They plan on doing this as often as they can the rest of this summer!
The Martin Multitude The more, the merrier!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Lemon Economics
Yesterday, Elizabeth, Kael, and Tristan decided they wanted to run a lemonade stand and earn some extra money. We took the opportunity to teach them about various business related issues such as business loans (and repaying them), cost versus profit, and paying employees (guess who made their lemonade for them). They had a BLAST! And they made quite a bit of money! They had an initial business loan of $5 (for cups and change), and paid $4 for the 4 pitchers of lemonade they sold, and still ended up with over $20 to split between the 3 of them. In the end, after paying their chef, they each had $6 to put in their banks. They were very pleased with themselves. Lots of people stopped by and just randomly gave them money for being good salesmen, for being entrepreneurs, or just for being cute! Ha ha ha. And lots of people would ask for a couple cups ($0.25 each), hand them a dollar, and then say, "Keep the change!" Here are some pictures from their little venture.
They plan on doing this as often as they can the rest of this summer!
They plan on doing this as often as they can the rest of this summer!
Monday, April 15, 2013
My best photos
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The Country Bunny and Her Brood
Easter Sunday, our Relief Society President gave a lesson based on this book:
She did a fabulous job of relating it to this life and the Atonement in honor of Easter.
That's not what I took away best from her lesson, though. Sorry, Ashley!
The part that hit me most was where she teaches her little brood of 21 bunnies how to clean the house, cook, take care of themselves, and treat each other with respect. Here's one page:
I don't have 21 kids, but I want that kind of order! I pondered it the rest of the afternoon. By evening, I had a plan.
I thought up 4 Helper jobs, one of which I can split up into three jobs for when all the kids are here; I came up with a list of things they should each do on their own every day; and I created a list of things that needed doing on a weekly basis. I cut up one of those flexible fridge magnets that we get from every business ever created and glued each child's name on one piece. Then I made a sign. It looks like this:
<--personal day="" done="" every="" jobs="" p="">
<--important p="" question="">
<--weekly add="" chores="" everyone="" i="" may="" more.="" need="" one.="" p="" picks="" think="" to=""><--place current="" for="" in="" names="" not="" p="" rotation.="" the="">
Here's a description of each Helper's responsibilities:
Kitchen Helper: Empties dishwasher, fills it back up again.
Meal Helper: Sets table, clears serving dishes, wipes down table (all three meals).
Laundry Helper: Does one load of laundry, start to finish, from washing to putting away.
Bathroom Helper: Swish the toilet (no cleaner), clear and swipe the counters, clear the floor.
Kitchen Helper is for all three meals when I have just four kids, and split up into three meals when I have more.
Part of getting dressed for bed is picking out clothes to wear for the next day. They then place those clothes against the wall behind the dining room table so the clothes are accessible when the kids wake up in the morning. To facilitate this, I made name plaques (marker on 8"x11" white paper in a sheet protector) for each child and posted them on the designated wall.
There were also some rules I established that aren't listed here, but I plan on posting them elsewhere soon. Those rules are:
1) NO blankies, pillows, or animals out of the bedroom after breakfast.
2) Rooms must be clean before each meal.
3) Everybody helps clean up everything, without regard to ownership or who was playing with it.
I am also working on a set of chores that they can do for money, like sort the sock bag and clean the patio door.
This week we had all the kids for Spring Break! A perfect time to try my *evil* plan...Bwa ha ha ha...
Ahem.
Anyway, it started out great! I introduced the plan to the kids on Monday at Family Home Evening. There was no initial complaining. I thought that showed promise.
I won't lie. There was some grumbling on the first day of actually DOING the chores, but I think it helped that I was there doing it with them, and that almost everyone had a chore to do. (I only have 6 helper jobs at most, so two kids get a "weekend" from chores.)
I was actually surprised by how many of them were excited to do their chores! I'm not kidding! "I love to do laundry!" came out of at least two mouths, and "Hooray, I'm the meal helper!" was almost universal. They took pride in their responsibilities!
Happy side effects: One-on-one time with each child. Cleaner house. They made less mess to begin with. There was less complaining because it was right there, on the list (I wasn't 'picking' on someone all the time).
They learn responsibility and important life skills. I have more sanity and time for other projects, me time, and spouse time. Win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win. And the baby will have a system to grow up in. Add another win there in a few months.
Happy mom, that's me!
She did a fabulous job of relating it to this life and the Atonement in honor of Easter.
That's not what I took away best from her lesson, though. Sorry, Ashley!
The part that hit me most was where she teaches her little brood of 21 bunnies how to clean the house, cook, take care of themselves, and treat each other with respect. Here's one page:
I don't have 21 kids, but I want that kind of order! I pondered it the rest of the afternoon. By evening, I had a plan.
