Encouragement Needed

I need some motivation.

I'm on the final stretch of one (sadly, just one) of my three Independent Study classes: Evil English 291. Who told me that English was fun again??? Oh, I did. Gah.

Right now, I'm seriously reconsidering my major. I hear that happens a lot to people my age. I guess I still love English. But I just want to read and write about the things that interest me. I apologize to those who like the stuff, but British literature and poetry from the Middle Ages? Blahhhh. So boring to me.

Side note: I like English because I like reading, writing, and editing. That means I like creative writing. I like fun books. I want to be an editor so I can stay home with my kids and read books like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games all day. There are very few poets (particularly before the 19th century) that have truly impressed me or piqued my interest. I prefer stories. Fairytales. Historic and realistic fiction. With complex plots. That get your emotions involved. Not that abhorrent Beowulf stuff...

I already have an Associate's of Science in English degree (whatever that means exactly) from BYU-Idaho. Do I really need a Bachelor's degree from BYU? I'm more than halfway done, so it would basically have been a waste of all that tuition if I didn't finish now. But it's hard. I already have a blog that I love writing on. I have a tiny source of income writing short articles for a website. I write a lot.

So I have to remind myself why I'm doing this. I have to tell myself it's going to be worth it. I have to imagine how proud I will feel when I am finished; when I can say, "Uh, yes, I have a Bachelor's in English (no big deal...)." One thing that is driving me to finish is my desire to be the first in my family to graduate (not that it's a competition, but come on, it's first). On my side, I will likely be the very first grandchild and the only one in my immediate family. Maybe it's hard now that Grandpa French has passed away this year. He was my number one reason for wanting to graduate. But it's stupid to think that just because he isn't present in person that he isn't here in spirit rooting me on.

I've got to finish. I've reached a point where getting A's is no longer as big a priority as it always has been for me. If I can get away with doing mediocre work and still get B's, that's cool with me. I'm not saying I won't try (though it sure is starting to sound that way I realize...), but I am saying that getting grades less than an A is not the end of the world. I'm pretty sure like .00001% of people in existence actually care about me getting A's. When I am 63, I'm not going to be thinking, "Dash it all, I got a stupid B+ in that one English class." If I am thinking that for some reason, then my life will have to have gotten pretty lame.

So--anyway--I am telling myself right now that I can do it. I can finish.

Oh, and I technically have until January 4th to finish my three I.S. classes (which is not going to happen no matter what) but I think it's a reasonable goal to finish one of them. I have five assignments, an essay, and the final left for English 291. If Tenley was really, really happy and easy tomorrow, I probably could finish.

But as long as I get half of those things done before our Christmas trip (we leave Monday!) and the rest done after we get back on the 2nd of January, I might just get lucky. But we'll see.

Well, wish me luck! If you're feeling generous, please send a quick prayer my way! I just need to finish!!!!!!!

Have you felt discouraged about your major before? How did you cope?
Anyone else studying English (and not completely loving it)?
Do you think I realistically can finish this class before the 4th??

5 Passions & A State Test

This post is for my series, 30 Things My Kids Should Know About Me.

Reading
Probably my favorite activity and how I spend most of my days. Also, the reason I want to become an editor. So I can read all day.
Writing
I write a lot. I write in my journal (I'm about to start my 30th any day now), I write on my blog (well, type), I write notes to Dalin, I write letters and thank-you cards, and just recently, Dalin and I each started Gratitude Journals for one another (I'll blog about that later). I love writing and would like to write a book someday--when I have the time (Haha! Like that will happen).
Painting
I have always been fairly blessed with a talent in art my whole life, mainly because artistic genes run in my family. I never used to think that being artistic was cool--in fact, I used to think it was a pretty useless talent. I enjoy doing art for fun, but I've always thought a career in art seemed ridiculous (much to my parents' dismay--they have always wanted me to become an artist or illustrator). Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I think it might be a fun way to make a little extra money. I'll share more on this in another post.

