Monday Madness: Hotties... Drool.

I would have to say, I have always been absolutely in-love with the idea of Johnny Depp's deep brown eyes looking at me the way he looks at... well, all his co-stars. :)







Mmmm.....yum.






No matter what his expression on his face, no matter how dirty he looks, no matter what he's wearing, he's so scrumptious!!!






Up until this year, I could always say that he is the only celebrity I have actually had fantasy dreams about! They've all been pretty clean, mind-you, but they are fantasy dreams, nonetheless.







Examples:

-He stares at me through a glass door of my high school (he was dressed as Sam in Benny & Joon that time -awesome movie, by the way, one of my favs).



Ooo....the part when he's swinging in front of the window and that look on his face. Drool.

Not only is he hot, he's so talented! He does such interesting movies and has such a great style. He's different every time! Unlike other actors who always play the same kinds of characters because they are always the same... he's done so many different things and I love that about him. Another thing is his private life is private! I commend him for keeping private and having a life outside everything. I've always dreamt about getting to know him and knowing more about who he is, but I think it's awesome that he doesn't lay everything out for everyone to see like other celebs do.

Another example of a fantasy dream I had about him:

-He tells me to check my email, but I wake up just when I open the email (from him! SQUEEL!) so all I know it says is the first line: "I think you're so cool!" AH! Heaven! *snicker*

Alas! I can no longer say he is the only one I've dreamt about because all this fussing about Lost has made me have fantasy dreams about both John Locke and Jack Shephard! Ha!

Don't ask.






But, if I could tell you who else I'm mad about, it may come as a little surprising to some of you -well, most of you. Because even I don't have the slightest idea why he appeals to me so much. He's completely different from Johnny Depp's beautiful sex-appeal. He's not gorgeous and I wouldn't call him a heart-throb. But, nonetheless, he still has this sexy chemistry to me that I don't fully understand.

That's right.
Bruce Willis.

Weird, huh!




He doesn't pull off the dirty look as well... but...

He doesn't look good bloody either, which he often is in his movies....

But... I don't know. I am feelin' it when I see him! Smokin'!

...I think it's his voice too. He's got that soft yet roughness to his voice and ooo, it gives me the chills. :) Ha! So, now you know my secret.

I told my sister this and she gagged.




I honestly don't understand it, either. Next to Johnny...














OOOOOLALA!


Ok, Johnny wins, but still.

Sacred Sunday: What Is a Successful Parent?

I was just thinking recently about parenthood and teaching my children. I've had discussions with family members on what is the most important thing I want to teach my children or instill in them. Many would say christian knowledge and virtue, or other God-like qualities. Many would say they want to teach them the importance of gospel principles and encourage them to attend the temple.

By the way, here's a great run-down on the religion I share with the hilarious Kristina P. at Pulsipher Predilections. She's done a hilarious Mormon Mythbuster at her blog that I think is entertaining to read no matter what your level of interest on the subject is. Anyway, we LDS people believe in attending our sacred temples to be sealed eternally to our families. This is emphasized greatly in the religion because families are the most important thing on earth and we all want to be together forever. (Well... most of us. *smirk*)

Back to the subject at hand, I was giving it more thought this morning and recalled that someone once told me that the most important thing is to get their family to the temple. If a parent could get all their children to the temple, they have succeeded as a parent.

At the time, I didn't exactly know what to say to them. It was a completely understandable thing - what most people in this religion desire above all is to be together with their family forever, and to teach your children this and succeed in bringing them to the temple is a great thing.

However I would not say this makes a successful parent.

The most important thing I want to instill in my children is that they are loved.

It is as simple as that.

I think, if a child grows up knowing that their parents love them and want the best for them, then that parent has succeeded. If the child does attend the temple, the child is the one succeeding in that religion. This is the part where the parent lets go.

I want my children to know I love them more then anything. I will teach them those things I have learned are true in my life. I will teach them and hope the best for them. I will try to instill in them a desire to live a good life. But of the upmost importance, I will love them and let them make their mistakes.

To me, this is where a parents succeeds.

Saturday Speaks: Love the One You're With

I finished reading Love the One You're With just after the holidays and have finally gotten around to posting about it.

Written by Emily Giffin, a bestselling author, the book caught my attention while I was browsing books on the shelf - I bought it the same time I bought The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Don't ask, I just was drawn by the title and bought them both. Splurge. But, luckily, I'm happier with this one. I am now also interested in reading other books by Emily Giffin. I like drama, for one. Ha! But seriously, she has a very easy way of writing - her verbatem spoke to me in a way I really like. I can't exactly put a finger on it. She just has a way of explaining feelings without just saying it...

Anyway, about the book. :)

"This is a story for everyone who has ever wondered: How can I truly love the one I'm with, when I can't forget the one who got away?"

The first chapter opens with us following Ellen as she has an unexpected encounter with a past love. She is now married and wants to just brush away the old feelings she has for this man, but he still has this stong effect to her senses. Her body reacts with a pounding heart and an unwelcome exhiliration that sends her into questioning the choices she has made.

Throughout the novel, Emily succeeds in describing how it can feel to be so confused in what true love feels like and how it could seem she loves two people at once. Ellen struggles to stay in the present with her husband after the encounter with her ex-boyfriend, but finds herself spiraling downward and getting caught up in doubts and fears and her curiosity gets her on very dangerous grounds. Finally, she is faced with the ultimate decision. I rejoiced at it's triumphant ending.

