A Beautiful Day

Its been weeks since I've written....

Well, we moved to Orem! That's a good excuse, right? Jordan is transferring to UVU starting spring semester so we have known for a little while that we wanted to move closer to school. We considered selling our townhouse, but instead decided to rent it out while we rented somewhere else. The house was listed for a few months and we had lots of people come look at it and ask for an application, but no one ever returned their application. The day before Halloween, a guy asked if he could come look at it and he loved it. He had his application to us the next day and said he was hoping to move in a week. A WEEK! It was crazy how real it all became. I thought I was ready to move, but it hit me hard how much I would miss the friends I'd made. We'd only been in our house for a year, but it was a really great year! I knew I would especially miss my calling in the ward relief society presidency.

At this point there was no turning back so with many helping hands we spent the week packing, cleaning, and transporting all of our belongings to my in-laws in Murray. Can't ever say thank you enough for all of the help. What impressed me most was Mr. Ross' ability to balance all that was asked of him. He would get up and go to class, work all day, take at least 2 trailer loads to Murray each night, and then still manage to keep up on his school work. He never ceases to amaze me!

We had a fun week living at my in-laws. They loved having the girls around all of the time! And I know Mr. Ross loved being just 5 minutes from work. I really wanted to get settled into a new place though in time for the holidays so we kept looking. We drove to see a condo in Orem. We had toured and applied for another condo in this same complex about a month prior, but had never heard anything back so we assumed the people who applied before us got the place. So boy was I surprised when the manager walked us up to the same condo! She encouraged us to apply again saying that no previous applicants had cleared. When the property manager got our application, she said she had never had one from us before.... 

If we had gotten accepted for the condo a month before, we could not have gone through with it because we had yet to find a renter. Things fell right into place and we are so happy with our new house! Just a little more unpacking, organizing and decorating and we'll feel at home.

We did make time this last weekend to road trip to Reno, NV for our cousin Diane's wedding. She made a beautiful bride and Mr. Ross and I loved getting the chance to see her and her husband sealed in the temple of the Lord for time and all ETERNITY. I cherish the reminder of my own sealing.

Some nasty colds have been sweeping through our family and its hit poor miss Brooklyn the hardest. Runny nose and goopey eyes are no fun! But she sure is sweet to cuddle when she is not feeling well. Glad to capture this precious moment at the wedding reception.

With all of this sickness we have been pretty home bound so far this week. Yesterday Brooklyn napped for 6 hours! And today she slept in until almost noon! As much as well all love our new house, I know we loved the chance to go for a walk on this beautiful fall day! We found a pretty great park close to our condo and the girls had a blast!

Brooklyn's first time swinging all by herself at the park

I am so glad that no matter what challenges and blessings this life throws my way, I get to go through them with my amazing husband and beautiful children. I am thankful. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I Heard a Song

Today was one of those days where life had me stumbling. I was ready to climb in bed and wake up to a better tomorrow. We are moving this weekend and I think all of the packing this week was finally catching up to me. I was driving another load of our stuff to Murray and heard this song for the first time. In Your Arms by Niko and Vinz. I just kind of felt like it fit my day. And the truest part is that when life is hard, everything seems so much better when I can be held in Mr. Ross' arms. I hope if you are feeling a little down, that you have someone to open their arms to you.

When I looked up this video to post it, I watched the official music video, and lets just say that it quickly reminded me that my day wasn't so bad. I can't even begin to say how blessed I am. Hopefully it has the same effect on you.

PS. I love when I can find good, CLEAN music!!! :)

I'm Proud to be an American

What a neat way to spend my morning! One of my husband's best friends since middle school had his oath ceremony this morning to become a US citizen.

A young girl played the national anthem on her violin and did amazing. The goosebumps never cease to rise when I hear that song. I am truly so proud to be an American. I feel so blessed to have been born into freedom.

It was humbling to see each of these new citizens overcome with gratitude. God bless the USA.

First Loves

Tonight I spent time with one of my first loves. It was only a half an hour, but that was enough to fall in love all over again. The memories were fresh and so was the passion.

Mr. Ross was there and not jealous at all. He loved seeing me so happy.

Its been years since I've played in a game, but it still felt good to strap on my goggles, toss in my mouth guard, and hold my beautiful lacrosse stick. I will always love lacrosse.

As a senior in high school, one of my friends convinced me to try out for the new Riverton lacrosse team. I then convinced my best friend, Britany and my sister Sydney to try out too. Oh how I wish I had found lacrosse sooner! We had a blast that year and many tears were shed when it came to an end. I love the relationships you can build when you are part of a team. I can't wait for my kids to grow up and find their passions so I can be there to cheer them on and support them. And so they can create lasting memories.

