Say Waaaaa???!!!

I can't believe my kidlet is 12 years old today!!!! I still remember when the sweet little rugrat entered into my life. Boy it didn't take long for him to steal my heart along with the heart of the rest of the family. What a sweetheart my man is. :) He's such a great big brother and such a good example. Yesterday, while spending time with the family during our Thanksgiving festivities, rather than go play with the other kids, he sat with us 'grown ups' and snuggled with me. We had a little photo shoot of fun. Boy I just love my kid. He makes me smile and we sure do have fun together. Thanks Bray Conner, for being such a wonderful young man. I'm so proud of you!

Love ya!

(The winning scale on our pics was totally decided by Bray. What a funny kid.)

Hands carry the Fingerprints that we Leave behind

"I'll just run in quickly to see if they have what I need and slip out just as quickly. I'm late, I'm late." I thought to myself.

As the door opened, to my surprise I was greeted by my mom (the babysitter for the evening) and all the munchkins. It took all of 5 seconds for me to find out that they did not have what I needed. But it took all of 2 seconds for my munchkins to slip their little hands into mine. Pressing ever so slightly, while playing with my fingertips with their other hands. Something completely unconsciously done, but oh so tender and sweet. What a simple act that spoke volumes to me. Unfortunately, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think "Dang my plans tonight! I would LOVE to play with my kidlets instead. But my car is running, and I am late." So with lots of loves left, I was on my way.

But here's the clincher. Though it is days later, I still feel their little hands in mine. I still feel their little fingers playing with mine. It is moments like these, that I treasure. And if I treasure these moments, I KNOW my little munchkins do too. I love taking the time and getting to know them, letting them get to know me. Children crave to tell us stories, they crave to express their love to us, they crave to leave their little fingerprints in this world. I just wonder sometimes if we, the adults, ever care to think back on those sweet little fingerprints and how much they really do leave behind such a wonderful imprint in our lives. Scary thing is, it goes both ways. We leave the same prints behind too. Only our little ones are often times much better at taking care to see them and remember them. I hope our fingerprints are ones that leave behind goodness and love. What kind of fingerprints are you leaving behind?

So I Went to This Fireside

So I went to this fireside. The guest speaker is a Family and Marriage Therapist. Ironically, I've met her before. I was in a sample group to help give feedback on her book. She's really good. She has some great idea's on the whole dating dynamic. Anyway, I went to this fireside and they passed out this handout. I feel ok regurgitating the info since they were passing it out. It's interesting info. And hey, if it helps us date better or understand one another in order to have better relationships regardless of whether we are married or not, I say..here ya go! :)

17 secrets to the female psychology
1. Women thrive when they feel safe and secure.
2. Women love through sacrifice but need men to communicate their needs if that sacrifice is to be helpful rather than hurtful and over responsible.
3. Women read into men's behaviors, get excited, assume commitment, and then get hurt when he pulls away due to the added pressure.
4. Women are critical of their bodies and fear competition from other women.
5. Women are attracted to strength and confidence.
6. Women are turned off by men who are too nice.
7. Women often fall in love with friends.
8. Women like to be pursued and to feel wanted.
9. Women enjoy touch, kissing, and affection but feel vulnerable and prone to shame after sexual contact.
10. Women want men who hold off sexually - it makes a woman feel respected and wanted rather than feeling like an object.
11. Women want immediate relationships but trust and value slow progressing relationships.
12. Women long to feel adored.
13. Women are repelled by moping, brooding, and the silent treatment.
14. Women worry. They need to know they are not alone in dealing with the problems of the relationship.
15. Women who don't trust and respect their men, fall out of love, especially if there is no communication.
16. Women like gifts, surprises, reasonable spontaneity, and excitement. The extra effort makes them feel special.
17. Women would rather have open and honest communication about misdeeds than to be protected from the truth.

