DAY 1667... Square 1

I love education.

I think that it's important to be educated.

I see the value in education.

But I haven't always felt this way.

When I was a junior in high school,

filling out the PSAT or ACT questions that they ask about your parents,

I always filled in the "some college" bubble for both of my parents.

It didn't really bother me that parents weren't college graduates,

at the time I had no intention of graduating college myself.

I was purely going to college to meet a guy and get married...

all within my 9 month timeline that I had set for myself.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Here I am,

12 years after graduating high school and starting college.

I have a bachelor's degree (I did graduate from BYU-Idaho without being married... one of the few)

and a master's degree obtained while working, 

with a 2 year old,

and while pregnant.

And I recently started school again.

Life has a funny way of happening in ways you never thought possible.

PS - In the past 12 years my Mom has since received her bachelor's degree (we graduated together along with my sister and my Dad was a professor at the University and got to give us our diplomas),

And my Dad now not only has a bachelor's degree,

but he also has a master's degree,

and is currently working on his doctorate.

My parents are rock stars basically.

So why did I go back to school?

Right now,

we are kind of stuck in this place  (cough, Rexburg, cough) until Spencer graduates

And I cannot use my master's degree here.

It's just not even possible.

We make enough money where we are,

doing what we do to live and to be able to have fun,

but we have vacations planned (Disneyland 2017)

someday we will buy a house,

I have an online shopping addition (especially when it comes to children's clothes and iTunes).

We aren't one of those married couples whose parents still support us,

pay for our rent,

pay for our vacations,

they do none of that.

Thank goodness.

Once you're married,,

you're married.

You are choosing to pay for your bills,

food,

vacations.

At some point parent's need to stop supporting their kids.

It's kind of one of my biggest pet peeves.

Ever.

So annoying.

Anyway...

Spencer and I found a program that would fit in perfectly in our life,

and give us that extra income so that we can better prepare for our future and play a little more.

We found a technical program for MTE (medical transcription editor),

that is inexpensive,

quick,

and perfect because you work from home.

Win-win-win.

I am aiming to graduate by August 31st,

but I'm already 10 days ahead of schedule in my course work.

That's kind of how I roll.

I finished by master's degree 3 months early.

I blame my Dad for my work ethic.

I have worked in the medical field several years in the past,

and I loved it!

I am really enjoying learning all the medical terminology,

the spelling of it not so much,

but it's been great!

I love being able to stay at home with my kids and be a mom.

This is the type of job that will allow me to do that.

I still have plans to use my master's degree.

I would love to become an athletic director someday,

but life is about adapting and making changes.

As much as I usually resist change,

this is something that I'm actually really excited about.

I'm so so so glad I didn't get married at 19,

and that my life has constantly surprised me with new challenges and amazing blessings through education.

So here I am...

Back at square 1!

Wish me luck!

DAY 1665... Easter Joy

Holidays with children are a thousand times better than holidays without children.

I am one of the few mothers,

who really struggle to find the balance between the material aspects of a holiday,

and the true meaning of the holiday.

Since Christmas,

I have been trying to focus more on the meanings behind the holidays and the actual reasons why we celebrate these days.

They're more than just good food,

new clothes,

and presents.

Although,

those things are all really really fun,

I really want my children to know that there's more to life than material items.

Christmas was a big hit.

Aniston loved celebrating the birth of Christ.

I may have gone a little overboard though...

In my attempts to focus more on Christ this Easter,

the kids and I have been watching videos about Christ on lds.org for a few weeks.

When St. Patrick's Day came around,

Aniston,

my logical little lady,

asked,

with the most serious face.

"Mom. What happened to Jesus today? Why are we celebrating Jesus today?"

Overboard.

Benson,

who is incredibly sensitive,

loved watching these video's of Christ.

His reaction to the following video,

melted my heart.

When Jesus first appeared,

the biggest smile swept across his face.

No one even had to tell him that that was Jesus.

He just knew and he felt love and happiness.

During the scene where is shows Christ on the cross,

he looked up at me with his eye blue eyes and said,

"Uh oh Mom. Uh oh."

Tears started streaming down my face.

He was so concerned and so sad.

However,

when the scene changed and the resurrected Christ appears

he excitedly started clapping his hands and smiling.

I love moments like that.

My children teach me so much!

We had several Easter egg hunts the day before Easter.

One in my parent neighborhood and another at my parents house.

Aniston was on top of the egg hunting this year.

Benson not so much.

