Tiny Miracles

It's been a while since I blogged and of course I had all these amazing ideas and now they are all gone, fell out of my brain already. So in an effort to seem like I'm keeping up...

These pictures are from several weeks ago, when it seemed like everyday there were such beautiful skies. I was really grateful for these, and even though the picture can't capture how cool they were, here ya go

Have you ever stopped to think about what a large impact small things have had in your life? It really is true that the little things often mean the most, or play the larger role in your life.  Often there have been days in the past few months when I have felt really down and didn't know how to fight my way back up, and do you know what kept coming to mind?  Simple words that I've heard from people who care about me.  "When you want to give up, remember your worth, and that you are loved."  "You can DO this!" "It will work out."  We don't need some grand miracle to encourage us to keep going.  Realizing I have the love and support of those who choose to stay in my life--even when I am not perfect--is the blessing that helps push me forward. 

Party time-hope you're not claustrophobic

Kaylee turned 6 this past week so it was time to party plan! Sure I didn't actually think about it until a week before the party... ;) According to Momma, I should teeeechnically have not procrastinated on this one. Fine, logged!  The theme was Fairy/Pirate, and so it began!

Isn't this so stinkin' cute? Told ya that you would want my assistants! So...there's this rule according to K's teacher at school that if you take invitations you either invite all girls, all boys, or everyone. Of course I chose to actually follow the rules and went for everyone--I will NOT make that mistake again! Chels has assured me she won't let me forget! There were 25 children in my house. 25! Crowd control doesn't begin to describe...I was in such shock that I didn't even know what to say to delegate...it was wall to wall kids.

Highlights

Chels and I stayed up late making these cute pixie pouches--magical! Word to the wise, should you cook the sugar too long and it melts then hardens, it does not taste good.

Lexi shoved against the window in the car because 16 balloons were cramping her style--that peach color on the right is her shirt (her face is in the middle somewhere!)

 I forgot to retake a picture once the drink was inside the dispenser and we switched to a cute yellow basket for the pixie dust. Each girl got her own fairy wings and boys got eye patches and red pirate forehead bands (what?! Just like it sounds!)

 Bean bag throw and pin the wings on the fairy!

 

 Line of fairies and pirates! A kid actually wandered off during this and was found outside later :/ No, I didn't know until then that she was missing (25 kids!) Who was it? I.Not. Talkin'!

The very glittered table of fairy wand making! So wish I had taken a picture showing the balloons tied to each chair too! Boys made swords, sorry, forgot to photograph that one. They loved beating each other with them.

 Super cute sign Chels made for K!

 Awe! My knight in shining armor helped hold the fairy wands ;)

 

Aside from slightly too many guests, it turned out so cute and I couldn't have done it without help!

 Happy Birthday K!

Top Tallest List

I've been thinking about this post for quite a while and I finally got around to doing it! I'm tall. If you know me, you should at least know that much! This is my personal list of the everyday issues of being tall--bahahaha ;)


1.People asking if you played volleyball or basketball--you clearly have never seen me play sports

2. Trying to find pants that are long enough--I dream of pants that drag on the ground!

3. Finding a skirt that isn't actually a halter top dress. (The struggle is real!)

4. Being judged for wearing heels (don't even think about attempting stilettos, unless you want to break your neck!)

5.Tiny bathroom stalls--if I don't hunch I can see over into everyone's stall... awkward

6. Trying to fit in the bathtub. The phrase go take a nice relaxing tub never applies

7. Trying to sit at a desk and scoot in--I just want to cross my legs!

8.Having to wear undershirts with EVERY SINGLE thing

9. The awkward knee bend when you take pictures--blend, trying to blend!

10. Hugs--lower, lower, LOWER! You can't be very huggable at this height yo, and never get to "nestle" with the side squish, boo!

11. Shoes. Shoes besides flip flops that don't look like old grandma style

12. One size fits all gloves. Need I say more?

13. Tripping over everything even your own feet because your height causes an unnatural lack of balance

14. People telling you that you're tall. Wait, what? No way, really?! 

Falling asleep--or not

It's late, and I can't sleep.  Today I stayed home sick after some convincing last night--I usually tough it out unless I am physically unable to get out of bed.  Momma dropped off some apple cider and movies for me to watch (thanks for making me cry!) And Chels kept my kids and even brought them home to me after dance.  The day alone proved to be exactly what I needed in more than one way--at least a start.  Things have been changing, as I'm told they often do.  How many times can I write a sentence just to backspace and start over? This is a good example of where I'm at, though.  How quickly balance is lost--here it goes.

Running. Such wonderful self discoveries while running, and in the beautiful fall weather.  I battle myself to go these days--it's a strange feeling not wanting to do anything but trying to convinced yourself otherwise at the same time! Some days I want to push harder and harder, until I actually do and then I want to quit. 

The leaves on this tree were so pretty I saw a few weeks back while I was running!

