Lazy is a Sour Attitude

Unfortunately laziness is becoming a more acceptable attitude than hard work.  Bugs me.  I see kids who no longer fight for employment and employers who no longer bother hiring teenagers which makes it hard for those teens who actually are hard working to get a job and earn their keep.  Also bugs me.  Alot!  I see video games and television replacing books and imaginations and let's face it Hollywood is all about the writing.  If the script sucks it doesn't come to life but no one ever reminds the kids of this fact they all want to be famous actors not realizing that they are at the mercy of the writers in the first place.  Have to be in touch with your imagination to be a writer.  The challenge is to create new worlds that only exist in your mind not regurgitate what's already there.  Of course Hollywood themselves have gotten lazy now redoing movies more than creating new thoughts and ideas.

There is satisfaction in hard work.  Getting a project started is one thing, but when you complete it!  Best feeling in the world!  Interruptions and distractions are everywhere all the time and can make us excuse ourselves from completing tasks that are more important than our facebook accounts or our tweets.  Sometimes is just plain ok to turn the computer off, ignore the phone.  The world will be ok while you're busy.  I assure you it will still turn, it will still progress, it will move on.  The whole point of these technologies interestingly enough was for work.  Teams and team leaders that needed to be in constant contact with each other on various projects to get them all completed well and on time.  Even they are distracted by angry birds and candy crush apps showing a fall in production.  It's a choice isn't it.  A personal choice.  Not the phone companies fault, not the technologies fault.  We choose it.

The Godhead doesn't want me to be that way, I don't want my kids growing up that way.  He expects me to work hard, keep my home clean and organized, educate my children about the world in a safe environment.  I expect it of myself.  It's not always perfect, it doesn't always work out perfectly but we're not perfect so that's okay with me.  But we try, we work hard, we make a solid effort and we don't just give up if it doesn't work out the first time.

Having moved into a house that we didn't design or build you spend most of your time trying to make it yours.  You start with paint easier and cheaper.  Then you add furniture, odds and ends, personal touches.  Even then it's a constant project and big and expensive undertaking.  To be honest it makes me wonder why we bother with buying houses and mortgages rather that just renting and saving and building when we can then at least you start off with something you like the way you wanted it, but that's besides the point lol.  My oldest kids, when the microwave handle fell off, taped it back on lol.  They were gonna stretch that microwave for all it's worth understanding the value of the things around them.  When we talk about home improvement projects they get excited to help, now if only they were that excited about their day to day lives and keeping their rooms clean.  But when asked to complete a project as a family they are always on board.  In fact, and I love this, my kids get so mind numbingly bored of their electronics because they prefer hanging out with their friends and actually conversing with them, in person!  Face to face!  Albeit Just Dance is a favorite for them but at least they're moving which I like.

When they come home from school they have a determination to take care of their homework and chores right away.  They choose it.  Started out years ago as a rule when they were in elementary school and now that they're in high school they see the value in it and choose to continue that way.  To work hard on their education and help out around the house.  They aren't perfect everyone has their day where they just wanna sit around.  Even then, they play with their little sister, they tidy up when they see a need and they offer their assistance with whatever their parents are doing. I am so unbelievably grateful for that!  I rarely if ever have to get after them anymore they just understand the value of hard work at this point and recognize how it makes them feel to have a job well done.

When we leave this earth we only take with us our knowledge, what we've chosen to study and learn.  About the gospel, about the world around us, about ourselves.   In the end we rise only with what knowledge we've accumulated before our death.   Executing what you've learned, the hard work, is where you gain the experience.  We are here for the experience.   I prefer an enlightened mind to a lazy attitude myself.  Hopefully you feel the same way.

Just Sitting Here Thinkin'

I was so tired all day today, and nervous, and a little stressed.  Tired because....actually I'm not exactly sure.  You see Hubby has a very bad cold and has opted to vacate the bed to spare me his disease which I think is the SWEETEST thing.  However, last night he slept in the bed so I'm wondering if there was coughing or tossing and turning that might have made it impossible for me to deep sleep.

