Thankful Thursday...

Today I'm thankful for...

-the goodness going on in the blogging community. Head on over to Design Mom to find a plethora of links, and be ready to get your spend on. I currently have 4 bids in on different things. It's so nice to get some great things and help some great people in the process. Not a day has gone by since I first learned of Stephanie's accident that I haven't thought about her and her family. While I'm in the shower, while I'm making lunch, while I'm driving, the progress and examples shared by Courtney fill my mind. I've wondered if I've really risen to the challenge with trials that I've faced, or merely plodded through until I made it to the other side. I have a fresh perspective and a new level of commitment through their examples, and I'm very grateful.
-the resources available via the internet. I was able to get in touch with the Utah State extension office to get plenty of info on canning, which is good since I'm helping to teach a class on it tonight for enrichment. Now that I've studied up, hopefully I'll actually have something worthwhile to share instead of just my few small previous canning experiences.
-my 3 mile walk this morning. Nothing like a little fresh air with the kids and an elevated heart rate to start my day off right.
-the knowledge that I am a daughter of God. I went visiting teaching yesterday and was able to share this message, and it was a great reminder for me. I took some quiet time last night to reflect on that truth, and it was just the experience I was looking for.
-a fantastic husband who turned 30 this week! Even more thankful that we'll have a date tomorrow night to celebrate, along with a 4 day weekend. Hooray!

My girl the dinner conversationalist...

Tonight Pat got home late from work, so Addie and Sam and I started dinner without him. Addie's conversation during dinner was particularly entertaining. As she was eating her honey-mustard pork loin, she told me, "mom, I wish I could dream about pork. Corn and pork. Mmmm." She then moved on to her interior decorating dreams. "Mom, I'd like to have a new room. And it would definitely need a princess bed. And definitely a fan (as in ceiling fan). And obviously a real kitchen. Because I'm going to be a mom soon so I'll need a real kitchen, not just a pretend kitchen. And usually some dishes for my kitchen. And usually some princess stuff too because I love princesses. Ok?" So matter of fact, and I have to say the use of adverbs was totally hilarious to me. A girl after my own heart, might I add. Dreaming about delicious pork and redecorating sounds great to me!

I'm a mama

There are some days for me that just remind me of my motherhood. It's not that I'm not always aware of it, some days are just especially mom days. The past couple of days have been mom days. My kids have been sick. Nothing too horrific, but hot little bodies with high fevers lead to sad, sad kids. Sad kids who really only want their mom. Leading to the strong reminder that I am a mom. It's really a paradox how I feel in situations like this- frustrated that no one else can pick up my slack when I'm left to hold them all day, non-productive when I think of all the time just laying around together, but at the same time completely content that I can fill needs for them in a way that no one else can. Even though Sam was just pitiful today crawling all over me in an attempt to find a comfortable place, elbowing me, bonking heads, and stepping in wrong places along the way, I really was happy to know that I was the only thing that could console him. Sick days are good reminders, I think. I'm just glad they don't happen too often. Happy Saturday night. Hopefully I'll have kids who are well soon and be back with the slew of posts that I've been writing in my head.

Channeling my inner Sally Field

So much for more time to blog. I think once September hits things will be slowing down. Addie will be starting pre-school, we'll be finding our groove, and I'll get back to blogging, right? Tell me it's so!

In the mean time, Sharla (the comedic genius) gave me a blog award. How exciting! And I'm in serious good company with those she chose- several I would've picked myself. I was about to prepare an acceptance speech but realized maybe this isn't the right occasion. Seriously, thanks for the shout-out, Sharla.

And this means it's my turn to spread the love to some of my favorite blogs. Many of the blogs I "know" have already received this award, so I thought I'd share some of my must reads, although for most of them I'm just one in a large audience who loves their blog, and they have no idea who I am. I've linked to some of them in the past, but I couldn't help but bring up some of them again. And keep in mind, this list is definitely not exhaustive.

