Elena Faith

Sunday my sister Abby gave birth to her first child.

Elena Faith Barton

7 lbs 3 oz

a beautiful girl with the sweetest spirit. 

mommy and daddy are doing fabulous.

i can't wait until i can get some good newborn snuggles tomorrow night

if only i could bottle it all up

yesterday everyone gathered at my parents for Faith's birthday dinner.
she turns 15 tomorrow and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time celebrating her.

as time passes and i get to enjoy time with my siblings
i find myself wishing i could bottle it all up
the laughter, the jokes, the conversations.....
i love the stage we are at.
as we grow older, we grow closer
and i absolutely love every minute of it

happy birthday faith!!

a drive through the alpine loop

we may or may not have played hooky with stake conference on the 16th.
instead... a gorgeous drive through the alpine loop together seemed like the perfect way to enjoy the fall air and emerging colors on that sunday.

this year the season change seems to be happening a bit earlier.
i can't recall a year with such an early fall.
i'm grateful for the brisk air though.
summer was too hot for too long.
fall is my favorite season.
that is why we chose to get married in the fall.

there is nothing more breath taking than seeing all the reds, bronze, yellows and orange coloring up the side of the mountain
i'm crossing my fingers that the season lingers as long as possible
just as summer came early and stayed for so long

happy fall.

props to my hubby and a day in bed

there is something absolutely charming about drinking from a pint jar. i'm treating myself to a little pepsi this afternoon. it's been awhile.... but since it's the end of july and this week is going to be fabulous {hello 3 days of work!} today called for a treat.

i'm beyond proud of my hubby. friday night he got the crazy inclination that he needed to build us a big gate for our back yard. {granted that it will come in handy} so our lovely friday evening turned into errands.... saturday i headed to work and left mitch to his own devices for the day. he's never really built anything by himself {if i'm correct} so i wondered how it would turn out. i had confidence in him though. mitch has really showed me how handy he can be since becoming a home owner. a trip with him to the hardware store on my lunch break, a little lunch and back to work we both went. i have to give mitch serious props for this project. he did a fabulous job and from scratch no less. no plans or anything. i have a feeling there is more behind the sudden gate building then he leads onto.... {four wheeler anyone?}

yesterday was a bad day for me health wise. i managed to sleep in some, love on the boys, eat some breakfast and keep a headache at bay. mitch was in charge of teaching our primary class but i helped out with a story and activity. i'm very grateful for the opportunity i have to serve in a calling with my spouse. it's by far the best way to serve i've decided. church was wonderful and our class went well. unfortunately i felt like my blood sugar was incredibly low since i felt super shaky. after church we came home and i snacked a bit and mitch was a sweetheart and encouraged my nap - for as long as i wanted. i felt slightly better when woke up after 5..... i made us a super delicious cookie bar for a treat and then crashed on the couch. and that is where i spent the rest of the evening. i barely managed the energy to cook dinner but glad i did. it's funny how bad health days sneak up behind you and bite ya hard.

the angels were looking out for us

today started out like any normal Sunday.
Mitch had to work
I slept in and then got ready for church
and prepped the lesson for sunbeams.
Luckily I ended up over preparing and I survived teaching all by myself.
Mitch beat me home
I made smoothies for lunch
we sat on the back patio enjoying the sun and letting the dogs play for a bit
than I headed upstairs for nap time.
I rolled out of bed at 5,
Mitch headed out side to check on our tri tip steak
I went to look out the office window and saw our siding completely melted.
I knocked on the window and Mitch noticed it about the same time
he waves to have me come down stairs
I attempt to grab my phone to snap a picture but couldn't find it in the blankets on the bed
hurrying outside Mitch asks me to grab the hose.
I soak down the side of the garage as he attempts to turn the grill off.
then pulls the grill out further into the patio.
standing there I couldn't help but start to laugh.
Mitch didn't find it amusing at all.
We are incredibly grateful and lucky that the garage didn't go up in flames.
our delicious tri tip met the garbage
the garage smells like melted siding
and the grill is toast.
we called our home owners insurance
and are hoping they'll cover most of the repairs.
it could have gone from bad to worse in minutes....
the angels were looking out for us today.

Sundays are for family time

After partying it up with our friends last night and going to bed around 11:30 {oh my gosh it was insane late for me}, we slept in super late this morning. I crawled out of bed after 10. I wasn't in the best of moods to begin with. But after a bowl of cereal, my handful of pills and some caffeine I managed to perk up a little bit. 

We are currently subbing Sunbeams in church while we wait for our CTR6 class {the current teachers are moving soon}. The lesson was on being thankful for our smell and taste. This is the 3rd Sunbeams class Mitch has taught. He had Sunbeams when he got home from his mission, when we first got married and now we are sub in teachers. Luckily he has the hang of teaching down. For class we brought snack in paper bags and we tried to see if they could guess what was in the bags by smell and then by taste. Chocolate chips, popcorn and salt and vinegar chips. Class today went better than last week. And I'm grateful it will only be for a few weeks. We are looking forward to older children. 

