{8/31/11}

Melatonin

Yup. Though not for me, it's for our sweet wild and crazy boys. :) who.... like to stay awake until 10 pm. ug. Poor Neil has been sitting with them for ~an hour every night trying to get them to fall asleep. He usually beats them to it too. ;) Anyway, one tablet an hour before we want them to fall asleep, and so far I think they are pretty good! :) We'll see how they work tonight when we'll actually be able to put them to bed earlier. :)

Sweet Dreams little ones!

(this doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I like this picture that Mr. Bean took at Bear Lake)

{8/30/11} When things are over.

Usually I'm super excited to put together events and presentations and what not. But today we had Standards Night for the Young Women, and boy was it ever stressful. I don't know why, but it was frustrating, stressful, confusing, and whatever other feelings all rolled into one trying to get ready for it and plan it out just right. Not to mention I was up until after 3 am on Monday night finishing up some stuff. I think in the end it went pretty well, and a lot of the parents said that they enjoyed it and really liked it. But man, that was the first time I couldn't wait for something to be over before it even began. I sure love all the girls in our ward! And I really hope that they were able to get something out of it, and that it helped them, but I know for me it was definitely a learning process and a growing experience, and a challenge. But it was all worth it as long as it helped someone. :)

{8/29/11} All Giggles

I should really say pure laughing. Today was the first day that Mabel really laughed! She's laughed and giggled before, you know those cute little baby squeaks and bursts. But today it was different. She was gut retching, belly rolling laughing. Like Hunter and Jackson when they just can't stop and you know it hurts. Ok, I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true. It's not like it lasted forever. But it certainly was cute! I was holding her and playing with her and she just started laughing. Then I would make faces at her and she would start laughing harder and harder and the more things I did the more she laughed! It was the. best. ever.!!! :) I love this little girl! If I can get it on video sometime soon I'll add it in here. :)

{8/28/11} And the Thunder Rolls

... and the lightning strikes!! Ok, no. Not the country song. We went on a walk tonight so I could deliver the invitations for Standards Night coming up and while we were out we watched an awesome lightning storm move closer and closer to us from across the southern part of the lake. It was so beautiful! I love being out at dusk as the sky gets dark from the storm clouds but you still have that little bit of light shining through from the west. It was such a nice night and fun running around in the wind. I sure love going out and just taking a few minutes to talk to neighbors and friends. I guess that's one nice thing about being in Utah, we know so many of our neighbors. Because they're all in our ward! :) Anyway, we did make it home before the storm hit us and we were able to stay dry. Though it was a good excuse to race... and that is a favorite thing lately - racing Hunter. He's so fun. :)

{8/27/11}

Ok, I'm really writing this on the 31st. I know I still have joy moments, but getting ready for Standards Night on Tuesday took up all my time, as well as thinking time, and I totally forgot about this. So I'm trying to remember what happened on Saturday so I can record it. :)

The only thing that really sticks out in my mind from Saturday is sitting next to the hubby watching a movie while we watching the lightning coming through the window! We've been having great storms lately, and it's a nice excuse to sit back and enjoy some good company. :)

{8/26/11} Should-be-Sleeping Boys

pic taken 8/20/11- right after we got back from our vaca

10 minutes ago: This little guy should have been sleeping, but I spotted him at the top of the stairs. I thought it was Hunter because usually he's the one that gets up after they should be asleep. I didn't think anything of it until I looked over and saw his cute head peaking out from behind our cabinet. Then quick as could be he'd pull his head back to the corner and hide. Aaaaahhhhh! He is SO CUTE! :) He did that a couple of times until I went over to him. What a sweet heart. My favorite thing is how he says "yesss" and "Yeah." and how every time he has the perfect inflections to portray exactly how he feels at the moment. He is very expressive for the small vocabulary that he has at the moment. I love him! Sometimes I wish I could freeze everything else in life and just focus on each of my children individually, with no distractions. And just be purely in the moment with them for all moments. They grow up way too fast! I sure love being a mom!