First, let me introduce what I consider a great blogging triumvirate. Marta, her sister Gabi, and sister-in-law Christie are all blogs not to be missed.
Marta has impeccable taste and writing skills and is perhaps the most likable girl in blog-ville. Everyone needs a friend like her- the kind to throw a fabulous party, point out great finds while shopping, and show her love through the details. As a soon-to-be mom, she's delighted her audience with posts about that expectant phase that all moms know so well. I'm not sure that there's a blog I enjoy more.
Gabi's blog opens my perspective with fantastic interviews she does. And when she's not interviewing, she's sharing her own bits of wisdom as a wife/mom/etc. Her blog is very insightful as well as fun. Her wit has won me over.
Christie is a total riot. Her blog always brings smiles, if not full-on belly laughs by the end of each post. The girl is funny. For some hilarious reading, check out the recent hairdresser drama, or the posts about their family vacation. Not that every post isn't equally funny, aside from her serious thoughts that make me like her all the more.

I started reading Shawni's blog a few months ago and it instantly resonated with me. Her love and care for her kids, the fun things she does as a mom, the closeness she seems to have with her family, it's all what I'm working towards. It didn't take me long to realize that she's the kind of mom I want to be, and I love that I can have such great examples through blogging.

I found Leslie as a guest blogger on Design Mom and I've been hooked ever since. She has a great home/style blog, but her family blog is also fun to check in on to see her beautiful kids and adventures in mothering. Her blogs are both fantastic, and I'm always extra impressed by those who successfully keep up multiple blogs.

I can't help but link to these blogs, although if you're a first time reader, you're coming in at a hard time to both of them. Stephanie of Nie Nie Dialogues and her sister Courtney of C Jane Enjoy It are both exceptional blogs. Courtney is hilarious and her posts are somewhat random, but always entertaining. The longer I read her blog, the more I enjoy it. Stephanie has been featured many places for her creativity in her home and all around joy as a mom, and reading her blog it's easy to see why! The beauty she finds and shares in life is inspiring. Last weekend Stephanie and her husband were in a plane crash in Arizona and are currently in the hospital facing months of recovery. Courtney's blog is currently dedicated to updates on her sister. Read through old posts to get a feel for the talents and personalities of these two wonderful women, and then say a prayer for Stephanie and her husband.

Maybe you're already enjoying these blogs, but hopefully I've shared at least one that's new to you that makes your day.

Grosgrain

Grosgrain is all the rage (seen recently on Design Mom, and really -when you see it there you start to see it everywhere), but I love this concept. Make clothes and then give them away? This must be part of a seriously smart business scheme to create a following and then we'll have to start buying the clothes, hoping for the occasional win. Or maybe there is really an altruistic and talented soul out there who is so happy at the thought of cute children wearing her lovely wares. We may never know, so here's to good luck for all of us (or maybe just me, but I would probably be at least slightly happy if someone I knew won). This week's piece is gorgeous. Love the green.

Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

On track

A few months ago, I started running again. I guess I use the term "running" loosely, jogging is more like it, but it's progressing to running. At any rate (no pun intended), after a few weeks I began to deal with an injury. My knee was swollen for about 10 days and accompanied by a dull ache all the time, sharper pains when I was on stairs or inclines. It was painful and inconvenient and a barrier to overcome. But with rest it started to improve and I felt like I could handle it myself and get back to good. I started running again when I felt healed enough, but I was still icing and medicating after each run, and I really didn't want it to stay that way forever. I finally gave in and went to visit the physical therapist. I hopped on the treadmill and she watched me run, circling me so she could see things from every angle. She'd slow the treadmill back to a walk so she could direct me more easily, and then increase the speed again so I could make adjustments to my stride. It boiled down to two changes that I needed to make- my feet a little more forward, my posture a little bit taller. Since I've been running with these changes over the past week, I'm back to running pain free with no icing and no post-run-ibuprofen. It was amazing to me that two things that seemed so small could make such a huge difference.

And then it hit me that isn't this usually the case in life? There are definitely times when a life overhaul is needed for change to occur and things to improve, but I find that most of the time for me it's small, simple changes that can have a huge, lasting effect. Things like praying more often. Things like an extra measure of patience. Things like soft answers and kind tones. I can adjust some of these things on my own. But the best part is that I have the perfect trainer who can see things from all angles and knows exactly what I need to change. And He's willing to tell me if I ask.

[Photo via flickr]

Thankful Thursday

It's been too long since I took time for a thankful Thursday, so here we are.

