A few of my favorite things at age 35

Some times I don't think I realize how many things I love. So today I am letting my children know that their mom is a real person with likes and dislikes and many loves. So here is a glimpse of what mommy loves at age 35.

1. I love aprons! I love to put one on each night and Sarah you always join me with your apron. We cook dinner together every night. There is something about putting on a apron that transports me back in time and I feel like I could actually be Donna Reed and that life is really still simple.
2. I love Donna Reed. I have the four seasons that are out and I can completely relax when I watch her. I love that I can watch a show that my kids can watch with me. I wish I could wear beautiful dresses everyday and hats...oh I love her hats. 
3. I love I Love Lucy. I feel the same way about Lucy. I don't relax as much but I giggle. She makes me laugh and the kids adore her.
4. I love tablecloths! I would love to have a different table cloth for each day of the week. I love walking past my kitchen table and see the tablecloth neatly spread out with a fresh vase of flowers. It makes me smile.
5. I love fresh flowers. I am always touched when my sweet Matthew brings me flowers or anyone for that matter. They brighten the day and lift my spirit.
6. I love my flower garden. For the first time in my 9 years of marriage I have successfully planted and kept alive flowers in my front planter bed. I can't describe how happy that makes me. We don't have sprinklers so it's a lot of work, but it's worth it. I love to walk outside in the morning and pick the weeds and pull in dead flowers and feel the joy of keeping something alive. 
7. I love my vegetable garden. We planted a garden this year. We have had two other gardens but they were never that successful because they never got enough sun. So this year we (that means Matt made, but I supervised) three planter boxes right next to our porch and they are doing fantastic! Again it is a lot of work to water but I love it and find it to be very rewarding.
8. I love to sit on my patio in my new white chairs and watch the wind blow through my neighbors tree. There is something about that sound that puts me in a state of tranquility and I can completely get lost in my thoughts. 
9. I love to cook. I don't always like the thought that I have to go make dinner, but once I am doing it I am so happy to create something I know my family will love. I love knowing that we eat every night together and that I made something that is healthy and keeps us together.
10. I love to set a table. I love to sit down at a table that is fully set. I love the tablecloth down, plates, cups, napkins, serving dishes (even though it's a little more work to wash those dishes...it's worth it).
11. I love musicals. I love to sing along with them. I love to watch them. I especially love to go to them.
12. I love music in general. I love to turn music on in the morning and I find myself lost in the work and not dreading it anymore. Music motivates me and helps me get the job done.
13. I love to read my scriptures. There is nothing that brings more peace of mind than a good study of the scriptures. Reading with a commentary is always a happy scripture study day for me.
14. I love Excel. I love to make list. I love to do financial reports. I love to plan out my workouts, the house, trips, you name it I could make a spreadsheet for it.
15. I love a clean house. I love the smell of a clean house. I love the way I feel when the house is clean. I love that if someone knocks at the door you can invite them in without the fear that your going to be mortified at what they see, smell, or find.
16. I love to talk. I love to sit down with friends or strangers and learn more about them or from them. I love to hear about people's lives and why they do what they do.
17. I love to sew. I am not that good at it, but when I sit down to do it, I am always so pleased with myself when I am done.
18. I love to scrapbook on the computer. I have a new program on my computer to scrapbook and I love it! I hope I can be good and get books done for my family and capture the wonderful memories we have shared together.
19. I love jewelry. I love nice jewelry. I love to put earrings, necklace, bracelet, and rings on everyday. I don't feel finished until I put all the jewelry on and then I can tackle the day.
20. I love skirts and dresses. I should have been born in the 50's. I love the way the dressed and I feel more complete in a skirt or dress. I would wear a dress everyday if I could.
21. I love to go walking in the mornings with Julia. It's my own little therapy session with such a dear friend. It's always hard to wake up at 6:15 a.m. but it's so worth it. We walk hard, but we talk the entire time and I always feel ready for the day after I leave her.
22. I love to be ready before I take Ethan for school. I feel so happy when I have Ethan, Sarah, and myself ready for the day. I try to accomplish this everyday so that the rest of the day I can go and do whatever needs to be done. It's one of the best things I do for our day. Sarah make this commitment when you are a stay at home mom and it will work miracles for your motivation and spirits.
23. I love to go on drives. I love to drive in the car with classical music playing and just drive around and look at other people's yards and homes and dream about the future.
24. I love my little house. I love that it is green. I love that we have worked so hard to get it to look as good as it does. I love that it is small and I can see you kids wherever you are in the house. I love Daddy and I have worked side by side to make it beautiful. I love that we can afford to live here and still have money left over at the end of the month.
25. I love to read. I love to get lost in a good book. I love to read uplifting stories or gospel doctrine books. I don't like wasting my time with things that don't add to my  becoming something better (it happens occasionally) but I try to spend my time with motivating or self-improving books.
26. I love to camp. I love to be outdoors and sleep by a stream at night. I love to cook by a fire and listen to it crackle when we roast marshmellows. I love that you kids can get dirty and it doesn't matter. I love everything about camping except the potty situation, other than that, it's the perfect vacation.
27. I love love love Disneyland!!! I could spend day after day after day there and never get tired of it. I love everything about it. I love the way you kids light up when we get there. I love that you are so delighted with everything we see. I love the music there. I love the gift there. I love the rides, the parades, the food, I love Disneyland!
28. I love to swim. I would swim everyday if I could. I don't love getting in a swim suit, but I love the way the water feels on your body when you dive in or gently glide along the bottom. It's freedom. I love it.
29. I love gardening books, decorating books, and cooking books. I love to read them, use them, and find it very relaxing to cuddle up on my patio chair and get lost in them.
30. I love pine view. I use to love the beach but pine view or bear lake is so much better. No big waves to worry about. Great sand, treats, playing in the water, making memories, it's wonderful.
31. I love my sisters. What would I do without them. They are my best friends, my kids second mothers, the best people I know.
32. I love my parents and my brothers. They guide me. They support me. They love me. 
33. I love to play with my kids! I love to pretend to be a princess or queen. I love to play dolls, house, kitchen, makeup. I love to becoming a superhero and run through the house pretending to be something bigger and better. I love playing the wii with Ethan and having him be so proud when I do something impressive that I didn't even realize I was doing. I love to read with you, to sing to you, to cuddle you. I love you! I love being your mom. I love staying home with you. I love everything about my life.
34. I love my husband! I love that he is my best friend. I love that I trust him. I love that I know he would never talk bad about me in any way. I love that he is a great provider. I love that he is spiritual. I love he takes his calling seriously. I love that he works hard in and out of the home. I love that he plays with the kids. I love that he makes everyone laugh. I  love that he is my husband! I love him with all my heart.
35. I love my Savior Jesus Christ! Where would I be in this life without my knowledge of Him. He is the one that has given me all that I have and my joy is complete because of my testimony of His existence and The Atoning sacrifice on my behalf. I love the Gospel. It is true. Everything I do is so I can return home faithful to the Father and the Son. I love the Gospel and my Savior with all my heart and soul.

Well that is a beginning of the things I love. I am a happy person by nature and so are you. Life is wonderful and if you look for what is wonderful it will always be that much better. I love you guys! 

Love, Mommy