Just recently, my little brother made an art gallery of my work in his bedroom (my old room). I thought it was really sweet of him :)

Teaching
I love teaching. If I could have picked all the careers I want to do, teaching would definitely be among them. I loved teaching Primary for a year, and now I love having the opportunity to teach my daughter. Right now I am teaching Tenley to speak Spanish, American Sign-Language (neither of which I'm fluent in), to count, colors, shapes, the alphabet, body parts, to sit up, to stand, to listen, to talk, and to have as great a love for reading as I do. Teaching an infant involves a lot of repetition and the progress is slow, but I know that my efforts will be rewarded if I am patient and persistent as a good teacher ought to be.

Reading with my baby like we do every morning.

Laughing
I love to laugh! (Saying so always reminds me of the song in Mary Poppins with Bert and Uncle Albert). I probably laugh way too much. It used to get me in mild trouble at church and school. I just can't help it though! I laugh my way through life. People probably think I'm weird because I have such a broad sense of humor--I kind of laugh at everything. One of my favorite quotes is by Marjorie Pay Hinckley: "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh." This quote is kind of my motto. That, and honoring the words, "Live, Laugh, Love." Because what things could make one happier? I count my successes as a mother  daily not by how much we did that day, but how much I made my little girl laugh. I really hope I can teach her to love laughter.

I just love these lyrics from Mary Poppins:

We love to laugh! (ha ha ha ha!)

Loud and long and clear

We love to laugh

So ev'rybody can hear!

The more you laugh!

The more you fill with glee

And the more the glee

The more we're a merrier we!

★   ★   ★

For fun, Dalin and I took this interesting (slightly controversial) state mood test, which, with ten simple questions, determines where you should live. 

Basically, Dalin took it first and got Tennessee. 

Then I took it and got South Carolina. 

Then...Dalin took it for me and got Georgia. 

And I took it for him and got Washington. Random. 

We thought it was funny that three of the states are tucked away into the southeast. I especially thought it was weird because I had been telling Dalin a few days before that we should look into schools in North Carolina because I just have a good feeling about that place (I've only driven through it on family trips to Florida so I don't know much about it other than that the weather is lovely) and all three states are touching North Carolina. Maybe it's just me, but I thought that was weird. Or a sign. Or something.

Anyway, the test was fun to take and so I thought I would provide the link so you can take it! But then you have to comment (pretty please!) and tell me where it said you should live! You can take it for your spouse, too, if you want!

TAKE THE STATE MOOD TEST HERE!

Let me know where it says you should live (and what you think about it) by leaving me a quick comment! 

Hello again.

Hello friends that read my blog!

I hope you all knew that I did not get kidnapped or die, I've just been a little (or a lot) busy adjusting to life as a new mom! Can I just start by telling you that it has been glorious. I love everything about it so far. On Facebook, I've posted a zillion pictures of our precious girl already and everyone just adores her...almost as much as Dalin and I do. I have a ton to catch up with on here, but now that I am a full-time mommy and part-time student (who is a huge slacker by the way), I should optimistically have a little bit of time to do that. I would love to introduce you to our daughter, but I already have a separate post all about her. So if you enjoy reading/stalking my life (I'm just teasing about the stalking part...kind of), definitely "tune in" more often...I promise I will have several interesting things for you to read over the next several days!

And, like Rapunzel, when I promise something, I never ever break that promise. So hold me to it! 

Much love!

Summer Has Arrived

LOVE the east coast.

Happy summer, everyone! I love summer. Usually it means going to the ocean, laying on the beach, jetskiing on the lake, camping, cabins, family picnics, trips, and lots of ice cream. This year is a little different mostly because we're in Utah with our first little baby on the way. Instead, this spring and summer has been filled with books, pies, dinners, movies, new babies, and a lot of waiting for our own baby. 

Reflecting back on an earlier post this week, I finally found another good book series! It's called Enclave by Ann Aguirre. I bought it for $7 on our Kindle and read it in two nights. I couldn't stop! I started the second book (just the preview at the end of Enclave) but I haven't had the chance to buy it yet. It's definitely a book for teenagers or young adults, but I really like it. It's not The Hunger Games...but there are similarities. I would definitely suggest it to someone looking for something new to get into.

