MY 3 WORST TRAITS

My 3 worst traits...

I have had a hard time limiting this to only three, and I'm sure my family would probably have a different list, but here goes on what I think my 3 worst traits are...

1.  I love my phone.  I love to play games, and check emails, and look at Pinterest.  Rick and I used to snuggle when we went to bed, or he would lay his head on my stomach while I tickled his back, but now we both play on our electronics.  It drives me crazy when my boys play video games, but for some reason it's okay if I play on my phone...WHAT???  So here's to getting off my phone and spending quality time with the fam.

2.  I have a plan.  I know that this sounds like a good quality, and it would be if I didn't get REALLY upset when I have to change my plan.  If I can't clean my bathrooms on Tuesdays, I almost have a melt down.  If I don't do laundry on Mondays and Thursdays, my world almost comes crashing down.  I could go on and on.  It's really bad on family vacations when nothing ever goes as planned...you know where I'm going with this one.  Anyway, yet another thing I really need to work on.

3.  My off switch.  This is what I would consider my very worst trait.  I have a way of turning off my emotions towards someone if they hurt my children or my husband.  Once someone has crossed that line - it's over.  I'm done.  I don't know what to do about this one.  I have tried to work on it, but when someone I love gets hurt, my first reaction is to NEVER let that happen again.

Well that's it folks, that's as real as it's going to get today! 

What are your 3 worst traits?  This one isn't a very fun one!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Blog Every Day In May Prompt:  A Day In The Life

Get ready to yawn!!!

Laundry

Carpool

Clean bathrooms

Ride bike

Lunch

Hang with kids

Scheel's

Blog

Carpool...again

More laundry

 Dinner

Usually we have practices or games after dinner, but we have a small break this week!

What does a day in your life look like?

THIS OLD HOUSE

Instead of going to graves, camping, or lounging around by a pool, we spent Memorial Day Weekend packing up my childhood home.  2955 South 1500 East.  We moved in when I was seven years old - it was twice as large as the house we were moving from, I had my own bathroom, and there was a pool in the back yard - I was in heaven.

As I was sitting on the back porch yesterday, eating lunch, the memories flooded over me.  I remember food fights in the kitchen - there is still orange jello on the ceiling from one - I checked!  I got my first "real" kiss (not the truth and dare kind) on the front yard grass by Bill Clark.  There were hundreds of family dinners and Family Home Evenings in that home.  I remember pool parties, swimming lessons, talks with my parents in the dreaded "den", turning 16, and moving out the night before my wedding.  That home was where all of my children learned to swim, had birthday parties, Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas Eves.  So many good memories were made in that house, and even though we will always have those memories, I feel like I closed a chapter of my life yesterday, I shut a door.  I struggled as I boxed up the last of my dad's remaining things.  The clothes he wore the last few weeks of his life, his shoe horn, his driving gloves, his belts, and his scriptures.  I lovingly placed them in a box, taped it up, and marked it Gary.  The new house will be my mom's, not my parent's, and the memories we make there won't include my dad.

I realize today how lucky I am.  I grew up in a home where there was love.  I grew up in a home where happy memories were made, where I felt safe, where I learned so much.

2955 South 1500 East - Thanks for the memories.

A STORY FROM MY CHILDHOOD

I was lucky enough to grow up with all of my grandparents and one great grandmother alive.  As I was thinking about different stories from my childhood, a lot of my memories included these amazing people.

MEET MAMMY - MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER...

Brittani and Mammy

Until a few years before Mammy passed away, she lived 3 blocks from my childhood home.  We spent a lot of time at her house, dusting her chess sets, eating cookies from her cookie jar, counting the coins in her bedroom drawer, and watching her favorite soap operas with her.  Still, to this day I believe that Mammy had a little magic in her.  If you had a wart, she would give you a nickle, and I promise you, within a week that wart would be gone.  In Mammy's 90's, she sold her home and moved to my Grandma and Grandpa Bengtzen's home in California, and I remember really missing seeing her on a regular basis.  

I remember one trip that our family took to California, being the only girl, I got to share Mammy's room and sleep in her bed with her.  I was so excited until about 20 minutes into the first night, when I realized that Mammy LOVED it hot!  She had her electric blanket cranked to the hottest setting it would go.  I didn't sleep at all that trip but I remember not wanting to hurt her feelings, so I didn't say a word about it!  What I wouldn't give to be able to lay in bed next to her, hot or not, and just chat with her again.  I love that lady.

