happy.

I don’t believe in coincidences.

I can’t.

so with my choice to be happy, no matter what, I haven’t found it coincidental that there are so many things that just kind of happen, that remind me of what I am choosing out of life these days.

as I sat down to work (play) with the project life release from stampin’ up!, I saw no coincidence with all the happy things I was seeing..

as I end my days, I reflect on the happy.

I realize that not every day is entirely happy or perfect, and sure, as I journal, I note the things that are troubling. I don’t go into great detail about them, I don’t want that to be my focus. I seek out the happy, no matter how small.

my favorite is to look through the pictures I have managed to capture.. it’s happiness frozen.

I look ahead at what’s to come, not really “loving” all of it, but still, loving what I can about the now.

school will be out this week.

summer will be here.

I am trying to not look past that right now.. if I look beyond, that means another year of school. lynn one step closer to junior high. ashley getting that much more smart-assey, and peyton gone. all. day. long.

but I will take it one week at a time..

one week..

I am thankful that my goal to do project life helps me to focus, reflect, and to embrace all of the happy.

and wouldn’t you know, this week’s digital project life release is called “happy”.

nope, no coincidence.

here’s to another happy day.

when a picture makes your day

last week was a good week in pictures.

I mean, you can have good hair days, I even declare some days good handwriting days, so why not a good picture day?

I decided to document one of my favorites in a layout, all for that one pic. it will probably make an appearance in the weekly project life layout too, but it was just so good, I decided that two showings for it would be just fine.

(supplies used: maggie holmes “styleboard” mini kit, template h, heritage paper, stitching from anna aspnes, tags and button from queen of quirk, arrow paperclip from sahlin studio, and the glitter from ikari designs.)

and the most awesome thing is that this ^^^ isn’t the only beautiful thing about life lately!

I have had so much energy, so much motivation, my list of things to-do is longer than I have time to accomplish.

I care about life!

I know (I KNOW) that my little corner of the world (at least my perception of it) has so vastly improved because of prayer. prayers of family, loved ones, caring friends, and my own.

it’s sweet..

president eyring spoke just to me (I swear!!!!) at women’s conference. it was aimed right. at. me. even better? I was able to get 3 tickets pretty much last minute for me and lynn and ash to be able to go to the conference center. (answered prayers again..)

I wish I had recorded ashley’s facial expression when I told her she would be in the same room as the prophet. think = priceless.

the only thing that could have possibly made that night better would have been if peyton were 8 and able to attend with us.

but let’s not hurry that along too much…

we also had conference weekend. there were great things that weekend, as there always are. again, I tell you, president eyring spoke right. to. me.

(I mean, you can think it was to you, but.. well…)

I am working on my studio and being just as ocd as ever about ever last detail.

my biggest problem?

committing where to put my table…

Day 5.

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. ~Frederick Keonig

My dear friend Ally, posted this on her Facebook page and I loved it.

Isn’t it a statement of truth?

It is to me.

There is nothing harder in life, than to wallow in our own sadness and misery.  It is that much harder when those around you are following the same practice, and dragging you down even further. 

That being said, isn’t it so much easier when you try to embody a positive attitude?  Try to keep yourself lifted and above all the muck, to lift those around you?

I am not going to profess that I am perfect (because I am FAR from it), but everyday I try to be a better person.  I start each and every day with focusing on the positive. 

Sometimes events take place throughout the day where I will wish for something that might make life easier, or will make me happier (I think..), but the day is much easier if I am happy, positive, and thankful for what I DO have.

I am thankful to be surrounded by positive, happy, caring people.  They too, have their down days, but don’t we all?  I try to focus on lifting those around me.  Heaven knows they do it for me when I need it! 

Those who are perpetually negative don’t have a place in my every day world.  I can be friendly and uplifting when circumstances find us together, but that is a poison I do not keep in my area of the universe.  I will avoid it.

There are days when I truly believe that life will be easier or that I will be happier if I had A, B, and C.  But the truth of it is, if I get that, life goes on, and soon another shiny object gets my attention.  When I know what really matters, what will really make me happy, when I am happy about those things, I am happy.

We need to find our happiness now, not wait for something to happen, for someone or something to become a part of our life.  If we can do this, we will be happy no matter what.

