Memorial Day 2017

Yesterday Jayze had work off for Memorial Day (woo-hoo!). It was relaxing and easy-going, which was just what we needed.

We woke up to clear and sunny skies. Jayze went running with one of his friends while I dumped a load of laundry in the washer and made the kids breakfast. Mondays are normally my laundry days, so I wanted to get as much done as possible before we headed to a barbecue at our friend's house later that afternoon.

When Jayze got back, he made me and him breakfast. Then Jayze and Aidan cleaned our kitchen while I worked on other things, and Kimball napped. Aidan went down for a nap a little while later.

We waited until the very last possible minute to wake up our kids and head to the bbq. Except, we were about an hour late because we went to the store for chips and then had to circle back home because we had forgotten Aidan and Kimball's shoes (which they hardly used anyway, haha). We arrived just in time for the blessing on the food. Whew.

The kids played and played and played while the adults talked. I put Aidan in his swim shorts, but he loved "riding" one of the kid's bikes and playing with other things instead. He did learn how to shoot a water gun, which he enjoyed spraying others with it but didn't like getting sprayed back. Kimball, on the other hand, (who I didn't put in swim shorts) loved the water. He spent a good half hour or more leaning over the kiddie pool and splashing his hand in it.

After a few hours when Kimball was finally exhausted, we headed back to our apartment and turned on a movie. Jayze made dinner and then we did our bedtime routine. Scriptures, prayer, brush teeth, kids in pajamas, sing, the kids' personal prayers, and then "tuck in tight."

It was a beautiful day. I couldn't help thinking of those who gave their lives for our country. I'm so incredibly grateful for them. I also thought of Alma and how I wished we could visit his grave. Lately I've felt like I'm always forgetting something whenever we go somewhere, and I think that feeling comes from missing him. I'm grateful other family members were able to visit him and help remember him with us.

As we sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" with Aidan and Kimball at bedtime, I felt those words ring true to my heart. Because of Jesus Christ families can be together forever. I know that with all of my heart.

One of the only pictures I took yesterday.
It was kind of nice to take a break from my phone. :)

Finally Friday

This week has been one for the books (and not in a good way). 

Aidan's face says it all, and Kimball is where I wanted to
be all week - snuggled up with a blanket in, not a stroller, but a bed

I didn't really want to blog about it, but I knew I would be shortchanging myself if I was anything but honest and just posted about the gem-like snippets of the week, such as:

- Getting my teeth cleaned (yay!) -

- Hearing a cute story about Aidan from my friend after she watched him for a couple of hours -

- attending Seminary graduation (which I wasn't excited about at first, but it ended up being great) -
- Kimball's one year appointment -

I knew it was going to be a long week when, on Monday night, I was wishing it was Friday. It's been storm after storm, wave after crashing wave, and a lot of blindsides. 

Each night when I went to bed, I'd close my eyes and hope for a better day tomorrow. 

Yet, it seemed no matter how hard we tried, something went wrong. Out of the midst of it all, last night finally brought some relief and I'm grateful that I can see a flicker of light through the darkest of dark. 

Today is going to be a good day.

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
-Doctrine and Covenants 50:24-

Haircut

Five reasons why I love giving Aidan haircuts (and Kimball now too!):

1. He is contained but happy. Mainly because he is watching YouTube videos.
2. Doing so actually forces me to sweep my tiny kitchen floor.
3. It's therapeutic. Have I ever mentioned that I once wanted to go to hair school? 
4. It provides practice for Jayze's haircuts.
5. I feel productive because I usually give him a bath afterwards.

I've definitely come a long way from cutting Aidan's hair shorter and shorter until it looked like a buzz cut...

July 2016

And he's come a long way in not screaming the whole time. :)

Motherhood

"Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve 'the mother of all living' - and they did so before she ever bore a child. 

Like Eve, our motherhood began before we were born. Just as worthy men were foreordained to hold the priesthood in mortality, righteous women were endowed premortally with the privilege of motherhood.

Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us."

~ Sheri L. Dew ~

I'm grateful for my constantly growing testimony of motherhood. I'm grateful for my husband and for my children. And I'm grateful that being a mom is my very identity and for the knowledge that I was a mother even before I ever bore children. 

Happy Mother's Day (yesterday) to all women. 

Engagement Anniversary

Yesterday was mine and Jayze's engagement anniversary. Five years ago Jayze got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. There was a soft breeze in the spring air and the sun was just about to set. I sat looking down at him from the porch swing and blurted out, "Really?!"

Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him onto the swing with me and kissed my now-fiance (after saying a real "Yes" that time). He slipped the diamond ring on my finger - one that he picked out himself - and then we walked hand in hand up the hill to the temple. 

May 11, 2012 - Rexburg, ID Temple
(check out that dimple...:))

We snuggled, took pictures, and sat happy and content on the pearl-white bench. We watched the sun go down and then walked back down the hill to a small pond within the campus garden. 

