Homeownership

I am not a homeowner, but I've spent plenty of time looking at RSL listings, (which is repetitive L stands for listing.) I am glad I'm not a homeowner yet, for various reasons that change almost every time we start looking to buy. Right now I'm not ready to settle down, but soon, I'm sure for one my son is now in school and needs some stability. Everything has its seasons, and this season is not homeownership..
I do have dreams of houses, wouldn't it be nice if my kids had a driveway to learn how to pedal their bike on?  Wouldn't it be nice if they had a backyard with shade to play in. And most of all it would be awesome to have a play house. But none of those dreams are synonymous with ownership, I could rent and get all that, luckily. I know there are places in the US where there isn't really a rental market, but I appreciate that there is here, and that I can rent in a complex and not worry about my neighbors, and my kids have other kids to play with.
I'm super behind in my Time magazines, and I just barely read the article on homeownership.  Nothing new there, I read articles about it all the time.  Like I said my husband and I have been looking at RSLs together since before we were dating. RSL are light reading for my husband. Sometimes I'm able to remain rational, and think of homeownership as an investment, because that is what it is. Still often it becomes emotional, I can imagine the play kitchen we will built, or the yard we will relax in. Those updated bathrooms and kitchens, boy do they get my heart racing. But once again those are not reasons for homeownership.
I recently read, to say 'buying a home is only an investment and shouldn't be emotional' is stupid.  Its a house its where you will live it is emotional.  Ok, I see her point, but I feel middle ground.  Its investment, I don't want to pay rent forever, rent always increases, eventually if you are wise and frugal, your mortage can be nice and stagnant even with repairs and such.  But at the same time it is emtional, I want to buy in a neighbor that is safe and has other kids, and that looks nice, and has green grass and tall trees. Yes, a house is an investment, LONG term investment.  But it is also emotional.  But financial soundness should come before emotion, at least in my opinion.

Conference Baskets

Last weekend, I made my kids conference baskets, I got the idea from this blog-- Creative Holiday Gift Ideas.

As I was going through old blog posts the other day to make a blog book, I read a post saying, "I loved general conference as a child, it meant I didn't have to sit through sacrament meeting, I got to eat through the whole thing, and play with toys, while my parents said shh. I really have few memories other than my teenage brothers using my coloring books to pass the time." The point is, I don't expect my children to like General Conference for the Spiritual Insights for a decade or two, but I would like them to watch a session each day of conference during each semi annual experience. I would like them to be excited for the change in routine, so I figure what better way than games and treats?!  Which is why I couldn't resist making conference baskets.  I printed off a conference packet from Sugardoodle for each kid.  Got them crackers, and treats, and cups of water, scissors, crayons, pencils, and pez.  What more could I child want/need? (The point was they wouldn't bother me because they already had drinks and such.) Nan specially picked out a "duck" pez, Daisy Duck, she has never had her own pez dispenser, but J has a few, and she was so thrilled with the girl "duck", she said duck every time she saw it. They were both excited to use the toys and games in their baskets, and sat there quietly playing while conference was on TV in the same room. Then I put the baskets away until the next session. It was everything I could hope for as a mother of a almost two year old, and a four and half year old.  We all pointed out when the prophet was on. I deem it as a successful conference.

Sunday Thoughts on College

I forgot to post this, I wrote it back in August
A week and half ago, I was reading The Ensign-- its a good sabbath activity. I came across an article by Elder Packer, in fact it was the cover story.  Just as a side note, the day I saw him speak in person, was the first day I met future in laws, although at the time I wasn't romantically interested in their son, I was just looking for a ride back to college. Actually this antidote provides a good a lead to the point of my post.  In his article, he says,

 My college life began just after World War II had ended. Most of the men in our class were recently returned from military service. We were, by and large, more mature than college students of today. We had been through the war and carried with us many memories. Some of them we held on to; others we were glad to have fade away. We were more serious and did not enter into fun and games as much as students do today. We wanted to get on with our lives and knew that education was the key.

