Deals

Here's a fun little thing from T.O. I just sat down for a rest. He decides he is hungry but there is apparently a fly in there. I really didn't want to get up to attempt to kill a fly. I told him that if the fly landed on his nose I woulf give him all the chocolate in the house. TO then said "then you can't make chocolate chip cookies". true. Do he countered with "if he lands on my nose can you make chocolate chip cookies?". yes, buddy. yes. ☺️ parenting win.

So much has changed but yet still the same

 I recently remembered this good ol' blog. With Instagram, I think the world has forgotten the existence of blogs but to my surprise many of the blogs I used to follow are still updating their blogs. So, apparently the blog world still exists.  I have been taking my blogs and putting them in a word document since it like a journal.  As I was doing this, I found a comment I made about Pinterest being blogs on steroids. So, what does that make Instagram?  

Anyway, I find myself longing (probably not the right word) to share life but Instagram doesn't seem to be the best place for me and then I remembered how I enjoyed blogging. Only a handful of family and friends saw it and it was fun to have a place to share. 

However, I have been reading some blogs from 2011 and 2012 and few others in between.  Things that stand out to me: I shared quite a bit...maybe more journal worthy than blog worthy, I seemed bored and lacked purpose and was trying to find things to create purpose in my days with one child, Boo was apparently a handful...really she still is 😁, how overwhelmed I was with littles, how much I have stayed the same and how much I have changed. 

One post talked about shows I liked to watch. I commented that I was not a funny person but recognize my need to laugh. I was surprised to see that I said that back in 2011 or 2012 because I felt like it was something I learned about myself in the last few years-but I guess I re-learned that.  GG and I watch a show most nights since about 2020. We find a show that will make us laugh. I have found this is a hard thing to do. Comedy shows like to be laced with inappropriate topics.  I still pine for a show that I loved but decided it had too much from one of the characters that wasn't good for our home but the rest of the characters were so much fun.  Currently, we are watching Modern Family. Laugh guarantee. A few topics may be more grown-up content but not too bad. Boo hears us laughing and has caught a few parts of the episodes. She wanted to stay up one night and watch one with me. It happened to be about the kids walking in on their parents. 💀😁. It was hilarious to watch it with her and she was so uncomfortable but led to some conversation with her. I am hoping in the end it will be chalked up to a win and not a scarring experience. 

One way that I have changed is that crafting does not make it's way into my life nearly as much as it did then. But that is probably part of the trends. Back then it felt like DIY was the thing-thanks to Pinterest. Now I feel like the creative outlet for me is home-improvement-thanks to Instagram reels. Not that I do much in that area, but it is what takes up that space. 

I also like to think I am not so nearly overwhelmed. At least I hope I am not, since my littles aren't quite so little. I definitely have my moments but it's not daily. Looking back, after reading some of the posts, those days are hard, special, fun and beautiful but it is not for the faint of heart or the lonely of heart. People. I needed people then. Truth, I need people now too. As shy as I can be and definitely was, I am extroverted. People give me energy. I love to be connected to people and to feel included. 

Another theme of my blog seemed to be talking about budgets. It hasn't changed much. But that is that because it is so engrained into my way of thinking? We were on a teacher salary. We probably have at 3x that income but it's funny how as your income increases so does your expectations of what is a need instead of a want. This month my goal is to have a no spend month-only the necessities. But can I include my more expensive $$ face care products that I hope go on sale for Valentine's Day because It's almost gone? To justify myself, I did try some from Target and my face didn't like it. So, necessity? 😉Hehe. 

I was surprised to see a post about a books. I didn't know I read much then. And it would have been a physical book. There was definitely a time I didn't feel like it could read books- too many kids knocking them out of my hands or too tired. I have found audiobooks and I love it. I started audiobooks in 2023. Last year I listened to over 50 books. I have also learned to love non-fiction. I loved the idea of them but without a deadline-I couldn't read them. I would just fall asleep.  

Exercise was apparently something I have done forever but I am sure in 2011 I was doing Richard Simmons and Denise Austin.  😁. I have grown leaps and bounds. Literally, I use a rebounder. hehe. I think it was around the birth of baby number 2 that exercise became a daily part of life. Then, somewhere around baby #4 Daily burn was a part of my life and I loved that so much-it made my exercise much more well-rounded. Then in 2023 DB ended and I found Michelle Briehler. Strength became a bigger part of my exercise-not that I go to the gym and lift weights, but I use much heavier weights than I ever had, and I am stronger than I have ever been. I am hoping that is why my body is not as thin as it once was.   Overall, same but changed-for the better. 

