Tagged

So, Kalle tagged me...

JOYS

Having my family visit or getting to go visit my family. It isn't until you are a mom that you realize how much you want to be by your parents. Jade is so fortunate in that all of his family members live here (in Spanish Fork), I wish I could have that too. But for now, I cherish all the times I do get to spend with them.

Cuddling. McKenna is a very stingy cuddler, but when she does cuddle it is the best thing in the world...I could stay there cuddling for hours! Also to go along with this is hugs and kisses. We can ask McKenna to give me hugs and kisses and she does it on command - isn't life wonderful?

Laughter. It is the best medicine. I really like having a good laugh and listening to McKenna giggle. It is always nice to know that you are raising a happy baby - one giggle makes up for all the other times she got mad at me during the day and cried because of it.

FEARS

Not being able to do everything to the best of my ability. I love being a teacher and I love being a mother. Because I have to work I feel like it is my duty to be a great teacher, but I also want to be a wonderful mother to McKenna. Sometimes it seems like there just isn't enough time to give it your all in all the tasks you are asked to do.

Free agency. It is hard for me to know that no matter how much I love McKenna and try to teach her to do what is right, she will still have the opportunity to choose for herself what she wants to do when she is grown. Also, other peoples' choices can affect McKenna - why didn't anyone mention that you worry about the little things as a mother? Can't we just lock her up in the house for the rest of her life?

Not making sure those I love know I love them. You always hear the stories of the people who got in a fight minutes before one died and the last things they said to each other were hurtful. I hope that I can be a better person and not end conversations with family and friends in a way that makes them not know how much I love and care for them.

GOALS

To save enough money to be a stay at home mom while McKenna and the other kids that come after her are little. I know it will be a challenge to manage staying home with Jade being a school teacher, but I have seen it done and I know that we can do it too - hopefully sooner than later.

To eventually live by my parents. I love Washington - the landscape is gorgeous. I like Utah as well, but who doesn't want to go back to the place they grew up?

To lose the baby fat I gained with McKenna. I actually looked pretty small my entire pregnancy, but you don't realize how much fat you really accumulated until your stomach deflates and the extra fat is still there!!! McKenna was worth every pound I gained.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS

Family Feud. I know it sounds stupid, but it is the only show I have really watched since school got out. I don't know what it is about that show but it is fantastic! I love to try to figure out the answers, then I mock the families for not thinking of it!! Luckily it is one of Jade's favorites also...there are two episodes Monday through Thursday from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Feel free to make fun of me!

Brushing and Vacuuming Miley. Since the weather is kind of warming up, Miley has started shedding!!! Her fur gets everywhere. So now I brush her every chance I can to cut down on the fur in the house.

Keeping up with this crazy election we are having. I love to listen to what everyone has to say about Clinton and Obama. I more tune in to the gossip than their actual issues, but I am still way more informed than I have ever been at this point of an election year. I also think it is funny that all of the candidates have been on Saturday Night Live and the Ellen Show. I received an email the other day and it had a picture of a float that was in a German parade. They must think we Americans are idiots the way our candidates beat each other up during their campaigns.

RANDOM FACTS

I check everyone's blog at least once a day. So now McKenna loves to sit at the computer. She loves videos of all of your kids so keep posting them!

I pierced my belly button in high school and regret it every day now. I got a funky thing called key lode, which is extra scar tissue build up, so I took it out about a year later. It was fine until I got pregnant and my stomach started to grow. I had the grosest looking belly button ever while I was pregnant! I kept showing it to my sisters telling them never to do such a silly thing!

I love the smell of ammonia - which is probably not a surprise to most of you. I hope to teach McKenna to clean early so I can have a partner in crime around the house. I also love the smell of laundry which is a little more normal, but I have to have everything match which drives Jade crazy. I have to have the laundry detergent match the liquid softener smell and then I have to have the drier sheets that match both of those smells. My neighbors always know when I am doing laundry because they can smell it coming out of the vents!