gratitude snippets: day 2

today i am grateful for my body.

there are lots of random thoughts i've had about it this morning. sure, it is ever-changing and ever-aging these days. it does not look like it did when i was 18. i have stretch-marks, blemishes, scars, and flabby skin in unflattering places. i have gimpy fingers, and i bruise wayyy more easily than i used to. my once perky boobs are now deflated and small. and if i'm being honest, i feel like i am always determined to exercise more and eat right-er to lose that infamous last 5 (or 10) pounds. but my body is wonderful. some reasons why:

i can go on a run pretty much whenever i want (well, when my kids cooperate). i am no professional, marathon runner- but i love going on runs. they are my holy place. and i am so grateful for my healthy knees, my strong heart, and my willing feet that can carry me through this hobby.

somehow, my body created and delivered 2 healthy babies. this thought never ceases to amaze me. i cannot believe that our bodies can perform such a miracle. and every time i really look into the eyes of my little girls, i remember what a huge blessing it is that my body could do that.

now that my babies aren't so young, i often get a full-nights' sleep. i know some peoples' bodies don't allow them to do this. i am a very grouchy person when i am sleep-deprived, and so i am so grateful for the many nights of rest that my body (and my girls) allow me to get.

amazingly, i have been able to nurse both babies as long as i wanted to. but truth-be-told, i am also grateful to be done nursing and to get my body back (hallelujah!) just last Friday (a little more than a week ago), Alice had her last feeding. i admit, i was the one who needed to be weaned, not Alice. you see, she's become such a wiggly, active thing...she's just much too busy for me and my snuggles anymore...and i was too stubborn to give them up. until finally i did, and now i am doing a happy dance. unfortunately my boobs were weaned along with Alice (meaning, they are shriveled little grapes...not even big enough to be called raisins)- but it is so wonderful to now not have someone needing some part of my body multiple times a day. i am also grateful to not be ravenously hungry like i was when i was nursing. and i am grateful to be able to wear a big push-up bra (without worrying it will punch alice in the face while feeding) to cover-up the effects of 2 children. because even though i am grateful for my body, it doesn't mean i am not well-aware of its flaws.

xoxo

gratitude snippets: day 1

day 1:

tonight i am grateful for family home evening.

{photo taken by Harlow Photography}

now before i go into any more detail i must confess: we have a history of being HORRIBLE at holding regular family nights. M and i would go on little kicks of "trying to be better"- but i honestly think that up until a couple of months ago, the longest we ever went was 2 consecutive weeks of FHE. (tail between the legs). we have no good excuse, seeing that both of us were brought up by awesomely goodly parents who taught us better than that and did hold regular family nights. but for some reason it just didn't click with us and we consistently fell short. i admit that it might have had something to do with me not wanting yet another thing to have to plan and be in charge of and nag about (Debbie downer, i know). and that's the truth of it all in a shelled nut. we used to be crappy FHE-ers.

well, a couple of months ago, i had an epiphany that i was not excluded from our prophet's counsel to have family nights. I decided that i was being a lazy-butthead, and our family could really benefit from gospel-centered lessons. we needed some good family time. and we needed to teach more about Jesus and the stories from the scriptures, rather than just assuming the girls would be fine and learn it eventually.

so we started having family night. we started with coming up with Family Rules. and one of them was to have family night every week. we haven't missed since. it makes me feel so happy to type that.

Alice loves it. she squeals and dances and marches around the whole time. Ellie loves it! she loves the scriptures. she loves singing the songs. she loves our special treats that we only get on Monday nights.


she even mimics FHE on other nights and pretends to give us lessons and do activities.

i feel a little ashamed by my lack of faith and obedience in following the little things -- specifically in having family night -- because for us it has turned into such a big thing- such an incredible blessing. sure, the lessons are usually simple, and we get easily side-tracked...but i promise, our family has already grown closer and created new memories...and its only been a couple of months! and i guess i realize that in not having FHE, we were just withholding blessings from ourselves. which is silly, no?


so tonight, i'm grateful for FHE. and hope we keep it a family tradition forever and ever.

xoxo

a thankful thursday

a few weeks ago, my little family had pictures taken by the wonderfully talented Denae Harlow.
i wanted to wait to post any pictures, since i obviously will use one or two of them in a Christmas card that i'll be sending out- and i didn't want to ruin the surprise.

but i just couldn't wait...
i love them too much.

the more i look at the pictures, the more my heart is filled with love and gratitude for these 3 adorable people who have filled my life with so much meaning and purpose.
we've had some situations surrounding us in the last little while that have just really made me look at my own little family and just be so grateful for the blessings that somehow are mine. how did i get so lucky? i can't quite be sure. all i know is that 10 years ago, i dreamed of a handsome husband who'd love me and be kind to me. i dreamed of having kids and being a mom. i dreamed of being happy.
i'm a definite believer that dreams can and do come true, even in unexpected, unplanned ways.
i love this quote by Camilla Kimball, one of the sweetest most genuine ladies to ever live (not that i know her personally or anything- just by stories i've heard of her, and stories i've read of hers):

