Disneyland 2012

I went to Disneyland!!!

*Most of the pictures I'll have from this trip are going to be coming from either my sister or from PhotoPass, and I won't have either for at least a couple weeks, maybe more.  I have a few of my own photos though, and I'll share those now, but there just aren't very many.

One week ago, I was sitting in an airplane, headed for Anaheim.  Everything went super smoothly.  I arrived, caught my shuttle, and checked into our hotel.  I was "piggybacking" on my sister's work trip, and they put us up in the Grand Californian, Disney's nicest Disneyland resort hotel!  It was beautiful!

I didn't waste any time, as soon as I was checked in, I headed straight to the parks.  I spent most of my time just getting familiar with California Adventure since I haven't been to Disneyland Resort since it had been added.  I caught a couple shows and met Dug, the dog from Up!  Dug is one of my favorite characters, even though Up is not one of my favorite movies.  I just love him, though!  When he finally arrived, I told him, "Dug, I have been waiting here for 35 minutes just to meet you... because I love you!"  (You have to have seen the movie to understand.)

I also checked out Carsland!!  It was so exciting to see this brand new land!  It looks just like the movie and when you walk down Route 66 it feels like you are right there in Radiator Springs!  I took these pictures on my own while I waited to meet up with everyone, then I took the next set when we were all together and went to see it all lit up at night.

I've been trying to decide what was my favorite part about Carsland, and I think it has to be the Carsland Racers ride, which was a BLAST!  I'm getting a little out of order with my pics here, but this is the picture from when Debi and I rode it together Saturday morning.

Okay, back to Thursday afternoon.  I had some friends from high school who happened to be at Disneyland at the same time, so we met up and spent a good hour or so together.  It was so great to see them again!  They had been high school sweethearts and now they are a family!  I'm so happy for them and I'm so glad I got a chance to catch up with all that has been going on in their lives.  Their oldest was with them and she was ADORABLE!!!  She told me all about all of the rides she had been on and which were her favorites - she is a thrill seeker!  One of her favorites was Tower of Terror!!!  Before we parted ways, we took this pic...

Then it was time to meet up with my sister!  Yay!  We were so excited to be at Disneyland together!!!  Her work had arranged for us to watch World of Color from the VIP section, so we headed back into California Adventure to get ready for that.  Super cool fact: VIPs get free Glow with the Show Ears!!

World of Color was AMAZING!!!  I didn't even bother trying to record it or photograph it because 1) I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do it justice, and 2) I wanted to ENJOY it!  It was absolutely incredible and I cannot wait to take my family back to see it!  I just know they will all love it!!

The parks closed after World of Color ended, so we headed back to the hotel to relax in the hot tub and meet up with more of our group.  We spent the rest of our weekend with Debi's co-worker/friend, Megan and her sister Jenna.  They were SO MUCH FUN!

Jenna and I were on our own while our sisters had to work on Friday, and we got along together so well that we decided to enjoy Disneyland together until they were done working.  Jenna is awesome!  She absolutely loves Disneyland and knows a ton about it, which was a lot of fun for me!  We rode on a bunch of rides and talked a lot.  It was really great getting to know her; we became fast friends. :)

Even though we rode a bunch of rides, none of them were rides that took photos, so I don't have much by way of that to show you.  But here are pictures of Disneyland decked out of Halloween Time...

And here are photos that I took of Sleeping Beauty Castle - I can't wait to bring Rori here!!

Once the sisters were done working, we met up with them and got ready for Mickey's Halloween Party!

We were all dressed as "Minnie" and were looking forward to taking lots of pictures with our boy Mickey!  I have a lot of photos on our PhotoPass account and will be able to share them later, but for now, I can show you this picture that was taken with someone else's camera.  Even though it was mostly just the four of us hanging out, there were some other girls from Debi's work that also dressed as Minnie and they were with us when we took this picture.

Mickey throws an AMAZING party!  We rode a couple rides, watched the Halloween parade, got a great spot for the Halloween fireworks, and Trick-or-Treated!

Debi had been nervous about the rides.  Let's be honest, she was being a fraidy cat.  But we convinced her to just try one... and why we picked Space Mountain as the one she should try is beyond me because that combined most of her fears into one! But for whatever CRAZY reason, we decided to give it a go, and...

