A bunch of rambles...

Lately I haven’t been sleeping very much. Could it be the daily dose of Mountain Dew? I’m not sure, but that’s not something I’m willing to give up right now. It seems as though I go through spurts of way to much thinking and not enough sleeping. Maybe if I can ramble through my mindless, pointless thoughts, sleep will eventually come. So, bear with me, okay?

I am obsessed with disasters. You know earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, ice storms, blizzards, ect. I lay awake wondering what I would do if one of those things were to happen. What would I grab? Where would I go? I almost wish something like that would happen around here…Idaho is a very boring place, weather wise. I’m not saying that I want a terrible disaster that takes lives and destroys everything…just a little excitement.

I have really been thinking a lot about food storage and being prepared…could it be because of my obsession with terrible things happening, I don’t know. I like to think it’s because I’m trying to do what we’ve been counseled, but I’m sure it’s because I’ve gotten myself so worked up over what could happen. I’ve decided that a little excitement in the weather department wouldn’t be very much fun if we didn’t have food, water, and the ever important Mountain Dew.

Have you noticed that I love Mountain Dew? I know I shouldn’t drink it because of the whole caffeine thing and the being bad for your teeth stuff, and all the other things smart people say, but I just can’t help myself…I NEED it! Some call it an addiction, I call it my guilty pleasure. I was doing really good about staying away from my friend, until I had Emily, and then the utter and total exhaustion became more than I could bear. Let’s just say the greenish, yellowish yummy-ness helps me. Throw in a bag of peanut M&M's and that makes for a great day! Do I sound like a druggie?

I also lay awake at night worrying about having more kids. This may sound dumb to some, but I feel guilty for wanting more children. There was a time, not too long ago, when I prayed with all I had to just be able to have one child. Well, we were blessed to have Emily, so now I feel a little greedy for going back to Heavenly Father and asking for more, when He’s given me all I’ve ever wanted. I know that asking our Heavenly Father for more children isn’t really being greedy, but that's just how I feel sometimes. But, on the other hand, I worry about Emily being an only child. I want her to have brothers and sisters to grow up with.

Geoff is such a great husband! He works so hard so I can stay home with Emily. Not only does he tell me that he loves me, he shows me, too. He’s always willing to help out around the house or with Emily. I don’t think he realizes how much I appreciate that. I need to be better about telling him thank you and letting him know how much I love him. He has so many talents and I really hope Emily turns out more like him than me. I often wonder why he chose boring me...but I sure am grateful that he did!

I’ve noticed that I really like to take notes on things. I have so many notebooks filled with notes. Notes about scrapbooking, notes about food storage, quotes, stories, thoughts, recipes, ideas, cleaning tips, just to name a few. The only problem is, I take all these notes but I don’t do anything about all the stuff I’ve learned or want to remember. I guess I’m saving all of this information for the blizzard that traps me in my home for weeks…maybe then I’ll do something about all of it.

I love scrapbooking! The only problem is that I’m not very good at it. Well, I think I do okay, but they never turn out all fancy like they should. I’m not very bold…it really makes me nervous to cut my pictures or punch holes…you know, anything permanent. Plus, I don't want it to look dated and stupid in 10 years. I have these cute papers and ribbons, but I just save them and use all the boring safe stuff.

I think my daughter is so beautiful! I love to just sit and look at her and I’m amazed at how pretty she is. I have no idea where she got her looks…(I know you other mothers out there think your children are the most beautiful, but have seen my Emily? HELLO!!)

I really have been letting people get to me. Whenever I get my feelings hurt, it’s all I can think about. I replay in my mind over and over what I would say to that person if I had the chance. I think this has become my main obsession lately. This is really the source of my sleeplessness. It’s my fault, I know. I also know that allowing your feelings to get hurt is your own choice, but that’s easier said than done sometimes. I'm not very good about letting things "roll off my back".

Well, thank you for allowing me to ramble to all of you. Hopefully this will ease my mind a bit…I’ve got a lot more stuff rolling around in that head of mine. I’m sure there will be a Rambles #2 soon.

So, what do you think about? What keeps you up at night?

