40 Bags in 40 days

One of the blogs i read issued a challenge a couple of weeks ago. It was to get rid of 40 bags of stuff in 40 days. Being that I love to keep things simple, I jumped on this. I am constantly organizing and de-junking. This is our game closet. We got rid of a few games and straightened things up.

 The other side of the game closet. The craft/linen side. I love these little drawer organizers. I have a drawer for paint, crayons, markers, scissors, glue, paper, batteries, card games, and each of my kids have two drawers where they keep their treasures.

 I LOVE wire shelves. I think closets are the biggest wasted space in every house. This is why I love wire shelves, we have them in all of our closets. And yes, I installed them. Although, I put them in the studs, they were not able to hold Isaac's weight as he climbed up them to get something on the top shelf. (haha...silly boy) I really dislike dressers. They just take up room and I would rather have that room for my kids to play. This was especially true in our old (very tiny with no storage) house. I had to get creative.  My kids put their clothes in baskets. I love that they do all of their own laundry and it doesn't get wrinkly (I have wondered if maybe their clothes will when they get older), we just hang up their nice clothes for church. They have a basket for socks, undies, pants, pajamas and shirts. It makes laundry a breeze in my house (more on that later).  You can see Michael has a lot of space on his shelves, I like it that way. He can put the things he loves and plays with, but I don't think you have to fill space just because you have it. Last week we went through his room and threw away a huge bag of garbage. Mostly old schoolwork. Also, had a bag to donate and a bag of clothes to save for Isaac.

 Each of my kids has a bookshelf. Also, in Isaac's room you can see he has a cute basketball bin to keep all of his balls in. That's all he needs...books and balls:)

 Isaac's shelves. He has some with clothes. Some with toys. All of my kids do. I really LOVE BASKETS (can you tell) they help put a limit on how much you get of things. They look pretty and they really help my kids clean their room. They know that all of the legos go in the lego basket, and so forth. They can all successfully clean their rooms on their own (which I love)

 I also love hooks. They store the essentials at my kids eye level. They are easy to take off and put back on. Plus they are just cute.

 A little treasure I found cleaning and organizing......Olivia is our artist, she loves to cut, draw, paint, create, create and create. These are little book she has made that were in a pile in her room. Precious.

 Olivia's desk I painted a few years back in her pink days....now she is wanting her room to be all green. We are slowly converting over.

 Olivia's toy's

 Bookshelf and trophies.

 Our garage progress. Mostly I just LOVE having a garage everyday.

 Oraganized shelves

 Mostly what the garage needed was organization. But I did come up with a few things to donate. I bought these shelves and assembled them myself (which I am proud of because it was hard, they are big and akward) but that is I have to do with Waylon being so, so BUSY. I am in charge of everything. They turned out great and I LOVE having the sports equipment organized. Although I still need to label those bins.

 I love that they are at my kids' level so they can get in them (and put things away) without my assistance. YEA

I am loving this de-clutter and organization. It is a great feeling to have less. I am trying to focus on buying less this year. I feel like it helps my husband know how much I appreciate all of the hard work he does in earning money and it is less for me to clean, pick up etc. It is truly freeing to have LESS......I still have some work to do, but we have made a great start.


“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” -William Morris

Mommy Brain Overload

 Okay, am I the only Mom who forgets things? Sometimes I try to SO HARD and I just

forget. like. important. details.

This post is a few tips on what I do to help myself remember. Pictured Above is my pretty refrigerator (just don't look inside).....On the front I have put up reading and violin logs that I have to fill out daily or several times a week. Now, I like a nice clean refrigerator, but I just had my second month of not filling out my kids' violin logs at all. The good thing is that they did practice. So, now I put them right where I see them everyday and we have been recording everything. (insert smiley face...that makes me happy)

 I am really good at planning meals BEFORE I go shopping, this helps me stick to my list and not blow my budget (well sometimes)... and I was printing off a calender each month that I typed up in Microsoft word. It wasn't very pretty, and lets be honest I like things to look pretty and it was a pain if I switched meals or something. So, I decided to make a calender. I actually thought of this idea on my own because I wanted something erasable and had heard of using a picture frame+white board markers as a message board...so I went to craft warehouse to see what I could come up with. I bought a 12X12 black frame. I wanted it to be square so that it would be easy to draw a calender with good proportions in. I bought a black easel to put it on and several different pieces of scrapbook paper that I thought would look nice. My favorite has LARGE colored polka dots and it was too distracting. This is the one I settled on for now. Nice thing is I can switch the paper out depending on my mood/seasons. Then I drew all of the lines, leaving a large section on the top for the month with smaller sections right below for the days of the week. I put the paper and glass (with the lines facing the paper). I didn't want to have to re-trace the lines each month. Lets face it that is not fun, or efficient. And we all know how much I love efficiency. Then I wrote in the days of the week, the dates of the month and the Month name. Figured out a menu, wrote it down and WA-LA a beautiful menu that is practical, helps me remember, helps me to not want to eat out, and I can change it at any time.

 A few years ago when I got called to be the Young Women's President, I got one of these planners to put on my kitchen counter. That calling had a lot to remember and I wanted to be twice as sure I didn't forget anything so I wrote everything on two calenders and this one was by my stove so I looked at it frequently. I found I didn't use my other calender so much after having this one for a few months, I ditched my wall calender. I like that I can write LOTS and LOTS on each day and I like that it doesn't take up a lot of space. If I have errands to run the next day I will write them on there. For instance: Bank, oil change, gym. Call Life insurance (I also write down the number) It REALLY helps me to not forget anything. It is just one of those cheap planners with loads of space on each day.

