Story #1*

What is your earliest memory of feeling proud of yourself -- at school, in sports, in art or music, in a club or scouting?

I remember feeling proud of myself when I made a new friend, Hejdi Nelson, at the start of 1st grade.

I remember feeling proud of myself during an elementary hula hoop contest because my hoop fell to my knees with the very first spin, but I kept on going! I can't remember if I won, but I know I was one of the finalists. I was not going to give up just because things didn't start out perfectly.

*I am going to participate in the familysearch.org #52stories project. I will write a personal memory or journal entry each week for the entire year. At the end I will leave behind a little family history for myself and my posterity. 

Five Areas for Self and Home Improvement

Whew, this turned in to a long post with lots of unimportant details. I actually started writing this more than two weeks ago. But I really wanted to jot down my thoughts on improving myself and my home. I think a good reflection is important every now and again. 

With the aid of several self-help books I've been really focusing on improving myself as a mother and a homemaker. I'm a little surprised by how much I enjoy self help books. I've always been a goal oriented person, but I've felt that slip in the past few years (basically, I'd pin it on my exit from the workforce). Self help books have encouraged me to refocus how I set goals and what I set goals for.

That said, here are some things I'm working on and some of the wisdom I've gained as I've read a few different books in particular. The ideas in this post mostly come from Parent Effectiveness Training (Gordon) Duct Tape Parenting (Hoefle) and Clutterfree with Kids (Becker). Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) pairs so well with Duct Tape Parenting, I almost want to read them both again, back to back this time. Both authors have a clear understanding of human relationships and psychology. Their knowledge is admirable. Both are parenting experts who spent their entire career holding parenting classes that they later summarized in their books. Boy oh boy I would love to take their classes in person (I think Gordon has passed though). Books are great, but I think I'd make more significant changes if the instruction was given while the authors and I sit together in the same room. Likewise, as I read Duct Tape Parenting I just kept thinking Hoefle's strategies would be much easier for people who have mastered a clutter free life. Clutter causes stress and stress impacts our emotional intelligence. Hoefle's book isn't for people who have other problem areas in their life. Anyway, here are some of the takeaway themes I gathered across these different books.

Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is a popular concept right now. Some of my boundaries are really specific. For example, when it comes to belongings I have decided to set certain limits on things like clothes and toys. I've written about my limited wardrobe before, but minimizing your closet isn't something you do just once and call it good. It's something I regularly have to check. Also, I've set limits (or boundaries) for the number of clothes my kids can have. Reid survived all summer with just two pairs of shorts, five tee shirts to match, and four exercise/pajama sets. That's not much, and yet it was plenty! Nell had three skirts with matching shirts, three shorts, three tees, and a couple of dresses. Again, it was plenty!

This may be one of the silliest things I admit to, but I have a google document tracking each of my kids toys. Reid and Nell are allowed 20; Coraline, 15, and baby, 10 (this includes things like the baby swing and jumperoo). Twenty toys sound like a lot, and it is -- trust me! And yet, we have had to get rid of so many toys. Now, anytime my kids get a new item they have to give another up. This gets tricky with collection type items -- like Legos. Currently Reid's Lego collection counts as 4 toys, but he certainly has more than 4 sets. I typically count two or three sets as one toy. Even with 20 toys on each of their lists, there are plenty of toys we almost never (or rarely) play with.

Communicate Clearly
Setting boundaries extends into our human relationships -- it certainly isn't reserved just for "things." For me, the key to setting boundaries with other people lies in more direct communication. I recognize I need to be straightforward when making plans with others or when expressing my desires and feelings. I also recognize that if people were more straightforward with me my life would be so much easier. This is a simple reminder that I need to be direct when agreeing to certain assignments or meetups. I also need to remember it is okay to say no!

Parent Effectiveness Training focuses quite heavily on communication. I have tried my best to implement "I" statements vs "you" statements when I become upset or am trying to express my feelings. It is so much harder than it sounds! But I know this is so important in my closest relationships. When I tell Reid "I get so mad when you don't clear the table" I am blaming him for my emotions. That is not okay. I am always in charge of my own emotions, but our closest relationships do have an impact on how we feel. So a better option is to say "I feel upset and disrespected when the table is a mess after each meal." This gives my kids a chance to realize I am expressing my emotions in a way that I take responsibility for them, but it also gives them an opportunity to realize they can help me feel better. Then, how much more meaningful is it when they remember to clear the table? Then, they are doing it to help keep me happy and not because I guilt, nag, and shame them! Win, win.

Give Kids the Space They Need to Flourish
Both P.E.T. and Duct Tape Parenting are very anti-helicopter parenting (which I find especially interesting because P.E.T. was written before that term even existed). One of Gordon's main ideas is that parents need to learn how to identify when a problem is theirs and when it is their child's. Any problem that belongs to the child (school, friendships, most behavior issues) needs to be solved by the child with minimal intervention from the parent. The parent simply helps by LISTENING to the child work out potential solutions and then following up with the child on how they handled the problem later on. Of course there are times when the problem is shared between both the parent and the child, that is called conflict (obviously) and Gordon gives six simple steps for solving these conflicts. Again, this process requires a lot of partnership and LISTENING. The parent can't just take control of these conflicts any more than they can successfully take control of their child's problems.

