Describe 10 pet peeves you have. (I’m proud to say that the reason I’m so far behind on my 30 Things list is that it’s been really difficult to come up with TEN pet peeves. I got stuck at five for a long time and couldn’t come up with any more.)

1. Lights being left on. There probably isn’t anything that will trigger my OCD personality more than a light being left on in a room that isn’t being used.

2. Clutter. We all have it in our houses because we actually live there. But I need to be better at hiding and organizing my “to-do” piles so they at least become pretty and functional. I pretty much wish I could live inside the IKEA magazine.

3. Kids, your dad likes to fall asleep on the couch around 9pm, but refuses to go to bed (or even move to the bedroom) until after 10pm. I think he thinks it’s funny to fall asleep while we’re watching something together that HE picked out! He’ll even battle me if I try to turn off the TV. ;)

4. I hate bad typography and design. I understand everyone isn’t a professional (including me), but they at least should know that fonts like Comic Sans and Curlz MT shouldn’t be used for your business logo, #amIright?!

5. I hate driving anywhere “far”. I don’t mind at all being the passenger when we drive 40 minutes to Santa Cruz, but I would rarely drive there myself. Not worth it – too far.

6. Our office isn’t organized. I hate that I have to keep the door closed ALL THE TIME because it’s such a disaster. We organized the closet (finally!) and it’s beautiful, but the guest bed seems to be a dumping spot that can’t be tamed…

7. It’s a pet peeve of mine that I live in California and can’t keep the windows open all day long, all year round. I quite possibly got spoiled with the near-perfect weather in Oceanside growing up, and now nothing will ever be good enough. (So basically, I’m ticked that we pay such high rent to live in what I like to think is basically the desert.)

8. It’s a pet peeve of mine how undisciplined I am. When my life isn’t filled with activities, nothing ever gets done. Why not do the laundry tomorrow? I’ve got all the time in the world!

I really can’t come up with any more pet peeves. I mean, I guess it bothers me when people wear running shoes with jeans, and socks with their Jesus sandals. But now I’m just being nit-picky.

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

Describe your most embarrassing moment.

I’ve done a lot of embarrassing things, and it’s really difficult to narrow it down to just one, but they seem to center around nervousness and anxiety. And barfing.

I could talk about the time I left a puddle of pee all over the floor at my first grade ballet recital (I’m sure the parents with video cameras still get a kick out of watching that one), or the time in college that I broke part of a really expensive art exhibit at BYU.

But those aren’t the best stories. I don’t want to talk about barf, but I’m going to anyway. Your Grammy Tammy is a saint; I was nervous a lot as a child and she always had to clean it up over and over again. Once I threw up in a peanut dish at the Disneyland Hotel lobby in a fancy dress. My mom barely had time to dump the peanuts everywhere to catch my puke. And once I threw up overnight in a tent full of sisters and cousins and lied that a “strange man” came in the middle of the night and did it. I once barfed into the sweatshirt on my lap in the back seat of a van on a girl scout trip and tried to hide it from everyone. I have thrown up twice more at Disneyland – once while waiting in line at the Indiana Jones ride, and once while on Pirates of the Caribbean. There are dozens more I can think of but I’ll spare you the details. Just know I can’t be trusted with high-anxiety situations. ;)

Long story short, usually my most embarrassing moments happened when I was nervous. And it would seem that my bodily fluids didn’t quite cooperate. The problem was that I was too shy to tell anyone about it before it was too late! (Lesson learned, my darling children? Give me adequate notice before you barf, okay?)

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how. (This list is nowhere near complete so I tried to choose some less obvious ones.)

1. Your dad, Tyler Jones. He is dedicated and works harder than anyone I know, and has such a passion for learning. He teaches me every day that great things can be accomplished if I get off my butt and work hard. :) He is really good at building me up and pushing me to (find and) chase my dreams.

2. Your aunt Courtney. She also has a passion for education and learning that becomes contagious. Every time I talk to her she is in a new way striving to become a better individual. She reads and prays and has such a strong relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and seems to be naturally more spiritually in-tune than the rest of us siblings.