17 secrets to the male psychology
1. Men seek our relationships that make them feel trusted and respected.
2. Men love through sacrifice.
3. Good men are largely logical about their relationships and commitment. Thus they do not commit easily to things they have not invested in over a period of time.
4. Men are driven to succeed, face challenges, compete, and conquer.
5. Men like women who like themselves.
6. Men love to be heroes.
7. Men like being appreciated.
8. Men like femininity.
9. Men like women who have opinions and assert their needs.
10. Good men pursue women who are approachable and appear to be available.
11. Good men want sex with a woman who feels good about having sex with them and will wait until marriage.
12. Men need to be needed.
13. Men are repelled by criticism, nagging, and whining.
14. A man experiences anxiety in every conversation a woman initiates until she tells him what she wants him to do.
15. Men bond through doing activities and talking about things more than they do through talking about people, problems, feelings, or ideas.
16. Good men adore women who give them love, attention, and affection.
17. Good men are often willing to talk openly and honestly when they feel it will help them or another person to do so.
~Alisa Goodwin Snell, LIcensed Marriage and Family Therapist

All I'm saying, is that both guys and girls agreed to both. So there's truth to it. :) I guess I'm wishing us all luck in better relationships and a better understanding of the opposite gender.

November Confessional Block

Just some things/thoughts that have recently gone through this wee lil head o mine...

~ Although I'm not a huge fan of public attention, it certainly feels great to be the beneficiary of plain old attention. It's nice when someone thinks about you and acts on that thought :)

~ I feel bad for those people who have to stand out in the cold, holding signs Advertising items or their place of business. But secretly, I have the urge to chuck a blanket at them as I drive by. But then I figure...that kinda defeats the whole purpose of the kindness thing. (No I haven't ever actually chucked anything at anyone). Don't worry, its just a fleeting urge.

~ I absolutely positutely LOVE the beach. I know that sounds so lame. Sure it's fun to get an olivey tan. But that's not why I love it. I simply love the atmosphere. I love the breeze that always accompanies the beach. I love the smell of the salt water and the sound of the waves crashing. I love to watch families playing with one another. It's a place that relaxes me more than any other place. I just love the beach. Wish I was there now.

~ I cannot stand not going the speed limit. That's what they are there for, right? All people should go the speed limit at the very least in my opinion. When people go under the speed limit it drives me nuts. I know this is a silly pet peeve, but there it is. And if you are looking for an address, I think that should be amongst the purposes of the emergency flashing lights in our cars. "Hey, the person in front of me just put on their flashing lights and are driving slowly, lets pass them so we aren't causing a traffic jam, etc etc". What's wrong with this concept?

~ I am not a huge winter fan. I know, strange when I live in Utah. One thing I do like about Winter is Hot Chocolate. I'm no longer able to have chocolate. So I've been dreading the cold even more than usual. But I've recently discovered something better than hot chocolate. I'm in love with STEAMERS!!!! Even now I'm craving one. It's like having a party in my mouth. I think I can actually face winter knowing many Steamers are in my future. :)

~ One word... Hallmark. As we speak, I am catching up on my hallmark movies. I really like these cheesy shows around the holidays. I know, I know. Sometimes I need a little cheese in my life. :)

Glimpses

As a little girl, I always felt like I was on the wrong side of the glass. My sister was on one side with all the flashing lights and balloons and fun things, and I was on the other side with the left overs. As I got older, I realized that what I saw was nothing but false glamor. It wasn't all that it seemed. But the one thing that I was correct with, was that I was on one side of the glass, and my sister has always been on the other. Every now and then the glass alters and I'm able to glimpse her as if I'm almost on that same side, but the next thing I know is that darn glass is there again. Preventing us from really seeing one anothers perspectives for very long.

Here's the thing that I realized tonight. I am so grateful for the glimpses. I would much rather have them, than not. Though she and I are most definitely very different in most ways, we are similar in several. I am grateful for those glimpses in time when she and I can come together and have real conversations. One's that are based on truth and sincerity. I am grateful for those glimpses that allow for the glass to move enough that I see my sister. No longer parted by obstacles, but really see her and she see's me. I am grateful for glimpses like tonight.

October Confessional Block

To say that this post is MY idea would be..false. To say that this post 'title' is My idea would be..true. I altered the title a bit. Yay. So that's ok, right? Anyway, my friend was talking about how she has friends who have days of confession. I thought that was hilarious. So I thought I'd give it a whirl.

~ I hate commercials and yet, work for a marketing company.

