Things that make me smile.

After a few crazy weeks in my home - and a few pounds gone due to stress (which I actually don't mind one bit...the weight that is) - I decided to take a step back and reassess the situation. I needed to decide what was important, and what maybe wasn't so much. After letting go of a few things, I quickly realized what was important in my life... important in the way that I never want to forget. Things like:

This 3 year old playing games on the iPhone by the light of the Christmas tree

The 4 of us on our first ever tobogganing trip as a family

This awesome husband of mine, who decided that taking matters into his own hands when the -30c weather hit, meant growing an extra layer of hair on his face.

Seeing this one lounge in the snow for the first time - in a hat she hasn't figured out how to take off yet

Hailey's face on her first ride down the hill...excitement? Daredevil?

This one falling asleep whenever she needs it, wherever we are

And finally waking up to this sweet face after she snuck into my bed (and fell back asleep) after her dad went to work

When life gets crazy - like it does - I just need to remember these small things that make me smile. Because they are important.

A Little Bit Stressed Out...

I don't know if my mom can even count the number of times I've called her in full tears/hysterics this week. And it's only Monday!

I think it was about three weeks ago that I was sitting here thinking I was just barely getting to the point that I could catch a breath. We had a pretty stressful summer and I think the end of October was when I think things started to almost return to normal.

BUT...

There's always a but.

Things changed on November 1st when we tried to collect rent from our tenants. Turns out we no longer have tenants...which means we are madly trying to rent our other house out again, while paying two mortgages. That's enough stress for me.

But...

Add to it the new calling I got that same week. Relief Society 2nd Counselor in my ward. Despite the fact that I feel 20 years too young and inadequate in so many ways, I'm really excited about all the things I get to do with this calling. Like Super Saturday this weekend.

Did I mention I was stressed? Try taking over Super Saturday last minute. I've been on the phone or emailing people pretty much non stop for the last week. I've also spent COUNTLESS hours organizing the costs on my computer...and the sign up sheets. And all that wonderful stuff.

But really, joking aside, I am excited about this calling - it's going to be FUN! (p.s. a "calling" is a volunteer position that I'm asked to fulfill in my church. Being the 2nd Counselor in Relief Society means that I'm one of three people that run the women's program for our church. Thank goodness I'm not the President - she's the one with all the work!! "Super Saturday", however is a huge craft day where the "Relief Society" provides a TON of crafts for all the women in our ward to work on. BUSY basically sums it up)

Anyway...that's not it. With this new calling, I now have to find time to meet with the presidency regularly. But I'm having a hard time finding time, because I'm either in swimming lessons with my girls, teaching preschool, teaching piano to my 8 students, playing piano for the Young Women at Church, Hosting Book Club, babysitting my nephew, spending hours shoveling my driveway so I can actually leave the house, tending to my motherly duties (i.e. feeding my children, teaching them words and colours and so on), caring for my teething toddler and helping my three year old remember to use the potty. Honestly, I'm having a hard time finding a moment where I'm not frantically running around!!

I'm stressed.

Did I mention that Ben's stressed too? Yeah...winter means we don't see him. He's so busy with work...which is so good. I do like getting paid. But I don't so much like always putting my girls to bed on my own. Or them not even noticing when he's gone ALL weekend. I want to see him more, I want my girls to see him more, I want more time.

But this is my life. I love it. I especially Love my Husband and my two Girls. They keep me together when it gets crazy like this. And mostly, today I loved seeing these two anxiously awaiting their first venture into snow this year:


It's moments like that when I know the rest of it doesn't matter. I'm blessed. I'm loved. I love.

Halloween Adventures

This years Halloween was a LOT of fun in this household. We did LOTS of crafts, shopped ALL month for the candy, and we spent a TON of time planning out our costumes - trying to find a theme that we were all ok with. One that was cute, and one that the dad and the three year old could agree on. The Three Year old wanted us to be princesses...the dad wasn't so sure. The dad wanted to do nothing...The Three Year old wasn't so sure. So the Mom came to the rescue and the baby didn't object. And since we were the only two in agreement, our costumes were the only ones considered. I like having a baby on my team.


So Hailey got to be a Pirate


Paige got to be her trusty Parrot


I was lucky enough to be Peter Pan


And the Dad - because he was so enthusiastic, got to be a Lost Boy - which means he wore his normal clothes. (I personally think Captain Hook would have been way cooler, but I can't really force him into his costume like I can the other two kids).

Anyway, before we actually did ANY of that, we carved a pumpkin (with our friends, the Allred's). I'll admit, I may have been the artist behind this amazing cat...who's left eye is just decomposing away, it really was there to start with.

Then Hailey got all dolled out in her gear for her Preschool Class:

Then next, I had a little Halloween party at my house for a few of Hailey's friends and siblings in town (with the help of some of my closest friends here)

They may have danced a little


And Decorated Cookies...which was apparently waaaay too much fun

I may have stolen the only picture of me in character from my friend Julie's Facebook album...of her daughter. Sorry.

The kidlets even went through a little Haunted House in the basement (which was too scary for pictures...but still very very cool)

Then the next day we went to the "Trunk or Treat" hosted by our ward...and the girls got WAY too much CANDY (which I may or may not have eaten too much of)!

And that pretty much sums up our Halloween this year. I can't wait for next year...I've already got a few ideas for costumes all planned out. The goal is creative, cute, themed and original. It will be fun.