Hoefle also expresses the dangers of controlled parenting. She identifies four ways parents hinder their kids' growth.  She refers to this as "becoming the maid." The four reasons are: we want to spoil our kids (kids should just be kids), we think things go best when we are in control (they'll just do it wrong and I'll have to redo it), we think our kids are a reflection of us (what will others think if...), and finally, we need to be needed (she's not ready to do that on her own). She dedicates an entire section of her book to reminding parents (in detail) that their kids can do many things (chores, food prep, school organization) all on their own. And the base of her argument is that when we let kids do things on their own their behavior, attitude, and entire demeanor improves. I've really been trying this out in the past month since reading her book -- and I agree with her completely! In fact, when the Dentist recently told me I still need to help Reid brush his teeth I was kind of bummed -- "he's almost six, he can do it himself!" I thought. But, I've decided to help him a bit anyway.

Weekly Family Council
The Church I belong to has told members to hold weekly family councils for years, and while Ben and I have been good at holding regularly Family Home Evenings, we haven't really done family councils. But then I read Duct Tape Parenting and she mentions the importance of weekly family meetings and outlines some of the tasks that need to be completed at these meetings. For whatever reason, that made everything click and I haven't missed a Family Council since!

With our kids, these councils last less than five minutes. It basically has three parts. 1) I take out a notebook and everyone sets one goal for something they'd like to improve or learn during the week (mine is repeatedly to yell less). Reid chooses things like making fried eggs and pancakes. Nell's first goal was to learn to dress herself completely. All of their goals require a lot of work on my part, but if I really want them to flourish I have to train them properly! 2) We pay them a small allowance. I have been down the kids and finance rabbit hole over at 71toes.com and soon we will implement a money system similar to theirs. 3) The last thing we do is go over our weekly calendar and talk about any important things coming up. One thing Hoefle suggests that I'd like to implement is a family appreciation chart. I think we could take time in our Family Council to each say one nice thing about each family member.

Weekly Cleaning Schedule
This final area of improvement isn't actually from any of my self-help books, but in the last couple months I have tried really hard to keep the kitchen and dining area clean (and clutter free!). I've taught the kids how to clear the table and load the dishwasher (their's that flourishing thing again). I've forced myself to do the hand wash only dishes almost daily. I've been more dedicated to making weekly meal plans (yes, that is something that helps the kitchen stay clean). I try to not gripe about sweeping or baby wipe moping under the dining table several times daily.

I've also made a google document with my own specialized cleaning schedule. I know there are a million pre-made ones on Pinterest, but I needed one tailored to our home and my cleaning style. Basically, I dust, vacuum, and do laundry on Monday and Friday. I mop one area of the house on Tuesday (we have a lot of hardwood, tile, and laminate floors). These areas are vacuumed along with the rest of the house twice a week, but every other week or so they need a more detailed scrub. Wednesday is bathroom day, and Thursday is either a make up day (because I do regularly miss a day) or a more detailed clean of the basement or kitchen (stove, fridge, cupboards etc). I have not yet perfected this cleaning schedule, but I count anything I get done a win! And I should say, Monday and Friday are almost always completed with perfection. It's those midweek days I struggle with for some reason.


Wish me luck as I try to improve myself and my mothering. I'd love to hear any ideas those who read (or glimpsed over) this whole thing might have. 

Thankful Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving Reid is thankful for Nell, painting turkeys, Coraline, school, kisses and hugs, Jesus, and prophets. 

Nell is thankful for grandmas and grandpas, Reid, presents, daddy, mommy, our house, and God. 

I am thankful for Ricola cough drops, sensible bedtimes, Ben's job, story time snuggles, the Atonement, the USA, and farmers. 

Ben is thankful for the Gospel, marriage, family, health, education, Priesthood, and the Internet.   

Coraline is probably thankful for my boobs, clothes (but not socks -- girl hates socks), paper, her fingers, her lovey, applesauce pouches, and screaming. 

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! 

Utah 2015: My Small Town Through New Eyes

I once used the term "painfully small" to describe my hometown. My father asked me to expound upon that. I never did. There was nothing painful about the size of my town growing up. I LOOOOOOOVED it. I'm probably a bit over dramatic about how lovely and perfect and wonderful and amazing my childhood was. And I credit most of that to the painfully small town where I grew up.

But growing up I always "wanted out." At the time I didn't even really know what "wanting out" meant. I just remember always telling people I wanted to grow up and live in a community just like Delta but not in Utah. I loved the community I belonged to, but I didn't love the homogeneity of it. I also had this deep desire to view that little community with "outsider" eyes. After week long trips out of town I'd always try and pretend like I was a new comer, seeing main street for the first time. It never really worked. It always felt like the exact same place I'd left just the week before.

And though it does feel different now, I realize a combination of things make that so. I mean, after 15 years it truly is different. There are new businesses, new museums, and even a new school (a couple years ago Reid and I watched as an excavator tore down one of my favorite HS classrooms -- it was pretty awesome). There are new subdivisions and new people, lots of new people. As a kid I felt like I knew EVERYONE, and now I definitely do not.

The other factor that makes it feel different is that I am different. All I knew growing up was my safe and comfy little community. I rarely traveled out of state, but I spent plenty of time wondering about the world outside of Utah's boundaries. Now, I feel like I have a sense of the world beyond Utah, and that helps me understand my lovely little community even better.

