happy weekend

It has been monsoony all week, which makes for really pretty pink streets after the rain. And lots of humidity, too. The overcast skies that come with the storms are always such a nice change from the searing red hot burning sun we get every other day, though. Can you tell I'm over summer yet? Sheesh. I walked into Joann's yesterday and they had their fall decorations out and I very nearly swooned.

The countdown is on! Only three more days until Mike starts school and 5 days until the kids start. What am I going to do with myself all day everyday, you ask? Whatever I feel like doing, that's what. Ha! Actually, I'm going to try to be very deliberate about how I spend my days. And I'll probably miss everyone more than I think I will. But think of all the time I'll have! Hopefully I'll be able to do more sewing to help supplement our income while Mike is in school. And maybe swim more. And definitely take more naps. . .

I have a feeling that once Mike is gone all day, I will realize that I didn't appreciate how much he was home this summer. Who will fix the internet if it's being slow!? Or run with me to the grocery store real quick? We'll have to make the most of this weekend, I guess. Like, by watching the Olympics. Hooray! The opening ceremonies are tonight. I am so excited. Do you watch the olympics? I have so many great memories of watching them with my family as a child. I want that for my family, too, so you'll find us glued to the tv for the next two weeks. For all things olympic, go here.

Have a good weekend!

happy weekend

Summers are for cleaning out closets, and organizing bedrooms, and getting rid of junk. At least at our house they are. I found this guy at Target the other day. I painted him with about 6 coats of white paint and now Mabel has a handy spot to hang her flower crowns. (This is her reduced collection, by the way, after I made her toss half of them.) I love making small changes like this. I rearranged the couch in our family room a few weeks ago, and it still feels fresh and new.

Here's the bad news: it's going to be 120 degrees here this weekend. 120 degrees! That's record-breaking heat. I am sad for our plants. They are already looking a little peaky, and a week of intense heat isn't going to help. Why do we live here, again? Quick, someone remind me how wonderful our winters are. Sheesh.

Some good news: it's almost Father's Day! And that means we get to celebrate Mike and our dads/grandpas and show our gratitude for all they do for our family. We are lucky to have these wonderful men in our lives, and I hope they feel extra special on Sunday. (We got Mike this shirt because we are weird.)

Have a happy (and hopefully cooler) weekend!

teamwork

Mike and I are making slow and steady progress on our yard. On Monday we built a new gate. I wish I'd taken a before picture. Our old gate was in sorry shape, dragging on the ground, still scratched up from when we had a dog a million years ago, painted a faded red, and just generally completely worn out.

We worked together all day long and finished our new gate with just enough time to hurry to Elliot's baseball game. Mike and I do a lot of things together, but this day just felt really good, for some reason. I think it must have been our matching shirts. Nothing says "team" like matching shirts. :)

a white bedroom

When I went to paint my bedroom, I didn't even test paint swatches. Sometimes I can't be bothered and I just hope for the best. Most of the time that's not a good idea. I picked Swiss Coffee from Behr for my bedroom, because I knew it was a regular, warm white, and I liked that I could just pick up a gallon from the Home Depot without needing any mixing. I don't know if it's because I was painting over a really bright green, but it ended up feeling sort of silvery, which was a happy surprise. Our room feels so much brighter now. I left most of the walls bare, because a bare wall feels quiet and clean, and that makes my brain feel good. But I couldn't resist the "Let's Stay Home" banner. Mike and I are such homebodies. There's no where else we'd rather be together.

And if you had told me 5 years ago that I would happily let a cat sleep on my bed, I would have said you were crazy. Alas.

my marathoner x2

It was bright. And it was hot. And it was really long, but Mike did it! He finished his second (and hopefully last) marathon! I am so proud of him for persevering. A marathon is no joke. The route ran right through our neighborhood, so we cheered him on at the 17 mile mark, and then again at the finish line. Seeing him round the last bend was such a relief. He'd made it! He is strong. And a good example to our kids. And I just love him so much.

happy weekend

Big news! Mike is going back to school for his MBA this fall. It is something he's always wanted to do, and I think he finally decided that it was now or never. He applied to BYU and ASU, and was offered full scholarships to both. I'm so proud of him. After a few weeks of very stressful indecision, we decided that our roots here in Arizona run deep, and he will be attending the WP Carey School of Business starting in August. Hooray! It feels really great to have it settled and decided, and we feel really confident in our decision. And now I can breathe again.

