Find Rest

I'm tired a lot lately.
It takes a lot of stinkin' energy to be a good mom. And honestly I don't feel like a great one all the time. I'm not always excited to get on a pretend airplane and get on and off over and over while we travel the world. And here's a secret: I sometimes wish for silence... And I hate admitting this stuff. But life isn't all rose colored right? Well I had a special experience that helped to remember how I can be a better mom. How I can be excited to pretend, and to listen for hours, and to make dinner with little ones at my feet. Jacob gave me a priesthood blessing and Heavenly Father reminded me of this promise.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Can you guess what stood out to me? "I will give you rest" Rest from being exhausted, rest from doubting myself, rest from anxiety over all the little things.

I'll take it.

Now I've got to learn how to trust Him. Do it with me?

Life

This morning I went for a swim. It's a good thing Jacob helps me get out the door, because I love it. It's getting into the pool that is so hard. I have been so cold lately! I think it's because of all the tricks mother nature has been playing. Anyway, Last week as I was walking past a lovely bunch of older ladies in the locker room (all half dressed) they all kindly commented ,"awe, what a skinny little thing". Then they talked about the old days when they were skinny little things and some about how they were never skinny things, and how their husbands (bless their souls) loved them just the way they were. I loved being able to listen in on that conversation. They were all so content with who they were. They were constantly complementing each other and saying how much they liked each other.
Today as I was swimming one of those sweet old ladies stopped me mid swim to ask me, in her thick German accent and shower cap covered head, where I was from. I said Utah, and now here. And then she continued saying, "oh, so you're not European then? You vere swimming so gracefully, and it vas so lovely to watch. Most people beat the [heck] out of the vater, and I vonder, vhy do they svim if they hate the vater?"
Ha! I got mistaken for a graceful European swimmer today :) I love those ladies.
Life is so great.
These kids are great


They are seriously so funny together.

Valentines day was great too...
I did accomplish lots of things on that list, not the flower cake yet, but I will! Jacob took me to get ice cream at Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream where I had to taste pretty much every flavor, notice all the little spoons in my hand. Proof of my indecisiveness. Yum, I got salty caramel, and Roxbury Road. Mm you have to go there. I want some more...

Wuv

A Face to Wuv:

I'm sorry to say that I'm feeling pretty bummed about the (non) attention I've been giving my lovely February. It's almost V-day and I am so behind. I haven't baked or cooked one thing that was heart shaped this year. This is partly attributable to the fact that my heart and lips cookie cutters were missing until a few days ago. Mostly I have just been too busy though... It hurts me to say those words. Too busy for my favorite time of the year?? Me?! Well, I have a few days left and I am going to do them justice. What's on my list??

Printing off these free valentine printables and coloring them with the goose


Making these dark chocolate cupcakes with strawberry cream filling


Attempting a red velvet cake, with this frosting tutorial

Making a list of things that I love, that Luci loves, that Eli loves, and that Jacob loves
Making heart shaped pizza's tomorrow night
Maybe these cookies too...
Have lots of people over to eat all the treats, so I don't.

Okay that's pretty ambitious so lets make a goal to do at least 3 of them.

Oh and here's another face to Wuv:

(daddy found a wig for eli)

It's My Birffday

I'm not sure I ever imagined how much a handmade card from my own child would mean to me on my birthday. She came and woke me up this morning holding this fabulous card saying, "mommy, it's your birthday!" Inferring, 'get up silly, let's play!' She brought me to a table with hot french toast smothered in butter and powdered sugar (my favorite), and a beautiful bouquet of white daisies (also my favorite). Mr. Dean likes to spoil me rotten...



...I am looking forward to getting even more rotten while we celebrate the whole weekend long...

You know how some birthdays don't feel any different than other years?



Well this year I definitely feel different. Heck, I even look different. I feel like I actually look older.



It seems like the years 19-24 all felt really young, and now BAM I'm 25! Not that I feel old, I just feel like I'm not a 1L anymore (lawyer lingo for first year law student).


(please notice the huge glob of lotion my little lu is sneaking onto her brother)

I feel like I'm officially a mom, and a wife, a Relief Society presidency member, an aunt (yay!), all those titles that youngsters don't have. I like it, I do. It's all sinking in. Part of me is a little sad to let go of some of the youngster titles. But I'm excited to be in the prime of my life, I just hope it doesn't go by too fast.



Happy Birthday to me :)

p.s. didn't my mother take some great pictures while she was in town. Love her...