What is Christmas

I have been getting ready for a book group that I am hosting about the Man Who Invented Christmas, referring to Charles Dickens and his "Christmas Carol". This idea about Christmas being invented is a bit of a paradigm shift. Christmas is something we have always done. It has something my family has always done. It's tradition! While it has been something in the making for 1600 years, it has been evolving and changing. It's hard to imagine it being as a time that was used for very different purposes than to celebrate Christ or doing good. I have already been trying to shed some of the culture-especially when it comes to Santa Claus but after watching/reading a few articles about the origins of Christmas and why we shouldn't celebrate Christmas makes me feel cautious about my celebrations. With all of the symbols and gift giving having its roots in paganism makes me question why we do what we do. I do believe we can attach the symbols to what ever fits our celebration-since it is us who decides what they mean. Religion is very heavy on the use of symbols so the fact that they may be the same symbols used by pagans doesn't mean they can't have different meanings or references.
So really, as I ponder the different decorations and activities we do, as long as it points to Christ, then celebrating Christmas is a very honorable thing to do.
One thing I can't quite tell how to relate entirely to Christ and the most distracting to the focus of Christ is gift giving. I know, there is the idea of being charitable, showing love and appreciation, spreading joy through gifts but there is so much of it that isn't just that. So much pressure, time, hunting for deals, selfishness even in the buying of the gifts with the deals they offer if you buy a certain thing. It's so hard to be genuine in the gift giving. When it comes to gift giving outside of my immediate family it also becomes harder and often feels more of an obligation. Is it just me?

I like this quote:
 "I have always thought of Christmas time as...the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." The holiday "has done me good and will do me good; and I say, God bless it."

My hope for this Christmas season and future seasons is that I can peal away the pieces of Christmas that don't bring light, joy and increase my love and devotion for the Savior.

To be thankful

All I have to do is look at my Instagram posts or my blog posts through the years to remember what I am thankful for and feel immense joy to have the life that I am living. And then there are the million other things in between.

Today a few things that are on my mind:

I am thankful for the spirit which whispers to me simple ways to improve. If anyone but the Spirit told me to change, I fear I am too proud. And the words of the Spirit seem to stay with me longer so that I can remember to change. For example, we all have parenting struggles (at least I sure hope we do and I am not alone!). As I was having a particular rough day with one of my children, I wanted nothing but to have space and run errands by myself after dinner. But as I sat at the dinner table facing my inner turmoil, I remember something the spirit whispered to me not too long before as I had pondered and prayed how to be a better mother to this particular child, "spend 15 minutes with her". So I invited her along to run errands with me. Nothing fun but we walked, held hands and talked. It is something I need to remember everyday.

I am thankful for the opportunity to see tithing as sacrifice. So many times I pay it and think nothing of it. But as I have found myself wanting more and feeling like it was something out of our budget, the thought came, "Man, if we didn't pay tithing we could afford it." A scary temptation. However, it is a sacrifice that has and will continue to bring the blessings of heaven.  Yesterday, I listened to a talk "Becoming a Disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ" by Elder Hales from 2017. He said people practiced what he called "selective obedience" and the line that stuck out to me "They gave alms to the poor but offered only heir excess--what they did not need for themselves." I don't know this sacrifice. I don't know how to give what I don't need. Anyway, I'm glad I could see an opportunity of a way I can and have sacrificed as I learn to give more freely.

I am thankful for life. I feel that I am recognizing the mortality of the people around me. A sister in my ward was diagnosed with cancer-She has an amazing fighting spirit. A brother in my ward passed away last night- GG was there in the hospital with their family. A few days ago, they probably had no idea anything big was going to happen. Facebook fills my feed with the struggles of my friends. At stake conference last week, I looked around and saw a number of gray haired and older people.  I realized these were my friends parents. Another generation is raising up and another moving to another season of life. I'm in the middle right now but it won't be long before I am that older generation. How does time and life seem to slip by like a dream?

I am thankful for my ability to exercise. I love it. It feels good to be stronger. It feels good to do something I don't think I can or even want to in the moment. It is wonderful practice for life.

I am thankful for food. I am thankful for comfort, security, love and belonging.

I am thankful for 4 children who call me mom.

I am thankful for a wonderful, devoted and serving husband.

I am thankful for my upbringing and the sacrifices my parents had to raise a family. They gave up a lot to have as many children as they did.

I am thankful so many things. It's easy to feel thankful. The real test is to BE thankful, to act thankful. To be so thankful, that I would give even in my want.

