My family

 Olivia playing basketball. She is a great defender. She really

gets the concept. I just LOVE watching her play

 She plays so hard, and so smart. 

 Everyone was bunched up on one side, so she dribbled to the 

other side and scored.

 Power defense. She makes my heart smile.

 I love this boy.

 POWER IN THE HOUSE!!!

{what Isaac yells because he kicks the ball}

 He LOVES to play and he is so much fun to watch.

 Action shot!

 Michael Boy! 

My camera promptly ran out of battery, it is all charged up now and I will be getting some shots 

at  his last games this weekend. 

I love how he puts his heart and soul into every game

 Three day weekend means putting the fort up in the playroom for a sleepover. Waylon crashing the party. He is just the BEST dad ever.

 Michael

Kind

Happy

Sweet to his core

Great Helper

Loves: Lego's, Reading, Root beer, basketball, soccer, playing board games, his family, learning, Math, anything large muscle, anything with his Dad (watching football is his fave)

Can't believe he is going to Middle School next year.

He is totally a Daddy's boy

ALWAYS willing to hug me

 My treasures. Adorable, aren't they?

 Isaac

Happy

Silly

Affectionate

An individual

Loves: Pillow Pets, Wii, tickles, playing with Michael and Olivia, reading, basketball, 

soccer, gymnastics, school, sweets, fruits/veggies

This kid makes me smile everyday.

Olivia

Thoughtful

Kind

Fun

Smart

Determined

Beautiful

Hard Worker

Loves: Her Mom, pillow pets and many other stuffed animals, her friends, art and anything creative, playing with her brothers, french toast, PB and Jelly, to be silly, reading, basketball, gymnastics, football, loves to watch design star with me.

Growing into such a wonderful young woman! 

.

.

.

Top all of that with my great hubby!

My family is the best!

I just love them :)

My new mantra

This moment is perfect. That is my new Mantra.

Perfect despite the kids arguing.

Perfect despite the health issues.

Perfect despite the messy house.

Perfect despite the lack of sleep.

Perfect despite the tween's attitudes.

JUST PERFECT. Plan on life being messy, disappointing etc. but plan on LOVING and LIVING
Every.single.moment to its fulest potential.

See the beauty.

Embrace the challenge to sty positive.

This moment is perfect.

Finding Me

I feel like the past year I have been getting closer to Me.....

The Me that focuses on what I really value

The Me the simplifies

The Me that accepts (and loves) myself as I am RIGHT NOW

The Me that tells and shows my husband that I love and adore him daily

The Me that enjoys every single moment of every single day

The Me that is more patient with myself and my shortcomings

The Me that chooses to trust in the Lord in all circumstances

The Me that loves who I am now and sees her Divine potential

The Me that knows I AM AWESOME and knows its okay to let everything fall apart sometimes

The Me that is Grateful, I mean grateful to my core because REALLY I am so blessed

The Me that does less, buys less, is content with less.

The Me that prays always so that my Father always knows what is in my heart

The Me that knows there is life after death, that it is real, I will be there



The Me that loves being pampered and treated like a princess from her sweetheart

The Me that knows how essential it is to take care of herself, that it is the best thing she can give to others!

The Me that loves to read, listen and do things that invite the Holy Ghost

The Me that knows that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and my family
The Me that is perfectly content with where I am and who I am

The Me that sparkles because she knows and believes that she is a daughter of God

The Me that love, love, loves being a Mother

Choices...

I choose happiness!
It isn't always easy.
It doesn't come naturally to me
It takes work
But it is a choice.
Life is better.
The sun shines brighter.
The flowers smell better.
I see more good.
I feel the Lord's tender mercies.
I feel my Heavenly Father's love.
.
.
Repeat daily or hourly if needed.
(now I choose to clean my house...lol)
Sometimes not fun, but I love the end result

All of that stuff bouncing around in my head

I have had a lot of big things on my mind lately! Things that inspire, who I want to become, and what makes me operate at my optimum level.

The first thing I have realized and this is my biggest goal at the moment--to simplify. This has always been something that I have enjoyed implementing in my home. I realize that our household runs smoother with less. We are happier with less. This year, I am taking that a step further by bringing less in. I mean shopping twice a month, and really only buying things we need. My savings account is going to love this (so will my husband!). I used to really think I need that, I will be a better mom if I have that, my life will be easier, etc. etc. etc. Really we need less. I am starting to appreciate things more and more. Waylon and I have always tried to teach our kids that relationships and more important than stuff. I am grateful that Waylon works so hard for our family and we really have everything we need (and a lot of stuff that we want).  I appreciate all he does, but I feel like buying less, saving more and taking it to that next level is basically proof that I really do value and appreciate all he does. I go into stores now and I don't want anything! Really, this is a miracle for me. (insert applause). I am grateful that as we work on our weaknesses, they become strengths!

Along the same lines, I want to simplify our schedule. I think busy-ness is something that sneaks up quickly and frequently. I am stressed when we are constantly on the go (my husband and kids are too!). So, I choose less. I/we don't have to do everything! Seems really simple, but I have found as a woman, I want to help, then I say yes to a million things, then I am overwhelmed. I am focusing on giving my family 100% of what they need and doing other things sometimes, but not so many things I can't do them 100%. I am not perfect. I am just doing the best I can! Instead of volunteering a my kids' school two days a week, I am now only going one. I love seeing them and helping out, and can still be involved without doing it all! I also recently quit teaching Body Combat. It was nice and I enjoyed it. I just realized the time, energy and stress it was putting on me was detracting from my family. So, now I go to the gym, which I love to do, but that is the all. I am learning my limits, I am learning to say no, and I am learning that everything affects my family. Everything. They deserve the BEST of me!

My kids do chores after school,  last week Michael came home from school after being sick the day before, I told him what his job was and he said, No, I have been doing so much work today. He never complains and I think part of simplifying is listening to my kids. I told him to go play. He was thrilled. The purpose of jobs is to teach my kids the value of work and to teach them to like the results. But, sometimes, it all needs to be let go!

I have also been thinking a lot about being present. Present in my kids lives. Living in the moment and enjoying life. That means being IN the picture even when I think I could look a little better or lose a little weight. It means talking, really talking to them, and playing with them.

I am so grateful for this life. For all of the blessings I have. For all of things I learn from the hard things I go through, I know the Lord loves me. I feel it all around me EVERYDAY!

My best attempt at Halloween

 Trunk or treat

 Blue fairy. Cutest one I've ever seen.

 Michael

 Dinosaur

 Michael was supposed to be Darth Vader, but when Halloween came,

 the darth vador costume was nowhere to be found, so he was batman with a lightsaber. 

I told him no one would notice, they didn't, and he still had a blast. 

 Sometimes my tail is so big I have to carry it. hehe.

A good day with my amazing family. 

The kids were bouncing off the walls shortly after so I think it was a success.

Michael's Birthday Party

 Michael LOVES his frogs!

 We went mini golfing

 Ate pop tarts and Reese's puffs for breakfast. Lunchables with pop and Milky way 

candybars for lunch and corndogs for dinner.

A good day for a GREAT kid.