Tagged!

I'm very slow to respond to Jen's tag but better late than never. RULES: Answer these 15 questions on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts. Tag 5 people by leaving their names at the end of the post. Leave a comment on their blog so they know they have been tagged.
Joys:

1. My children. They are so funny. Andrew has such a tender heart, he is into pretending lately. He'll say Lex, I'll be Daddy and you be the Mommy. Lexie is a sweetie, she always tries to serve. She wants to help clean, or comfort here brother and sister when they are sad. Anna is such a sweet baby. She loves both Andrew and Lexie and I look forward to watching their relationships develop.
2. Gardening. I love working in my flower beds. I look forward to watching them grow.
3. Spring/Summer. I love this time of year. I love that there are kids everywhere outside, I like to hear the birds chirping in the morning, and the smell of cut grass. It is the best time of year.

Fears:

I don't really scare to easily so it is hard to come up with three but

1. I do not like spiders
2. Sometimes late at night when everyone is asleep I get scared if I'm in the basement by myself.
3. Having something tragic happen to my children.

Goals:

1. Be well read.
2. Teach my children good eating habits, and practice them myself
3. Keep a gratitude journal and write in one for Andrew and Lexie as well.

Obsessions:

1. Trees. I've been looking at trees everywhere I go lately. My yard only has one tree and we really need a few more. I've been eyeing trees everywhere I go. Noticing their shape, blossoms, leaf size. Isn't funny how much detail escapes you when you aren't paying attention. Then suddenly it piques you interest and you see everything.
2. Trying to keep my kitchen floor clean for my crawling baby. This is on ongoing battle and one I will hopefully win one day.
3. Carmel brownies. I've made them a lot lately and have just recently perfected the art. Now, regular brownies are not even appealing.

Random Quirks:

1. I wanted to be a balloon seller as a little girl. As it turns out, balloon selling is not very lucrative and I've had to take another course.
2. As a little girl I wanted to marry a bald fat man. Half my dream has come true. Jeremy is losing a little hair.
3. I'm a magnet for strange people at work. Ask me some time, I have tons of "strange" stories.

Sweet Exchanges

Riding in the car home from Jeremy's bike race tonight, we had this interaction with Lexie.

Lexie: I wake Anna up.

Jeremy: Honey, why? (reproving but gentle tone.)

Lexie: I want her to talk to me. I want her to laugh to me.

She was so cute and sweet and sincere we couldn't be mad at her for waking Anna up. Jeremy and I exchanged a pleased look.

It makes me glad Jeremy responded the way he did. If he or I had responded harshly, which in similar circumstances in the past I'm sure I have, we would have surly missed out on the sweet interaction which followed, both between our daughters as well as the moment we caught each others eye smiling. Lexie then continued to try and get Anna to laugh and Anna obliged.

I can't help but wonder how many other sweet experiences I may have missed because I responded too harshly.

I like this quote from President Hinckley, so I thought I'd share, hope it all doesn't come off too churchy.

"You parents, love your children. Cherish them. They are so precious. They are so very, very important. They are the future. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them. You need the help of the Lord. Pray for that help and follow the inspiration which you receive."

I am so very grateful to have a husband who truly knows how to cherish his children and does so everyday. This is one of my very favorite things about Jeremy and something which he excels at, very naturally. Aren't I lucky!

Happy Mothers Day!

I'm a day late, but I couldn't resist sharing my memories and feelings about my mom. Many people tell me I remind them of my mother and, this is probably the best compliment I could receive.
I've always thought my mom was super woman, she gets so much accomplished in a day. I thought this superwoman quality was bestowed upon you when you became a mom, but I have since learned it is not, not all women are superwoman and I'm still waiting for it to happen for me. What makes her superwoman, is she consistently does what she is suppose to each day. She never takes a day off, which is something I need to practice. She is for sure the hardest worker I know. I wish I was as driven as my mother is. She is a laundry wizard, a good cook, clean, fabulous sewer. In fact I think if we were the same age I would feel annoyed that she was so good at everything, but since she is my mom I just know it is part of being the superwoman she is.
Some of my favorite memories are...

• When we were little she would wake us up singing the cougar fight song. Rise and shout.
• I remember here kissing me goodbye, on the porch and telling me to be the smartest at school, be good, and she'd see me in the funny papers.
• She would make me doll clothes that would be waiting for me as a surprise when I woke up form my nap.
• I remember canning and making jam with her
• Mom and I would go on walks with Red, the dog. I remember taking the dog to the park behind the cemetery and we took him down the twirly slide, this probably took a year off his life.
• She cackles and makes me laugh, I specifically remember her cackling one day when she filled the ice tray up. I asked her why she was laughing and she said, "because I filled the ice tray with hot water."
• She would tuck me in at night and sing"Did you say your Prayers last night.
• I've always thought my mom was very pretty. I love dark hair and blue eyes together. It is not the most common combination and I think it is very striking.

She is a great women and I love her. I'm grateful to have been raised by such a strong and faithful women. I hope to be the kind of Mother mine is. Love you Mom.

Pretend Play

Andrew insisted I play on the computer, while he and Lexie played down stairs so I'm obliging. It is so funny to observe them play. They are getting to the age where they pretend and it is so funny. It is so humbling to be a parent, they just do exactly what they see mom and dad do. Since I've been playing on the computer at Andrew's instruction, I've heard: "not today," "Lexie I'm making you macaroni" (which we have had a lot of lately, since it is one of the few things she will eat), "be careful it's hot", "we don't say naughty words." They really do imitate all we do. They are cooking and cleaning, which I guess we spend a fair amount of time doing these activities. It seems you just get the kitchen cleaned from one meal and it is time for the next. Also Andrew is such a messy eater, I wish my kitchen had a flush switch like the toilet so I could push it after he gets done eating. How do you teach a three year old table etiquette? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Well that's all for today. Hope you all have a good day.

Flowers

Well Spring has finally arrived. I took some pictures yesterday of the flowers in my yard, the signs of springs welcomed arrival. I'm so happy for the warmer weather we've been having, but know this is springtime in Utah, so who knows what the next day may bring. I chose to write about flowers as I love all things flowery.

I like to think I have a green thumb, as my grandmother did. She grew the most beautiful peonies; she often won prizes for her peonies at the Beaver county fair. I actually think this is a legacy she left her children and grandchildren. My sisters both love being outdoors and gardening, as does my mother. I enjoy tending the garden: turning the soil over and feeling the warmth of it in my hands, watering, fertilizing, dead heading, clearing the weeds so there is room for my flowers. I don't actully love the weed pulling but once the majority of it is done I don't mind the up keep. It feels so rewarding seeing them grow. I remember my first piano teacher had the most beautiful flower garden; I remember thinking I wanted to have flowers like hers when I grew up.

Tulips are one of my very favorite flowers and I love they are the first to greet us after dreary winter. They seem to be such a happy cheerful flower. One day, I'm going to Holland, to see the fields of tulips. I remember my college my rommate, Erin, got tulips for Valentine's Day instead of roses, and I thought it was so cool; I said I would marry the first boy who gave me tulips. The next day I went on my first date with Jeremy ( my husband), he brought me tulips! I didn't think I would marry him at the time.

So I'm looking forward with anticipation to my planting and tending, and also my pots.