{8/25/11}

R.A.I.N.B.O.W.S

When Hunter woke up from his nap today he was VERY insistent that we go for a walk. And I'm so very glad he did! Some thunderstorms were blowing in so it had cooled down tremendously, and it was so nice to get out of our hot house into a nice cool breeze. Not to mention the light sprinkles. 

There was one house we walked past that had their sprinklers on, which were spraying a little bit onto the sidewalk, I was walking in the street watching Hunter as he was distracted by something else, and didn't notice he was walking into water. His reaction once he realized he was getting wet was SO funny! He was super startled (the look on his face was like, "What the water?!!!"), then he ducked and ran past them as fast as he could. When we walked past the house later another set came on, one of which rotated a little. He got close enough that it would spray him every few seconds and he would just giggle. It was so cute/funny watching him! He is such a fantastic little man!

{8/24/11}

This guy...

My Dad! :)

We talked for a long time on the phone today, and he is so great! I really look up to him so much, and am grateful for everything he's taught me throughout my life! He's a great example! I'm really glad that we have a good relationship and that I can call him my friend. :) Love you Dad!! :)

{8/23/11}

Joy. joy. joY.

it almost makes a smiley face. ;)

ok, whatever.

I think there's been more things than not that bring me joy lately.

One, coming up with patterns to quilt and coloring them in and seeing how (hopefully) good they will turn out! :) This going to be a pillow cover for my partner in the For Love of Solids swap.

Also, I love writing people notes... like my sweet hubby! and then leaving them in random places. :)

and then I can't forget all the wonderful young women that I get to hang out with every week! It's like a huge group of instant friends that even if we wouldn't hang out otherwise, we get to anyway! and I love it! :)

{8/22/11}

she is so beautiful, and I feel like none of the pictures I take of her do her justice. I could watch her all day, she is such a wonderful little girl. I love my boys to death, but there is something about this girl that is so different. I think there has been maybe one or two times that I've thought, "Oh, she's a baby." Usually she just stands out so strongly as her own little individual self, and it's so interesting to me that at such a young age she can have such personality and radiance. It's hard to think of her as a baby, and yet at the same time it is so hard to watch her grow so fast! She's already way bigger than Jacks was at this age, and sometimes I feel like I need to have another little girl just to make up for how fast she is growing and that I feel like I'm not getting enough of her infant stage. :)

On another note, she is so giggly, and is starting to play! She loves to watch all of us, and laughs a lot more when we tickle her or play with her. Everything about her brings me joy!

{8/21/11}

Sundays are always a joyous thing in and of themselves. But if I were to pick one specific thing about today, it would be this girl....

She is amazing! She's so strong (as in character) and always happy and nice and is such a great example. I am so happy that I am able to be around her and associate with her! I love people! :)

{8/20/11}

Today is kind of a grateful joy thing again, and again I have to give credit to my hubby. One of my most favorite, happy-making things is a clean house! :) I don't know what else beats having a clean and organized house, but I love it!! We didn't end up cleaning before we left on vacation for a week, so we came back to a real disaster. (Does that help deter robbers if your house is messy and you forget to take out the trash???) Anyway, Neil had to work for a lot of the day, and yet with the effort I put in while he was gone, and then the huge help that he was when he got home, our home is once again beautiful. :)

{8/19/11}

There are two things that brought me joy yesterday. My home and my bed. After a week of a wonderful vacation and loads of family goodness, although it was sad to say goodbye and hard to leave a nice break from our stresses, it's always nice to come home and sleep in our own bed. I'm not sure if it's more joy, or if it's more gratitude, but either way I'm so glad to have all that we have!

{8/18/11}

Today was kind of a harder day. I guess every day isn't going to be easy, but I guess that's the point of all this. Finding joy amidst the tough times.