I thought up 4 Helper jobs, one of which I can split up into three jobs for when all the kids are here; I came up with a list of things they should each do on their own every day; and I created a list of things that needed doing on a weekly basis. I cut up one of those flexible fridge magnets that we get from every business ever created and glued each child's name on one piece. Then I made a sign. It looks like this:
 |
| What it looks like when everyone is here |
 |
| What it looks like most of the time |
<--personal day="" done="" every="" jobs="" p="">
<--important p="" question="">
<--weekly add="" chores="" everyone="" i="" may="" more.="" need="" one.="" p="" picks="" think="" to=""><--place current="" for="" in="" names="" not="" p="" rotation.="" the="">
Here's a description of each Helper's responsibilities:
Kitchen Helper: Empties dishwasher, fills it back up again.
Meal Helper: Sets table, clears serving dishes, wipes down table (all three meals).
Laundry Helper: Does one load of laundry, start to finish, from washing to putting away.
Bathroom Helper: Swish the toilet (no cleaner), clear and swipe the counters, clear the floor.
Kitchen Helper is for all three meals when I have just four kids, and split up into three meals when I have more.
Part of getting dressed for bed is picking out clothes to wear for the next day. They then place those clothes against the wall behind the dining room table so the clothes are accessible when the kids wake up in the morning. To facilitate this, I made name plaques (marker on 8"x11" white paper in a sheet protector) for each child and posted them on the designated wall.
There were also some rules I established that aren't listed here, but I plan on posting them elsewhere soon. Those rules are:
1) NO blankies, pillows, or animals out of the bedroom after breakfast.
2) Rooms must be clean before each meal.
3) Everybody helps clean up everything, without regard to ownership or who was playing with it.
I am also working on a set of chores that they can do for money, like sort the sock bag and clean the patio door.
This week we had all the kids for Spring Break! A perfect time to try my *evil* plan...Bwa ha ha ha...
Ahem.
Anyway, it started out great! I introduced the plan to the kids on Monday at Family Home Evening. There was no initial complaining. I thought that showed promise.
I won't lie. There was some grumbling on the first day of actually DOING the chores, but I think it helped that I was there doing it with them, and that almost everyone had a chore to do. (I only have 6 helper jobs at most, so two kids get a "weekend" from chores.)
I was actually surprised by how many of them were excited to do their chores! I'm not kidding! "I love to do laundry!" came out of at least two mouths, and "Hooray, I'm the meal helper!" was almost universal. They took pride in their responsibilities!
Happy side effects: One-on-one time with each child. Cleaner house. They made less mess to begin with. There was less complaining because it was right there, on the list (I wasn't 'picking' on someone all the time).
They learn responsibility and important life skills. I have more sanity and time for other projects, me time, and spouse time. Win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win. And the baby will have a system to grow up in. Add another win there in a few months.
Happy mom, that's me!
Monday, December 17, 2012
To Donate or Not to Donate, That is the Question.
Hold on.
Hear me out.
Imagine with me for a minute...
It's that time again: Christmas, birthday, spring cleaning, your closet is overflowing, you can't afford the storage unit anymore or find yourself contemplating a bigger one. You've decided it's time to get rid of some stuff.
You unlock the lock, throw open the doors and behold: the Mountain of Stuff. Boxes and boxes of it. Some of it is from last week, some from last year, some from 30 years ago, some from the Mesozoic Era. Plastic boxes, cardboard boxes, metal boxes. Some black or silver or white garbage bags. You well and truly don't even know what's there exactly. What are you going to do with it? Toss. Keep. Donate.
You think to yourself as you open each box, Oh, I remember this! What a great time we had together. I guess I don't need it anymore. But it must still be useful! I'll donate it. Someone will want it.
Stop. Hold it right there.
What are you holding? Clothing? An old toy? A book? A piece of furniture? An 8-track player? A holey (that is NOT misspelled) shoe? A sock with no mate? An archaic piece of technology?
Is it REALLY going to help someone in need? Or is it just going to get some treasure-to-you-trash-to-everyone-else guilt off your chest? Will it help someone survive or live better, or will it just add to a pile of useless junk in someone else's closet or even the store because no one will pay money for it??
What brought this on? It is natural to wonder. I'll tell you.
My kids' toys.
It happens naturally enough. They get a toy from a friend or family member. They love it for a few hours, days, months, or the lucky toys even get a few years. Inevitably, the toys lose their appeal and drift to sundry bedroom corners or sink to the bottom of the toy box. Vital pieces go missing (or are eaten, ha).
"But!" you say. "We have memories here! I can't just throw our memories in the trash! If this such-and-such is used by someone else, our memories will be preserved, honored, remembered!"
Um. Yeah. No. Not really.
They won't have your memories. Your memories belong to you. They're pretty much meaningless to most everyone else, and that's fine.
You know what that stuff is doing in your house, to your house? To your psyche? To your soul??
Who has heard the backpack/rocks/sin parable? Raise of hands? Great! Well, it doesn't just pertain to sin.
The stuff we accumulate weighs on our minds. It stops us in our tracks physically and emotionally and spiritually. The more you have to keep track of, the less brainpower you have to dedicate to other (some would say more important) things or people.
So I'm going to get rid of these extra toys that the kids don't even ask about anymore, that don't have all their pieces, and even some that require batteries that I don't feel like spending the money to replace. And seeing as how most of it got to us because someone else didn't want it either, I'm going to toss it in the trash and not feel even one tiny inkling of guilt about it.
