football, field trips, and fun ... oh my

I sorta fell off the blog-wagon this week. I posted a few of the many drafts I started. Someday they'll all be published.... maybe.

Lots of sorting-life-out thoughts going on for this madre. Seems like I need to mentally redefine who I am in different stages of life, so I can set goals, have realistic expections of myself, my husband, and my tots, and find joy in the good blessings.

I also made a ridiculous choice - I took amoxicillin knowing I was allergic to it... thinking I'd give it one more try. Ummmm - yep. Never again. Bright red bumpy rash with blisters head-to-toe that itches like no-other. All day Hannah was the mom telling me to stop itching. Ay-ay-ay! It started Monday and is still going strong. I guess I'm one that has to relearn things the hard way. It was 10 years ago when I was engaged when the docs gave me amoxicillin which didn't react too swell with my mono. Major rash when wed... interesting situation. anyhoo...

Not all was hard this week...

We had a pretty normal week with a stay-at-home schedule. The kids do well with their chore charts. They mark and clean it daily, accomplishing good things before they play outside, wii, or computer. Abe's been doing great reading and trying short chapter books. Hannah is preparing for her birthday next week as well as her baptism coming up on November 6. She is all aglow about that. Max is a bright little guy... though I'm sad that his daily nap is no-more. We're working on quiet time, which usually lasts 10 minutes. Truman walks everywhere and enjoys putting everything he can in the garbage. Jimmy - he's a good man and tries to keep his wife a-goin'. He's doing good things at work, but anticipating switching jobs soon.

A beautiful, ordinary life.

the last warmth of autumn

Making this week's collage made me happy. I love capturing normal life stuff like Hannah doing backbends and crocheting and Max attempting to kill flies.

Lisa Bearnson shared this thought on her blog and I thoroughly agree ...

"Some of life’s greatest adventures

happen right in your own backyard."

As I was pushing Truman in his swing yesterday - for like a half hour... and the other tots were playing kickball, I realized how glad and grateful I am for the location we are at right now... with a great place for our little ones to enjoy themselves.

As crazy and constant as things are ... I love my beautiful, ordinary life!

Lift up your head... and REJOICE

This scripture caught my eye this morning and reminded me of my mission to capture Joy this Autumn season. Life is good.

Here is something that lifts my heart lately ... This is a present for Miss Hannah for her baptism. Shhhhh, don't tell. It's 20x9 and fits perfectly in a frame from Ikea.

Love this 12x12 size and need to pick up a frame at Michaels.

I'm quite in love with family history and photos... not that I know a thing about the real work of family history... that is utterly confusing...

BUT I love reading stories and seeing photos of those who came before... my roots. Those really old photos are so wonderful. I always wonder what struggles these people endured ... how they overcame... what kind of faith and strength they had. Love it all.

I'm making preparations to sell these custom Family Tree Prints on my Simply Fresh Designs Website.

Turning my heart to my fathers (& mothers!!) .... makes my heart REJOICE.

Week in Review and a Brighter Day Tomorrow

Today was not joyful... I was feeling like a loser mom all day. Bleh. But - there is joy somewhere in the past and the future... yes, there is always HOPE. So I thought I'd put together last week's LIFE shots... so I could realize my blessings... for I do have many.

One thing that cheered my day today was this setup in our stairwell:

No - it's not the old dusty photo frames that need new photos (notice there are none of max and tru - yes, they are that old - like 3 years.  Replace already Heath).  Anyhoo...

BUT! What I LOVE are the new vinyl quotes I finally put up. My friend Katie and I swapped services and she printed these for me like uhhh, a long time ago. I was scared to put vinyl on the wall, since I'd never done it before. But hey - it was pretty easy. These are 2 quotes from my Grandpa Nelson's mother. Love them!

AND! What I also LOVE are the BRIGHT IDEA posters from the Friend magazine, glued to white cardstock and laminated here at home. They are my new favorite thing on the planet. I decided that since I can't afford to put everything I want in matching gorgeous frames, I'll make do and surround my little ones with good pictures and messages, even if it's not fancy.

Our culture somehow makes it seem like you're a dork if you don't decorate fabulously. You know that story from the Gen R.S. meeting about the lady in South America who lives in a simple cement house who hangs up pictures from the Liahona. She is so grateful to have such beautiful artwork. So - I've decided we can enjoy good things in a simple way.  Will the kids care that everything wasn't framed? - no.  They love to look at these.

Anyhoo... I know there is JOY in moments. I just need to remember to catch it... and focus on the things I do right occasionally instead of the many things I do wrong as a madre. And as my friend Steph reminded me, "Take Courage Friend. Tomorrow will be a brighter, happier, better day."

Off to bed to read Anne of Green Gables. She's a chipper one, she is.

'A Joyful Autumn' weeks 1-5

Right after I finished my Colorful summer pages, I got a free Shutterfly photobook. Perfect timing. I loved having so many photos documented so I buckled down and took a few hours to put together the pages since School started - in hopes that I'll get another freebie before Christmas. Technically, Autumn hadn't started, but school starting fits this season better.

When school is is session, we don't have as many cool activities or photos going on. But normal life is oh-so-daily, and I love documenting the little things. I need to take more photos of the school kids though... it just seems they are either at school (I do miss them!), doing homework, or chores. Well, anyhoo... here are the pages. I decided to do more journaling on each page so we'll remember why the moment was memorable.

a JOYful autumn

'Be Filled with Joy' by Wheatfield

Having a colorful summer was a good thing for me. We did a variety of things and had fun as a fam. The theme reminded me to keep things colorful, full of LIGHT, and fun. Of course, some days were blue... but overall, it was a good thing.

Soooo - continuing the goodness only makes sense...
hence... the theme starting on this Autumnal Equinox day ...

original image by My Fine Garden

~ 3-minute JOY journal: take 3 minutes throughout the day to find and write about the joyful moments. Could be 5 minutes ... could be 1 ... the point... it hardly takes any time but the benefits are grand.  I want to involve the tots in this one.  Maybe something on the fridge.

~ Find Joy in the morning. I won't elaborate on how completely grouchy I am before 8 in the morning... but it's true... ask my sweet family. Inspiration:  Joy cometh in the Morning by Elder Russell M. Nelson.

~ Enjoy the warmth and sunshine out of doors. It may not feel too warm now, but it's much warmer than winter will be. I tend to stay inside to try and get things done, but I know I need that Vitamin D and rejuvenation that comes from being outside. Maybe I could keep my summer morning walks going with the 2 boys.

~ Lastly, find JOY in accomplishing. Work - bleh. Accomplishment - superb!! It does take work to get to the accomplishing - and I'd rather focus on the end result.

“Morning stars [will] sing together, and …
all the sons [and daughters] of God [will] shout for joy!”
(D&C 128:23)