April 14th and 15th, 2010

4-14-2010 and 4-15-2010

I am thinking...I haven’t yelled this morning and I feel good. I hope it can last. I have been on vacation in VA for the last 6 days and that has definitely helped with my perspective.

I am thankful for... My sister, and life, and good friends and my security. I love that I know who I am. I learned a lot about myself in the last week, being virtually free with nothing pressing. I like to read books and spend time with family and good friends and just be.

From the kitchen... Chicken noodle soup and breadsticks. I haven’t actually made them yet but I need to do it before enrichment tonight so hopefully they will soon be “from the kitchen”, right?

I am wearing... My robe… not feeling great today and so I haven’t forced myself to get dressed.

I am creating.... I will get back to you on that one

I am going... I have to go to Costco today for groceries and then drive dance. Oh, and I have book club tonight! Yay! I love book club!

I am reading... On my trip I read, Daddy Long Legs, which was so fun and light and lovely! Then I read, House Rules by Jodi Picoult, it was an excellent book. It gave me tons of insight into autism and aspergers. I learned a lot. On the plane ride home I read Candor, which was very The Giver-esque which is always a winner for me. It needs a sequel though.

I am hearing... Colton is playing Donkey Konga (Konga drum game for the gamecube) It’s a little annoying but at least I know he has rhythm.

What I have learned about parenting this week… Well I was gone for a while and had some time to reflect on that. The things that I am hoping to do better at are to be more patient and take things in their stride. It does no good to fly off the handle. I know my kids tune me out when I do that. I am trying to do better with that. Sadie told me yesterday when I told her to do something “You know Mom you aren’t God” when I said “what did you just say?” she said “Are you?” with a very confused look on her face. She is funny and I love her but she is in major need to some good parenting. I hope I can measure up.

Blog I am enjoying… http://frugalwifewealthylife.blogspot.com/ There are definitely some good ideas here!

One of my favorite things... Life Cereal! I had a bowl today for the first time in a long time. It was so good!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Jillian has a dance competition on Saturday so Brian and I are planning on spending the day up in Clearfield. Should be fun.

A picture to share... This is me and some friends from high school in VA this past weekend. It was so fun to catch up and spend some time with them.

February 24th, 2010

02-24-10

I am having a really hard time right now. I am convinced that nothing is going to change soon and it is not helping. I just feel really overwhelmed and I can’t get a handle on it. I am spending so much time cleaning up messes that my three youngest make when I take a shower or hang out on the computer for 5 min. or whatever. I honestly can’t take 5 min. for me before they have destroyed something new.

I am thinking...I need help, not fake kid help but real professional cleaner help.

I am thankful for... my phone that keeps me connected to my sister who really wants to be having her baby but isn’t.

From the kitchen... breakfast for dinner tonight. I am in charge of the cub scout blue and gold banquet tonight and that is what I am serving. Yummy!

I am wearing... gray shirt and rock revival jeans. I always feel skinny in these jeans. Yay for something happy today.

I am creating.... nothing right now but I am supposed to go to a craft day tomorrow so hopefully

I will come up with something by then.

I am going... Pack meeting and Chinese Immersion meeting at the elementary school. I am hoping to get Colton in the program.

I am reading... North and South. I am not sold yet but it is early yet. I have a feeling I will love it by the end.

I am hearing... “Button” Which is to say “Little Joe” a Veggie Tales movie. Marcus’ favorite!

Blog I am enjoying… I have been following this blog for forever and I love it. http://www.aliedwards.com/ She is spectacularly talented. I of course do not scrapbook but I do make Brian a digital book every year and have it printed and her pages inspire a lot of what goes into my book. She is a genius and so great at helping with journaling and the like.

One of my favorite things... I don’t know, I can’t think of anything. Maybe the internet, it makes my life go round, is that a bad thing?

A few plans for the rest of the week... We are going skiing on Friday with the kids. It should be quite an adventure since as I have said before I am not very good and I don’t really love it but here’s hoping I will improve.

A picture to share... well I promised my sisters I would post pictures of the cake I made for my sister in laws shower and I never did so I guess now is as good a time as any to get those posted. Here goes.

Mindy did her whole nursery in animal prints, hence the chetah print cake and paw prints.

February 18th, 2010

02-18-2010

I am thinking...I need a new can opener.

I am thankful for... my washing machine

From the kitchen... Colton is eating spaghettios. I might have opened them with my really crappy can opener and then proceeded to splatter them all over my hair and my really cute shirt and cut my hand (not stitches bad but bleeding a lot bad).

I am wearing... my white shade shirt that is supposed to be under my really cute shirt that is now in the washer since I may have inadvertently got some spaghettios on it.

