2017 Goals

Here we are as a family in 2017. 

This was a gift given to us from Reggie and Linda (my brother and his wife). 

Tonight is a rare night. I have some extra time! 

I am going to take advantage of this time to write down 

my thoughts, feelings, and goals for this new year. 

As I contemplated what goals I wanted to make this year it seemed clear I wanted to be healthy.

Spiritually. Mentally. Physically.

So here is the plan! 

Spiritually: Feast upon the scriptures. Really study them. Not in my bed with the lights off just before i go to bed (like i have in the past). I will set aside time in the evening after kids go to bed, to study the lesson's for the coming week. I will have a journal to record thoughts, questions, and testimony. Its now January 10 and I have been doing it consistently every day so far. It has been wonderful to have that dedicated time to think and ponder and learn about my Savior.

Mentally: Practice yoga and use a mantra every day. Listen to podcasts. Doing this has made a big difference in my life! I struggle with anxiety and negative thoughts. Slowing down and practicing yoga feels like i am becoming more balanced. Whats been even a greater help has been the mantras, I am alive. I am bold. I create. I accept, I embrace. I awaken. I am supported. ETC.

Repeating these phrases has given my mind greater strength. 

They have given me more confidence.

I have felt more love.

I have felt a greater connection to my Savior. 

I recognize His role in each of the phrases.

I have found a couple of great Pocasts. Some religious. Some healing. Some motherhood. 

A few times i have put my headphones on for 30 minutes to listen. Blocking out the screaming but playing children. Listening relaxes me. It grounds me. It inspires me. It helps me feel human again.

Physically: I told Andy last year I wanted to take an adventure with him. He was an adventurous man before we got married. He climbed tall rock mountains and visited foreign countries. Sadly, that ended when we got married and had children. I told Andy we needed to take an adventure together. We are currently planning a backpacking trip to Yosemite. I am really excited...but need to put my fear of bears in the back pocket. We need to prepare. Yoga, climbing, hiking, is going on the calendar frequently the next 6 months so that we will be ready by June. 

With these goals, on the surface, they seems to be all about myself. Selfish. 

A step further and one might see that these goals are going to allow me to be a better wife, mother, and daughter of God. A person who is more capable, confident, and able to love. 

Now for a family update!

Andy left his startup Whistic. 

He is now onto bigger and better things! 

He is helping with another startup called Advinate and also has a full time job at Adobe.

 He is a busy man and manages it with such great ease.

I am grateful for the loving and playful father he is. 

Charlie is 5 years old. 

He loves earning stickers for his chore chart.

He hopes to earn a flying dragon once completed. 

He makes his bed, empties the dishwasher, cleans up toys, vacuums, empties trash cans,

and whatever other odd jobs he can find.

He loves building with legos! And I am constantly impressed with his creations. 

Olive is 3 years old. 

She is a fancy girl. She changes her clothes at least 3 times a day.

She loves twirling and running around the house. 

She gets excited for any chance to put on "lips" (my lip gloss).

She is a sweet big sister to Grant and loves to "babysit" him.

I love getting to cuddle with Olive. She gives great hugs!

 Grant is 8 months old.
He is so happy!
He is army crawling everywhere.
He gets up on his hands and knees to rock back and forth.
He will pull himself up to stand against furniture.
He has 3 teeth and one on its way.
He loves Charlie and Olive and watches them very closely.
They can easily make him smile or laugh.

Family is such a tremendous blessing.
Thinking about each one makes my heart feel like it could burst.
With great privileges comes great responsibility.
I do feel that responsibility and want to fulfill my role as a wife and mother as best I can!

Provo Family

My Dad would hate to hear this but it's true right now: 

We are a Provo Family (ha ha!) 

I love autumn! 

I love the colors, smells, crispy air, and excitement of approaching holidays.

I have been trying to soak up every moment of the this short season 

because once winter hits, its harder for me to stay positive. 

Life right now is happy yet challenging.

Charlie is going through a BIG tantrum stage and it wears me to the bone, emotionally.

Olive's sweetness helps counter it.

Andy is more busy than ever and i miss having him around. 

I wish i had more time to cook healthy and yummy food but i feel lately that i am behind in everything, and i'm just trying to catch up.

Life seems so ideal from pictures...

but behind the pictures are real people 

trying to do their best with what they have been given. 

It's not easy and it's not suppose to be.

I'm grateful for all of it because i know that through these challenges,

I am growing.

Happy Birthday Olive

Olive turned one year old. 

I can't believe how fast my little girl has grown. 

She is active! She is crawling and climbing and walking with a push toy.

She has a big appetite and loves food, any food any time of the day.