MEET KEN - MY GRANDPA...

Me and Grandpa Ken - Can't you feel his love?

 Nathan and Grandpa Ken

My Grandpa Ken has also been a major part of my life.  He is still alive, but with Alzheimers, he isn't the man he was even 5 years ago - it makes me so sad.  I have SO many stories from my childhood that include my grandpa, but one I remember so clearly is a time we went to his office.  He was the owner of Chidester Realty, and his office was a cute little house on 3300 South.  It had a cherry tree in the back yard, and a refrigerator full of bottled Cokes and Sprites.  I remember one day going to visit him, I was probably only six or seven, and I was sitting in his big chair behind his desk drinking a cold Sprite.  Someone he knew had just walked in, and he introduced me to him and went on and on about what a beautiful granddaughter I was.  I remember feeling so special and so loved.  My Grandpa Ken had a way of making me feel that way all of the time.  I don't remember one time, when I was home sick from school, that my Grandpa didn't bring me a Crown Burger shake.  I know for sure that there hasn't been a time that I have seen him that he hasn't kissed me and patted me on the cheek and said "hello sweetheart".  He is an amazing man and I'm so thankful that I have been blessed enough to have him in my life.  I love you Grandpa Ken.

FAVORITE PHOTOS

Blog Every Day In May Challenge - A favorite photo of yourself and why...

This one is a hard one for me.  I don't have any pictures of myself that I just love - let's face it - I'm not very photogenic! But recently, my mom gave my kids little books with a bunch of photos from earlier years.  While I was flipping through these books I  ran across these pictures.  When I saw them I thought to myself... this is how I want to be remembered by my kids.  Although you can't see my face in one of them, and neither of them are flattering of me, these are probably two of my favorite photos of myself because it depicts my life... the life I love.  

10 THINGS THAT MAKE ME REALLY HAPPY

So...last week was a total failure on the Blog Every Day In May Challenge, but I'll try and make up for it this week.  The prompt - 10 Things That Make Me Really Happy - is from last Tuesday, and so I have thought about this a lot.  I decided to try and stay away from my normal answers of Rick and my kids, and be a little more specific.  So here goes..

10 Things That Make Me Really Happy...

1- Listening to my kids laugh together - While I was thinking about what makes me happy, I could hear Nathan and Connor in the back yard laughing with each other.  Come to find out, Nathan shot a lacrosse ball, slipped, and landed in the splits!  When I hear them laughing together I always think that that is what my heaven sounds like.

2- Seeing my children proud of themselves - About a month ago, Nathan's lacrosse team was playing a really hard team.  The game ended in a tie and went into sudden death - the first goal wins.  The boys were playing so hard, giving it all they had, and then...the perfect moment...Nathan called for the ball, a teammate passed it to him, he shot and scored.  I watched him walk off the field with a spring in his step, and I realized that not very many things make me happier then to see my children proud of themselves.  It doesn't need to be the game winning goal, sometimes it's as simple as a good grade on a test, but I love to see my children proud of themselves.

3- Hot Date Nights - Not the normal Friday night, go grab a quick bite to eat, maybe hit a movie.  I'm talking those date nights that you feel like you are still in high school, where you can't keep your hands off each other, you make-out the whole movie, and you find the nearest parking lot because there is no way you are making it home.  It has been far too long, so if you see our car in a random parking lot - don't stop to see if we are okay - we are just fine.

4-Finishing a hard workout or race - This past weekend was one of my favorite races, the Bear Lake Classic.  I look forward to that race every year.  But... I was really sick last week, and by Friday night I was doubting that I could even ride the race.  I did.  I didn't place well, I was never on the front of the pack, but I finished with the group.  I was so happy that I raced it and finished it.  I realized that one thing that makes me really happy is working out hard.  I love when I get done with a ride or run and I'm exhausted.  I love to push my body and I'm always so thankful that I have a body that will take me where I want to go.  I may be a little bit of an exerciseaholic - I'll admit it!

5- A Clean House - Nothing quite like it.  Coming home to a spotless, wonderful smelling house - one of the best things in the world.

6- Bed Time - 9:00...I'm old and I know it.  I love 9:00.  We snuggle into bed, the kids usually come and lay on our floor, we watch whatever trash is on TV, play on our phones, and unwind.  9:00 pm makes me happy.

