What Kind of Mom and I?

We have been in our home on Nellis AFB for one year now and it has been a time of introspection.  Things in Las Vegas are very different for me than they were in Springville, Utah.  Mostly, I feel that my time is running through a sieve constantly and I am running to keep up.  A lot of this is due to my choices.  I choose to drive for 45 min to get to ballet across the valley because I value classical instruction for my children.  I choose to teach seven yoga classes and one ballet class a week because they feeds my physical body and my soul.  I choose to take my kids to Kumon Learning Center 25min from home because I saw a deficit and I value their education. This added an hour's work of homework every day, all summer long, and will continue in the school year.  All of these things take time and I find myself constantly analyzing what kind of mother I am and who I want to be for my family.

I recently read, Real Moms: Making it Up As We Go by Lisa Valentine Clark, an LDS author.  She made me laugh, cry, and cheer as I read.  I have been craving someone to speak real life to me, not just encouraging platitudes.   She understands that moms do "all the things" and sometimes we feel that we have to justify why we are busy.  I wish we didn't.  Her book did not really offer suggestions to this conundrum because it would be different for every woman, but it offered a perspective for me to ponder to determine what kind of mom I am and to be grateful for that.  Sometimes I look at blogs and Facebook and I see all the good things that moms are doing for their families.  I have to remember that these images are just one moment in time and usually the good moments.  Just because my moments do not look like these, that does not mean I am any less of a mother, I am just a different mother.

I will probably never be a Pinterest mom.  I love what Pinterest has to offer, I just do not tend to make time for it in my life.  I am not the "crafty" mom.  I am a mom who enjoys planning outings with my kids.  I am always excited to find the local museum, art gallery, or factory tour that we can explore.  I am the "field trip" mom.  I am a mom who values physical activity. I love putting my kids in lessons. Currently that is ballet, kids classes at the YMCA, and soccer season is starting soon.  I am the "active" mom.  I am also the mom who cares about teaching my kids core values of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I try to stick those moments in wherever I can.  I am the "Spiritual" mom.  I value work and we work hard on our home because I like a clean place to think in.  I want my kids to know that we all work together.  I am the "working" mom.  I am really good at keeping us on a schedule. I do have a hard time when we deviate from the schedule because I crave a sense of order.  I am the "schedule" mom.  Mostly, I am a real mom, making it up as I go.

Flamigo Habitat- Las Vegas, Flamingo Hotel

Hogle Zoo, SLC, Utah

Snowbird, Utah

Payson Temple Open House, Payson, Utah

Shark Reef, Las Vegas- Mandalay Bay

End of Year Summary

We have finished our first school year in Las Vegas.  It was full of ups and downs, lots of car travel to and from ballet, tutoring and church activities, and shuffling my classes with dinner, homework and carpools.

Bub as the Incredible Hawk for January

Bear as the Incredible Hawk for March

Pants and I took a cooking class together at the Library

Bear sang in her school choir- for kids 3-5th grades

Bub and Bear auditioned for and were chosen to perform in the school talent show.  I choreographed a dance for them to "I Won't Grow Up" from Peter Pan.  They are lost boys.  They performed twice for their peers and school and once for the community.

Bear was awarded most improved student of the 3rd grade.

I am teaching ballet at my house again to 3-5 year olds.  Here is Pants at the recital.

Ballet Recital for Bear and Bub

Travel

When Josh joined the Air Force, we felt that we wanted to take advantage of the areas that we were stationed.  Living in Las Vegas means that we are five hours closer to Southern California and I grew up using Las Vegas as the gateway to Disneyland.  The military makes it so easy to visit Disneyland due to the Military Salute discount tickets.  So, I could not resist taking my girls to the happiest place on earth for their birthdays.  It was a truly magical weekend.

During Spring Break, we took advantage of the military two for one discount to Legoland.  We had a wonderful time with our Berger cousins.

I like this version of Las Vegas almost better than our own!

Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland

Pier in Oceanside, CA

Look mom, we are the same size!

Beach time in Carlsbad, CA

So, when I look back at our time in Las Vegas, I will remember fondly Southern California!

Exploring

One of my favorite things about moving into a new area is exploring what it has to offer.  We really enjoy taking day trips to State museums, State parks, and National parks.  I am starting to enjoy some of the beauty that the desert of southern Nevada has to offer and January is the perfect time to explore.  Sometimes I get excited, thinking about where the Air Force might take us.  What natural wonders and cultural events might we be able to enjoy!

