Mermaid Tails...

Go ahead and mute this, the sound is distracting, but the tail is pretty cool. There's another video that shows how you can actually make the tail--- not as complicated as one might think.



This tail, on the other hand, is out of control. This is my dream-- to be this girl. Haha, no, not really, but how cool is this? Be a mermaid and save the whales! I'm in!



Oh, and I'll be using one of these:

Clint Eastwood

iTunes Tag
1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

1.IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Tonight, Tonight"

2.WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Fields of Innocence"

3.WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"at the wake"

4.HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"stop and stare"

5.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"head"

6.WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"Bohemian like you"

7.WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Pleasure, Little Treasure"

8.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Superstar"

9.WHAT IS 2+2?
"Beverly Hills"

10.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Almost"

11.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Addicted to Love"

12.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Cars & Calories"

13.WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"The Boss" (how perfect is that one?!)

14.WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Rosina's Aria"

15.WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"matinee"

16.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING?
"go go jason waterfalls"

17.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"the gospel"

18.WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Gunpowder & Lead"

19.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"We Used to be Friends" (hahaha)

20.WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Who Needs Love Like That?"

21.HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"My best friend"

22.WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"A Loan Tonight"

23.WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll"

24.WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"just a habit"

25.WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"I'm yours"

26.WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"the other way"

27.DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Closer"

28.IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"Hope You're Happy Now"

29.WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Numb"

30.WHERE WILL YOU TRAVEL TO?
"Ocean Breathes Salty"

31.WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Voices"

32.WHAT DO YOU OFTEN FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO YELL AT PEOPLE?
"Pimpf"

33.WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?
"everything counts"

34. WHAT DOES THE PERSON YOU LIKE THINK OF YOU?
"wake up"

35. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"Clint Eastwood"

I love my name...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

3's & 8's

3 Joys:

1. Derek's laugh
2. Avril's exuberance
3. Xandri's sass


3 Fears:

1. Anything bad happening to my family
2. Sharks and other underwater threats
3. Pigs


3 Obsessions:

1. Chocolate (Oh-so-typical, but oh-so-true!)
2. Editing- this can be anything from grammar and mechanics in written language to artistic design of various ads. I edit things in my head if I think they could be better.
3. Pregnancy weight gain. Sad, but true.


3 Surprising Facts:

1. I consider my husband's ex to be one of my very best friends. (Apparently, he has good taste.)
2. I like to cook.
3. Even more surprising, I'm kind of good at it.


8 Things I'm Passionate About (in no particular order):

1. Theology- particularly my own religious beliefs. I should probably lump in all logic, truth and philosophy here if we're going to be fair.
2. My family-- any perceived threat will be met with a rather fierce Mama Bear response.
3. Politics- this relates closely to number one, particularly as philosophy applies.
4. Graphic design-- or any other related art. I've only recently discovered this passion, otherwise I would've majored in it!
5. Edward ;)
6. My health/fitness, as well as that of my family.
7. Creating in general.
8. The works of C.S. Lewis.


8 Words or Phrases I Say Often:

1. We don't shout.
2. Come back here.
3. Shut. Up.
4. What the hell?!
5. Ehhhxcellent... (over tented fingers)
6. Seriously?
7. Calm down and stop freaking out!
8. Apologize to your sister.


8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:

1. Get my masters.
2. Publish a book.
3. Live in a foreign country.
4. Learn 3 languages fluently.
5. Ride an elephant/camel.
6. Travel the world (I'm sorry, I can't narrow this down...)
7. Safari.
8. Be the subject of a professional photo shoot (mermaid pics anyone? ;) )


8 Things I Pray For:

1. That Avril will dream about princesses and not monsters.
2. That I can have the strength and wisdom to be the mom my girls deserve. This includes my continual prayer for guidance as a parent.
3. That I can have the strength and wisdom to be the wife my husband deserves.
4. That I'll get over this cold soon.
5. My siblings and my parents.
6. The ability to forgive and understand.
7. Sanity.
8. To know what's important and to be able to do it.


8 Things I've Learned:

1. My timeline is not necessarily God's timeline.
2. That the basics: prayer, scripture study, church attendance- are basics for a reason. They are our best protection against ourselves- the natural man.
3. That none of us is in any position to judge another.
4. That too many of us still do.
5. That change is a process that can take a lifetime- and requires the Atonement.
6. That the best way to live my life is to remember what is important and what is urgent- and keep them in perspective.
7. That I've never had a challenge in my life that compares even remotely with mothering.
8. That we are as people- and even children- remarkably resilient- and yet still so fragile.