Because sometimes, your trash is everybody else's trash too.
And you know what the kids are going to do? Mostly nothing. They won't even notice that stuff is gone. If they do notice, it will be in passing. I will answer honestly when they ask me if I know where it is, "No, I don't know exactly where it is." Then they will forget.
Oh, and they'll be running around the house with huge grins on their faces because, unbeknownst to them, they were weighed down by all the stuff they had to choose from to play with, and suddenly they feel much better. They won't know why, but they'll be happier. And I like happy children.
So next time you find yourself getting ready to donate something, please ask yourself if it is truly worth donating, or if it is more honorable to take a picture (with a camera or just your mind) and let it rest in peace.
Arienne
Hear me out.
Imagine with me for a minute...
It's that time again: Christmas, birthday, spring cleaning, your closet is overflowing, you can't afford the storage unit anymore or find yourself contemplating a bigger one. You've decided it's time to get rid of some stuff.
You unlock the lock, throw open the doors and behold: the Mountain of Stuff. Boxes and boxes of it. Some of it is from last week, some from last year, some from 30 years ago, some from the Mesozoic Era. Plastic boxes, cardboard boxes, metal boxes. Some black or silver or white garbage bags. You well and truly don't even know what's there exactly. What are you going to do with it? Toss. Keep. Donate.
You think to yourself as you open each box, Oh, I remember this! What a great time we had together. I guess I don't need it anymore. But it must still be useful! I'll donate it. Someone will want it.
Stop. Hold it right there.
What are you holding? Clothing? An old toy? A book? A piece of furniture? An 8-track player? A holey (that is NOT misspelled) shoe? A sock with no mate? An archaic piece of technology?
Is it REALLY going to help someone in need? Or is it just going to get some treasure-to-you-trash-to-everyone-else guilt off your chest? Will it help someone survive or live better, or will it just add to a pile of useless junk in someone else's closet or even the store because no one will pay money for it??
What brought this on? It is natural to wonder. I'll tell you.
My kids' toys.
It happens naturally enough. They get a toy from a friend or family member. They love it for a few hours, days, months, or the lucky toys even get a few years. Inevitably, the toys lose their appeal and drift to sundry bedroom corners or sink to the bottom of the toy box. Vital pieces go missing (or are eaten, ha).
"But!" you say. "We have memories here! I can't just throw our memories in the trash! If this such-and-such is used by someone else, our memories will be preserved, honored, remembered!"
Um. Yeah. No. Not really.
They won't have your memories. Your memories belong to you. They're pretty much meaningless to most everyone else, and that's fine.
You know what that stuff is doing in your house, to your house? To your psyche? To your soul??
Who has heard the backpack/rocks/sin parable? Raise of hands? Great! Well, it doesn't just pertain to sin.
The stuff we accumulate weighs on our minds. It stops us in our tracks physically and emotionally and spiritually. The more you have to keep track of, the less brainpower you have to dedicate to other (some would say more important) things or people.
So I'm going to get rid of these extra toys that the kids don't even ask about anymore, that don't have all their pieces, and even some that require batteries that I don't feel like spending the money to replace. And seeing as how most of it got to us because someone else didn't want it either, I'm going to toss it in the trash and not feel even one tiny inkling of guilt about it.
Because sometimes, your trash is everybody else's trash too.
And you know what the kids are going to do? Mostly nothing. They won't even notice that stuff is gone. If they do notice, it will be in passing. I will answer honestly when they ask me if I know where it is, "No, I don't know exactly where it is." Then they will forget.
Oh, and they'll be running around the house with huge grins on their faces because, unbeknownst to them, they were weighed down by all the stuff they had to choose from to play with, and suddenly they feel much better. They won't know why, but they'll be happier. And I like happy children.
So next time you find yourself getting ready to donate something, please ask yourself if it is truly worth donating, or if it is more honorable to take a picture (with a camera or just your mind) and let it rest in peace.
Arienne
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
GFDF Enchilada Casserole
As many of you know, my children have some food sensitivities as do my new stepchildren. It's quite entertaining telling people, actually. You have how many children? And how many stepchildren? And your kids are gluten free and his are dairy free? And then come the accolades about how amazing I am for taking that on. Like it's hard? I was prepared for this day. I lived with my parents and brother for a year and my mother has more food allergies and sensitivities than foods she can eat freely including but not limited to gluten and dairy products. Cooking for her for that year enabled me to reach a certain level of proficiency with that kind of cooking to the point that I can make up GFDF versions of things without much trouble right off the cuff. (It's a gift I attribute to my Dad and my Heavenly Father.) Here is my latest creation. Hope you like it! Personally, I didn't really miss the cheese or sour cream.
So without further ado, GFDF Enchilada Casserole!
