for myron's first father's day, i got him a red rocker/recliner. it's the comfiest chair & is associated with lots & lots of memories.
chloe & daddy watched many-a suns game while rocking in this chair- & she loved chillin' up right next to him just like this....ever since she was just bitty.
the red chair has been living at the roberts' for a couple years while we decided where to make our permanent home.
they delivered it yesterday & we found a place for it in the living room.
once in a blue moon, when i'm feeling [extra] generous & randomly spontaneous, i'll treat my offspring to lunchtime at "old mcdonald's."
chloe desperately wanted to go play at the playhouse, but livy fell asleep on the way. darn! {slash, i was secretly soo excited.} [i may or may not have an irrational fear of retrieving children from the giant pool of plastic balls.]
we drive thru'ed it up, and what do you know? my little pony toys this week.
they don't call it a happy meal for nothin', dude.
today i made a comment in church & almost immediately regretted it. because: what comes out of my mouth [a lot of the time] isn't nearly as articulate, thoughtful, or applicable as i had in my mind. it's rarely what i meant to say...what i tried to say. and that embarrasses me.
happens a lot in my life. i pay a compliment, write a blog, send some random person a message, write an email, explain a situation....and then i immediately second guess myself.
i know my intentions....but do they?
while i know i can not control how other people perceive things, i wish i could sometimes.
i try in a serious way, to [not] care what other people think because i've learned that it's hardcore destructive to my spirit to spend time stressed about things i can't control.
not everyone is going to agree with me. not everyone is going to like me or enjoy my company/personality-and i'm learning to be okay with that.
i just hope that people can feel/know my intentions because my words don't always represent the deepest feelings of my heart.
i try to be a good person, but i have so many natural flaws. i am confident in my beliefs & my values, but insecure in my ability to express them.
i acknowledge the hand of god in everything in my life & truly desire to be humble about my blessings. i seek to uplift not to offend, but a lot of the time i'm uncertain if i accomplish that?
writing this brings me clarity: all i can do is be me. do what i think is best in a certain situation and if it wasn't the best...forgive myself, forget & try again.
it'll probably take me a lifetime to develop confidence that can withstand this particular insecurity of mine.
but at the end of it all, i was whoa: tired. like, as in, pretty much exhausted to the max.
at about 11pm, i looked around my house & felt a little defeated by the mess. and my to-do list. i decided i'd conquer the kitchen & then go to bed.
i listened to this talk, while i washed & loaded the millions of dishes. seriously, i love president uchtdorf. [*is it allowed to have a favorite apostle?]
he says, My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do “all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize."
love that. focus on the things that matter most.
a lot of times my mind is everywhere with plans, ideas, thoughts. sometimes it's fun being right brained, and sometimes it's super-duper annoying.
*reminders like president uchtdorf's, help me to focus.
today what mattered most was staying home. in my comfy, and equally unattractive everlast stretch pants. resting up. watching shows & reading books, with celery & peanut butter for 3. drinking lots of water with sonic ice. loving on my kids. enjoying conversation with my man. spending some time in my scriptures. visiting family. and not worrying about looming obligations.
i feel ready for another busy, fulfilling day tomorrow. a day to rock my responsibilities.
me & the girlies had the full-time sister missionaries over tonight. *chloe counted down the [minutes] until they would be here, all the live-long day.
she helped me prepare the chicken pillows & spinach salad. & she set the table with our plastic valentines dishes. [thanks kelli!]
the corn was chilly & my children were semi-hyper, but other than those two minor drawbacks, it was just a simple & sweet evening with fun company. :)
i'm on a lifelong quest to overcome my love affair with sugar. i have a pretty obnoxious sweet tooth.
so, i swore off refined sugar & it's fake substitutes at the beginning of the year. just to kinda cleanse me of how super yucky it makes me feel [in body+ spirit.]
it's been a challenge for sure, {but} i've done pretty awesome abstaining, *with the giantexception of this weekend & today.
so, to keep me motivated in continuing, i'm making a top-ten of the sweet things in my life.
'cause truly, life is sweet enough, i don't need food to make me happy. [right?]