I love it even more. I marvel at it's uniqueness. People often ask me if I could ever live somewhere like that again, now that I've had such quick and easy access to shopping and entertainment and city life, and the answer is yes. Without skipping a beat I say yes.

I probably never will, but that isn't the point. The point is I could. I've seen the cities and the economic opportunities and the ease of having constant consumption at my finger tips -- and it is not grander than community.

When Ben and I went Grocery shopping on Saturday I spotted a childhood friend I hadn't seen since my wedding reception. Though we know little of each other now, I was able to tell Ben so many good and wonderful things about this individual. How special to have someone randomly remember that in 5th grade, you stood up to bullies. And though many years have passed since then, I know that kind of character rarely breaks, and it did still show in her kind smile.

On Sunday we decided to attend Church out in the small farming community where I grew up. The first person we saw when we walked in the door was a boy my parents always teased me about during my elementary years. We sat behind an old childhood friend, who I occasionally skipped Sunday School with. Twenty years later her father was (once again) our Sunday School teacher, and just as if we were still teenagers he asked me, beaming, what I wanted more than anything else, and I happily answered "The Gift of the Holy Ghost." It was a great lesson in my youth; one that has always stuck with me. It was fun to see old faces and places, even when time has changed so many things.

I had a lunch date with two of my dearest friends on Monday.

It doesn't matter that nearly 15 years have passed since we each packed up and set out on our own (none of us live in Delta now), we still share such strong roots and those roots unite us. We sat at our booth for nearly four hours and still left so many things unsaid and so many topics ignored. We didn't even share that many "remember when" stories. With old friends as cherished as these you just pick up right where you left off and share your current joys and sorrows with one another.

Tuesday afternoon as my children and spouse were napping I flipped through my childhood scrapbook. When I got to the Middle School years I was dying. There were so many random pictures of friends who ended up being spouses. Plus, it was middle school and by nature it is so awkwardly awesome. As I was laughing to myself I decided I wanted to share this moment with at least one of those friendly faces, so I ran across the street and chatted with a childhood friend who is raising her six kids right across from my parents. Later that evening another face from those scrapbook pages stopped me in the garage and we chatted for a good ten minutes.

Wednesday morning we took the kids to library story hour, which was taught by none other than my very own sister-in-law. Reid was in heaven because it was animal themed. One mother remarked how impressed she was by his knowledge of obscure animals. I chuckled and gave credit where credit is due: Wild Krats. And I just couldn't get over how familiar she looked. Then it dawned on me. I'd babysat her (only about three times) as a child. For the life of me I could not remember her name, but I do remember how much she loved Wilbur from Charlotte's Web. I wonder if I looked even just a little bit familiar to her?

I definitely know I'm an outsider now. I don't belong to that community anymore, but it will always belong to me. And that makes it special. 

(An Old) Answer Me This and our Sunday Hike

 1. How long have you lived in your current home?
Three years and 10 days! It has gone by so fast. Our yard is my favorite thing about our house. Oh, the location too! The house itself is nice, but it's really the lot that I am in love with.

2. How do you find out about news and current events?
Read, read, read. I am a big advocate of reading the news. So much more efficient than watching. I check NPR several times throughout the day, but I also click on news links other share via facebook ... mostly Washing Post and New York Times stuff. Occasionally I'll check other sites, but I'm pretty choosy when it comes to news sources.

3. Would you be able to make change for a twenty right now? For a dollar?
Yes, I won't tell you where I hide it, but we have a stash of babysitter money in this house. That's the only cash I ever have on me.

4. What's the craziest food you've ever eaten?
Durian. Ugh, durian!

5. Which of the commonly removed parts have you had removed? (tonsils, wisdom teeth, appendix, etc.)
Just my wisdom teeth (and some moles, if we're counting those).

6. What's your favorite sport to watch on TV? 
College Basketball, but I don't watch sports -- ever. I enjoy figure skating during the Winter Olympics. I'll watch any Basketball, but I typically prefer college over pro for everything but Baseball.

We took a family hike yesterday, we have to get the kids (and ourselves) ready for South East Utah! We went out to Ben's favorite spot, a pelican sanctuary right on the lake.

Almost the moment we got out of the van a woman came over to tell us she and her daughter were about to catch a huge frog. So we let the kids run off with her and watch the whole thing take place. They were in heaven. She put some tadpoles in a bucket for them as well. Hopefully Nell didn't traumatize the little thing. She was pretty obsessed.

We took a family selfie on the trail. It's always windy out on the lake, but overall it isn't a bad selfie of all five of us.

These two though. Love! Ben really wants to practice carrying her in this pack, so we don't miss any of the beauty in the three national parks we'll be enjoying late this summer. Can't wait!

Answer Me This -- Independence Day

Kendra, over at Catholic All Year, brought back her Answer Me This series (which I will be back sharing). So today, I bring you our 4th of July celebrations and 5 other random questions. 

1. How did you celebrate the 4th of July?
We went to a beach BBQ party with our Church friends. We actually took a boat over to a nearby city -- from one lake to another (love the Midwest). Reid screamed his head off once we got up to speed. Coraline hated her life jacket. But it was totally worth it, I loved the ride. 

The BBQ was pretty fun too. Ben was Dad in charge. 

Nell was the happiest fish in the water. 

 And Reid was muddying it up with his best little buddy. 

