Monday, January 25, 2016

In the lives of Others!

Happy Sunday!
It's late and so I will leave this quote for tonight.
Will write about what I learned today...tomorrow!
Good Night dear friends!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

What a great weekend!

Well, my laptop is broke and I find myself behind on my blog, because Jeff and I both are sharing the computer. So tonight I will play catch up a bit.
I hope someday when my children and grandchildren look back at this blog that they will feel ....loved, appreciated, happy, inspired and grateful. Because that is what I am totally trying to do with writing it. It is about life, it is about the lessons we all learn in life. It is about love, friendship, family and faith.
I feel like in my life, I have been blessed by so many of you! I have been blessed to have an incredible family and now to have grandchildren...is quite the BONUS! I love the fresh look they give to my life. It truly makes me want to slow down more, listen more, play more and love more. And that's what we did this weekend, when we had Jenny for her 2 Day Sleep Over!

Jenny is quite a funny personality. She laughs a lot and even in the morning, after coming into my bed and talking about ... everything, she still keeps me laughing.
She had a huge imagination and loves pretending with her stuffed animals. Here are her puppies going to the book store she said! I love waking up to this smile!
After she helped Poppa in the garage ( while he was working on his motorcycle ), we had dinner and then went to Menchies ...for Frozen Yogurt, it's a tradition when the girls come over!
It is her favorite place she said!

She and Poppa were laughing at each other, because each of them got a Brain Freeze!
This girl doesn't leave her Poppa's side for very long! She keeps him laughing too!

Then because it was Saturday night, we went to the store to pick up a few things before the Sabbath, and look what we found outside of Trader Joes...more fun photo props!

"As soon as I saw you, I knew a Grand Adventure was about to happen" ~ Winnie the Pooh
Oh Jenny, we love you so much! Thanks for bringing such a fun, innocent and fresh outlook on life to Nana and Poppa this weekend. Can't wait till next time!




Saturday, January 16, 2016

2016 Motto

This needs to be my 2016 Motto Quote!
Good Night dear friends!


Thursday, January 14, 2016

Tips for raising little people!

I read this article and really liked the points they talked about. Motherhood is hard, very hard and the best job at the same time. But always good to be reminded of tips on how to raise these little Amazing people in our lives.
Good Night dear friends!

I read the article HERE:

10 WAYS TO RAISE A CONFIDENT BABY/TODDLER

1. Slow down your life long enough to play with them.
This shows them that they are important and what they are doing is important. I’ll be honest, sometimes their games can get boring, especially when they get really repetitive but remember to them it’s a BIG deal.  Dinner can always be delayed 20 minutes, unplug and just sit on the floor next to them or play chase through the house, they’ll be big before you know it.
2. Encourage independent exploration and learning. 
Give them time to play on their own, without entertaining them, so they can explore, imagine and figure it out by themselves. Do this a little bit everyday.  We also love to set up sensory bins and then let them free play however they like with it.
3.Baby Proof the right way.
Proof your house enough that you don’t have to say no to everything he/she tries to grab (and so they are safe!) but not too much that they never have to learn boundaries.  This is such a balance, you will learn as you go and make changes and adjustments as you realize what is and isn’t working. Our house is baby proofed as follows:
-Anything that is dangerous is proofed!
-Things I would be upset if she touched I have moved out of her reach. This way I don’t have to say “no” constantly.
-Her toys are all within her reach. She knows where they are and can get them out whenever she is in the mood.
-There are 2 kitchen cabinets that are baby proofed shut and the rest are free for her to open they are full of baby safe stuff like pots and pans, tupperwear and more.
-Books have been left within her reach but she knows they are a special privilege and are to be handled with care. I have spent hours and hours with her next to the book shelf, helping teach her how to be gentle with the books. She has a separate shelf in a different room with her baby books and these she’s rougher with. She is not even 1 and she has started to learn the difference.
4. Make things reachable for them on their own.
For example, our keyboard has been moved from up on a stand to now sitting directly on the floor. This way she can reach it and play it anytime she’s in the mood to create music.
5. Allow them to do “big kid” tasks with you.
That way instead of them being around your feet, getting in the way and running down your patience they are involved with what you are doing.
When I cook, baby cooks. I’ll usually set her up in her high chair so she’s at counter height and fill her tray with cooking materials. It’s different every time. Sometimes she gets tupperware and plastic measuring cups, other days she gets a scoop of coconut oil for her to play with, squish and eat.
When I unload the dishwasher, baby unloads it too. She can reach the silverware. I clear away all the knives and sharp utensils before she makes her way in and then while I unload the rest of the dishes she unloads the silverware tray. Yes, she is simply unloading it and dropping it on the floor but I smile and tell her thanks for helping. Her hands are busy, which keeps me happy, and she has confidence in herself learning a new task! As she grows older we’ll start to slowly show her a place to put the silverware, keeping it at her height in a cabinet instead of in the typical drawer, which she wouldn’t be able to reach.
6. Show them how to complete tasks on their own.
Instead of getting the toy box out for them, show them how to open the cabinet and grab the box out themselves. But be warned, there are some tasks I wish I wouldn’t have taught her how to do and I did so on accident. After watching me once, she’s an expert on turning the DVD player and opening the disc drive. But again this has been an opportunity to teach her boundary. Rather than move it out of her reach we have taught her gently that it’s not hers to play with and that she needs to “find something else” to play with. Simply saying the words “find something else” doesn’t cut it, I had to take the time, guide her away and show her other toys at the same time, it took a few tries but then she got it.
7. Teach them to be confident communicators.
This point, along with many of the others, is one that you should continue to train them in for the rest of their childhood. For babies teaching them to communicated is obviously going to look very different than with your older kids, baby sign is a great place to start. I’ll admit we aren’t great at it, I don’t have the time to learn a million and one signs myself but honestly you don’t need a million signs. Small things like waving your hands after a meal to signal “all done” are big lessons in and of themselves.
Don’t get overwhelmed with baby sign, you don’t even have to get a book, a super simple thing like waving good-bye is a great lesson, too!
8. Limit how often you say “no.”
Little ones will respond more positively if you reroute and show them what they can do instead. There are times when no is necessary but more often than not redirecting them towards a positive choice works much better while keeping their confidence intact.
9. Notice their accomplishments! 
Praise! Praise! Praise that little baby. Notice those small things they are doing, they things they are figuring out. Watch their little brains work and when they solve something or learn a new skill, notice and get excited with them!
10. Instill a strong feeling of trust.
It’s important that they know they are safe and know that you are always there for them. It’s never, ever too early to learn this. From day 1 your snuggles are already teaching them this lesson. I’ve also made it point to never sneak out and leave, I always kiss her good-bye, give her hugs, tell her I’ll be back and then wave bye-bye. Remember babies are people too and how you train them now is what they will come to expect as they grow as well.
And allow them to have personal space. Just because they are little doesn’t mean they have to have strangers touch forced on them. If your child doesn’t want to be hugged or picked up by a new person, respect that. Give them time to warm up to new people.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Let's get comfy and cozy!

