We built an indoor playground for the boys for Christmas. A safe place for them to dream + to grow + to read + to maaaaybe burn a little extra energy. 🙂 Jonah is particularly energetic + the treehouse has been our saving grace this winter! If we are home, we are in the playhouse. I will never forget the way their faces lit up on Christmas because it still does every time they open that door! Lately, Jonah has developed this nervousness towards going to school? He keeps asking if Riggins can come with him or where I’m going to go when I drop him off. It’s making ME nervous, but I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. His birthday falls right at the cut off date, so we are going to hold him back a year. We still have a little bit longer until he starts preschool, so we’ll continue to soak up our time in their reading nook together while we can.

I am so thrilled to show your how our plus sign quilt turned out in collaboration with LITTLE WIFE POWER HOUSE! We named it “THE JONAH” + I literally cried when I opened the box. The unique hand drawn little fox’s on the back remind me of my own childhood. Reading at Grandma’s on top of the heater vent with that big white itchy blanket on top of us. The vent was right in front of her big upstairs window. This quilt is now our reading blanket. It fit like the perfect glove in their reading nook under the monkey bars + is a very special keepsake that Jonah will be able to pass on to his future kids someday. 

LWPH is offering 15% off if you use code JONAH15 through tomorrow.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

SWEETS: getting pictures of milo during the day | bear lake birthday bash | monster truck ralley | good things utah | stompin rigg + the way he runs with only one arm pumping | fresh manicure | turning on our wedding video after everyone fell asleep in bear lake | family bike rides at liberty park | jonah’s excitement when riggins wakes up every morning | sushi girls night | finalizing peru plans | new swimsuits | signing jonah up for baseball | shopping alone at city creek #sephoradate | rearranging the boys room + letting them choose where things go | new computer | pace pops on the deck | pandora | social media | jessie pennington waffle date | matching family snow suits | new dishwasher | getting my car back | hiccups | staying up for over 48 hours 2 separate time #worthit | journal writing | grapefruit | nickle cade | shopping with grandma | tracy aviary | overdue heart-to-hearts with morg | lunchdates with dad

SOURS: the missing memory card with all of our pictures | jonah’s shiner | library fines | markers of any shape or size | car problems | missing reading time | living far away from milo | chapped lips | missing church | vacuuming the car | eyelashes falling out | folding the laundry | the empty honest box full of stuff with no home that keeps getting shoved in the closet | trying to catch up on pictures | potty training | new blog roadblocks | unpacking | laundry | laundry | laundry 

These pictures were taken by TRAVIS J as part of his “Littles” mini shoots for Valentine’s Day. I’d love to share more of them later, but I hope you’re able to get on his email list! If you haven’t had the opportunity to have your kids photographed in a lifestyle studio, you worn out mama self deserves it! Travis is wonderful + I know you’ll be thanking me later.

At night I find myself reflecting on our day: the highs, the lows + mostly the improvements to make for a better tomorrow. Somehow it always leads back to how quickly the boys are growing + changing each day. To be honest, the future scares me a little. The weight that they will have to carry as men when I can’t carry it for them any longer. I pray that they are tough, but not afraid to give compassion. That they will have the drive + desire to provide for their own family, love like that’s all they’ve got, protect each other, treat women with respect, as well as everyone else that God places in their lives. Including themselves. I hope they mold into kind, humble, men who always view life in the innocent way that they do now. Filled with simple joys + big dreams!

If you’re a Utah local, tune in on channel 4 for GOOD THINGS UTAH at 9 am tomorrow morning! I’m going to be on kicking off their Blogger Week sharing my favorite picture editing apps with you all! “HOW DO YOU EDIT YOUR INSTAGRAM PICTURES?!” is one of the things I get asked on a daily basis. So along with my segment, I’m releasing my first e-book on taking better instagram pictures! Whooooty whoooo. It’s been a long time coming + I think you’ll love it! I’m holding nothing back + you’ll have first dibs at their discount code so you won’t want to miss it. {I will be sure to post the link on here afterwards for any out of towners who care to see} It’s certainly going to be a party + I hope you’ll join me!