Totally these boys element.

 Dad in charg did this while I was at the beach with the big kids ... and then he let me go tubing (with the seven-year-olds I teach each Sunday) while he watched all three kiddos. 

We put the kids to bed early, promising them we'd wake them up for fireworks. Reid was the only one we could rouse (and that took a lot of work). So he and I went to the fireworks show together. Instead of our city fireworks, we drove 6 miles West to attend a small town display. He's been wanting a date night (he actually got to pick which parent took him), so it was a special couple of hours for us. We went to the gas station for a free soda, and I packed some fruity popcorn for the show. 

He was so excited for the fireworks, and claims they were his favorite part of the day, but he did sit in my lap and request primary (Church) songs the whole time. 

Ben tells me we could have just stayed home. Even though we've lived in this house for three years, I never think to just watch our neighbors' firework show. It's crazy. There are no regulations in this little town. And the state has no regulations on the sale of fireworks. So yeah, people on both sides of our street let off legit up in the air, big boom fireworks. I'm going to have to remember that for next year. 

2. Do you sunburn easily?
Depends on how you define easily. Every year I get one sunburn, it's usually pretty ugly, but then I'm in the clear. I loathe, loathe! sunscreen; it is an act of true love when I lather it on my children. 

3. Hot dogs. Yay or nay?
Yay! Yay! The first meal I ever made Ben? Mac and Cheese with Hot Dogs. Yup, he married me anyway. 

4. Have you ever personally set off fireworks?
Little ones, sure. Pop-its are my favorite though. At 32, I still think those are fun. 

5. Have you ever jumped off the high dive?
Yes. Loved to do that as a kid, it gave me a little rush every time. I love that moment you're fully emerged in water and you aren't exactly sure how long it will take you to come up. Cliff jumping though -- that really isn't my thing (another dating story goes here). I need a pool, clear water with a marked depth ... then I'm all over jumping off high platforms.

6. Do you do anything weird in your sleep?
I talk in my sleep from time to time. Nell has inherited this trait. 

The Perfect Medicine

I took the kids to the park today; it was the best medicine. 

First, Reid had his final swim lesson at the YMCA. On the last day of class they open up the slide, so we went early and raced down several times before his lesson began. A couple of Senior women came down after us. I hope I'm as jolly and lively when I'm their age. 

I soaked in the hot tub once his class started. It's been over a year, I thought, as I dipped my toes in that wonderful pool of warm water. I love hot tubs. They soothe all the aches in my body, which makes it all the more ironic that I can't enjoy them while I'm pregnant. 

We left the Y and headed to a park on the other side of town. We met a couple friends for a picnic and some play time. All the slides were missing, which was really weird. But the big boys just wanted to play in the dirt anyway. 

Sitting outside, in near 60 degree weather, chatting with a couple of friends, rejuvenated my soul. I am not being dramatic here. Fresh air -- cool, breathable air --was medicine racing through my body. I've always been a seasons girl. I prefer the weather changes to the constant heat wrapped around the equator ... but the Midwest just might change my perspective. 

These winters are brutal. Several people I know who have spent their whole lives in the area have true blue Seasonal Depression, and I totally understand why. If these kind of winters were the only ones I'd ever known, I'm certain I'd need a prescribed medication to aid me until Spring. 

Day #5, Reasons I Love Blogging

Okay, you may have guessed by my titles that my original intent was to write five posts in five days that all contained a list of five things united by a common theme. I was in a blogging slump and, like a child, I needed some structure to get me out of it!  But then my phone didn't co-operate, so my photo post put me behind schedule, and then this last post just flustered me.

Five reasons I know there is a God? Five pop culture references? reviews? recommendations? Five ... what?

Well, since the whole point was to revitalize the blog, I give you five reasons I love blogging.

1. My blog is a thought dump. It's a place I come to dump some of my crazy, random thoughts. And I need something like that in my life.
2. This blog contains a history of my life. It tells the story of me. My growth, my experiences, my perfectly beautiful and messy life. I love this record.
3. It helps me share my daily living with my parents. I could send texts, e-mails and whatever else, but I've found blogging to be my favorite medium for sharing life with those I love who are far away.
4. Blogging reminds me to capture moments. I often see my kids doing something and think "take a picture, you'll want to blog about this." Half the time I don't, but I'm still grateful blogging has taught me to pause and really think about the life I am living.
5. I need to write. I've always enjoyed writing, and though I am far from the height of my writing abilities (oh college Liz, what happened to you?), blogging helps me maintain this hobby I so deeply love.

So no matter how many slumps I go through this year ... I'm not giving up on you my precious little blog!

Purse Dump, One Year Later

About this time last year I participated in a purse dump, and I have to say, not much has changed since then. My motives for this post are a little different though. My friend Amy shared a link-up contest on her blog, and I figured I enjoyed writing my last purse dump post, so why not do it again and enter to win a free purse?

The most obvious similarity with last year is ... I have the same "purse." It's my skip hop duo diaper bag. This faithful thing has supported me for more than four years. I'm a big fan of skip hop, and I'm super excited to finally be upgrading to a much bigger and more purse-like skip hop diaper bag. I'll have to share pictures of it once I move all my things in and figure out exactly what I'll do with all that extra space!