I am creating.... I will have to come back to this one next week. I have nothing to report.

I am going... to book club tonight. We are going to dinner at Tsunami and then to watch the movie Dear John. I love sushi so I am really excited for dinner. I, on the other hand, do not love Nicholas Sparks and I didn’t love the book so I am guessing I will not really love the movie either but that’s o.k. I do love the company though.

I am reading... I just finished Escape by Carolyn Jesup. It is the story of a woman and her escape from her polygamist life with the FLDS cult. It was interesting but I didn’t love it. She seemed a bit bitter and so some of what she said seemed a little questionable to me. I do believe that her life was horrible and that woman are treated very poorly in that cult. It was interesting to learn about Warren Jeffs rise to power and his crazy ideas. I am not sad I read it.

I am just about to start North and South which I am really excited about. I love a good classic!

I am hearing... Marcus playing. Everyone else is gone to school and I have a few hours of quiet before they descend on my all at the same time and life gets a little crazy.

Blog I am enjoying… I can’t remember what I have said already… I hope this isn’t a repeat… I love http://everydayreading.blogspot.com/ I have been reading Jansen’s blog for forever. I found her through my sister who I think either knows her or they have mutual friends or something. Anyway, she is so cute and recommends great books. I have yet to disagree with her on her book picks which is rare for me, but really nice.

One of my favorite things... my husband and his logical point of view. We had a crazy incident with our 10yr. old this last week and I think I tend to get really emotional and go for the most radical solution. Brian tends to think things through and find logical reasonable solutions. I am really grateful for that and I think my 10 yr. old is too.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Nothing that I can think of past Book club tonight. That is kind of exciting. Oh wait I forgot. I am throwing a baby shower for my sister in law on Saturday and I am making the cake. I guess I should probably really be thinking about that and not forgetting about it.

A picture to share... hhhhhmmmmmmmmm….

isn’t it so cute? And seriously Mindy is that cute pregnant. She looks like she has a basketball stuffed in her shirt. Her belly is just so perfectly round and adorable. I love it and I love her! Can’t wait for her sweet baby boy to arrive.

February 2nd, 2010

02-09-2010

I am thinking...Well, I just balanced my check book and I am thinking I am pretty broke. How’s that for depressing?

I am thankful for... so many things today. My kids, my spouse, my sanity. In the last 11 years I have been pregnant 5 times and then nursed after the babies were born for a full year so I have either been pregnant or nursing most of the last 11 years. It is so nice to be doing neither. I enjoy my sanity. It is amazing how different my husband and my life look when all my hormones are balanced properly. I have a good life. Oh and the sun is shining and it is gorgeous outside, that helps too.

From the kitchen... nothing going on in the kitchen today. I should have made turkey and cheese rolls but I didn’t so my kids will probably have to buy lunch tomorrow. Oh well, maybe they can take ramen.

I am wearing... black hoodie, blue waffle shirt and yoga pants no shoes. I am comfy and happy.

I am creating.... flower bow things for my girls hair. I have been working on these for a while and I really need some jewels to go in the middle of them but I can’t find any I love so they are still sitting in a box. I really need to get it in gear.

I am going... to drop my daughter off at “tv star school” Yes my daughter Riley is totally into acting/making a fool out of herself. She loves it and I love that I found a class for her to take to help her excel at that.

I am reading... Dear John (not my normal kind of book) Mostly I am not a fan of Nicholas Sparks but my book club picked it and sometimes I really like a no brainer. I am not loving it but its o.k. and somewhat engaging. I finished Her Fearful Symmetry. It was really good. I love how Audrey Neffineger suspends reality and just doesn’t care that it doesn’t make sense and doesn’t try to explain it. She is a gifted writer.

I am hearing... quiet, although I have been listening to the same song over and over again because my daughter had her favorite song on repeat all afternoon. (really really annoying!)

Blog I am enjoying… frenchieandflea.blogspot.com I love that this blog dabbles a little in everything. I am a big fan of the fashion section. I love anthropoligie but refuse to pay for it and I love that they find the same look at more affordable places. Cute!

One of my favorite things... pretzels. What is it about the salty yummy goodness that makes me so happy! I love them!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Nothing crazy really. I am headed to dinner and movie with friends tonight. Friday is Riley and Jillians birthday and Brian and I are going to take them out. Then Saturday, I think I am going on a date with my spouse for valentines day.

A picture to share... Here’s a picture of my skiing adventure two weekends ago. I am not a skier but it was fun to go with friends and do something different for a change.

