This Year.

Happy New Year. On reflection, this has been one of the best years of my life. Olive turned one, we bought a house, and we did so many wonderful things together as a family. I already have my list of all the things I want to do next year- they include a lot of traveling, site seeing, working on the house, and general self improvement. Last year I didn't make any New Year's resolutions, I don't know why, Heaven's to bestys knows I could've improved on a lot of things- but this year I have a laundry list of things. I'll have to figure out how I am going to do them all but here are some of things I commit to do this year! 

• Plan and make dinner at least twice a week
• Eat more healthy/try to make my health drinks every morning before I go to work
• Strengthen my relationship with my savior by studying the scriptures, more fervent prayer, and visiting the temple as often as possible
• Pratice yoga at least 3 times a week, no matter what! Work on my splits (YOU CAN DO IT)
• Be a better wife by critizing less and showing support and love through my actions and words
• Manage my time better/ work hard, play hard
• Do a little bit of knitting everyday over a cup of tea
• Be more dedicated to teaching Olive signing and taking her out as often as possible
• Be better at budgeting, spend less!
• Take a class on food storage and build up my supply
• Find ways to serve those around me in need/serve my community

• Make a cleaning schedule and keep my house more put together 

There are lots of others things I could improve on, but I think that is enough for now :) Christmas came and went in a flash, and I have been so busy and really been in a slump- I haven't really felt motivated to do much but lay around the house. Sometimes this weather can really get to you! Being stuck in the house with a baby that lives to be outside and a dog who really needs that time to run around and be free is really hard! But we get out whenever we can and Olive and I plan to go to the library and Discovery center every week until this weather turns for us. And then we will be living outside. 

I've got big plans for next year. A trip to Israel and Hawaii. My best friend getting married in California. My ten year reunion (WHAT!) Hopefully a trip to New York in a few months and a few summer trips to southern Utah. It's going to be a good year. I can't wait. I'm ready for you 2014! 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from 2013. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Some Sunday Self-Reflection

Kc and I came to Seattle for Thanksgiving with my family. I love Utah so much, but each time I come home I am reminded why the greater North West holds such a big piece of my heart. It's so beautiful and peaceful, and people have money here but it's not an err of "keeping up with the Jone's" so to speak. (I mean to be honest you can't even see the "Jone's" house through the big clumps of trees!)

I grew up in good home, and each time I come here I am reminded just how good it was (and still is) to be a child in this house. My mother cultivates a feeling of love and always, always, ALWAYS has something delicious cooking on the stove. She has a remedy for any ailment and a takes a personal moment to interact with each grandchild that comes across her path (and there are quite a few of them.) She also composts and I am currently plotting a way to accommodate that into my own daily routine. My father is a 24/7 party. Always doing something new and exciting. Always talking about something intellectual or thought provoking. Always lighting fires, cooking meals perfectly in the dutch oven, or creating little experiments for the boys. Both my parents are good honest people who live good honest lives.

Being here makes me realize what a good job my parents have done and the things that are important to do in my own home. (They also make me yearn to live on 5 acres of land, it's wonderful and liberating) In this home you could announce at any moment "I would like to paint some rocks" (which I did) and all of the sudden you would find a table set up in the garage with paint, paintbrushes, a heater to keep you warm and plenty of rocks to be collected around the house. And with reflection I've seen more of myself in my dad on this trip than ever before. He is always doing something random like- making soap (for example.) My dad just decided one day he wanted to learn to make soap, so he did. And now we have lavender and vanilla oatmeal soaps made out of all these different shapes and different kinds of oils. And today I thought, well that is exactly something I would do. Decide one day that I wanted to learn to make soap. He has also randomly decided to learn to play the violin (with no musical talent at all,) buy a telescope on a whim and set it up for us to look at planets, make pinecones to turn fires green and blue... people I could go on for days. I too get these ideas in my head and think, hmmm today I would like to learn to make a candle, or something out of origami, or learn how to make the perfect strawberry rhubarb pie. And really, it all makes sense now! I am my father's daughter apparantly.