Nervous because I hate speaking in public.  We've gone over this in other posts, I always feel flustered and predict that I'll say the wrong the things.  I always want to run away after I speak, it's very strange I admit.  I feel like I'm going to be judged and criticized to the hilt when that's probably not the case at all.  All in my head right?

Stressed for my children.  I remember high school and high school exams.  No matter how much you think you know and how prepared you think you are you never seem to get the grade you expect on your finals.  Tonight I spent time with our daughter going over what she needs to be able to do and comprehend in American Lit.  I didn't mind it I actually quite enjoying teaching, albeit on a smaller scale.  I'll keep working on that public speaking thing.  It bugs me that I'm always so flustered.  Anywho, tried to go over proofs with our son for his geometry class.  I say tried because sometimes he gets defensive when you try and check up on him or offer him some help when you see he needs it.  I get it, fifteen years old, independent.  I just wish I had the magic words to 'soften' him up a little bit and accept the help or at least someone who is willing to help him study the things he's unsure of.  If not me at least someone.

Today instead of Christmas Caroling, which is something our family loves to do, we and our worn out selves all fell asleep and had nap time.  Can't say I minded.  It's like a preview to Christmas Break.  Still really looking forward to  the sleeping in, the lazy afternoons just spending time together, the food.  Working on planning the day before Christmas Eve thinking about seeing a movie with the whole family.  This will be 'MissToddlerPants' second movie in a theater.  It's so fun and exciting to see children experience new things like the movie theater.  They see all the people, the popcorn, the posters and videos playing in the hallways, the big screen.

I remember having a drive-in where I'm from.  Green Acres Drive-In I believe it was called there in Lethbridge, Alberta.  We used to pop a big brown paper grocery sized bag full of buttered popcorn and sneak it in along with a bottle of soda and some plastic cups.  I remember seeing a double feature once.  Grease 2 and Lady Hawk with Michelle Pfeiffer.  Loved them both and pretended with all my friends that we were the pink ladies that summer all summer long.  We dressed in whatever pink we had and wore bandanas in our hair sitting on each others swing sets and singing all the songs.  ESPECIALLY cool rider!  The best!  To this day still love both movies and I think I have seen every Michelle Pfieffer movie ever made.

This time of year makes you think about holiday traditions and childhood memories of Christmas.  I loved going to my Grandma Moen's in Camrose, Alberta for Christmas.  There was nothing like it.  My mom and her two sisters were very close to each other and very close to Grandma.  They were best friends.  You'd hear them laughing and talking for hours.  Hard not to be happy when you have lots of cousins to play with and happy parents.  We would all get so excited.  We all loved Christmas Eve, big turkey dinner, opening presents under the tree.  The Moen's are Norwegian and I love this family tradition.  Then we'd pout and whine and try to be sneaky when we thought Santa was coming.  Sometimes we would just creep up the stairs a little bit to spy on all our parents and see what they were up to, what they were taking about.  Maybe a surprise here and there we could catch wind of and ruin.  For the most part we'd just pass out and wake up as early as possible.  Trying to stay quiet in our mind blown excitement when we'd see our stockings filled with presents from Santa.  Shaking any new presents under the tree trying to guess.  Eventually we'd be exhausted from being up so early and waiting for our parents to wake up that we'd fall back to sleep.  I miss that.

Of couse St Louis has totally ruined me.  I went from Alberta beef to St Louis ribs, not that I'm complaining yum!  It's taken me a little while to get my own rub for the ribs right and how I like to cook them but I'm thinking move over turkey hello ribs this Christmas Eve!  No one ever said you can't create a new tradition now did they?  Will still do Swedish Meatballs, the hot crab dip, the cheese dip we make into a Christmas Tree on the platter, the hot chocolate.  We'll be adding another Moen tradition of Rosettes this year, the kids have only ever had them once and since I have inherited the Rosette irons I'm really looking forward to making them.  For those of you who don't know, Rosettes are a light pastry.  A batter you put on the iron and place the iron in hot oil to fry and then sprinkle icing sugar on top.  Dangerously delicious.

I guess I should be thinking about bed now even though that nap this afternoon messed me up.  I have 6 hours until I have to be up again and begin another busy week of hustle and bustle, getting this done and that done.  What are some of your traditions?

