Simply Fresh Designs Stuff

Just wanted to post a note that I updated the bloggie on Simply Fresh Designs with a freebie.  'Merry Monday' will hopefully include a freebie every week... something fun for Mondays, I suppose.

Jimmy told me I ought to have a facebook page for Simply Fresh Designs. Uhhh... so I guess if you want to be friends with Simply Fresh Designs... here's the linky-dinky-doo.

Soooo - things are slowly rolling with Simply Fresh Designs.

oh, what a beautiful morning

My life yesterday ... Jimmy wakes up at 6:15, pops right out of bed, says prayers, showers, makes breakfast, gets the kids up... while Heather sleeps in until 7 or 7:15 when she finally realizes she is doomed to have to arise. She goes downstairs, grumbles at everyone until they all leave and she recuperates by 8. Not good people!

Grand Tetons Sunrise found on noticeablyfat.com

Well - not so this morning. I got up at 6:15 and decided that I should start practicing my Joyful Morning idea. Jimmy had a meeting at 7 a.m. (who plans a meeting at 7 a.m.? - oh yeah, Mr. pop-out-of-bed-in-the-morning husband). It took 15 minutes to find my work out clothes and dust the treadmill, but I got a nice 20 minute walk in. And this is the important part - I actually feel joy in the morning. It's quiet while the tots sleep. But tis time to wake them up.

Joy in the morning - Check.
Joy in accomplishment of exercising - Check.

It's going to be a beautiful, ordinary day!

a JOYful autumn

'Be Filled with Joy' by Wheatfield

Having a colorful summer was a good thing for me. We did a variety of things and had fun as a fam. The theme reminded me to keep things colorful, full of LIGHT, and fun. Of course, some days were blue... but overall, it was a good thing.

Soooo - continuing the goodness only makes sense...
hence... the theme starting on this Autumnal Equinox day ...

original image by My Fine Garden

~ 3-minute JOY journal: take 3 minutes throughout the day to find and write about the joyful moments. Could be 5 minutes ... could be 1 ... the point... it hardly takes any time but the benefits are grand.  I want to involve the tots in this one.  Maybe something on the fridge.

~ Find Joy in the morning. I won't elaborate on how completely grouchy I am before 8 in the morning... but it's true... ask my sweet family. Inspiration:  Joy cometh in the Morning by Elder Russell M. Nelson.

~ Enjoy the warmth and sunshine out of doors. It may not feel too warm now, but it's much warmer than winter will be. I tend to stay inside to try and get things done, but I know I need that Vitamin D and rejuvenation that comes from being outside. Maybe I could keep my summer morning walks going with the 2 boys.

~ Lastly, find JOY in accomplishing. Work - bleh. Accomplishment - superb!! It does take work to get to the accomplishing - and I'd rather focus on the end result.

“Morning stars [will] sing together, and …
all the sons [and daughters] of God [will] shout for joy!”
(D&C 128:23)

Absolute Truth ... I'm certain

Today - all I have to say is that the following quote is oh-so-true. The 'teachable and grateful' part is debatable some days. But the rest - yes. The swing shift is definitely the trickiest one to survive 'round here. We're all a little less lovable indeed.

"As I have talked to young mothers and mothers with children at home — those with teenagers and young adults especially—they tell me that their most important shift to be at the top of their game, to be the strongest lioness at the gate is the “swing shift.” That’s the afternoon shift.

"That’s when everyone comes home hungry, tired, needy, and less lovable. It is when you are hungry, tired, needy, and less loveable. It is also the time of day when people are more teachable, when they are most grateful.

"When we realize and prioritize our time properly, we don’t expect to use all of our strength on the other two shifts so that the afternoon shift can be safeguarded and can be a time of strength and power.

"We plan for times when the meals are there together, when we can create that home environment and when that family can gather, and you are the strengthening power and force in that family.

"Remember that influence and power come when we prioritize correctly. If you spend time elsewhere, you don’t have it to give. ... You have to prioritize where you are going to spend your energy." Julie Beck - BYU Women's Conference - April 2010

I really struggle during the late afternoon hours. So - I've decided a few things that would help me survive. Now - I just need to do them.

1. Read my scriptures during quiet time. This is tricky because some days I have but a moment of quiet in the afternoon between nap time for tots and before the kids come home. I feel strongly that my heart would be full of love, wisdom, and patience if I consistently did this before the kids come home.  I may not run out of those things by 5 if I fill myself up with all that goodness.

2. Plan and prepare dinner as much as possible before noon. If I establish a consistent meal plan, then the plan is there. And many dishes can partially be prepared ahead of time and I know that would help me survive the swing shift hours.

3. Figure out what to do with Max and Tru during this time. In between feeding and playing with babies, keeping the school kids on track with snack, homework, reading, afternoon tasks, and chores, those little ones have a hard time. They are tired and hungry and they suck every ounce of energy and patience from me. It's the pull on mom's pants and cry time of day. Any ideas? I feel like I need 4 arms, 4 brains, 4 sets of ears, and 4 mouths to keep up with everyone that needs me at the same time.  I read a blog recently that said instead of always praying for patience, we ought to pray for wisdom to know how to raise our tots so they can obey.  I think I'll pray for both... as both are definitely needed.