3. My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Evans. Hidden deep down inside of me, she unearthed a little girl that loved to read but didn’t know it yet. Now as I’m all grown up, reading is one of my favorite hobbies and I owe it all to her.

4. My high school best friend, Jocelyn. She and I were inseparable. We laughed, we fought, we had one of the best friendships I’ve ever had. For four long years I always ditched her for boys, and yet she still loved me like a sister. That right there is true love and friendship.

5. Your sister, Amelia. Because she only lived two days after birth, we really got to know one another spirit-to-spirit instead of face-to-face. It was a life-changing experience. She’s a strong one, and has made me a better me.

6. I don’t know his name, but there was a young, pony-tailed surgeon (?) (from CTDN?) at the hospital when Amelia was born. The tears in his eyes and the way his face softened when he gazed upon my daughter as she lay in the warming panda machine will be a moment I never, ever forget. His smile as he stood over her with his arms gently folded is engraved in my mind. I often wonder what he was thinking about at that moment. That was the first time that I realized the greater magnitude of things, that one little baby’s life didn’t have to go to waste; that an imperfect, helpless baby could influence and change lives if you only gave them the chance.

7. Your uncle Kendall. He is so much fun to be around. He seems to have the best of both worlds, knowing how to be the life of the party AND be serious and dedicated when he needs to be. I’m in constant awe of how he does this because it seems to me the guy is flawless. One day he’ll teach me how to be as cool as he is. :)

8. For better or for worse, my old college roommate. We fought – a lot. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on anything and the entire year we lived together was a total bust. But it taught me patience, perseverance, and self-confidence. We all matured and moved on.

9. My college best friend Alicia. This girl is fiercely loyal and I love her for it.

10. My friend Janet. She is perhaps the most thoughtful, sincere person I have ever met. She seems to remember Amelia milestones and is aware of the 27th of every month, even though it’s not her date to remember. She seems to always be listening to the quiet voice of the spirit and knows exactly what I need to hear. She, too, is fiercely loyal.

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

What are 5 passions you have?

1. Writing. I love to write. I’d pretend I was Harriet the Spy when I was little. In high school, I carried a journal around with me wherever I went, and wrote in it constantly. I have a much easier time expressing myself in the written word than I do speaking.

2. I don’t know if I’d call it a passion (yet), but I really enjoy HIIT cardio. It’s the one and only form of exercise that actually gets me pumped up and excited to work out. I’ve been doing the turbofire dvds and while I’m not skinny yet (haha), they’re amazing. (My hip joints and muscles won’t let me run anymore, but I’d argue that turbofire is a WAY better workout than running ever was for me.)

3. I love being a wife and mother. It’s hard, hard work and really emotionally taxing on me. But I love being at home with my husband and my children, and feel so blessed to cook them a healthy dinner every night. Being a homemaker can be really lonely, but at other times it can be really rewarding. I love the delighted feeling I get when, if even for a day or two, I’ve found that balance.

4. Cooking. I love to cook and bake from scratch. I don’t create recipes very often, but I do love to try new recipes. Now I just need a family big enough to EAT all the food I make.

5. I love to be creative. It takes different forms – I love to illustrate with a pen in my hand (preferably the pilot g-2 07 if we’re getting specific), and I love to decorate my house. I love to do my hair, and I love to dress Jack. I love to tackle a painting project and a good DIY project from pinterest. Getting my creative juices flowing is a sure way to put a smile on my face.

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

What is your dream job and why?

Kids, I’ve always, always wanted to be a zookeeper.

When I was a little girl, Grammy Tammy would take me to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I dreamed of wearing that zookeeper uniform – khaki bermuda shorts, a khaki button-up shirt, and tall boots with thick, khaki socks – when I was all grown up. (I should point out that in my fantasy, my skin was dark and tan from working in the sun all day.) I dreamed of this glorious life of nursing animals back to health. I dreamed it would be like a Disney movie where I’d be able to talk to the animals, and I’d have this “sixth sense” and just know what they needed.

