I Can't Not Share This

So, we did quite a bit of Christmas shopping at Deseret Book and were qualified for a free subscription to LDS Living Magazine.  I thought it would be one of those magazines that I might look at sometimes when I have nothing else to do.  I got my first issues yesterday, have you seen it?  I must say I was so intrigued when I saw the cover.  I guess I was expecting a picture of an LDS temple or something, but this is what I saw...

I LOVED seeing these two on the cover of an LDS magazine, particularly the one with the tattoos.  I thought to myself, that is what we are supposed to be like.  Can we not embrace people's differences?  Is there not room for everyone here?  Don't we all belong?  Don't we all have a past or a history and sometimes we wear it on our sleeve.  Can we not pass judgement?  I was so intrigued by the cover that I couldn't not open it.  I flipped to Al's story (the one with the tattoos).  I just think she's so stunningly beautiful and I absolutely LOVED her story.

Long story short... she was living in New York City and told the missionaries that she would let them teach her only if they brought her a steak dinner thinking she would never see them again.  Of course they brought her the steak dinner.  She ended up calling them at 4:00 one morning to tell them she wanted to be baptized.  she states, "and I wanted to yell to all of New York that happiness is real, that it exists, and that they can have it..."

Al lost every friend she had and was even forced to choose between the church and her family.

I was so inspired by this girl!  I love that she was willing to give up the entire life she had know for what she believed in.  

I hope that I can be better at accepting people for their differences and that they will accept me for mine.  The LDS religion is NOT your judgmental neighbor or family member. Happiness is real, it exists and you can have it. 

Spotlight Family Style (Our Baby Cakes)

1. She loves all things food…a girl after my own heart
2. She eats dog food, ok this isn’t exactly something I love about her, but I love that it’s typical of her.  Someone says, “Where’s London?” and then we all run to the laundry room and sure enough, there she is with a handful of dog food and some in her cheeks.
3. I love to hear her say, “tickle, tickle, tickle”
4. I love that she was born a brunette, even if she is a blond now.  I don’t know if it’s just me or what, but you grow so close to your baby before it is even born, you know that what you have created is so amazing and that so much of your body goes into making it and allowing it to grow that it’s kind of nice when it comes out and sort of resembles you.
5. I love that she was a miracle baby for my Mother who I know was not ready to see heaven, but needed a bit of heaven sent to her.
6. I love her laugh.  Love Love Love her laugh!
7. I love her chub.  It’s starting to disappear, she’s getting skinny now, but what’s cuter than a chunky baby?
8. Her bum.  She’s a baby still so I can say that.  Love her cute little bum.
9. I love that as an infant she seemed to recognize Jesus.  I love the way she would stare at that picture in the Relief Society room and when I walked away she would cry.  She still stares at that picture, but she says “Jesus” now.
10. I love that her sister is her best friend, even if that means I’m second.
11. I love her compassion.  I love her concern for other crying babies.
12. I love that she was real to us, that she existed in our lives even before she existed on earth, that we knew she was a part of our family.
13. I love her sweetness
14. I love that she’s so active and into everything
15. I love how she always says “HI!” when she sees us.
16. I love how she loves babies and always points them out and likes to look at them
17. I love it when she sings… SO CUTE!
18. I love her chubby little hands… also VERY CUTE
19. I love the way that she admires her big sister and that she puts so much trust in her
20. I just love that she’s my baby, that she counts on me and that I still have someone to carry around.
21. I love her kisses, even the French kisses.
22. I love it when she is in trouble or just doesn’t want to listen to me so she runs from me.
23. I love that she is so smart.  The fact that she can even remotely work our phones is so amazing to me.  The first time she touched it she knew what to do.  She defiantly picked it up faster than Dustin and I.
24. I love that she loves her babysitter.  Even though it makes me sad when she doesn’t want me.
25. She loves animals so much
26. I love how she helps me do laundry
27. And dishes
28. I remember just after she was born thinking, “wow, she’s really pretty!”
29. She’s patient with me when I have other less important, or sometimes equally important things to do
30. I love how she will always answer your yes or no questions even if she has no idea what you are saying.
31. I love how she runs to the door when her Dad gets home
32. I love her innocence
33. I love it when she tells me “no-no”
34. I love that she’s a whole lot of personality in a little body
35. I love how she seems to understand most anything I say to her.  So smart!
36. I love how she reminds me that life is a gift
37. I love how she makes me wonder what she will become
38. I love when she talks, when she just goes on and on telling stories in a language unknown to me.
39. I love her stunning blue eyes
40. I love how busy she is
41. I love how she has changed me.  It’s hard to explain, but I’m different now, even more than when Brinley was born.
42. I love how she makes me want more and more and more kids
43. I love how she has strengthened my marriage
44. I love how she has taught me to have faith.  How when the Dr. told me she couldn’t see anything and couldn’t hear a heartbeat she was still there.  She has taught me that I can believe in things I can not see
45. I love her smile
46. I love the way she giggles when the wind blows in her face
47. and the way she admires the snow fall
48. I love the way she climbs on things. I’m convinced she will always aim high and make her way to the top
49. I love how forgiving she is
50. I love HER!  All of the little things that make her HER.  I love them all.