She loves her mom and dad and clings tightly to us!

She will venture off on her own and when she does i see her watching us out of the corner of her eye. 

Charlie can make her giggle. 

When Andy walks in the door she goes wild kicking and screaming for him.

She is the sweetest and I absolutely adore her.

I enjoyed planning and hosting a party in her behalf along with 5 other friends. 

Olive was born the first week of school. 

Andy had 5 other classmates who also had babies born that same week.

So they are all days a part and i thought it would be fun to celebrate the first year all together, and to also get some priceless photos taken of the six of them.

 We had the party in our backyard. 

Its a beautiful backyard and this is the first time we have used it.

Left to right: Peter, Olive, Sadie, Ava, Jack, and Miriam

It was almost impossible to make this picture happen. 

But i think they turned out perfect!

I love seeing the different pictures and reactions of the babies.

Olive was just busy eating her cupcake the whole time. 

We had a game for the dads. Eating the doughnut off the string.

I have tons of pictures of this as well and they are hilarious, i am sure as you can imagine! 

The kids had a bubble blowing contest.

Except only one of the kids really knew how to blow a bubble.

Ava's oldest sister Isabelle was the winner! 

The others all got points for giving such a good effort. 

Then for the moms, we played Dizzy Mummy.

We had to see who could be the first to wrap a whole roll of toilet paper around them-self.

I took it seriously and spun so fast i couldn't stop when i was done. 

It was a weird feeling! 

I tied with Alicia, Sadie's mom. 

A few pictures from the last year...

Summer Catch Up

I have been doing a pretty lousy job recording our summer.

I have started quite a few entries but have never completed any.

This will be a very brief and incomplete catch up and review.

 

It seems obvious but I will say it anyway. We are having a great time.  

 

Sunset Beach.

We spent the late afternoon and evening at Sunset beach. We ate dinner,  s'mores, and played with the Skelton Family. A great family from the MBA program we have gotten to know really well while being here.

 I was happy to take this picture. Its very reminiscent of the night we were engaged minus the little figure that is between us. 

I loved that Luke was photo bombing our pictures.

 

Alicia and I were tough and got in the water to do some boogie boarding. I felt like a kid again! It was so fun.

Charlie had fun playing with the Skelton's two boys: Levi and Luke.

I love this picture of Levi jumping around in the water.

 

A Trip down Highway 1

Bean Hollow and Pigeon Point

I love Charlie. We have so much fun with him. I love discovering who he is and enjoying his lively personality.

This was a great place for exploring tide pools. We saw a ton of crabs!

I love Olive. Her sweetness just radiates and I love having her around.

We found this lighthouse the first week we were here. Andy had been dying to go back ever since. Walking around here i felt like i had stepped back in time and i sort of wish i really could.



 



 

Charlie and Olive continue to grow. I feel like when we get back to Utah they will be completely new kids.

Monterey Bay

We said our sad goodbyes to Los Gatos and moved to a hotel for 5 days. Andy, of coarse, noticed a grapefruit tree in the parking lot of our hotel. It was growing in someone's backyard. He was determined to get a grapefruit. After much deliberation, he knocked on the front door and asked the owners. They were happy to share so Andy got his grapefruit. He had to stand on top of our car to pick the grapefruit. 

During our hotel stay I was needed to keep busy, for fear of being stuck in a hotel room. We spent many hours at the Children's Museum. It has a number of wonderful activities for Charlie and even for Olive. It is my favorite place to hang out. Olive and I were testing what it would (sort of) feel like to go sky diving. 

 

Charlie stood at this table for maybe 30+ minutes. Measuring, scooping, pouring etc. 

We officially live in Santa Clara now! It feels good to finally settle down somewhere and not feel like we are on vacation. Although, it still feels like vacation because there is so much to do. 

We went to Monteray Bay this weekend. We went to Fisherman's Wharf. They had beautiful produce for sell. We ate a fresh yummy breakfast. We saw people preparing there rowboats for a race. They are racing to Hawaii. No engines or sails! Just rowing. Incredible! 

We then took the 17 mile drive. Making stops to explore. I am in awe of all the beauty here. I feel Gods Power and Magesty as I take in the scene. 

After the drive we went to the famous Monteray Bay Aquarium. My favorite things we saw was: the octopus, otters, jelly fish, and really big fish. Quite a site. 

So many creatures! I was in awe at how colorful it is. I have seen fish tanks with neon looking plants but thought it was for show. No, they really are that color! 

I'm ashamed we didn't get pictures at the Aquarium. 

Dinner at an ok Mexican restaurant. The view made it all worth it!