america

I moved to this country in 1993.
I quite enjoyed my previous residence but some of my family had moved here and so I decided to join them.
Ever since living here my family and I have been big advocates of the constitution.
But our favorite amendment has got to be the 2nd one.
Our right to bear arms.
And bear arms we do.
Especially when we are practicing for the apocalypse.
(Zombie print outs and all)
So this weekend we took the equipment out to the lake.
We shot guns and I shot the camera.

facepalm

It was a nice sunny day outside so I innocently took the kids I nanny out to the front yard to play.
I was sitting on a bench enjoying the sun and the kids were on the sidewalk enjoying their friends.
I was feeling good.
Until all of a sudden some lady comes jogging up in her sunglasses and yoga pants, ready for a conversation.
She looked like the lady that lives upstairs so I thought we were on the same page.
We chatted, she told me she was in charge of visiting teaching, and I answered her somewhat strange questions.
Then, about five minutes into the conversation, it dawned on me.
This lady thinks I'm Brittany* and that these are my kids and that I'm in her ward.
I was suddenly overcome with PANIC.
What the H.E. Double toothpicks do I do now?
I'm in too deep!!
It's too late to correct her now!
That would be awkward and I'm not good with awkward.
And just when I have decided to not reveal who I actually am for both of our sakes, she starts asking personal question's about my (Brittany's*) life.
Do I answer as me?
Or do I answer as Brittany*?
Well, I'm already in too deep.
I guess I'll go deeper.
(Sidenote: That's what she said.)
So....I begin answering as Brittany* to the best of my knowledge.
"So where are you from?"
"New York."
"Where is your husband from?"
Oh crap. I don't know that one. Think fake Brittany, THINK.
"California."
Good one.
"You're kids are so cute!"
"Oh thanks! That's so sweet."
Soon after, she bids adieu and heads to the neighbors to say hello.
I immediately worry that if she talks to the neighbor that she will find out that I'm not actually Brittany* and I'm just the nanny.
Who is apparently also very creepy.
So I snatch the kids up and race them inside, telling them that it's lunch time.
"But McKenzie we just had breakfast!"
Shush children!! My name is Brittany* and it's time to eat!
Once I'm safely inside I text Brittany* and tell her,
"Well you just met someone from the ward. And she probably thinks you're a weirdo."


*Mom of the kids. Also, a psuedonym for the protection of the person I impostered.

record pt. 2

I'm not sure why I've always had this desire to keep memories and write down everything important.
But I'm glad that I have.
And now I am to the point where all of those things are actually organized, which makes it a lot easier to continue saving my memories.
In a recent post I talked about how important it is to write a record and leave a legacy.
And now I'm going to show you how I do that.

^I keep a smaller shoe box-sized (ish) box for all of my travel and adventure keepsakes. Souvenirs from travels, maps, pamphlets, tickets, etc. ^

 ^I LOVE to make home movies. And I have been ever since I started college. So every couple of years I put them onto a DVD so that I can always go back and watch them. ^

^Derek and I both have a BIG box of our childhood memories. His is filled with trinkets, toys, and mission stuff. Mine is filled with journals, yearbooks, cards, trinkets, wedding announcements, etc.^

^I also scrapbook most of my pictures. (If they don't make it to the scrapbook I put them in a movie slideshow to be put on a DVD) I used to scrapbook the old school way with paper and stamps. But now I use blurb.com to make all of my scrapbooks. I made my first one when I went to Europe and now I'm working on my first "adult" life one. And then I plan on printing them out every two years.^

^I of course write in my journal as well. I write all of the more "Dear Diary" mushy gushy stuff in them. And then my blog posts and stories from my life are written in the scrapbook.^

^And lastly, I keep a folder filled with mine and Derek's memories together. Tickets, love notes, pictures, etc.^ 

"Although anticipation is about savoring the future, it is worthy to note that you can also generate positive emotion by savoring the moments you once anticipated. Whether it is a mental snapshot, or a conversation spent reminiscing about a special moment, savoring the past is one way to extend the joy beyond the moment."