Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

Last year I wrote a list of things I hoped to accomplish this year, and posted it on my blog, here's what it said and how I did:

This year (last year) I hope(d) to:

-Learn how to cook I learned a few recipes, but need to learn more!
-Eat better ... Until I got pregnant (Spawnie's fault!)
-Give up caffeine
-Read the good books daily - I SUCKED at this. But I did have a good streak in the middle/ toward the end of the year.
-Go on more real vacations Trip out west, vacation on a lake, and Caribbean cruise, Chicago, Atlanta, not bad!
-Enjoy one of the last years without spawn best year of marriage so far!
-Learn Yoga Started in August!
-Exercise more (aka ever)- Still working on a daily routine.
-Keep a good blogging streak It's been fun!
-Volunteer more- I can do better
-Babysit And I did this A LOT more than I thought I would
-Be a better wife- Can do better.
-Get back into the habit of writing a daily journal- I did it on and off, but does blogging count?
-Start a gratitude journal- Still need to work on.
-Pray more Happy to say I have!
-Be brutally honest- I'm not sure what I meant by this, but I don't like this resolution...
-*Get knocked up It was a maybe but I did it!

*= maybe

So I did a lot, but there's still a lot to work on! 2010 I hope to:
-Prepare to be a good mom
-Learn how to cook more healthy meals for my family
-Take a prenatal yoga class
-Create and stick with a fitness plan
-Take a birthing class with my husband
-Have a healthy baby
-Save enough money to be able to take a full maternity leave
-Not totally neglect Snoop because of Spawnie
-Visit New York City
-Write in my gratitude journal
-Learn how to sew baby things
-Finish all of the hairbows I owe people for donating to March of Dimes (by Jan/Feb)
-Keep enjoying blogging, don't make it "work"
-Visit the temple more
-Read my scriptures daily
-Prepare and execute weekly family home evenings
-Find ways to serve others
-Enjoy being a new mom

So there you have it! My list is longer, and funny how so much is about "mommy" stuff! WEIRD! What are your resolutions?

The Twilight Theory

I fell in love with Twilight after my sister-in-law introduced me to the book not long after New Moon was released. Two years, two midnight release book parties, and one movie watched multiple times later I'm still in love with the series, and pretty much one of the addicts.

Pondering over my life, and how I've been approaching becoming a parent made me think about some similarities. Let me put a little disclaimer in here: If you haven't read the entire series... As in not completed Breaking Dawn, you may not want to read any further as my analysis contains some spoilers. Skip to the bottom and enter the giveaway! Bookmark and come back to read the rest when you're done reading!

So, if you're a Twilight fanatic like myself and read Breaking Dawn you may also remember how interesting it was that Bella didn't go after and eat those humans, or her dad. The Cullens guessed that perhaps it's because she had known it would be hard going into it, so she was more prepared for the challenges.

Thinking about this made me wonder if my situation questioning and learning about conception, pregnancy, labor and motherhood will be similar. I am sure I know more about conception than the average Jane. I have friends who are TTC and don't anything about cervical mucus, basal body temperature, or ovulation. It's not that I want to... It's just that I like learning about it.

I've learned conception may not happen as quickly or as easy as I'd like it to, and I think because of what I've learned I'm somewhat prepared for the worst.--Down to knowing what kind of coverage my insurance offers for fertility treatments.

I know pregnancy and labor isn't easy for everyone--But I also know how hard it is for some to achieve I'll be grateful for every minute.

I know not to expect your delivery to go exactly as you plan, because chances are, your plans will change. I've learned epidurals aren't always what they're chalked up to be. --And natural labor may not be that bad.

I've learned parenting isn't always pretty. But I've learned even with the lack of sleep, lack of free time, loosing your privacy (and sometimes dignity) ...it's all worth it to have a child who loves and adores you.

So... Knowing all this, I wonder if it will give me a leg up--An advantage. Sure, I don't know everything, and there will always be surprises, no matter how much research and preparation I do. But I wonder if even knowing that will make challenges easier for me. Maybe I'll be like Bella.

What do you think?

Ok, so for those of you who are twilight fans like myself, I have a treat for you!