This is the road right by Grandma.  I love it there, it's so peaceful. I go there often to talk with her, if I'm having a hard day, questioning where I belong, or sometimes just to cry.  I can say anything and everything and I know she will still be there --still love me no matter what. Except that she's not. Here I mean. Go ahead and laugh now, I talk to people who no longer exist! Removed--have you ever felt like that?

Well now that I've succeeded at saying a bunch of absolutely nothing anyone will be able to make sense of, I think I will try to sleep. After I find me some chocolate of course! Goodnight.

Put one foot in front of the other

Have you ever felt homesick, when you are home?  Every once in a while I do.  That's how this afternoon started out, maybe it was because traditions with my grandma used to be a main portion of Peach Days weekend, or maybe just because I've felt like something is missing lately.  

I haven't been able to run much at all this week with school starting and crazy schedules, and I miss it.  I had finally worked my way up to being able to run 30 minutes straight--no walking--but my pace was SO slow.  Momma says at least I am moving and not on the couch, but my big goal still seems so far away.

I've been reading a lot about faith and trust lately.  I know this sounds crazy, but I realized that in my mind I have connected running with learning how to trust.  When I push myself I often start panicking--how can I possibly keep going?  Usually after I fail my running goal, I think about how if I could just trust that my body can keep going, that nothing bad will happen, and push through...

This quote really sums up what I am also learning everyday. I honestly feel that as soon as I can learn to trust myself with running, trust what others are telling me, then I will simultaneously be learning to trust in Heavenly Father's plan for me.  Or maybe even the other way around. If I can just DO it!

This has been hanging where I could see it everyday for the past year. Each quote holds a special memory or meaning for me, especially "You is smart, you is kind, you is important."  Oh how often I needed those words! I am slowly realizing I am worth more than I thought, capable of so much, and gaining strength with every step I take. I think it's time I update this board :)

Just keep running.....or just keep swimming

"I believe I am always divinely guided. I believe I will always take the right road. I believe God will always make a way where there is no way." --Christopher S. Wren.

This past weekend I had the privilege of going to Island Park and staying in Gibby cabin for a girls only retreat--I will post more about that later.  There is something to be said about being away from the city and out in nature for a while.  It's almost like leaving the world behind.

Combine with that the wonderful sisterhood that comes with such trips--friendships made or strengthened--and it just doesn't get much better than that.  (AND someone who is willing to paint other's toe nails, that's love!)

It was so nice to just sit outside in the stillness and read scriptures, and I felt a little closer to heaven.  Momma joined me and we spoke of second chances, learning from the past but not getting stuck there, and how there is a way provided for all of us if we choose it.  We always have a choice--even when it seems we don't.

I spent some time thinking after other conversations as well--I am constantly amazed at how Heavenly Father really does know me and how he tells me that through others.  Sometimes there are things another person shares, unexpectedly, that you know can't be coincidence.  The things we need, forward steps, they are good but that doesn't mean they aren't hard.   

The night we got back home all I could think about was running. I wanted to run, and run, and then just keep running.  Running has been doing much more than just helping me accomplish goals--it helps me let go of hard things and keep going.  It's while running that I often find myself.  I don't understand why things happen or what the next steps are, but I am learning to trust and to "just keep swimming," and I am grateful for the blessing of having others that don't let me forget that.

Road Trip!

Last week we made the journey to Colorado to attend our first Juvenile Arthritis Conference! (For those who don't know, well, anyone reading this should know, but my 3 year old was diagnosed about a year and half ago. Kids get arthritis too!) 

It was SO beautiful up where we stayed--this is the view from our condo!

Everyday they would remind all of us to drink extra water because of the high elevation--good thing I brought my new cool mug, thanks Chels!

Here's Alissa at the opening night dinner--why da heck she thought this was a good pose I will never know! We jammed to Koo Koo Kangaroo (a few guys in their 20's jumping around singing songs about chomping dinosaurs, hmmmm)

We took the skii lift up to the TOP of the mountain! (I forgot the sunscreen, shhhh)

Still had to do my running, no way I was gonna let that slip, vacation or not! It was actually really awesome running on the paths through those mountains and streams...oh, except the last run which was NOT very pleasant as it was all inclined on the way back! But my dad ran with me, so we struck a shoe pose. 

Blast from the past--what the?! Who HAS this old of an oven, I didn't even know how to work it!

Awww, isn't the wildlife cute?

Meet Colorados Jayden Isaiah, folks! No, that was NOT a typo, that's Colorados with an "s!" K lovingly named the snake she made, explaining that adding the "s" just makes it funner to say. (By the way, she also walked around for days talking about a "Chelsea Bays" because that was also fun)

Highlight of their trip--shuttle rides

Time for feuud

Git yer boots, cow belts, and lassos (okay I know nothing about cowboy talk) ready for the HOE DOWN!

We had a great time, and hope to make this a yearly tradition, we learned so many new ways to help deal with this disease!