Just Laugh About It!

So the other day, I decided I was going to take a nap on the couch while Ethan played. Now before you think, "parental neglect"....I have to say I was dealing with a headache that I had for like 4 days straight. Now usually even if I think I am going to just sit and relax, it just doesn't happen. Anyone that has a highly energetic toddler knows what that's like. Well, I got my nap..I think it lasted a half hour!!! Yeah, go me right?! I am in heaven now right? Well lets just say I woke up to a not so pleasant smell, and a toddler beaming his adorable smile at me.......

      AND then I looked around...............................The music and video clipping going through my head at that moment was this:

Ya POOP EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! On the couch, on the floor, on the toys, on his legs, on his hands, in his hair!!!And since it was everywhere....it got on me too...cause what did he do to wake me up??? Jump all over me, right?

So since I painted such a beautiful picture.....you are probably wondering why I am telling you this. Well I learned something from the "poop fiasco." Hahaa like poop to teach you a life lesson, right?
Ok so the moral of this story is...you know CRAP can happen in life, LITERALLY! I see 2 choices  though either you can A) laugh about it or B) get mad. At the time I was soooo grumpy! But being grumpy didn't help my headache any, nor did it help the poop clean itself up! I do know that laughing about it would of eased the tension though. Laughter would have helped me get through the moment instead of showing off my colorful attitude Ethan witnessed me having.

I love these quotes:

"Laughter is an instant vacation"-Milton Berle

"Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects"-Arnold Glasow

"An optimist laughs to forget; a pessimist forgets to laugh" — Tom Nansbury

"And keep a sense of humor. It doesn’t mean you have to tell jokes. If you can’t think of anything else, when you’re my age, take off your clothes and walk in front of a mirror. I guarantee you’ll get a laugh" — Art Linkletter    (ok I am sorry but I laughed really hard when I read that)

"Laughter lets me relax. It’s the equivalent of taking a deep breath, letting it out and saying, ‘This, too, will pass’. — Odette Pollar

"Remember, when you're with me it's the only time that you're not the strangest person in the room. So go ahead, get weird on me"--

Ally McBeal  (hahah I love this wish more people acted how weird they reallly are...aren't we all weirdos?)

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans" --Woody Allen ( I am pretty sure God has laughed at some of the plans I have told Him)

"It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either"--

Wayne Dyer

Dude there are too many good quotes on laughter. If you have a good quote that makes you laugh do share with me...I would love to hear what gets you laughing or keeps you sane!

When your a Mother.........

Oh how life can change when your a mommy!

When your a mother, your alarm clock changes from a tiny metal machine to a crying baby.

When your a mother, hugs and kisses are an every HOUR occurrence just cause mom asks for it that much!

When your a mother, you become proficient at changing a diaper in the dark.

When your a mother, your purse has just became the diaper bag..just cause everything fits in it SO well.

         

When your a mother, SLEEP..........what's that????????? 4 HOURS in a row!!!!! Ahhhhhhh! 

 When your a mother, eating first becomes eating last with nibbles from the child still wanting what you are eating.

When your a mother, anything is funny especially when it gets daddy dancing

When your a mother, long, hot, steamy showers become quick, but warm, no fog on the mirrors showers.

When your a mother, your free time is spent making funny noises and faces come out of a little stuffed animal.

When your a mother, cartoons become such a hit to you and you tend to sing or quote them ALL day long.

When your a mother, your reflexes become super duper quick....like catching the toy he throws over the isle of people at church..(yup still working on that).

When your a mother, nap time......well that's when you either 1)sleep yourself  2) write a blog  or 3) catch up on housework...ehhh I choose the latter!

When your a mother, you stand up from the couch and realize there's an orange stuck to your butt, a present just left from your toddler...mind you this did JUST happen.

When your a mother, life gets more hectic but more blissful because every moment you get to spend time with an amazing, loving, little boy!

I love being a mom and yes I do enjoy time to myself but I enjoy being with my little boy even more! He helps me be better than I already am. I really can't imagine life without him now. I love that he can get me to smile just by looking at me. I love learning about his personality. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has trusted me enough to take care of him, love him, and teach him how to return back to live with Him again. I am not perfect at it, I lose my patience, but I am trying my best and that's what counts.

My Husband!

I don't think I say it enough, but I see it everyday. I see it by the words he says, the actions he takes, and the love he expresses. He is kind, gentle, and always has the most uplifting words to say to me, even when I am truly being a grouch to him. The days I clearly have had it rough, where there are dishes in the sink, clothes everywhere, crumbs galore all over the floor. He doesn't gripe or even complain. Just merely gets to work helping me put it all back in order. Even sending me to have some time to myself while he picks the mess back up. He knows when to make me laugh and when to just give me a shoulder to cry on. He knows exactly what to say when I need to hear it, the reason for that is he follows the spirit not his manly intuition. He truly has had to dig deep within the spirit these past months to help me come to myself, to be the person I once was. I am truly grateful he did not give up on me. I have never felt him judge me harshly, just lovingly picked me up and said the things of his heart to help me. His goal is to treat me like his Queen everyday and everyday I see and feel it more and more. That's my husband and I am truly grateful and lucky to be with him for eternity!