Giggles and Gins Bowtique is giving one of my readers a Twilight-inspired scrabble tile necklace of their choice! So go over there, and pick out your favorite then let me know in the comments which one you like. I have pictured a couple of my favorites but there are SO many to choose from!

Here's a description:
All pendants have been hand made by designer. Pendants have a graphic attached that has been sealed with a water resistant resin which gives it a glass like appearance. I use a 2 part epoxy resin that gives these tiles a nice clear, glossy, glass hard finish. Each pendant has a silver plated bail and will come with an 18 inch ball chain necklace which can be made smaller if needed.
Pendants are water resistant but are not recommended for swimming or bathing.
Some pendants have been embellished with a Swarovski crystal

You get an extra entry by letting me know:
-You follow my blog
-You have my blog button (two entries)
-You subscribe to my blog
-You favor my blog on Technorati
-You Tweet/ Facebook about this contest
-You post about this contest (now two entries)
-Vote for my blog in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards (worth 3 entries!)

Please leave a comment for each extra entry!

Contest ends Tuesday July 7th at midnight! Random.org will choose the winning number. Good luck!

The Strange Request

I worry a lot, sometimes excessively. I also have a very bad case of "The what-if syndrome." Meaning I start with "what if..." then add an extreme example of a minute possibility, but still feel a definite need to think of how to solve the problem, or answer the question.

One of the questions I have is "What if my husband dies?" While I don't dwell on all of the details of that question the main, immediate problem I see is not about money, or even my sure-to-be life changing rage of depression... No, the thought that crosses my mind is having his babies... Still.

Some of you are probably wondering how that's possible. Others, like me, may be picking up what I'm putting down... And maybe a few of you are several steps ahead of me and already have a freezer full of your man's swimmers.

You read right. I'm talking about saving the goods for later. Storing a little bit of him in case he dies before we have kids. Extreme? Yes. But I think I have good intentions. I really would like to see what OUR kids would look like, and I want to have HIS kids!

I haven't asked him yet, but I'm pretty sure if I do he'll just look at me strange and assume I'm joking. Plus how do I bring something like that up? "Hey baby, here's a cup, do you mind...?"

I think this gives a whole new meaning to family planning.

The HAIL NAHs and Yes Pleases

My friend Randi sent me a request:
"I request a baby post on what lessons you vow to teach your children. Like something that growing up you were like 'I will never do that to my child' or 'I will make sure my child knows to always to that' or whatever."

As per my her request, I've been thinking of things I currently am thinking "No way in Hell" are my kids doing ___.

#1 The leash. I love custom collars and leashes for my dog but for humans... If my kids are so bad that they need a leash I'm leaving them at home.
#2 The portable toilet. Ok, maybe it's not that bad, but it's NOT going in the living room or kitchen (trust me people, I've heard of this). The poop stays in the BATHROOM!
#3 I'm not going to make my oldest child babysit the younger ones often. The words "Take your sister with you" still haunt me from my childhood.
#4 Cell phones. What is up with the recent epidemic? My 11-year old sister has a cell phone, what does an 11 year old need a cell phone for? My kids won't be getting a cell phone (unless their paying the bill) until they're AT LEAST 16.

Some things I want to do:
#1 Teach them how to swim. I can't swim, not well at least. I suppose I could swim to save my life if it was in water no more than 6 feet deep and within 10 feet of land. Other than that, without a life jacket... I'd probably drown. I want my kids to like the water and be able to swim (to save their mom if they have to)
#2 Teach them manners. But not just that, I want to teach my kids to say "yes ma'am and sir" and "no ma'am and no sir."
#3 Teach them self sufficiently. I want to help my children as much as I can but I don't want freeloaders. I know a lot of people who say "It'll be great if I have kids young because they'll be out of the house when I'm in my 40sand then we can do stuff together" Yes, but that's only if they actually go away: like to college, on missions, whatever. But even then they'll probably be paying for their child's college, missions, weddings, and then the grandchildren come... It's a never ending cycle I'm not sure I'm ready to begin. I want to encourage my kids to save and pay their way through college like I did. Don't get me wrong, I want to help, but I don't want to just hand it to them.
#4 Spankings: I don't really think there's anything wrong with spankings. Obviously I'll have to see what works for our kids, but I never really believed that "time out" did the trick.

That's all I can think of right now. I'll add more as I think of it.