Uplifting Experiences

The true measure of a conference/lecture/class/etc. to me is how I feel when it is complete. Do I feel overwhelmed and discouraged or do I feel uplifted and refreshed? It seems like I seek out the latter in most venues: movies, books, friends. There are few things as refreshing as having an uplifting experience. Today I had one. My stake had a Home Family and Personal Enrichment Day where Julie DeAzevedo Hanks gave a workshop presentation about Preventing Emotional Burnout. So many points rang true to me that I thought I would just share some highlights.

1-Feel & express full range of emotions: express your emotions in an appropriate healthy way.

2-Give yourself permission to say NO: "Stress is when your gut says NO but your lips say certainly". YOU are the BROKER of your time and energy. When you say NO to something, you are saying YES to something more important.

3-Do your emotional family history

4-Take responsibility for your own happiness: create a NO GUILT zone. There should be no guilt for having "me" time. It is not selfish it is selfCARE. Find your line between Righteous Joy and Selfish indulgence. Incorporate something in your life that brought you pure joy as a child. (I STILL want to be a dancer!!)

5-Practice being kind to yourself: Save guilt for SIN. Look at your body as an instrument not an ornament. The changes in your body as you grow and age are beautiful gifts and marks of what you have done and created, they are part of "God's Signature" collection. (Julie has a song that talks about this, LOVED IT). The definition of Perfect is NOT to be flawless, it is to be "ripe, mature, complete". Be as kind to yourself as you are to your garden as you watch it "ripen, mature" and reach it's potential. Nurture yourself. Christ will make OUR way perfect--we don't have to be perfect, we have to just be ourselves and He will make our way perfect, He brings us to our potential.

6-Learn to ask for and accept help: PRIDE keeps us from asking for and receiving help. We are instructed to bare ONE ANOTHER's burdens, not bare EVERYBODY ELSE'S burdens. We need others in order to fulfill that commandment.

Good stuff! I want to practice loving myself and being kind to myself so my daughters will model that behavior and love themselves. Be kind to yourselves my friends!

I don't want to grow up! (and an answer to a tag)

It is amazing to me how I have watched with sweet anticipation all of Lizzy’s life for her to grow and move onto new things. It seems like, as an infant, Herb and I were always bragging about the most exciting new accomplishment or achievement, watching milestones as if all of our lives depended on this little person advancing to the next level of human-ness. It is one of the greatest joys of parenthood, to watch them grow and advance. But recently I had a revelation of sorts, and really I want all of this growing up business it to STOP! I don’t want my little girl to grow up! I want to have her sweet and small forever. With her beautiful innocent perfect blue eyes and her precious little wisdom.

I’m happy for this revelation, maybe it will help me slow down and enjoy her more…all of my littles more. It’s come at the right time, as all true revelations do, I need to be reminded. Because someday I will miss the messes and whining, right? It is very real that they are only our own for a moment, how happy I am for the gift of being a mother for those short moments…
In perfect sync with my revelation, she said the BEST thing the other day. I gave her a squeeze and said I love you and she said, “Mom, I never want to grow up.”
PS-Pam tagged me to post the 4th photo in my 4th “My Pictures” folder, this was it! Again, perfect with my revelation. So blessed am I.

To all the powerful women in my life!

My cousin sent this to me in an email and I just have to share, I want to be this...

Powerful Women's Motto:

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...

'Oh crap....she's awake!!'

WinTeR!

A few items of business...

I know FINALLY I updated my blog! Shocking isn't it! It's a little hard to digest all at once probably. My valentine post is down a few, but the rest are chronological.

I removed my blog link list, it was to difficult to keep updated. If you want to see what blogs I'm following you can click on my profile.

Also, my sister-in-law Joy is now officially online. Her website is www.mygirlbyjoy.com. You can browse her inventory and make orders right in the comfort of your own home. Give it a visit.

Snow FUN!

What would a WINTER post be with out some snow photos. Oh to be a child again...eating the snow, not caring that you are wet and cold. Just lying in the snow, making an angel, and letting soft flakes fall on your lashes. Maybe I'll go out by myself next time it snows and soak it all in.

HapPy bRithDay mY haNdsoMe BoY!

Marty got to have his very first friend birthday party. These superheros had fun tossing balloons and playing EleFun. Marty called himself Satman.


Uncle Rich gave this "Hero for the Day" ribbon badge to the birthday boy.

Now, what more could you need for your birthday than one of those delicious frosting balloons?? Lizzy thought that was the "icing on the cake" of Marty's birthday.

I cannot believe my boy is getting so big. I still cannot resist those big brown eyes, they melt my heart.

Welcome 2009!

We celebrated New Year's Eve with Herb's family. We played some hilarious games!! The kids had a blast at midnight blowing horns and shooting confetti. Fran didn't quite make it to the new year hour. But Uncle S was happy to cuddle with her.

2009 definitely started off right when we went the the cabin with some friends. Another few days of rest and relaxation in the woods. Isn't nature soothing? Aren't cabins relaxing? The best sledding and Wii playing ever too...

Christmas Celebrations

We were able to celebrate Christmas early with my family in their various sorts for 2008. We went to Nana's before Christmas and Grandpa's as well. The kids love playing with their young aunt & uncle and cousins. We love all of the Christmas trees at Nana's. It really feels like Christmas there.

Grandpa always has great yard decorations at Christmas.

Christmas EVE...

Santa came early to our house, we saw his sleigh flying away toward the airport as we were driving home on Christmas Eve evening. We were so lucky that he knew we would be leaving to Gammy and Grandpa's, he decided to make our house his first stop. That Santa, isn't he the best!

Once we opened our Christmas surprises, we headed to the Gammy and Grandpa's just in time to miss the storm.

We stayed in a hotel on the way. The poor hotel worker, welcoming us in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. And he diligently provided continental breakfast for us on CHRISTMAS MORNING. After a horrible night's sleep, we continued onto our destination surprising the family with our unexpected early arrival.

We had a wonderful time with our family. The kids loved seeing their aunts and uncles and Gammy & Grandpa. It is always wonderful to spend time at the ranch. We just relaxed and played the whole time. It is a little heaven on earth.

One of the definite highlights was playing ON the pond, it was solid ice! Where's the ice skates when we need them?

Happy V-day!

Herb and Season on our way to the Stake Valentine's Dance. WOW, did we have fun. I really got my groove on. So much that the balls of my feet were raw by the end of the night. Poor Herb started the day with an injured foot, so he sat out a lot of the night. He didn't neglect having some sweet dances with his sweetheart though.

Herb and Lizzy go to a Daddy Daughter dance every February. Lizzy looks forward to it for months. Isn't she a little beauty? They ate dinner at Wendy's and Lizzy's favorite part of the dance was seeing the clowns.

Valentine's Day morning we had heart shaped waffles and "pink" milk. It sure is fun to have 3 little valentines around.