... SHE LOVED IT!!!  After that, she was game for all the rides!  (Except for spinning ones that get us sick, but we were all in agreement on that.)

We did ride one or two other rides that night, but once the fireworks were over, we noticed that the Trick-or-Treating trails were nearly empty so we took advantage of the short lines to fill our bags with candy.  It was the first time I had been trick-or-treating (for myself) in over 20 years!!!  And it was SO FUN!  We totally felt like kids again!

The next day we were tired and sore from our late night playing, but that didn't stop us from hitting the parks again!  We started in California Adventure.  We rode Carsland Racers (Pic posted above), Toy Story Mania, Goofy's Fly School, Soarin', and the Grizzly River Run.  It was all so much fun!  Then we hopped over to Disneyland, where, to be honest, it is all a blur.  We went on Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, and Splash Mountain.  I'm pretty sure we went on more but I just can't remember.  We also stopped to watch the parade, the normal fireworks, and Fantasmic!  It felt good to stop and sit for awhile and when they were over, we were ready to hit some more rides before the park closed.

The other girls were going to be back in the parks on Sunday, but I had a flight taking me home, so this was my last night.  One of the best parts of that day happened at the very end.  We had already ridden Splash Mountain, and we were wet and kind of cold, but before we left, we wanted to ride it one more time.  This time we decided to pose on our way down the drop.  I think our photo turned out awesome, what do you think?

It was the perfect way to end my trip!

Disneyland is a magical place.  No matter if it is your first time, or one hundred and first; no matter if you are young or just young at heart, Disney has the power to bring out the kid in each and every person who walks through those gates.  I had such a great time on this trip!  I loved spending it with my sister and I loved making new friends.

I can't wait to go back!!!

Back-to-School

Kids hate it, moms love it... it's the first day of school!!!

This morning I didn't mind the early alarm because I knew that it meant I was just hours away from peace and quiet and... sweet freedom!!!

I love my kids.  I adore my kids!  But that is not going to stop me from appreciating the joys of an empty house for a few hours everyday!

Ironically, those hours are going to include a lot of cleaning, not my favorite thing in the world, but just knowing that whatever I get done will stay done for a few hours makes it worth it! :)

Last night, we set the girls' hair for curls today and they both sported fun, cute, curly dos as they left the house this morning.

Don't they look happy?  Well, at least I know one of them is genuine, the other is too experienced to be fooled. ;)

Happy First Day of School to my kiddos... and ME!  :)

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." ~ Walt Disney

It's no secret that our family has always loved Disney.  Both of our girls have Disney names (Acadia's middle name is Belle, named after Beauty and the Beast.  And though Rori is named Aurora for her great-great-grandmother, we loved that it is also the name of Sleeping Beauty.) and both have lived up to those names as little princesses.  Cadi has outgrown the princess stage, of course, but shares many of Belle's traits: her love of reading, courage, and loyalty.  Right now, Rori IS very much a princess. ;)

In the past, we've had our love of Disney in the background and only enjoyed it's full emergence as we planned for an upcoming Disney vacation.  Then, once the trip passed, it quietly slipped back into the background as normal everyday life went on.

But last year, that changed.  Once again, Disney was in our home full-force as we planned another dream Disney vacation.  But this time, with the school year following immediately after, and the thoughts of "how will I spend my time while the girls are both in school" playing in my head, a ball was set into motion.

I love planning Disney trips.  No, let me rephrase that... I LOVE planning Disney trips!!!  Every time I have planned one for our family, I have felt like the trip began months before we went.  It was fun and exciting!  It extended the experience of being there because in my head I was there everyday, for months prior, as I planned and researched it.  As I talked with friends about our upcoming trips, they would say things like, "When we go to Disney, I am talking to YOU!"  And I would say, "I would LOVE to help you plan your trip!  Just promise to tell me all about it when you're back!"  Occasionally someone would say, "You should do this for a living."  And I would think, "If only I were so lucky!  But I'm sure I'd have to live in Orlando to get a job like that..."  Now I laugh at how naive I was.