16 GF corn tortillas (Mission makes them)
1 32-oz can enchilada sauce
1 15 oz can vegetarian refried beans
1 4-oz can diced green chiles
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 15-oz can medium black olives, sliced
Preheat oven to 350* F. Lightly grease 13x9 baking pan. Spoon 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into bottom of pan and spread around. Use 4 tortillas to cover the pan. The arrangement I used had two whole ones in the middle, two halves along the long sides at the edge, and one quarter in each corner. Spoon 1/3 of the beans onto the tortillas and spread around. Add about 1/2 the diced green chiles. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread 1/3 of the beans around, and top with 1/2 the olives and 1/2 the can of tomatoes. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread the remaining beans and top with the remaining ingredients. Add one more layer of corn tortillas. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top, making sure to cover all the tortillas. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serves about 10, but only if it's not the only thing you serve and we're talking "normal" portions, not teenage boy portions. :)
Make this and let me know how it worked for you! Comment below!
Enjoy!
So without further ado, GFDF Enchilada Casserole!
16 GF corn tortillas (Mission makes them)
1 32-oz can enchilada sauce
1 15 oz can vegetarian refried beans
1 4-oz can diced green chiles
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 15-oz can medium black olives, sliced
Preheat oven to 350* F. Lightly grease 13x9 baking pan. Spoon 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into bottom of pan and spread around. Use 4 tortillas to cover the pan. The arrangement I used had two whole ones in the middle, two halves along the long sides at the edge, and one quarter in each corner. Spoon 1/3 of the beans onto the tortillas and spread around. Add about 1/2 the diced green chiles. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread 1/3 of the beans around, and top with 1/2 the olives and 1/2 the can of tomatoes. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread the remaining beans and top with the remaining ingredients. Add one more layer of corn tortillas. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top, making sure to cover all the tortillas. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serves about 10, but only if it's not the only thing you serve and we're talking "normal" portions, not teenage boy portions. :)
Make this and let me know how it worked for you! Comment below!
Enjoy!
Guest Post for a Friend
My good friend Jenn Greenland has a blog all about essential oils and how awesome they are. However, she can't use anything with lavender so she asked me to write about the blend Past Tense. Check out my article and the others on her blog!
http://jenngreenlandoil.blogspot.com/2012/12/past-tense.html
Enjoy!
http://jenngreenlandoil.blogspot.com/2012/12/past-tense.html
Enjoy!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Our Story
 |
| One of many profile pics |
 |
| The first profile pic I saw |
In desperation, he signed up for an LDSSingles account. A PAID one. *gasp*
She just wanted to talk to some adults for once.
He thought she would make good practice for when he really started dating.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
On January 20, 2012, he sent her a message remarking on how interesting it was that they were nearly perfect matches on the compatibility profile, and how he had family in Thatcher. Coincidence? Well...
Thus began the journey. Messages were sporadic at first. I have a test today, she'd say. I'm going to a hockey game tonight, he'd say. They exchanged names. They exchanged numbers. They chatted on messenger. They chatted on video. (He was wearing a red shirt and had just had his hair cut the first time!)
She really liked him. REALLY liked him. A LOT.
He really liked her. REALLY liked her. A LOT.
She found out how fresh he was off a divorce, decided she didn't want that drama right now and just wanted to be friends. She managed, for perhaps the first time in all history (or at least her history) to truly put a man she was attracted to on the "just friends" shelf. She started dating other men.
They still chatted. He still called. He always enjoyed their conversations. She was always happy to hear from him.
She got tired of having so many men interested in her. (I know it's hard to imagine.) She wanted to choose one. But whom should she choose? Men kept coming out of the woodwork!
She narrowed and whittled. She debated and questioned.
He patiently waited.
She wanted to meet this other guy she was dating, and they were meeting in Utah, but she would have a couple days before he arrived due to other arrangements. Could she maybe meet Seth while she was up there? Yes, he'd love to meet her. Just as friends, of course. Silly girl.
July 4th, 2012. They met in a park. He was there with his kids. (He was wearing an orange shirt, FYI.)
 |
| My view from the ground at a tree in the park |
He introduced his (adorable!) kids. They warmed up pretty quickly! They all spent the afternoon together until the kids' nap time. Then he dropped them off with their mother. Seth invited Arienne over.
 |
| He rocked her to sleep! |
He played guitar for her. She swooned inside. (Who doesn't like a musician?)
He took her to dinner. They laughed and talked. He took her to USU campus. They talked and laughed some more. He showed her Michael Ballam's office. (So cool!!!) They walked around, Seth acting as her personal tour guide.
She was fighting it and losing.
They found a hill on campus overlooking the Logan temple. When it became dark, fireworks started going off right over the temple.
 | |
| See? Awesome!! |
She fought it harder. (She was meeting another man the next day! Giminy.)
He finally took her back to her car. They hugged good night.
The next two days were the vacation from the Netherworld.
She unexpectedly had two more days to kill by herself before she could take the kids home.
Call Seth.
What? No! It felt weird.
Call Seth.
No.
Call Seth.
Okay! Fine!
 |
| Okay, fine! Hehehe |
Can she come see him again? Absolutely!
He had his kids for the weekend. (There isn't much that is more attractive than a man having fun with his kids, and handling them well, too.)
She fell harder.
