We've been finally figuring out some things here in the valley- almost like we've lived here for over a year or something.
Here are some things we've been doing.
Mandi and Patrick came and visited! Yay! We took them on a hike while Jay got his sleep in.
Mandi sent me some photos I have to share.
First thing on our hike- I turn around and Grant's pants are on the ground and he's peeing in a puddle! He's all grown up and out of diapers! ha ha.
Dirt mustache!
Apparently the 24th is bigger than the 4th here and we had all sorts of fun meeting up with some friends at the parade.
Face painting: He wanted a monster face. First he wanted the butterflies but it was SO girly...
At the parade. Grant got lots of candy. Of course, like a good mom, I couldn't let him eat all of it so I helped out as much as I could. Jay did his fatherly duty as well.
She's starting to talk more- more words. She says "Thank You" which I love...
Then there's the other side:
She screams "Mine!"
She is the feistiest little stubborn girl. She knows what she wants. She will fight for what she wants- it's usually freedom. When I'm rocking her to sleep she won't allow my arm on her or blanket touching her- she needs to be able to get down if she wants with nothing in her way- usually she's tired enough she'll drift off but when she's not tired enough, there is no making her stay there-
The best thing is having a conversation with her when she's grumpy or done with something.
It goes like this:
Me: "Esther, do you want to do ____".
Esther: "Uh-uh!"
Me: "You want ___?"
Esther: "No!"
Me: "You want______?"
Esther: "Mmm-mmm!'
Until I figure it out.....
Then she'll say 'Uh." in this tone that is satisfied with the offering.
I got one of these conversations for your viewing pleasure:
"CHEESE!"
Just like her cousin!
She'll do this all the time- just find the floor and lay down and roll around. I call her my wiggle worm because she just is wiggly wiggly wiggly. She can't stop moving and feeling everything with her body.
Precious little angel.
Love her.
She's always putting everything on to wear- it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's fabric, it goes on her legs or around her shoulders.
Her shirt is her skirt today. And no, I still haven't recovered the couch! AH! I need to do that!
Did I mention I babysit? One of the little girls is 3 days older than Esther and has curly hair. It's like having twins! They have fun together.
Look! BRAIDS!!!!! I straightened her hair to see if I could braid it! I love that it's so long now!
Usually her hair looks like this though because some days she's just not in the mood for brushing her hair. Oh well, she sure is a cutie whatever her hair may be doing.
Oh THE BEST thing ever that happened the other day when our neighbor boy was picking on Esther and Grant went up and moved him aside and told him firmly "Do not do that to Esther!" Me and the other moms had a good laugh.
He's becoming very protective over her- only he's allowed to pick on her. Guess that's how it goes with siblings.
Anyway Esther is certainly entertaining and keeps our house JUMPING with life and there is never ever ever a dull moment with her around. There are so many moments lately I wish I could freeze and hold in my heart forever.
She's going to nursery now too- yah, I know a little early but we left her when we went to her cousin Asa's blessing and so we tried it out last week and she was great. So hopefully she'll like to keep going- so weird since it took Grant till he was like 3 till he finally was fine with being left and going on his own.
What an independent, special little girl. How do I ever keep up with her?
I know my last post was a spew- but you guys, that is how my brain works- totally random and things connect for me that seem not to make sense so just ignore me as I spew things sometimes, I just need to get it out there once in a while.
Anyway you know what is really amazing and awesome and you'd love?
Energy profiling! And figuring out what to wear to match your energy movement.
Yes. We are talking colors, textures, styles everything today because it's fun and it's time to talk about this.
Carol Tuttle's program has a free introduction to help you learn more about the 4 energy types.
Basically, there are 4 different energy types that people possess on this planet that match nature.
Type 1: Bright and Animated----Air
Type 2; Subtle and Soft----------Water
Type 3: Rich and Dynamic------Fire
Type 4: Bold and Striking-------Earth
Carol talks about how we have the fashion industry trying to get us to fit into their styles- when really, all you need to feel beautiful is to match the natural movement of your own energy. It doesn't matter that it's "in style" or not- she has basic guidelines to follow, then she has a course you can buy if you want more info and specific info on your movement and style.
We all have each type of energy and movement, but there is one that leads, one that dominates what you value and how you interact most of the time with the world. There are certain gifts they each possess and we need all of them. That's what makes the world work and us work together- relying on the gifts we have in each type.
I found out with the help of a friend that I am type 1/ secondary type 2.
The more I dress and live in that energy, the happier I am. I am LOVING this profiling system and would totally recommend getting those little video emails from Carol for FREE and listening and figuring out what you are.