I think it's interesting how fast after Christmas that all the decorations come down and everything goes back to normal life again!
How grateful I am that in my own home... I can keep the holidays in my heart and in my home.

 Some fun wintery cards!
 Some snuggles with my cute little Miss Audrey. She said to me "Nana lets sit by the fireplace and get comfy and cozy". It's only a little heater...but she turned off all the lights and we sat there and had fun. The funny thing was, she kept saying..."but Nana we need marshmallows for the fire", I kept saying it was only paper that looks like fire! Somehow even though she knew that...she still wanted her marshmallows! :)
 I love seeing and smelling the the  pine wreaths on the doors! It is still Winter right?
Even though it's not snowing here, it is Winter and I want to keep the decorations up for awhile, it makes me feel happy! OK, true confessions...I still have my Christmas music on! :)

"He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter..In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity. ~ John Burroughs


Sunday, January 10, 2016

Still learning at my age!

The other night Jeff and I watched a special on BYU TV about Joan of Arc!
What an amazing story, some times I wish I hadn't miss so many of the stories of History in school. But I did, most of my time in school was just trying to survive, it was just too hard for me to concentrate.
As I listen and watch Historical specials on TV, I realize that there were a lot of amazing people that I missed in my childhood.
So glad that at least I am learning so much now!!!!
Guess you are never too old to learn!
Would love to have the chance in the next life to meet this Joan of Arc, what a brave, obedient and amazing young women.

You can watch it HERE:


"There are some things worse than death. There are some things worse than dying young. These are, to live without courage and conviction."
Joan of Arc’s incredible story starts with her humble beginnings as a farm girl. Within a few short years, she would become an inspiring military leader. In a time when France was in disarray and women did not fight, Joan followed the voices of angels and dedicated herself to her mission. Joan's strong commitment to her faith seamlessly translated into loyalty for her cause - something her country needed, but others feared.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Grateful!