Love This Season

I have to admit, when I first walked into the Kohl's to do some pre Christmas shopping with my Mom I was annoyed that they had so much Christmas stuff up and Thanksgiving was still weeks ahead.  I like to explore one holiday at a time.  The Christmas music was playing and you could see some individuals with that look on their face.  The look of a real bargain.  Boredom even.  Like drones lined up for a deal.  As I walked along with my Mother looking at belts and ties and towels and aprons a Christmas song playing in the background I found myself automatically humming.  The more I hummed the more I smiled.  Then I saw the really cool center pieces for the Christmas Dinner table and felt myself light up with the Christmas Spirit.  Sparkling pretty decorations.  The anticipation of watching my kids open Grandma's presents on Christmas.  More Christmas music in the background lifting me higher.  By the time we got to the lines, drone faces I tell ya, I noticed a little boy crying in his Mother's arms about 2 years old.  Mom was trying hard to console and get him to stop but he refused.  That is until he saw my smile.

  I spent a good ten minutes with this little boy, he was in the line next to me and further on ahead.  We started making faces at each other and his smiles turned into giggles which of course made Mom turn around to see what was going on since he was much happier all of the sudden.  A woman behind me suddenly asked me about a purchase I was making, if I was turning all these items into a cool craft and could she get in on it but I bored her with a no just buying them as is but intrigued at her creative mind and started looking closer at my items.  I wish I could see what she was thinking.  Meanwhile as I was distracted this boy had began to cry again and be fussy and hearing him I drew my attention back to making faces and smiling at him again so his mother could complete her purchase.  It was almost as if we had an inside joke going and no one else could see this little world we had entered for a time.  Again, my heart started to glow.

Being the mother of two teens and pre schooler I feel as though I'm split into lots of little pieces going in different directions and it honestly wears me out.  Teenagers love their own lives but they also need a chef and taxi driver.  Not to mention an occasional tutor.  Meanwhile Miss Toddlerpants as we affectionately call her these days, is very demanding we have in fact hit the pre school diva phase.  It's not all bad sometimes very entertaining really but when I'm already tired from a poor health day and lots of 5am wake up calls there are, quite frankly some days where you just want to put them in a padded room filled with balloons for a couple of hours and read a book that's been sitting on your shelf since last Christmas and you're only goal was to read it before this Christmas.  Epic fail on that this year.  But when the Christmas lights go on, or Christmas music starts to play, their eyes light up especially miss diva's.  Her excitement is completely contagious and infectious.  You can't escape.

My favorite part of this season is, however, time.  I look forward to spending time with my family getting a little bit fatter, watching Christmas movies old and new, laughing together, playing board games together, eating cookies until we're on a major sugar high ( of course this year that won't be me).  Time is the most precious most valuable tool/gift that I have to give.  I do it as often as I possibly can whether it's accepted or not as long as it's offered.  I love the snuggles in front of a roaring fire all of us curled up.  The giggles and tickle fights.  The general silliness and smiles. 

In those moments, sometimes crazy funny and sometimes quiet and simple, I remember how thankful I am for my family.  How thankful I am for every smile, for every tear, for every trial and triumph that we have individually and collectively endured this past year.  I thank God in Heaven for the opportunity to be a Mother to these magnificent children.  Children that were always meant for me.  I think about Mary and how afraid she must have felt bringing the Savior of the world to life.  But how special, hopeful, peaceful and the joy she must have felt that night He was born to this world.  Knowing He was always meant to be hers.  How profound. How humbling.  

I am so incredibly thankful for this world.  It isn't perfect, as aren't we.  But it's ours.  It's ours to love and appreciate as well as everyone on it.  I am thankful for the Savior, Jesus Christ and His perfect example of love and generosity.  I am thankful to have the opportunity to get to know Him in this life through studying the scriptures and prayer.  I hope that we all in any circumstance can find a way to love each other, even in disagreement.  That we can learn to accept that everyone has free agency and the right to choose for themselves what to believe.  Merry Christmas, and God Bless.