I am excited for this next chapter for our family, and for Mike, too. I know he will really enjoy going to school. And hopefully this experience will open some doors for him, or put him on a different path. Or help him to realize that owning his own business is what he really wants after all. Whatever the outcome, I know it will be a good thing.

We sort of celebrated on Monday night for family home evening. We went to the campus and got everyone an ASU shirt and then went out for rolled tacos. But there was no cake! I feel like we need to remedy that this weekend.

Mike's marathon is tomorrow. He's been dealing with some really painful calf issues and hasn't run properly in weeks, so he hasn't decided if he will run in the race or not. I have a feeling he'll go for it. So our weekend will mostly consist of cheering him on and trying not to bawl our eyes out at the finish line.

I hope the sun is peeking out wherever you are! Have a happy weekend.

fifteen

It's our anniversary! Hooray! Fifteen years ago Mike and I were married in the Los Angeles temple. And then we jetted off to Hawaii for our honeymoon, where Mike propped his little camera on a rock outside of our hut and snapped this picture. It's one of my favorite photos of us.

Fifteen years feels like a milestone. But it feels like we are just getting started, too. We are comfortable and generous with each other, and more forgiving than we used to be, I think. We've worked out some of the kinks and ended up loving each other more than we thought possible in the process. I'm proud of and grateful for the life we've created during these last fifteen years.

Here's to many, many more!

happy weekend

I'm checking out early this week. I have some sewing to do, and some rocks to spread in our backyard. But before I go kill my back with the wheelbarrow, here are a few links I've seen this week that made a big impact on me--all relating to parenting. I hope you'll find them as helpful as I did.

My sister, Leslie, has always spoken very highly of Dr. Leonard Sax. He has written a few books about parenting. He talks about his latest, "The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups", in the pod cast on KERA's Think, called "Your Friend, Your Kid." I highly recommend listening to this podcast. I agreed with everything Dr. Sax said. A few of my favorite points: parents shouldn't negotiate with their kids, cancel the playdates and schedule time with family instead, and children should not have cell phones. Thank you, Dr. Sax! I can't wait to read his book.

My friend, Sarah, writes at Memories on Cloverlane. I loved her most recent post. She is so wise. In reference to being focused at home, she said, "I have learned I must keep my world very small right now to feel settled and happy." Yes! I totally agree. Keeping the outside world at bay, and far away from the walls of my living room, helps me to keep my focus here at home, where my attention can make a great difference in four very important lives--the lives of my children.

Sarah linked to this article, about a mother, now 90, who raised her nine children (four sets of twins!) back in the 60s. Dr. Sax talked about this idea a bit, too, but I loved that the mother, Vivian, said, "My husband and I had similar values -- we talked a lot about what was best for our children and the decisions we made, we made together. It was never about what we read, what the new research showed, or what other parents were doing. It was about our children and what we thought was best."

And finally, Elder Bradley D. Foster's talk from our last General Conference, entitled, "It's Never Too Early and It's Never Too Late". He said, "In the past, the world competed for our children's energy and time. Today, it fights for their identity and mind. Many loud and prominent voices are trying to define who our children are and what they should believe. We cannot let society give our family a makeover in the image of the world." He then gives counsel on how it is never too late or too early to teach our children--to lead, guide, and walk beside them. I loved his talk and hope you'll take a few minutes to read it.

Mike and I joined with so many wonderful people from our neighborhood this week with candles to light the way home for the Eagar family, as they returned from the viewing of their little girl who passed away last week. It was a really special experience, one that made me really happy to live where we live, and really grateful to know that families can be forever. Then we squished on his bike and rode home.

Have a happy weekend!

for the end of the day

My favorite moment of every day is the one at the end, when I am climbing into bed to watch a show with Mike. The dishes have been done. The floor has been swept. Prayers have been said. And the kids are tucked in bed. My life is not particularly stressful, but there is still quite a bit of relief in this moment. I made it. We survived another day. I am thankful for this calm, quiet time.