Happy Thanksgiving!

years

okay, just a quick note (I make no promises).

I know I have been away from my blog for a long time now and have only made a post or two in the last several years. I happened to look at the side bar of my blog at blogs I used to follow. Do you remember the NieNie Dialogues/diary(?? something like that).  I clicked on it, not realizing she still blogged while in my absence from the blog world. Her post had her 18 year old daughter!! Shut the front door! Her kids were all little, moving into a nice big house as Utah bloggers do and now she has an almost adult.
It makes me sick. Why do the years fly by so quickly. Right now, I have two children pulling on a cord of a disco light fighting on who will plug it in, neither willing to give in and to reach the same goal of dancing with the lights--this is why the years have to fly by quickly or we might not make it.  But this stage in our lives will be gone so quickly. I find it hard to even remember day to day life when Boo was little.  And it 10 years I look back it will all seem to be a dream. And then where will we be? I realize I am no longer 27 and I should start accepting my age and my body, while stronger does not look like a 27 year old anymore.  And that the idea of being a grandma, yes I just said grandma, is not a completely outlandish idea for my future-it is a little but not completely.

Making progress

I was driving home from the Y and I somehow the thought of my old blog  came to mind. I could barely recall the web address, thankfully I remembered the original blog name and found my most current one.
I feel like I am more of a complete person when write and share my life. I have been sporadically writing in a journal but I never look at it and its not nearly as fun to look at without pictures.  So I am once again going to attempt to blog again. Out of curiosity, is there anyone who isn't a professional blogger out there still?

So what to share?
I have been a member of the Y for a year and a half and I can say I have improved my running, mostly in the last 11 months, from a slightly 9 something minute down to 8  1/2 minute mile. Yay! Still working on running for longer. Slowly but surely. I can at least say I don't hate it and that I don't  feel like my heart is going to race right out of me.
We are contemplating finding a bigger house. We found we like but there a few things holding us back. Until we ready we went into full get the house ready to sell mode. I am tired. Its amazing what you can get rid of when you arw trying to declutter the appearance of your home while making it liveable. I was amazed how games made it into at least 4 different  places, toys and books in so many rooms and places. Marie kondo is onto something when she  says to organize by like things versus by room. Huge difference in assessing what you have. And it makes a huge difference it how your house looks and feels.

And because pictures make things fun here are a few:

 Our kitchen update

 A little gem from our come follow me lesson the other night. It came from a scripture in Hebrews. Not letting our testimony become slippery and holding tight to the word of God so that we don't slip when hard times come...dad got an arm workout. 😁

 Ta-ta for now.

After Pregnancy

It's been one week since I've been pregnant and it feels so freeing despite the slow return of my body. I feel like the tummy pouch went down faster but I am older and even last time my doctor said I would need a tummy tuck. I hope *hope* I can avoid having a pouch or surgery.

My ankles have almost returned...still a little swollen but not swollen. I get weird little puffs on the inside of my ankles when I'm pregnant (reflexology says that's your uterus, so it makes sense). My fingers and toes are fatter..sadly I don't think they are swollen either. That just might be fat. I can't get my wedding ring on.

I'm finally starting to get nursing neck and shoulders. Ughh. I know I'll get stronger or if I just have better posture while nursing I'll be fine. But I exercised, I use that term incredibly loosely, I moved my body and arms around just loose them up...more of an active stretch??? I don't know if I can hold out until 6 weeks to exercise. I'm proud to say that I exercised the day Baby L was born...once again it was an easy quick one given time and motivation that day.

Today is GG's first full day back at work. It was wonderful having him home. He was the ideal husband and father that week. He cleaned, he bathed, he entertained, he shopped, he was patient and the list could go on. It was simply the best. I could spend my time taking care of Baby L and taking care of my body's needs. The first day home was perfect in that I could nap when he napped and just hold and adore him. I know paternity leave doesn't technically exist for his work, but he took the time off anyway. I felt a little selfish but was lovely.

Little Miss #3, has come up with some new techniques this morning. The other girls were off playing, L was crying and I was trying to figure out how to soothe him . I had put a show in for her but she decided she wanted attention from me so she came over and started "hitting" (super soft) me and laughing. Oh golly. Then at lunch time, he was still crying, Little Miss #3 was angrily crying, I was trying to make lunch one handed and meet the requests of everyone. It was a chaotic few minutes and only the beginning.

Well, here's to a smooth adjustment phase!! OH Heaven help us! :)