Seven Sisters Rocks at Valley Of Fire State Park

Mouse's Tank at Valley of Fire State Park

Natural slot canyon at Valley of Fire State Park

White Dome hike at Valley of Fire State Park

Valley of Fire State Park

Here are some of the other natural wonders we have discovered since we have moved to Nevada:

Hoover Dam, April 2014

Red Rock Canyon, November 2014

Different is not always bad

Since we have moved to Las Vegas, I am constantly trying to evaluate if I am doing the right things for my kids.  At first, I tried to live the way that we did in Springville, Utah which I quickly figured out was not going to work.  In some ways, moving here has put me out of my comfort zone.  I have entered a world of transition; people moving in and out monthly, a ward that completely changes every three months, neighbors and school teachers that I do not have a history with, etc.  This is not the experience that I was raised with so it often feels foreign and my sense of "normal" has changed.  That is why I think I am always questioning if I am making the right decisions.  For instance, we travel 45 min each way to Tessa and Jonas' ballet class.  It seems a hardship at times but there are positive things too.  I get 1hr and 30min in the car with all three of my kids and we talk about all sorts of things.  Yesterday the discussion was about Martin Luther King and the injustices that he brought to the forefront.  Thanks to the three year old, Pants, that discussion diverged into our Savior as she said, "Jesus would not like us to be mean."  It was a worthwhile discussion where we could share our values with each other and where I could get a glimpse into what the kids are learning in school.  So, this is different from what I have been used to but not bad.

I also teach yoga and Zumba at different hours than I did in Springville.  There I did a lot of teaching at home in the morning when my kids were still in bed.  Here I teach in the morning two days a week, in the evening two days a week, and after school one day a week.  I worried about this after school class that I took because I want the kids to have free time to play and be kids.  At the YMCA where I teach, the kids can attend kid's gym together and CATCH, an exercise class like school PE, for the two hours while I teach.  They are getting physical exercise, social interaction, structured active play, and time with each other.  Different from our past experience but not bad.  I worry about Pants attending the gym child care daily sometimes but she likes to go there.  She likes playing with the other children and it eases my mind about providing her with socialization. I do not have time any more for play groups like I used to so she gets it in a different form.  Different but not bad.  Sometimes I miss the outings that we used to take during the day but I still make sure I spend two hours with her at the library weekly.  Our outings have become the gym child care followed the library, the grocery store, a park on base, or biking on our circle.  Time together doing anything is worthwhile.  This life we have created here has become the new norm and it is different, not bad.

New Years Eve at Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah

Breakfast with the Berger cousins.  We love it when people visit us in Las Vegas!

Thankgiving with the Turner's in Las Vegas

The kind soul looking out for Military kids

We live in base housing at Nellis Air Force base so my kids attend the base school, Lomie Heard Elementary.  There is a kind and very generous man who takes care of the kids at Lomie Heard.  Every year each child at Lomie Heard receives a new pair of shoes and socks from him.  The kids were thrilled to come home with new shoes in November. The other amazing service he does is dress up as Santa and gives each of the kids a present.  I had heard about this and could not really fathom this generosity.  I was lucky enough to be at the school for this assembly on Friday.  Mr. Ellis, dressed as Santa, told the kids that they were appreciated because their parents fight to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. Then he asked them if they had all been good this year. When they all screamed, "Yes!", he opened the curtain to the stage where there were stacks of toys covering the entire stage.  I was completely overwhelmed by this.  It made me quite emotional.  I could not believe the generosity of such a kind man.  The kids lined up grade by grade to receive their present.  The gifts were good quality toys and the kids were thrilled.  They walked with their toys through a line of airmen who gave them high fives.  I felt privileged to have seen such an awesome event.  There are some amazing people in this world who provide an example to us all.  

Gingerbread house decorating

"Dress like a Candy Cane" day at school

Time Out for Women- Las Vegas

This last weekend I attended Time Out for Women in Las Vegas.  It is a weekend conference for LDS women with uplifting music and speakers.  The theme of the conference was, "Inevitable Light."  We were asked to think about our gifts of the spirit and this conference answered questions for me that I have been pondering and wrestling with a long time.  Since I have moved here to Las Vegas, I have constantly questioned what I have been spending my time on. I am always concerned that I teach yoga and Zumba too much and that I take too much time away from my family in pursuit of my skills.  The conference asked us to stop when we feel happy and fulfilled.  What are we doing that moment?  We may be using one of our gifts.  Last Thursday in my yoga class at the Warrior Fitness Center on base, I had a very clear moment where I was watching the students and I thought, "I am so happy teaching and I am good at this."  I feel this all the time when I teach.  I love watching people make changes in their bodies and walk out of class feeling uplifted.  So why do I question that what I am doing is good?  I know that one of my gifts is teaching with my talents, whether that be with my physical abilities, or with my musical abilities.  And I have always been a teacher.  When I was three years old in my first tap recital, I stopped dancing to show all the other kids the right moves.  Most likely I was just being bossy, but I was trying to teach.  We are not given gifts only to shove them away for another time when it may seem like we are not so busy.  That is one of our challenges in this life, what to do with the time that we have been given.  I believe that we are supposed to use our gifts to benefit the kingdom.  If I can help someone enjoy the gift of their body or clear their minds of distractions so that the spirit can enter in, then I am benefiting the kingdom of God.

Happy Halloween!

Gilcrease Orchard- I am so glad we found this place.  Not only does it feel a little bit like Utah, but I have a place where I can get fruits and vegetable to can next year.

Bear's new braces!

Hiking at Red Rock Canyon on Veteran's Day