He had to be with his kids that night. She found herself thinking about him all night. What was going on with her?
He invited her to church with him the next day. She happily accepted.
The kids were happy to see her. She was happy to see Seth. (He wore a dark green suit. Nothing like a man in a suit. Hubba hubba!)
 |
| First picture together |
The hymn started. She heard him sing. She heard their voices blend together so very beautifully.
That was it. She was in love.
That night he kissed her. It was beautiful and perfect.
It took me about two weeks to disentangle myself from the other men in my life. But I distinctly remember the moment I knew he was the man I wanted and he was the only one I wanted. I had spent the previous two years trying to be flexible about the qualities of the men I dated. I tried so hard to throw the list of the ideal man I had created as a teenager out the window. But like the children's advertisement for a nanny in that classic movie, Mary Poppins, the list came right back to me in the form of a real person. He is everything on that list and then some. Heavenly Father blessed me and looked after me. He brought Seth and I together, and I will be forever grateful.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Leftovers Renewed
Thanksgiving has come and gone. You've gorged yourself on pies, turkey, potatoes, or whatever else you love.
It's two days later.
And there are still leftovers in your fridge.
What to do?
Here's what I came up with! It was a HUGE hit with my 4 little ones.
Fried Mash and Turkey Curry
Ingredients:
Leftover mashed potatoes
Leftover white meat (the dark meat goes fast here!0
Curry powder
Vegenaise (or mayo... but no Miracle Whip!)
Chopped celery
I'm not giving a lot of amounts here... Tastes are so individual.
Heat up a skillet or griddle. Take 1/4-1/3 cup size mounds of mashed potatoes and smash 'em on there. They'll take a while to brown, so get going on the turkey!
Chop turkey as fine as you can get. Chop celery equally fine. I'd say one stalk is plenty for 2 cups of turkey, but you may like less. Dump both in a bowl of appropriate size. Add 1-3 tsp of curry (I go for even a little more, but that's just me) and enough vegenaise to moisten, and you may choose to add a small splash of lemon juice, and salt to taste, if you will. Mix mix mix and dollop some on top of your recently fried mash. Grab a fork and dig in!
Yum!
It's two days later.
And there are still leftovers in your fridge.
What to do?
Here's what I came up with! It was a HUGE hit with my 4 little ones.
Fried Mash and Turkey Curry
Ingredients:
Leftover mashed potatoes
Leftover white meat (the dark meat goes fast here!0
Curry powder
Vegenaise (or mayo... but no Miracle Whip!)
Chopped celery
I'm not giving a lot of amounts here... Tastes are so individual.
Heat up a skillet or griddle. Take 1/4-1/3 cup size mounds of mashed potatoes and smash 'em on there. They'll take a while to brown, so get going on the turkey!
Chop turkey as fine as you can get. Chop celery equally fine. I'd say one stalk is plenty for 2 cups of turkey, but you may like less. Dump both in a bowl of appropriate size. Add 1-3 tsp of curry (I go for even a little more, but that's just me) and enough vegenaise to moisten, and you may choose to add a small splash of lemon juice, and salt to taste, if you will. Mix mix mix and dollop some on top of your recently fried mash. Grab a fork and dig in!
Yum!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
School, Bookworm, and a Photo Shoot!
Here's a little update on the family in general.
This was the first day of school, August 8th. We are pleased to have a 3rd grader, a 2nd grader, and our brand-new kindergartener. They're going to Discovery Plus Academy in Pima this year. It was the only school I could find that would let Tristan, whose birthday is just past the September 1st deadline, test into kindergarten. He passed preschool with flying colors, and I knew he was ready. Kael had issues with Jack Daley Primary School last year, so I wanted to try him in a new school that seemed more able to cope with uniqueness in its students. And then, if the boys were going, we might as well get Elizabeth in there, too. Every day when I pick them up and ask how school is going, I get responses from all of them such as, "Awesome!" "Cool!" and "I love going to school!"
It's rather funny that last year, Kael was throwing fits because he didn't want to go to school. Yesterday, he threw a fit because he never wanted to leave school! What a turnaround! And totally worth the drive to and from school.
This is a collage of Lorelai in a dress that I wore when I was about her age. Isn't it just darling?! I don't have the picture of me handy, but you can be sure when I find my scrapbooks, I'll be digging it out and doing a side-by-side comparison. What do you think, Mom? :)
So once I was done with Lorelai, I felt like taking more pictures. So I did! These are some of my favorites. I love my kids!!! And I think they like me, too. Always a plus. ;)
I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow, when I say, "Okay, let's go in the car!" it has become a cue for Lorelai to grab whatever books she can see and carry them to the car. She then proceeds to read them during the entire trip, especially if she is alone, which she is often these days. She loves books and reading! She can sit for a long time just reading book after book, whether it's me reading to her, or her looking through it herself. I've trained her so that after I read, I tell her it's her turn to read it, and she wanders off and reads it to herself! It's SO funny watching her read the books, hearing the inflections in her voice that she picked up from listening to me. Her favorite book of the moment is one called Holler Loudly, which she loves because we get to yell really loud when it's Holler's turn to speak.
