jumping elephants.

during guided reading yesterday, we had just finished a book called "I Like to Jump!".  this book talked about different animals that enjoyed jumping.  at the end of the book, i asked the 4 cute boys in front of me, "so tell me, what are some animals that jump?"  it started out right - "kangaroos!" "frogs!"  "jumping spiders!" "flying squirrels!" "elephants!"

wait, what?  elephants?

i started laughing, thinking it was a joke... then he said it again, "elephants!  really!  they jump!"  we all burst into laughter, then i told him the interesting animal fact that actually elephants are one of the few animals that cannot jump, even if they try.

to which another boy replied, "yeah, think about if they jumped.  we would have a earthquake like.... like.... i don't know, like every month."  we all laughed some more thinking about elephant earthquakes, when another boy chimed in, "my babysitter's dad went to africa and saw a elephant jump into water and it caused a su-nay-me"  "you mean tsunami?" i asked.  "no, a su-nay-me," he was certain.  "the video is on youtube, if you want to check it out for yourself."  so we did.  turns out it wasn't on youtube, go figure.  BUT we did find this gem of an elephant jumping on a trampoline.  (ok ok it's a fake elephant... but entertaining nonetheless).

the best part of this story was today when the same small child who was convinced that elephants did indeed jump came up to me and said, in a very serious and down-to-business tone, "miss ence.  do you know what the funniest thing in the entire universe is??"  "uh... tell me, what?"  "an elephant jumping so high on a trampoline he jumped all the way to outer space and got stuck there because he couldn't come back down, then at night we would see the moon and the elephant in the sky."

now picture that. 

could you die??!!  i love my job.

be present. be honest. be happy.

i've been surprised at the amount of animosity towards new year's resolutions i've seen this year.  yes, animosity.  they've become a joke.  a big, ugly, stare-you-in-the-face joke!  anyone that brings them up has this lackadaisical attitude that even if you set them, you'll never achieve them.  well, of course you won't... not with an attitude like that!  but really, i kid you not, these are things i've heard people say when i've asked them the question, "what are your resolutions this year?" 

- "psh... who makes resolutions anymore..."
- "yeah... haven't thought about that yet."  (follow up question - do you plan to think about it?) -"nah, i don't need resolutions, my life is going just fine." 
- "i'm not planning to do anything exciting this year, so a resolution would be a waste of my time." 
- "whenever i make resolutions, i break them the next week, so what's the point?" 
- "i've never been a goal setter." 
- "i've never kept one of my resolutions, i gave up on that a long time ago." 
- "i don't need goals to be successful." 

WHAT. 

maybe it's just because i've grown up in a franklin covey principle-based home and been totally indoctrinated from LEAP about the importance of goal setting, but i was blown away with the overwhelming response of not caring about goals for the new year!! i'm not trying to sound judgmental here, mostly i write that to say how surprised i was that more people don't set goals in their lives and don't have things they are working toward. 

did you know that only 4% of the earth's population 1. has goals 2. has those goals written down 3. carries those goals with them everywhere they go 4. reads their goals everyday...?  a measly 4%.  and that 4% of the population outperforms the other 96% combined.  easily.  it's important to have goals, people! 

in my life, i recognize the importance of having goals that are specific, measurable, time-sensitive, realistic, etc... and i do have quite a few of those.  but this year, i wanted to break the traditional lame attitude about new year's resolutions and really set some goals that would be meaningful to me.  so.  i went with 3 broad broad goals.  18 days in, i can already tell 2014 is going to be fantastic because of my specific focus on these 3 things. 

1. be present.  i always recognized that having a cell phone out when you're around other people wasn't polite, but i always do it anyway.  i hesitantly announce to the viral world that i'm addicted to my phone.  when someone texts me, i have to read it right away.  when my phone isn't on me, i feel lost.  i have to check social media multiple times a day.  PATHETIC.  this is so pathetic and i can't believe i'm admitting this to the world, but in an effort to work on my resolution #2, there ya go.  i had a friend come visit me a few months back.  we hadn't seen each other in years, and it was a glorious reunion.  i was disappointed after the weekend was over, however, to realize that probably 80% of the time we were together, one of us was on our phones.  this was a much needed reminder that the people you are with are the ones you need to be with, and they deserve your presence 100%.  any text or google search or phone call shouldn't take precedence over that.  then i read this article - "why i'm getting a divorce in 2014" and it really touched me!  i need to divorce my phone too, and make the people i'm with the important ones.  this is so hard for me!  so if you're reading this, you can help keep me accountable. 