Finally, one day, shortly before our vacation last year, a friend told me that a mutual acquaintance of ours is a Disney Vacation Planner and that I should talk to her about it.  WHAT?!?!  A Disney Vacation Planner here, in the Pacific Northwest?  Is that possible???  Well, yes, it is!  And why shouldn't it be?  With internet access and phone lines, you can do anything from home that you can do in an office, so why not live more than 3,000 miles away from the destination in question!

To make a long story not quite as long, I talked to this mutual acquaintance and she was so very helpful!  Our family went on our wonderful Disney vacation and came home to the rush of a new school year.  And as soon as the dust settled, I started making contacts.  It took a couple of months, but eventually, I was officially an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner myself!  I had completed the Disney College of Knowledge and signed on as an affiliate for an Earmarked travel agency that Disney works with, and now I work part time as a Disney Vacation Planner, from my home!

The best part is that I love it!  I love it so much!  I get to help people plan their dream vacations and since I love the planning almost as much as the actual trip, it's almost like being there every time!  Right now I'm very part time.  I don't receive leads from the agency I'm with, so the only clients I have are people I know or people that have been referred to me by people I know.  And for now, that is okay!  I would like this to grow, and that is my long term goal, but it is something I truly am doing just for fun right now.  :)

I recently started a FaceBook page for my business, so please make sure to visit it!  By liking it and sharing it with friends, you'll be helping my dream grow.  And if you are ever interested in planning a Disney trip (I can help with ALL Disney destinations.), I hope you will let me help you!  It is a FREE service for you!  (My commissions are paid by Disney, not the client.)  Referrals are awesome as well, so please feel free to pass along my information to anyone interested in Disney travel.

Along with this new part of my life, comes new opportunities.  Because of my new goals and the advantages I have, I am planning even more trips for myself and my family.  I realize that I am so very fortunate!  I am blessed that my husband has a job that provides for our family so I can stay home and choose to do a "fun" job instead of having to go out of the home to get a steady, less-fun job.  I am so grateful for the hard work he does and the support and encouragement he gives me!    

Two more quotes from Walt Disney:

"If you can dream it, you can to it."

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

"The hair is the richest ornament of women." ~ Martin Luther

When Acadia was little, I tried to play with her hair but she was just not interested.  Add to that, the fact that I didn't really know how to "do" hair anyway, and it's easy to see why I just didn't get into it much until recently.

For the last couple of years, I have been braiding Rori's hair.  Her hair is long and thick and beautiful... and gets tangled very easily!  So, braiding it, or putting it up into pony tails at least, helped keep it out of her way and tangle-free.  As her first year of school came upon us, I also happened to learn about a few hair blogs*, YouTube channels*, and FaceBook pages* that all shared tons of ideas on cute, fun, and often easy ways to do little girls' hair.  We tried a few... and were hooked!  Well, I was hooked... she was tolerant. ;)

I didn't think much of it, just had fun doing her hair every morning and sending her on her way.  Sometimes I would hear the kids at the bus stop say, "Woah, Rori, your hair is cool!"... and I have to admit, that felt kinda awesome. :)

After some time, however, I started hearing comments from adults.  Teachers, friends' moms, people at church, etc. who all exclaimed how much they love seeing Rori's hair whenever they see her.  To the point that sometimes teachers would seek her out to see what her hairdo was like that day!  I had no idea it was getting that much attention!  I was not just being introduced as Rori's mom, but as Rori's mom-who-does-her-hair-every-day-in-the-most-incredible-ways!  And even though it was a little embarrassing at first to realize how much people were noticing, that still felt pretty awesome, too. ;)

Now, we do not do an elaborate hairstyle every single day.  But we do try new hairstyles frequently and often do fancy styles for holidays and special events.  I've shared several photos here and will probably share many more.

I don't spend nearly as much time on this as I do on Family History or Disney, but it has (unintentionally) become something that does now define me, to many people.  And I don't mind, because I do enjoy it so much!  I don't claim to be very original, we copy almost all of the styles we do, and I doubt I'll ever become one of the bloggers, YouTubers, or FaceBookers giving tutorials or anything like that.  But I do like sharing the photos, knowing that lots of people are enjoying them.  :)

*These are some of my favorites. :)

"I am yours and you are mine now, through all eternity!"*

For a long time, I've wanted to get involved with my family history.  But I always seemed to have other responsibilities that were a higher priority to me at the time.  I recognized that it wasn't the right time for me yet, but that as soon as I saw the "right time" come along, I should not hesitate.  So with my youngest beginning school, that was one of the first things I focused on.

