Resolve

“As we reflect on the value of resolving to do better, let us determine to discipline ourselves to carefully select the resolutions we make, to consider the purpose for making them, and finally, to make commitments for keeping them and not letting any obstacle stop us. Let us remind ourselves at the beginning of each day that we can keep a resolution just for that day. As we do this it gets easier and easier until it becomes a habit.”

-N. Eldon Tanner

Word of the Year-2012 Edition

I am always excited and anxious to choose my word for the upcoming year. Without further ado, here it is: BALANCE.
I tend to take on a lot in my life. Mostly because I want to leave my mark somewhere in this world and I want to be present in the lives of my husband, children, family, friends, etc. Sometimes this lends to a little bit of chaos and I end up doing things that are good things, but not necessarily the best things. This year I am putting first things first. There are things that are essential to my success and happiness in life and on a day to day basis. That is what I am focusing on.
Along with my New Year's resolutions, I also make a push goal. It is something that isn't easy to do. Something that scares me, has to be taken in steps and will make me stretch out of my comfort zone. I usually try to center it around my word (even though that doesn't always happen)
Anyway, please share your word with me! It is so fun to see people I love working towards greatness! You inspire me more than you know!
2012 or bust!!!!

2012..Here I Come!!

2011 has been the craziest year I have had in a long time. The were extreme highs and a few extreme lows too. I have run the whole gamut of experiences and emotions this year.
My word for 2011 was 'Holy'. When I chose that word, my whole intention was to take my inner being to a new level. To connect with god and heaven in every experience. My mind has been blown away by the experiences I have had in connection with that word. Heavenly Father knows me and is a part of my every day life. I have no doubt. I will never forget the way He has carried me, pushed me, prepared me and comforted me in every instance.
I am happy to put 2011 in my memory as an old friend. Onward to a new year and more opportunities!

Broken Glasses and the Christmas Spirit

Every year as Christmas approaches, I pray that we will find and have those special experiences that bring the true spirit of Christmas into our heart and mind. Sometimes it is super easy to find them and sometimes they are more elusive.
This has been a really strange year for us. We have had some of the greatest things happen and some of the most difficult things happen. It has been a roller coaster year and I must admit, I had not been feeling a lot of the spirit that I wanted to.
It was a couple of days before school got out for the break and Corbin called me from school really upset. Corbin is a hall monitor at school. He was talking to a boy in his class about the fact that he (the boy) was not supposed to be in the halls during recess. The boy got upset and grabbed Corbin's glasses off of his face and crunched them in his hand. I told Corbin that he needed to go talk to the principal about it. I was a little ticked that someone would do that but I was also surprised. I know the boy and he is not usually like that.
Corbin's teacher is a good friend of mine. She called me later and we started talking about it and what would have made the boy do that. She mentioned that she thought their family might be financially struggling. I told her she needed to find out as much as she could because we would like to do something to help them out.
The events that unfolded over the next 48 hours were nothing short of a series of Christmas miracles. It was found that the family was struggling in a huge way and that food was hard to come by, let alone Christmas. People stepped up in a HUGE way to ensure that this family had food, money and gifts. Another little family also benefited from this outpouring of love. And this was all the day before Christmas.
It's funny how Heavenly Father works. If Corbin's glasses hadn't of gotten crunched, we may have never known that this family needed help. I am so happy that He works through each of us and that sometimes we are on the ball enough to listen.
This year was one of the best Christmas's I have ever had. The spirit of Christmas lives on in this little valley of mine and in this heart of mine too.

Merry Christmas!

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

What A Woman Wants Show

And the winner is......Tonya! Congratulations! I wish so bad I had tickets for all of you cause I love you so much! Thanks for sharing your traditions. I loved them.


The 2011 "What A Woman Wants" show is this Friday and Saturday at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy. It is a totally fabulous event and it is just for girls! My little sister and I are going.

Guess what? I have 2 tickets to give away cause I am cool like that.

All you have to do to enter is answer this question:

What is your favorite Christmas tradition? I will choose from the entries I get by midnight tonight.