The most obvious change is I'm now packing this thing for three kids instead of just two (or one, back when the bag was brand new). But somehow I've managed to have even less stuff in it now than I did a year ago. I suppose that's because I'm always taking stuff out when I need it for home use (like keys, wallet, phone, water bottles, etc).

These three items are all that was in those two front pockets:

1. A stretch island fruit leather snack I meant to eat at Church (I'm always hungry when I breastfeed), but never did get a chance to enjoy. 2. YMCA stickers from Reid's last tumbling class. 3.A Panera receipt from our family's trip to Panera on Monday night. I never keep receipts, but I keep meaning to register our Panera rewards card and I need a receipt to do so.

I actually wasn't sure what I'd find hiding under that aiden and anais blanket/burp cloth in that big middle pocket. But it wasn't much:

an extra outfit for each kid and my meal planning/grocery list/to do item notebook. Reid's outfit is without pants because I took them out last weekend when I didn't have a burp cloth, but needed one ASAP.

The top of the skip hop duo has two zipper pockets. One is deeper than the other, and the two pressed together magnetize to hold the big, main pocket shut. I keep my diapering items in the deeper of the two pockets and my personal items in the smaller. 

I'll have to restock size 6 diapers for Nell before we go out again. All I've got is three size 2's for Coraline. I can easily fit six small diapers in this bag. One of the best things about it. 

I never have much in my own personal pocket. Just a little first aid kit, some hair needs (for me and Nell), my favorite chap stick and a travel size container of my favorite lotion. I've always been pretty bare bones when I pack a bag, whether it's a day-to-day purse or a suitcase for our entire family's two week stay in Utah, I prefer to travel light.

I do routinely have snacks and water bottles in the diaper bag. And when we're out my wallet goes in the main pocket, my keys belong in one of the front pockets, and the side has an easy access phone pocket.

Anyway, it was kind of fun for me to do this super lame post before I say goodbye to this trusty old bag. Wish me luck in winning the lily jade contest. It'll be the first hashtag I ever use in my life. Big deal. I know.

A Look Back: Top 10 Posts of 2014

My friend Amy over at Motherhood and Miscellany shared her five most popular and five favorite blogposts of 2014, and I really liked that idea. So I'm stealing it (thanks Amy!).

Only problem is, I just don't have the time to look through all 365 of them to pick my five favorites. I'd really like to, and one day I may highlight some of my own favorite posts, but right now -- with a slumbering infant on my belly -- I just can't. So here are the ten most popular instead.

10. Guilty and Charged
I'm wondering if NPR has a backtrack link, because I'm not really sure how this made it to the top ten list. I'm also not sure who the one comment was from. But I appreciate the highlighted attention this issue was given. I'm passionate about fixing our justice system. We need more mercy.

9. Stories of Jesus
I think this is the only do-it-yourself project I've ever shared on this blog. So Yipee! for the fact that others seem to be using it. My kids love coloring this book at Church, but I'm not sure how much it has helped with reverence -- since we go through a dozen wipes cleaning the thing, and making sure Nell only colors the book (and not the pew/walls) always gets me a little worked up.

8. What they Sacrificed
A few weeks ago this showed up on my sideroll as most popular post of the month. Which was weird because it is more than 10 months old. But I liked it, so I shared it on facebook -- adding to the total views (sharing on facebook boosts a post by about 60 views). I always enjoy writing posts where I share my personal thoughts/opinions/insights with a mix of childhood memories.

7. Abrahamic Covenant
This was one of my favorite posts to write. Sometimes I am really upset by the unkindness shown to Muslims on social media sites. And this post was a positive way for me to handle those frustrations. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to study such a difficult gospel topic, and I learned and grew a lot from that study.

6. Wipe Toys
Okay, first and foremost, no way was Nell that little at the beginning of 2014. No way. My baby has grown up so much (and been replaced) in just one year. The thing I really like about this post is the collage with letters on it -- it reminds me how excited I was to start making my posts look pinterest worthy. A goal I quickly gave up on.

5. The New Math
Yay for one of my common core posts making it into the top five! I am not ashamed of my love for Common Core Standards and I hope my children are fortunate enough to be taught "the new math" alongside "the old math", so that they are given an opportunity to think critically about numbers and all things math. Down with rote memorization! Long live Common Core!

4. Modesty and stuff
There was an internet moment in 2014, where Mormons (and other Christians) were all up in arms over modesty. I decided to add my voice, and a lot of personal experiences, to the fray.

3. Dating Panel
The popularity of this post is a complete mystery to me. Most the posts on this list were shared on pinterest or facebook and that's how their views soared. But I didn't share this anywhere, and yet it was viewed more than 300 times. There's some decent advice in there (even in the comments), but for the most part I just wrote that one to cover my one-a-day goal.

2. Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
I'm 100% positive I only made this recipe once in all of 2014 (and to be fully honest, those pictures may be from late 2013, who knows). But others made it nearly 500 times (based on the stats). So that's a plus!

1. Freezer French Toast Sticks
This recipe on the other hand, I make it almost monthly. We love our french toast sticks and I'm glad others do too. I've actually changed the recipe up since that post, I'll have to share the update soon. 

A Late Resolution

A few days into the New Year I came up with another resolution to add to my list. I think goal setting is a thing of champions, so why limit it to one day in 365? I also think that goal setting is most successful when you share your goals. So here goes.