I love being a mom! It's times like these that make every not-so-great moment worth it.
My baby is growing up though. Might be time for a new baby. ;)
Until next time!
Arienne
Arienne
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Engaged!
This will be just a picture post. I'll do the story in a different post.
Ha ha. I'm so mean.
Anyway, heeeeeeeeeeere they are! (ala Price is Right)
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Ha ha. I'm so mean.
Anyway, heeeeeeeeeeere they are! (ala Price is Right)
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Goin' Courtin': Saying Yes Means Saying No
Saying yes is fantastic, and I'll get to that in another post later.
Saying no is not so fantastic.
Dating is fun. You get to meet all these new people. They compliment you, point out all the good things about you, you have fun together, you get close with people. Relationships like that are essential to most human's well-being.
Dating is hard. You build all these relationships, share yourself with all these people. In the end, you're going to have to say goodbye to most of them. No matter what people may say, sometimes you can't be just friends.
Sometimes it's all or nothing.
Sometimes it's now or never.
So we find someone for whom we want to give it all, right now and forever.
Saying yes to that feels wonderful! There's no feeling in the world like being chosen by the one you want.
This does lead to saying to no to the others. You're saying no to possibilities. You're saying goodbye to friends you love and care about.
And that hurts. And you might feel angry, sad, depressed, or even guilty.
I have learned that if you are making the choice that is right for you, the choice that is in your best interest, those feelings will be temporary.
The joy and elation of choosing and being chosen always wins out.
Last week, I decided I wanted to say yes to someone. I'll go into more detail about that later.
But saying yes to him meant saying no to all the other guys I have been dating.
The thought made me sick.
I am a very empathetic, compassionate person. It's all too easy for me to feel what others are feeling, or to feel in anticipation what I would imagine they would feel. Hurting all these men with whom I had grown close and cultivated relationships scared me. I was suddenly filled with dread and doubt. Was I making the right choice? Was I ready to be with just one? Saying no now would in all likelihood mean saying no forever.
But I couldn't keep them all. And I really wanted this one. So I had to suck it up and do it.
It was hard.
It hurt them. It hurt me.
I took time between each one to mourn the loss of the friendship, and the loss of possibility.
Inevitably, I ended up happy again. I remembered why I was ending things, why I had made the choice I made. I would then spend a while with this ridiculous grin on my face before I moved on to the next ending.
Whatever happens in the future, I will always remember these men who helped me along my way, who helped me recover from my divorce and all that pain, who helped me find myself again.
You may always carry a place in your heart for those to whom you said, "No." That's okay. You should. They helped you get to where you are, and become who you've become. Never forget. But don't get swallowed up in it.
Let yourself love. It's the best gift you can give to the people in your past, the people in your present, and the people in your future.
Happy courtin'!
Saying no is not so fantastic.
Dating is fun. You get to meet all these new people. They compliment you, point out all the good things about you, you have fun together, you get close with people. Relationships like that are essential to most human's well-being.
Dating is hard. You build all these relationships, share yourself with all these people. In the end, you're going to have to say goodbye to most of them. No matter what people may say, sometimes you can't be just friends.
Sometimes it's all or nothing.
Sometimes it's now or never.
So we find someone for whom we want to give it all, right now and forever.
Saying yes to that feels wonderful! There's no feeling in the world like being chosen by the one you want.
This does lead to saying to no to the others. You're saying no to possibilities. You're saying goodbye to friends you love and care about.
And that hurts. And you might feel angry, sad, depressed, or even guilty.
I have learned that if you are making the choice that is right for you, the choice that is in your best interest, those feelings will be temporary.
The joy and elation of choosing and being chosen always wins out.
Last week, I decided I wanted to say yes to someone. I'll go into more detail about that later.
But saying yes to him meant saying no to all the other guys I have been dating.
The thought made me sick.
I am a very empathetic, compassionate person. It's all too easy for me to feel what others are feeling, or to feel in anticipation what I would imagine they would feel. Hurting all these men with whom I had grown close and cultivated relationships scared me. I was suddenly filled with dread and doubt. Was I making the right choice? Was I ready to be with just one? Saying no now would in all likelihood mean saying no forever.
But I couldn't keep them all. And I really wanted this one. So I had to suck it up and do it.
It was hard.
It hurt them. It hurt me.
I took time between each one to mourn the loss of the friendship, and the loss of possibility.
Inevitably, I ended up happy again. I remembered why I was ending things, why I had made the choice I made. I would then spend a while with this ridiculous grin on my face before I moved on to the next ending.
Whatever happens in the future, I will always remember these men who helped me along my way, who helped me recover from my divorce and all that pain, who helped me find myself again.
You may always carry a place in your heart for those to whom you said, "No." That's okay. You should. They helped you get to where you are, and become who you've become. Never forget. But don't get swallowed up in it.
Let yourself love. It's the best gift you can give to the people in your past, the people in your present, and the people in your future.
