August 2017

Nothing too too exceptional to see here in Alaska this morning, but I did see some really cool posts of my cousins’ and uncles’ instagrams in Idaho! It looked pretty impressive that it was so dark/dusky outside there. I also so some pictures of cool crescent shaped shadows.

I put my sunglasses on and blinked at the sun and saw a nice partial eclipse. And then I took some pictures of me and my boy with a snotty nose, and who was naked in preparation for his post breakfast bath. After I sort of looked at the sun, every time I’d blink I’d see about 10 mini eclipses, so I’d call that a success! ;)

Then Apollo and I took a nap together in our chair, and that is always a big success to me, especially when I am not getting super awesome rest at night. Once Apollo fell asleep, I scrolled through Instagram and read about people’s experience with the solar eclipse. Some were pretty funny, like pictures of cloudy skies and “this is stupid. I can’t even see it.” And other posts where some laughed at the big hype this eclipse was making. And some who expected it to be midnight dark outside, but they weren’t in the right location, so that’s also funny.

And then I came across a couple posts where people shared of the powerful energies and celestial alignments of this solar eclipse. They said things like this can be a moment where we can step fully into our light, where we can purify our old selves and let go of what doesn’t serve us, a time of progressive change – even it if may be uncomfortable, and a portal for exponential growth.

So here’s to moving from darkness to light and three cheers for spectacular natural phenomenons.

It’s early Sunday morning. I just woke up from a pretty great stretch of sleep, like 5-6 hours! So I am feeling rejuvenated and awake. 

With Apollo’s two top teeth, and now with us having a cold, sleep the past couple weeks has been not so great and verrrry interrupted. So, to sleep for hours without waking up… I feel on top of the world! :) Actually, I just feel awake enough to finish studying for and preparing my young women’s lesson for today. 

The theme for the month of August is marriage and family, and my lesson for class today is: HOW CAN I STRENGTHEN MY FAMILY?

It has been great preparing for this lesson and there have been some excellent talks from general conference that I’ve listened to that were very helpful to me. 

In Praise of Those Who Save by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Defenders of the Family Proclamation by Bonnie L. Oscarson

More Diligent and Concerned at Homer by David A. Bednar

There’s nothing more important than our families and I’m grateful for the love in my home and family. Here’s a couple quotes that remind me of what I can do to strengthen my family:

If we look for imperfections in our spouse or irritations in our marriage, we will certainly find them, because everyone has some. On the other hand, if we look for the good, we will surely find it, because everyone has many good qualities too.

LOOK FOR THE GOOD. 

We really do find what we look for. 

And this. 

We may share the same gene pool, but we are not the same. We have unique spirits. We are influenced in different ways by our experiences. And each of us ends up different as a result.

Rather than attempting to force everyone into a mold of our own making, we can choose to celebrate these differences and appreciate them for adding richness and constant surprises to our lives.

And it all comes down to Christlike love. 

As we emulate the Savior’s love, He will surely bless and prosper our righteous efforts to save our marriages and strengthen our families.

May the Lord bless you in your untiring and righteous efforts to be numbered among those who save.

Another thing that stuck out to me was a picture I saw on Facebook this morning. It was of people living in great poverty, maybe even a refugee camp, I’m not sure. And the words said: remember the life you complain about is the life others dream of. 

A good reminder to count your blessings and recognize all the good around us!

And here’s a sweet picture of me and my boys from my mom’s birthday the other day. I busted out all our red plaid and Apollo’s adorable shoes and my dad took a couple quick pictures of us outside. PRECIOUS. 

I have so many thoughts I want to share and record, but lately I don’t feel I’ve had/made the time and energy to do that. But tonight is a rainy August night, and Apollo fell to sleep very easily, so here I am contently blogging.

First of all, I adore Apollo so much. He is a part of me, bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh, and we both need each other. What a joy it is to be his mother and to be so perfectly loved by him.

Secondly, my baby boy has been teething fiercely. It is exhausting. His bottom two teeth were no problemo, but these top two have been quite unpleasant. He’s been fevering, had diarrhea, constipation, a rash, puke, loads of drool, all making for a significantly less happy boy and mama. If he doesn’t sleep as well at night, I don’t sleep as well. This morning I felt like I slept an hour and then got run over. Not awesome. I did sleep more than that of course, but I just had restless sleep with lots of waking.