This image was my inspiration.

I am going to get rid of 100 things every month from now till June!

I just feel weighed down by stuff. And I know I'm not alone in this. I've talked to friends about it, I've read other blog posts about it. The burden of stuff is real. And the battle is difficult for many reasons. For one, hanging on to things seems financially sound. Only the wealthy can afford a minimalist lifestyle. Another, we were taught not to waste -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Nowadays there are DIY projects for your kids broken crayons, so you obviously can't through them away, upcycle them! Confession: I feel guilt when my garbage bin fills up too quickly. Which is probably why my generation has become the sharing economy. Meanwhile our actual economy is still driven by consumerism. The end result is stuff. Too much stuff.

And I'm determined to rid myself of some of it.

So far this month we (Ben knows about my goal and is willing to help) are at 85-ish items (I may not do an exact count, but I'll do my best to near 100 each month). Our list includes two bags of baby clothes I'm going to pass on to a friend tomorrow. A dozen of Ben's size XXL clothes that I sold on line today for an easy $7. Some DVD's we no longer watch. A few of my own old clothes. Little boy hand me downs we were given but I never put on Reid. Random kid items I don't enjoy (I had to be extra sneaky while throwing away a raggedy old Tinkerbell dress up Nell loves).

You'll notice a couple things about my list. First, the theme seems to be clothing items. Next month I'm moving on to papers. I'm not talking 100 pieces of papers, but old magazines, old manuals, old bank account info. I'm going on a special date with our filing cabinet, and I'm bound to find at least two dozen items I can trash/burn/recycle.

The second thing you'll notice about my list is the various ways I'm ridding myself of this stuff. I'll sell some of it online, I'll donate to goodwill, hand down to friends, recycle, trash -- whatever it takes. I'm going to have 600 less things in this house come June 2015. Wish me luck!

New Year Goal's

Well, I did it. I wrote a blog post for every day of the year in 2014. Wow. And the craziest part is I'm not even burnt out of blogger. I've actually really enjoyed capturing this year day by day. I notice I've taken a lot more pictures than any other year in my life. Which is both nice and a pain. It's nice that I have so many memories of my kids to look back on, but sorting and organizing them is going to be a pain. I don't plan on continuing the daily blog posts, but I do hope to write three or four each week. I don't think I'll ever miss entire months again. My blog has really transformed and I'm finally comfortable with the total randomness of each post. It's just my life.

Ben and I have been talking a bit about our resolutions for 2015. He's set some good ones, so I figure I should too.

• I'm going to copy one of his and say I'll read one book, from our own collection, each month. 
• I'd like to eat healthier, so my goal is to only eat treats I make from scratch (no more processed junk) and to only make (and eat) them once a week. I'm thinking Sundays.
• I need to speak nicer to my children. Not that I'm overly mean, but my tone (particularly when they are whiny) could use some work. 
• I need to study my primary lessons all week long, and not just Saturday night (I'm not the only one, right?).
• Follow our budget! I have a great budget set, that isn't the problem. The problem is sticking to it! The other day I read something about the importance of marriage and how a wife shows respect and love for her husband by not over spending his earnings. That just really struck me, and though we don't go over his earnings, we could be a lot better about savings -- so out of love for him ... I'm going to do better this year!

Check up

I had my 40 week check up today. It's the first time I've ever had the 40 week check. It was depressing. But I left feeling so optimistic. My belly is measuring two full centimeters smaller because she has dropped down into my pelvis. Also, I learned I've only gained 28lbs ... so maybe she's not that big, right?

In fact, I've started telling myself the due date is a week off, and she's still "early." When Ben and I first calculated her due date we came up with December 25th. I sure hope she isn't planning on holding out till Christmas. Even if she is, she can't. I've scheduled an induction for Monday, the 22nd.

Not sure how I feel about that, but tonight I am going to bed optimistic!   

Just a Day

Today is one of those days where I'm really looking forward to NOT blogging everyday. I always have ideas. Lots of ideas. But I don't always have the energy. And (despite some posts contrary evidence) I try to share quality over quantity. So once I've finished my 365 days of blogging, days like today will be noticeably absent.

It was a great day, don't get me wrong.

My mother-in-law and I did some Black Friday shopping. The kids exploded in fits when Grandma and Grandpa left. I did laundry, laundry, and laundry. I counted down the minutes for Ben to come home. We discussed new living room arrangements but couldn't decide on anything. The kids cleaned up, but only because we promised the bring the Christmas decorations upstairs once they picked up all their toys. They spent the rest of the evening playing with our Little People Nativity set.

Today was life, regular old life. Good, frustrating, happy, tiring, joyous and all. Just life. 

About Last Night

So, that last post was random. But isn't that picture of my little baby Reid so sweet?

Quick background, I have four free photo books on Shutterfly. Yes, four. Plus $40 worth of free product, a free notebook, and a free calendar. Some of those items even come with free shipping codes. So yeah, my plan for these final four weeks of pregnancy is to sit down each night and organize some family photo albums at a fabulous cost.

Well, as you can imagine -- from my rage post -- Shutterfly was not cooperative. I've spent a total of six hours sorting and editing Reid's baby pictures then trying to load them to Shutterfly only to have them denied. Somewhere in that whole six hour process I thought I may have lost all the original photos (saved as masters on our external hard drive).