Happy courtin'!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Family Pics 2012
At the end of may, the Johansens had a family reunion. We took a LOT of family pictures. I'm not allowed to publish any but my own family, but we had some good ones! Here are my favorites:
I am truly blessed to have a family that looks as good on the outside as they are on the inside! XOXOXO
 |
| Alexandra and Lorelai meet |
 |
| Generations... and a dog :) |
 |
| Photo Shoot-Uncle couldn't resist |
 |
| The best of the family pics |
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Goin' Courtin': My Best Interest
Earlier this year, I decided it would be a good idea to get some counseling to help me heal from my previous marriage. I thought I would go in, talk about my story, get some pat answers and overused advice, then maybe I'd feel better.
My counselor listened. Then she gave me a book. The first chapter (my homework assignment) talked about honoring yourself, and acting in your own best interest.
What???
This was akin to blasphemy to my way of thinking. I have that kind of personality that wants to please everyone, even at the expense of me. I had mastered it so much that I no longer thought of me at all. Every decision was what other people thought would be best: for me, for my children, for my future. Think about myself? You're kidding, right?
Nope.
The point that really struck home to me in that chapter was that almost 100% of the time, acting in your own best interest is in everyone else's best interest, too.
Talk about a paradigm shift! To go from thinking only of others, to thinking only of my own interests was mind-boggling.
Here's how it relates to dating.
I'm very easily persuaded. Unless deep-rooted, or consciously kept in mind, I often forget my own opinions when presented with strongly voice opinions of others.
And I cannot tell you how many times a man has started dating me and proceeded to fall in love immediately, only to be followed by the need to convince me we're meant to be together. I have mentioned before how I have been seeing casually several men at a time. Twice in the last three months, I have had 3-5 different men telling me we're meant to be together. Now, I don't know of any religion, and certainly not mine, that allows polyandry here on earth or in heaven, so I knew they couldn't all be right. But they were all so sure!!! I knew I had to make a decision. But which one?
I found myself talking about it in terms of how I could help them. "I could be an example to him, his strength." "He needs support." "He needs a mother for his kids."
Or I thought about what lessons I would be teaching my children: Marry in the temple, give second chances, there are exceptions, etc.
What I needed to think about, at least a little, was myself. How do I feel when I'm with him? How do I feel when we're apart? What personality traits are important to have? Which traits should I avoid?
As I asked myself these questions, I was finally able to sort through these men who all claimed me as theirs and decide on one I wanted to claim for myself. I could see how I wasn't really what they needed or wanted. I could see that they would be better with someone else. I could see how my choice was also the best for my kids.
And I felt peace.
And I felt hope.
And I felt love.
It was and will be hard to break up with the others, but acting in my own best interest truly is best for everyone in the end.
My counselor listened. Then she gave me a book. The first chapter (my homework assignment) talked about honoring yourself, and acting in your own best interest.
What???
This was akin to blasphemy to my way of thinking. I have that kind of personality that wants to please everyone, even at the expense of me. I had mastered it so much that I no longer thought of me at all. Every decision was what other people thought would be best: for me, for my children, for my future. Think about myself? You're kidding, right?
Nope.
The point that really struck home to me in that chapter was that almost 100% of the time, acting in your own best interest is in everyone else's best interest, too.
Talk about a paradigm shift! To go from thinking only of others, to thinking only of my own interests was mind-boggling.
Here's how it relates to dating.
I'm very easily persuaded. Unless deep-rooted, or consciously kept in mind, I often forget my own opinions when presented with strongly voice opinions of others.
And I cannot tell you how many times a man has started dating me and proceeded to fall in love immediately, only to be followed by the need to convince me we're meant to be together. I have mentioned before how I have been seeing casually several men at a time. Twice in the last three months, I have had 3-5 different men telling me we're meant to be together. Now, I don't know of any religion, and certainly not mine, that allows polyandry here on earth or in heaven, so I knew they couldn't all be right. But they were all so sure!!! I knew I had to make a decision. But which one?
I found myself talking about it in terms of how I could help them. "I could be an example to him, his strength." "He needs support." "He needs a mother for his kids."
Or I thought about what lessons I would be teaching my children: Marry in the temple, give second chances, there are exceptions, etc.
What I needed to think about, at least a little, was myself. How do I feel when I'm with him? How do I feel when we're apart? What personality traits are important to have? Which traits should I avoid?
As I asked myself these questions, I was finally able to sort through these men who all claimed me as theirs and decide on one I wanted to claim for myself. I could see how I wasn't really what they needed or wanted. I could see that they would be better with someone else. I could see how my choice was also the best for my kids.
And I felt peace.
And I felt hope.
And I felt love.
It was and will be hard to break up with the others, but acting in my own best interest truly is best for everyone in the end.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Goin' Courtin': Mormon Dating Game, or Kissing: What Does It Mean?
Apparently, we Mormons date differently than a lot of the rest of the world.
Specifically when it comes to kissing.
I was surprised to hear that this was a Mormon phenomenon. Feel free to comment below and enlighten me if I get it wrong, or back me up if I'm right.
What does kissing mean to you?