When I read that paragraph I breathed a sign of relief, so much relief I had to share it with my husband.  Which some of you may find bizarre, there is no great spiritual point in just that paragraph alone.  But before I get started let me just say, I am not claiming to be have more mature than the average college student, if anything I was immature, maybe that was my problem.  I know my future husband found me immature for most of that year, but at the same time I found him impertinent, so I guess life is fair. But I digress.
I was told repeatedly how awesome college was by adults in my life and so much so I found college disappointing.  I moved far away from home, found the culture shock- shocking, and thought most people were rude. I had no problem meeting people, I put myself out there, I went to all sorts of functions, church functions (ward and stake), Institute, university, pretty much anything I could find other than the drinking parties at the Frat houses.  I had declined those invitations in high school, so I definitely didn't look for any in college. But overall, I did not find college fun, sure I found friends, and we had fun times, but I would hardly classify college as fun. But college is a rite of passage right?  The university the end all be all, I always secretly wondered what was wrong with me.  I did enjoy my education, I love my classes once I got pass level 1.  But college was not fun, but then a few years after I graduated, a week and half ago, I read, Elder Packer's words, "We were more serious and did not enter into fun and games as much as students do today."  Apparently there is nothing wrong with me to think college was not 'fun and games'. I enter college with a strict 8 year plan, between undergrad, mission, and higher degree.  I knew exact what I was planning to study, and where my life was going.  I will admit I found it a struggle when some of my friends had no problem failing all their classes, they assumed they could redo them.  I'm also pretty sure I did homework first before play, so maybe I just wasn't fun. It quickly became aware to me, that I did not want to loaf around in college, I wanted to get what needed to be done work as quickly as I was able, and get on with life.  I believe I did that, and I've always had a ting of regret that my husband graduated in three and half years while it took me four, but in my defensive I had a baby, without the baby I could have totally beat him. But pride aside, President Packer's talk on the Tree of Life, in the August 2010 Ensign, was good.
P.S. Also I'm introvert, so I don't find large groups of people as fun as other people do. I did have fun in college, I just didn't find college the end all be all of my life of fun.  I've had way more fun since college than during. My eight year plan didn't go anything like I planned.

Super Mom

Do I look like super mom? Because I am?

Ever since my second pregnancy, I get queasy very easily. I can't look at other people's blood, or other skin maladies. But yet, I am super mom. I can watch my child repeatedly barf all day without one stomach churn. Yes, I think I'm amazing. I can care and clean up my children's blood but none other, barely even my own.  But somehow I can care for my kids. But now as I type this I feel... funny, I hope I didn't catch what they have.

Sad

If my photo drive was hooked up to the computer, I would post a super cute picture of J and his friend.  But just pretend you can see it.  J's friend's mom is the Resident Manager, I guess was.  She was just laid off. Her husband told us a few more details than the notice on our door.  But needless to say we felt awful.  The father has health problems, and this is the family's only job.  I feel terrible for their kids who have to abruptly move. As we ate dinner, the boys shared giggles blissfully unaware of the eminent separation, while Brent and I shared discouraged worried silent looks. After the initial shock, I thought about the repeated messaged shared yesterday, there is no need to judge.  We don't know the whole story, so why judge?  It is not first time we have gotten a termination notice on our door about an employee of our rental agency.  Last time I heard some gossip, and I now all I can think is, who am I to judge?  I don't have the whole story.  Whether I do or not, each person is someone's son, someone's brother, someone's mother, daughter, sister, friend.  Whether they actually did something wrong or not, there are people out there who love them and don't want people talking about them, they just want to move on with life.  I fail miserably but I want to live by the quote President Monson shared from Mother Teresa, "If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
Brent and I move so much, we label different rentals by the lessons learned, and experience lived.  Here I feel like I'm in a refiners fire to learn Charity.  Charity is not always the easiest lesson learned, I'll tell you the truth, I not someone that naturally experiences charity.  I often question people's choices, and get frustrated, but I'm working at it.  And when I have looked at the soul of a person, I have been blessed to the goodness of souls.
Finally, I feel bad that J has yet another friend moving, but I feel worse for two kids moving.  Especially because they have connected with Primary teachers here, and have been blessed with gospel in walking distance.
At the sake of sounding like an annoying optimist, I will say, the blessing for them, is being surrounded by friends that love them tonight.  Many people have been coming up to her all evening, carrying a look of sadness.