I have had a GRATEFUL day and don't want to skip over that without acknowledging how blessed I feel. As I told you that I have been down with a cold this week but... not down like I usually am. Yes, I got some chills, I had heaviness in my chest and other cold symptoms but it stayed just at that...a plain old ordinary cold, not bronchitis or pneumonia! That is a first in many years. 
About 6 months ago I felt impressed to call a lady that I knew ( but not well ), but who I knew was a strong and healthy person and one who definitely into healthy choices. She is also one of the happiest and most positive people I have ever met too. Just a wealth of knowledge and happiness all wrapped up in one.
I asked her about some healthy choices that I could look into before this Fall and Winter came, to strengthen my immune system. Since that is the flu season and personally I didn't want to go through another year of being sooooo sick. One of the things that she and her family use are doTerra Oils , I didn't know alot about them but was very curious so I went HERE: to learn more about them.
But since she sells them, it was great personally to get her knowledge and advice for what me and my body needed.  I have had other women help me with them, but I guess it just wasn't the right time, but I appreciate what they taught me. But 6 months ago I knew that I needed to get back into really paying attention to my body, and so I  started using the oils. I really do love them! My family and close friends are amazed at the results. I even took on 2 more jobs this fall and still stayed healthy through it all.
Now I am still a work in progress, but I was just tremendously grateful that this stayed at JUST A COLD!
I also went to a new Doctor today about my back. I will let you know more about that as I go along but it did remind me today that I need to stop and listen to my body more often, I need to do more positive affirmations,and I need to be more Grateful for the amazing life, family, friends and connections that I have!

Plus, my dear friend actually took me today to that new Doctor appointment, fun to be with her and not to have to do that alone. She is a PT herself, and so together we were able to share information that the DR wanted to know about me, my body and my life. So grateful that she went with me and we got to spend some time together!

After the DR appointment I was able to make a connection with a lady by phone that I found online through a you tube... she was so amazing that I emailed to thank her for her talent and for sharing it so freely with others. She is an artist, a scrapbooker, a stamper... and what a treat it was to just come upon her blog! You can check her blog out for yourself if you are into any kind of paper crafting ...look her up HERE: watch one of her you tubes and you will be amazed and her sweet personality comes through on her you tubes. I know... I should take some personal classes from her! :)

Then the dear friend who I mentioned earlier, came over tonight to help me with something I was having trouble with. I am alway amazed at how selfless she is, she has a young family, she is very busy and she is also a Massage Therapist and a great one at that ... see for yourself HERE:
but she just came and took time out of her busy life to help me...her friend.

I just feel so grateful to these people who are in my life now, helping me, or setting an example for me, who are teaching me how to make my life...even better!
 I am teaching a lesson at church tomorrow so I had better get studying!

Good Night dear friends!






I must have done something good!

Yesterday our dear, fun, sweet, crazy, talented and beautiful daughter Lauren turned 25! How can that be? Wasn't she the fun, sweet, crazy, twisted and troubled toddler just a year or so ago?
Oh how I worried about that girl when she was little, she seemed to have her own mind, she definitely saw the world through different eyes and I was almost positive that Heavenly Father forgot to put that filter in her body, you know the one from your mind to your mouth! We never knew what was going to come out of her little mouth! :) Life was never boring with  her that is for sure! How we loved her and how we continue to love her!
She and her husband Nik are still in Rexburg, Idaho. She has graduated, but she is now working there and helping put him through the rest of his schooling. All 4 of our kids went to BYU Idaho, and every time I would go visit them, I wondered how in the world they handled that cold weather? But they not only survived, they seemed to have fun at the same time!

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 Our other dear, fun, sweet, talented and beautiful daughter Amy ...made this for Lauren's birthday! She is one talented girl too! And you should meet my daughter in law Krystal... the talent all these girls have is just crazy and wonderful! I feel blessed to just be around all of them!
Like the song from the movie Sound of Music... " somewhere in my youth or childhood ...I must have done something good" to deserve such wonderful kids!


 and Grandkids!

Lauren has been drawing since she was a kid, always creating something. Then she started taking classes in school for Photography and fell in love with that. Her first Photography Business was called THROUGH LAUREN'S EYES! She showed us a world that was even more beautiful when we got to see it again through her eyes!




She did this photo shoot of Angie and Jenny as the Princess and the Pea, she has always loved Fairy Tales!


She loves Christmas and Winter!


She loves the outdoors and camping!
She loves wearing T shirts, especially the ones her brother Brad designs! She actually used to draw and sell her own T shirts when she was young... but that is for another post! :)

She loves all animals, always has!



Even stuffed animals! Every Christmas she would write in her letter to Santa " Please bring me an animal ( a breathing one )!"

 She loves her cousins, her brothers and sister!
And of course her Dad!

She loves to draw and just took up Watercolors...they are amazing!



She likes to sew...

 She especially likes to design and sew costumes for her photo shoots!


She likes to cook and she LOVES PUMPKIN PIE!!!




She likes being a Seattle Native!
She loves married life with her Best Friend!


She loves everything about History and wants to see the world!

And I bet the way your life is going sweet Lauren, that you will! And we will all get to see it too through your eyes and your art work!
Can hardly wait for your next 25 year adventures to begin!
We love you forever Lauren Brooke!