But how to begin?  I knew little about doing family history work.  I enlisted the help of my good friend who eat, breathes, and sleeps genealogy, and she was eager to help me get started.  For many weeks, she came to my home each Monday morning and guided me as I began my journey.  I am so grateful for her help and patience!  

A few months later (by this time, we were not meeting weekly anymore, as she had gotten me started and I was doing okay on my own), the youth at church had an activity where parents were invited.  At this activity, the youth (and parents) were taught how to use the new.familysearch.org site to find individuals on their family tree who were ready to have ordinances performed for them in the temple.  With a simple click, Acadia was able to reserve names to take with her during their next temple trip.  I was impressed!  Though I had been searching for family members with my friend, I hadn't gotten to the point of taking them to the temple.  This took my interest and joy of family history to a completely new level!

The following week, Ryan and I both attended with Acadia as she performed baptisms for our ancestors.  It was amazing!  Immediately, Acadia turned those names over to us, it was now our turn to continue the work.  It was exciting and almost intoxicating!  I loved being a part of it!  And I was hooked.  A hopeless addict.  :)

I spend, on average, one or two days a week working on our family history.  I love to find stories about my ancestors and share them with my family members.  I have continued to send Cadi to the temple with family names, as recently as last night!  And I have shared names with my siblings so they can help in the work - and the joy. :)  

Working on my family history has also increased my temple attendance.  I am eager to get this work done.  I look for reasons to go, always searching my calendar for another day I can squeeze a trip in.  I love it!  

It is not always easy.  I am stuck on a few names, information has been lost that I cannot seem to find... yet.  I keep looking and I won't stop.  I am learning more about who I am as I learn more about my ancestors.  I have so much more work to do, I don't know if it ever truly ends.  But I am enjoying it so much, I can't hardly call it work.  It is a joy and one of my favorite hobbies now, definitely a big part of who I am today.

*Words taken from the children's song, Family History - I am Doing It.  The words and music to this song can be found here.

Allow me to Reintroduce myself...

I think it is interesting that sometimes we go months, or even years, without feeling like anything changes.  Maybe we're stuck in a rut, or maybe our responsibilities just don't change and so neither do we, or maybe we just don't try new things.  And then there are times when we look around and realize that almost everything has changed.  Lately, I've felt more like the latter.

There are certain things that will never change for me.  My top priorities of faith and family, for sure.  That will never change, though they tend to grow stronger and deeper as I continue to work, serve, love, and live.  I believe I will always love Lord of the Rings... passionately.  And I also believe I will always love the Patriots... also, passionately. lol  But some of the things I do/think about in my free time (The fact that I even get free time now, is a huge change! lol), have changed a lot!

A few years ago, I was known for my stamping.  Loved it!  Did it daily.  I haven't touched a rubber stamp in years.  I also used to scrapbook.  I still do, but now it is digitally, and typically only for vacations and special events, not every photo, the way I used to.  When I was younger, my whole life seemed to be about whales and dolphins.  I still love them, but I rarely think about them throughout my day.  More recently, I loved candles.  Again, I still like candles, but I don't burn them much anymore, and when I do, it is usually a jar candle, not decorative ones.  At one time, those things were part of what defined me.  I don't think any of them are anymore.

Nowadays, aside from faith and family, my thoughts and time are usually spend on one of three things...

1. Family History
2. Rori's Hair
3. Disney

(And not necessarily in that order! lol)

I've posted about these things before, but not nearly as much as I've thought about them. lol  I think that I hesitated in posting much about them because they were not how I used to be defined.  But in the last year, these three things have quickly become things that do define me now.  I think a lot of that is because both of my girls are in school now and I do get a lot more time to spend on things that interest me; my job of being a stay-at-home mom is not as busy as it was when I actually had a young child "stay at home" during the day.  As Rori's first school year approached, I did put a lot of thought on how I would spend that time; I didn't want to be idle, I didn't want to spend it on things that don't matter.  I considered a few things, but these are the ones that stuck and have seemed to have taken off, as if they were always meant to be part of who I am.