-A supportive husband. Things have been crazy this week and I've kind of felt like we've been ships passing in the night. His hours for work are hard sometimes, not to mention our busy church work and taking care of our kids. I'm grateful he makes sacrifices when I have commitments. And I'm grateful that he helps me to lighten up by starting a water fight with me tonight while we were out watering the garden, especially when I was a little edgy upon his arrival home today. And I'm grateful he has tomorrow off- we need it!

-Good friends. Hannah's post today has been on my mind- I really have made some great friends through blogging, and last night was a great reminder of that! And I also have great friends who have just happened into my life through our current proximity. And I have great friends who I've known for years and years and still adore. I think sometimes I forget how much I really need this part of my life. I am grateful to know that friendship is rarely a coincidence, but that people enter our lives for a reason, and there are reasons for each of the relationships I enjoy.

-Great kids. They are some of my biggest blessings. Sam's bashful smiles just crush me every time, and his latest trick to shake his head no when I ask him for a kiss makes me laugh and cry all at once- he's already getting wise to the fact that he may not always want my kisses (plus he thinks it's hilarious to tease) and I'm so not ready to think about that! Addie is so grown up and hilarious. Her frequent use of the phrase "of course" has me quietly giggling all the time.

-Summer. I'm really trying to enjoy every last bit of it. The weather, the produce, the care-free days, the gorgeous outdoors. And I'm constantly second-guessing myself about sending Addie to pre-school. She's more then ready, but in some ways I feel like I'd trade it all for another year with her all to myself. So I'm trying to soak in these last few weeks until she takes a step towards independence. Oh, growing up is so hard on a mom.

-New babies. I'm grateful first of all that I'm not currently the one having them (although I'm sure the day will come before we know it), but I'm surrounded by friends who are, and the excitement is contagious, especially for the first-time moms! But even more exciting, is the news that I'm going to be an aunt again! I don't know better parents than my brother and sister in law, and I couldn't be more thrilled about a new baby.

So much for more blogging time this week! I have much more to post about, so hopefully with Pat's day off tomorrow I can work on it.

So behind!

Until I can catch up some, here's what I've been doing...

-Watching this.(as well as all things Olympic- did you catch that relay last night?!?) It was date night for Pat and I, but I requested we go home for part of our date so I could catch some of it. And it was well worth it. And I wished I would've planned ahead- we could've had a "Beijing Fling" complete with Chinese food and lots of friends. Doesn't that sound fun? Maybe closing ceremonies, although I'm sure the excitement will be much less at that point....

-Reading this. There are some amazing people out there. I love that I can read things written by people I've never met that still resonate so deeply. Kelly is one of my blogging (and crafting) heroes- I think she's fantastic. And I couldn't agree more with that post. The Elaine Jack quote is particularly amazing.

-Listening to this. I can't get this dance out of my head, so lately I just turn it on while I'm computing, and even hearing Leona makes me all giddy. Obsessed much?

-Eating this. I made muffins instead of a loaf. I used flax meal and water to create an egg substitute, and they turned out wonderfully. And I omitted the walnuts. Delicious.

Hopefully I'll be back soon. And I've got to get out another installment of the Pat-C love story! So much to blog, so little time...

Making me tick...

It's been such a great day! Thought I'd share a few of the latest things making me happy...

-Made homemade pizza on the grill tonight using the recipe from this lovely site. Totally delicious, and we should've had people over- two more pizzas in the fridge! Now we know for next time, this would make great fare for an impromptu dinner gathering.

-Addie came in the other day saying "mama mia, (I think heard from Chef Psghetti on Curious George) so I took the opportunity to introduce her to "Mamma Mia". I love Youtube. Instantly we were rocking out to ABBA, transporting me back to my days in Heritage Halls. Addie's three current faves are "the queen song" (aka Dancing Queen), "Mamma Mia", and "Take a Chance on Me." Her dance moves are hilarious, and when she gets her pouty lips into it, watch out. Sam has even been in on the dancing. I'll try to catch a video soon.

-I met with my new Enrichment leader (leader of the women's activity groups that I oversee) today. It will be so nice to share this load! I'm hoping things will start moving in a great direction and we can staff our committee more fully soon. There will be lots of exciting things coming up on this front, and I can't wait!

