Our Motivation Game!

Sean just called me. He just got done knocking on a door and no one answered. So he started walking to find another door to knock on when an idea popped into his head. Sean has been reading a book called, "The Slight Edge" and in this book it talks about the importance of doing the small things that don't seem so important. But, when you do these small, mundane, not-so-important things, they became a huge impact throughout your day, week, month, etc.
So... Sean had this great idea on how to help us get up early each day to get our day started and with the right mindset.

Sean works Monday-Friday from 12:20pm-9:30ish pm.

Our game will go something like this:

- We give ourselves 2 points as a couple for waking up and getting out of bed by 8am. If we wake up by 8:30am we get 1pt. If we aren't out of bed by 9am we get 0pts.

- 1pt for making the bed each morning

- 2pts for exercising together in the morning (walk, run, workout video, etc.)

- We give ourselves 1pt for washing our dishes as soon as we are done using them

- 1pt for cleaning the counters, table, etc. before we go to bed each night

- 3pts for reading at least 1 chapter from the Book of Mormon each night as a couple

- 3pts for kneeling & saying our prayer each night as a couple

- 2pts for writing in our personal journal every Sunday (We can write other days of the week but Sunday is the day we will count the points)

- 4pts Family Home Evening every Monday night

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

There will be more added to the list but you get the idea.

At first, Sean was thinking of doing this as a competition. But then he was thinking how he didn't want it to be a race to do things, but rather a way to help us work together throughout each day to better our relationship and help us get into a better routine. We know how important it is to read our scriptures, say our prayers, and do family home evening but it's the most important things that become the easier things to let go out of our day to day routine. It is so sad, but true. We have given ourselves more points for doing these things until they become a habit, then we will maybe decrease the points to 1 or 2 rather than 3 and 4.

Once we reach 100 pts. we can go out to eat, go to a movie, etc.  
Treat ourselves :)

Things I Do Throughout the Week

Dinner...together:
* Some days I try to eat dinner early (before 7pm) but other days I wait until Sean gets home from work. Even though it's really late, eating dinner together is a good way to wrap up our day, talk, and just enjoy a meal together. It's also just really hard to eat early and then watch him eat dinner by himself. haha. I don't have the will-power to sit there and watch him eat and me not eat anything!
 
Movies:
* Sean and I like to watch a movie when he gets home around 9:30-10pm. Whether we watch the whole movie or not, it's nice to unwind and relax ... while eating a dessert, of course! Our favorite desserts are: Tillamook Mudslide & S'macos! (S'more made inside a tortilla w/o the graham cracker).

TV Shows
 * I don't know if I should write about this guilty pleasure of mine... I have way too many shows that I enjoy when I am procrastinating or taking a break from my studies.
- Bachelorette (I'll admit, this season is a little rough just watching Kaitlin makeout with all of those guys and everyone crying on every episode. BUT, it's drama. It's not my drama. It's pure, mindless watching and I love every second of it!)
- Big Brother
- Mistresses
- Master Chef
- Chasing Life
- So You Think You Can Dance
- Celebrity Wife Swap
- The Briefcase
- Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?


BYU Online Independent Study
* SFL 100
* Biology 100
* SFL 160

Go on walks/runs either by myself or with another Vivint wife
Attend the temple
Call family members
E-mail my brother on his mission
Grocery shop
Take naps
The biggest thing.... my 3 trips to Boston! (Nanny for my cousin, Natasha)
- May 12-20
- June 7-18
- July 26-Aug. 8

May 1st - July 9th

Summary of the First 11 Weeks of Our 18 Week Alaskan Summer

My husband, Sean, is working for Vivint for his second summer. Last year we were in Lake Charles, Louisiana and this year we are in Anchorage, Alaska! This summer job has its ups and downs but one of the ups is that we get to travel around the country to places we probably wouldn't have traveled to otherwise.

Pros:

* Travel to diverse places

* If you can sell, you make great money

* Meet a lot of new people --> New friends!

* Improve our adapting skills... that sounds funny but it's a true statement! Especially in Alaska where it is LIGHT ALL DAY LONG...minus about 4 hours

* Makes for exciting journal and blog entries :)

* Learn more about each other as a couple

* Learn to pack light... sort of :P

Cons:

* Paid on commission. If Sean doesn't sell an account, then we don't get paid.

* Housing is expensive

* Away from family for the entire summer (missing birthdays, reunions, weddings, mission homecomings, etc.)

Getting to Alaska: 

Sean and I left Provo, Utah & drove to Washington to visit both of our families for a couple of days. 

