Amen, Sister! :What Are We Doing to Ourselves??

First of all, you need to go read a post written by another gal on her blog. It's at Rage Against the Minivan (the title of her blog already draws you in, so just click it and read!).
It's ok, I'll wait while you read. I'm not going anywhere. I can amuse myself.

Read the entire thing... all of it.....

Ok. I think this lady makes some good points. I admit I had no idea that the holiday craze was such a big deal! I thought all those holiday pins on Pinterest were just pinned and then fell by the wayside. People actually do elf on the shelf? People actually "plant" jelly beans so their kids can wake up to lollipops on the lawn? People actually make teacher gifts?

I'm not trying to be rude here. If you're a parent and planting jelly beans is a way that you love to connect with your child, then I am all for it. When I was growing up, one way my parents show their love is by giving gifts. They LOVE to give us things; even after I got married, they still send us treats occasionally and we are absolutely spoiled over Christmas and birthdays. There were many years where I woke up to a valentine and a treat from my dad, ranging from stuffed animals to jewelry to candy. Even just this last year my mom was in the area and she gave me my Easter basket with some treats inside. This is how my parents enjoy loving us, and for the most part I think my siblings and I are grateful for the things they get us.

What bothers me about this are the parents who plant jelly beans because they feel like they have to. It's the parents who bend over backwards to "keep up with the Jones's" and make sure their house looks impeccable, their child looks adorable, and that everything is appropriately decorated for every possible holiday. The parents who are always worn out, who feel like they have to be perfect, that they have some standard to live up to.

Where did this idea come from? Why do we beat ourselves us and run ourselves ragged just to do all this JUNK?

(Probably advertising. I might start blaming everything on advertising. They're the reason I have to shave my legs.)

What's even more sad to me is that some of these holidays actually have a meaning behind them, and the meaning is lost behind advent calendars and dying eggs. With Easter approaching, and a Yockeyite on the way, a thought that sometimes shows up is How on earth will I teach Gummy Bear the meaning of Easter? How can I show Gummy Bear that the Easter Bunny is a hoax, and that what we really are celebrating is the resurrection of our Savior? (No offense to the Easter Bunny, but his role in Easter celebrations is kind of stupid, in my mind. It makes no sense!)

Anyways, I echo what this lady says... Stop the madness! Like I said, if you hide gold coins and dye eggs because you enjoy that time with your children (and they enjoy it too), then do it! We don't all have the same methods for raising children. The point is, we don't need to make our lives even more busy than they already are. You don't have an obligation to do all this random, weird stuff just to love your kids--there are other, easier ways to do that. Keep simplicity alive.

Pregnancy Post #2 and Temple Trips

I did write a post about random prego stuff, but it's on the Sister Blog this time, so head on over there to read it!

I just want to add that we went to the temple today. We've sort of gone sporadically, when we remember (I still don't get how I forget, it sits on the hill in town), but we've only done other stuff besides a session. Today we did a session, and I felt like I was on cloud nine! It was so wonderful to be in the House of the Lord again, and to feel my spiritual bucket filled to overflowing. What wonderful times are these, where we can go and receive blessings for performing saving ordinances for the dead!

P.S. My husband is awesome. Just saying.

Pregnancy Post #1: Reality vs. The Internet

I've passed the first trimester and all the wonderfulness that is nausea and puking. I feel lucky about my first tri I was only sick for maybe six-ish weeks, nausea all day but no throwing up unless I ingested something my tummy severely disagreed with. Like that one time I brushed my teeth and then puked up my spaghetti dinner and moose tracks ice cream dessert. (Spaghetti noodles can go up your nose... who knew?) Or that one time that I tried a Finnish cider drink my SIL brought from Finland, and one sip brought up my pizza lunch a couple hours later. (Future moms, take note: If the smell makes your tummy churn, DON'T DO IT.)

But yes, thanks to my wonderful Husband Man, I made it through, without telling a single soul, so I could surprise my families at Christmastime. I feel awesome.

Now, however, I want to talk about a weird phenomenon that I've discovered about the interwebs. This is the age of information, where everyone has access to the internet and anyone under 80 knows how to use Google. I don't know how the pioneers endured nine months of wondering what was going on in their bodies-- I read up all the time on how Gummy Bear is growing, whether he/she can hear or sense light or is growing hair or still has translucent skin....

By the way, we call him/her Gummy Bear because of our first ultrasound. As we're watching this little... blob of a future person squirm around on the screen, Husband Man broke the silence by saying "It looks like a gummy bear" and so we've called him/her that ever since. But I digress...

The biggest thing that I notice about these baby websites, is this: These websites make it seem like you got pregnant and it's absolutely perfect and you have absolutely nothing to do in your life except lounge around, crochet adorable things, enjoy a bowl of granola, set up pristine bedrooms, dither over the perfect name, and be a photo model on the side. "You, too, can look radiant and heavenly in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top!" is what all their photos have to say.