To being fulfilling this dream, I worked at a veterinary hospital for nearly three years in high school. I got barfed and pooped on by a deceased dog, I always came home with blood on my scrubs, I helped birth basset hound puppies, I helped clean a goose that was mauled by a coyote, and I gave kittens a lime sulfur bath to treat ringworm. I calmly held dogs in my lap as they passed away, and I nursed dogs back to health after invasive surgeries. I treated a dog going through chemotherapy for cancer, I took x-rays of angry felines, helped a dog that lost his leg, and cleaned up poop. I helped draw blood and give shots, got attacked and bit and scratched by many vicious cats and dogs, and I helped with routine exams and spay/neuter surgeries. I thoroughly loved my job.

But I didn’t love math and science. I had the hardest time calculating doses and being quick on my feet in emergency situations. My job was anything but routine – it kept things from getting boring, but it was too chaotic for me. And the hours were long. As much as I loved animals, I didn’t envision it as something I could do for the rest of my life.

My dream job resurfaced in making art in college. I love to hand-draw and hand-letter things, and I discovered with an art degree I could pursue my dream of having a family AND making art. It was a better match for me than being a zookeeper, although I’ll always miss the opportunity to have tan legs. ;)

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for? (Forgive me, but I’m going to go ahead and make these selfish goals. We all want world peace, but we can’t take away other people’s agency.)

1. To bring your sister Amelia back to life. Obviously even with all the prayers in the world this isn’t possible, but it’d be fun to have seen her grow up in our family, wouldn’t it? (So I guess I really just wish for my family’s safety and well-being throughout the remainder of my life. Long & healthy lives is our goal!)

2. To be able to eat all kinds of delicious food this world has to offer and still maintain a physically healthy and fit body. I love food (especially if it’s healthy!), but I’m working on moderation. ;)

3. To see all my of children gain (and keep!) a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel the love of Christ deep in my bones, and I want you to feel it, too.

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

What are 5 things that make you the most happy right now?

1. I’m not going to lie, kids. Naptime is my favorite part of the day. The house is quiet – you get to be cozy, slumbering and dreaming in your bed, sleeping off any cranky thoughts. I get to quietly think & read & write & ponder about the mysteries of life. It’s the refresher we all need to be happy. But after a few hours, I do get antsy for you to wake up again. I just love to hear your door creak open, and see you greet me with your blanket and a big smile on your face.

2. Fresh, local produce makes me a happy woman. Strawberries have been making their way into the local farmer’s market lately, and I think it’s worth it to splurge on a basket or two. Savoring every sweet bite is a reminder to me that this dreary winter weather is almost behind us.

3. Thinking about baby Amelia. I get a smile on my face every time I picture the next time I’ll get to see her, and what our reunion will be like.

4. Clean floors. There’s nothing like a clean, swept & mopped hardwood floor to bring a smile to my face. (And bonus points if the area rug gets vacuumed too – that makes me really giddy!)

5. Seeing the success and happiness your Dad has in his career – he’s earned every bit of it. He’s the hardest worker I know and values education and progression so much. It makes me happy to know he is valued highly for it, but it makes me even happier to know he absolutely LOVES what he does.

I just have to express my gratitude for the beautiful weather we have right now in San Jose. I complain to my husband all the time that “it’s nice, but it’s not San Diego!” and I’ll admit that’s a rude and bratty thing to say.

When we moved here and told people we came from San Diego, we got a lot of strange looks. Because let’s be honest here … why would anyone ever want to leave beachy San Diego for a (slightly) harsher climate that’s even MORE expensive? It sounds crazy, right? But I have to admit, as we cruised through town with our windows down last Saturday, I felt incredibly grateful for the colder winter months we just experienced. We didn’t have crazy snowstorms like most of the country, but our little cold front was just chilly enough to make me grateful for the coming of spring.