~ I talk right out loud to other cars as I'm driving. I secretly think the other drivers must know what I'm saying if I voice out my words rather than keeping them bottled up in my head.

~ I used to watch a lot of movies and despised TV (going back to #1, plus I don't like feeling like I have to stay at home in order to watch 'my shows'). Now that I have DVR, I watch a little more TV and just fast forward. Oh, the power of the remote is awesome.

~ I find that when I'm busy, I worry about when I'm going to find time to do the everyday stuff. But when I have a spare moment, I veg out and forget that I need to do the everyday stuff during that time. Dangit!

~ I really dislike cliques. You hurt more than you realize when you are apart of one. I try to change up the groups a little bit. Having repeat friends in a group isn't a bad thing. But including different people continually and making them feel wanted and welcome is key. I'm just saying, if you're excluding...what does that say about you as a person? I try not to be that person.

~ It's amazing to me at how un-truthful people are with one another. I'll give an example with myself. When a person asks how we are doing, auto reply "Good!" When truth may be that we are struggling or whatever. I no longer answer with auto replies or if I do, I correct myself. I will say "ok" or something that feels truthful. I even have a friend who says "that's fine" when it's clearly NOT fine. Her motivation is she doesn't want the confrontation or the other person to feel bad but ultimately this just frustrates her more. So...Truth is best.

~ I read Elizabeth Smart's testimonial today and I started tearing up. I can't imagine a person going through all of that, let alone at age 14. Yes, I realize her experience was over 6 years ago.

Well, thanks for tuning into my first try at My Confessional Block (aka, random thoughts I've been having) ;)

"We are Just Crazy Kids"

Last night I had the pleasure to take 2 of my nephews out for their birthdays. My sister in law had asked that since they have way too many toys, we just give them a dollar for their birthdays (cause lets face it, they'll think they're rich with a dollar so why spend or give more). So of course, I wanted to change things up a little bit. I asked my sweeties if they'd like the money or a dinner date with TT. Don't worry, I did this privately just in case they rejected me. Ha. Anyway, to my delight they couldn't believe that they were getting a chance for date night. Ethan (5) even said "wait, we get to go out with you by ourselves!" Which proceeded with a lot of jumping around. Looks like I need to do this more often and not just for birthdays. Brax will love it.

Anyway, so last night we are driving and the boys quite honestly say the darnedest things. I kept laughing. Ryan out of no where just says "We are just crazy kids" as if he had been pondering it for a time. Ha. Then, we got stuck in a little bit of traffic. Ethan isn't the most patient little one. He was getting frustrated at the car in front of me. So we discussed how getting angry and frustrated at things we cannot change doesn't really help the situation (like traffic). And how if we are patient, eventually things work out. The topic moved on to other things, as they often do with little ones. But out of the blue, Ethan says "I've gotta work on being patient". Haha. I asked him who told him that? Just cause I thought it was funny coming out of his mouth and not an adults. Apparently one of his teachers helpers mentioned to him that he's not patient and it stuck. I then asked the boys if they knew what being patient means. I kind of assumed neither one would. They both shocked me when they chimed in and said "it means to wait". Haha. That's actually a really good way to explain patience to a child.

Of all the places we could have gone to eat, they chose McDonald's. That's how much I love my kidlets. Anyway, we walk in and they run up to the toy display to scream out which toy they want in their Happy Meal. Yes, 'scream' with excitement. It was that excitement that won over the worker who was standing near, checking the menu, and ultimately ensuring that their exact toy choices were followed out. Good to note that they not only repeatedly win my heart over, but the hearts of the McDonald employee's as well. :)

As we ate and played, it was so much fun for me to watch them interact with the other children. "Stranger children" as Ethan referred to them as. Ha. Anyway, they told me that one of their favorite things is getting to know the stranger children. Haha. Boy my one nephew would waltz right up to the older kids and ask them to play. No fear. He's quite the social butterfly. Very much like his mother, definitely NOT like his father (my brother). :)

Love my boys. Oh, we were a rock band in the car. The boys were the guitarists. I was opted to be the lead vocalist and drummer. (Difficult to be while driving safely and taking these pics)

Don't worry Heather. Red lights were involved. :) I take your children's lives in my hands VERY seriously. :)