Love you Lunnie, so bless to be your Mom!  

One "Sweet" Day

Brinley LOVES Valentine's Day so we always try to make it special for her.  And she kind of has high expectations, actually the night before Valentine's Day Brinley asked me why the table wasn't set.  We wanted to make it a special day for her, but on a good day Thursdays are pure madness... our busiest day by far.  So... I woke up extra early to make red heart shaped pancakes for the girls an Dustin had left cards out for all three of us.  He's really great and I'll be honest, reading the cards he wrote to my girls choked me up a bit.  Great Dad!  Really great Dad!

 Brinley even had special Valentine's day hair.  

 My parents were on a little vacation so we ran out to Paradise to take care of their chickens.  The chickens kept pecking at Brinley's feet which she thought was funny until one pecked at a hole in her boot.  

 And when Dustin got home he brought us all flowers.  So sweet.  

 Dustin and I worked together to prepare a special Valentine's dinner for the girls (all his idea).  

 And of course Grandma left a gift for them before she went on vacation.  It included chocolates in which the girls thought they had to eat the entire box.  She's the best Grandma in the whole world.  I'm not just saying that, she really is.  

 We got a little gift for the girls and most importantly had a great day together. 

Dustin surprised me with perfume, jewelry, a scarf and a shirt.  I have so many people in my life that are sure easy to love and it's fun to have a day to celebrate that.  

Just thoughts

No pictures today (although my camera is FINALLY fixed YAY!), just a few thoughts...

We have struggled for a bit, wondering where we are supposed to be in life.  It finally feels like things are starting to fall into place.  It's such a sigh of relief.  Sometimes if feels like your life changes overnight, sometimes your life actually does change overnight.  Things just seem clear to me today.

Mom started radiation again.  Don't let her strength fool you, this is DEFIANTLY taking a tole on her.  She continues to amaze me and I am constantly reminded that in my 28 years thus far she has blessed and enriched my life so much more than most people get in a lifetime.  I had an experience this weekend and I have them often where I say to myself, or to my husband, "I'm so glad my Mom is not like that." or "My Mom would never do that." or "My Mom would never say that."  She's such a great example to me, I hope I'm half the Mother she is.

I was blessed to have a couple of days home with the girls this week.  It's where my heart is.  Brinley had parent teacher conferences.  So proud of her!  It's been a lot of fun to see her progress this year.

Project bathroom is almost done, YAY!  Project bathroom is just this idea I have had in my head and as it's coming together I'm really loving it! I sorta want to move in there, I find myself walking in there for no reason.  It's so cool how the space you are in can make you feel, how beautiful things can bring you joy.  In essence, I'm surrounding myself with beautiful things, my entire life... cause that's what makes me happy.

Today in the car on my drive out to Paradise I realized just how beautiful that drive is.  It just feels so much different to be driving that way.  I guess I took it for granted because it's just how I grew up. Shortly after entering Paradise I neared the place that Dustin and Brinley were snowmobiling.  I could see them in the distance and as I got closer I could just feel their happiness.  I could see it.  Dustin was pulling Brinley's sled behind him and she fell of and was just laughing.  I was so grateful in that moment, so proud that THEY were my family, so blessed to have such and amazing Father for my children.  Last night Dustin took Brinley on a Daddy Daughter Date and today, out of the blue she says to me, "Last night was so much fun!"