I was enveloped by the richness of the characters and the relationships involved in the novel. She has a best friend, who ends up being her sister-in-law after she marries, who is a perfect example of how true friends can be encouraging but secretive in their efforts to protect us. She also has a sister who is a perfect example of how family can pair people together who may never have been friends if it weren't for their blood relation, but that relationship forces the best out of each other.

There is a small amount of adult content in the novel. It's not as abundant as in The Time Traveler's Wife, so I would still recommend this read to adults. It defines how a healthy relationship should feel, be it not perfect, and encourages finding beauty in the people around you.

Read another great review here.

Friendly Friday: Coming to Terms with the Radio

Today I was driving along, going to the store, listening to the radio and a song came on that made me think a little. It's by a popular artist that I have actually had many negative feelings for ever since she became popular and I started contemplating my reasons for disliking her.

Because she is an idol for young girls and doesn't do it justice? Nah. Because she is just annoying? Well... sorta, but that hardly justifies my intense dislike... Because she really isn't that talented? I've told myself this before and sometimes I've heard her live performances not go so well because she goes off-key or whatnot, but listening to her sing at that moment on the radio... she's got a great voice! And the lyrics are pretty good.

So why do I dislike Miley Cyrus? Hmmm...

Ok, I admit it.

I'm jealous.

Sigh.

Why in the heck am I jealous of this little girl, younger then me, who just happens to be famous, you ask?

Because I have loved singing all my life and at one point I would say I sang just as well, or better, than that girl. This sounds horrible, I know - and for that reason, I hadn't ever really thought about why I didn't like her. But then I forced myself to, and this is the shallow results. I'm jealous of her success because she had all the opportunities her father gave her. She was given them because they were available to her.

I never received those kinds of opportunities. I have always loved to sing. I used to dream about being a singer and making great money - even perhaps having fame, but I never did anything about it. I have even once in a while fantasized about trying out for American Idol and knowing I wouldn't make it - just for the experience, you know. I never would really do that.

So this is why I am jealous of Miley Cyrus.

But am I really?

I don't want fame. Honestly, I would hate it! The gossip that flies around about these people is ridiculous, for one! And I would really hate the lack of privacy as well. Being famous would probably do its job to my character and personality. My self-worth would be confusing to me because of all the ways I could weigh my value. Fame is not for me.

And although she isn't perfect and there are definitely things she's said and done that I really wouldn't condone, they aren't as big a deal as to make me dislike her so much. I know she is a big roll model to many young girls, but so are people like Britney Spears, and I'm not getting started there. I don't like feeling that negative about anyone, really, so I'm not going to feel that way anymore.

So I'm not really that jealous of Miley Cyrus. And because I came to the conclusion that my bad feelings toward her were merely because of a silly, immature case of jealousy, I have decided I'm ok with her.

Miley, you're alright!

Thursday Thumps: Back to the Baby?

What do you do
with a
potty-training child
that wants
to wear diapers
and be
a baby?

Well... let's just say...
today I put a diaper on my son.

I know.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

But what else can I do?

Mr. Grins has been wearing undies for a couple months but he rarely goes without having an accident so in all honesty, he's not trained yet. I tried doing the 3- day method. Remember that? Well, can't say it was the best success. Then I did it again, and have been pushing forward ever since. But when is it going to end?

Well... when he decides it's done.

I've realized that is not my decision. This is something I cannot control. Potty-training is about helping the child learn to do it himself and to want to do it and understand the importance in doing it. Well... that hasn't been the case with my son yet. Don't get me wrong, he goes on the toilet. He goes when I remember to tell him to go. But if he needs to go, he just wets his pants unless I have him go on the potty at regular intervals. It is ok on good days when I am on top of it, but there are days when I'm not so much and he pees his pants 3 or 4 times during the day. It's not in actuality my job.

Until he decides to be in charge of it, it will always be my job.

We talk about it together often. Because he has accidents often. But today this is how the conversation went:

Mommy: "Pee and poo go in the potty, not in your pants. You only wear big-boy undies if you go potty on the toilet. If you want to pee or poo in your pants, you have to wear a diaper and be a baby."

Mr. Grins nods and grins.

Mommy: "Do you want to go pee on the potty and be a big boy? or do you want to be a baby and wear diapers?"

Mr. Grins: "Baby. Aibers."

I asked him again. Just to make sure. Then... I put a diaper on him.

So.

What do you think?

My plan now is to see what he does. He knows about going on the potty. He may still want to go on the potty sometimes. I guess we'll see. I know he won't like being in a dirty diaper any more than when he'd have accidents in his pants. So maybe after a while he'll choose to wear undies and try to go on the toilet again. He wears the same size diapers as his littler brother now, so it's easy to transition him. And he's still got pull-ups for the night. I'll just not use the pull-ups anymore until he wears undies again.

I hate starting over! I hate the feeling that I've failed and I have to start all over from the beginning! But it wasn't working. Our routine was turning into accidents and then visiting the bathroom to clean up and change clothes over and over again. It wasn't a good routine. And I remember reading that the best way to go is to stop completely, wait a while, and then beginning again fresh.

Who knows. Maybe by the time I really get things right with potty-training, I'll be training the both of them together at the same time. Whew.