WA Part 1: We were at Sean's home first in Covington. While there we played games, talked, did our nails (me, Kaile, and Corine), drove to Bainbridge Island then took the ferry over to Seattle then drove back to Covington. While in Bainbridge, we explored the island by car and had a picnic at a park (took quite a while to find a park to eat at, haha) then drove on to the ferry. SUCH A NEAT EXPERIENCE! It had been sooo long since I had been on a ferry. Cody wasn't able to come since he was still in school.

WA Part 2: Around 4pm Sean and I left his parent's home and we drove to Olympia and met up with my mom at Costco for some shopping, just like old times :) Went home to Elma. When we got home we played birdie golf and road the dirt bikes. Had dinner with my parents and got to spend time with them. The next day we went out to the lake and spent time with my grandparents, Nanny & Gucky. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! They are just as cute as ever and the best examples of a loving husband and wife... of 60 years in November! On Friday May 1st, my dad drove us to the airport and off we went to Alaska!

Our apt for the summer

Week 1: (May 1-2)

* Went grocery shopping and got all the essential things -- microwave, fan, 3" foam mattress topper (these beds are as squeaky as ...cheese?... and you can feel the springs like no other so the mattress topper was a MUST have.)

* Sean is at 0 sales

Week 2: (May 3-9)

* Got a call from my aunt asking if I would be able to nanny for her daughter, my cousin (3 trips to Boston throughout the summer)

* Started my 1st BYU Online Independent Study class -- SFL 100, Strengthening Marriage and Family. (These courses are between 15-24 lessons long. Designed to have you complete 1 lesson per week and finish in 1 year. I am giving myself this summer and about a month per class. So I complete roughly 2 lessons per day so I can finish between 2-3 weeks!)

* Went out to dinner with Sean and the other Vivint guys -- they reached their dinner goal for the week & so we went to Chili's for dinner

* Sean is at 4 sales

Anchorage, Alaska Temple

Week 3: (May 10-16)

* (1st trip to Boston) -- Left on the 12th for BOSTON to nanny!

* Sean is at 10 sales

Ramen is a must have for these kids!

Looking for owls in the tree holes

Week 4: (May 17-23)

*Returned to ALASKA on the 20th

* Went out to dinner with Sean and the other Vivint guys -- they reached their dinner goal for the week & so we went to Chili's again for dinner

* Sean is at 13 sales

Week 5: (May 24-30)

* Took my SFL 100 tests

* Sean is at 17 sales

Week 6: (May 31-June 6)

* Finished my first Independent Study course!!!!!! Hallelujah!

* Sean is at 20 sales

Week 7: (June 7-13)

* (2nd trip to Boston) -- Left on the 7th, got in to Newark, New Jersey on the 8th. Drove with my cousin and her kids up to Stamford, Connecticut to visit Elder Tyson Nauman for a couple hours! We took him and his companion, Elder Matheson to Panda Express for lunch then over to 16 Handles for a little lunch dessert (frozen yogurt). The BEST time getting to see him and talk to him in person! It had been 1 whole year since I had last seen him in person... for his high school graduation and state track meet.

* Sean is at 21 sales

Almost to Stamford, CT to see Elder Nauman!

Elder Nauman & Natasha

16 Handles

I'm in LOVE with baby goats

Arija LOVED the snake!

Building homes with pipes

Long day at Davis Farmland wore them out!

The cutest pigs I ever did see!

Week 8: (June 14-20)

* Returned to ALASKA on the 18th

* Sean is at 26 sales

Week 9: (June 21-27)

* Took my 1st Biology test

* Sean is at 28 sales

Ki, Jaynie, & Henley

Byron Glacier, Alaska

Our rock tower

Week 10: (June 28-July 4)

* BBQ with the Vivint group at Oceanview Park

* Took my 2nd Biology test

* (July 1st) -- Saw my first MOOSE & baby moose!!!! Went on an 8 mile walk with Brooke (one of the Vivint wives). On our walk along the Campbell Creek Trail. 4 miles in we got to the lake and saw a baby beaver and 2 bald eagles! Beautiful. 

*Went to a BBQ with Jaynie & Henley on the 4th

*Made S'macos, ate ice cream, and watched the movie "Independence Day" on the 4th of July.

**Sean is at 31 sales

Week 11: (July 5-11)

* Watched the Women's World Cup with Ki and Jaynie

* Went to Texas Roadhouse

* Took my 3rd Biology test

* Procrastinating studying for my last biology test

* We decided on an apartment for Fall/Winter semesters back in Provo!

**Sean is at 32 sales