Good news is, the edited photos are safe and able to post on blogger and facebook and I can view them (and the original masters) just fine on both my macbook and my chromebook.

The bad news is, Shutterfly will not accept them. I tried everything and tech support was (polite but) not at all helpful. I seriously just wanted to say goodbye to all those free offers and never use the service again. How can you be the number one photo storage site on the internet and not have as good an uploading system as blogger?

Sigh.

But tonight I returned to Shutterfly. I'm a sucker for a deal. I had to sit down and sort through all the original photos for a second time, but this time I did not edit them. They loaded just fine. So, my books will be far from perfect. It drives me crazy that I can't upload the edited versions of the photos. I literally tried everything though, and they will not upload to Shutterfly.

I just try to remind myself to take a deep breathe and remember how many parents survived without ever editing a photo of their child. It really isn't the end of the world. However, the would be perfectionist in me will always, always, know those photos are not the best possible versions of themselves, and that may be all I think about every time I look through them ... but I have to choose not to care.

That's why I call myself a would be perfectionist. If I had it in me to be a perfectionist -- I'd make a great one! But I just don't. I can't waste more hours of my life trying to figure out what the upload problem is. And I certainly won't let Shutterfly win this battle by using their own editing tools (assuming they offer some). 

This is Not More Convenient

If I typed what was in my heart right now it'd just be an angry write up on the advances in technology (I'm channeling my inner Frank from You've Got Mail).

So instead, I'm just going to test something out.

If the above picture showed up, I think that is a good sign.  We may never be able to print a picture from the beginning of our life together up until this year, but at least they are on the hard drive and able to share via blogger (but definitely not shutterfly, a site that has wasted the last four hours of my life).

If it didn't show up, I'm going to go buy a polaroid camera and refuse to ever use digital photography again.

I envy the day parents just printed out a roll of film, hoped for the best, and shoved the half decent photos in an album. 

Birthday Weekend

My little family has been spoiling me today. I started the day with some crepes (having two parents who lived in France, they were a childhood favorite and regular breakfast). It's the first time I've made them for my kids and Reid would have eaten the whole batch if I'd have let him. Nell claims she didn't like them, but she had no problem finishing two and stealing a couple of my bites.

Ben did a ton of yard work, and we still have a HUGE maple that has yet to shed 50% of its leaves. But Monday is the last leaf pick up day and snow is in the forecast, so what are we to do? Reid was his little helper, side by side in upper 30 degree temps for nearly two hours. They were pretty cute together.

Nell and I ran a couple errands and cleaned up inside while they worked. During her nap, I took Reid on a little date. We went shopping for new shoes and had lunch at Arby's. I loved having a little one on one time with each kiddo today.

In the early afternoon we all headed to the outlet mall to use up my $50 gift card at the Correlle Corrningware store. I am soooooooooo happy to have new dishes. Word to the wise, ceramic plates are not practical and I strongly advice against them. I am so excited to have a basic set of Correlle -- and that's saying nothing of the extra space that was created in our cupboards. Bonus: the sale at the outlet was so good I was able to buy four pyrex mixing bowls as well. So, if you're keeping track my birthday presents are: new dish set, mixing bowls, upgraded slow cooker and a compost bin for our garden. I'm about as practical as they come!

After getting presents we went grocery shopping and then came home for some dinner -- pork nachos. It was a great day, and I'm sure tomorrow, my actual birthday, will be just as wonderful. I just love my little family. 

I'll Always Love Basketball

As I've gotten older my opportunities to play Basketball have become fewer and fewer. In DC I was able to coach the JV team and play Church ball, but in Wisconsin I've found nothing.

Reid had his new YMCA art class today (Fall Art), but Nell seemed a little too sick (runny nose and cough) to leave at drop in. So I figured the two of us could walk the track for some exercise. Well, she was having none of that. So we each grabbed a Basketball and found an empty hoop. She basically just sat on the bleachers, holding her ball and sucking her thumb, while I took a few hundred shots. Eight months pregnant, in a maxi dress. I'm sure I was quite the sight, but it felt so good. My jump shot was horrible, because I can't really jump, but putting in the practice was divine.

I'll always love Basketball. I do hope at least one of my children decides to play the game. Either way they'll all be stuck playing with me at some point. If Dad gets to wrestle them, I better get a hoop in our driveway (someday). 

Some Days

Some days, I really just don't have anything to say. Shocking, I know.
I usually draft nothing on these days and just go to bed.
I wake up the next morning and ponder yesterday only to discover I still have nothing to say.

I don't know. My kids' behavior at wiggles and giggles (open gym) this year has impressed me. Are they really over fighting other kids for toys? I hope so.
I made some slow cooker pulled pork, mexican-verde style.
I did laundry. I feel like I always do laundry.
I love my hubby. He's the cutest and the perfect fit for me.
He let Reid spiderman jump on him way more times than seemed safe, but boy was Reid a happy boy!
Nell speaks too clearly. Well, it's still a muffled toddler voice, but her sentences are full and complete and accurate and it just amazes me.

Okay, I've said enough now. Right?
If you want some deep, spiritual reading, go check this out: Loving Others and Living with Differences.

This Week's Runner Ups

Here's seven things that happened this week and/or were on my mind but didn't get mentioned in previous blog posts.