Another thing I do is I load and unload my purse (I have many so I get to choose on from my purse rack, which is FUN) every time I leave the house. I have a key ring I ALWAYS put my keys on, I always put my wallet in a specific place, and plug my phone back in. I have lost a few of those things a couple of times and I hate it (not sure who would find it enjoyable)...I have also left my wallet outside on my driveway with all of my cash for the month. (We use cash for food, clothing, dates and misc. each month). Yes, it was the very day I went to the bank so I had a lot of $$. It was in the wide open. Anyone walking by could have easily stolen it. So, I like my routine, at least I will remember, "I had my keys when I got in the car."  It is much harder to misplace things this way I have found.

These are a few things that help me. Having #3 really really crowded my brain and I seriously cannot remember so, so many things. (It frightens my husband). Doing these simple things helps me tremendously and I hope it will help you too! 

What I've been reading.....

A return to virtue by Elaine S. Dalton

Five stars....very inspiring book!
The Hungers Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
(I wanted to read it before watching the movie).
Loved the First two....the third was disappointing.

Your happily ever after by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Short, but oh so LOVELY!

Five Stars!

Inside my Heart by Robin McGraw

I have read this book several times.

I love it because it focuses on being true to yourself, as a person, a woman and a mother.

It focuses on taking care of yourself. And how doing so is the best gift you can give others (especially your family)

I LOVE it. Five stars for sure!

Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza

I have read this book once a few years ago and bought it immediately (I am VERY picky about the books I buy) and I am going to re-read it. It puts everything into perspective and it is such a moving story.

Five stars. Hands down.

To the Rescue: the life of Thomas S. Monson

I started reading this awhile ago and then my sweetie wanted to read it, which I didn't mind, I just haven't picked it up since then.

LOVED what I have read of it and can't wait to finish.

I love our dear prophet, and am so grateful for his example.

Can't wait for General Conference coming up soon.... March 31st and April 1st.

View it here: www.lds.org

Loving life!

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more.

If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."


-- Oprah Winfrey

I truly see my Heavenly Father's hand in my life EVERYDAY!... I know that he is mindful of me, that he loves me and I know this through all of the blessings and tender mercies he continually showers upon me.

1 Nephi 1:20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

I love trying to live my life with my gratitude and thankfulness......for me it makes everything better. The sun shines brighter, I am happier, it truly makes me see the world through different lenses. Happy Tuesday:)

Count your many blessings!

~Today, I am grateful. Each day I try to be, but some days are just so fast paced.

It is nice to slow down and b-r-e-a-t-h!

~I am very grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ...check out www.lds.org to learn more!

~I am SO grateful for my family. I know that home can be a heaven on earth. I believe that and I have seen it. My kids are so wonderful and I am grateful to be their mother and friend and share in their wonder and curiosity as they explore the world! I am grateful for my sweet husband. He is my best friend and I am so lucky to have him in my life, now and forever!

~I am grateful for trials.

~They help me to become a better person,

to become more like the person my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

They help me gain perspective.

~I am grateful for my husband's job and all of his oppurtunities. He is so blessed with oppurtunities at a time when so many people are struggling.

~I am grateful for all of the time and energy he puts into working so we can have the things we need and the extras.

~I am grateful for sleep. I have been so exhausted lately and I love the renewal of a good nights sleep. It just feels good.

~I am grateful for loving, kind Mother and Father. Who taught me the difference between right and wrong. Who taught me manners and how to share and about what really matters. They are the best! (they don't even know it) but they are and I love and appreciate them!

~I am grateful to live in a free country. What a blessing to be able to do and say what we want.

~I am grateful that my kids go to such an AWESOME school. The staff is amazing and they really pour their heart and soul into teaching kids.

~I am grateful to be serving in the Young Women in my ward (church). The youth are AMAZING and I am grateful to have this priveledge.

~I am grateful that I have learned (and am still learning) to trust in the Lord. It helps ease my anxiety and feel peace. In today's world, that is a HUGE blessing.

~I am grateful that I can teach Body Combat. It challenges me constantly. But I LOVE it. I love being active and helping others to do so. I am grateful for a new gym opening so close to my house. That is awesome. I grateful that it helps my mind and memory (one of my big weaknesses). I know it is important to continue to work the mind.

~I am grateful that today is Friday, that I get to see my husband today and that we get to go to the temple tomorrow. I am grateful that my kids will be home all weekend and I am grateful that my kids get along and love eachother so much.

Jenny Jordan Frogley - His Hands

Hello there...

I have been MIA...
Not sure what I have been up to!! Life, that is pretty much it, oh and Christmas, my brother Jacob getting married and Waylon's brother Ladd getting married. So, um yes things have been busy. We had a great Christmas at home. Waylon's mom, Vicky was able to join us and that was nice. Our smiling girl with her new pillow pet and robe.Michael and legos...need I say more?Michael and his pillow pet. My kids LOVE their pillow pets, they name them, take them everywhere, make up games (including football) for their pillow pets to play. It is really quite cute!Here is our penguin boy and his "Christmas Penguin" and "Daddy Dog" what a sweetheart

Olivia and Legos.

Waylon enjoying his stocking stuffers!Love these two!LOVE the matching pj's and the brotherly love.Cougar colored matching PJ's. Awesome. I love to tease Waylon that when we get older I am going to make us wear matching sweat suits/jogging outfits. He he I know I get to have all the fun. But that is why I love him, we love to laugh together and have a good time! Hope you all had a great Holiday Season!