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.