A Few of My Favorite Things

I made a small but significant change in how I track my days for 2023. I recently finished a 5 year journal, which is kind of a cool time capsule because it coincides pretty well with Alan's tenure as bishop. I wrote in it nightly before bedtime for 5 years exactly, just recording a few lines of what I did each day. But when I stopped, I missed having a small bit of looking over my day. So this year I took the gratitude habit I used to try to do in the mornings and put it at bedtime. That is exactly what I needed! Just three things that happened that were the best parts of each day. I had been doing that in the mornings, which was fine, but I am a morning person and everything naturally looks rosy in the mornings to me. When I get tired, things start to look grim. Bedtime has been the perfect time for me to reflect on the good of the day. I think it has been helping my brain.

Here are some of my favorite things from this week:

-Following Eve around at Matt Ross. We took the kids to the pool on Monday and Eve just wanted us to follow her to each thing and do it with her. The big slide AND the tiny toddler slide. The lazy river and the water table. The hot tub and the lap pool. It was delightful to see her delight and do her things with her. Griff loves water too, and he just helped us follow her. 

-Brunch as a family at First Watch. The kids menu has giant chocolate chip pancakes that our ambivalent eaters just devoured.

-A taste of summer on a warmish, rainy January night. Alan grilled burgers for us and we had root beer floats for our FHE treat. 

-Enjoying the spirit and love of families in the celestial room. The temple president and matron had just finished a session with their daughter and a family and ward was there for a cute girl getting ready for a mission.

-Playing Exploding Kittens with Griffin and Eve

-Having Alan work at home to be with our kids while I was doing my temple shift, and then to nap with me when I was done.

-A gentler workout

-A day with Griffin and Eve

-Learning more about ADHD (which they are kind of offended I suspect they may have)

-Kids helping me put away Christmas decorations and shop at Costco

-Mariah and Mac sending me these beautiful flowers! Their Christmas gift is a short floral subscription and I love it!

-When the kids went back to school and I didn't have anywhere I HAD to be.

-Finding a new fun hairstylist

-Introducing Griffin and Eve to Joe vs. the Volcano.

Eve made an adorable little man.

I cut the hair of MY adorable little man. He still has plenty.

Notice the back shirt tuck and the braids.

Silver moon at sunset

Eve's cat portraiture--whiskers on kittens

-trying to make copycat Nacho Fries at home

We got pretty bored with Alan on call yesterday.

I'm not sure what the original concept was, but this was the product when I encouraged original crafts.

 -My kids and grandkids!

Modeling the sweatshirts we gave them: Sissy and Bubby

Modeling matching black sweats and bracelets

-Mariah and Mac keep trying to move but are missing a few pieces to their bed.

-Eliza and Evan keep looking for houses

-Willa got an adorable new ear piercing. Tiny gold stars.

-Wyatt went to Top Golf for P-day

-Juliet got an ear infection this week

-Buddy likes to FaceTime me and ask me to show him toys and cats