I came across this quote a few months ago + hello, it struck a serious chord. Thank you, Pinterest!! I’ve been spending more of my time listening intentionally + less time talking. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the process. My strengths. My weaknesses. I’ve found myself studying “noise” pretty regularly + have realized that it is completely my responsibility to organize my mind. Is my life filled with noise? Confusion? Is it calm? Do I think through my choices + listen to promptings, or do I go through the motions because that takes less effort + I’m pretty dang tired? Am I grateful when times get hard? How is my heart? What are my fears? What are my strengths? Who are my people? Where are my people? Am I a good wife? What are my goals? Longterm? Daily? Have I written them down? Am I being selfish? Am I a good mom? What should I feed my kids? SO MANY QUESTIONS!! You guys, it’s amazing what we are able to learn about ourself when we shut off the noise + LISTEN. Ask yourself the question you are avoiding + don’t stop searching for the answer until you find it. Throw me a bone, I want to scream this off the balcony. Why did I not realize the power behind this simple theory sooner in my life? I actually know the answer to that — I wasn’t ready to hear it. Funny how that works huh. I’m even starting to believe that my mom was on to something telling us to turn down the music in high school. 😉

I do better when I’m writing down progress for myself. This includes setting goals + tracking the process. I have learned that I’m blessed with a voice. I’ve come to grips with the fact that I’m a “write the grocery list + leave it on the table” type or person, but I’m also not afraid to wear every color of the rainbow. Learning to think through decisions on my own without asking for other’s advice is something that I haven’t always been the best at, but it’s sure getting easier. I don’t need their approval. Jon makes me a better me. I am strong. I am brave. No denying my “words of affirmation” love language. I’ve learned that there is a HUGE difference in caring about people + caring what people think. I take my role in motherhood very seriously + want my kids to see that their mom loves herself unconditionally. I feel balanced — I feel content. I truly fear what kinds of things our kids will face in the future, but realize that it is out of my control. I am the most awkward when getting my picture taken + I laugh when I’m nervous. Balance is hard. Balance is also a very loaded word + can only be established between myself + The Lord. Learning how to keep all of my balls in the air is a lifelong journey. The more I focus on balance, the more balls I drop along the way. What we focus on is key. Expectation is everything! I’ve learned the value of “Ginger” time. It’s easier for me to be nice than to be mean. I had a long heart-to-heart with a very dear friend about priorities + through many tears, she expressed the importance of guarding our priorities like everything in our life depends on it. I agree with her wholeheartedly + know that these priorities are worth EVERY effort or sacrifice. It’s my job to protect them, keep them in their right place + swat the crap out of anything that tries to get in their way. I have learned that I won’t ever be able to just eat one eggo waffle + that pictures bring me happiness.

Find your people, love your life, be genuine + focus on the things you can control, rather than the things that you can’t. Prioritize your noise, smile at yourself in the mirror, eliminate the unnecessary, fight for your family, strive for simplicity + LISTEN to your gut. You’ll find happiness — I know that I have. xx

SWEETS: bloguettes conference | everyone feeling better | s n o w w w w w w | hayward’s buzzerbeater to send lebron home crying | jazz date night x3 | riding trax for the fist time | dinner with morg + ty | aub’s birthday party | lazy saturday + sunday mornings | new costco play table | on time for church | quick visit with grandma before we took her to the airport for florida | bijou market | lots of new babies to love on: shelb + brandon, jon + bri, coy + suzie, john + kylee | homemade potato soup | slowly putting up the christmas decor | saranoni blakets | house plans after the kids are in bed | making thanksgiving name tags for grandma’s house | selfies from jon + jonah at the jazz game | sour skittles | every single thing about jess kettle’s remodeled house | hide + seek | the way the boys run + scream when jon gets home from work | feeding the missionaries | west elm | hats ordered online that actually fit #miracles | jon’s oversized sweatshirts | homemade christmas ornaments | snuggling next to the heater box

SOURS: jonah tipping the shopping cart over at the craft store: harry potter scar for jonah, serious bruised battle wounds for riggins + one hysterical mama | losing the car keys | forgetting birthday card at home | riggy taking off his diaper in the kitchen then smearing it all across the rug + carpet | blog design taking foreverrrrrrrrrrrrr to program | no trips to logan this week | jonah breaking TWO snow globes | dead computer chord | long tithing settlement hours for jonboy | forgetting to mail our thankful cards | always feeling like i want to switch up home decorations | cramps | gold hair | waffle luv confusion at bloguettes | parking lots mixed with road rage | jonah scaring riggins with the vacuum + sucking up the rug while he was at it