Look, the only reason I look "radiant" is because of the mass of glowing-red pimples on my pasty-white face. I'm still in college, I still have homework to do, an apartment to clean, I feel tired and draggy and take a lot of very-not-pretty naps, dinner still has to be made, groceries still need to be purchased... And while the websites suggest asking for help from your husband, let's face it-- he's not perfect. My wonderful Husband Man is super helpful with tidying the house and helping me take naps, but I'm also very aware that he would rather eat the house empty than go grocery shopping.

Plus women deal with all sorts of things that aren't always addressed. I was talking with one gal, and she's been a crazy cleaning lady her whole pregnancy. She would get up in the night to pee and end up vacuuming the whole apartment. Her husband could do nothing to convince her to stop and go back to bed. Some women get super emotional, happy one minute and bawling over spilled milk the next. (I've had my share of being randomly distraught over something trivial.) Now, I know these websites are meant to be positive and uplifting, but that's like the advertising on pads and tampons to "Have a happy period!" even though you're having cramps that could cripple hippos and enduring mood swings and whatnot. Trying to stay positive doesn't always work when your back hurts, your feet hurt, you can't stay awake through a movie, and your husband doesn't know what to do with you when you're insisting that the baseboards are dirty and have to be cleaned RIGHT NOW. (Or when you only want chicken noodle soup, but it has to be from Progresso and then he has to go to the store just to make sure you have soup for dinner.)

Now, let's be fair-- there are magical moments of pregnancy. One of the milestones I'm coming up on is feeling the baby move. In a few weeks is another ultrasound. Watching my belly grow is interesting, and thinking about the tiny person growing inside blows my mind. It's brought Husband Man and I a little closer together as we think about becoming parents and deciding on how we might teach our kids this or that... I really am excited!

It's just true that what the internet says about being pregnant is, in a lot of ways, not what happens in reality. They're inconsistent, redundant, not always 100% accurate, and sometimes don't answer all my questions. That's why I'm so grateful for my mom and Husband Man's older sister, who have given me TONS of useful advice- and reality- that the internet can't do. The age of information has nothing on the tried-and-true knowledge of mothers.

The End of 2012: Travels, Christmas, Family, Surprises, and Blessings

2012 is over, but for our little Yockeyite branch 2013 is only going to be full of beginnings! This Christmas season Husband Man and I have felt so incredibly blessed in every possible way! (And we still feel blessed!)

This year we had 3 WEEKS to travel and spend with family for the Christmas holiday! Since Husband Man was working night shifts all semester and had to work the Thanksgiving holiday, he blocked himself out so he didn't work for the last two weeks of December and the first week of January. He did have to work a little, because he had to make a schedule and set up a few things for hiring, but for the most part I had him all to myself for the whole break!

The first week we went down to Utah with Sous Chef for another of our friend's wedding. Sous Chef and I were asked to be bridesmaids, and we had some very brightly-colored dresses we were asked to wear!

Ok, so you can't really see the dresses, but hey! It was COLD outside! Thankfully, the photographer didn't keep us any longer than necessary- she knew we were all freezing! The wedding was beautiful, and I am grateful that my friend wanted me there with her for all the festivities.

After the wedding we crossed Wyoming to return to good ol' South Dakota. We spent the weekend before Christmas with my family before moving on to Husband Man's family. That first week of Christmas vacation was rough because, between the wedding and traveling to each family and trying to get Christmas shopping done, we were running all over the place! That made Christmas Day even more wonderful because that was the first day we were actually able to just sit and relax, and enjoy everything.

For Husband Man, this Christmas was especially amazing because his little sister, who lives in Europe with her hubby, was able to make it to the states for Christmas. (She almost didn't, between missing luggage and a snowstorm in Chicago, but she made it!) Both of Husband Man's sisters, his parents, his grandmother, and his aunt and uncle were all there. I've never seen so many people at his parents' house! It was so much fun!

Christmas Day Husband Man and I had a special gift to give our parents...

I wish I had more pictures from my family! Someday we'll do better with taking more pictures...

I'm pregnant! Husband Man and I kept the secret for three months, just so we could announce it on Christmas. My parents got a card too, and their reaction was priceless! (But I can't figure out how to make the video show on the blog! If you're friends with me on facebook, I'm tagged in the video...) They weren't expecting it at all! Husband Man's parents were very excited and happy (although his dad didn't know it was us right away, he was a little confused!) and my parents, grandparents, and sister cried. Everyone was so excited for us, and that excitement makes me excited. The Yockeyites are going from two to three!

We also received a lot of wonderful gifts from our families, gifts that are useful and thoughtful and special. I loved every single thing! We spent Christmas week with his family, and the first week of January with my family. My family helped me get some new shoes and some maternity clothes. Both of our families did and gave so much to us, with gifts and service and love, and I can't wrap my mind around how much they love us and want us to succeed.