This picture is from the other day, but I can't help but smile whenever I see this little guy. He is the best ever. He's so full of love, has such a tender heart, and is so funny and happy. What a cutie!

{8/17/11}

This is the funniest wall paper I have ever seen! My sister and I just die laughing every time we see it. It's not the best picture, but it's of these dancing bears and they are making the funniest poses ever. To top it off my brother keeps coming in and imitating them. Good times. :)

{8/16/11}

This guy. :) He really is the best ever! He's the best dad. Takes awesome care of our kids, totally selfless in serving them. And is the best husband! He does SO much to help me out and makes sure that I know how much he loves me. I couldn't ask for anything more. Plus he's super funny and can always make me laugh. Love you babe!

{8/15/11}

Simply everything about this!

 

Summer
the beach
water
family
sun
blue skies

Bear Lake

warm air

sand

kyaks

being out of the car
a little R&R
the smells
laughter

fun

{8/14/11}

I need to come up with an acronym for this, but am a little hesitant to call it mo-jo, so we'll see what happens. Lol. I'm also not sure how to post it, if it should be a daily thing or a weekly thing with the weeks recap. I guess I have some time to decide before it's over. ;)

Anyway, I have to add one for yesterdays since yesterdays was really Fridays. :) I did not take any pics, probably for the best, but last night I had to get some stuff out of the back of my closet and found my old formal dresses from high school and tried them all on. lol! I even put on my wedding dress. It still fits. Kind of. :) when I came downstairs in it the hubby said seeing it again made him nervous all over again. It was also fun because our first date was jr. prom and then sr. prom, so it was a good walk down memory lane for both of us. (fyi, we weren't hs sweethearts. We didn't get married until 8 years later.) :)


Todays MoJ  (does that work better?) Is this girl:

She is going off to school this week at my favorite school and we will miss her greatly! I have good memories with her, as well as so much respect for her and her goodness. We had a good cry session today with everyone sharing what they love most about her. I am so grateful for so many wonderful people in my life and the opportunity that I have to work with so many great young women! :)

{8/13/11}

I've finally found it. My 365 Days-of-Something! Inspired by this post, and a small dose of Life's-been-a-drag-and-I-need-something-more, I am starting my 365 Moments of Joy.

Do you remember that movie Julie & Julia? It was pretty good, so if you haven't seen it I recommend it. Well, after that came out it seemed that everyone had a 365-Days-of-Something, photography, cooking, blogging, sewing, whatever. I liked the idea of it, but didn't really have anything that I wanted to do, or commit to, for 365 days in a row. Well, finally having enough of the baby blues, I'm ready for some daily doses of happiness. :)

I'm really not going to expect a lot from it, or expect myself to put a lot into it, just a little update of a daily something that brings me joy. :) Maybe it will just be a picture from my camera phone and that's it, perhaps a story, or joke, or maybe something long and dreadfully boring. ;) I don't know. I'm sure that as every day is different, there will be something that brings me joy every day. :)

I think it will be fun. And in the end, I think it will give me a reason to take a break from all the stress of being an overly tired and demanded mom and just enjoy the moment. :) No other expectations or competitions involved - I'm not going to worry about perfect photos, how beautiful I look in the picture, my double chin that likes to show up now and then, etc.(though hopefully I'll learn some things along the way as well.)


What do you think?! Do you want to join along? Leave a comment on this post with your blog and I'll add you to a blog roll on my sidebar under my button. :)

Oh, and here's a button if anyone wants to join, you can put this on your blog as well. :)

<center><a href="http://fromblankpages.blogspot.com/2011/08/365-moments-of-joy.html" target="_blank"><img alt="365 Moments of Joy" style="width:175px" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/6037106757_f2b066becd.jpg" width="175" /></a></center>

I might as well start my first joy-mo now. :) This picture is actually from yesterday, but I posted it today so I'm going to say that it counts. Not to mention that it is the whole inspiration for all of this! :)