Good heavens, it’s March 5th and Jack even wore shorts today for the first time this year. I’m sitting here in flip flops. The blossoms are in full bloom here and the grassy hills behind our house are a vibrant shade of green. It sure makes our walks delightful and makes me so grateful for this beautiful, changing world we live in.

And now to the real part of this post. This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

List 10 things you would tell your 16-year old self, if you could.

1. Aside from your naturally long, curly eyelashes, your smile is your best feature. Share it more often.
2. You’re not going to marry either of those boys you’re dating, but love them with all of your heart anyway. They will become good men and you will be changed forever from your experiences with them.
3. Sadly, you will never end up kissing Dan Dan the Tuba Man. Cut your losses and move on.
4. Be nicer to your parents. Buy your Mom flowers on your way home from band practice, and write your Dad a nice letter. They will be putting up with a lot from you in the next year.
5. Congratulations! At the end of the year, you’ll find out you passed the AP English test. It will prove to you that hard work, a lot of diligent studying, and a foot tall stack of memorized flashcards pays off.
6. In addition to 6:15am seminary, start a habit of personal daily gospel study. You’ll thank me years later when it becomes even more difficult to form this habit.
7. I know you like to be in relationships, but also remember to enjoy being an individual and enjoy alone time. Soon you will be married and have children of your own, and you won’t get opportunities to do things just for yourself very often. Enjoy the time you have now to focus on just YOU.
8. Continue to make art a priority in your life. You’ll end up majoring in it.
9. Keep writing daily in that journal of yours. It will bring peace and will clear your mind.
10. Eight years from now, you will have accomplished some incredible things. They won’t necessarily be in the form of a prestigious award or a successful career outside the home, but you will be much closer to becoming the woman you’ve always dreamed of becoming. You’re going to hit a few roadblocks and have heartaches and experience the deep sting of loss, but you need that to grow. Stay positive and you’ll end up amazing yourself with how strong you actually are.

Image by Gail Pomare. This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

Describe your relationship with your spouse.

Kids, your Dad loves me. He loves me so much that last night he told me if I ever stopped loving him (impossible!), he’d still love me. Your Dad does the dishes for me almost every single night because he knows I hate to do them myself. Your Dad leaves me love notes on the shower door and the bathroom mirror. Your Dad tells me I’m beautiful every morning and every night. He loves me and I love him.

Our courtship was not unlike the typical BYU dating scene; we met in the same ward and were engaged two months later. It was quick, but I just knew your Dad was someone special by the smile on his face and the light in his eyes. He has been through some of the hardest circumstances I can imagine, and yet he doesn’t let it weigh him down. He’s magnetic and you just can’t help but be uplifted and happy when you’re around him. It’s my favorite thing about him.

Being with your Dad has always felt good, and it has always felt right. When I met him, I had never felt that kind of happiness before. It’s a happiness that is joyful and you just know it is right. It’s a happiness where you know you are being guided by the Lord, and He will help you grow and progress as you both follow Him. Being with your Dad was the easiest choice I ever made. I can’t accurately describe the peace and contentment I felt after realizing three days into our courtship that I wanted to marry him. It seems totally crazy, but kids, if you listen closely to the Spirit and let the Lord guide you, I know you’ll feel what I’m talking about someday.

Lastly, if you should ever ever question Mom and Dad’s love for one another, just watch and wait. When it’s almost dusk outside and I’m busy finishing up dinner, we will all hear the garage door open. My face will light up and I’ll become a little flustered in anticipation of what awaits me. When Daddy walks through that door, he might see you first with a hug. But he’ll soon find me across the room and flash me a smile. Watch him when he walks across the room to give me a kiss. Watch him as he embraces me in the warmest, tightest hug. You’ll see right then the love that we have for each other is good and it is right.

This is part of an on-going series I’ll be writing to my children. See all of them here.

