Rose colored glasses

For the month of November, like many people, it got me to thinking about my blessings. For me as a person, I want to be optimistic, happy and to see the glass full. I want to be full of gratitude for what the Lord has graciously blessed me with in my life. I want to see in front of me, all of his divine goodness and work, working together, for the benefit of me and my family because he loves me. 

In those little things, BIG things, medium things...

He is there.

He is thinking of you because HE loves you and knows the desires of your heart. 

In this fast paced world where it is common to be crude, sarcastic, and selfish, it leaves for little room to see the good. It covers up what has been there the whole time. So it is time to put on my rose colored glasses. I desire to see my life with a heart full of gratitude. It is not about wanting what we do not have - it is about wanting what we DO have. 

This article touched my heart so much. The president of our church lost his wife and you could tell the depth of his loss has left him with an ache. Through all of that, he has been buoyed up by the strength of his Savior and the goodness the people in our church and communities. His heart full of gratitude inspired me. In such a heartfelt loss, he found the good, he clung on to the blessings he felt from the Lord. 

One of my favorite quotes was, "The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure. A fundamental question remains to be answered by each of us: Shall I falter, or shall I finish? Some do falter as they find themselves unable to rise above their challenges. To finish involves enduring to the very end of life itself." Thomas S. Monson. 

When we see the Lord working in our lives, we are more apt to be in sync with him. We will be able to hear the sweet whisperings of the spirit in all that we do and say. It will make us the stronger in the end to endure and say at the finish line, "Lord, I have fought the good fight. I did my best. I finished." He is there to hold your hand and fight the good fight.

So go out today and see what you can see with your rose colored glasses.

I assure you, though life looks bleak sometimes, He is there. 

Blessing you in ways you do not even know of.

♥

Catch

Some days I look at my husband and stop.

 

I think to myself, "What did he EVER see in me?"

 

He is such a caring, sweet, attentive husband who thinks about others before his needs.

 

He is there for me, to cheer me on, to support me, and best of all to be my best friend.

 

I am lucky.

 

He was a catch.

 

Everyday I try to better myself so I can be a better wife to him.

 

For the past few years I've had a stove and washer and dryer set that worked....

 haphazardly and that kept on going because his attentiveness to fixing them whenever they would fail.

 

It was nothing that really bugged me per say but when the dryer broke for the millionth time right after Charleigh was born (well it seemed like that least to me....12 loads at the laundry mat is no small feat to accomplish pregnant or with a new baby), I had had it.

 

Part after part had been ordered and hours of fixing appliances was starting to wear on my poor husband.

 

Poor guy!

 

But not ONCE did he complain.

 

He would look up you tube videos or read up on literature to figure out the problem so we did not have to pay money for someone to come out and fix it.

 

 

Well in May he learned of a program at work that would allow him to earn money if he biked so many miles to work. He then, had the idea to use that money to but new appliances.

 

I was NOT happy when he suggested this to me one night.

 

He said, "The money can be used to buy you a new washer and dryer and oven. It would make your life easier."

 

I replied, "NO! You will have to bike along 15 miles of a BUSY highway to get to work (well 7 miles of it is along the hwy)."

 

Long story short: My husband is stubborn and loves me.

 

When he puts his mind to it, he does it.

 

Today, he finished biking all of those miles and to support him we went and cheered him on as he biked home.

 

The kids would get out and yell, "GO DAD!!!"

 

We must have look CRAZY stopping so much along the road to do so but WHO CARES.

 

It was so much fun :).

 

That man is amazing and each time I hear my new washer and dryer sing to me, I think of my husband and how much he loves me.

 

♥

 

 

 



Good morning

One of my favorite things to wake up to...

A bust?

Well that was a bust!

Keith and I had decided to not go camping this summer since we have a newborn

 

BUT....

 

After thinking about it, we were like "Um, hello, she is non-mobile. It will be easier to go this summer and not next year when she would be eating dirt (experienced this one).

