Something weird started happening about 5 years ago, and became such a problem that I could no longer blog here. But I have missed blogging and have come back and read so many of my old posts. I really enjoy writing. Words on paper to clear my head. I hope to write more words here soon. But not right now because this particular computer is about to die. Irony.
Loving our ever changing, crazy, fantastic life
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Saturday, August 4, 2018
The Toilet Paper Fairy
About 2 years ago, when all of our bathrooms needed to be restocked with toilet paper and our kids were of a certain age that I felt they could easily distribute it, I came up with the perfect name for that job.
Probably we had just had a child who had had a visit from the tooth fairy. Because the name of the toilet paper distributor is The Toilet Paper Fairy.
The Toilet Paper Fairy is the person who magically fills all the bathrooms with toilet paper so when we need a new roll, it is magically under the sink or in the basket for our use. I'm fairly sure it's because of the title that this is a fairly coveted role in our home. I've never had a kid tell me no, so even when the older kids have gotten over the magic of being the toilet paper fairy, I've got younger ones who think it's a cool job. They get to be a fairy!
Moral of the story: think up cool names for the boring jobs in your home and maybe your kids will learn to like it more. Maybe.
Probably we had just had a child who had had a visit from the tooth fairy. Because the name of the toilet paper distributor is The Toilet Paper Fairy.
The Toilet Paper Fairy is the person who magically fills all the bathrooms with toilet paper so when we need a new roll, it is magically under the sink or in the basket for our use. I'm fairly sure it's because of the title that this is a fairly coveted role in our home. I've never had a kid tell me no, so even when the older kids have gotten over the magic of being the toilet paper fairy, I've got younger ones who think it's a cool job. They get to be a fairy!
Moral of the story: think up cool names for the boring jobs in your home and maybe your kids will learn to like it more. Maybe.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Being Self Aware and Loving Yourself Anyway
My last post got me thinking, specifically the part where I said I was grateful for my husband, who loves me in spite of my messiness and who loves the parts of me that I don't necessarily love.
After I wrote that and posted it, I had the thought that maybe I shouldn't include such honesty. That there are parts of me that I don't love about myself. But people, we ALL have those feelings and thoughts. And just because I have those feelings today doesn't mean that I don't also see positives about myself in the same areas where I may struggle.
For example, I can be sensitive. I know, because people that I trust and love tell me so. And I can see it for myself. But I can also see those moments where instead of taking someone's words as a direct insult to myself, I can allow them to have their feelings. And I can try to see that though their words could be hurtful, I can just let them be said and move on. I don't have to be affected by their words or thoughts about me.
I guess I just want y'all to know, at the ripe old age of 37, I feel like I am learning to love more of my messy, unlovable parts because I am a product of my experiences and the people that I have loved and do love. And I'm proud of the years and thoughts and feelings and moments that make up who I am. Because who I am now encompasses all the good and the bad of my past and present. And without the lessons learned, I wouldn't be me.
I am learning that who I am is acceptable, and I mean all of me. All of the choices that weren't great, all the times I wasn't kind, when words I said hurt others, or the times I spent serving others out of love. Those parts are still there, and I am learning to come to a truce with myself. To forgive myself and try to do better. And to allow others the same privilege. Because no matter what, we are all loveable and worthy of love. Most of all, we are all worthy of each others love.
After I wrote that and posted it, I had the thought that maybe I shouldn't include such honesty. That there are parts of me that I don't love about myself. But people, we ALL have those feelings and thoughts. And just because I have those feelings today doesn't mean that I don't also see positives about myself in the same areas where I may struggle.
For example, I can be sensitive. I know, because people that I trust and love tell me so. And I can see it for myself. But I can also see those moments where instead of taking someone's words as a direct insult to myself, I can allow them to have their feelings. And I can try to see that though their words could be hurtful, I can just let them be said and move on. I don't have to be affected by their words or thoughts about me.
I guess I just want y'all to know, at the ripe old age of 37, I feel like I am learning to love more of my messy, unlovable parts because I am a product of my experiences and the people that I have loved and do love. And I'm proud of the years and thoughts and feelings and moments that make up who I am. Because who I am now encompasses all the good and the bad of my past and present. And without the lessons learned, I wouldn't be me.