Around

I feel like I haven't been around much.  I have been around, just not blogging around.  I'm not sure what to post about these days, blogging has changed.  I no longer post about the things I posted about three years ago.  I also don't want just a mommy blog with just pictures of our day trips, which is what this is turning into.  I'm not so successful at posting my intermittent ramblings, because I can't get the coherent.  I have about 10 drafts of yadda yaddas that make no sense, or probably to personal to post on a blog.  Maybe not too personal, but I feel like I can see a cross roads in my future, and so I should be preparing which way to take, but yet I can't see what the intersection says so how can I prepare?  Not to mention maybe I'm growing up, I don't feel informed enough to post the way I did three years ago on my opinions, I'm either out of practice since I've been out of school so much or I've grown up and know I don't have all the answers, and I'm too tried to try to research them and try to find them.  Maybe I'm just enjoying Nan more, so I don't have time to type.
I'm missing my son, he is outside paying with his friends all day everyday, I never make cookies or cupcakes anymore because he isn't around to help me.  Sad, I guess children must grow up.  Although I understand children must grow up he is only 4.  I get frustrated sometimes, I feel like we need meaningful family time to teach and learn together, and he just rolls on the floor the house time whining because he wants to go play with his friends.  Now I'm sure that is normal for most four year olds, but he use to want to participate with us as a family.  Maybe that's why we camp so much so we have something to occupies our son during our family time.
Did I mention he cries because we make him eat dinner with us as a family, he wants to eat outside with his friends.  I tell him its tough to have a mommy and daddy that want to spend time with you.  I knew I was justified in that, but then I just reread Elder Hales's talk from last conference, his mom did the same thing, but not quite a spiteful comment.

Birthday Hike

Last week a girl we know invited our family to a breakfast she and her family was doing for a few families in the canyon on a Saturday morning. Brent said if we were going up there for breakfast we would go up the night before.  It was quite opportune, because we have wanted some where close to home.  By the time we got out of the car it hadn't even been 30 minutes.   

All the canyons close by are watershed, so you can't car camp.  Which is part of the reason I wanted to start backpacking as a family, so we could go on short Friday night trips. It was perfect where we found.

This is the hike we found.  We didn't plan ahead at all.

Hooray for four year olds who can take digital pictures.  Nan is here to prove, you can never look too fabulous to go camping.  She is high class in her halloween outfit.

J is such the hiking boy, and such a trooper.

We are slowly building up weight.  His pack is getting fuller, and he doesn't complain.  While Brent and I are getting better and decreasing our weight.  I didn't even feel like I was wearing a backpack, maybe a daypack.  On the way out I held Nan which is an extra 20 pounds, and didn't feel it at all.

Since it was September and we were in the mountains it chilled off quickly, and the kids were not happy.  Especially not J because he was wet from playing in the river.

But she did love her purple puffy coat, apparently she has missed the style this summer.

We put him in his jammies and I held them both, building up our body heat while Brent cooked our dinner.  Our second dinner we ate before we left no need to bring more weight.

In the morning Nan wanted to cuddle with her daddy, she loves to cuddle with him while we are camping.  Ha ha, she somethings crawls out of her sleeping bag at night and gets cold and throws a fit while I sleep and Brent shoves her in his bag. That night she didn't, she just cuddle in the morning.