Being missed

Our lives are insanely busy. Everyone who knows us knows this. Part of it is my personality, part of it is where we live and part of it is just the place we are in our lives with jobs, kids, church, you name it.

Lance called me this afternoon. This was our conversation:

L: We have been too busy lately. Do you realize that it will be one whole month since we have spent a Saturday together as a family?

K: Yes. It's been a crazy few weeks.

L: What are your plans tonight?

K: I was planning to go to the gym with the kids. Why?

L: My meeting is over at 6:30 p.m. Can you skip the gym tonight?

K: I could. But why?

L: Because I miss you. I just want to spend time with you.

Yes, my heart melted then and melts now as I type this. It's nice to be missed.

Marriage can be a wonderful, wonderful thing when you are married to your best friend.

Mathematical summary

Mathematical summary of our lives these past few weeks:

36. Number of people we had over to participate in our first annual Road Rally. It was a blast to plan it and I *think* everyone else had a good time. . . and we will definitely be doing it again next year. Wishing we could have invited more of our friends. . . Next year for sure!

One of our Road Rally participants "planking" in a public place.

I love how the people in the background are just going about their Yogurtland business here.

Another group completing another task for the event - all getting under a piece of furniture.

Some of the rallyers listening intently to the award ceremony.

Proof we were there. . . having a good time.

100. Number of times this boy asks his mama to pick him up each day or to read him a book.

5. Size EB wears. Goodbye toddler sizes, hello big girl section.

Elisabeth hanging out with her BFFs, getting ready for bed with curlers in her hair.

They didn't last more than 15 minutes.

1. Number of times I brought my preschooler and toddler to Disneyland by myself.

0. Number of times I will be bringing them to Disneyland again solo.

7. Number of places we have lived in the past 10 years (realized while filing out paperwork for the lovely home (that is in our ward, near the elementary school) we are currently in escrow to buy).

1000. Number of times I have signed my life away on all of our paperwork for said home.

22. Days until escrow closes (if all goes well.) Finally settling down is a dream come true. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly.

6. Number of cold sores on my upper lip due to the stresses related to buying a home.

Bebe

Elisabeth pronounces baby with a French accident. Sure do love our "bebe" girl! She also pronounces bag with a MN accent, much to her Papa's chagrin. Makes a mama proud.

Diddle diddle dumpling

This little kid hates shoes. No sooner do I get his shoes on then one comes off. We can't help but recite the nursery rhyme every day - so much Elisabeth knows it by heart.

One shoe off and one shoe on
Diddle diddle dumpling my son John

New type of confidence

I know we are always growing and changing. However, I look back on this last year and realize I am a drastically different person than I was even a year ago.

Here are some of the things that have changed:

1. I am now a runner. For anyone who has known me since high school you will realize how against my nature this is. A flat-footed, short-Achilles tendoned, uncoordinated girl has no business running. Yet I do. Three to four times a week averaging 14 miles a week. I have run two 5Ks and one 10K. I love it. I love the 30 minutes it gives me four times a week to just think and do something completely and solely for myself.

2. I am into fashion. For someone who used to joke that I needed to be nominated for TLC's What Not to Wear and would buy most of my clothes at H & M, TJ Maxx, and Target, this is a shock. I wouldn't say I have good fashion sense. But I do have a few friends who have impeccable taste and I have started to take their shopping advice. I have discovered the beauty of the personal shopper at J.Crew and the thrill of fitting into size 8 at the White House Black Market. I love buying shoes at Nordstroms and for the first time in my life have passed over mary janes and flats for a pair of fashion boots, Sperry top-siders, heels and wedges. I love how I feel in nice clothes and love getting dressed in the new outfits I have. I love wearing clothes that are modest, yet still fitted and attractive. In the words of my friend Tai, I have abandoned my Minnesota Mormon style for California Chic. I think I need to re-read Confessions of a Shopaholic. Though I am not anywhere near addicted to shopping, I think I now understand the heroine in that book better than when I first read it.

3. I have lost 40 lbs and kept it off for four months. I have lost this amount of weight before in the past. The only difference is this is the first time I have kept it off and have done it by just living life - no dieting. Just exercising, watching what I eat most of the time, and enjoying the foods I want to enjoy within reason. #1 explains why I have been able to do this and this probably explains why #2 has become such a big part of my life.

4. I am going to grow my hair out. I haven't had long hair since I was in 1st grade. Something inside of me is aching to abandon my sensible, short conservative hair cut and embrace long, sexy locks - even if it requires me taking time to style it every day.

Overall, I feel a new type confidence within me that is blossoming, different from the confidence I have felt before. I have been a capable person for much of my adult life. I am far from perfect but feel I am well-grounded, hard-working, determined and have a firm conviction in my beliefs. This year I have gained a different kind of confidence - a confidence in my physical self. For the first time since I have gotten married I feel beautiful inside and out. Something about this is wholly satisfying to me.

I have a few friends and my sister-in-law to thank for the inspiration that has led me on this journey. You guys know who you are :-). One of the beauties about relationships is the best ones inspire us to be better.

What makes the happiest baby on the block unhappy?

A haircut.

Look at that boy's expression over an hour after the traumatic experience of getting his hair cut.

I am sad too. I miss his thick wavy locks and the surfer do this boy had. I am stuck waffling between wanting a clean cut boy to keeping crazy longer locks if his beautiful hair.

The Abundant Life Experiment - Part 2

I absolutely love this picture of our family. It captures what I love best about my family - a cute little dramatic girl who loves pretty dresses and thinks she is a princess, an adorable baby boy who has funny expressions and is happily learning how to be independent, two parents who are not only in love with their children yet still hopelessly in love with each other.

It is a moment in a sometimes stressful, crazy, not-so perfect life that paints a picture of a family who none-the-less has an abundant life.

I truly want more moments in my life like this one and have a family that focuses on what is most important. Which is why our family is going to focus on the following in 2012:

1. Give generously

• focus on family service opportunities
• focus our prayers on those that are in need
• magnify our callings at church
• magnify our callings as visiting teachers and home teachers.
  

2. Cultivate a house of faith

• have daily family prayer and scripture study
• have daily couple prayer and scripture study
• sing more as a family
• hold meaningful Family Home Evenings every week
  

3. Live providently

• spend less than we earn
• have a financial plan and stick to it
• find a solution for food storage that works for us

4. Improve wellness

• create and follow an exercise program
• do more physically active outings with the children
• eat healthy
  

5. Simplify

• take break from Facebook
  
• plan less on weekends so we can spend more time together as a family
  

6. Cultivate love at home

• learn better ways to parent/discipline
• avoid raised voices, anger, spanking
• strengthen relationships with extended family (create calling calendar so we make sure to keep in contact with all of our siblings)

I have already felt a difference in our home this past month as we have focused on these goals. If anything, I am happier. Which means my kids and husband are happier. Looking forward to everything 2012 holds for us!