I am learning that who I am is acceptable, and I mean all of me. All of the choices that weren't great, all the times I wasn't kind, when words I said hurt others, or the times I spent serving others out of love. Those parts are still there, and I am learning to come to a truce with myself. To forgive myself and try to do better. And to allow others the same privilege. Because no matter what, we are all loveable and worthy of love. Most of all, we are all worthy of each others love.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Sunday Night Thoughts
Oh man, it has been a night. And best of all, a Sunday night. I have a whole 5 days before we get another weekend break, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. I'm tired and it's not even Monday yet.
Here's my aha moment for the night. I was grouchy with Bronwyn as she was going to bed because of a particular mess she and Mirren made, getting into some toys that I had packed away into a storage space in our downstairs.
I was feeling frustrated, imagining all the organization that would have to be re-done and all the things that would have to be straightened up again, and would surely need some of my help when it hit me. Why am I keeping these toys?
Clearly, there was a reason I packed them away and if I didn't like the mess my kids made with the toys and then my kids couldn't keep them picked up, well then, WHY in the heck did I even own these toys???
So, first thing tomorrow, I'm going through and taking out the things my kids CAN keep picked up and giving away the stuff that just mindlessly gets left out. Because sometimes too much stuff is just too much stuff and there's no point in keeping it if my kids have a hard time cleaning it all up.
So there you have it. I like a clean house and I like to be able to have my kids help make it happen. But if you came over on any random day, you probably wouldn't be able to tell I like to have an organized and clean house. Because I have something called "children" and they have to live somewhere. Ha ha.
Also, Happy Fathers Day. I'm grateful for Reed who helps validate my feelings even when I'm brimming with frustration because of this job called motherhood that I love but is also one of my greatest challenges. I'm grateful for Reed's calm steadiness. I'm grateful for his loving generosity for all of his family. I'm grateful for a confidant who loves all my messiness and my feelings and all the things I have a hard time loving about myself.
Here's my aha moment for the night. I was grouchy with Bronwyn as she was going to bed because of a particular mess she and Mirren made, getting into some toys that I had packed away into a storage space in our downstairs.
I was feeling frustrated, imagining all the organization that would have to be re-done and all the things that would have to be straightened up again, and would surely need some of my help when it hit me. Why am I keeping these toys?
Clearly, there was a reason I packed them away and if I didn't like the mess my kids made with the toys and then my kids couldn't keep them picked up, well then, WHY in the heck did I even own these toys???
So, first thing tomorrow, I'm going through and taking out the things my kids CAN keep picked up and giving away the stuff that just mindlessly gets left out. Because sometimes too much stuff is just too much stuff and there's no point in keeping it if my kids have a hard time cleaning it all up.
So there you have it. I like a clean house and I like to be able to have my kids help make it happen. But if you came over on any random day, you probably wouldn't be able to tell I like to have an organized and clean house. Because I have something called "children" and they have to live somewhere. Ha ha.
Also, Happy Fathers Day. I'm grateful for Reed who helps validate my feelings even when I'm brimming with frustration because of this job called motherhood that I love but is also one of my greatest challenges. I'm grateful for Reed's calm steadiness. I'm grateful for his loving generosity for all of his family. I'm grateful for a confidant who loves all my messiness and my feelings and all the things I have a hard time loving about myself.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
I Really Want To Upload Pictures, But I Can't.
Summer is finally here! School has been out for a few weeks already. Life is both busy and relaxing.
Last week we had 2 of Reed's 2nd cousins stay with us for a few days. A boy who is 13 and a littler boy who is 4. Let's just say, we were all exhausted when those days were done. We didn't know each other all that well, so that was pretty rough anyway, but it was hard for those kiddos to get dropped off with us. We didn't know enough about them to know what kinds of food they even liked, or what kinds of temperatures they were used to sleeping in. Lots of adjustments to make in a very short amount of time.
Aftyn just started a running club this morning that will last through the first part of August. I already foresee this being loads of fun for her and a great way to run off all her excess energy. At the end, she and all the kids will be running a 5k!
Bronwyn is busy. Busy playing with the neighbors and doing her job chart every morning. She just got new lenses for her glasses and gets to wear them pretty much all day now. So we're adjusting to another full time glasses wearer in the family. Lochlan and I are the only ones holding out. Bronwyn has been taking piano lessons from me for a few months and is doing awesome at it! She seems to be a natural and really enjoys learning how to play. She wants to learn how to walk a tightrope this summer. I need to do some research into how to even help her work toward that goal. She also wants to learn how to do a flip on the trampoline.
