Some things about ... who? Oh yeah, me.

I don't talk about me very much. Online it is easier because I'm not face to face with someone. But in person it's a different manner. So when I decided that I wanted Christina to interview me, I thought it might be a way that I could share with you a little about me and how I feel.



1. Tell us your two favorite things about each of your children. What unique talents and personality traits do they have?
Elyse is extremely helpful. She will sometimes jump right in and help. She is confident. She doesn't let what others say bother her. (Well, most of the time.) She knows she is a daughter of God, and tries to act accordingly. She is also very crafty. She loves to cook and do craft projects of all kinds. She can bake and cook almost anything. She just recently learned how to cook from a woman in our ward from Cambodia. She took it to school for a culture day in Chinese class, and they said it was the best they had tasted.
Julia is so fun. She is great with the little kids and will play with them. From dress up to Star Wars, she will join in and keep them happy. She is a peacemaker. She doesn't like it when the others fight and will try to break it up. She is empathetic with others and will worry about them. Whether it is a friend or a relative or an acquaintance, she cares. She is very musical and can pick up music so quickly. She also draws very well, and can draw what comes into her mind. She also writes wonderful and fanciful, as well as tragic tales.
Ari is kind and patient. He loves his younger sisters, and will play with them and hold them. He will also stand up for what he believes in. He doesn't like immodesty, and will let me know when something bothers him. He is great at drawing, and is the best speller I know. He reads like crazy, and probably reads faster than me. I won't be surprised if he reads as fast as Elyse does when he's a bit older.
Jayden is energetic. He always wakes up happy. He comes up stairs with a smile on his face. He is a wonderful helper and will go on "missions" for me, such as taking his laundry to his room, or getting a tissue for a little sister. He is great at helping with dishes and setting the table. He also makes his bed every morning first thing, and takes care of his dishes after he eats. He'll ask, "Sink or dish?" to find out if he should put it in the sink or dishwasher. He loves learning, and will watch informative programs on TV. He loves to read and figure out different math problems. His attention span is much longer than mine.
Katia is a loving (though sometimes jealous) older sister. She loves to play with and teach her baby sisters. She is loving to others in the family and will randomly go up to someone and hug them and say, "I love you 'berry' much." She loves to sing, especially the songs she learns at church. Her current favorite is "I Love To See the Temple". She loves books and drawing and "doing homework." Her new favorite pass time is working puzzles. She loves to play outside. She also loves to help around the house. The bathroom is one of her favorites to clean. As well as the walls. Just give her a baby wipe and she is off to erase smudges.
Delta is a happy baby. She is a tease and will giggle as she does something that she shouldn't (like pull the books off the shelf). She smiles most of the time. She loves to follow us around and watch what we are doing. She loves to look at books (hence the mischief). She loves songs and playing peek-a-boo.
She, as well as Emma, are very snuggly. They both give hugs to everyone. They also love to follow eachother around the house checking things out. They also both love to be outside.
Emma is also happy most of the time. She is a good eater and sleeper (hmmm...). She loves to play with anyone. She loves music and will start to sing when I rock her to remind me to sing her a lullaby. Her current favorite song is "Popcorn Popping". She loves silky things and uses them to
console herself.

2. What are some of your talents, accomplishments, or hobbies?
I guess my greatest accomplishment is my family. I love being married to my wonderful husband. I love spending time with him and listening to him talk about his day or concerns or plans. I love being a mother. I love staying home and doing fun or not so fun things with them. I love taking care of them (most of the time).
My talents are wide range. I am good at sewing, tole painting, making bows, scrapbooking, paper crafts, crafts, umm.. oh yeah, and crafts. I don't have the time I would like to devote to these things, but I'm sure someday I will. I guess these are also my hobbies.
I am also patient (not as patient as my husband). I am good at keeping the kids busy with fun activities (when I think about it). I am also great with teenagers. I can talk to my teenagers and their friends. I am good at listening. I don't always know what to say. I don't always react well. I can't always relate, but I do listen.

3. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be and why?
I guess the main thing I would change about myself, is I would like to have better self esteem. I usually second guess what I do or say or think. I don't always think I do a great job. I even think that others think I do a terrible job. I have improved in this department over the past 7 years. I have to remember that the only one who wants me to feel this way is not on my side, and then I'm okay. This interview has helped me to think about what I am good at. But this road block is also why it has taken me several weeks to get this done.

4. What advice would you have for younger mothers with fewer children?
I think the best advice I could give is to decide what is the most important, and devote your energy to that. My house isn't going to be clean for a while. Probably several years. But I do spend time with my family.
Also, spend time with your spouse. I wish that I could spend more time with my husband. He is busy, I am busy, the children are needy, and our time together gets pushed to the bottom of the list. Make sure you go on a date at least once a week. This has been my sanity saver. I have shared babysitting with a friend or just taken the kids with us. Now that I have teenagers, they get one night on the weekend and I get the other. This has worked out great for us.
Teach your children to work. I have to have helpers with so many kids, but when I had a small family, I wish I had LET the kids help more. It doesn't have to be perfect, just done. I have found that sometimes the younger ones are even more willing to help than the older ones. I feel strongly about teaching a good work ethic especially after speaking with family who have businesses and hear their stories about the employees who do just enough to get by, and how the ones who go the extra mile get more hours and pay raises more often.

5. What do you like best about this stage in your life?
I think the thing I like best about this stage of my life is that I am in new territory, as well as doing what I have done before. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for the younger ones, and I have to figure out the older ones. I am never bored, and I get to have some easy things as well. I also can see that even though Katia isn't potty trained yet, I know that she won't go to school in diapers. No one else hasn't. Not even the 2 who were very strong willed concerning this issue. I also get to see what will be in store for them when they do become teenagers.
I also appreciate my husband more. He happens to have lunch with us and I love seeing him in the middle of the day. He also gets the older two up and out the door for me when I've been up all night with the babies or Katia.
Another thing I like about life right now is I notice more. I notice the sun, the birds, the happy feelings. I also don't worry about as much as I used to. I worry about other things, but I also have more faith.

I hope all this has made sense. I have had several interruptions. But here it is, finally finished.





Do you want to play along and get interviewed too?
Here's the directions:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me," along with your email address if I don't have it (or a link to your blog where I can post a comment with questions).
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.


Feel free to leave a comment even if you'd rather not be interviewed yourself -- I love comments! Pin It