10 Secrets to Being a Happy Mother of Young Children

So, I've been going through a stack of old LDS Living magazines that I recently found. I'm loving this magazine and seriously thinking about renewing my subscription. Anyway, I came across this article and loved it so much that I had to share it with all of you young mothers. (If any of you have saved these magazines, it's in the March/April 2007 issue.

1. Make Getting Sufficent Sleep a Top Priority
To me, this is so important. I never realized how much I value sleep, until I didn't get any. When I am well rested, I am much more patient and much more pleasant to be around. (Ask my husband!!)

2. Be a One-of-A-Kind Mom
"There has never been another mother like you, not once on the face of the earth. So, make the most of your uniqueness as a mother." I love this one! I think all of us mothers are always comparing ourselves to every other mother out there. We need to realize that we each have different talents and abilities and share these with our children.

3. Vent Your Frustrations in Healthy Doses
This one talks about how important it is to vent when we feel our frustration levels rising. It will lighten our loads and open our minds to possible solutions to the problem. It says, "When you find your frustration level building, consider a moment for prayer, expressing your feelings in your journal, or picking up the phone and calling a friend or family member to seek a listening ear."

4. Ask for What You Need
"As moms we sometimes get caught up in the mode of thinking we have to do it all ourselves. But the truth is, if we muscle our way through, insisting we do it all alone, we are headed for a burnout. Husbands are often more capable than we give them credit." This is something I really need to work on. I often feel guilty when Geoff tries to help me.

5. Take Time Off
"Few people expect themselves to be 'on duty' all their waking hours and even some of their 'sleeping hours,' but most moms seem to expect themselves to be on duty every waking moment of their children's lives. However, almost every mom benefits from having a bit of uninterrupted quiet time tucked into each day..."

6. Acknowledge the Good You Do
Even though it's nice to hear praise over all we do, we really can't expect it from our little kids. "...pause and acknowledge to myself what I am doing well-to say, whether to myself or in my journal, things like: 'Good job, you got all the laundry done' or 'Hey, that was a good move-dropping that endless to-do list to read to your toddler.'"

7. Work Smarter, Not Harder
Basically, we need to be more organized with how we run our homes. Cooking bulk meals or using a calender system are ways that can help.

8. Energize with Exercise
I think this one is extremely important...even though I not very good about doing it. I'm going to turn over a knew leaf, and really try. Everyone know that when you exercise you have more energy. And what does every mother need? MORE ENERGY!!! We really need to make it a top priority to put ourselves first...just for 30 minutes a day, and exercise. Not only will it help us, but it teaches our kids healthy habits.

9. Be Sure To Do What Matters Most to You
"One of the big secrets of motherhood is that we can't do it all. But another important secret is that we can usually find a way to do the things that matter most to us if we will consciously let go of the things that matter less. So, what matters most to you as a mother?"

10. Give Thanks for All There Is to Love About Being a Mother
"Take time every day to pause and reflect on what you love the most about being the mother to your children. A mother who recognizes and gives thanks for her blessings is indeed a mother who knows happiness."

Sorry, for the novel, but I just loved this artcle and I hope you did to!! So, to you great mothers out there...what are your secrets to being a happy mother?????

Our 7th Anniversary

On February 16, 2002, Geoff and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan, Utah temple. What a wonderful day! There are many things that I remember about that day, but one that has also stuck out in my mind is something that our sealer said to us. He said that at this moment we think we love each other as much as we possibly could, and he just laughed to himself. He went on to say that as we look back in 5 years, 10 years, and so on, we will have realized that our love for one another is stronger now, and has grown so much deeper than on our wedding day when we thought we were so much in love. As I look back and remember that amazing day, I can't help but laugh to myself...he was so right!!! In these last seven years, we have experienced so many things that have brought us closer as husband and wife and most importantly, closer to our Heavenly Father. I love my husband deeply and I am so grateful for him. He is an incredible person and I feel honored to say that I am his wife. How grateful I am for the gift of eternal marriage and eternal families. What a blessing!!! Geoff, I love you more than you will ever know. Thanks for an amazing seven years and I look forward to all the great things instore for us. I love you!!!