I don't know if in five years these three things will still be so important in my life.  I hope they are, especially Family History and Disney.  I realize that as Rori grows older, she may become less and less interested in the idea of me playing with her hair every morning. ;)  But for now, they are.  And so...

I want to introduce you to the me I am now by introducing you to these three things in more detail.  This post would be too long if I tried to do it now, so I am planning to follow up this post with posts about each of these topics, explaining why I love it, how I got involved with it, and how it's playing a role in my life now.

Links: Family History, Rori's Hair, Disney

Change can be good.

I've felt a change lately.  It started earlier this year and has continued, and in some ways, grown.  I think it's a good change.  And I'm glad.  But there have been some side effects.  Like, less blogging.

It has been a spiritual change, mostly.  I have felt a strong spiritual growth as I've been studying the Book of Mormon more deeply and fully than ever before.  (I LOVE my calling for this very reason!)  And as a result, I've been feeling a change in my thoughts and actions throughout the rest of my day, too.  I *humbly* think that it's a more selfless way of thinking.  I haven't been thinking about *me*, or what I can get, or what people will think of me.  I've been thinking more of others, what might help them, what will make people feel thought of, special, not alone, etc.  It's a good thing.  But doesn't really make for good blogging.  The things I've been thinking (and trying to act upon) are not things I feel comfortable blogging.  It's not something I want to share.  That's not what it's about.

But there have still been other things in daily life that are good to blog, and I've neglected them. Partly because I've been busy.  Partly because when I'm not busy, I'm tired and then I feel lazy. lol

Today is my birthday though, and I'm making a conscious decision not to be busy.  And that means I have time to be productive in areas I've neglected.  Like blogging.

I'd like to promise that I'll be better in the near future.  I'm not sure yet.  I love blogging.  I love sharing our lives with family and friends who care and aren't here to share these things with us in person.  And I love sharing my testimony, whether it's spoken or just in how we/I live our lives.  So, I will try to be better.

And in the meantime, I will try to catch up.  :)

Mother's Day

I love my family!  I feel very blessed to have my wonderful husband and two delightful girls.  Mother's Day is always a joy for me.  I have few expectations.  I don't care about what I get - in fact, I usually prefer that they don't spend money on me at all.  I just love getting a day of them serving me. lol

From the moment I get up, I'm being told to stay in bed while they bring me breakfast.  And with breakfast, they always bring in homemade cards and gifts and I love it!  I especially love that as the girls get older, these cards and gifts are completely from them, their words, their ideas, their creativity.  Ryan did give me some fudge this year, with this cute little note:

Your love for me and the children is like fudge.  Sometimes soft, sometimes hard, but always sweet (and a little nutty).

LOL  I loved it!

I really enjoyed the talks in church about motherhood.  I especially appreciated the thoughts that motherhood is not just bearing children; that all can mother.  There are many who love and nurture those around them and they should be honored, too.  And I am reminded that I am not to mother only my children, but others as well.  I am grateful for all who help to mother my kids.  It is comforting to know that there are others who care and are interested in them and in helping them to be happy, healthy, safe, and successful.

After church, Ryan went to visit an older sister in our ward (that he Home Teaches) who has been in the hospital with some painful health problems.  He was concerned about her spending Mother's Day alone in a hospital room.  Initially we were all going to go with him, but it worked out better for him to take along his companion so they could administer to her while the girls and I phoned the moms/grandmas and prepared to spend the evening at my aunt's house.  I was touched that he was careful to take her some chocolate and a flower.  He is so thoughtful that way. :)  And, he was also careful to be back in time for dinner with family. :)

Our evening at my aunt's house was fun, as always!  We surprised her - she didn't know we would be coming over!  But her kids had asked us to and they prepared the house and food for company.  It was a good surprise, she loved it! :)  

I forgot my camera, but I stole some of the pics from Sami's camera:

And watch this funny video that Matthew took:

LOL... we always have fun with them!  I just wish I had thought to tell Sami to take a picture of her mom and I.  And one of me and my girls.  :S   Well, that's what I get for taking my little camera break.  ;)

I am grateful for my mother.  I am grateful for the example she has always been to me throughout my life.  And I'm grateful for the lessons that I continue to learn from her - whether it is me reflecting back on things she taught while I was younger, or things I learn from her now.  I hope she knows how much she is loved and valued by her children. :)

I am especially grateful to be a mother.  It is not an easy job and I sometimes get very tired of the mundane tasks and responsibilities, but I love my girls and I love that I get to be the one who raises them.  I love that they want ME.  They are so good to me.  It makes me want to be a better mom for them.  I love them so much!  