Love this man!

making me laugh REAL big!

 We are dancing, doing my favorite thing...he is REALLY concentrating and I am goofing off as usual!

A little smooch, smooch!

This was the first day we laid eye's on each other, absolutely smitten with each other but not really wanting to show it.....don't think that it worked!

Lessons I learned from my Mother

    I was thinking lately how I want to raise to my children, and well an experience came to my mind that I had with my mother when I was around 12 or 13 years old. Now we all know those are the years we are the most influenced by our peers. Now my group of friends were not exactly a bad influence on me, its just my mom held higher standards for her daughters and she expected we live up to them. Well, my friends wanted me to go to see the movie "Titanic" with them. I begged and pleaded with my mom, telling her "I am a mature teenager I can handle anything that was in it". It really was to the point where I had told me friends that I couldn't go and well they just could not understand why my mom was being so strict. Some of my friends even had there parents go with them to one of the others showings of it already. So naturally, I thought it can't be that bad if parents are taking there own kids to it. Well my mom finally gave in and let me go, but not before she told me she wanted to talk about the movie afterward with me. So I was free! I went to the movie and enjoyed it, clear up until that ONE part.......and lets just say I finally realized what my mom was trying to teach me. I felt the spirit leave at that point of the movie and I felt dirty.
     After the movie, mom sat with me and we talked about the movie. To be honest I can not remember what we talked about but I learned a great lesson from the experience. Looking at the way my mom was teaching me, I realized that she was teaching me how to use my agency correctly in order to not make the same mistakes again. I think the hardest thing we could ever do is willing let our children make mistakes when we already know the consequences that would follow.
     I really look up to my mom and love her for all the many things she has taught me growing up. My mom was a convert to the church, joining at age 17. When she joined the church she was really left with no friends because of the choice she made to devote her life to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. She learned the standards of the church and she taught them to her daughters and never wavered from that truth. I love my mom and am so grateful I had such a great woman to nurture, teach, and love me. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever live up to her example, but I know that if I keep my roots grounded deep in the gospel, like she did, that I can not fail. Thank you mom for everything , I love you!

Bucket List

My Bucket List

1).  Go on a mission with my husband.
2).  Raise a Blue and Gold Macaw.
3). Go back to South Africa/Namibia and tour
4). Ballroom dance in a beautiful castle in the most exquisite gown all night long with my husband whom has mastered the steps.
5). Stand in a pure, clear waterfall and let the water penetrate my skin and then jump in that pool of water and then go swimming.
6). Complete a half marathon and donate the funds to a Cancer foundation.
7). Learn to jump horseback.
8). Learn to scuba dive and take a dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
9). Get my Veterinary Technician Certificate.
10). Walk across these bridges:
 Sundial Bridge in Redding, California
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
 Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia..... and I so am doing the Bridge Walk
Millau Viaduct in France
Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni, Japan, 
Tower Bridge in London, England, 
Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy
.................................so these are probably not all but the goal is to go across as many bridges as possible that have great architecture and if you know of any great bridges do share!!

Lovely

My thoughts are reflecting on the day I was flying home from my mission in South Africa/Namibia. I got in a conversation with the man next to me, who turned out to be atheist. He tried to tell me I wasted away my life serving a mission. As I looked out that tiny window of the airplane, my heart filled with love for how beautiful this world is. I thought to myself I had been in one of the most beautiful places in the world meeting some of the most awesome people and learning a culture that I will never forget. I could not deny how much love I felt from my Savior at that time. "A thousand times I look around me and I find..LOVE." As I testified to this man of Christ and His matchless love I came to know nothing we ever do for the Lord is a waste. After a very long conversation, let me add a VERY pleasant one, he actually took the Book of Mormon from me. Even that is a small success even if he didn't read it. My Savior, Michael, and Ethan are the 'Center of my Universe.' I know that Christ Atoned for my sins and Lives. I am grateful to have this knowledge and feel it in my heart.

If you want to find out more about my faith click here www.mormon.org

Incredible

This video spoke out to me today. When we are in the midst of our trials and we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, what is your first thought? I honestly can't say that "everything is incredible about me." But this song made a good point, what does Heavenly Father see in us? On the day he made me, did He smile for the beauty he just made? I am sure he did as well as every person and creature here on the earth, and I don't just mean on the surface. Heavenly Father has a perfect love for each of us. He knows us so well. He knows the hardships we will face in this life and He knows what we are to become. That great love can surpass any amount of pain we go through. That love can help us overcome anything. It is nice to have the knowledge that we have someone GREAT always rooting for us to keep going even when we don't have the strength ourselves.