Mitch had the brilliant idea of going on a hike this afternoon. Jake and Cezar's energy level was too high for a enjoyable day at home. Plus Jake was on a naughty streak. We filled our camelbaks, harnessed the boys and headed up to grove creek. It has turned out to be our go to hike. {we have yet to make it to the falls.} It was a gorgeous day, perfect temperatures and we got to work on breaking in our new shoes for the Subway next month. I got in the river with the boys at one point. They turned into a muddy mess and were good sports about it. Mitch however was unimpressed with it. Round trip we hiked about 3.5 miles. Jake and Cezar were exhausted and we are glad we made it back to the car before we had to carry Jake. Once home we sprayed them off in the back yard and then had nap time. I'm not used to having such relaxed {exhausted} boys :) we should make the hike a daily habit.

is it really Monday already?!

Another weekend has slipped past me.

I started Friday morning out getting ready and trying to get out the door on time when I suddenly realize my keys aren't on the table. I gasp as I run into the garage and sure enough my keys are locked safely inside on the passenger seat. Mitch had to be at work super early that morning so I called him and he responds with a text.

Whats up? I'm at work.

My keys are locked in the car!!!

How'd that happen?

You locked them in there last night after we got home from grabbing dinner.

I have a break in 15 min. I'll run home.

Thanks

lol.

I'm supposed to open at 8 :(

Luckily, he was able to make a quick drive by to unlock it for me. I even managed to lock myself out of the house earlier in the week.... gratefully we have a house key hidden outside. No luck with the jeep key though.

I was even able to take off a bit early Friday afternoon and go birthday shopping for Mitch. He is reminding me everyday how close his birthday is.... he's crossing his fingers I don't repeat last year. I'm going to rock his birthday this year. I can't wait to give him his gift on his birthday. yay.

Saturday was another busy day. We moved a lot of plants we were heavy on. It was almost as busy as Mother's day Saturday. I ended up working a 10 hour shift. I was grateful for feeling well and being in a good mood.

Sunday morning I spent laying in bed dozing on and off. I loved the morning light filtering through the cracks in the curtains. We made it to church and were called as primary teachers. CTR 6. It's a good age. After church we managed to scrounge up some lunch for my starving tummy and I even got a 2 hour nap. We also took the boys out during the evening and brushed them. I swear we could've had another Cezar running around with the amount of fur we brushed out of Jake. it was insane. We even attempted to see the eclipse but we had lots of clouds. We tried driving to the lake to see if the view would be better, but the road was closed and we decided to head home. As we turned onto our street, the clouds parted enough that we were able to see it. Pretty neat. 

Now Monday is upon us and both Mitch and I are exhausted and dragging our feet. Hoping I'll survive another 10 hour shift today and have a good week. 

A day of rest

I'm so grateful that it's Sunday.

A day to rest,

sleep in,

listen to General Conference,

make breakfast with hubby and enjoy some time together,

{he works 12-5 today}

snuggle with the boys,

nap,

download the pictures I've been snapping around my yard and work...

{I love the spring colors and flowers.}

Happy Sunday

Spring forward

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous!! The weather was beautiful, the boys came to work with me due to the replacement of our furnace that took all day, and a fabulous afternoon walk with Nanna! It was challenging to spend most the day at work, because all I wanted to do was spend the day outside with the boys. Hope came to work with mom to help with Cezar, while Jake and I attended the pruning class we were holding. I was able to take off around 3 which made all three of us happy. The boys were a little tired of hanging out in the Jeep between potty breaks and customers. Nanna and I had the best girl time taking a long walk next to the lake. We laughed and giggled and basked in the warm sunshine. Spring was definitely in the air. It was such a long day for the boys. I felt bad for them, but they were troopers and loved all the attention and time out and about. On the way home I went to grab Cafe Rio, since the furnace guys were still not finished.... By the time I made it home, my mood had soured a little, the boys were hungry and ready to be in their own space... And the furnace guys still hadn't finished. 8+ hours it took them. It cost us some serious money and they left us with broken sliding doors.... So our furnace closet is WIDE open now. Both Mitch and I are upset about this. My complain will finally come to good use tomorrow when I call to complain. The good news - we thought our house was poorly insulated.... nope. It was that our furnace and AC unit was a old piece of garbage. Our home was the most comfortable and consistent temperature ever last night. 