I am so pumped to be at 34 weeks tomorrow! Everyone who sees me now asks, "When are you due?" They always seemed surprised that I still have a month and a half left. I should just wear a shirt that says "Due August 5th" so I can save some time explaining myself to everyone. I don't mind being asked, but I get tired of thinking about how much time I have left...I'm already impatient!

I made a chain at work to help me countdown yesterday...I only have 44 days as of today!!! (At least until she's due). Time is flying faster than I expected. I don't get how it is already June 22nd...but I'm not too sad that summer is flying by. Yesterday after work, Dalin and I visited our friends Daniel and Rachel whose baby is just nine days old! We got to hold him and he is precious! I seriously can't believe he is their's--we just saw them two weeks ago without a baby! It feels like they're just babysitting him. It's just so hard for me to grasp and I think it's because I've never met the first child of any close friends our age. I expect that it will be just as weird for us when we bring our little girl home. I wonder if it'll feel like she's ours right away or if it will take some getting used to. I am so excited for her to be here!!!!!!! I am not a very patient person so the suspense (particularly not knowing exactly when she'll be here) is driving me crazy!

After meeting the Nelson's darling new son, we had dinner with our new friends Emil and Stephanie. They are Resident Assistants at King Henry (where I work) which is how we met. They invited us over and we ate delicious barbecued hotdogs and corn for dinner. After, we had peanut butter cookies and got to know each other. Stephanie and I also watched Emil and Dalin play ping pong for what seemed like forever while we talked about all kinds of things. Later, we went back to their apartment to talk until midnight. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed getting to know the two of them!  

Today, we slept in (just because it's Saturday and we only have a limited number of weekends where we'll be able to sleep in together left) and when we finally got up, headed out to see World War Z at the Riverwoods' theater. We hadn't been to the movies (just the two of us) in a while and this was one we wanted to see (though, I will admit I had voted for Monster's University or that we wait until The Lone Ranger comes out next week). Anyhow, the movie was very good--but very scary. At least, that's what I thought. I only screamed once, but I had my mouth covered for about half the time so I wouldn't scream in the near-empty movie theater. I had to squeeze Dalin's hand or arm the entire time to calm down. Afterward, my body felt very tired and stressed from the emotional toll that the movie had on me. It wasn't sad or anything, but I was on edge for the full thing and it exhausted me.

Now Dalin is at work until 10pm, and I'm just missing him and trying to work up the energy to pick up the house. Dalin thinks it's fine, but he's a guy and I guess he just doesn't notice the clutter the same way I do. I am so grateful that summer has arrived! Pretty soon our little girl will be here!!!! I just need to be patient.

Below are some favorite pictures from last summer...good times :)

What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? 
What has your summer consisted of so far?

33 Weeks Craving: Good Books!

I am in serious need of a new series or just a really great book that is hard to put down. I love reading. Quite a lot. So much so, that it is literally the reason I am studying English at BYU and the reason I want to be a book editor (so I can read all the time!!!!). I am not just craving a good book because I'm pregnant like the title implies, but I do want to get into some good books so I'll have some distractions when I'm dying of anticipation and boredom. 

The last book I read was Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I loved it. But I am thinking more specifically about something that is as good--or almost as good--as Harry Potter or The Hunger Games or Divergent. I love reading classics, but I haven't heard of any awesome modern books that I need to read. For your information, I like quite a variety of themes. I even liked The Host, surprisingly. Teen books, fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, mystery, books with a hint of romance--they're all acceptable.*

So please, friends, family, and anyone on the Internet, give me some good books to read!!!! 

(If it something you would put in your top ten or fifteen favorite books, I want to hear about it!)

Note: Dalin also loves reading and just finished a series called Mistborn, I believe. He claims it is "better than Harry Potter." As if...but has anyone else read this book or series? And please confirm that there is no way it is better than Harry Potter....

*That is, they are acceptable as long as they are clean. I don't like tons of swearing or any sexual content. Basically, if it is something you would be okay reading in front of a group...

What is your all-time favorite book? Or, if you have many like I do, what are your top five?