Fingers crossed this phase will be over soon! And then I’ll get an amber necklace for the boy and hopefully the rest of his teeth won’t come in so violently. I just don’t know what to do to help him and it hasn’t been like that with us before. If nothing else, usually breastfeeding always helps. But one day, little boy nursed for like three minutes all day and I was loaded with milk. He finally ate when he went to bed and then I guess his belly got so full of milk that he eventually threw up all over us while I was rocking him to sleep. So. Much. Vomit. Poor boy did not feel well.

Anyway, motherhood has been tiring lately and less of a fun party. I feel like a need a little recharge. And I am getting that tonight, hanging out on the computer by myself, looking through photos, recording thoughts, listening to musics, eating fudge bars… :) Now I just need to tie dye and make cookies and play my ukulele and I should be back to my old self.

Oh! Another thing that makes me happy is wearing a romper or overalls. And jumping on the trampoline. We just got my trampoline set up and I McLove it. So do all the neighbor kids, but we haven’t let the jump on it yet, basically because we don’t want them to break their arms in our front yard.

Another way I recharge is NAPTIME. It’s kind of essential, not as essential as showering and brushing my teeth and eating. Actually, maybe it is. Yes, it is. I’m mostly referring to Apollo’s nap time being a recharge for me, but when I can nap too, it’s all the better. Usually I use his nap time to do some house project though, or to scroll through Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest and regret it when he wakes up before I had to chance to do anything productive haha. I have had some exceptional naps with Apollo recently. And I love that so much. They’re some of my favorite moments.

I really have a lot of wonderful moments. It is delightful watching Apollo experience the world, to see him so innocent and curious and pure, to feel his love and light. It’s the best. And I am really looking forward to the painful teething phase being over, but I suppose it’s all part of the process and joyful big picture.

Speaking of motherhood… I have the most wonderful mother and mother-in-law. They’re both so wonderful and strong and loving and beautiful and giving and funny. They’re just the people I need. Really, I have so many loving and supportive women around me. I feel very grateful for that.

In one hour and five minutes it is my mother’s birthday! So it’s time for an ode to my mama!

I don’t have too many recent pictures with my mom and need more. But in scrolling through all her Facebook pictures tonight, I came across this gem from our wedding December 2013. There she is helping out and being funny and loving and giving! And the day we got married, she just whipped up my perfect bouquet. I loved it. Full of lovely white flowers and green things. Mom is great with the flowers. I just really love her a lot, and I don’t think she realizes how much I love her or how wonderful I think she is. I need and rely on her a lot, and she brings so much goodness to my life.

I love my dear ol’ dad a whole lot too, but it’s my mama’s birthday, so the shoutout is going to her today. :) I really have been blessed with goodly parents. <3

Apollo just woke up to eat. I love feeding him. It’s so sweet and I love watching him eat and hold him close and hearing his cute noises and looking at his perfect face.

So… to sum up my blogging thoughts tonight, I love being a mother, but I am tired. And I hardly want to say I’m tired because I know plenty of other mothers who are much more tired and worn out than me! But it is a rewarding work to have those babies or kids look at you, full of love, and just wanting their mama. I still have plenty of moments where I just want my mom, and thank goodness she is usually just minutes away! Happy birthday to my angel mother!

I went with my sister and nieces up the road for some Alaskan summer lake fun. :) Johnson Lake or bust. It’s about an hour drive north of where we live.

The sun was shining and Holly wasn’t working, so she and the girls decided to head to el lake. Apollo and I decided we should go adventure too!  It was great playing in the water and getting some sun sun sun.

The water temperature was a okay. Definitely not warm at all, but pretty bearable. We all did some great swimming and it was so refreshing. I LOVE WATER.

Natalie and Katy had some coolio floaties too, which made it really fun. I loved playing in the water with them while Holly tried to keep Apollo from eating too much dirt or little rocks. :) When I was sitting in the water with him, he loved pulling the rocks out to gnaw on them. He’s too precious.

I didn’t bring my trusty collapsible wagon but I sure wish I would have! It would’ve been perfect for this adventure. Great day wit my big sis and her girls!