When I was dating the first time around, kissing meant we were going to be exclusive if we weren't already. It was almost an implied, "We're boyfriend/girlfriend now."
And this, I'm told, is how the rest of the world works. We'll call it Way 1.
I haven't necessarily operated that way this time around. (I sort of canvassed this already in general in my post, Relationship Girl Vs. Dating Girl.) Working against my own background, I sometimes feel like a... woman of loose morals.
But let's face it.
Kissing is fun.
It's exhilarating.
It can also be dangerous.
This seems to be the norm, however. I only date within my religion, so I can't vouch for how it is in any other scene. However, it seems to be part of the determination process to try kissing out. We'll call this Way 2.
Where's the line, then? Is it a certain number of kisses? Length? Depth? How many guys/girls are you allowed to be kissing? I know some who give out kisses like candy at a parade. I know some that don't kiss until they get married. And there is everything inbetween.
I don't really and truly have an answer to these questions, and it may just be that it's wholly individual.
What happens when someone who works Way 1 meets someone who works Way 2? Which way wins? Can a relationship work between them?
Again, I don't have the answers. I sure would like to know though!
Happy courtin'!
P.S. So what do you think? How do you work? Have you tried both ways? Share with us your wisdom and experiences.
Specifically when it comes to kissing.
I was surprised to hear that this was a Mormon phenomenon. Feel free to comment below and enlighten me if I get it wrong, or back me up if I'm right.
What does kissing mean to you?
When I was dating the first time around, kissing meant we were going to be exclusive if we weren't already. It was almost an implied, "We're boyfriend/girlfriend now."
And this, I'm told, is how the rest of the world works. We'll call it Way 1.
I haven't necessarily operated that way this time around. (I sort of canvassed this already in general in my post, Relationship Girl Vs. Dating Girl.) Working against my own background, I sometimes feel like a... woman of loose morals.
But let's face it.
Kissing is fun.
It's exhilarating.
It can also be dangerous.
This seems to be the norm, however. I only date within my religion, so I can't vouch for how it is in any other scene. However, it seems to be part of the determination process to try kissing out. We'll call this Way 2.
Where's the line, then? Is it a certain number of kisses? Length? Depth? How many guys/girls are you allowed to be kissing? I know some who give out kisses like candy at a parade. I know some that don't kiss until they get married. And there is everything inbetween.
I don't really and truly have an answer to these questions, and it may just be that it's wholly individual.
What happens when someone who works Way 1 meets someone who works Way 2? Which way wins? Can a relationship work between them?
Again, I don't have the answers. I sure would like to know though!
Happy courtin'!
P.S. So what do you think? How do you work? Have you tried both ways? Share with us your wisdom and experiences.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Goin' Courtin': Addictive
A man told me once that I was addictive.
I was feeling cheeky and replied, Yes, I know. Or something like that.
He responded with, "You knew?? You could have WARNED me!!"
And I said, Where's the fun in that?
Then I started thinking. (A dangerous pastime, I know.)
I started wondering if this was something I needed to worry about, or try to control. (Because I'm a minor league control freak. It's what I do.) Should I restrict myself somehow, so people are less likely to get addicted to me? What would that look like?
I know what it would look like. The reason for becoming what I had become was different than this approach would be, but it would end the same. I did it to myself in my previous marriage.
I would stop flirting with guys, and stop talking with anybody about anything fun, interesting, or personal. I would stop trying to look good. I would stop going out.
I would die.
Then I realized, I can't change myself to save other people. Just like any drug, I am just being who I am. If that makes me addictive to some people, then so be it. I am not responsible for their choice to love me, or become addicted to me, or anything of the sort, and trying to take that responsibility would destroy this lovely person I've finally rediscovered after two years of searching. And doing it knowingly would be all kinds of wrong, like murder almost.
So I did something completely out of character. I stopped trying to save everybody else. I let it go.
I'm free to be who I am, no worries.
I'm addictive?
Cool.
I was feeling cheeky and replied, Yes, I know. Or something like that.
He responded with, "You knew?? You could have WARNED me!!"
And I said, Where's the fun in that?
Then I started thinking. (A dangerous pastime, I know.)
I started wondering if this was something I needed to worry about, or try to control. (Because I'm a minor league control freak. It's what I do.) Should I restrict myself somehow, so people are less likely to get addicted to me? What would that look like?
I know what it would look like. The reason for becoming what I had become was different than this approach would be, but it would end the same. I did it to myself in my previous marriage.
I would stop flirting with guys, and stop talking with anybody about anything fun, interesting, or personal. I would stop trying to look good. I would stop going out.
I would die.
Then I realized, I can't change myself to save other people. Just like any drug, I am just being who I am. If that makes me addictive to some people, then so be it. I am not responsible for their choice to love me, or become addicted to me, or anything of the sort, and trying to take that responsibility would destroy this lovely person I've finally rediscovered after two years of searching. And doing it knowingly would be all kinds of wrong, like murder almost.
So I did something completely out of character. I stopped trying to save everybody else. I let it go.
I'm free to be who I am, no worries.
I'm addictive?
Cool.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)