Marilee Michele

I thought I would start with the most dull in the family which of course is the janitor behind the scene of the dramatic play we call life. This year has been one full of joys, sadness, challenges, and lots of personal growth. All in all it has been a good year but just one with lots of changes.

I have decided that no matter how broken my body might be and truely loves to torture me with the expanding and deflating belly I can come to count on, I AM GOING TO LEARN TO RUN. Running is not high on my to do list but you know I am going to become a grown up and running is what grown ups do.

(Before I start I thought I would put a picture... grown ups take trips and I took my first! Here I am can you tell I am enjoying myself?)

Actually now would be a good time to share my check list of grown up things I am trying out. In no particular order

• Wash my face every night before I go to bed and then wash in the morning before putting on fresh makeup. Most of the time I am known to be sporting yesterday's face with a fresh coat of mascara. But grown up ladies in movies sit looking into the mirror cleaning their faces examining all the wrinkles. I am going to become one of those women but hopefully my dwindling youth and hispanic heritage will help keep those wrinkles away for at least another 5 years!
• Like I said before running. Grown ups stay healthy by going to the gym and running. I have a clubhouse gym just down the sidewalk so me and my fancy new shoes are going to see what kind of crazy trouble we can get into. I foresee many morning attempting to get out of bed only to find myself moaning and groaning but if it is what grown ups to I am going to try it out.
• Read books. Most of my friends read and some of them read tons. I like to read but I just never take the time. So I am coupling it with another goal of taking more baths. Now don't get me wrong I shower and clean myself often. A bath is not for hygeine purposes, it is for that relaxation and break from parental responsibilities. Now if you are like me so far I have not had a bath that did not involve a lengthy conversation with my children. The last one went like this, "Mom?" "Yes Isa." "Are you taking a bath?" "No Isa I am taking a nap, of course I am taking a bath." "Are you stinky?" "Well I hope not anymore." "Are you trying to hide from us." "No I am just taking quiet time." "Oh is this how you feel better and not so crazy." "Yes Isa that is just what I am doing." "Good you stay in there a long time and I will get food for me and Layla. don't get out till you are all nice and happy. See you when Dad gets home." Seeing this conversation happened at 10 am I worry how my children see me. But oh well they still smile when I walk into a room so I must not be totally screwing up right?!! Anyways I am enjoying reading in my hot bubble bath at least a few times a week.... yeah for taking time for myself!!!
• I am crafting a ton more. I am enjoying learning to make things that will help make those I love happy. I have found that grown ups tend to do things for others when they need to uplift themselves. And not that I am down but things are so up in the air that doing things for others just helps me forget myself. So I am creating and baking up a storm here.
• Lastly I am getting my house all organized. When I think of grown ups I think about the soccar mom that does everything. She holds a calling, does homeschooling, shuttles kids around to activities, is always happy and seems to get more done in a day then there are hours to do. I am no soccar mom but I am getting my house organized and set so that at least I know what has been and needs to be done. I have cleaning lists and meal plans for at least two weeks. I have the girls doing chores and earning an allowance for their hard work. It isn't perfect but it is a start!

(This is me at 4pm still in pj's but I am happy. The girls and I are telling stories to each other and we are cuddling. It is the best part of my day!)

Anyways for me personally I am learning to like Kansas City. Mostly because I have my mom here. We haven't lived close since I was living at home in high school. I have grown up a lot since then and now she really is my best friend. At first when I moved here it was hard because I realized that my life is on a much different course then my siblings that live here. It is hard at times to feel like I don't fit in because I am "a good mormon". But after much prayer and the help from the Lord I have figured out that now is the time I can really become a missionary in my own family. So no matter how odd I might be at times I am myself the crazy stay at home mom who sometimes thinks she is insane but loves every minute I am with my family. I don't want much in life just happy children and a husband who is proud of himself at least half as much as I am of him.

Of course I still dream of a house where I don't have drunken neighbors above me partying until 6 am but really that isn't that big a deal. I would settle for a tiny little home the size of my apartment as long as it was mine! And I still want a second car but really it is more a nessesity in a city as big as ours.

But I am happy. I spend most of my day just hanging out with the girls. We color, play, and cuddle and no matter how many fights I break up there is always a moment each day that makes me so proud to be their mother. And really isn't that what this life is for? So there is my update! I know boring but most of you already know that so I don't feel bad.

(Just another photo of my grown up trip!)

(plus it is in Broulim's which I do miss SO MUCH!!!)

Big town grocery stores are overrated!

Last I am so happy to say that I have the most wonderful family and amazing friends. I am so blessing and I hope that everyone knows how much they mean to me.