As I graduated high school and moved to Logan to attend Utah State University, I found their club lacrosse team and quickly joined. I was disappointed in the lack of commitment I found from my team mates and it wasn't long before the team dissolved. Lucky for me, Logan high school was looking for a coach to start a girls lacrosse team, and my club coach thought I'd be great for the job. As a new team, it was hard to fill the roster, many girls were interested but when they found out what an expensive sport it is to start, it was hard to keep them interested. But we got enough to girls to get by. I'll admit that it was hard to see the bright side when other teams would cream us, but as I focused on stats and the immense improvement each game, I found joy in watching these girls grow. I can still remember myself jumping up and down on the sidelines as we scored the first goal of a game and were "winning" for even a short period of time. I can see the picture of myself and my team as we couldn't stop smiling the first time we actually won a game. I loved being a part of those girls lives. Just this last summer I got to go to a lacrosse reunion for my Logan team and it was fun to see where these girls, now ladies, have taken their lives.

Though I no longer coach or regularly play, the legacy lives on. Each of my three younger sisters played lacrosse through high school and my youngest sister Charley is now playing for UVU. I love to watch my sisters play. I love when we get to toss out in our parents' front yard. I love when Mr. Ross will toss with me. And I LOVE watching my two year old Ellie run around the yard with my lacrosse stick in hand.

What a beautiful night to fall in love again.

I'd love to hear what you're passionate about!

Shhh!!!

Its 12:46 pm and the girls are both sleeping like angels. Now what?!

Nap time...

Oh cherished nap time...

When my girls are up and going, I want to be going with them. Enjoying them. Teaching them. Laughing with them. Dancing with them. Reading to them. And that makes nap time, ME time. It doesn't matter if it is chore time or relax time, I get to do whatever I want.

I feel energized by a productive nap time. If I work hard, I can unload and reload the dishwasher, sweep and mop the floor, put all of the toys away, make bread, and take a shower! There are days I just pull out a snack and read on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. And often, nap time for the girls means nap time for momma.

Yesterday Mr. Ross was working from home so after the girls fell asleep, I escaped, leaving him in charge. Coupon in hand, I headed for a quick hair cut. I can't explain how relaxing it was to sit for an hour saying little, and letting the stylist do her work. No one needed me and I could sit and think about nothing. I absolutely love my hair cut! Chopped a bunch off! Pictures to come. A perfect choice for ME time.

What are your favorite things to do during nap time?

A New Addiction

Its been a little while since I've written. Mr. Ross had fall break and we kept busy enjoying each other's company. We love family time. I've also been spending a lot of my spare time on Familysearch.org I am slightly addicted to "indexing". Whenever I have a few minutes to spare, I jump on and do as much family history work as I can. "Indexing" is the process of looking through documents on the computer and typing up the important people and dates that are in the document. That information can then be used to help others find family they may be looking for in their family tree. I have been reminded that so many people have lived before me and have influenced many generations. These people deserve to be remembered. And more than anything, they deserve to have temple work done on their behalf. I was able to request to do the ordinances of some of my ancestors and look forward to doing their temple work.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that we can perform saving ordinances for those who did not get the opportunity to perform these ordinances while they were alive. These people will get the opportunity to accept the ordinances later. I love the gospel so much that it seems wonderful to me to know that I can make gospel experiences available to people on both sides of the veil.

I love the simple testimony of the little girl in this video. This is the joy of the gospel.

Hannah's View

If you haven't had a chance to explore your family history, I encourage you to make the time and effort. I also hope you will value your family that surrounds you now. Someday, we will be a name on the tree and I hope someone will remember us.

The Media Through A Mother's Eyes

A few weeks ago I was really looking forward to the TV premier of "Selfie". I had seen a few previews that looked both funny and clean. It had been a long time since I really delved into a TV show, and I was very much looking forward to it. I got the girls to bed and turned on the TV only to discover that ABC is not a channel I have. Bummer. So when I saw that the following day you could re-watch the episode on their website, I was stoked. Sat down with my laptop and turned on the episode. Wow. To be honest, I don't even know what to say. I watched about 3 minutes before turning it off and I probably should have turned it off even before that! The pornography and sexual conversations were so blatant! I don't watch TV much, so maybe I've missed the slow downward spiral, or maybe the media plunged all at once. I'll just end this section by saying, I am so glad my children are not old enough to turn on a TV.

On the very far other end of the media spectrum, I was thrilled to go see Meet the Mormons last night with my handsome man. If you haven't seen it yet, you should check it out.

Meet the Mormons

I'd love to say that Mormon, or not, you would enjoy it, but seeing as I am Mormon, my opinion may not count for you. But I've heard the movie had good reviews, regardless of the religious preferences of its viewer. Be brave. Take a chance and go see the movie. Don't worry about what your friends or family might think. Go. Be uplifted. Be happy. Be inspired to live a better life. You won't regret it.

So Sweet

It usually takes some coaxing to get miss Ellie to let me do her hair and I instantly take a picture of it knowing that it may not last long. This was her cute hair she let me do this morning. It's okay that it only lasted about an hour. At least Mr. Ross and I got to see it. :)

After our walk this morning Ellie requested chocolate pudding to go with lunch. These girls love to eat and sweets are always a must. You are what eat, right? 