(Thanks Ally for sharing that quote!  Love ya girl!!)

Finding the humor in life..

I am sorry for being so serious and stressed lately.. I realize that the entertainment I had intended to be here took a vacation of its own this last little while..

Today, I was thinking about that.. that I really am happy, and I should show it more! I should look for the humorous side to things again.

It also helped that Merrill and I lay awake in bed a little too late last night laughing at the dumbest stuff.

(Watch and discuss..) Tee Hee!!

So here they are.. the things that made me laugh today.

Remember this?

Ashley didn't learn from her lesson..

She cut her hair AGAIN, while mom and dad were attempting to squeeze in a Sunday nap yesterday.

Sad thing is I didn't discover it until I was cleaning downstairs TODAY. Little bits and long bits of hair.. hidden where an almost five year old thinks is adequate.

She gave herself some cute new layers, and slight bangs.

After lecturing her about it, and the fact that she doesn't want to wear underwear at night, and we discover that fact in awkward ways.. I had told her for about the 79th time today, that she should "know better".

It is so harsh, and it is what I say when I do not know what else to say.. I felt bad.

She was sadly laying in her bed.. had her little Merrill puppy dog face going strong, and I asked her what was the matter.

She answered with, "I wish that 8 came after 3, so I would be 8 now and know better."

Talk about break my heart!!

I was already feeling guilty...

Peyton wants to be just like her.. unfortunately for Peyton, her head isn't as big as big sister's is, and therefore cannot see very well.

Big sister doesn't run into walls.

With her head.

The other humorous moment in my day was my toilet paper.

It is comical to attempt to get any, at all, whether it be for a snotty nose, to squish a spider, or wipe a bum. Someone at the toilet paper factory thought it would be rockin' awesome to put that fun temporary glue that keeps the roll from unraveling in the very beginning of the roll, all throughout the roll, every 4-5 inches. Just to make life interesting.

I am looking forward to finishing off this particular package of Charmin.

To boot, I am here, nearly 11 pm, everyone is asleep, and I am here, blogging away, laughing to myself, wearing my reading glasses that just aren't cutting it anymore, realizing that it just might have something to do with that next number coming up..

30.

Sorry Mer, I know you hate to see it, hear it, think it..

But it's true.

I am compiling a list..

Today I am being brought to the realization of how old the kids are getting. The way that they play together, the things that they say or remember, the things that they learn... Lynn seems to have this crazy memory, she seriously remembers things that have happened two to three years ago! She'll hear a song or see a movie maybe only once and she remembers lines and can tell them to you. She sings primary songs perfectly at home but won't even try at church... She talks to people in a movie or on TV to tell them what they should or shouldn't do or say. We witnessed her doing the same thing last night with Ash. Ashley started in on Merrill with an attitude bigger than she is. She got a punishment, time out on her bed and her care bear taken away, Lynn snuck up to rescue her. She took her her care bear and then told her what she should say to Merrill to let him know how she felt about him. Ashley came downstairs and said, "Daddy, you're a dingbat." Well, they both got a talkin to after that one. Merrill suggested to Ashley that she not follow Lynn's advice.
I am having a hard time believing that Ash is actually three! It has been a week really, and all I can think of is how she should still be tiny... but she is so fun to see grow and change too. I love to hear her say that I look "beu-bull" or to hear what her "fa-brite" things are. Other favorite mangled three year old words are, mobie=movie, bood=food, lub=love... there are so many! She snorts when she laughs now, which is funny because I seem to do that too, only when I am pregnant, and big.
This baby, Peyton for now, is getting stronger and I do believe I am feeling her hiccup now. She is practicing breathing and swallowing in her amniotic fluid now. She stuck her bum out at Mer the other night. He was so happy to feel her move. She always stops kicking when he tries to feel. It was so cute feeling her wiggle her bum in his hand.
I am just so blessed! I love my life! (This however does not give anyone permission to come and mess with my happiness though!) Then I get to look out the front window and see the gorgeous fall scenery that is laid out just for me... the mountains are so beautiful and I am so thankful to live as close as I do to them. They feel like protection to me. I think of my favorite primary song, "I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me", and I see this and I KNOW that He does!