Self-Motivation...Not Super Effective

Umm, beautiful right? I love Provo in Springtime. It's the best time to be here.

Some days you just need to sleep in, relax, and enjoy a delicious pink Otter Pop.

Especially after hosting a humongous dance party that lasted until after midnight. I definitely enjoyed hosting those events in the past, but it has just gotten to the point where I am just done. I am pregnant, less balanced, and more tired. Yesterday's turnout was really great though. The dance was huge. I was really grateful for the help of the two new RA couple's at King Henry. They are awesome.

Dalin had to work today which is lame, but hopefully we will have all of tomorrow to be together. I am getting so excited for Mother's Day. I wish I had been able to do more for my own mother. I ordered her something kind of cool and unique on Etsy and had it sent to the house. She reads my blog, so obviously I can't talk about it anymore now, but I think it's cool and I wanted it for myself. The gift I got for my wonderful mother-in-law also came from Etsy. It's supposed to be here today...hopefully it is since Dalin's parents will be in town on Monday!!!!

Anyway, my mom sent me a package for Mother's Day and Dalin ordered something from Amazon so I am excited for tomorrow!

Now what I really ought to be doing....

• Reading some British literature for my Independent Study classes (which I kind of hate right now)
• Doing anything at all for Independent Study (which I stink at doing)
• Organizing the baby's room (believe it or not, there are still a few boxes that haven't been touched yet...)
• Taking a nap because I am simply exhausted and baby girl probably is, too. Though I'm not sure why she would be, other than the fact that she's a baby...she gets to ride around everywhere with me without any effort
• Getting the heck off the computer and actually doing something productive like serving someone else. The trouble is, I can barely keep my eyes open.

Well, wish me luck. If I accomplish any two of these things today I'll be proud of myself. 

Happy Saturday!

The Most Interesting Book I Have Ever Read

Yes, that is a bold claim. And no it probably is not completely accurate since "The Book of Mormon" has changed my life more than any other book. 

But this book is also changing my life.

It is called "The Anatomy of Peace." This is not a book that I ever would have chosen to read on my own. Never ever. Just looking at it for the first time, I thought that it looked suspiciously like a school book. 

It was actually Dalin who suggested that I read it because he has been reading it, too, in preparation for his new job. To be honest, it did not sound like something that would interest me. It seemed like the type of thing a Psychology major like Dalin would enjoy, but I couldn't understand why he was so insistent that I read it. 

Finally, I did. And I couldn't stop reading. Over a period of three nights, I read the entire thing. 

This book is amazing. 

And let me just say this book is for everyone regardless of religion. Though it makes no mention of Jesus Christ or any particular religion, it definitely promotes His teachings. I would say it is especially appropriate for a Latter-day Saint who is trying to change their attitude or lifestyle for the better. Or their marriage! I definitely feel that this book can benefit every single family. 

To give you a brief understanding of what this book is about, it discusses how we are constantly working against ourselves to achieve inner peace by filling our hearts with conflict. It tells the stories of a couple who has brought their struggling son to a camp which is supposed to "fix him." Little do they know that they are the ones who will be receiving the majority of the instruction. We are introduced to characters that all have unique struggles in their lives--which makes this book appropriate for anyone--no matter what stage in life you might be at. The instructors teach the parents about how they can recognize when their hearts are at war and how they can change their hearts--no matter how hard they are. I liked this quote: "If we have deep problems, it's because we are failing at the deepest part of the solution. And when we fail at this deepest level, we invite our own failure" (37, emphasis added). The book is all about identifying where we are failing and finding the solution. 

Still don't think it's is for you? Here's just one small blurb about what I learned:

This book has given me a more mature attitude toward life. It has brought more happiness to our marriage already as Dalin and I both work harder to see one another as people and not as objects. The book states: "We are always seeing others either as objects--as obstacles, for example, or as vehicles or irrelevancies--or we are seeing them as people" (30-31). Sound weird? It actually makes perfect sense in the book. I feel myself growing happier and my thoughts toward everyone are kinder. I have recognized things that I've been doing not quite as well as I ought to have been and I now know how to correct my thinking. 