I'm just feeling blessed.  So many things to be thankful for.  On a side note, I don't know what that stuff is that I have spent the past hour making, but it's defiantly not bread. Better go see if I can somehow make it resemble lunch for my family tomorrow.  Oh, they will be so excited!

2013, oh how we love you

In looking over the pictures in my phone I was reminded of what a great year this has been so far.  Things, although still busy, have slowed down enough for us to enjoy life again.  We have stuck to our weekly date night and weekly family night which means we have made some really great memories.  Although it's probably boring to read about, these are the things that make life enjoyable for us.  We are keeping things simple.  I've gotten rid of some toxic things in my life and concentrating more on how I spend my precious time.  I'm working really hard to keep my part time job, just that and have had to put my foot down a few times, thankfully I work with really great people who understand and care about me.  I've said, "no" to things that were good things, but not necessarily good for me at the time and I've said "yes" to better things like, reading two chapters of Ivy and Bean in one night and "Mom? can I push the little shopping cart."  or "Mom?  can I stay up late and help you make lunches?".  You know, the things that make life enjoyable.  To my real job.  The important one.  The one that matters.  The one that makes me feel like I have a purpose on this earth and that I'm right where I'm supposed to be.  The one that makes me feel in my core what true success is.  The one that pays me in laughter, smiles, laundry and dirty dishes.  The one that I love more than anything in this world.  So, here's a taste of what our year has been like so far...

Brinley started violin a few months ago.  So proud of her!  She seems to be catching on.  This is an instrument I would have never thought of, but she has shown interest in it for quite some time.  We assumed it was because Linds and Lora play, but when she started picking the violin out of songs we felt like we should let her try it.  My friend Heather teaches her.  She's really great, we love her.  When I asked Brinley why she wanted to play the violin her response was, "because it's so beautiful!"  

We went sleigh riding.  I won't name names, but some of us had more fun than others

We had a nice Sunday breakfast as a family.  We are good about eating our meals together, but never on Sunday mornings.  Dustin and I usually end up fasting every Sunday.  Not sure why I took a picture of this, probably to show off the flowers I bought for myself.  It's ok to buy flowers for yourself if you are just using them to decorate your house though, right?  It's not like I had them delivered to me. January was gloomy.  I needed something to brighten the house up a bit. 

Speeking of January.  We shoveled and shoveled and shoveled.  By we, I mainly mean Dustin.  I did go out to help him once, but Brinley and I ended up playing instead.

London's learning how to color

and we had a tea party in the hallway

We've supported our Aggie Gymnasts

We said goodbye to Curtis and Whitney.  Boo! We love and will miss them.  They have been so good to us and our girls. It seems everyone we are close to keeps moving. 

We went to dinner last week with the Cazier's to celebrate Steve's birthday.  We all met at the cemetery before.  This is a picture I wouldn't normally post, but I thought Dustin helping his Grandma in the background is so sweet... so him.

 We went out for Chinese food and I thought our fortunes were interesting...

 Dustin's: "You are soon going to change your present line of work."

and mine: "You have strong desire for a home and your family interests come first."

Humm...

Brinley and I have been weaving.  She decided to giver her first hot pad to her teacher.  

 We made a collage of the things that make us happy and hung them on the refrigerator. 

 I'm involved in a fun group of girls who get together and learn new things to help us be more self sufficient.  This month we made butter.  It was fun and helps me with my resolution to be more prepared.  

We have worked quite a bit this month on emergency preparedness.  We have new backpacks for our 72 hour kits, we've added a few new supplied to them, worked on our food storage and purchased more ammo.  Go us!  

Last fall it felt like I did enough canning to last a life time.  Apparently not, I ended up making jam the other day because we were all out.  

Well, that's pretty much the gist of it.  Sure makes for a happy life.  

If ever I need a smile

I have never posted videos on here because I blog for the soul purpose of being able to turn my history into a book, however if ever I need a smile, THIS sure does the trick...

Western Night... YEEHAW!