Party Time!

Birthdays have always been a big deal to me; counting down for months. Yesterday was Mr. Ross' birthday and it was time for the spoiling to begin! I told him I would make his breakfast and lunch and that he wasn't to come downstairs until I said he could. He was a good boy and did as I asked. :) I decorated as quickly as I could since it was early and I didn't want him to be late for class. We enjoyed pancakes and sausage, and he drank orange juice from "The Special Cup." (A crystal glass given to us as a wedding present, to be used when someone in our family deserves it.)

I was pretty excited when I saw these sweet birthday glasses at Reams. I just had to get them for him. 

I bought Jordan's present months in advance and it has been hiding under a blanket in the corner of the garage. We don't really have a ton of use for a saw right now but we are always working to build his tool collection. He is a great handy man! And is always willing to help me with projects. The girls waited to give him his present until after work. A new belt and tie. 

I texted Jordan happy birthday and a bunch of happy birthday songs all day at work. I also sent him this picture from the girls. They are so cute! 

My in-laws were kind enough to watch the girls so that we could go out for a birthday dinner just the two of us. And what better way to get there, than on Jordan's awesome motorcycle! I was his first passenger a few months ago for a ride around the block but this was my first official ride. Of course we ended up on a road under construction that was pretty much all dirt and had a bunch of pot holes! It was a true test of Jordan's skill. I was holding on tight!!!

Jordan chose to have his birthday dinner at Wingers because they give you an asphalt pie for your birthday! Or they used to.... I asked the waiter and he said they don't do that but that he would bring one out for us if we didn't tell and just pretended like we paid for it... Well I couldn't bear the thought of standing at the pearly gates and not being let in because I didn't pay for this dessert, so I told him to just put it on the ticket. A clean conscience is worth way more than the dessert. The food and dessert were as good as we hoped they would be and it was great to be out together. I just have to say, we are one cute couple. I sure do love my birthday boy!

Its Just a Phone

Above and below are pictures of what looks like your average iPhone.

 

In an attempt to keep myself physically fit I have been trying to exercise each day. As a stay at home mom, that exercising often needs to include the girls so most days I jog or walk with my double jogging stroller. The girls really seem to like it. Most of the time they ask to bring a blanket and toy along for the ride. On Monday morning we went for one of these typical jogs. Pictured above is Ellie's toy phone that she likes to "talk" on. She loves to "talk" to grandma, grandpa and her cousin Tayvia. This was her toy of choice for Monday's run. 

Shortly into our 2 mile run, I noticed that Ellie was asleep. That was all well and good, but when we got home, she no longer had her toy phone. Now I know it is just a toy, but I know its a toy that she likes, so retracing our steps we went back around the block. As real as this phone looks, I was certain we would not be able to find it. I thought for sure someone would have picked it up for themselves and if they noticed it was fake, they probably would have tossed it, not laid it gently back on the sidewalk. But for Ellie's sake, I looked. 

Down the street and around the corner we walked and gratitude hit me like a wall when I saw the phone laying on the sidewalk. I told Ellie we needed to tell Heavenly Father thank you for helping us find her phone. So right there on the side of the road, I crouched down by the stroller and we said a prayer. It was all so simple, and I hadn't prayed aloud for Him to help me find it, but I know He knew my heart. Since then, Ellie has said more than once that Jesus helped her find her phone, and often includes it in her prayers.

I know that God is mindful of us. He cares about all of the things we care about. Big or small.

The Little Things

Today has been busy, long and tiring but its been fun to look back at my day and find the little gems I want to share. I'm a major picture taker so it's pretty easy to find a visual for you.

I love how patient Jordan was with Ellie tonight. We were playing a game and she asked if she could play. He let her help him and she loved it!

I love how sweet Ellie is with her doll. She is always cradling her and saying shhh shhh shhh. She stopped by this wall on our way home from the park and asked me to take her picture. She also put her baby to sleep in her bed and put on the music I play for her when she goes to bed and told me to be quiet since the baby was sleeping. Such a cutie. I love my mini me.

I love how happy Brooklyn was when I took her picture in the stroller. What I want you to notice though is her little blue hair-tie. Personally, I would not have picked that particular color to go with her outfit, but I let Ellie choose it. She wanted them to have matching blue ones. I like to let her make small choices that will hopefully teach her to make big choices one day. And lets face it, it really doesn't matter if her hair-tie matches.

These are just a few tiny moments that brought a smile to my face today.

I've Got it All

Simply stated. I have a wonderful life.

Well of course it would be nice if the laundry would do itself, or if my husband didn't have to slave away on homework each night. I'd love if crumbs would sweep themselves away, or if my sweet Ellie never had another accident in her pants. Sure would be great if the toys would climb back in their bin after being played with, or if my hair would do itself each morning.

But when it comes to things that matter most. I've got it all.

I've got a husband that I love and cherish. I have two precious girls who are learning and growing each day. I've got a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I've got it all.