Mike and I are really into Madame Secretary right now. Have you seen it? We're almost done with the first season on netflix. #BessMcCordForPresident!

for Mike's home office

Mike has been working from home for the past couple of months. It has mostly been really great and I am thankful for the extra time we've been able to spend together. Having him home during the day means that we can go running after the kids leave for school instead of waking up in the pitch black darkness of early morning. It means that he can come with me to the temple on Thursday mornings. It means that I can run errands while Elliot is napping. It hasn't meant nearly enough lunch dates, but that's something we can fix. I am grateful for the flexibility of his job, and that he is able to spend so much of his time at home.

for my marriage

Mike and I were married almost 15 years ago. I have no doubt that I chose the best partner, but that doesn't mean our marriage is perfect. We're still figuring it out, but we're figuring it out together. I am thankful that we married young. I am thankful for where we've been, and for where we have yet to go. I admire Mike's ambition and his ability to spot a problem and then try a million different ways to solve it. He is dedicated to what he does, and is still the funniest guy I know.

Plus, there's no one else I'd rather dress up in a banana suit with.

for running

I started running almost five years ago. When I started, I could hardly run one mile without stopping. I'm not going to be running a marathon anytime soon (or ever!), but I am happy to say that I can now run many miles continuously and still feel strong when I've finished. Running is hard, but it feels good to push myself physically. I like that I can step outside my front door and in 30 minutes complete a good, heart-pounding workout. Nothing else is more convenient. Running clears my mind and allows me to be more open to impressions and inspiration. It lifts my spirits and puts a smile on my (very sweaty and bright red) face. I am thankful for running, for the physical and emotional strength it has given me. And I am really thankful that my knees haven't given out on me yet.

If you would like to start running and aren't sure how to go about it, here are some tips:

Wear good shoes. It doesn't really matter what brand they are (you'll find your favorites eventually), so long as they are designed for running. When I first started, I just wore whatever old athletic shoes I had and oh man, was that a mistake! My knees and hips were so sore. I almost turned in the towel right then. But Mike convinced me to try some real running shoes and everything felt better.

Find a buddy (or a really good playlist). As soon as I started running with friends, I was hooked. It made such a difference! Being accountable to a running partner helped get me out of bed and out the door. And having someone to talk to while I ran made the miles speed by. Pretty soon my neighborhood group fell apart and Mike and I became running partners. I can honestly say that it is one of the best things we've ever done for our marriage. I think we are rather lucky that our running speed is compatible. And when one of us just isn't feeling it, the other helps push us along. The time we get to spend together is such an added bonus. (Mike started running a year or so before me with a local running club, which is another really good option for newbies.)

Finally, commit to it. I don't think the distance matters as much in the beginning as does the consistency. Even if you can only run for a few minutes at a time, don't give up. Keep going. Eventually your endurance will increase. Take it slow and steady, but stay with it. I remember the first time I was able to run three miles without stopping. It took me months, but it felt so good!

I am in no way an expert, so if you have some words of wisdom to add, please do.

happy weekend

I think I officially reached my limit this week. I am ready for school to start. I'm ready for everyone to be busy, and to have more purpose to their day, you know? No more putzing around on the computer or begging to watch a show. I'm done. Everyone out.

For the first time, all of my kids will be in school everyday. I want to use that time wisely, so I started working on a schedule for myself. Elliot will only be in half day kindergarten, so I won't have all day to fill, but I am going to make the most of those 3 hours, darn it!

How is your summer coming along? Have you hit the wall, too?

In other news, our pantry is finally rat free and it feels great. I hosed it down with bleach and started putting everything back, mostly in glass containers. Because having a rat live in my pantry is something I never want to repeat. It was the old fashioned snap trap with peanut butter that finally did the trick.

We have grand plans to hit up the skating rink this afternoon, then hopefully dinner out for me and Mike. He's been so busy this week at work and church that I feel like I've hardly seen him.