Daylight savings was today. Springing forward an hour... gives us more light at night, but with battling a insane headache all night I struggled with getting up and out of bed this morning. Poor Mitchel did too. Plus tomorrow he has an insane shift. {13 hours} Hopefully he'll get a good nights rest. If it wasn't daylight savings... we would've been early to church today. Instead we were 20 mins late. better late then never right?! lol. When I got to primary today I was pleased to hear that I was finally released. phew. The new lady they called will be perfect. Mitch is excited that I will be sitting with him in Sunday school again. And it will be nice to meet the other ladies in the ward that aren't in primary. We ended up chatting with a few people as we tried to make our way home after church. I realized I finally feel comfortable in our ward and know some wonderful people. It was a good feeling. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at home and decided to head up to battle creek canyon for a little Sunday hike with the boys. We love the sunny weather. The incline was a bit much for us... but I don't anticipate it being a problem for long with all the exercise we are getting. Poor Cezar got a bum full of burrs. We had to cut them out once we got home. {Two days in a row of burrs}. After our hike I curled up in bed with the boys for a lovely afternoon nap. Sunlight pouring through the window. I look forward to the warm temperatures this coming week and the extended sunlight. 

A little family time

One of the best parts of being married....

A quiet Saturday night at home.

More specifically falling asleep around 8 pm.

I was beyond exhausted last night.

12 hours of sleep later....

I still couldn't shake the fatigue.

Mitch and I may have played a little hooky with church

and took a nice long walk down at the lake with the boys.

It was beautiful.

Jake and Cezar were in love with all the smells and the fresh air.

Spring feels like it's around the corner.

After our walk we came home and I crawled back into bed.

Another couple hours of sleep I pulled myself out of bed,

Mitch made us some delicious burgers for dinner 

and now for some more relaxing in bed.

Hopefully I'll wake up more rested tomorrow morning.

It'll be a fabulous week at work....

Lots of plants coming in,

Spring showing her face a little bit - 50 degree weather it's looking like :)

It should be a lovely week.

Content

I've mentioned before... how I have a really good feeling about this year. It is my year.


Each day I feel a little more happy
Each day I feel a little bit better
Each day I have a little bit more energy
Each day I am a little bit more grateful
Each day I strive to be a little bit better
Each day I feel a little bit more like myself


I was talking with Sanna the other day about how wonderful it is to have a house. I finally feel like our house is our home. It's not the most fancy house, it still needs some improvements.... But it is our place. I walk through our home and I am happy. I am at peace. I feel comfort when I am home. what a wonderful thing to feel.


This morning Mitch had to work but he asked that I make it to sacrament. I said I would, as I rolled over and snuggled back into my covers. I enjoyed cuddles from Cezar, while Jake chewed away on his raw hide. I finally rolled out of bed to eat breakfast and jump in the shower. {I love how a hot shower will improve any day} The sun was bright and cheery. And the weather was fairly warm considering.... I opened my curtains, opened the windows and enjoyed the fresh air.


Today is a good day.
Today I feel like myself
Today I am grateful for the sunshine and the fresh air.
Today I love wearing teal and having my face 'put' on
Today I am grateful for my husband
Today I look forward to making chocolate chip cookies
Today I am grateful for my health
Today I crave creativity
Today I crave handwritten notes
Today I am grateful for my family
Today I am grateful for the church
Today I am grateful for hope.

My boys

It was a beautiful evening. Mitch and I took the boys for a walk. I love walks.

So Mitch and I bought a juicer yesterday :) We are going to attempt the lemonade cleanse this week and drink lots of fresh juice. Wish us luck. I'm glad we will be doing this together. Plus we are starting to harvest lots of yummy fresh produce at Grandpa's and my garden will have tomatoes ready this week. Here's to hoping we'll last the week.

Sunday Drive

Sundays have become my only day of rest. It's so important to me to relax and rest... It's the only day that I am able to not fret about everything that needs to get done.

Made it to primary. I enjoy my calling so far. It was the first Sunday without getting a headache from the children {noise level is very different from my everyday life}. Mitch taught in deacons. It seemed to be a good day.

I'm beyond tired these days. I can't handle things when I'm over stressed and exhausted. There are moments when I just need to be sent to my Bed for a looong time out. I don't know what to do. At times I feel like I just need to stop everything. I'm not a happy person or wife by anymeans when I'm so stretched thin. I snap easily and am ornery. I need to do better... But how to start?? Vacation? Yes!! Time off??? Yes please!! Being responsible and taking care of all my responsibilities... It's ingrained in me and hard to cut loose sometimes. Ok a lot of times.

After a 3 hour nap/rest we went for a drive with the boys. It was a gorgeous evening!! We should do things of that manner more often :) cezar kept drooling on me {yuck} mitch thought it was funny til I shared lol. Jake loved hanging out in the car. We looked at beautiful homes and day dreamed of the future. We sure love pleasant grove.

Thanks Mitch for being such a wonderful husband taking care of me!! Thanks for my massage too!!

{A day of rest}

Yesterday was a much needed day of relaxation. A day to slow down and not worry about the things that needed to get done. A day to lay in bed and not feel guilty.

I realized I get ornery and short when I'm worn out. Thanks for giving me the afternoon to myself love!!

Dinner... We marinaded pork chops and had baked potatoes :) orange chipotle pork chops! Our favorite!!

The boys were super good for us :) I love them so.

{nap time}

Enjoying a quiet afternoon to myself... With the boys. Yea for Sundays!!