January 26th 2010

01-26-2010

I am thinking...I might try and relate today’s blog to running. I’m guessing I can steer all my answers that way. Let’s see.

I am thankful for... trails. I love where I live. The trails in Draper, UT are so amazing and I literally live within running distance of about 20 that serve me very well. I love the hills especially the downhill. There is something so great about the dirt and the trees and the smell and the wildlife and o.k. all of it. They are AWESOME. I remember my amazing sister-in-law telling me about them 8 years or so ago, how much she loved running them and how beautiful they were, and me laughing and knowing that I would never run them and for sure would never love them if I did ever run them. How wrong I was. Little did I know how much I was going to need running after I each kid. I need the release, the challenge, the solace, the meditation. I need it all to make my happy little world go round.

From the kitchen... protein shakes and something I am loving right now. For the most part I am not that girl. I really like to just eat/drink things that I will be eating and drinking 10 years from now. I am not a fan of diets that will not translate to real life. This aside, my friend gave me some protein powder and I love it. I crave it! Its my treat. I like it with a frozen banana and some ice. It is such a treat and it really helps with my appetite.

I am wearing... jog bra, black tank, black/white/pink hoodie, yoga pants, and bare feet. I haven’t changed from running this morning. I know that this is bad but there it is. Sometimes I just don’t get to it until dinner time.

I am creating.... habits. I love the tread class at the gym. I have been a few times but twice in the last week. It kicks my butt. I love running especially if it kills me. I have such a hard time with treadmills, they are so boring but this class is great. I almost think it would be an asset while I am training for a race. Today we did a ton of speed training. It was hard!

I am going... to run a half marathon in August and maybe one sooner if I can find one. I should get on that.

I am reading... I read Olive Kitteridge last week. It was really good. It is such an interesting book. It can be depressing for some but I love how much it made me think. It takes people from all different backgrounds, different walks of life, and it explains a lot of why and how they ended up who they are. It is a novel in stories and most of the stories never get finished but it helped me. I always think that everyone thinks like I do so I can’t figure out why they react to things different than I would. I mean I know that we are not all the same but it just helped me broaden my tolerance and understanding and I loved it. I am reading “Her Fearfull Symmetry” by Audrey Neffininger right now. I love it so far but we will see.

I am hearing... I am listening to the new Kris Allen album and I love it. I am excited because a few of the songs will be really great to run too. I always love new music on my runs.

Blog I am enjoying… did you guys check out last weeks? It is so great. Here is one that I have been following for a long time. I love it. I love her. She is really someone that I could be friends with. It is another very religious blog which is actually weird for me because I don’t really wear my religion on my sleeve like these women do but they inspire me just the same. http://adashofhumblepie.blogspot.com/ just an fyi on this one…she never says what she is struggling with. I spent a good few weeks going back and reading old posts trying to figure out how I missed what her trial is. She never says, it bothered me at first but not now. I get it and I almost love her all the more for it. She is amazing.

One of my favorite things... I forgot until just now that I already told you guys about my protein shakes last week, right here on this blog. Sorry. My favorite thing this week is my Saucony running shoes. I love the brand and that every time I put on my running shoes I feel like I am walking on pillows.

A few plans for the rest of the week... I’m going on a girls trip to Bear Lake this weekend. Can’t wait to have some friend/me time. It will be so fun to just relax and enjoy my sweet friends for a few days.

A picture to share... this is a picture from a race I did over a year ago. So fun! I love my running friends!

January 19th 2010

01-19-2010

I am thinking...That I am really doing poorly on this not yelling thing. I am exercising more and eating less which is never condusive to a patient me. I need to work on that. My sister gave me some advice about that today. She said to eat when I am hungry even if it is right before meal time. I am going to try it.

I am thankful for... Friends. I met some of my favorite people today at Chick-fil-a for a little break from the everyday, laundry, cleaning and the like. It was great. These women get me and I love it. I am blessed to have them in my life.

From the kitchen... leftovers tonight for dinner. I am normally not a leftover girl but my fridge is full of them and I just couldn’t make another full meal when there is so much food in there.

I am wearing... black yoga pants, blue hooded shirt from target, socks and running shoes. (I keep telling myself I am going running. We will see.)

I am creating.... nothing new at the moment.

I am going... running?

I am reading... I just finished “The Truth About Forever” and I loved it. This book was really good. It gave me a lot to think about. The main character was totally not relatable to me and I love that. I love to get a completely different perspective. I am starting “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout today. I have to have it read by Thursday so I better get a move on.

I am hearing... some music from a new blog that I love. I think it is some form of Christian rock or something. I like it.