1. myron's sense of humor & support & love 2. the gospel of jesus christ 3. spontaneous hugs & kisses from my babies 4. generous, service-oriented family 5. afternoons spent in the backyard 6. late nights creating/work fests 7. a heavenly father that i can pray to anytime, anywhere 8. a cozy home where i feel safe 9. endless opportunity for learning 10. amazing friends & inspiring acquaintances
my goal is to eventually, someday, find balance with it all....moderation in all things-style.
but until then, i'm just [trying] to really learn & remember that i can find sweetness everywhere around me - not just in a cupcake. :)
as it turns out, my class got switched & i am now teaching the 12-13 year olds in sunday school.
they are the cutest group of kids. they remind me how grateful i am that jr. high is behind me. they make me laugh & surprise me with their wisdom. and, they prefer candy over baked goods for treats, fyi.
i'm excited to be studying the presidents of our church with them this year.
today as an intro in lesson 1, we talked about our purpose here on earth, and the choice we have to follow christ or follow the adversary.
this afternoon, i'm feeling incredibly grateful for & humbled by the knowledge i have, of who i am, why i am here & where i am going.
i am filled with gratitude for the peace and perspective that [such great news] brings to my little individual life.
filled 'em with some of my fave fabric fat quarters from scrapbooks etc! ps: if you haven't seen the fabric @ the store lately- it is so yummy. *drop by & prepare to [want] everything!
well, this week he gave the ol' kitchen a makeover!
i am absolutely, 100% thrilled with the results! i {almost} cry [happy tears!] every time i walk into the kitchen.
here is a before:
and, AFTER! :)
seriously guys, if you need anything painted- a wall, a house, some trim, some cabinets, whatever- you need to hire mike![call him for a quote @ #480-818-7198]
he's so experienced at what he does, & the fact that he's the [nicest guy on the planet] is just icing on the cake! :)
chloe took some pictures of her favorite ponies, petshops, stuffed animals & barbies yesterday.
she desperately wanted to get them printed, so she could "make a book of her favorite things!"
we snapfished 6 of her faves to walgreens & picked them up this morning.
i was telling my mom about her grand idea & we had a little laugh...'cause my house is already {so} full of little girlie creations: decorated toilet paper rolls, blankets for babies made out of crayoned-tissue paper & random cardstock/cardboard houses & goodies.
my mom responded, "chip off the old block!"
and then i semi-apologized. because i know i was exactly the same way when i was little. i remember making little people out of old mcdonald's cartons & pillows out of fabric scraps for my barbies. i was always busy "arranging" or creating something kind of, well, obnoxious. haha.
as an adult, i realize how patient my parents were & how much they selflessly encouraged my creativity. i am so grateful for that. i'm so glad they let me be me & explore my talents & use my imagination.
their example inspires me to do the same for my kids.
and when all the artwork & crayons everywhere start to feel like clutter....i take a closer look.
i see the little wheels turning inside their brains & the hilarious, fabulous ideas & amazing potential these girls have to be whoever they chose to become.
monk [season 7] ham & eggs with a sprinkle of cheddar {on toast} my freshly painted kitchen cupboards [i'll share pictures soon!] muse on pandora faking i have a green thumb learning from this book pretending i hate sugar/like water conference podcasts on my shuffle teaching liv the peace sign colgate maxfresh with mini breath strips/whitening, clean mint flavored toothpaste saying, "because i'm the mom & i said so" and feeling legitly mother-ish sleeping
at the famous scrapbooks etc. secret santa gift exchange this year, i was gifted this handmade lovely-from my dear friend, amy totty.
if you know amy totty, you know, she 100% amazing. if you don't know amy totty, well, i kinda feel sorry for you. :)
i almost cried when i opened the present & beheld such awesomeness/thoughtfulness. wait, maybe i did cry?
it is SO me. i love.
she's the best & i smile every time i use my new purse. aka, several times a day.
in celebration of such cuteness adorning my shoulder, i thought it might be fun to document an uncensored photo of the contents of my purse:
can you spy: my keys myron's keys [remind me to tell myron i found his keys, k?] my current read {re-reading it...love this book} wallet my fave lip gloss sunglasses sweet mint orbit [mmmm] coconut berry lotion 2011 planner my mail key a barely charged cell phone water bottle {i'm off the sauce} netflix awaiting po drop-off an empty wipe case minus a diaper because i am mother of the year
chloe's faves: pretending we are a family of chinchillas curly pesto noodles netflixed garfield episodes preschool being back in "mini mouse hair" {two messy buns by her ears} writing/drawing in her new primary scripture journal blaming everything on "growing pains" {???} "forgetting" to wear socks with her boots
livy's faves: being extremely destructive everywhere she turns her ladybug pillowpet high fives & knuckles insomnia screeching saying "go! go! go!" or "dank due" {thank you} feeding bananas to mr. miyagi cuddling & being freaking cute
i had to sneak a picture of this because it's pretty much my favorite thing in the world.
i don't know what i love more.... her sitting in the sink perfectly for him while he carefully styles her hair or the fact that he's an expert @ two hairdos: "pony" or "half-up, half down" -his words not mine.
