A Much Needed Break

As most of you know, I was able to attend BYU Education week with my Mom. In years past we've made it a tradition to be able to take 1 or 2 days, but this year we had the opportunity to go to a full week of classes.

In March I received the housing application in the mail, and I had always heard that getting on campus housing was pretty difficult. You put in your application and then you are randomly drawn. I had very high hopes that we would get in, but I wasn't keeping my fingers crossed. We received our housing assignment along with our name badge for classes in the mail at the beginning of April. Man was I seriously stoked, I feel darn lucky that we were able to get in.

So last Monday my Mom and I headed down to Provo to check into our dorm (I seriously felt, like I was back in College). That night we ate at The Brick Oven and went to see "The Help" (AMAZING movie, and now I'm reading the book) On Tuesday we started classes at 8:30. My favorite class the whole week was taught by the Eyer's. The title of the class was "Entitlement: How it snares our kids" Each day they had different topics related to teaching our children ownership. I can't wait to buy the book. I feel as a parent I'm doing a pretty good job of not letting my children have thing just because they want them. I was taught at a young age to save money to buy something that I really wanted. My parents didn't have the money to buy us a lot of things growing-up, so I learned to work for what I wanted and often needed. I feel like I've passed on those values as I've become a parent myself. I know there is a lot more that I could be doing to teach my children and this class and the book will help me put into practice what I've learned.

My other favorite class was taught by Ryan Eggett. The first day I went the topic was "Marriage: Building Love that Lasts" He talked a lot about the Love President Hinckley and his wife shared. I wish Jeff would have been able to come to this class with me. I feel as if we have a great marriage, but there is always room for improvement, he gave some great tips on how to stay in an enjoyable and exciting marriage.

Another class the Bro. Eggett taught was "Loving Your Children and Having the Love you Back". With a pre-teen in the house, this is definitely a challenge a lot of the time. He taught us about having an "emotional bank" with your children and to teach them that when we say and do things that are hurtful to each other, then that is like taking out a withdrawal from the emotional bank, but when we are saying and doing kind things then that is like a deposit into the bank.

I could go on and on about the amazing classes that I took, but these were just a couple of my favs. I SO needed this break to get recharged. I have been feeling so emotionally drained and I know I was not a happy person to be around. I feel like I came back as a new person fully recharged and ready to be the Mom, Wife, Sister, daughter and friend that everybody needs me to be. I am so grateful that Jeff was able to take the week off of work and play Mr. Mom. It was a win-win situation for the both of us, he needed the time off of work and I needed the time away from home.

I'm already thinking about next year :)!!!