"you do not find the happy life. you make it."

i think it's true. you can't always go looking for something bigger and better than what or where you are. it kind of reminds me of the thought "the grass is always greener on the other side..." but what i think is it may be greener over there, but that doesn't mean your grass isn't green, so make the best of it, right? at least your grass isn't brown! but then again, i think sometimes, for whatever reason, the happy life finds you. and really, i feel like the happy life has found me. sure, sometimes things are topsy turvy. Ellie cries about nonsensical things, and Alice hangs on my leg while i pee, and M decides to fix a fence 10 minutes before we need to leave somewhere... but my life is full. full of love. full of smiles. full of memories and bruises on our foreheads. full of tears, of both heartaches and joy.

and so today, i am grateful. most grateful for these wonderful people that i get to share the happy life with. because it wouldn't be that without them.

 {p.s. my mutant finger made a surprise appearance! i tried to disguise that poor pinky with finger-nail polish...but how can you disguise a mutant?? you can't. poor guy.}

{all images were taken by Harlow Photography c/o Denae Harlow. she's awesome, huh?}

life is good.

xoxo

thankful list

- vegetable gardens
- bows and headbands (for the girls)
- Christmas music...and movies...and decorations...and stories...and food...ok, Christmas in general
- my bed, featuring our down comforter, of which M so lovingly refers to as the "Alaskan snow blanket"
- modern family...and specifically Phil Dunphy for being so hilariously adorable
- my warm socks on this frigid night (yes, I'm my worst nightmare...a California-weather-wimp. i think i may not have survived the Utah blizzard of 2010)
- music music music
- fresh basil and rosemary...mmmmm
- thank you notes...giving and receiving...especially one that was just given to me by one of my cute beehives which referred to me as her bff
- my bffs
- sparkly lip gloss and eye shadow
- when Alice sleeps in increments of three hours or more
- disposable diapers
- the scriptures
- a warm meal. or unsoggy meal.
- Pandora - we're listening to the Christmas station today...it's a beautiful thing
- good books
- being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
- my hands and feet
- mi familia- a dad who is witty, loyal, and generous beyond measure; a mom who is hilarious, thoughtful, original and has more love for human kind than any other person alive; a brother who can always make me laugh; a sister (his wife) who is domestic and the best mommy ever, my neice who us sweet and funny and has the cutest little face ever, a sister who is unique, creative and so fun to be around, inlaws who are kind, loving, adore my kids, and have taken me in as their own, and extended family on all ends that always have my back and are genuinely interested and concerned about me and my little family. i'm beyond blessed.
- root awakenings shampoo and conditioner by John Frieda. the eucalyptus is genius.
- wipes- we currently have 4 large containers filled throughout our house and three travel packs in my car. i love wipes.
- dangly earrings
- little newborn squeals and grunts and snorts while eating
- my warm shower every morning
- general conference talks
- the way Ellie talks right now
- Disney, for being the coolest company ever to exist
- my car, the swan, who is somehow still running, in spite of me
- maybelline mascara in the pink tube
- nice people
- anything and everything Costco
- our cute little 1955 house which we have made into a home
- M's job... even though it's more of a love-hate thing
- having my family live only 7 hrs away (even if LA does turn that number into 9 sometimes...dang LA)
- Ellies ballet class
- food- specifically bread, smoked gouda, and cheesecake...three things i just could not live without right now...but not together of course
- apple juice (on behalf of Ellie)
- markers, toys, and dress-ups (also on behalf of Ellie)
- my cameras
- my Young Women's calling
- Christmas being only one short month away
- our backyard with our own lawn
- photos
- the Disney Store
- joy school
- the park
- movies + buttered popcorn (extra butter, please)
- the sunshine and blue skies out my window this morning
- the razzleberry pie i just pulled out of the oven- my first homemade pie ever
- phone calls
- Target- I swear I keep them in business
- shoes- specifically my blue vans, my rainbows, my brown boots and my sexy grey heels.
- my beautiful little family: my best friend M- who is kind, genuine, and loving; my little best friend Ellie, who is curious, smart as a whip (are whips smart?), and sweet as honey; and my joy Alice, who snuggles me when I need snuggles, has smiles that melt my heart, and completes our lil family perfectly.

just a lil list of some things i'm thankful for today.

and that's not even the half of it. yes yes, i'm truly blessed. and for all of that and much, much more... i am truly grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!
xoxo

another thankful thursday

today i am thankful to be able to laugh and smile with these two beautiful girls each and every day:



xoxo

a thankful thursday

today i am thankful for:

{fall leaves}

{special deliveries}

{and the baby bjorn}

(i could seriously eat those cheeks).

xoxo