I think I have some guesses for my family- I love trying to figure out what makes people tick and what values they have and WHY they do what they do- but you'll have to find out yourself which you are :)
"It's about the relationship and the bond and not specifically about the behavior you are doing"
^Really like some of this lady's points.
Becoming a mother was like the biggest thing I've ever done. Before that, my life had been kind of purposeless, you know- okay- date, work, go to school, but what am I livingfor? What is a greater purpose than myself that I'm working towards?!!!
When I became a mom, I found it: my purpose!!! I was so excited to read everything and do my very very best. Like this wasn't just a job, this wasn't just something that happened, this was my PURPOSE. So I dove in and I dove in hard.
I think I wanted what every mother wants for their kids: to give them better than what she had. It's this burning desire to take the good you learned from your own parents and change the things you didn't like and raise children where their world is completely different so they grow and believe different and accomplish more and greater things than you ever could.
What I didn't realize was that the mother still matters. I've been working on changing beliefs and healing a lot of programming I've had and someone I work with asked me what my identity was before kids....honestly, that was the problem. I didn't lose my identity when I became a mother, it's that I didn't really have an identity before and being a mother was it!
And when it gets hard- as in stress beyond what I ever thought was imaginable for a human being to live through- I know you've probably gone through more- believe me, I know some of your struggles and honestly my struggles don't seem that big compared to other people's but I think that's why I have the life I have, because Heavenly Father knew when I would be at my limit and I've been there. Recently in fact.
So my mother came down and saved the day, or the week or just saved everything. She brought some life into my house- some pizzaz and energy I'd been missing. She got me exercising, we got some vitamins and she told me something that has completely changed my life for the better: a message I'd heard and wanted to implement but somehow wasn't ready until now. It is this: "Whenever you are doing something for the kids, make sure in your mind, you are doing it for you too."
So instead of just doing everything "for the kids"- I gotta bring them here and do this for them...make it about me too?
This just went against everything I had been trying to do because I was setting aside my needs for the babies. While I'm proud of the things I was able to accomplish and do, I know my brain has always been about the kids and I didn't know I could do what's best for the kids and do what's good for me! Like claim that I'm doing it for me too. I think I believed being a good mom meant giving up my life for them. Giving up my needs so they could have their needs fulfilled.
So I'm taking G to story-time! I gotta get him there so he can learn and have fun and be around other kids! It's my duty as a mom, I gotta do this for HIM! K....well, what if I also said, I'm going for me to get out of the house and talk to other moms? What if I actually made friends and had fun myself? HA! it's just a novel idea. I don't know why I've been so caught up in the other mentality. But this change has saved me. Like, we are pretty much doing the exact same stuff but now, because I'm doing it for me too- just claiming that, is making it so I am enjoying myself on our outings and having fun myself.
Kids are going outside for a bit? I bring my coloring book with me! Or my book I'm currently reading. Does that mean I never put it down and run around with them and play? No, but do I have to do that the whole time so I'm a "good mom"? No way! I can color!
Set up the swimpool for the kids in the back? I'll get my swimsuit on and get some sun! For me!
Going to the park? I'm going to get some exercise in- my time! Claim it!
I have to do the dishes? My music!
Dinner and I really need a salad but my kids won't eat it? So they get something super simple while I make a gourmet salad for me- they can try it. And actually Grant LOVES salad now! Weird. And beets. Who would have guessed it?
I've had to change my mentality for Esther- which I don't actually feel that bad about because she's still happy. I used to miss out on things because Grant needed to sleep. I need to be a good mom and make sure he gets to sleep. HA! Yes, let them sleep but they don't have to sleep in their bed in the dark at exactly noon every. single. day. of. your. life. So you miss doing things you want and need to do. Yes, she doesn't get consistent naps or perfect sleep schedule, but she gets sleep and we get to go out and play!!! And I finally got a double stroller that clips the infant car seat in so she can nap in that and seriously that one purchase has saved our lives. I don't have to lug the seat in one arm while trying to wrangle a little toddler.
My life is completely different in just a couple of months because I'm claiming I'm important and my needs are important. In the most ideal world, maybe everything would match up but sometimes, the kids are going to be fine sleeping in the car while you drive to the grocery store. Maybe they might be a little tired at night- so put them to bed early and enjoy a bowl of ice cream with the hubs! AH! Seriously, now I feel like I'm finally getting how to be a mother. And that includes being a mother to yourself. Like, I have this little girl inside of me who wants to enjoy life and I can allow her to play too! It doesn't make me any less of a mother or doesn't mean I'm not giving my kids what they need. In fact, what I've decided is that kids need a happy mom more than anything. Because even if they skip a nap and are cranky, they have a happy mom with energy to take care of their crankiness. It's a balance for sure and I'm not saying just be selfish but just claim that it's okay for you to take care of you as a human being too. We all have needs and there is a human inside of the mom that has needs too.
