Logic

I picked up this book at the library the today:

It's one of those cute little picture books you can literally read in 5 minutes, but so so funny.

Here were my favorite quotes along with my own photos I found online that suit the theme:

My favorite:

Always remember you are unique....Just like everyone else.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs-It's quite possible you haven't grasped the situation.

  Smile first thing in the morning...get it over with.

 I have one nerve left, and you're getting on it.

Never go to bed mad-stay up and fight.

 If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.

If at first you don't succeed, swallow all evidence that you tried.

I would be unstoppable. If I could just get started.

 The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.

 You can't stay young forever. But you can be immature for the rest of your life.

 You don't have to agree with me, but it's quicker.

 I never made Who's Who, but I'm featured in What's That.

 Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.

 I try to take one day at a time...but sometimes several days attack me at once

 Your secret is safe with me...and all my friends.

 I am NOT tense. Just terribly, terribly alert.

And lastly, my other favorite...

The trouble with work is...it's so daily.

Right now...

Outside my window: It’s trying to be sunny

I am listening to: Zane breathing while playing on the ipod

I am watching: Math tutor videos required for my Math class

I am thinking: Stop… eating… the… peanuts…

I am grateful for: a simplified life

I am reading: Little Bee, Sam Saboura’s Real Style, and The Princess Bride

I am photographing: Last thing I photographed was my kids in apple costumes, if I can find my camera bag with the memory card reader I could share them.

I am listing: books and cd’s I want to check out of the library

I am creating: Well, I do have a few projects for my bedroom in the works, a giant poster with quotes, and a multiphoto picture frame I want to put pictures of Ken and I in.

On my iPod: Recently downloaded JessieJ’s new cd, and subscribed to a new podcast called Mormon Stories, just listened to Carol Tuttle’s podcast today on identifying your children’s personality types.

I am hoping and praying: for a nice easy going summer, with financial stability approaching.

Around the house: Lots of little messes that need cleaned up. I actually realized the other day that my life would be pretty perfect if my house were just clean. (life long desire: get a maid)

From the kitchen: Made cookies the other day for the kids even though I wouldn’t be eating them. Ate leftover chicken and mushroom for lunch, don’t know what’s for dinner, so don’t ask.

One of my favorite things: Sunshine

The children this week: Back to school after a week off for Spring Break.

Plans for the week: Go to French class, finish Math tests, study for finals, carpool, read the books I checked out of the library, clean? finish projects? Enjoy time with the family…. Ah, just bought tickets to go to a comedy club Friday night, oh yeah! And see Kirk Richards Mother/Daughter art exhibit Saturday.

On this date: last year I have no idea what I was doing….working with JetBlue, finishing finals…probably

( idea taken from some blog I read....)

My bucketlist, what's yours?

I wanted to write at least 35 things to do before I die (in honor of the big bday) but it became longer, much longer, so here goes in no particular order:

