love of local in Utah
things that have been saving me the last little while
Clouds
Utah’s summer sky was gorgeous this past summer, thanks to the rain. Rainy summers remind me of Maryland where I lived 6 weeks to 12 years old. Now if we had just had extremely loud thunder storms with the power going off it would have been perfect.
Oh and fireflies. Which I heard have been sighted in Utah so I talked my siblings into going on a trip with me. I investigated the reports from the Natural History Museum, read fisherman websites, emailed the fisherman asking for more exact directions. One of them even made a map for me. I was prepared for the hour and half drive and to keep all of my children up past bedtime. My brother went to check it out the night before and sadly…no fireflies. They haven’t been sighted this summer as well. One year we will see the fireflies!
My Girls
Homeschooling them has been such fun. I have it set up in a way this time that they enjoy it more. Control, they must have more control. I have four very strong willed souls in this house of mine. You should hear what happens during hair time. Oh my goodness, when can they all do their own hair? I should say last week we had an awful homeschooling day that ended in every one being forced to the basement to re-organize it. However I had them re organize their memory boxes so they ended up having too much fun for a punishment. Oh well!
Sisters
Sisters who send me voxes, texts, pictures, messages throughout the day. You save me.
Watching the girls with each other during good moments. How one falls asleep in her sister’s bed, sprawled all out over their face. Sisters who bond over how rude their mom is. Sisters who pretend to be kitties or puppies all day long. Four sisters who have such strong, stubborn, wonderful personalities that I wonder how in the world I will survive all of them being teenagers at once. Yep, every single one from a Beehive to a Laurel.
The way they exhaust me but fill me up all at the same time. How I can put them to bed but then two hours later want to wake them all up.
Exercise
I’ve been working with a personal trainer a few times every week for 5 or 6 weeks now. Boy is it hard, some days I have to work hard to not spew (did you want to hear that? ha, sorry) during the workout. It feels good to push my body and to see my arms, legs, back tightening and getting stronger. My middle section? Birthing four babies that were in the 9-11 lb range has made that section a project. I don’t ever want it to look like I haven’t had four beautiful babies. But I would like to feel my core stronger, that section is just going to take work. But work that makes me feel proud, sleep better, feel stronger.
Women’s Meeting
This year’s Women’s Meeting/Conference was wonderful. I have a long list of things I learned or am inspired to work on. Here are a few:
**making my home a place where the spirit can be felt
**make the way l lead my life reflect my love for the Savior. Leave a legacy to strengthen those after me
**NEVER STOP YOUR STEPS TO THE TEMPLE
**to remember that “You carry a circle of influence with you wherever you go.”
**leave a strong legacy so I can be a stronger angel to the future women in my line
**bring more sunshine. Not the fakey empty kind. A REAL kind.
President Uchtdorf spoke of Heavenly PARENTS. I have a strong testimony through personal revalations and experiences of our Heavenly Mother and the errand of our angels. Our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost who help us and bless us every single moment of the day.
FALL
Driving with the car window down, weekly Friday trips to the color, birds flying by hurrying to warmer weather. I just adore it all.
I don’t know why it has been a rougher past little while. Boy am I glad for these sweet things that save me on rough days.
Cousins
Surprise visits from cousins. Another new nephew and the other nephew getting better. These are a few of my favorite things.
Date nights, being in Young Womens, going to their games to get to know them better, sweet neighbors, and potty training. These are a few of my other favorite things. (Which one was sarcastic?)
Thank you to things these things for saving me lately.
I love that you have a trainer and are enjoying it this time around but I don’t love that it keeps us from late-night Starbucks runs. Also, where were you when I spent too much money at Nordstrom Rack?
Thanks for sharing your favorite things. Reminds me of my list. It is essential that we keep counting our blessings or they get lost in the fog of life.