I'm still trying to figure out who I am at my core, without any of my roles or titles- who are you? What do you live for? What makes you excited to live and serve and improve people's lives? Why do you love to LIVE?!!!
I still live for being a mother, but my identity is more. Being a mother is what I consider the most important thing I could do with my time and energy at this time in my life. It is a sacred duty in fact.
“When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home out of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart, and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies.” -E.T. Sullivan
Don't you love that quote!!! I know being a mother is the greatest purpose. I know being a mother is my calling, a beautiful duty from God to raise these beautiful spirits, including myself too. That girl inside of me needs to have joy and have her needs taken care of as well. I claim that my kids can have all the love and nurture that they need while at the same time giving that girl inside me everything she needs. I claim that life is AWESOME and that there is joy everyday to be had for me and the kids...even if it means skipping nap time (or some other horrendous thing that might not be the perfect thing for the kids)!
Your turn- when you became a mom did you have to go through your own process of coming to find yourself? Or re-discover your identity? How did you find your balance of taking care of you while taking care of the kids?! I'd love to hear it :) Please share <3
P.S. Our latest outing together: dressing up as cows- Grant LOVED this! And E slept in her infant car-seat next to us as we had our little mommy son date. And it was so fun! And we got free food!
When I asked him later what his favorite part of our day was (we had gone swimming this day) he said dressing up like cows! I know, I was like, really? Dressing up like cows and waiting in the crowded line was more fun than SWIMMING? Yep.
We got to spend the 4th weekend with the Jensen grandparent's and uncle G! We had a little hotdog thing at the park and then met up with some friends at our old place which is right next to the stadium so we had front row seats to the fireworks show! What a fun, great day!
Then, they got to stay the night and the next day we headed to the beach:
Esther HATED being in the water so we let G take her floaty and He loved being independent out there kicking around.
Garr was a good sport hanging out at the beach since he doesn't like to swim but hopefully he got some relaxing in since he's such a busy guy. I need to get one of those anti-gravity chairs for you next time so you can take a nice nap!!!
If you ever read or listen to anything on my blog- listen to this:
"60 years of prophets have had no effect on us, what am I supposed to do to inspire people to get their food storage?"
"If there is a disaster, people say they are worried someone is going to come with a gun to get their food....if you are watching your children starve, you will be the guy with the gun."
"5 reasons people don't have their food storage:
5. my neighbors have a 2 year supply. 80% of the members of the church don't have their food storage.
4. I paid tithing for 20 years, the church can give me a little food- the church is storing food- all the storage the church has will only feed 4% of the members of the church. NObody is storing food for you.
3. I can't afford scrap-booking and food storage. The food storage program will cost you about a dollar a day per person- if you can afford a cell phone but not food storage, something is wrong with your priorities. President Benson said, 'The commandment to store food may be as essential to your temporal salvation as boarding the arc was in the days of Noah'. That's life and death. A dollar a day. Your child's temporal salvation has to be worth a dollar a day.
2. I'm waiting for the cannery to store Papa Murphy's pizza. Food storage has a stigma that it has to be made out of wheat. It doesn't. There are very few things you CAN'T put in food storage.
1. I have 4 kids a job and going to school and 2 church callings. I just don't have time for my family's temporal salvation.
Why do you come? Because you want to do it. It's just so overwhelming. What can I make out of food storage? Where can I put it?
Hopefully tonight, with my program, you might be able to say 'This is easy! I can do this!'
I love this lady. We are starting to get our food storage and I have to tell you I used to think we didn't have money to do food storage- I think Heavenly Father will bless anyone and everyone who follows his commandments to do something he told us to do- he has blessed us.
Can I share my miracle from June? I have been praying and asking how I can get food storage. We looked at our budge for food after everything else was taken care of and we had no money. But I wrote down my food storage goal- a ridiculous amount. Like, how, how am I ever going to get these things?
Someone told me Heavenly Father prompted them to give me money for food storage. I got a check in the mail and not only got everything I had written down, but extra! Heavenly Father gave me extra!!!! I know he wants to bless us- I know he will make a way for us! Just make the goal and have faith. And make plans!!! Can't wait to tell you more miracles!!!