Jayze had brought pennies and we each took turns telling each other what we wished for our future. 

When the stars finally peeked out in the black sky, we headed back towards Jayze's apartment and eventually watched a movie with his roommates. As we walked, we called our parents and texted our siblings to tell them the good news. 

I'm grateful for the past five years. I was going through my journal the other day, and I can still remember the excitement I felt to be getting married to my wonderful, handsome, loving Jayze. 

It hasn't been easy, not even close, but it's definitely been worth it.

I can honestly say I love him even more now. 

"In God's plan of happiness, we are not so much looking for someone perfect but for a person with whom, throughout a lifetime, we can join efforts to create a loving, lasting, and more perfect relationship. That is the goal.

Those who save their marriages understand that this pursuit takes time, patience, and, above all, the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ...

...Great marriages are built brick by brick, day after day, over a lifetime...if you keep adding pebbles of kindness, compassion, listening, sacrifice, understanding, and selflessness, eventually a mighty pyramid will begin to grow."

"In Praise of Those Who Save," President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

So Jayze, let's keep building our pyramid. 

I love you. 

At Beauty and the Beast, 2017

New Record

Dinner = my archnemesis.

I don't know what it is, but I hate making dinner. It stresses me out almost every single day, and there have been too many days to count when we just went out to eat because neither of us had the motivation to make dinner.

It was different when I was single and in college because I didn't really worry about making a real dinner. I would usually eat a sandwich with a can of sliced peaches. I also remember making a lot of pasta, ramen, burritos, and pancakes. Not the healthiest, but it got me through.

Fast forward a couple of years and it's mine and Jayze's first dinner together in our first apartment as newlyweds. I had excitedly concocted an enchilada casserole in, what I thought, was a huge portion. I carefully set it down on the blue tablecloth we had received from our wedding (that was placed on the floor since we didn't have a table or couches) and stood back, proud of my efforts. This was a rarity when I was single, so I was eager to dig in.

I sat back, satisfied, after my plateful and then, shocked, watched Jayze eat the rest.

"I was planning for us to eat that all week!" I said, dumbfounded.

Jayze looked at me, looked at the empty casserole dish, then sheepishly said, "Oh, sorry..."

That woke me up to the realization of:

1. How much my new husband could eat (haha)
2. I was going to have to do this every single night. (!) 

However, my vehemence towards making dinner isn't just derived from that one experience (not ALL your fault, hon). :) It also stems from a busy schedule of going to college full-time and working part-time with a very limited budget. 

Let's just say it wasn't super motivating coming home with the expectation I would have to make more than the routine pb&j sandwiches and canned peaches. 

Thus began a roller coaster of me (or Jayze - he has specifically said many times I don't have to make dinner every night) making delicious delicacies on some days and us going out for burgers and fries other days (or eating mounds of Marshmallow Mateys when I was pregnant). Oh, and Taco Bell - I can't say enough about their excellent bean burritos.

I had my good spurts. Right before we had Aidan, I found an extensive freezer meal blog. I fixed up a batch of meals, stored them in the freezer, and we were good to go. That, along with people bringing us dinner for the first week after he was born, saved our budget and our sanity. I did the same thing right before Kimball was born, too. 

However, for the past 4.5 years we've been married it's been a struggle. It's weird because I do like cooking and baking, but I hate making dinner. 

Well, since we moved to Wichita, it's been the same roller coaster. I'll meal plan, get all the ingredients, and make dinners. But it's inevitable that when 4:00 rolls around, I lose motivation and we end up going out to eat. 

Ouch to our wallet, ouch to our waistlines, and ouch to my confidence as a homemaker.

Aidan even asks for Taco Bell every time we pass it now. I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing...

Anyway, the point of this whole post is we're on a NEW RECORD. It has been exactly two weeks and four days since we have eaten out. That's right...almost three whole weeks! 

Guys, this is a big, B-I-G deal. 

My secret has been...dun, dun, dun...my handy-dandy slow cooker. And one cheat meal (think boxed mac 'n cheese or beef hot dogs).

Mornings are when I'm most productive and when the kids are the happiest, so I'll just make a quick dinner in the morning and it's done. The cheat meal is for when I either missed the deadline for putting the slow cooker meal in or we've run out of dinner ideas and/or creative juices or energy with our leftover ingredients.

We've tried to eat super healthy, but sometimes we just have to give somewhere, right? I am a perfectionist at heart and it's either feel guilty for eating an unhealthy meal (cheat meal - the slow cooker ones are actually healthy) or feel guilty for eating out for the second or third time in a row.

Needless to say, this is saving me us so much stress and money. I also found I'm much more motivated to make a more time-consuming dinner some nights because I'm not burned out anymore. *High five*

I am killing this dinner thing, and it feels gooooood. 

Now if I can just apply this to getting up early...:)