Have a good one, friends!

the plan of happiness

For this week's Conference Report, I chose President Boyd K. Packer's final public address, "The Plan of Happiness". He passed away a few weeks ago and I will miss hearing from him at our conferences. He was not afraid to be bold, but he was kind and compassionate in his boldness.

In this talk, President Packer lays out the Plan of Happiness, as we believe it, and goes into great detail about the relationship between husbands and wives, how that relationship is essential to the plan, how it can bring us closer to our Heavenly Father, and how it can unite us and bring us joy. He talks about why we should save sexual relations until after marriage, how it is important to "bridle our passions", and how true love can grow through experience and time. It's worth a read if you have a few minutes.

Here are my favorite bits:

First, he says, "The end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and woman with their children are happy at home, sealed together for time and for all eternity." That is the reason we do all that we do, right? So we can be happy together at home, and so we can be together forever. There is much that is required of us in this life - many difficult things that stretch us and cause us to grow, but those are the things that bring us the most happiness.

And for those who have not married, or cannot have children, or who have difficulties at all in this area, he says, "For now I offer this comfort: God is our Father! All the love and generosity manifest in the ideal earthly father is magnified in Him who is our Father and our God beyond the capacity of the mortal mind to comprehend. His judgments are just; His mercy without limit; His power to compensate beyond any earthly comparison."

One last bit about hope and the Atonement: "Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God. Through His Atonement and the power of the priesthood, families which are begun in mortality can be together through the eternities. The Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity."

Read the whole talk here.

happy father's day weekend

Motherhood made my world flip upside down and inside out. Mike, on the other hand, entered fatherhood without breaking his stride. It came so naturally to him. One day it was just the two of us, and the next day there were three. I've always admired that about him. He is steady and kind and way more fun than I am. I am so grateful to be parenting by his side.

Every once in a while, Father's Day and Mabel's birthday fall on the same day. This year is one of those years. So, here is a photo of the two people who first made us a family. I love them both and wish them a happy Father's Day and happy birthday on Sunday, respectively.

Have a happy weekend!

a big hole + a hot and happy house

We've had lots of "digging dates" and "digging family home evenings" in the past couple of months. But mostly, Mike has been outside by himself, digging a very large, very deep hole in our backyard. We want our trampoline buried in the ground, and rather than rent a bobcat to get the job done in an afternoon like normal people, Mike decided to dig it himself with a shovel. Slowly, but surely, he made progress, and finally last weekend, we got the base secured in the ground. You might think he's crazy for doing it this way. But, actually, as he explains in his new blog, it makes a lot of sense. And really, I'm so proud of him for making it happen.

Also, why we keep our thermostat set to 84 in the summer.

marriage and family matter

I chose this week's conference report for lots of reasons. The first was that it was Elder L. Tom Perry's final public address before he passed away a couple of weeks ago. Another was because sometimes marriage is hard, and it's nice to remind myself why it is important. And finally, Why Marriage and Family Matter--Everywhere in the World contains one of my most favorite quotes. I'll be sure to share it below.

Elder Perry was a giant of a man. I will miss hearing his enthusiastic talks during General Conference. He was always one of my favorite apostles to listen to. He starts this talk by relating his experience at the Vatican last year. He was there along with leaders from churches all around the world for a colloquium on marriage and family.

Pope Francis opened the conference by saying, "We now live in a culture of the temporary, in which more and more people are simply giving up on marriage as a public commitment. This revolution in manners and morals has often flown the flag of freedom, but in fact it has brought spiritual and material devastation to countless human beings, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. . . It is always they who suffer the most in this crisis."

He continues by saying that it is important that those in the rising generation "do not give themselves over to the poisonous [mentality] of the temporary, but rather be revolutionaries with the courage to seek true and lasting love, going against the common pattern."

Elder Perry said that three days of presentation and discussion followed this opening statement on the subject of marriage and family. The widest variety of religious leaders possible were involved, and all agreed on the importance of this traditional institution. Elder Perry said that there was commonality between them and powerful unity. He said, "During the colloquium, I observed that when various faiths and denominations and religions are united on marriage and family, they are also united on the values and loyalty and commitment which are naturally associated with family units. It was remarkable for me to see how marriage and family-centered priorities cut across and superseded any political, economic, or religious differences. When it comes to love of spouse and hopes, worries, and dreams for children, we are all the same."