7- Mexico - When I think of being happy, I think of Mexico.  It is the Finlayson Family Heaven.  We disconnect from the rest of the world and just spend time with each other.  It is a place that has taught me about loving others in a way I would have never understood.  It has shown me that when I serve, I receive way more than I give.  Our family has shared some of our most bonding moments in Mexico, had some of our best and deepest talks, and recharged and refocused together.  Mexico - The Land Of Happiness.

8- Being Outside - Enough said.

9- Lists - I love lists. It makes me happy to make them and it makes me happy to check them off.  I put little boxes before each task on my list for my checks to go.  Sometime I put things on my list that I have already accomplished just so I can check it off.

10- Those moments - There are moments when everyone is okay, when my babies are happy, when Rick and I are getting along really well, when life is good.  I'm not saying in those moments things are perfect, that our bank account is flourishing, or that crazy things aren't happening, but life is good, and I am truly happy.
What makes me really happy?  When those I love most in life are really happy.

I'M SORRY

Blog Every Day In May - Day 13 - Issue a public apology.






I have been thinking about intentions a lot this past weekend, and although I can honestly say that I have really good intentions, I know that I have hurt people and I'm sorry.  If I have ever made you feel bad, or left out, or put down in any way, I'm sorry.  If I have ever hurt your feelings, I'm sorry.

And to Rick... I'm sorry.  I'm quite sure you had no idea what you were getting yourself into when we got married (thankfully) or I think you may have gone running the other direction.  I'm sorry that at times you get the worst Alicia.  I'm sorry that I take my frustrations out on you.  I'm sorry you are one of the only people on this earth that I sass.  I'm sorry when I'm angry with you I say hurtful things and things I don't mean.  I'm sorry that although I love you more than anyone on this earth, I treat you the worst.  I'm so sorry.  Thank you for loving me anyway.

THE SALE

The Prompt...Sell Yourself In 10 Words Or Less

Now this is a hard one. First of all, who likes to toot their own horn? Secondly, who are we selling ourselves to?  I mean, if I were to try to sell myself to Rick as a wife, my 10 words would probably sound something like Alexa on 50 First Dates, when she said, "I am not afraid to try new things and I aim to please"!!!  But if I were selling myself to my babies it would sound something more like "I will fiercely protect you and love you unconditionally forever."  To an employer I would say, "I'm a hard worker, organized, and give 100%."  And to a friend, "I will laugh with you, help you, listen to you."

I guess maybe I do like to toot my own horn, because I just sold myself in a lot more than 10 words!  Maybe I'm an over-achiever or something!

Sell yourself in 10 words or less...

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT

The "challenge" topic for today is most embarrassing moment.  Sadly, I have quite a few, but here goes on the one I think tops them all.

***Warning - if you don't like potty talk please don't read this post!***

So...Rick and I are in Jackson Hole after LOTOJA a couple of years ago, driving in the car with two of my favorite people, Ryan and Andrea.  Here are a few pictures so that you get the full image in your brain of how nice and sweet these two are...

So we were driving along, looking for a place for breakfast, and I really needed to fart.  I wasn't sure how bad it would stink (mine usually smell like roses - seriously though) and so I thought I would let a little "tester" to see if it was bad before I let the whole thing go.  It smelled horrible - I mean HORRIBLE!  This is going to go too far, but you could taste it.  I don't know what I had eaten or if something was wrong with my stomach, but oh man, it was bad.  The only thing I could think to do was ignore it and hope that nobody would say anything, but of course there was no way Andrea was going to let something like that slide.  Instantly she started blaming Rick, and when he said it wasn't him she blamed Ryan, and when he said it wasn't him, the car got completely quiet for a few seconds until Andrea said, "Alicia, please don't EVER do that again."

I learned a good lesson that day - "testers" are NOT a good idea.

What's your most embarrassing moment?  Please share.

LONE PEAK PROM - 2013

2013 Lone Peak Prom

Handsome Boy - Nathan Finlayson

Beautiful Girl - Summer Smith

Amazing Photographer - Brittani Finlayson

Photographer's Awesome Helpers - Summer Dunn & Alicia Finlayson

Perfect Location - Summer Dunn's Dad's Barn

Proudest Mom - Alicia Finlayson