Mirren is having daily preschool and learning house cleaning skills like sorting laundry, vacuuming, and wiping off counters. She was already doing a lot of these things, but now that we have to do them daily, she's getting REALLY good at repeated skills. Such as vacuuming. And learning not to complain about having a job every day. She is doing great at riding her bike with training wheels, which was one of her goals this summer. She's really proud of herself and that's fun to see. She continues to grow like a weed and she and Bronwyn are nearly 1 size apart in clothes. But I think Bronwyn is having a growth spurt so we will have to see how things are sizing up in a few months.
Lochlan is stubborn and funny and mostly "So so so mad, Mom". Oh the toddler 'tude is strong with this one. He is busy and curious and wants to help with all the jobs at our house. He loves to look at books especially about Sesame Street and Ernie and Bert and all the old school characters, and dump trucks and diggers and trains and sprinklers. He is in that "let's learn about everything in books so I can continually point them out again and again when we read this book over and over" stage. It's a fun one. ;) Riding in the car with him is quite the adventure as well since he's always pointing out things as we drive. Often he tells me to "turn 'round, Look! Turn 'round, Mom". His new word in the car is "Wow! That's amazing!". He still LOVES to smell things and now proclaims "Mmmm, 'licious that!". It's hilarious and cute and he has no idea how sweet and funny it is to hear him say that. He's always telling me that he smells something. He has also started telling me "I love you Mom". That's the best. Today in the car he turned to Bronwyn who sits next to him and told her "I love you sister". Without provocation and just because. So if you look past the attitude and the grumpy words he has to say, there are moments that make it all worth it and help me to see the promise there.
Reed and I are doing well. Still waiting to finish being certified as foster parents but oh so close. Work is going well for Reed. Summer is keeping me busy. My usual crazy barrage of crafty projects is keeping me busy. Gotta get going on recovering my couch here in the next couple of days. I was just called to now be the 1st counselor in primary since the old one just moved. Not much changed but just enough that I need to get myself better organized there. Reed was just called to be the secretary in the Priesthood Organization. He loves to go and play basketball once a week with the ward. Plays outside almost nightly with the kids and they love that. If he doesn't play outside then it's hide and seek or tag inside. We love to play board games with our kids. It's fun that at least half of them can follow rules and understand how to play now.
That's it for this update. I want to post pictures and videos, I have so many! *sigh* I'll keep working on it.
Last week we had 2 of Reed's 2nd cousins stay with us for a few days. A boy who is 13 and a littler boy who is 4. Let's just say, we were all exhausted when those days were done. We didn't know each other all that well, so that was pretty rough anyway, but it was hard for those kiddos to get dropped off with us. We didn't know enough about them to know what kinds of food they even liked, or what kinds of temperatures they were used to sleeping in. Lots of adjustments to make in a very short amount of time.
Aftyn just started a running club this morning that will last through the first part of August. I already foresee this being loads of fun for her and a great way to run off all her excess energy. At the end, she and all the kids will be running a 5k!
Bronwyn is busy. Busy playing with the neighbors and doing her job chart every morning. She just got new lenses for her glasses and gets to wear them pretty much all day now. So we're adjusting to another full time glasses wearer in the family. Lochlan and I are the only ones holding out. Bronwyn has been taking piano lessons from me for a few months and is doing awesome at it! She seems to be a natural and really enjoys learning how to play. She wants to learn how to walk a tightrope this summer. I need to do some research into how to even help her work toward that goal. She also wants to learn how to do a flip on the trampoline.
Mirren is having daily preschool and learning house cleaning skills like sorting laundry, vacuuming, and wiping off counters. She was already doing a lot of these things, but now that we have to do them daily, she's getting REALLY good at repeated skills. Such as vacuuming. And learning not to complain about having a job every day. She is doing great at riding her bike with training wheels, which was one of her goals this summer. She's really proud of herself and that's fun to see. She continues to grow like a weed and she and Bronwyn are nearly 1 size apart in clothes. But I think Bronwyn is having a growth spurt so we will have to see how things are sizing up in a few months.