Good luck!

Latter Day Saint, Mormon, Christian

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am a Mormon. As it states in the name of my church, I am a Christian. I feel that I am a Christian in every sense of the word. I try my hardest to follow the life and teachings of my Savior. I don't think I am perfect. I don't think I am better than you.
I don't care if you have 1 sin or 20 sins. I love everyone equally. Not despite your imperfections but because of them. We are all trying our hardest to do the best we can each day. Sometimes we can try harder. Sometimes we choose not to. This is what connects us. This is what makes us the same.
What I believe in runs deep in my soul. I will never apologize for it. And I will never expect you to either.

Where Am I Going?

I am at one of those in-between places in my life right now. It is such a strange place for me to be. I am not in a funk or sad or mad or anything of that nature. I am just not sure where I am going or where I am supposed to be going. I am in limbo.

Limbo causes me to feel slightly unsettled, like there is something I am supposed to take care of but I can't remember what it is. I really like having a clear path laid out in front of me (don't we all?).

I guess I need to re-evaluate my purpose/priorities. The only sure thing for me right now is the gospel and my family.

Really, that's all I need. The rest always seems to fall into place. :)

Motherhood

I was not always sure that I was going to have kids. It wasn't that I didn't like kids, I just had a different future outlined in my head. I thought that if I did have kids, I would be a career woman and I would have a nanny. I would wait until I had been married for about 5 years and then I would have exactly 3 years between each of my 6 kids. Isn't it hilarious that it was going to be either 0 or 6 but nothing in between?
I am pretty sure I got pregnant on our 1st anniversary. That was the most terrifying time for me. I was sure that I was never going to be a good mom. I had visions of messing up my kids for years to come.
Well it has been many years, and 3 kids, and for sure I am messing them up! I probably mess it up more often than not but here is the thing; I LOVE being a mom. It is the most difficult thing I have ever done and it is not at all the way I envisioned it. There is not a nanny in sight. I WANT to be the one who teaches them. I WANT to be the one who shares their joy, pain, happiness, sadness. I am selfish. I don't want anyone else to have that.
I know that other moms relish the times when their kids are in school or at a friend's house. Don't get me wrong. We all have our moment of driving each other crazy and I need to get out sometimes. But on any given day at any given moment, I would rather be holed up in this house with Ross and the boys. Just the fact that they are here and close in proximity calms my soul and brings me unspeakable happiness.
These are my kids and I don't have them forever. So I will take the messy house, the arguing and the toothpaste splattered mirror every day of the week. And I thank God for every moment I can have with them under my roof.

The Grandparent Project

This year in English, Tyson (my 9th grader) is doing the greatest thing. It is called the "Grandparent Project." The Legacy Foundation has created this and it is a way for people in general to connect with their heritage and those around them.
Tyson got to pick one of his grandparents to interview. He chose my Grandpa Stahle, which is his great-grandpa. He chose Grandpa Stahle because he knew the least about him to start with.
Grandpa Stahle is traditionally pretty tight lipped. He is always social and loves to tell and hear a good joke but he doesn't share many personal experiences. I was pretty excited to film this for Tyson.
We went and had lunch at their house and then we retreated to the living room and got comfy. Tyson had a list of questions that he had to ask grandpa.
The next hour and a half of our life was listening as grandpa recounted story after story of his childhood, his school years and his time in the Navy. Ross, Jaden, Corbin and grandma all ended up in the same room, completely enveloped. Quite often, I was reduced to tears, as was grandpa. There are so many levels to this amazing man that I had never known previously. I realized it was my fault that I had never taken the time to ask him before. Grandma said after that many of those stories she had never heard before.
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do this with Tyson. I am even more thankful that we got it on film to keep and cherish for the rest of our lives.
My grandpa Stahle is technically my step-grandpa but he is my true grandfather in every sense of the word. He has been an active part of my life since before I was born and he is wrapped up in my heart so tightly. I am thankful for his gentle strength and for his undying love for our Savior. He is and ever will be the greatest example to me.
Love you so much grandpa.