2. be honest. in the past year and a half of my life, i've learned a lot about the power of vulnerability (thanks to a little prodding thought by becca cunliffe in october 2012!)  growing up in a home where we don't talk much about our problems, and being a relatively private person all along, being vulnerable is really, really hard for me.  but my quest to be more vulnerable in 2013 has changed my outlook on relationships and my role as a supporting character in everyone's lives that i come in contact with.  and i can say that in 2013, as i've opened up, i've been happier.  my understanding of the importance of connections in relationships has grown, and i have found new meaning in trusting people.  this quest to be more vulnerable has simultaneously taught me the value of being honest.  honest with myself - knowing when to say no, knowing my limits, speaking up and standing up for myself.  honest with others - saying how i truly feel and working through things that need to be worked through, giving sincere compliments, and saying what i'm thinking.  sometimes i find a tricky balance between being too blunt and being honest, but that's why this is a resolution... i'm working on it :)  and being honest with God - repenting of things that need to be repented of, recognizing that i'm not, nor will ever be perfect, and really just opening up and talking to Him about everything.  another goal of 2013 was to work on my relationship with my Heavenly Father, and that has been a huge blessing in my life.  i never thought it would be hard to be honest with God, because He knows everything already.  but, it's so so important and refreshing. 

3. be happy.  this sounds so cliche, but i'm enjoying finding happiness in everyday.  there are so many good things in my life right now, so many reasons to be happy!  in my pursuit of #1 and #2, i've already found that i am happier overall.  "men are that they might have joy!"  my mom's ultimate motto is "enjoy the journey".  happiness is a choice! 

i find that when i set a broad focus for my year, it makes it easier to set weekly, more specific goals throughout the year to accomplish those.  so.  what are your resolutions?  what are you going to do to make 2014 the best year yet?? 

keep me accountable, k? 

cherie call for the win. again.

i rediscovered this gem of a song tonight, and it was just what i needed to hear! 

faith to find the answers
by cherie call

i've been looking through windows into the night sky
wondering if all the prayers that i pray ever reach that high
'cause sometimes life can get so crazy,
i can hardly make sense of it
these are the times when i really discover what believing is.  

i've been looking for answers all my life
and sometimes the best i can do is just pray that everything will work out right
there are solutions to every mystery,
but i don't always know what they are
and what about the questions in my worrying mind as i live beneath these stars? 


when he sees the darkness closing in
he gives the soft command
and the shadows start to scatter just enough for me to take one step at a time
one foot past the next
until the time will come when i see him face to face


i use my faith to find the answers to the harder things
i lift my questions to the sky and find the peace it brings
i do my best to solve the problems that my heart controls
and i leave the rest up to Jesus
and i just let go, and i just let go. 

b-a-n-a-n-a-s

if you know me at all, you know i love bananas.  and i mean really love bananas.  they are my go-to.  my number one staple.  and i eat quite a few in a day.  if you know me at all, you know i am picky about my banana eating.  i only eat the ones that are the perfect yellow shade with a tinge of green on the top, and if i could pick between one that is too ripe and one that isn't ripe at all, i'd go for the bitter green one.  before you jump on the bandwagon of ridiculing my banana love, check out these sweet facts about bananas that you for sure didn't know before:

1. bananas are low in calories.  72 only! pretty filling, too. 
2. bananas offer energy boosts.  natural energy is a banana's middle name.  eat them before workouts and you'll see what i mean. 
3. bananas reduce depression. bananas contain tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin, the chemical that regulates mood and emotion in the brain.
4. bananas lower blood pressure.  bananas are famous for their high levels of potassium.  potassium regulates sodium in the body and lowers blood pressure.
5. bananas offer fiber.  this helps lower cholesterol and sustain healthy blood sugar levels.  
6. bananas help with cramps.  menstrual, leg, post-workout. you name it, it helps it.

still not convinced?  check out this article.  it tells all.  
happy banana eating. 

drawing board

so i am teaching relief society on sunday. 
i decided to teach from the first chapter of our new manual,
since we are going to miss it next week when we have a guest speaker. 
i spent 3 and a half hours this morning working on it, and was so happy!
then my dad came in and asked me what i was going to teach,
and informed me i had used the wrong manual. 
we're studying about joseph FIELDING smith, not joseph f.
why do there have to be so many smith's, joseph's, and f's in church history.

back to the drawing board.

:-/