Expectations

Lately I've been thinking about how our my own expectations for others are so unrealistic.

Now, I'm not saying I'm ready to just give up on the idea that it is good/nice to expect certain things from myself, my kiddos, Dave-man, society, etc.

I'm jussayin' as I look at my thoughts and my own actions more and more, I realize that often times I am holding people to standards that are so unrealistic.

So unrealistic.

And I think that is a negative thing. I think it causes unhappiness for me (translation: stress, disappointment, frustration, resentment, guilt, anger, etc.). And I think it is negative for the people on the receiving side of my expectations.

Anyway, my point!

I want to change this about myself--and ironically, I want to change other people, too. LOL! (I'm telling you, it's a chapter from my unwritten book, "It Bothers Me That YOU Bother Me.")

I don't think it's helpful or healthy to expect life and people to be flawless and to be frustrated when they are not (or I am not).

Life and people are not meant to be perfect/flaw-free. And yet, in our airbrushed, photoshopped, sometimes impossible standards world, we sometimes get the impression that life can and should be perfect.

And I'm here to tell you (and myself) that is just plan wrong-thinking.

So, I'm working on this. Well, I'm trying. And I'm weeding the metaphorical garden--so-to-speak. Hopefully, as I do this, I'll be able to practice accept that life is good. Planting those seeds: The Life is Really Good seeds. (Even when it's hard. Even when it just IS. Translation: not flawless, peppered with difficulty/challenges/suffering).

Now, with that bit of psychosis, I hope you have a beautiful Memorial Day weekend.

And here are this week in photos. PS: I'm always worried that social media and blog photos give a rose-colored view of life. So I hope you see that I realize that. And know that I do try and mention the wonky as those things occur, too. It's just that truly, in the grand scheme of life, I want my life to be about the good IN THE MIDST of the wonky. So I don't really want to document in fine detail those uncomfortable or horrible/sad things that happen. So just a reminder, I may not use photoshop on these photos, but I definitely realize I'm emphasizing the good by choice. My life may not be identical to yours in detail, but in principle we are all learning and facing similar lessons, I believe.

I actually think this was from last week, but some of the bambinos and I went to our local lake the MINUTE the weather got above 70. (It's been a LONGGGGGGGGG winter.)

Zu and Bam--with Bam as a mermaid.
(Should note how odd this is to me: our community lake does not allow swimming. What the what?)

There are new geese at our lake this spring ... and they have babies!

And wow are the parents protective: they HISS like a snake when you get near them.

Lu has been making cotton candy daily.

(And thanks to Bam, we learned to perfect the shape and amount on the cone.)

One night this week Lu and Bam moved the cotton candy machine to their bedrooms and made midnight cotton candy.

Uh-huh. 

Smiley Zu.

Bam who loves all things cat. (Those are cat ears on her headband.)

Jr is a fan of the cotton candy, too.
Funny that the kids pick colors that are gender-stereotypical.

City-Kitty continues to hunt birds and cats each morning.
(This may be the death of me. I can't bear to help another bird complete it's journey here on earth. Translation: City-Kitty brings them into the house half-alive. Ugh.)

Oh, we decided to change our air filters.
Seemed like time.
(What in the honk?)

Dave, Zu, and Lu planted our garden.
We are complete novices, but it's pretty exciting.

My friend Jamie told me about this idea of creating a fairy garden, and then she mentioned Pinterest.
Of course our kids looked it up and made them that day. All on their own. All. On. Their. Own. (Makes me look good, but it was complete without me.)
Pretty cute!

I made homemade marshmallows because Lu couldn't be the only one with a sugar-based hobby.

I checked a "How To Make Marshmallows" book at the library and learned.
It's pretty easy and they are way fun.

Before they turn to complete marshmallows (you can even make marshmallow fluff!).

During the setting time (after 6 hours, you invert the dish, cut them to the size you'd like, and then dust all the sides with coating. (There's the book I checked out.)

Fairy-Garden Jamie made these Mormon Minionaries for a missionary mom dinner we had Wednesday.
So cute--girl and boy missionaries!

Jr earned a rank advancement at scouts (yes, I need to sew on patches--he outgrew his last shirt).

Jr made some a piece of modern art in art class: a crayola missile.

Our kids are beginning to decorate the fruit ... and it has taken me days to notice. 

Our Relief Society (women's church organization) went to a cooking demonstration at Rhodes Rolls.
It was pretty cool.

I like the idea of serving in a cupcake liner. Easier to eat.

Thankfully I'm not a big monkey bread fan or this would have done me in. (All from frozen dough!)

The kids made pizzas with the sample of pizza dough I got form the demo.

Oops! How did this get here?
Actually, it kinda has a purpose.
This week was the finale for Survivor 28.
It made me think a lot (a lot more than usual) about my two experiences playing the game.
This photo was taken at "Ponderosa" after South Pacific ended. We had 24 hours here after the game completed and we flew home. Here we are, me, Cochran, Sophie, Coach, Cowboy, and Brandon in Samoa.
Beautiful location. Holy beautiful. (Notice I have an IV? That's called "refeeding syndrome." The game is not super good for your health. Emotional or physical. BUT, you do gain some incredible strength as a result.

Fairy-Garden Jamie helped me pick out a necklace to keep Elder Meehan close to my heart. (I really like these.)
(I bought mine from Littlefield Lane.)

We went to the library twice! Zu is on a reading kick. Here's the book I just started. I really like it so far.

Elder Meehan wrote and is loving being a missionary and serving in Bloomington.
(Here he is with his companion Elder G.)

Their apartment.

Their new pet turtle. Found on the street. TINY!

Elder Meehan with the Stake President (church leader) in his area. 

Elder Meehan at the baptism for a new member of our church--with Elder T (performing the baptism).
Elder T is from SAMOA! Wooooooo hoooooooo!

Elder Meehan out meeting neighbors, aka "tracting." Is that a crackup that they have a GPS?

Because he is serving in the states, we are able to ship Elder Meehan cereal--which helps stretch his limited budget.
(Missionaries in the states live off of approximately $140.00 per month. That covers all of their expenses, minus housing and transportation.)

Beautiful Bloomington, Indiana.