He loves to clean up,

so putting the eggs in the basket was fun;

however,

he would have rathered just sit on the grass,

open the eggs,

and eat all the candy.

Nana helped him though and he did good.

My Mom made sure to hook me up with my favorite Easter candy!!!

Black Jelly Beans!!!!

We also dyed eggs of course.

We tried something new this year and dyed the eggs with shaving cream and food coloring.

I LOVED IT!

It worked great,

it was quick,

and the clean up process was fast.

Saturday Evening I went with my Mom to the Women's Conference.

We  get to do this twice a year and I love it every time!

The kids went to bed early Saturday night,

which left plenty of time for the Easter Bunny to do his thing.

Why do all of our holidays include,

mostly male figures,

coming into our houses late at night when we are sleeping?

It's weird when you get older.

These Easter Baskets are MY FAVORITE!!!

I ordered them last year from Viv and Lou.

They weren't expensive and they are do durable.

They still look brand new this year!

The only issue I have is that they are HUGE!

But even that's not really a problem.

It's like complaining that a salad has too much cheese...

really?

Is that the worst thing in your life?

Cause if it is,

you've got it pretty good.

Aniston loves following the Easter Bunny's footsteps to her basket.

Benson was a little weirded out by the whole thing.

Church was AMAZING and it was officially my last Sunday at church as a single parent!

(More about that later)

Next week in General Conference so we can watch that from home.

We ended our Easter Day with dinner at my parents.

The dinner was good,

love me some funeral potatoes and ham,

but the kids were a disaster.

Too much candy

+

Not a great napping schedule

=

screaming for no reason.

Benson is on this super dramatic kick and it is getting to be a little too much for me.

You know how I love to #reallife?

Here's your #reallife for the day...

How a majority of our Easter pictures really looked...

Fun Fact,
This was actually our first holiday in Rexburg,
we have lived here 4 years,
that we have spent a second holiday in the same house.
Love that!!!!
We moved in here on Easter weekend last year.

I hope your Easter was amazing!

I will leave you with one of my favorite hymns.

He is Risen and we are blessed!

HAPPY EASTER!

DAY 1663... Mother Heart

As a mom,

and a fairly new mom,

I often seek for inspiration and ideas and thoughts from other mothers.

I learn so much from the experiences of others,

and when it comes to motherhood,

I feel as though you can never learn enough.

An old friend of mine and her sister started a website to uplift mothers,

to build mothers,

and to support mothers.

IT IS AMAZING!

I urge you to check it out.

The words are inspiring and beautiful,

and some of them have changed my life.

The website is constantly updated with the stories of mothers,

and you can even nominate someone to be featured on the website.

The website is motherheartproject.com.

I urge all mothers to build each other up,

instead of judging and tearing each other down.

We all have different lives,

stories,

experiences 

and trials.

We should learn to grow from and strengthen one another on the journey of motherhood,

 I really feel as though this website is just one step closer to actually doing that.

DAY 1661... Nature Heals

I suffer from the Winter Blues.

Badly.

Every.

Single. 

Year.

Being stuck inside for months on end,

doesn't work for me or my brain or my body very well.

It's doesn't work well for my children either.

We try to go to indoor gyms or participate in activities that allow me and my children to run and be free as much as possible,

but there is just something about fresh air and being outside in nature that changes everything!

Mother Nature gave us a good tease on Sunday,

and treated us with some 60 degree weather.

The kids and I decided to go feed the ducks at the local Nature Park,

and then to spend some time on the playground.

During the summer,

we spend 3-4 nights a week at the Nature Park because this is the local disc golf course.

Dad plays disc golf,

Mom gets some vitamin D,

and the kids get to play hard

which in turn means they sleep amazing!

It's a win-win-win.

I know that Benson didn't remember much from last year as far as being outside when it's warm,

but he will definitely remember it from this year.

He loved the ducks!

He wouldn't share any of his bread with them,

but he just sat there and quacked at them.

Aniston is always in heaven when she gets to feed the ducks.

It is her happy place.

Add playing on the playground to feeding the ducks,

and I have just delivered the best day ever!

And it didn't cost me a cent!

I see such a change in my children and in myself when we get to spend time outside.

Everyone is happier,

calmer,

more fun,

and my kids listen better.

Nature has an amazing way of healing our winter blues.

It's really hard when he get teased with a good day though.

My children do not understand how we can be at the park one day,

then be stuck inside again the next.

I really don't have a good explanation for them because I think it sucks too.

I am so ready to get outside,
and to have that fresh air and to allow my children to run free.
Come on Mother Nature.
Help this momma out!