All in all, I just love to be home. I love the feeling that is here, and Olive loves to be here too. So much excitement going on and places to explore. Just walking into my parents front yard opens a world of possibilities with the chickens and horses and trees and rocks. So many little hidden paths off the beaten trails that extend out both ways from my parents property. I hope my parents never move away this place so I can always come back and reclaim the little pieces of my heart that still rest here and make me feel whole. 

Much love coming from here in Seattle.

An Olive Update 

Little Olive is growing so fast! She is learning new signs but still is not saying a single word besides mama! I'm not worried about it, we will get there- I'm sure someday soon I'll think, remember when Olive couldn't talk? I already say that about her walking, it's like we waited so long for it and now I can't even remember a time when she wasn't a little person just wandering around our house! 

Bringing Daddy some treats at work

Here's a couple things about Olive that are not to be forgotten. 

She loves to grab my hand to make me do whatever it is she wants. She always will grab my hand if I am sitting and lift it up to try to make me stand up. She wants my full attention. So at times, she just grabs my hand and leads me into the room she is playing and and lets go like, "ok, stay here." haha She's a tricky little rascal, they always find a way to get what they want! 

We also love to go to the park everyday. She wanders around and talks to herself the whole time. Her and Maybe find little treasures like lost balls or pinecones and then get in fights over them. She is her very very happiest when she is outside, and so we don't ever shy away from going out- no matter what the weather! 

She doesn't really like to take baths because she is so stressed out the whole time thinking about when I am going to wash her-which she hates. She can get very shy when she meets someone, always leaning her head on my shoulder (which melts my little heart) but she gets over it pretty quickly. Currently she loves pushing around her little stroller with a doll in it, and watching and dancing to The Lorax. Life with her is NEVER a dull moment, and we like it that way! Even if she does sometimes give the dog my wooden cooking spoons when I'm not looking and he chews them all up...

And that's my Olive update!

Thanks Goodness it's Saturday

Yesterday was a roller coaster of emotions for me, in part due to the fact that I only got two hours of sleep. And also in part due to watching the video about batkid (I couldn't stop crying for at least an hour.) Olive and I muddled through our morning somehow and after both our naps we felt much better. Olive's age and personality require my constant attention and it's impossible to even get simple tasks done throughout the day. (Let alone move forward on some of my house projects) Yesterday was no different and I felt like I was failing on all fronts. It was a wet and rainy day so my usual go to of the park did not seem like a good option- but then I said who cares, we are going out anyways! And I am so happy we did.

The fresh air, the beauty of the sun hitting the mountains. There is nothing that being outside can't cure. With a happy baby and a happy dog playing together, I just relaxed and took it all in. And after a stressful day I couldn't help but feel so grateful. Grateful for the beautiful mountains we live by, every day I thank God for those beautiful mountains that transform everyday into a different kind of beautiful depending on the light or the surrounding mists- always a thing of beauty. Grateful for a demanding baby who fiercely loves her mamma, and will only be in this stage for a short while. Grateful for a warm home to return to, a happy wet puppy, and a husband that loves me. I mean really, how did I get so darn lucky? I'm not questioning it... I'm just going to embrace it for as long as it lasts.

Miss Olive loves herself some Starbucks pumpkin bread

Other happenings in our house... I decided one day that I had had enough of this wall and knocked it down. Yep. Changes coming, and I'm getting excited! 

Happy Weekend!

Ready For Winter.

 Bonus- they sub for Leg Warmers, when Kc and I go on walks with her in the Ergo they are perfect to keep her little leggies warm- wish you guys could feel them, they are so soft, at least I got that right :)

I just finished knitting these boot liner for Olive. I have mixed feelings about them, but they are what they are having improvised off of another pattern and doing the best that I could. They ended up being longer than I had wanted, and thicker as well and I wish I knew how her foot felt in there because I would hate to think they were uncomfortable or bulky. I made them in part because I bought a shoe a bit big on her to last this year and next, because those boots although water/snow resistant can get pretty cold, and because I thought they would be cute. Guess I can always knit another pair, but  at least I have there ready! And not a moment too soon- cause here comes cold weather! 

