Now, there is snow on the ground, and it is fairly cold, but do you see the SUN SHINING? Yes, Idaho has bright, sunny winter days. It makes you much more likely to bundle up and brave the outdoors because of that tempting Vitamin D. In Yakima it was gray for several months in the winter. I swear I went several weeks without even seeing the sun. (Now this isn't a year round thing there, just in the winter. And don't get me wrong. We loved Yakima and miss many things about it. The early onset of springtime for starters...)
I also missed this stuff. Yes, I do like a white Christmas. Preferably deep and fluffy.
Our porch. Yay. Oh, how I missed you snow. But now I am ready for SPRING!
Why you should not fall asleep with an ink stamp on your hand.
My grumpy little guy...
This girl is like Miss America. She loves to wave.
Isn't she beautiful? I think so.
This girl is going to have a MAJOR gap between her two front teeth. The dentist said that the gums between them are pretty thick and may have to be clipped later in life if they don't allow her teeth to move in. Poor girl. But for now I think they are so sweet.
Sledding in the house.
By the way, Amity has been walking/running for quite some time now. She really took off around Christmas and has been going non-stop ever since. Just thought I'd update.
Like sister, like brother.
Some of Russell's new passions:
-"cooking" with my ingredients in the kitchen (note photo above)
-ninja turtles (he will be having a TMNT themed birthday party this month)
-making rockets with every peice of tupperware that I have...EVERY...DAY...
-listening to books on tape
-sounding out simple words (The other day he sounded out "press" on his seatbelt, and then yelled up to me that his seat belt said "press". He is a smart little 3 year old.)
-"grocery shopping" or basically, emptying out grandma's pantry cupboards into a laundry baket
-wrestling with his sister...and the Ward family saga continues with the next generation...
-surprising his mother with the precocious things that he says
This girl has a few passions in life too:
-the dishwasher
-the refridgerator
-the bathroom drawers
-the garage
-the coat closet
My beautiful cousins and I at the Ward Family Christmas party.
My sweet grandma.
Opening presents at Grandma Moulton's house.
Instant pro.
K-This isn't even all.
Spoiled kids. Mostly by grandparents.
Okay. VENTING PART 1:
I did a terrible job taking pictures at Christmastime. None of the tree. None of Christmas morning. None of the Ward fam at the cabin in Island Park...NONE. Partly because I forget. Partly because I'm being lazy. But also because taking too many pictures makes me feel like I'm missing out on the experience. Do you know what I mean. Like I am a bystander observing and documenting but not really a part of it.
Does anyone else feel this way?
Now, I shouldn't let this become an excuse not to take pictures. Pictures are important, and add so much to the home and to nostalgia later on in life. I need to find a balance.
I really envy those families whose homes are filled with beautiful pictures of their loved ones. It makes their house seem so much more intimate and homey. It brings a sort of happy spirit, and you get to know the family through the pictures. I love it.
Just something I need to work on...
I told you that the girl loves to wave.
Catching a football from daddy.
And throwing it back.
My knight in shining armor. I knew I'd find a use for that cardboard!
Charming, isn't he?
She turned 1 in January. See what I mean, though? I didn't even get a picture of the cake before she smashed it.
Just chillin' after inhaling a lot of cake.
With cousin, Ellie.
Again, she loves dishwashers and she loves to wave.
When I put gel in her hair, it curls pretty well. She has a little flippy curl in the back. I'm crossing my fingers that she will get some curls from Travis, but I don't know. My straight hair is so dominant...we'll have to see...
Can you tell who our favorite team in the whole wide world is? Go Cougs!
We recently met up with some of our best friends from BYU. We stayed in a hotel in Lehi and went to the dino museum and to a BYU basket ball game where we got to see Jimmer the Great!
Travis wants to name our next man-child Jimmer...hmmm...it is kind of cute.
Yet another failed attempt at picture taking. I did not get one shot of Paul and Melinda, our friends.
Our main man, Cosmo.
Okay. I have hit the JACKPOT at DI lately. Some wealthy family is dropping off all of their old clothes, and I am picking them up. All of these items where 1-3 dollars. All of the pants are Old Navy, Gap, Children's Place, Osh Kosh...that is a brand new boys swimming suit that still had the tag on it. Those black Addidas Sambas in the back...like $50 shoes. A lot of the pants are lined for cold Idaho weaher. Man, I am so excited!
Here are some crafts I've been working on. I got the ideas from the Idea Room.
Cute blog.
Here are some crafts I've been working on. I got the ideas from the Idea Room.
Cute blog.
Venting Frustrations #2:
Mental Clutter. I have so much mental clutter I can't handle it anymore. I blame my mother wholely and entirely. I know that I got it from her. (Love you, Mom!) I start so many projects that I either don't finish or take me FOREVER to finish. I read about 10 books at the same time. I put things off. (Although I'm not nearly as bad as I used to be.) I start cleaning one room, and then I see something in the next room that I didn't finish, so I go in and look at that. Then and hour later I remember that I was cleaning the kitchen, so I go back. But while I'm there, I notice the bills sitting on the bar, so I start to pay them...It goes on and on. At the end of the day I have a to-do list where everything is half done but not finished, so I can't cross it off!!!! (Okay, now, not everyday. I do get things done once in a while, but far too often.)
Does anyone else out there suffer from this condition?