 

So we asked for recommendations for new stomping grounds to camp...

 

BOY DID THAT BACK FIRE.

 

Now, granted this place was gorgeous and I am sure in September when it is a bit chillier, it would have been fine...

 

But WALDO LAKE....

 

Is a NO GO in the summer time.

 

We stepped out and literally got swarmed with mosquitoes.

 

Blah.

 

Keith and I and the kids (except Charleigh - THANK GOODNESS) all have a good amount of bug bites.

 

Man, am I selling you on camping or what ;)...

 

But alas, not all was a bust.

 

You ask, what can you gain from a trip like that?!?

 

Ah, good quality family time in the tent.

 

We talked for hours, read books and looked at the stars in our tent...

 

Our little refuge from the nasty little blood suckers that swarmed our back door!

 

My favorite moment of the whole trip... that I will honestly remember forever is a sweet one.

 

It was bed time and Charleigh was sitting in her car seat all snuggled in and warm with her pink fuzzy blanket.

 

Diana had pulled out a glow stick and had hung it on one of her play toys that hung from the handle of her seat.

She immediately became engrossed with it - quiet, trying to figure out what it was.

 

Right after that, I am not sure who, but someone turned out the lantern.

 

 I started to sing church songs to her softly and one by one, the kids and Keith joined in.

 

As we sang the song, "Families can be together forever", tears sprang to my eyes and  the spirit became strong in that tent. It was a beautiful moment and I will never forget it.

 

Not all was lost

 

But much was gained spiritually in our short visit to the woods.

 

I am eternally grateful for these four beautiful children and my wonderful husband who make up my eternal family.

 

I learned that in those situations, though it was dreary, there was much to be gained.

 

I just had to stop and listen for what my heavenly father had to share with me.

 

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Liar

You know that voice in your head that yells," YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

 

Well that was happening to me on my run this morning ...

 

I told it to stick it.

 

And although it was not my best run...

 

who cares.

 

I am out there and getting back on the horse, right?

 

To go from running marathons, to moving at a snails pace or basically starting all over

 

since I have not run in oh...8 or 9 months...

 

is hard for me...I am not going to lie.

 

But people who succeed in life very rarely listen to that voice in their head that says they can't do it.

 

 Instead, they use it for motivation, a reason to prove to themselves that they can acheive anything with a little bit of hard work and dreams in their pockets.

 

Now off the computer to snuggle with my baby girl and to enjoy this beautiful sunny weather!

 

 

 

 

 



Big brother

Taylor asks every day if he can hold his baby sister - talking, singing and playing with her. I think he is quite taken with this little butterbean. He loves to kiss and rub the top of her head especially. I am so proud of how good of a brother he has been to his three sister's.

He's always thinking of ways to help them, buy them presents on their birthdays and overall be a great brother. Oh there are days he loves to terrorize them, but what brother doesn't do that ;-). I am  thankful for this wonderful son who has blessed our lives!

Haven

I have always felt my home should be a haven from the world.

A place where my kids can feel safe

A place for laughter

A place to be yourself

A place where they can be spiritually and intellectually fed

 

As of late, my oldest has come to realize more and more the difference between our home and the harsh realities of our world.

Middle school, hanging out with more non-LDS friends, participating in more after school activities has made my oldest more immersed in the world.

 

She came home very upset from a birthday party of a friend from school.

I asked her what was wrong

She replied, "Mom, those girls were saying horrible things and using words that made me feel gross. I am so happy to be home."

 

A reality we all face...

As society falls apart more and more

So does the family.

 

The youth of today are righteous warriors, going off to battle each day to be beacons to the world. They face things I NEVER could have imagined.

School shootings, immorality, dishonesty, and selfishness all at heightened levels....

Some days I wants to bundle my kids and put them in their own protected bubbles so they may never experience the evils of this world but then I would be going against the plan.