-I read this article last night and I think it greatly contributed to our better day today. I am so grateful for the chance I have to learn and improve as a mom, and for the abundance of resources that help me get better. My only regret is that my kids have to learn along with me. I look back at some of my early days with Addie wishing that I would've known then what I know now and how much different/better/softer/gentler I would've done things. I guess that's part of the process, but I hope that my kids never resent having that learning curve along with me as their mom. As long as each day is a little better than the one before, I suppose we're doing ok. Ohhhh, I love my kids! A few weeks ago when I was in with Sam for his 18 month check up, the doctor (who also happened to be Pat's pediatrician when he was growing up) remarked on how fun it is when our family comes in for appointments. He said "Your children are just adored. It's so obvious. It's how it's supposed to be. You're model parents." I laughed and assured him that I'm far from a model parent, but I really felt proud that in all of the interactions between parents and children he witnesses every day, he could tell how much I adore my kids. It's the pat on the back I needed to know that I'm doing some things right, and loving my kids is the one thing I hope I'll never fail at.

-Happy about the results of SYTYCD. I'm seriously considering going to the concert which is so not like me, but there is something so addicting/beautiful/inspiring about this show that I'm thinking about it...

Tell me what's making you tick today?

Oh, JT...

Dear Sweet Baby James,

I hope you don't mind if I call you that, seeing that we've never met, but I have practically grown up with you. I just needed to let you know that I'm sorry I missed you when you were in town a few nights ago. See, you came a few years ago, and I tried to make things work, but with my newlywed/student status, it just wasn't in the cards. I still lament the fact that I missed that concert, thinking about the "if only...". Apparently, it wasn't in the cards this time either. I didn't find out you were coming until the day you were here. Suddenly I was scouring Craigslist like a mad woman, trying to determine if my stomach bug would keep me away from you again. And then Addie had it. And so did Sam. And I knew... no matter how great my drive to see you, I couldn't inflict sick kids on a poor unsuspecting babysitter. And I didn't want my aching tummy to detract from the magic I knew you'd create. So, I'm sorry. I hope you decide to tour again soon. And I hope you know that the third time's a charm. I'll sign up for your fanclub so I can be alerted of your upcoming tour dates. I promise not to miss it. In the mean time I'll have to keep going to Carolina in my mind.

Love,

C

The yucks

Didn't mean to sound overly dramatic on my last post, but hopefully I've discovered the root of the problem. I woke up this morning with a stomach bug, so we're in survival mode over here until Pat gets home tonight. Luckily Sam slept in until 11:00 (!) this morning, letting me suffer during what was hopefully the hardest part of the day, but unluckily, his afternoon nap is totally messed up, so hopefully we can make it for a rest by 3:00ish (I hate when our usually great schedule gets screwy). The other good news is, hopefully the coming on of the yucks was the reason for my overwhelmed and exhausted feeling and I'll be back to normal ASAP.

Fading...

This picture is a lot like how I feel right now. My light is going out- I'm fading fast. I'm not just physically tired, but all around tired. I don't feel like I've got a lot to give right now- I'm tapped out. My weekend was good (and included getting some of *the* best news which I'll share soon), but not very restful (Pat was stuck working for a lot of today, and wrangling my kids at church solo is just not a good day). I need to recharge before the week starts. I'm off to read and write and ponder and organize and prepare to get back in the groove and rock these last few weeks of summer. I have lots of posts to come, so hope you'll come back!

{photo via flickr}

The suspense!

I'm sure you've all been waiting all day for the winners! The day got away from me, but I'm finally here to post. I was feeling generous, so I chose 3 lucky winners. Without further ado...

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

13
3
15

This means I'll be shopping for Marta, Jana, and Britney (aka Britley).
Two out of the three are due with their first babies- both boys- shortly, and one just had a sweet baby girl a few months ago.
I see some baby shopping/mama pampering in my near future.
E-mail me at mrsfelt [at] hotmail.com so I can send your prizes.

And I know that was the greatest suspense, but in case the suspense over the blossoming Pat-C relationship is killing you, I'll be back with another installment soon. I'm off to enjoy more of my weekend!