Also Olive discovered the Provo Library today! And got a Library Card! They have an awesome story time there and Olive and I finally decided it was time to go, and we loved it! I'm hoping to make it a weekly thing. Add that to my long list of goals :) I really hope that Olive learns to love reading as much as I did as a child. The world is so different now, so digital. But I just don't think we will ever get a technology that will replace that feeling of holding a book in our hands and devouring it page by page. I really wish I had more time to read, it's something that I have really loved doing in my life and hope that it will be something I feel I am able to devote more time to in the future. 

Happy reading!

My Sisters. 

(And a little Olive update.)

Over the weekend My sister Melissa came into town for a little cousin get together. Most my other sisters live here already so we all went together- minus my second to youngest sister Candace who currently lives in Idaho. For those of you that don't know, yes, I have 5 sisters. (and also two brothers) And yes, that is a lot of sisters to have, and, I love it. People have commented to us how they have never met a family where all of the siblings are SO different, and we are- SO different. My oldest sister is the boss, commander in chief- and none of us mind doing what she says because it's always fun and she is always the life of the party. She has us all rolling on the ground peeing our pants laughing in 5 seconds flat. My next sister Melissa is the nurturing motherly one. She is thoughtful and tender and strives to be the best she can be- always. In truth, a bit of a perfectionist, so if you want something done perfectly- ask her! My next sister Ellen is determined. She has had some hard trials in her life and her strong will leads her through safely to the other side. She values friendship and advice from others- but also can be quite stubborn (but maybe I think that from having shared a room with her most of my youth) My younger sister Candace has a strong desire to be good. So much so that at times it can be a burden to her. She has always had a youthful naivety to the ways of the world- which I admit that I very much envy. I've enjoyed seeing how she has grown into the women she is now and how our relationship continues to grow. I loved when I grew older and became friends with my sisters whom had been much older and I had not known very well growing up but whom I could not imagine my life without now. My littlest sister Kaylee marches to the beat of her own drummer. She never does anything because anyone else does it or tells her to do it, she only does what she wants and for her own reasons- and that is just fine with her. She is sweet and thoughtful, but also the youngest and so lived a little bit of a different life than the rest of us :)  I love all my sisters so much and could not imagine my family with out a single one of them. They each bring something different and when we all get together... watch out! 

(sorry you weren't here Candace!)

Olive Update

A brief Olive update- mostly because she cracked me up so much this weekend. She is always doing something different. I love that I came home this morning to a little babe in a diaper with no pants on carrying around a box of cheerios. She keeps me smiling all day long. This Sunday in Nursery at church all the little toddlers were sat around a little table for snacks. Each little child had their portion handed out to them. Olive decided that all the children in reach didn't need their fish crackers or cereal. She needed them. So, she proceeded to steal every child's snack after devouring her own in 30 seconds. Even after that she stayed up at the table still eating more after everyone else went to play. In the grocery store today she promptly grabbed a block of cheese I put in the cart and took a bite out of it. I mean through the plastic and everything. You would think I never fed this child! In truth that's all I do! So when we got back in the car I let her go to town on the block of cheese. Why not. I mean I can't really judge her-- I had just hit up the Provo Bakery right before and decided I needed not one, not two- but four donuts.  *sigh* I mean, I did leave one for kc (but I am not sure if it will still be there when he gets home) 

That's life in the Atkinson household! 

Said Cheese Block

Olive found herself a yam in my grocery bag- Maybe waits patiently for her to discard it, which she eventually did after a few bites. Not so good when they haven't been cooked yet :)

P.S. I do also feed her fruits and vegetables :)

Because I can't help myself...

(photo bomber)

All these photos were taken by the ever so talented Annie Hancock who is a dear friend and beautiful person- fiercely loyal, kind, and quite obviously an amazing artist. I just adore her, can you tell? You can check out some of her photography at annievisuals.com. And I promise to not post any more of these pictures.... for now ;)