Marie Antionette

So I got the movie Marie Antionette with Kirsten Dunst from Netflix and I finally watched it last night. I wanted to watch it last semester because I was taking a humanities class and we talked about her and the French Revolution. Anyways, I was really disappointed with the film. It was 2 hours long and so slow. I kept waiting for something really exciting to happen or something historically based but it just seemed like a teen flick  set in the 1700's. Even the music felt off. Why, you ask, did I continue to watch it? I should have gone to bed, it was after 11, but I was waiting for my husband to get home from work.
Marie Antionette and her husband Louis XVI were actually really in love with each other but the film portrayed them as only barely fond of each other. I guess being in love would have thrown off the plot of her having an affair. I've noticed that when I watch movies like that by myself it makes me really miss Kieran so as soon as he got home I told him how excited I was to see him. He always likes to hear that.

Today our lecture was on Music and we talked about how music can provoke different moods. I started thinking about the different music I listen to and my favorite songs and why they are my favorite. I specifically thought of the songs that, upon hearing, bring me back to the days when Kier and I were dating. When I hear Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", We Shot the Moon's "Perfect Time", or Keith Urban's "Your My Better Half" I am right back in Kier's blue car holding his hand and feeling in love. I can remember distinctly the smell of his suede jacket and his car, I can tell you exactly where we were going when a particular song shuffled through the ipod and I can remember how I slowly was falling in love with him through those songs.

I thought it truly amazing that music can have such a powerful effect as to elicit so many other memories and feelings. Its amazing that man's music is so powerful, I can only imagine what music from Heaven is like and what that can do. Maybe upon returning to our Heavenly home we'll be greeted by music that will immediately trigger memories from our pre-mortal existence and we'll remember all. I know that God has created our brains to work this way for a more eternal purpose.

Love You Forever

When I was a child my favorite book was Love you Forever by Robert Munsch. It tells the story of a mother whose love never ends as her son is growing and even does things that drive her crazy. The theme of the book is these lines:

I’ll love you forever,

I’ll like you for always.

As long as I’m living

My baby you’ll be.

Growing up I loved to have my mom read this to me. It made me feel a greater connection to her as I envisioned she was saying the words to me rather than just reading a book. When my daughter was born this was one of the first books I bought for her. We read it often and it still makes me tear up; not only because of my childhood but I hope she is feeling the same thing when I read it to her.

Spring Term Assignment

So I'm graduating in August and I'm going to school this summer to get some elective credits. I decided to take this class called Media, Family and Human Development. It's been a really great class so far and one of the assignments is to write 2 blog posts weekly about anything media related and comment on 2 blogs of my fellow classmates. This will be the most frequent I will write, probably ever.
So, Kieran and I have really had to start monitoring what kind of shows we watch while Becca is with us. She is very empathetic and in tune to the emotional atmosphere around her and lately even suspenseful music will make her scared. She actually says, "scary Mamma" and cowers in to me. We got so used to her just ignoring the TV that it is a shock to be reminded that she is absorbing the things we watch. I don't want her to grow up with fears associated with our TV viewing, like my parents lovely ritual of watching X-Files at 9 pm on Sunday nights. I still can't hear that theme music without getting a little scared. My little girl is growing up fast and now is when I need to more mindful of the things she is taking in.

Another wonderful season behind us

This month was full of memory making and sweet family time. I was so excited to spend Christmas with Becca and watch her experience the season. Becoming a mother has truly changed how I view holidays and the reasons I become excited for them. We made sure that we continued our own traditions as well as sharing in our families traditions and it made for a very busy yet wonderful month. We started out the month with chocolate making with the Buhler's. I brought home yummy treats that we shared with our neighbors. The next week we visited the lights at temple square and visited the Christus. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the lights and it reminded me that Christmas was more than the presents and even the family time; its about remembering our Savior and his lowly birth. I am so grateful to my Savior and his love that made eternal life with my family possible.

