Sunday, October 26, 2008

fallen off the face of the earth...

i have heard from several people wondering if i have fallen off the face of the earth. well, no. i am alive and well. we are extremely busy right now. we expect to be into our new house within the next couple of weeks so my days have been full of taking kids to school and working at the house. mainly i have been doing a ton of sanding. i really enjoy the sanding, as weird as that may seem. i guess it is just something that i don't have to think much about so i can let my mind wander. it's almost therapeutic. picture this: children running around in the background with mom sanding away on the floor, oblivious to said children because of the hum and drum of the sander drowning out all but her own thoughts. very nice!

Monday, October 6, 2008

raising a secure child

sometimes i wonder what my children will turn out like. will they be competent, mature adults who know how to take care of themselves and others. or, will they be social outcasts, banned to a life of obscurity? wandering in the lone and dreary world, with no one to be their friend because they have become social leeches, draining the life out of anyone who dares try to reach out to them? motherhood is full of phobias. this is just one on my list of many, many things to worry about on an almost daily basis. this one stems from the following photo:

why on earth is eli sleeping on the back doorstep with the door open? well, let me explain. i try to get out with my girls every once in a while. actually, sometimes we go out once a week, that combined with enrichment night and primary presidency meeting, etc... can some weeks lead to a couple of nights that i leave the children at home and go out. this was one of those weeks. eli had had enough. it didn't matter to him that i always come back, or that i played blocks with him for an hour that day. enough is enough right? so when i left, andy was faced with a sobbing, out of control three year old who refused to be consoled. solution? ignore him and he will stop. yes, it worked, he stopped after crying himself to sleep on the doorstep waiting for me to come home! pile on the guilt please!... but, sometimes a girl has got to do what a girl's gotta do. anyone up for a girls night?

Friday, October 3, 2008

Dr. Phil's Test

i got this test in an email from my sister Amber. i thought it was kind of neat and instead of emailing all of you i decided to post it on my blog. make sure you leave a comment with your score. it is always fun to try these things, at least i think so. and i want to analyze each of you, so take the test and leave your score...

also, don't cheat by looking ahead, just answer the questions one at a time and then score yourself. i got a 41 which when i read the results was fun and hopefully true.

Dr. Phil's Test: Here you go. Try this!

Below is Dr. Phil's test.

(Dr. Phil scored 55, he did this test on Oprah

and she got a 38.) Some folks pay a lot of

money to find this stuff out!

Read on, this is very interesting!

Don't be overly sensitive!

The following is pretty accurate and it

only takes a few minutes.

Take this test for yourself and send it on to your friends.

Don't peek, but begin the test as you

scroll down and answer.

Answers are for who you are now and not who

you were in the past. Have pen or pencil

and paper ready.

This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept.
at many of the major corporations today. It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and in their prospective employees.


It's only 10 Simple questions, so grab a pencil and paper, keeping track of your letter answers to each question.

Make sure to change the subject of the email to read YOUR total.

When you are finished, forward this to friends, family, and also send it to the person who sent this to you.

Make sure to put 'YOUR' score in the subject box.

Ready?

Begin.

1. When do you feel your best...

A) in the morning
B) during the afternoon and early evening
C) late at night

2. You usually walk...

A) fairly fast, with long steps
B) fairly fast, with little steps
C) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
D) less fast, head down
E) very slowly

3. When talking to people you...

A) stand with your arms folded
B) have your hands clasped
C) have one or both your hands on your hips
D) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
E) ;play with your ear, touch your chin, o r smooth th your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with...

A) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
B) your legs crossed
C) your legs stretched out or straight
D) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with...

A) big appreciated laugh
B) a laugh, but not a loud one
C) a quiet chuckle
D) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you...

A) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
B) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
C) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted...

A) welcome the break
B) feel extremely irritated
C) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most...

A) Red or orange
B) black
C) yellow or light blue
D) green
E) dark blue or purple
F) white
G) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are...

A) stretched out on your back
B) stretched out face down on your stomach
C) on your side, slightly curled
D) with your head on one arm
E) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are...

A) falling
B) fighting or struggling
C) searching for something or somebody
D) flying or floating
E) you usually have dreamless sleep
F) your dreams are always pleasant







POINTS:

1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e ) 1
10 (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1

Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINT: Others see you as someone they should 'handle with care'. You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality, a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once, someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting, someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding, someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you, realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively

or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you're boring. Only those who know you well, know that you aren't.