ride a gondola in venice
see the eiffel tower
learn to salsa dance
live on an island for a month
speak fluent french
speak fluent spanish
kids to disneyland
finish the sb albums I've always been meaning to do
walk where jesus walked
give a complete stranger $100 dollars
pay for the person behind me at the drive-in or at a restaurant for a big family with kids
learn how to work the grill
drink a fresh coconut on an island
eat a beignet in New Orleans
dance the night away at an island outdoor "club"
eat crepes in france
eat gelato in italy
free from past burdens
design my own home
learn how to give a good massage (have husband learn this too)
take children overseas for a service project
live with kids overseas
become a grandmother
grow old with Ken
see my children grow to be great adults contributing to a better world
become a religious scholar
get some rhythm so I can dance and not feel off step
give a car to someone in need
give a house to someone in need
visit the castles of europe
ride the eurorail
get a passport
ride in a private luxury jet
become computer literate
be comfortable in a swimsuit
boob lift (you know we all want one)
lasik surgery
sing karaoke
skydive
go bungee jumping
go jet skiing...again
go snowmobiling...again
ski, snowboard, snowshoe, just get out in the snow and see if it's all that bad
go white water rafting...again
if i'm going to do that, learn to really swim (not just plug my nose under water)
visit auschwitz
meet a Holocaust survivor
see the pyramids
visit machu piccu
tour the taj mahal
visit the pcc in hawaii
stay in a beautiful hotel cottage above the water in a place like bora bora
learn a new tahitian ote'a and dance it (once I've lost the weight I want to)
okay fine, I'll go to alaska with you Ken
live overseas for at least a year
that would include having a maid and cook at some time in my life
be able to go on a $5,000 shopping spree
drive a volvo or landrover or something really nice....and RED
learn to apply makeup and keep it going instead of just forgetting about it
exercise and love it
finally learn how to use a digital slr and take fabulous portraits
learn how to paint a room
paint a beautiful canvas of flowers
read all of deepak chopras books
meet deepak chopra
learn yoga
practice meditation
get a masters
attend another ub40 concert
attend an eagles concert
attend and meet matisyahu
attend and meet michael franti
meet yann martel the author of life of pi
attend a postsecret event
become a best friend to somebody (other than my dear husband)
become a great public speaker
donate anonymously to those in need
become a millionaire
retire and travel the world
own a beach house or at least a time share of one
have my dream home
learn more about auras, have my aura read
heal all my chakras
be able to teach in some format what matters most to me
go on a cruise
ride in a hot air balloon
zumba
throw a dart on a map and travel wherever it lands
visit washington dc
go to top of empire state building
maintain my ideal weight
hire a gardener since I'll NEVER be good at that

I think that's 92 of them, I'll have to add some more later so I can break 100!

And if I had taken a different path....

It's a fact, I've just turned 35. Sometimes that feels very OLD, and other times it seems like the best time of my life. No struggling with the issues one has in their 20's. We usually have sorted out who we are and what we want by this age, and are reaping the rewards of having been an adult for many years. Experience...wisdom...all of that. Would I trade what I know now for youth again? I don't know...

ANYWAYS, I met Ken in the Philippines my last year of high school. Had I not met him I probably would have done one of three things:

1. Come back to Utah and probably become some sort of cowgirl. You see, I already was listening to the music, wore my stone-washed denim jacket with that white wool collar that was in style, and loved riding in trucks, the higher the better.

2. Gone to Hawaii and met some Polynesian man and stayed there...now that sounds better...

3. Become a teacher, stay single, get REALLY smart.

But instead I have THIS much love in the world to share:

I'm finally realizing that "THIS" is good. Maybe I would have been richer or smarter or who knows what, but I've become the person who I am now, and she's a pretty cool person if I say so myself. (With a darn good husband and 5 crazy kids to keep her on her toes)

And I can STILL be smart you know, that isn't reserved for all the single ladies...

If I had it to do all over again

That last few posts got me thinking. And when I was dropping videos back off to Redbox the other night, I saw this cute little girl waiting for her Dad to get his video. She reminded me of my girls when they were tiny and little. I thought to myself, with the perspective I have now, I would tell that Dad to enjoy her while she is young. Everyone says that, I know. But when I look at that little girl, I look at the 7 year old she will become, at the 14 year old she will be, and on to the women she will become. But when you're in the midst of it all, you can't imagine what that might be like since you've never been there before. All you see is the demanding little 2 year old. Cute...but demanding.

So, here's what I would do differently if I had it to do all over again:

#1 Practice mindfulness-live in the moment, be aware and appreciate all that I have.
#2 Along those lines, record those moments, in a journal, through photos, and VIDEO. How I wish I had video of these little girls running around. That won't be a problem these days for people, since technology has come pretty far, and is pretty much affordable for anyone.
#3 Be happy...happier, happier, happier.
#4 Appreciate myself for who I am, my body, my personality, everything.
#5 Dedicate more of myself to my husband instead of the kids.

That's all I've got right now. What about you? What would you do differently?

(By the way, bravo for me with the photo above. I just figured out how to do a collage in picasa)