Not only are we prepped for the new year with things to succeed, not only are we expecting a mini Yockeyite, but we are also GRADUATING! Both Husband Man and I are set up to graduate in April with our Bachelor's. I am so excited to graduate college! Since Husband Man had been off his mission for a couple years before I married him, he was actually ahead of me in his schooling. If I wanted to graduate, I had to jump on a special program that would allow me to go to school for all three semesters in a year so I could catch up to him. Let me tell you--three semesters a year is tough! After two years of nothing but school, I am so proud of myself for graduating college. (Sorry to toot my own horn!)

I'm also really proud of Husband Man for graduating, too, and also for trying hard to further his schooling. He's looking to get into a special Master's program in southern Idaho that will give him fantastic experience and also get him placed in a government job for at least two years. He's trying so hard to make sure that he can provide for our family; he takes that responsibility very seriously!

I feel like I could type and type and type all day, and I would never get everything that's running through my head down. How much I love family, how excited I am (and nervous too) to be a mother, how much I love Husband Man, how grateful I am to my Father in Heaven for all He has done for me... Our family is truly, truly blessed. Knowing I have support from so many people gives me courage to take on the new year!

Another Semester Bites the Dust

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!

I finished my semester! I did it! AND I finished strong!

AAAAND I think I might have pulled all A's!!

I'm super proud of myself.

Plus this Saturday night/Sunday morning is Husband Man's last night shift of the year (and hopefully ever, but he's studying IT and so you never know what hours they'll make him work in a real job).

And then we're both home-free for three weeks!! Since Husband Man had to work Thanksgiving break, he made other people work Christmas week and gave himself tons of time off.

I'm so excited!! One more semester and we'll be gradumacated! Except for Husband- I mean, he'll graduate, but then he'll take another semester of classes in anticipation for the Master's program he's hoping to get into for next year.

It's so funny-- I'm sitting here brainlessly watching Say Yes to the Dress on youtube and for a moment I thought, Uh-oh, I should make sure I get my homework done so Dan doesn't have to get after me...

Oh, wait! Hahaha!

Pretty sure I'm sleeping in tomorrow. And working on my story.

Happy finals, everyone!

(Haha... "happy" finals... hahahahaha)

Thanksgiving 2012

Yes, we were at home for Thanksgiving. It was a bummer to not visit my family again this year, but Husband Man had to work. Even still, we had fun cooking all day (I had to be careful not to bake a million things, there are only two of us!) and on Friday we went to visit my aunt, uncle, and two cousins for a day. We still had fun! Now I have to go tackle all those projects due on Monday...

Happy Thanksgiving!

F. H. E. Monday #2

Last night I told Dan that it was his turn to plan FHE. He pulled out the book and picked one, and I don't have the book with me but I remember the activity.

The book gave us fifteen lists with six random things on each of them, words like "circus" "Winter" "mother" or "tree". I would read a list to him, word by word, and without saying anything he was supposed to write down the first word that he thought of when I read him a word. So I would say  "tree" and he would write down "leaves" or whatever it was that came to him first. Then we would switch and he would read to me and I would write down what I first thought of.

After we did that, I would go back to the original list and try and guess what he had written down for each word. So it would go something like this...

M: First word is "tree" so... leaves? Green? Bark? Brown? Rough? Stump?
H: Not even close.
M: Tree... hugger? Tree... chopper?
H: Yeah, no.
M: All right, moving on... next word is "flower" Um... colorful? Pretty? Sparkly? Leaves? Petals?
H: Petals, you got it.
M: Ok, next word...

This taught me that Husband Man and I think really differently. One word was "mother". I was guessing things like "stubborn" "happy" "pretty" "loving" and he had written down "in-law". He would often think of continuations, so if the word was "football" he would put "field" or something like that. Not all the time, but often. When he was telling me words I would see pictures in my mind, either of the object or something related to it. So he would say "dog" and I would see a picture of the dog, and I would recognise his ears first so I would put "ears". If he said something more abstract I'd see something related to it, so "dreams" made me think of clouds.


Like I said, this really taught me that Husband Man and I think differently-- A LOT differently. We did two lists each time, and the first time he guessed five out of the twelve words I wrote down and I only got something like three. We did another round, and he got five again and I got... none. His brain works differently from mine, and so he would think of other things first than I would. I always knew we thought differently, but this really reinforced it and so when we have misunderstandings I hope I remember this and realise that he doesn't always see things the same way I do.

Plus this activity was just fun in general. "The word was "autumn" and you put... "ottoman"? How on earth did you get that??" Hahaha-- Try it sometime! It's an easy and fun activity!

By the way, I'm listening to a song from the Prince of Persia soundtrack. This soundtrack is one of my favorites, go listen to it!