Describe 3 legitimate fears you have & how they became fears:

1. I fear losing the ones I love and being alone – I fear losing you, and I fear losing your Daddy. If I seem anxious around dinner time, it’s because I fear the most that your Dad won’t come home from work one night. I love him too much and can’t imagine our lives without him. I get nervous every time he leaves my sight – whether it’s to go to work, to go running, or to pick up a few things at the store. I get nightmares that he’s been in a bad car wreck and I’ve been called to come identify his body. (This started even before we lost your little sister, and has become worse.)

I also fear losing you, my child. I fear my heart just couldn’t handle that much emptiness and heartbreak again.

2. I fear being embarrassed in public. Do I have lipstick on my teeth? Please tell me and never speak of it again. I tripped over nothing? Please pretend you didn’t see. It’s a little hypocritical that I love to people watch, but please don’t watch me. It’s silly but I feel like secret eyes are watching and judging me the second I leave the house. (I also think this is one of the reasons I haven’t learned to ride a bike. How embarrassing to learn when I’m this old! What if someone saw me?)

I think this uneasiness became a fear from being so shy when I was younger. There was this awkward time in first grade when I was too shy to go to the bathroom before a recital, so consequently I peed my leotard. Everyone had video cameras for the recital, and there I was in the middle of the floor awkwardly plié-ing with wet tights. I kid you not, there was a puddle on the floor. I love your Grammy Tammy for putting up with me and cleaning that puddle up as I cried in the hallway from embarrassment.

3. I fear being stuck, without progression. It’s really hard when I’m not actively working and earning money like your Dad is. I love you, but I fear losing my hobbies and becoming 100% Mom all the time.

My sister is doing a series on her blog with 30 things she wants her kids to know about her (inspired by this list). Every time I see one of her posts, I get all emotional, thinking that it’d be nice if my kids knew these same things about me.

Well duh, Alie. Make ‘yer own list.

Here we go. Here’s the first installment of 30 Things My Kids Should Know About Me.

List 20 random facts about yourself.

1. I can’t ride a bike. (It’s true. But I hope by the time you read this I’ll know how!)
2. I backpacked through Europe before I met Dad. It was AWESOME.
3. I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts: Graphic Design from Brigham Young University.
4. I am really picky about design, especially in our home and clothes. You will thank me later.
5. My dream job was always to be a zookeeper. But then I worked at a veterinary hospital in high school and realized I don’t like math and science, I just like petting fluffy dogs.
6. Even though I’m only 1/8 Greek, I have a really big Greek nose. It’s taken me years to learn to love it, so please don’t ever poke fun at it.
7. Part of me really wants to move to San Francisco or New York or London. I am just drawn to (and fascinated by) big city life.
8. I don’t like violence in movies or tv. It makes me sad when they show so many people hurt and dying, and no one even cares to stop and take care of them.
9. I feel silly and too girly when I wear heels.
10. I am a tightwad, and (besides food) feel guilty if I buy something that isn’t on sale or clearance.
11. You have a sister that died when she was a newborn baby. Her name was Amelia and your daddy and I love her very much.
12. The ring I wore on my wedding day wasn’t actually the wedding ring I wear now. Zales had a mix-up and mine was lost in the mail (!!) so they had to loan me the ring from the store window. They’re lucky the size was right!
13. I consider any drive further than a few minutes away “far”. Ideally I guess I’d love to live within walking distance of everywhere I’d ever need to go to. Maybe this is why a large city appeals to me?
14. I love mellow music.
15. I don’t have a favorite color. I love all things bright and beautiful.
16. I love Jesus.
17. I always thought your Grammy Tammy was a horrible singer, but it turns out she’s just singing the alto part. ;) I, however, am just a horrible singer. Don’t be fooled.
18. I am not a morning person AT ALL; ideally I’d sleep in til 8 or 9 every morning. So when I do get up early once a year to make you special birthday waffles, it means I really, really love you.
19. I don’t like to do the dishes, so your dad does them for me. He loves me a lot.
20. I’m quite tender-hearted and cry a lot. I’m really emotional. But please remember not all my tears are sad.