Lochlan is stubborn and funny and mostly "So so so mad, Mom". Oh the toddler 'tude is strong with this one. He is busy and curious and wants to help with all the jobs at our house. He loves to look at books especially about Sesame Street and Ernie and Bert and all the old school characters, and dump trucks and diggers and trains and sprinklers. He is in that "let's learn about everything in books so I can continually point them out again and again when we read this book over and over" stage. It's a fun one. ;) Riding in the car with him is quite the adventure as well since he's always pointing out things as we drive. Often he tells me to "turn 'round, Look! Turn 'round, Mom". His new word in the car is "Wow! That's amazing!". He still LOVES to smell things and now proclaims "Mmmm, 'licious that!". It's hilarious and cute and he has no idea how sweet and funny it is to hear him say that. He's always telling me that he smells something. He has also started telling me "I love you Mom". That's the best. Today in the car he turned to Bronwyn who sits next to him and told her "I love you sister". Without provocation and just because. So if you look past the attitude and the grumpy words he has to say, there are moments that make it all worth it and help me to see the promise there.
Reed and I are doing well. Still waiting to finish being certified as foster parents but oh so close. Work is going well for Reed. Summer is keeping me busy. My usual crazy barrage of crafty projects is keeping me busy. Gotta get going on recovering my couch here in the next couple of days. I was just called to now be the 1st counselor in primary since the old one just moved. Not much changed but just enough that I need to get myself better organized there. Reed was just called to be the secretary in the Priesthood Organization. He loves to go and play basketball once a week with the ward. Plays outside almost nightly with the kids and they love that. If he doesn't play outside then it's hide and seek or tag inside. We love to play board games with our kids. It's fun that at least half of them can follow rules and understand how to play now.
That's it for this update. I want to post pictures and videos, I have so many! *sigh* I'll keep working on it.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Still Going
Life for the last 2 months has been so crazy. We have had new developments in our lives, as well the same old schedules that seemed to take on a faster speed.
About 6 weeks ago, I was put in as the 2nd counselor in the primary presidency in our ward. That has been a fun and challenging change. Time to get to know lots of new names. Working together in presidencies can be so rewarding and brings its own challenges at times.
Summer has finally decided that it's really coming here in Idaho Falls, so I've been putting in lots of time on our landscaping and yard in the last 5 weeks. I trimmed down 3 tree/bushes and took out 4 of those lovely evergreen-y bushes. You know, the flat lying ones that grow HUGE. That was my least favorite job. Those things are monsters. I still have to take out the main body on one of those and yes, I'm procrastinating it because I'm always being stabbed when I take them out and it's a very messy job. My parents thinned their raspberries at their house and gave us all the plants, so we have our own little raspberry patch that is still deciding if it's going to survive or not. We need to get a garden in and planted. I want to chop down our 2 pine trees. Still so much to do outside!
Bronwyn has been in a tap/ballet/jazz dance class this spring. She had her dance recital just a few days ago and if I had a way to upload a video, I totally would. But I don't at the moment, so, sorry. :(
Aftyn has been accepted into Bronwyn's charter school for next year and we are excited for her! We have really loved American Heritage for Bronwyn and can't wait to see what good things it does for Aftyn.
Something that has been a big thing in our lives for the past 2 months is that Reed and I are going through the process of becoming certified and licensed foster parents. This has been a very long process and not one that we're done with yet but we started it back in January. Just a few weeks ago, we finished taking the last of our 9 3-hour training classes. The 5 weeks of those classes were so hard, challenging and growing for our family. We learned to pull together, to get through hard things for a divine purpose. Reed and I learned SO MUCH from those classes that have changed us and really opened our eyes to the needs of not only the need for good foster homes but also how to foster attachment in our children and how to help foster safety in discipline for our kids. It's all been kind of a lot, this idea of foster care, but we're interested to see what Heavenly Father wants us to do with it. Our kids are excited at the idea of loving and accepting kids who need a safe home until their home is safe for them.
I am going to try going without comments here. I'm not getting many anyway, and maybe I just want a family record that you can read about with no pressure to say anything. I think I'm just going to give it a little try. Maybe it will help me want to write more often. Let's see!
About 6 weeks ago, I was put in as the 2nd counselor in the primary presidency in our ward. That has been a fun and challenging change. Time to get to know lots of new names. Working together in presidencies can be so rewarding and brings its own challenges at times.