If nothing else, the book has helped me be more at peace with myself. It really is a great book and I wish everyone would read it. The world would definitely be a happier place...but I think I'll be satisfied if at least one other person reads this book. You won't regret it!

You can find the book on Amazon right HERE. Maybe the library even has it. I would seriously just pick it up and read it if I were you and I promise it will be worth it. 

If you have any questions about this book, ask them! I'd be happy to answer them. 

Has anyone read "The Anatomy of Peace"? Have you read a book (besides "The Book of Mormon" ;) that has changed your life for the better? If so, I want to hear about it. 

Day Four: Good Literature

I am grateful for good books. I cannot possibly describe how deep my love for books goes. But in third grade, it was my goal to read every book in my English teacher's classroom. (That included all of the "easy" books, which I still enjoyed reading for the gorgeous art in them, as well as all of the chapter books for advanced students). By the end of the year, I had succeeded.

I love reading so much, that I decided on my major because of it.  Nothing is more important to me than being a mother and raising a family...but I would still like to support my family in some way. Then I considered my primary interests and talents: reading, writing, editing, drawing, painting. I then thought, is there some job out there where I could get paid to read? Yes, I thought. There is. Editing and publishing books was my solution. If I could work for a company that publishes children's or young adult books, I could read things like "Harry Potter" and "The Hunger Games" all the time. And so, for those of you who are curious, that is why I chose to be an English major with a minor in Editing. I love to read. So much.

Thank you, for giving me good books to read. 

"There is no surer foundation than a mutual taste in literature."
~P.G. Wodehouse

“I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.”

~C.S. Lewis

"There is something wonderful about a book. We can pick it up. We can heft it. We can read it. We can set it down. We can think of what we have read. It does something for us. We can share great minds, great actions, and great undertakings in the pages of a book."
~Gordon B. Hinckley

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."
~C.S. Lewis

"Good books are as friends, willing to give to us if we are willing to make a little effort."
~Gordon B. Hinckley

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it."
~J.D. Salinger

"If we could follow the slogan that says, 'Turn off the TV and open a good book' we would do something of substance for a future generation."
~Gordon B. Hinckley

"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it."
~James Bryce

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."

~Anna Quindlen

Just a few books that I love:

The Book of Mormon

Pride & Prejudice

Jane Eyre

Wuthering Heights

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harry Potter (1-7)

The Hunger Games (1-3)

Divergent

Insurgent

The Maze Runner (1-3)

Twilight series (fine, I admit it)

The Host

The Great Gatsby

Warriors Don't Cry

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Three Cups of Tea

Ethan Frome

The Awakening

The Westing Game

A Christmas Carol

This Side of Paradise

House of the Scorpion

Roald Dahl books (too many to name!)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (1-13)

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites (series)

The Lion, The Witch, And the Wardrobe

Julie of the Wolves (1-3)

Walk Two Moons

Ruby Holler

& many, many more. 

My dream library: 

Cozy and rustic and warm and clean

Or...

This wouldn't be so bad...Beauty and the Beast library (this is from Bachelorette by the way ;)

I like this one, too

Beautiful--love the colors 

If you love to read as much as I do and have a suggestion for a great book, I want to hear about it!

Please, by all means, give me a list of things I need to read...I am craving another series to fall in love with. 

Essays . . . are easy.

I truly, sincerely, honestly enjoy writing essays. But I am not sure why--it even sounds boring.

Maybe it is because I enjoy expressing my personal thoughts, whims, and analysis in an educated and formal style that makes me feel eloquent and clever. 

Or maybe it is because I enjoy writing (period) but have yet to be able to finish a novel or story idea. 

Essays are much more manageable as they frequently are given limits. 

Books have no limit.

Someday I will write a book. Just like I told my AP Literature class as we named our future aspirations. Only we'll see what sort of book it is. Perhaps when I'm an old woman with time slipping away, I'll become desperate and cheat and write a cookbook. 

Or maybe I'll write the next Harry Potter or Hunger Games series.....

These are my thoughts for today. 

Well, time to go write a paper.