No whining allowed!

I really do not like hate whining.  Yes, hate.  It's a strong word, but it is the right word in this instance.  Yet, at times, I, too, feel the urge to whine.

This morning, I was awoken early by cats fighting right outside my window.  And a migraine.  And... it was Monday.  :S

I was grumpy.  I hurt.  I banged on the window to scare off the cats.  I got up and took way more meds than I like to take, just to make the pounding in my head go away.  I knew that much medication would make me feel shaky and sick for most of the rest of the day, and even though I hate migraines more, that yucky drugged up feeling is almost as bad.  ... Did I mention, I was grumpy?

I got onto FaceBook and was tempted to gripe about just how awful I felt... but then I had a sudden flash of inspiration and posted this instead:

I feel like whining... But instead, I will think of some of my blessings. I am so grateful for my faith, my family, my home, my friends, and my country. I am thankful that each day is full of new possibilities and that I have the choice of how I will act, how I will learn, and how I will grow each day. I am grateful for the sunshine we had this weekend, and I'm also grateful for the rain we have today because I love the sound of it on my rooftop and the smell of it in the air - and besides, this is what makes my part of the country such a gorgeous place to live. I am grateful that, already, I don't feel like whining much anymore. :)

I was also immediately reminded of something my friend said in church last week.  Whenever she realizes that she got up on the wrong side of the bed, she literally gets back into bed and then gets up on the other side!  It's just so silly that it makes her laugh out loud and already she feels better.  

I have to admit, I did not get back into bed to get up on the other side, but just thinking about it made me laugh, too.  That, adding to quick acting medication and my little change of heart FB post, has completely changed how I feel today.

Today is a great day!  It is great because I am choosing to make it great.

Happy Monday, everyone! :)

"A dream is a wish your heart makes..." ~Cinderella

This is what I should be doing today...

But I find that all I'm actually doing is daydreaming about this...

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." ~Walt Disney

The post that was roughly 10 years in the making...

Last October, Ryan and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.  For the last 9, we have lived here.  I don't remember the last time that Ryan and I "ran away" together.  I know it was before we moved here.  In Massachusetts, we were fortunate enough to have Ryan's parents who loved to have Acadia over for sleepovers, and we did take advantage of that at times.  Since moving here, we have had family vacations, but no romantic getaways.  Until a couple of weeks ago.

My wise aunt put a bug in my ear.  She and my uncle "run away" at least once a year for their anniversary.  Of course, their kids are all grown and can be left on their own for a couple of days, but she even offered to watch ours for us.  I found an incredible deal on a very romantic beach getaway package and booked ourselves a trip!  It turns out that it was during the school week, so instead of having my aunt watch my girls, my very good friend did instead.  It actually worked out perfectly!

So, a few days before Ryan's birthday, he and I drove to the coast to enjoy some alone time for 2 nights/3 days - JUST US.  We had a wonderful visit!  The room was perfect, complete with a fireplace, kitchenette, 2 person jacuzzi tub, king-size pillow top bed, flat screen TV, oh yeah, and an incredible view!  We were beach front, with a CUTE private patio that led right to the beach.  It was just amazing! 

We took walks on the beach everyday and even though it was cool, it was always beautiful.  Hello, it's the beach!

The waves were incredible!  And we had fun following them toward the sea, then running back as they chased us towards land!

On our first morning, we woke up to a rainbow over the ocean!  I had never seen that before!  Then the sun came out and we just couldn't resist another beautiful walk on the beach.

As we walked, we came across a pipefish that had been washed up on shore.  It was still alive, so Ryan picked it up and carefully put him back in the waves as they were rushing back toward us. 

The sunset that night was incredible!!!

Our last day at the beach was so bright and sunny!  The perfect way to end the perfect romantic getaway...