But what makes members of the LDS church different? It is our belief in the eternal nature of families. He said, "The entire theology of our restored gospel centers on families and on the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in a premortal life where we all lived as literal spirit children of God our Heavenly Father. We believe that we were, and still are, members of His family.

We believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the grave--that marriages performed by those who have the proper authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words 'till death do us part' and instead say, 'for time and for all eternity.'

We also believe that strong traditional families are not only the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy, and a stable culture of values--but that they are also the basic units of eternity and of the kingdom and government of God."

Because I have grown up in the LDS faith, I assumed that everyone believed these things. If you belong to a different faith, how does this line up with your beliefs?

And does this idea from New York Times columnist David Brooks ring as true to you as it does to me?: "People are not better off when they are given maximum personal freedom to do what they want. They're better off when they are enshrouded in commitments that transcend personal choice--commitments to family, God, craft, and country."

Marriage and family matter. They are still the ideal to the vast majority of people in this world. We are not alone in this belief. Really, it can all be summed up in my favorite quote. Elder Perry said, "Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness."

So I'm going to love my husband and our children a little more. I'm going to be more forgiving of their faults and appreciative of their efforts. This family unit that Mike and I have created is the most important thing we have, and it deserves all of my best energy.


Read, listen to, or watch the full talk here. (I recommend listening to this one. Elder Perry's voice can't be beat.)

We were together. I forget the rest.

Quote above by my favorite Walt Whitman. It very accurately describes of the past fourteen years of my life.

You see, fourteen years ago this morning, Mike and I were married in the Los Angeles LDS temple. It was a quiet, easy day. He arrived with his parents. I arrived with mine. And when the short ceremony was over, we left together, sealed as husband and wife.

The ensuing years have been good. I don't really remember many of the details, but I don't need to. Mike and I were together, and that is enough. Mike is my best friend, my partner, my everything. There is no life for me without him in it. And this life that we have built together exceeds all of my dreams.

Las Vegas

Last week Mike and I were in Las Vegas for a convention. I feel lucky to be able to travel alone with Mike so often, but man alive, I think we have maxed out our babysitting options in the last four months! Last time we were in Las Vegas, we brought the kids and managed to have a pretty good time. This time, we left them home with my mom and stayed at Planet Hollywood, where the convention was being held. For people who don't gamble or drink, and who don't appreciate seeing scantily clad women dancing on tables as they walk to their rooms, Las Vegas is sort of a nightmare, and Planet Hollywood was pretty disappointing. (Although, the best thing we ate on the trip was the croissant french toast at Planet Dailies inside the hotel. So good.)

While Mike was in meetings, I spent the first day shopping for souvenirs for the kids. This is my favorite thing to do when I am away from them. I found lots of really fun things. Plus, all the time I wanted to sift through the racks at Forever 21 and Anthropologie alone? I am not a shopper usually, but I loved it.

On day two, my good friend, Annie, saved me from the filth and invited me to her house, about an hour out of the city. I had such a good time visiting her teeny town, and talking the day away. It made me wish we saw each other more than once a year. Thank you, Annie!

I arrived back at the hotel just in time to curl my hair for the big convention gala.

Mike had forgotten his dress shoes, and the red dress I scored in the clearance section at Anthropologie the day before really could have used some heels, but our poor shoe choices didn't stop us from having a nice time that night. Mike even won an award! I am so proud of him. He works hard and runs a successful company. He is smart and inventive and I like being on his arm at things like this.

The next morning, we packed up, ate a humongous amount of food at Hash House a Go Go and headed home. Good bye Las Vegas! I hope I never have to visit you again.

for a successful Christmas card photoshoot

But really, I should be most grateful for Mike's photoshopping skills, because obviously these pictures will require quite a bit of work to make them Christmas card worthy. I can't wait to see the final product!

I'm happy we've taken a Christmas card photo every year of our marriage. It is fun to see the progression of our family over the years. We've come such a long way. I was just organizing a basement closet and came across our very first (very ridiculous) card. I'll have to share it here. It is still one of my favorites.