I know there are blessings galore when we create the home environment where the family can gather and feel loved and secure. It's definitely something worth working at.

Three things I'm grateful for today:
1.  Jimmy comes home by 5 most days.  He saves us all.

2. I'm glad I have a cheering section up in heaven. They are rooting for this mother to keep at it.

3. The amazing part is that when I falter, Heavenly Father can make up the difference as long as I'm doing my best and placing faith in Him.

Onward - ever Onward!

Book of Mormon Stories Quiet Book

Wanted to post the link to one of my new personal and family use Quiet Books – Book of Mormon Stories.

I'm getting my Simply Fresh Designs website going again (slowly but hopefully surely). I thought I'd post some of the quiet books as freebies on my SFD blog.

I get requests so often for links to the books and I've felt weird sharing them all (since I don't own the copyrights to the images and such), so I haven't known how far to let downloads go with strangers.

This quiet book is just a compilation of resources that anyone can download at themselves at LDS.org through the Gospel Picture Art Book/Kit. So - I feel fine sharing it with peeps. Plus, I made it extra clear in the Terms of Use that it's for personal/family use only so hopefully people will respect that.

We'll see how the rest of my business goes. I'm hoping to do a few cards, a few prints, and maybe a few family history photo trees for the holidays.

Check back at Simply Fresh Designs for more coming soon.

Ordinary people inspiring others... Legacy of the Sack Lunch

Lisa Bearnson shared the inspiration about a man named Brent Pribil. He recently died of cancer leaving a wife and 3 children.

Lisa wrote, "Every morning, Brent packed a lunch for each of his children. And every day, he wrote a note, quote, word of wisdom or a little joke on a note card and stuck it to the front of the bag."

This was a note he wrote soon after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Thanks Brent for being an inspiration to me.
You've made me want to do better writing love notes to my kids.
And you've reminded me that despite trials, "all is well" in the eternal perspective.

what will i choose?

here i am wondering what to do with my cranky boys this morning... feeling sluggish... tired... headache... and wanting to head back to bed. then i read this...

it makes me remember that I choose how I react to life stuff.

i can gripe and complain about the millions of dishes to conquer from yesterday...
or choose to do my tasks as a gift to myself and my family.

i can see it as bleh-blah work... or as a task to conquer and accomplish.

all my little decisions make up my life...

so this morning i choose to do my tasks cheerfully, be happy, and enjoy my beautiful, ordinary life.

a date with my love

(photo courtesy miss hannah... who was trying her hand at some tricky angles)

today is jimmy's 34th birthday.
last night we went on a real date... yes, really.
those don't happen too often these days.
but - i like dates.
they are good.
and i love jimmy.
he is good.
happy birthday my love.

i like today

i have to hurry and write this... in case it all changes in 5 minutes. i must not let that happen.

i feel good. i feel chipper. i even feel patient with my 2 tots. i guess it helps that one is asleep and the other is watching charlotte's web.

feeling good has not been the case the past few weeks. i'm working on getting my body healthy. and i've felt crummy, "off", and unenergetic. i went to the doc for a well-check... and i have high blood pressure (why? i mean having 4 kids isn't stressful at all! and salt... i just plain love salt)... semi high cholesterol (you mean raspberry filled donuts aren't a good breakfast? what - pioneer woman's recipes with 2 cups of butter aren't good for the cholesterol?  plus, i think i got the wonderful family gene for it.)... and I need to lose 10-15 lbs (my doc didn't tell me that, but I know. i have 2 babies to work off here.). i'm soaking in seasonal allergies and i don't think that has helped me feel perky.

i know my fam has been worried for me. but i'll just keep plugging along, doing what i can to be healthy. diet, exercise, sleep... that's what a mama needs to take care of - for her own good.

but yah - today is good... at least for the moment. i accomplished a few things before 10 a.m. this is good. accomplishment is a good feeling. i even showered. it is a shining moment.

"Amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction." Elder Ballard, April 2008

signing off this computer to go and enjoy some sunshine outside with mr. max.

we love america!

Someday... maybe soon... I want to make one of these...

Distressed wooden flag

my thoughts of late

center

focus

prioritize

breathe

smile

release

love

calm

peace

quiet

relax

hope

rejuvenate

listen

inner stillness

positive energy

health

live

enjoy

de-stress

give

joy

strengthen

lift

inspire

Tonight the tots and I went on a walk/bike ride after supper. Papa has a project due pronto so we had to get out of his hair. I'm trying to savor every bit of green and warmth and sunshine that is out there... for autumn is coming too quickly for me... rather ... winter is coming this year and I'd rather skip it.

Lately when I've been outside I realize how healing nature is for the soul. The cool breeze, the sunshine, all that green, bare feet in the grass. Tonight on our walk we went to the lone parts of the neighborhood where I could see the mountains in the distance. I love those mountains. We watched yellow-bellied black birds fly all around seeming to have no destination... free.

This quote rings true with me... that I live more deeply and calmly when I take time to enjoy nature.

and just for laughs... i saw the quote mistyped as such:
"Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flour."

flour vs flower... i love it and it made me guffaw out loud.

(gorgeous photo by ilovelotsofpizza)