Funks

So, I've been in this blog funk.  I haven't posted a "real" post since Dec. 23rd.  I have a lot to post about!  Christmas, a trip to Idaho, the new year, etc.

But I've also been in a funk in real life, too.

No motivation.  I've done laundry and dishes and I've straightened here and there, but I haven't really had a good cleaning day for a couple of weeks.

I haven't worked out at all in more than a couple of weeks.

I'm just not motivated. 

So, last night I prayed to get that motivation back. 

I like my life.  I like being a stay-at-home mom.  I don't like cleaning, but I like the way the house looks and feels when I'm doing my job right. 

I like being healthy.  I don't like the actual workouts, but I like the feeling afterwards knowing that I'm doing something to make my body healthier.  And I like the results, too!

I know my motivation will start picking up again.  I know because whenever I pray for help, I get it.  This is not the first funk I've been in.  I always wonder why I wait so long to make the request.  But now that I've made  it, I know things will be better. 

So, stay tuned. :)

Hmmmm...

I seem to be in a blog funk.

I really do love keeping a blog and I really do have a lot of great things to blog about.  But I just haven't been feeling it lately.  So, bare with me.  I'll be back soon...

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 30 pt. 2

Only one last post... but there are several things I could say.  Makes me almost wish I hadn't taken the time off while we were out of town; I could have snuck away each day to post a little something, but I was having too good of a time with all of our family. 

And I think that is what this final gratitude post will be about, my extended family.

I didn't really notice when it happened, but at some point, around the time we had our first child, my family became "extended family", because all of a sudden, Ryan and I had our own little family.  It is how it should be, and it happened very naturally, but sometimes it makes me a little sad that I didn't realize it was happening so I could have acknowledged it somehow.

I come from a large family; I'm the oldest of eight children.  We are each different, but that is good because we all have different strengths and talents.  I miss living close to them, I sometimes wish that my kids had the chance to grow up close to their cousins, to have overnight visits with grandma or aunts, but I'm glad that we live at a time when travel isn't too hard and we can see them once or twice a year.

I'm grateful for my parents and all that they've taught me.  I'm sure that a lot of who I am is because of how I was raised.  My mom taught me about friendship and service.  My dad taught me about the power of faith.  As a mom now, I see my parents differently than I did before.  I see the sacrifices they made for us... and how much patience they must have had to put up with me and my siblings! lol  I'm grateful for the examples they have been to me.

Even though none of our parents or siblings live here, I have aunts, uncles, and cousins here, and I am so glad!  With them, we have family to meet up with, spend holidays with, celebrate birthdays with, etc.  I'm so grateful to have them here!  It makes it easier to be away from our parents and siblings when we have other family members who are nearby and want to be apart of our lives.  They are always willing to help when we need something and they are a ton of fun!

I'm grateful for all of the family in my life: the family that Ryan and I have together, my extended family, my in-laws, and the friends who have become family.  As I look at what is most important to me, after my faith, it is my family, and that makes sense because "Family is central to the Creator's plan." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 30 pt. 1

I think I missed a day, so I am posting twice today.  Plus, this is my last day, so I better make them good.

For yesterday's post, I am thankful for my friends.  I have been blessed with some amazing friends.  I heard somewhere years ago, "Friends are the family you choose."  I've always loved that saying.

One of my dearest friends throughout high school, remains one of my dearest friends today. We have lived far apart for 15 years now, but still keep in touch and I make an effort to see her everytime we visit Sacramento. She has always been completely selfless in our friendship; always thoughtful and generous. She has always been one of the best examples to me of what a friend should be and I am so lucky that she is mine.


When we lived in Idaho, we had no family there at all.  We knew no one when we arrived, but quickly made some great friends who became our family while we were there.  We spent Sunday evenings together, watched each other's kids, spent holidays together, called each other if we needed help or advice, etc.  Even after we've all moved away from that little college town, we've remained friends and get together every Christmas season for a weekend of fun, memories, and our own little traditions.

A few years ago, I met a group of amazing women in an unconventional kind of way.  Through the internet, and I think maybe a little divine intervention, we were brought together at a time when we all needed each other.  We became a tight group and these women helped me through some difficult times.  We shared each other's pains as well as our joys.  Most of us are still together online, not quite as often, but still always there to celebrate, uplift, and support one another.  It is a comfort to know that I have this group to turn to, no matter what I'm going through.

