnant and I remember being so sick while sitting in class.  Sometimes I would leave and go sit in the car with the windows down.


Whenever Aaron is out of town, I have a hard time sleeping in our bed alone.  So, I stay up way too late watching late night television and infomercials.  The ShamWow! is pretty amazing!

This Is Me - #2. Choices

The Challenge: What are some choices in your life that affected where you are now?

We are faced with so many choices every day.  What to eat, what to wear, where should we go, what should we do.  Not every choice we make is going to be life changing or make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, but some are life altering, life changing, and crucial to our existence.  I have made millions of choices throughout my 33 years on this earth.  Some good, some bad, but all have made me who I am and where I am today.

I would say one of the biggest choices I made in my life was to marry my best friend, Aaron Marshall in the Salt Lake Temple.  I knew I wanted to marry him fairly early into our relationship and even though we had some ups and downs getting to that point I knew it was the right one.  I remember one time after we were engaged, we were having a "discussion" and I was about to hand him back the ring.  Suddenly, a thought came to my mind that that is what Satan would want to have happen.  Satan didn't want us to be married in the temple and to have an eternal family.  It was a strange sensation and after I shared that with Aaron, the feeling in the room changed and we were at peace with our decision.  I'm grateful for the promptings of the Holy Ghost!

The choice to have children was another big choice that has shaped my life to where I am now.  Having children is probably the biggest life changer I will ever experience.  I went from being a wife and money maker to a mother, chef, nurse, taxi driver, kisser of boo boos, cleaner, comforter, and "the best mom in the whole world".  To say that this choice has been easy would not be the truth.  There are many nights I have gone to sleep with huge amounts of guilt that I should have done things differently during the day.  Did I spend enough time with them?...  I shouldn't have yelled like that....  Do they know I love them?...  Am I teaching them the correct principles of the Gospel?....  Am I being the best mother I can be?...  Yet, even with all that guilt and wavering on my role of mother, when they come to me and wrap their arms around me and tell me "You are the best mom in the whole world", I know I must be doing something right.  I love my role of motherhood.  As challenging as it is at times and even when I feel so unappreciated, I wouldn't give it up for anything.

"There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood."

-Elder M. Russell Ballard

This is Me - #1. 10 Modern Conveniences

I have been reading about "This is Me" Challenge for a while now and have finally decided to dive in and take the challenge.  My first Challenge: 

If you were forced to go back in time to the olden days, but were allowed to take 10 modern conveniences with you, what would you take?

Wow!  I can only choose 10.  That is kind of a hard one.  There are so many conveniences that we are blessed to have these days.  I mean, even when I go camping, we bring along the "condo on wheels" that has everything: a shower, heater, bed, stove, microwave, fridge, and even a tv.  So, if I went back to the olden days and could only take 10 modern conveniences......  I think they would be:

1. My car
2. My computer (how could I survive without blogs, Pinterest or Facebook?)
3. Contact Lenses
4. My bed
5. Indoor plumbing
6. Target
7. Microwave
8. Refrigerator
9. Washer and Dryer
10. Dishwasher

There is also modern medicine, the telephone, electricity, a heated home, accessible clothing, "girl" products (if you know what I mean), fast food, Diet Coke, the list goes on and on.  Yet, with all the modern conveniences that we enjoy and have that is supposed to make our lives easier, why does it seem like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done.  I wonder if the people that lived in the "olden" times felt that same way.  Was it truly a more relaxed, peaceful time or did they feel some of the same pressures that we do today?