8 People I Tag:

1. Melody
2. Tara
3. Breta
4. Pattie
5. Debbie
6. Jaime
7. Brenda
8. Ruth
9. Anyone else who wants to do it!

A New Leaf

So I'm wondering if I'm being inordinately selfish in trying so hard to hold onto so much of "me". In chasing all of my hobbies and interests and projects, I feel like I'm "jack-of-all-trading" my children for my insane need to hold onto what I am.

I think some of this has to do with when I discovered "me". Getting married at 18 was great and I in no way regret it. In the eternal scheme of things, that happened at the right time. However, I have yet to become an eternal being-- meaning my temporal self missed out on some temporal development. Or something like that. What I'm trying to say is that right at the time when most people are still seeking their identities, settling into who they are (this sounds so vague and psychological), I got married and somehow my identity got wrapped up in D's. My friends were replaced by his friends and their wives. My hobbies centered around his.

I look at some of my friends now, Melody, Debbie, Emily, Ruth, Betsy... among many others... and I see all their amazing accomplishments. They have or have had successful careers. They've done something, made their mark in the world. And now, after they've developed this essential part of themselves, they are ready to take on that most important role of motherhood. I'm so intimidated by people who've had or have real jobs! I mean, c'mon, I've worked. But a job isn't the same as a career. I've never had a salary. I've never created or developed or managed something bigger than myself. (Well, aside from the obvious, but we're talking outside of motherhood here.) These are people who are real adults, not just popping out babies and flying by the seat of their pants. These are people who approach motherhood as the next big accomplishment in their lives, who see this whole role for what it is and see that it is the "time and season" to fulfill this calling.

Me? Yeah, I get it. On a theoretical level. But when it comes to being that mother myself, I confess I feel... well, unprepared. I don't feel like I'm even in the same league with these people. They approach motherhood with purpose and intent. And though I have joy in my children, it's almost as if I'm being dragged along for the ride. I try, I really do. Just not hard enough. I know what's in me and I know how that stacks against what I'm doing. And I fall sadly short.

Now, I'm not writing this so I get a whole bunch of "What are you talking about? You're a great mother!" comments. I'm not fishing for any pick-me-ups or compliments on my abilities. In fact, they make me feel worse, because then I feel like a fraud. Because, yay, so I look like a great mom to everyone else, but what do my children feel? How is my parenting reflected in them? Frankly, I think that I started out strong, but now I'm floundering. I am flying by the seat of my pants. And here we are back at the beginning-- why am I floundering in this, my most important of roles? Because I'm chasing after this unknown, lost "me". I'm spending so much time and energy trying to develop new talents or start new projects or even perfect old ones that I'm losing sight of what matters.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with hobbies or whatever. Those same women I named? Each of them in their own way has a defined sense of self. Each of them incorporates their hobbies and talents into their new, family-oriented way of life. The difference is that they already developed these talents, these passions. Those aren't the focus at the present. They're fillers. The focus, for each of them, is their families. They use their talents to build and celebrate their families. I run from thing to thing, trying something new here, hoping that maybe I can make a buck off of it, or at least create something cool out of it. And all I have to show for it is a lot of half-assed effort and tired and cranky tantrum-throwing kids.

So the new leaf? Reprioritizing. Like it or not (for the record, I do like it), I am a mother and I have children. Those children have needs and those needs supersede mine for the moment. Yes, I think that every woman needs time to recharge, to refill her tank. I believe in those selfish moments. But they should be moments, not the make-up of her existence. I think I've been trying so hard to avoid the pitfalls that so many women hit, that I don't realize that they don't really apply to me. I'm not one of these people who runs all day and gives and gives and gives. I run all day, but my existence is very me-centered. So I'm taking a hiatus. I'll keep a project or two on the table, but my days are going to be made up of mothering, not hobbying or even householding. Those things can fill in the cracks. I can learn and develop those in my off-time.

We'll see how long this lasts.

The New Look

"Why not continue with the 'metamorphosis' theme with a new, updated look?" she thought to herself, "What better way to start anew than to be excited with a fresh project?"