Blog I am enjoying… http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/ I am loving this blog because of the beautiful pictures and how relatable this woman is to me. She has 7 kids under 11 which I can honestly say I will never have but I may have that many under 12. We will see. Anyway, her pictures are true art. They are beautiful. She is a very inspiring person. She is a bit long winded though and I do find myself wishing I could read all of her post but not having time. I will get there.

One of my favorite things... protein shakes with frozen bananas. (why does this always end up being food?)

A few plans for the rest of the week... hmmmm…. Book club on Thursday which I am excited about. I love the women in my book clubs. I go to two and I love them both. Such different women and yet I love being with them and laughing and talking and getting a new perspective on everything. I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many great women!

A picture to share...

01-12-2010

Is it bad that I have no idea what the date is? I will have to go look at my phone since I can’t figure out how to find it on my computer. Oh, I lied, I found it on my google homepage. It’s the 12th.

I am thinking...Well, just a minute ago I was thinking that if I keep eating the valentine m&m’s out of my canister in my kitchen, I will be fat and sad because they look so cute in the canister in the kitchen. Whatever.
I am thankful for... Faith. I am having major trouble with the “not yelling” I am supposed to be doing. I am grateful for prayer and hope that if I do it enough then this will get easier. It’s just, I can’t help it, the people in my house are so frustrating!
From the kitchen... m&m’s as previously mentioned and taco soup in the crockpot. I am trying to decide whether to make cornbread. It sounds so good but if I make it I will undoubtedly eat it, and that will not be good since I didn’t run today.
I am wearing... black shirt, pink sweats, no shoes. I am in love with my barefeet today. I hope I won’t have to put on shoes at all today.
I am creating.... I’ve been working on a few quilts. I think I have at least 5 in all different stages. I hope I will finish at least one before I start another but there are no guarantees. Also I really want to make this … http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=20&f=4534 and this… http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=41&f=4529
and I am not sure I am going to be able to talk myself into waiting until another project is done before I do at least one of these.
I am going... nowhere fast… no really, I don’t think I am going anywhere today! YEAH!
I am reading... I never finished “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon, it was horribly long and I just couldn’t make myself finish. Since then I read “The Actor and The Housewife” by Shannon Hale. I really liked it. Unlike my sister Diana, I didn’t find it predictable but I did find it totally unrealistic. I found it very thought provoking, sad, and really funny, though. I would recommend it to anyone. It is nice to have a Mormon character in a book and not have her be weird or whatever. She was just normal, like me, and I liked that.
I am hearing... Peace and quiet. All is still in my home right now and I like it. If this happened a little more often I might be able to keep myself from yelling. Maybe I just need to really embrace the quiet when it happens and that would help. I think I will try it. Maybe a nap, even.
Blog I am enjoying… http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com I love to find new blogs that make me want to improve or inspire me to take time away and create something. I guess that you could say I am somewhat of a closet artist. I think I am pretty good at recognizing beauty or at least what is pleasing to our eyes and recreating it either in a photograph or picture or even a logo or a book cover. It comes very natural to me so I just assume everyone can do that, but I am told that it doesn’t, and that I have a talent. I like that. This blog is pretty amazing. I have loved going back a looking at all the amazing photographs on this blog. I really want to take my kids out and start snapping photos and then bringing them back and playing with them in photoshop. I love to do that but I have a hard time finding the time.
One of my favorite things... Today one of my favorite things is… red and pink m&m’s.
A few plans for the rest of the week... 12th night http://12thnight.eventbrite.com/ My brother is really cool and he does a fundraiser every year called 12th Night. It is fun and a good way to contribute to something and also have fun doing it. Have I mentioned he is my hero. Well, he is, and his wife is also. She is by far the most amazing mother of eight I have ever met. If I could be half the parent that either of them are I would be very lucky and my kids would be even luckier. As it is, they are stuck with me and my need to yell. At least they have Brian. He is a really good Dad.
A picture to share... I am sharing this because it may be the coolest thing I have ever seen. I don’t think it is legit but it is cool just that same (no this is not an announcement). When I am ready, I will tell you all, but as I have said my house needs to be a house of PEACE before I bring another person in it.

Sorry so wordy this week. I guess I was just inspired by the quiet. As I mentioned, it doesn’t happen a lot!
Melanie

January 3rd 2010

01-03-2010

This post is going to be different than the last few. I have some new goals and hopes for the new year that I need to document so I won’t forget them or let them go by the way side.