1. Meet the Mormons. Tuesday night Ben and I had a wonderful date. Why Tuesday? Well, we're cheap and Tuesday night is $5 night at our local movie cinema chain. Meet the Mormons didn't actually come to our city, but it did come to one just 25 miles north. Which also happens to be the same city that has the nearest Indian Restaurant. So we made a night of it, heading out right at 5:00 when Ben gets home from work. The food was great. The movie was uplifting. And the date night was needed.

As we pulled up to the theatre Ben noticed a long line at the entrance, so he dropped me off to go buy our tickets. "I doubt the line is for Meet the Mormons, but I'll drop you off anyway," he said. But the moment I swung those double doors open I immediately knew, "These are all Mormons." And they were. Youth groups from three nearby congregations were meeting in the foyer to go attend the movie together.

It's hard to pick a favorite individual highlighted in the 70 minute long documentary, but I went in with a bias toward the Candy Bomber and the Humanitarian. I'm a sucker for "changing the world" stories. However, I wasn't expecting to be so moved by the teen-mom story. And her's reminded me just how much each of us can change the world. We don't need a huge moment (WWII) or a fancy degree (Engineer) to make a vast impact in someone's life. Her experience deeply touched my heart.

I definitely recommend watching the movie once it is out on Netflix, or checking it out at your local theatre. It was such a hit at ours that they are actually keeping it another week and adding it to Green Bay.

2. Ebola. I haven't been following the Ebola thing too closely, but I have gathered some points I think a lot of people are missing. 1) You can't get the virus unless you come in contact with an affected person who is showing symptoms. 2) We can't expect the government to protect us from outbreaks like this (I could go on and on here, but I won't). 3) Individual accountability is what will stop the spread of Ebola in the US. Several Doctors and Journalists came back to the US after being in parts of West Africa that are affected. Those people quarantined themselves for 21 days when arriving home. We all owe them a HUGE THANK YOU. Personal responsibility people, it saves lives. Not the government. 4) Several hospitals in the US have treated Ebola patients in recent months without having a single staff member catch the disease. Obviously Dallas did something wrong.

3. Journalism. I've come to the realization that I'm a Journalism nerd. I've always loved News. My first write up in the local paper was at the young age of 10. I was the editor of my High School paper for two years (and we won lots of state awards). I love, love, love the News. I credit my father's dedication to daily reading the Salt Lake Tribune. We knew we weren't suppose to touch it until he'd looked through every page (okay, we could usually get away with stealing the Sports section, but that's it). I think a lot of people mistake my love of News and Journalistic Integrity with love of politics. I do enjoy politics. But honestly, if it weren't for my love of News I probably wouldn't even know half of what I do about politics. This isn't a chicken and egg thing. My love for News is older, deeper, and grander than my love of politics.

4.  4-year-olds. This week marks the beginning of a new phase in parenting. I am officially "the worst mommy ever!" and "the meanest mommy ever!" I must admit that the meanest mommy ever comment made me feel like I was doing something right.

5. Fred Rogers. I love Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Words can't describe how wonderful the series is. Fred Rogers was an amazing human being and it shows by the legacy he left behind, a legacy that is still in motion today. Emotional intelligence is so crucial for developing minds and the impact he has had on millions of children is profound. Even now, as a parent, his lessons on feelings help me almost everyday. Nell is obsessed with the show. She loves all the characters and sings all the songs. It's a great reminder that there is so much good in the world.

6. 31+ weeks pregnant. I was super exhausted today. At nap time I told Reid I was going to sleep with Nell and he'd be on his own. He didn't love that idea, and I figured it wouldn't actually work. "Mommy, we have to have our special preschool time!" he pleaded. I conceded. But I knew I couldn't sit at the kitchen table and supervise a craft without falling asleep on the spot. So our preschool took to the outdoors.

First we put some fencing around our fruit trees so the rabbits won't nibble at them during the frosty evenings. Then we dug all the row markers out of the garden. By this point I'd found all my missing energy and Reid and I both entered the garden, shovels in hand, prepared to work. We dug trenches and buried weeds. I dug up all the plants and he ate the last tomato. We found a few random potatoes and ooohed and aaahed at various different worms. Reid was in heaven and he was truly helpful. He found great pride in his own little trenches and even stole a few of my dug up weeds so he could turn them upside down and bury them. It was probably my favorite hour of preschool we've had all Autumn.

Once he started talking about how tired his belly was, we headed to the front porch. There we each found a strong stick and began picking the mud off our shoes. He did not want any help and insisted he could get it all off by himself.

Inside we enjoyed some hot chocolate, and just as we finished the last drop Nell woke up. At this point I was finally geared up for the craft/learning activity I'd prepared for the day. So I gave Nell some crayons and a coloring book and Reid and I went to work making this 3D pumpkin, which shows all the life cycles of a pumpkin. He thought that was pretty neat.



7. Mom's Night Out. This evening I enjoyed a Mom's night out with a few friends. We just met at someone's house and played games and ate yummies. We kind of joked that trying to meet other mom's feels like dating. But we all acknowledged the importance/need to connect with women who have children similar ages of our own. It's just nice to get together childless every now and then and realize we are all going through the same stages and struggles. Together we can laugh about all the ridiculous things our kids do. It was a great night and I stayed up way past my bedtime.

So I better head off to bed (it's now Saturday) so I don't make the same mistake today!