As in years past we celebrated our little Christmas on Christmas Eve morning. It was so good to be home and to enjoy the relaxation of Christmas with your own family. I love being with our extended families but there was something sublimely perfect about being in your own home and your own bed. Kieran bought me a new digital camera that takes excellent pictures! Becca received her toddler car seat, but has yet to use it because she doesn't meet the 20 lb weight minimum. For Kieran I didn't spend a lot of money but I made him a calendar with pictures of our family and a book where I planned out our dates for the next year. I called it the "12 days of Christmas" (I took the idea from my lovely sister-in-law). Then we spent the rest of the weekend with family, spending Christmas morning with Kieran's mom and seeing my family after church. It was a great holiday.

Every year I tell Kieran that I want this year to be different. I want to do something for someone who doesn't have anything, I want to bring Christ into our home. This year I finally feel like we accomplished more than just present giving. I feel, at least for me, that I remembered Christ even in the presents I gave. I put love into every gift and thought often about the sacrifice of my Savior and especially Mary and Joseph. The faith that they must have had astounds me. I look forward to another year to grow in faith and understanding so that next Christmas we can try even harder to make the season more meaningful.

such a good mommy, changing her baby's diaper

Thanks Daddy!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I have never been so excited for the Christmas season. Becca is old enough to enjoy opening presents and snow and Christmas songs and just about everything that goes along with the season. Kieran put my tree up the day after Thanksgiving (as he has made it a tradition to do so), we have our stocking hung with care and have already started passing out our neighbor gifts of homemade chocolate candies. Yum! Oh and lets not forget that I finished all (that's right all) of my shopping last week! Best of all school is going to be out in just 3 days. But really school is just a stepping stone on the road to Christmas. I feel like the gifts I bought for everyone really mean something to me this year. I thought of each person individually and am excited to give them out.

This year Kieran and I really want to make Christmas more than just opening presents. We are going to spend lots of time with family and are working on having our FHE for the whole month centered on all things Christ. I don't know how much Becca actually takes away from our 5 minute lessons but as Elder Bednar taught its the repetition and stability that counts.

Kieran is still working hard at his job, although work has slowed down a bit because of the holiday season which could spell disaster for a commission based paycheck but we'll have faith and make it through. He did get sick last week and we spent 2 1/2 hours in the instacare on Sunday afternoon. Why do people always get the sickest on weekends? At least we're blessed to have an instacare open and close.

School is wrapping up and that means another semester down, only 2 more to go. I keep wondering what I will do with my time when I'm out of school? I can only dream and make a list of all the hobbies I want to pick up, like catching up on all the novels I have set aside during the school year, doing mommy and me classes at the rec center with Becca and becoming a crafty lady. For now I focus on staying sane through the semester and doing well on finals even with Becca climbing all over me. Her favorite thing seems to be crying when I'm working on the computer (like now) until she's in my lap or following me around the house with her masses of toys which I trip over whenever I turn around. Good thing she is so cute and says the sweetest things to make up for all the whining.

Get ready, set,...

Go!

I always put her pants on her head and this time when I looked over she had put them on herself and was laughing.

Becca and her best friend Jane drinking juice in their BYU gear. I think we were watching the game too :)

Well, Fall is here, or is it? We aren't quite sure if its weather to play in the leaves and see the pretty colors or to bundle up inside the house. Either way, Becca and I have had fun playing inside the house, it is so nice that Becca has become more independent and will play by herself, especially now that she's walking! I started my last fall semester in August and the great thing is we're already half way over. It's going by so fast and I have barely noticed. It's so nice to know that this time next year I will be at home with my kids rather than getting ready for school.

Kieran is still loving his job at Prosper Inc. He is getting better with every passing week and he says things are starting to look up.

This month we are looking forward to several things in our family:

1. Becca's 2nd Halloween, she's going to be a "moo cow"

2. Robert, Kieran's oldest brother who is 26, is going on his mission on the 26th

3. Becca and I will attend our first BYU game this season in the LE stadium next weekend

We have loved watching BYU football this season, I think after 3 seasons of football in our family I have finally developed a love for the sport. We get all decked out in our BYU gear each game day and anticipate the game! Go BYU!!!

Hopefully, Fall will remain a welcome friend for a while before winter rears its ugly head.