Brinley had a Western Night at her school so we put on our best western attire and kicked up our boots for some good ol' fashioned line dancing.  Such a fun night dancing with this cute little family of mine.

 And I must say, I was very pleased to see this hanging in my daughter's school...

Spotlight Family Style (My Hus-beyond)

So lucky to be a part of your life.  Here are just a few things I love about you...

1. Sometimes when I fall asleep on the couch he carries me to bed
2. He’s a great provider, he does an excellent job at making sure we have everything we need
3. He makes mistakes, but he always admits it and he does whatever it takes to make it right
4. He kisses my forehead
5. I don’t think there has ever been a time where someone was stuck on the side of the road that he didn’t stop to push or pull them out.  Ever. 
6. He tells me he loves me everyday
7. He built me a house
8. One time when I got to work there was a hot chocolate sitting on my desk waiting for me
9. He writes me love notes
10. He tickles me
11. He has pretty blue eyes
12. He has big muscles
13. He believes in God and it shows in his countenance
14. He’s the best Dad in the whole world
15. He works hard, really really hard
16. He lets me have whatever I want, honestly he does
17. He says, “I’m sorry” and he means it
18. When I don’t know what a word means, he usually does and if he doesn’t he’ll make something up
19. He laughs with me
20. He never leaves without kissing me
21. He’s a genuine good guy
22. He goes to the gym with me
23. He has a great smile
24. He hangs stuff on the walls for me and doesn’t complain no matter how many times I make him re-do it
25. He does dishes
26. and cleans toilets
27. He watches romance movies with me
28. Sometimes we read together in bed
29. He makes the bed
30. We go on really fun vacations together
31. One time we went camping in Logan and ended up in Vegas the next day
32. We play checkers together
33. He drinks my green smoothies no matter how healthy (gross) they are
34. He has bought me hundreds and hundreds of flowers
35. and picked some for me too
36. Thanks to him I own lots of diamonds
37. He doesn’t get mad at me.  Ever.  And if he does it doesn’t show. Ok, I’m sure he gets mad at me, but he’s really really patient.
38. He opens the door for me
39. He’s an excellent protector, I feel safe with him aka he has a gun and he knows how to use it.
40. Sometimes we dance in the kitchen
41. He’s a giver. He's always wanting to help someone out.
42. He checks in with me everyday via text, email or whatever.
43. He buys me random cards and gifts
44. He puts gas in my car
45. warms it up for me
46. and brushes the snow off for me when needed
47. He’ll go skinny dipping with me (ha ha)
48. He grocery shops with me… every week!
49. One time when I was pregnant I really wanted a pita so he went and got me one and brought it home to me.  I ate it and wanted another one so he went back and bought me another one.
50. We make cute babies! 

Sweet Simplicity

I love the simplicity of children!  Brinley has had a savings account since I was pregnant with her.  She goes to the bank with us.  She hands her money to the teller and states that she wants to put it in her savings account.  Today in the car out of the blue she asks, "Mom, what happens at the bank when our piggy banks get full?"  Love their simple little minds!

Christmas Day

 Santa came!  Brinley woke up and in her humble manor climbed into bed with us and said, "Mom, can I snuggle you?"  Dustin and I exchanged glances, then I asked her if she remembered what day it was.  "Yeah", she said, "It's Christmas"  I remember Christmas being a MUCH bigger deal when I was a kid, but I have to remember this is just Brinley's personality. She's humble, I can't think of a better word to describe it. So, we woke Lunnie, went into the living room and I'll be honest their "under joyment" was kind of disappointing.  The girls are simple.  They don't need or want for much.  We over did.  Brinley still wasn't feeling well.  We went to Steve and Jill's for our traditional Christmas breakfast that we all love so much and spent the afternoon at my parents.  Both girls slept through us opening presents there.  Sad!  So disappointing  but still a good day.  So many people love and spoil us.  My Mom amazes me.  I can't believe what she is able to accomplish.  I have always said that we should skip Christmas (Ok, not skip it... I LOVE Christmas) but we should keep it small and just go on a family vacation or do something fun as a family instead.  Maybe next year we'll actually do it, clearly the gifts don't matter much and if our 5 year old is unimpressed, what's the point?