I am fortunate to have some incredible friends here, too.  Two of my closest friends are both women that I knew for a  couple of years before our friendship really started to blossom.  But thankfully, eventually it did and I can't imagine my life without them.  One can always make me laugh.  She is funny and has a great way of looking at life.  She is quirky and that is part of what I love about her.  She is also always supportive.  I know I can call her anytime I need someone to talk to.  The other is my backyard neighbor and has become a sister to me.  We have relied on each other so many times, shared our lives, families, homes, etc, that her family has become my family and my family has become her family.   The school even calls me her daughter's "other mom".  Our backyards meet and we have a gate in the fence between our homes, the plan is to pave a path (which is already worn in the grass) from our deck, through the gate, and to their patio.  We joke that in heaven, our mansions will need to be next to each other, so we can always remain backyard neighbors.

I have learned a lot from all of the friends I've been blessed with and I just hope that I am able to be as good of a friend to them as they have been to me.

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 28

Well, I knew posting would be sparse during our visit home for Thanksgiving, but it ended up being non existent!  We had a great visit though and THAT is what I'm thankful for now.

I am thankful that the car did run great, the weather was perfect for traveling, the kids didn't get carsick, and we arrived home in enough time for me to finish planning my Sunday School lesson (and for Ryan to clean the gutters while Cadi raked the backyard).  I'm also glad we were able to visit and see so many of our family and friends, though we never have enough time to see everyone.  I'm thankful for those who opened their homes to us, fed us, put up with us, etc.  I am thankful for Thanksgiving dinner because it was so incredibly delicious!  I am thankful for Forced Family Fun day (what we began calling the day after T-day because it is usually the one day that my family can all get together, and whether or not we all want to do whatever we're doing, we do it because we can do it together... sometimes other days are called Forced Family Fun days, too, but this is the original).  I am thankful that Ryan's parents were able to join my family for Thanksgiving again so we didn't have to go back and forth in order to see both.

Now that I'm home, I'm thankful that it is officially the Christmas season!  I am thankful that we have begun decorating.  (4 trees up, 3 to go!)  I am thankful for the music, smells, sights, and sounds of the holidays.  I love this time of year! :)

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 19

I am grateful for a good, reliabe car.  And I will be even more thankful when our good, reliable car delivers us safely to Reno later today.  At that time, I will also be grateful to be out of the good, reliable car.  ;) 

Posting may not be daily for the next little bit. :)

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 18

I am thankfful for trips back home.  We are on the eve of our annual Thanksgiving visit to California and I'm so thankful that we are able to go.  With minimal effort, we can travel hundreds of miles to visit with our family, and even though it will be a long drive, it will be done in a day and within our budget, which is something that wouldn't have been so simple a few decades ago. 

It is sometimes very hard to live so far from family, but being able to have visits like this makes it easier. :)

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 17

I am grateful for my bed.  It is warm, comfy, inviting... and I wish I was still in it.  But just knowing it is there, waiting for me to return to it tonight, makes me happy. :)

A Month of Thanksgiving Day 16

I am thankful for all things digital.  How convenient!  It makes so many things quick, easy, and efficient.  I remember growing up and even being a young adult when we didn't have so many conveniences.  Now, they are everywhere! 

• I can take my smart phone with me to Sweet Tomatoes, pull up my e-mail to show them the coupon they e-mailed me this week... don't even have to print it out!   
• Being able to take great quality photos and videos with easy to use digital cameras/camcorders.  Then, being able to edit those photos however I like.  Awesome! 
• Instead of having to print my photos, then buy all sorts of cutsie scrapbooking papers/die cuts/etc and have it all spread out, making a mess... I can do all of  my scrapbooking on my computer, faster, cleaner, easier. 
• If I need an address or phone number while I'm out, I just use my smart phone to search for it on-line.  Same with movie showtimes, store hours, etc.  
• I can watch tutorials on how to do things - like styling Aurora's hair, on-line.  I get the step-by-step in just minutes and can turn around and do it myself. 
• Listening to music on mp3s instead of having to lug around a walkman... or even a skippy discman. 

So easy and so convenient. :)