Summer has finally decided that it's really coming here in Idaho Falls, so I've been putting in lots of time on our landscaping and yard in the last 5 weeks. I trimmed down 3 tree/bushes and took out 4 of those lovely evergreen-y bushes. You know, the flat lying ones that grow HUGE. That was my least favorite job. Those things are monsters. I still have to take out the main body on one of those and yes, I'm procrastinating it because I'm always being stabbed when I take them out and it's a very messy job. My parents thinned their raspberries at their house and gave us all the plants, so we have our own little raspberry patch that is still deciding if it's going to survive or not. We need to get a garden in and planted. I want to chop down our 2 pine trees. Still so much to do outside!
Bronwyn has been in a tap/ballet/jazz dance class this spring. She had her dance recital just a few days ago and if I had a way to upload a video, I totally would. But I don't at the moment, so, sorry. :(
Aftyn has been accepted into Bronwyn's charter school for next year and we are excited for her! We have really loved American Heritage for Bronwyn and can't wait to see what good things it does for Aftyn.
Something that has been a big thing in our lives for the past 2 months is that Reed and I are going through the process of becoming certified and licensed foster parents. This has been a very long process and not one that we're done with yet but we started it back in January. Just a few weeks ago, we finished taking the last of our 9 3-hour training classes. The 5 weeks of those classes were so hard, challenging and growing for our family. We learned to pull together, to get through hard things for a divine purpose. Reed and I learned SO MUCH from those classes that have changed us and really opened our eyes to the needs of not only the need for good foster homes but also how to foster attachment in our children and how to help foster safety in discipline for our kids. It's all been kind of a lot, this idea of foster care, but we're interested to see what Heavenly Father wants us to do with it. Our kids are excited at the idea of loving and accepting kids who need a safe home until their home is safe for them.
I am going to try going without comments here. I'm not getting many anyway, and maybe I just want a family record that you can read about with no pressure to say anything. I think I'm just going to give it a little try. Maybe it will help me want to write more often. Let's see!
Friday, April 27, 2018
Starting Again
Yes, I got lost for a few months there. Life has been its normal busy-ness with a few extras added in. So, I'm starting with today. Today, I called Bronwyn's school secretary to excuse her from class thanks to some awesome car brake issues we are having, but also to find out if she made it into her school's talent show that she auditioned for yesterday.
She! Made! It!!!!!
Bronwyn was so excited she squealed with excitement and gave me a hard hug around the neck. And then we set to work getting her ready again so we could video tape it for all of you to see.
She and I have worked hard on choreographing this dance, butting heads but still moving forward. We have spent hours practicing and brainstorming how to make it more her. She and I have put our hearts and souls into this dance. Because that's just how dorky I guess we are. Ha ha!!!
She told me, from the time she brought home the paper talking about the school talent show, that she wanted to do it and she wanted to dance. And since she seemed to have so much conviction about it, I figured it would be a great learning experience. And I'd say it has been.
Yesterday at her audition, she was so very very nervous when she saw all the older kids who filed into the gym to audition as well. She was the only kindergartner doing it. She held my arm like it was her life line and that made me worried that she might back out. But not once did she even mention the idea of quitting. She had planned to do it and she was going to do it by golly.
So without further ado, click on this link to take you to youtube so you can see it. And please don't share this link. https://youtu.be/VrUwH38Dk_s
She! Made! It!!!!!
Bronwyn was so excited she squealed with excitement and gave me a hard hug around the neck. And then we set to work getting her ready again so we could video tape it for all of you to see.
She and I have worked hard on choreographing this dance, butting heads but still moving forward. We have spent hours practicing and brainstorming how to make it more her. She and I have put our hearts and souls into this dance. Because that's just how dorky I guess we are. Ha ha!!!
She told me, from the time she brought home the paper talking about the school talent show, that she wanted to do it and she wanted to dance. And since she seemed to have so much conviction about it, I figured it would be a great learning experience. And I'd say it has been.
Yesterday at her audition, she was so very very nervous when she saw all the older kids who filed into the gym to audition as well. She was the only kindergartner doing it. She held my arm like it was her life line and that made me worried that she might back out. But not once did she even mention the idea of quitting. She had planned to do it and she was going to do it by golly.
So without further ado, click on this link to take you to youtube so you can see it. And please don't share this link. https://youtu.be/VrUwH38Dk_s
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