My home is not a happy place. It hasn’t been for a while now. That is not to say that we don’t have a good time and that my kids are not happy well adjusted children, they are. But, the overall feel of my home is not happy. I have come to the conclusion that this starts with myself, first a for most. I set the tone of the home. Overall I am a happy person, most days are good, but I am overwhelmed and tired and sometimes I just don’t deal with all that all that great and I lose it. I lose it more often than I should. I have a temper, and I wish that my kids didn’t know it. They do. I am hoping to change that this year. My word for the year is... I really want my home to be peaceful. I want us to be able to disagree without screaming about it and I want my kids to stop fighting so much and for us to just get along better and be able to feel peaceful in our home. So I have set some goals for myself to accomplish this and I am hopeful that this feeling of peace will happen in our home throughout the year.

1. No yelling! Period! If I slip and yell I will spend 10 undivided minutes with whoever I yelled at. This is not a punishment for me but it is really hard to find that time but I think that it is important to mend what I just broke by yelling and this seems like a reasonable way to do it.

2. Lower the volume in our home. This one will be hard because I will have to find ways to get others in our home to lower their volume. As for the TV and Music that will be fairly easy I think but the other more difficult.

3. Use our basement more. I really think this will help with the volume in our home. We have three floors even though we tend to only use the two above ground. The basement will be a good place to send the louder people who refuse to lower their volume. This isn’t a punishment since everything fun in our home is down there it will just help with the volume control.

The rest of my goals are ones that don’t directly relate to my word of the year but will help with the overall feel of our home which will indirectly help our home feel more peaceful.

4. Clean all the bathrooms every week. We will start there. I hope to be able to clean the whole house every week and for the most part all of it does get clean every week with the kids doing their chores and things like that but the bathrooms tend to get neglected, especially the upstairs ones, so I am hoping to be able to stay on top of that.

5. Do an act of service every week outside of the home. Let’s face it I need the blessings and I need to think about others (beside my family) way more often.

6. Spend less. I know, I know, I say this every year and so does everyone else but I really mean it, OK!

7. Read my scriptures more and make sure I have read the Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society lessons every week. Since I won’t be going to those two classes because I am in the nursery at church hopefully I will be able to brush up on my knowledge of the Gospel by myself.

8. Buy one book shelf or menial piece of furniture every month. This one is fun! Some months I am sure I will not be able to afford something big but at least I can buy something that will help organize our home. We need so many things but buying them all at once is unrealistic.

That’s it. They seem lofty and quite overwhelming at the moment which I am sure is not good and will lead to failure but I am at least whole heartedly determined to make my home more peaceful. I know I can do this with the Lord’s help.
I will be continuing with my topic questions for the year but I think I will be adding and subtracting some. Stay tuned for next week to see what they will be. (I am sure you all waiting with baited breath)

December 31st 2009

12-31-09 (not really but we can pretend, right?)

Outside my window... darkness. It is night and I am trying to get this done before the day is through. It is late but I am going to focus this post on Christmas week and then do another one about my goals for the new year and new topic questions for the new year.

I am thinking...about how great Christmas was this year. We did three gifts for our kids and it was perfect. It was nice to not have a million.

I am thankful for... My Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. I finished the Book of Mormon yesterday and it was great to really be able to focus more on the Savior this year than the past few and remember all He did for me and all He asks of me. I need to do better.

From the kitchen... There is way too much junk in my kitchen. Tomorrow it is all going in the garbage, I promise!

I am wearing... My new pink sweat suit. It is so comfy and I love it because my sweet friends gave it to me and it was the perfect gift. I have great friends!

I am creating.... Good Memories! This really was the perfect Christmas.

I am going... to friends to play cards. I love that we have a standing date with the Davies to hang out and enjoy each others company. They are true good friends and I love that I can be myself with them.

I am reading... The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, yep still reading it. Its long and not really my normal kind of book. I am ready to be done with it but it keeps going and going and going.

I am hoping... For a peaceful home. More of that to come.

I am hearing... quiet…

Around the house... Christmas is down. It was great and I loved a new thing I started this year of hanging my Christmas cards on the railing. IT really was cute and was a fun reminder everyday of all the great people we know.

One of my favorite things... My kids joy on Christmas morning. They really were so joyful this year. There were no tears and they were so excited to give each other the gifts they had picked out for each other. It was pretty awesome. I think next year we will have them draw names and just give to one sibling. I think it will be fun to have them really think about what that person wants and maybe even contribute to the cost of the gift. That might help my bank account as well. I also hope next year to do my gifts a little different. I want them to really mean something so I think we will do a want, a need, and a spiritual gift of some sort. I really want to focus more on the meaning of Christmas and I think this will help. I also think we might need to read the nativity story in the morning before we do presents. We always do it the night before with my whole family but it might be nice to do it just with us and really talk about what we are celebrating.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Get my house in order.

A picture to share... Christmas morning.