I've been reading a lot of things about productivity lately, and I really believe now that most of the time multi-tasking is bad. It is more efficient to put all of the focus that you can into ONE project at a time, check it off your list, get it out of your mind, and move on. Otherwise you just have too much mental clutter, you do a half-way job, and you don't reap the rewards for your work as quickly. Also, when you try to spend time with family and check e-mail at the same time, I really don't think your family gets as much from your company, am I right?
I am resolving to be more focused during my days and direct my energy to one task at a time as often as possible!!!
6 comments:
Hmm which to comment on. . . first of all I've been following your blog for awhile now and am thrilled I finally have something to follow. :) As the official picture taker in the family, yes I do often feel that I am missing out on things because I'm behind the camera. I decided what I'd do is take a few shots of the situation then put the camera away, oh well if I miss that perfect smile at least I was there to see it. :) Yes your kiddos are freakin' adorable. I too have time/concentration management issues. When we clean house Ryan assigns me something to do and I don't do anything else until it's done. On my own, I not only hop from room to room, task to task without accomplishing much, but I also soon get frustrated with how awful it is and just quit. I have some serious spring cleaning to do and I think I'm going to make a detailed list of everything that needs to be done and then try to get rid of my kids, cause I love them but they really distract me from cleaning. Then I can get it all done and enjoy spring outside with them without my dusty shelves and dirty carpets weighing on my mind. And yes I'll put organizing my recipe book on that list. :) There now my comment is nearly as long as you post! Ha!
Looks like you all have been having a great time!! Yakima, believe it or not, has actually been sunnier this winter than the last 2 winters combined!! Well at least Jan and Feb have been. I've been pleasantly surprised! But of course I've been prego sickie and SO tired and haven't felt like doing anything...
And can I just say, AMEN to both frustrations! I am totally the same way... We never remember to take pictures because we're always so busy living the experience... And I am SO like frustration #2 its not even funny. I have about 12 projects I've had going for over a year now... (One was for you and Leslie and I've yet to finish them and now your little girls won't even fit them! I'm so embarassed... But I will make it up! I promise!)
My SIL gave me a great idea to help with the house cleaning mental clutter at least. You make a 3x5 card for each day of the week (except Sunday) and on each card you put one chore you like to have done weekly (i.e. sweep/vacuum/mop or dust or laundry or bathrooms, etc...). Also on each card you put the things you do daily (i.e. dishes, tidy/pick up, make bed, make dinner, etc.). Then choose a few chores you do maybe once a month or once every two weeks (i.e. washing cars, deep clean fridge or oven, clean out cars/carseats, etc.) and then do one monthly chore a week and one bi-weekly chore a week. Then everyday you have one card that you are responsible for and can focus on. I always try to do it before lunchtime because I seem to get better results AND I don't get overwhelmed and bounce from room to room and task to task without ever really finishing one, because I know that all I have to worry about is that days' card. Its been working pretty well so far and really helps me not procrastinate!
Well, my comment is pretty long too... But I'm happy to hear that things are going well out in Idaho!! Say hello to everyone from us!
Oh Ash oh how I love thee! I totally feel the same way with pictures! Either I am taking them and watching or no one is taking them. So either I have pictures of Jed and the kids or no pictures! I swear there isn't one of me! Not that I want one but I wish documenting our little life was a little easier, or we had a professional photographer just follow us around all the time! Totally understand what you are feeling! Ok as for your to do list I was lately feeling the same way! I would make the gigantic to do lists and never cross anything off but still be working my butt off all day! So here is what I have done and my little tidbit of advice. I have cut my to do list in half every day and I include super easy things like. Shower, make bed, kids dressed, etc.. I know it sounds silly but once I would do something I would cross it off and move to the next so by the time I got to "clean the kitchen" I had this feeling that I had already accomplished so much because my list showed 3-4 things already crossed off and it made it so much easier to quickly do the kitchen so I could get to the next thing! Don't know if it will work for you but totally does for me! Then if I get to the end of the list I can add a few things if my day isn't done! Plus I always ALWAYS add one craft or more fun to do on my list so number one I have something to look forward to and number two I complete one of the million crafts I have going on! Anyway your vent totally felt like my own! Good luck!! And let me know if you ever make it back to Utah and we can meet up! :)
BTW - my favorite craft blog is UCREATE! She posts fun crafts from other craft blogs out there, so it is like a portal to all the other fun craft blogs. Plus she has a food create and a kids create that I love! I made the same valentines wreath! Here's the link in case you're interested! http://www.u-createcrafts.com/
oh my gosh your kids are adorable! i love that you posted about the taking photos vs. not being IN the experience. i feel like that quite a bit!
hope you guys enjoy the spring and the fun and games that go with getting back outside!
xxx
Ash! Your kids are adorable! AMEN to no sunshine in Washington! BLAH BLAH BLAH! I hate it! I think I have seen MAYBE 7 days of sunshine this winter, not pleasant. Thank goodness spring is coming!
I feel the same about pictures and the mental clutter. I have started doing one project at a time and if it isn't finished I CAN NOT start a new one. It has helped a lot. I also write a list like your other friend with 'easy' things on it like showering and at least by the end of the day I can cross SOMETHING off! haha (I have been know to write things on it that I have done throughout the day that weren't on my list! :) It makes me feel better!)
When are you going to update? I miss you and your cute fam! I have decided that my Emma must be related motor to you than to me... She has your scowl and dramatic expressions. She makes me think of you! Love ya cu z!
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