 I would be halting their eternal progression.

 

As mothers in Zion, it is our duty to give our kids the confidence to go into the world, to know who they are as Sons and Daughters of their Heavenly Father, so they may touch other peoples lives and come unto Christ. A duty that I take very seriously.

 

 

I am privileged to be raising these children in the latter-days.

Though there is much evil in this world - there is so much GOOD!

 

 

 

Fit mama

After the birth of my three older children, getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight became harder and harder each subsequent pregnancy - ESPECIALLY with my third child, Chloe. 

That pregnancy I gained over 60 pounds....

Yes you heard me...

over 60 whopping pounds.

There are many reasons why...

My husband was in school full time and working two jobs - thus being ALONE with two toddlers

I was suffering from depression

I ate horrible and the fact that Keith worked at Red Robin as the serving manager did NOT help one bit...can you say tower of onion rings?!?

My back hurt from a car accident and the birth of my son, making me physically hurt all over during my pregnancy

and I will end the the list there...

 

It was a dark period of my life!

 

I do not like to talk about it because well who honestly likes to go back and revisit the past, especially when it was a really hard time to overcome physically, emotionally and psychologically.

 

When I was a teenager I was diagnosed with Anorexia and that played a major roll in why I was depressed. For the rest of my life, I will suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I do not see my body the way others see me. I tend to view myself as fat, unattractive and  not the beautiful woman I know my husband sees.By no means am I a super model but every day I struggle to fight the negative thoughts of how ugly I am or what could be better about my body. 

 

This may sound very self absorbed but it is not.

It is something that is very real for hundreds of women.

And MANY go their about their WHOLE lives without realizing they have it.

 

I was lucky.

 

My parents got me help and a wonderful therapist who helped me see that this was not normal.

 

I saw that what I was doing to myself was self destructive, shielding me away from the true beautiful of daughter of God who was in the reflection of the mirror. I wasn't able to see or grow my true potential until I realized what I had. And many women never do. They end up berating themselves their whole lives - wasting it and never being happy with the woman in the mirror.

 

Today I am happy.

 

I know that I am a beautiful and virtuous daughter of God.

 

My body is a temple in which I have the utmost respect for in all that it can do. I have given birth to four BEAUTIFUL children. I have run marathons. I have overcome illness. I have the ability to go about my daily life with energy to reach for my dreams.

 

I have been blessed with health especially this last pregnancy. I entered it being in the best shape of my life and a healthy frame of mind spiritually and psychologically. I know that is because of My Savior, Jesus Christ. He helped me these last few years over come many of my old demons to focus on what I needed to learn. He loves me enough that when I have done all that I can do, he finishes the rest. And I felt that these last few months.

 

 I was blessed with health and have recovered from pregnancy well. 

 

I feel amazing and have felt so BLESSED to have this blessing in  my life.

 

I am a healthy mama who has four wonderful children and loves having the energy, charisma, and stamina to do so.



♥

Facebook

Facebook has been on my mind as of late.
Is it worth it?
Have we lost the interpersonal communication we all used to have such as a phone call or e-mail?
In the last year I have noticed I have been using my e-mail less and less for communicating and more or less just for deals and bills.
I mean don't get me wrong
Facebook does have its perks such as setting up an event, finding out the answer you need quickly from a friend or asking peoples advice..even sharing an uplifting message or gathering people together via internet for a group.
But...
then...
there is that cold reality that facebook tracks you.
Something, I am not a fan of particularly.
Yesterday I was googling a product and lo and behold on the side a couple of hours later were ADs for the very subject matter I was googling...
Weird!
I plan to be on Facebook less this summer.
It has been something that has been nagging at me and starting today I will be posting less and blogging more.
I was re reading over my old blog posts and what a shame I ever stopped. I love reading over some of my favorite blogging mothers and their daily lives. Blogs give you a depth Facebook can never have!