What we did this Summer and Cha-cha changes!

These last few months I've been feeling for many of my dear friends who have endured an all-too-familiar dose of CHANGE. Big changes-- like the kind that involve selling a house, moving to a new house, having a baby, getting married, changing jobs...the list goes on. Each time I read a new announcement revealing another life-altering event, I've been thrilled for my friends, though have breathed a sigh of relief that it isn't me dealing with all the change.

I  had high hopes for this summer involving my own changes.  This was my first summer in a very long time that the children and I have stayed home. We didn't vacation anywhere further north than Latyon, Utah (to pick up a very special surprise for Savannah) nor further south than... Probably downtown Provo I'd say.  I've been healthy, the kids have been healthy and therefore we have been HAPPY! I have loved it!

So if we weren't traveling, there wasn't ababy on the way, I didn't chop several inches off my hair (though that's starting to appeal to me more each day) Kyle was still pest controlling it like he has always done - then what big changes could there have possibly been?   Well,  to the rest of the world, the list isn't exciting, but for me, accomplishing what I have so far has really been gratifying.

I'm finally making this home mine, and I feel like I'm finally "coming into myself." I know, that usually happens to girls in high school or college at the latest. I must be a late bloomer. In any case, it's nice to have arrived. This summer was time for great self-discovery, quality and quantity time with my children, and really making my home flow the way I want it to, and to reflect my personality and the needs of our household. In the mean time, Kyle popped in here and there and spent most of the summer getting his branch in Northern Virginia humming.

For my birthday, I treated myself to something called "Transform Your Life"-- it was a 6 week course on how to create a life of joy, order and influence.  I had a "coach" who lead a discussion each week for an hour and focused on different areas of our lives. First she started with helping us sort out our values and then align our priorities with those values. This took a great deal of introspection. Often times I have found myself believing I value something, but then my behavior could completely disregard that value. We then went into other areas of our lives. She discussed mental, physical, spiritual wellness as well as how our environment can affect our world. In a nutshell-- I LOVED IT!  It was convenient (I didn't have to leave my home! they were conference calls the same time each week for 1 hour), and I got out of it as much as I was willing to put into it. The timing was really great so I was able to do my homework and re-listen to her "lectures" during the week to really solidify what she was saying.  Now that it has been a few months, I am looking forward to revisiting and re-listening to those calls. I feel like I've really gotten a handle on certain things, and have let other things slide. I like the feeling of progressing and revisiting those things I learned will help me continue towards progression.

What I appreciated the most about the course was how realistic the coach was. She told me not to expect to be the person I want to be once the 6 weeks were over. Life was still going to happen, I'd have set backs, but I would at least be headed in the right direction and that's what I needed to focus on. I feel like I now have to tools and can apply them when I'm ready to take on mastering another goal I've set. Anyway, I highly recommend it! It wasn't ridiculously priced like many other coaching programs are out there. I feel like Valene's value set was similar to mine, and that makes a difference. It gave me confidence and validity in what she was teaching.  It was well worth it. Valene's web site is here .

While  I was supposedly "transformed" -- what visible things took place?  Lucky for you I'm a list person... while I often get wordy, there's also great joy in making lists and checking things off lists. Sometimes I write things on lists so I can cross them off. Here's a handful of some of those things...

• Painted our library (formerly the living room-- a library is much more fun and used much more!) blue
• Painted the toy room green
• Painted Savannah's room green
• Hired some very nice guys to paint the rest of the main level in a lovely shade of yellow called "Cottage Cream"
• Took my sewing machine in to get repaired. That was one of those things at the bottom of my to-do list but I decided to just do it. It feels good to do something at the bottom of the lists sometimes.
• Found Cade and Savvy bikes on KSL and picked them up!
• Went on a 10 mile bike ride with my parents and sisters and their families-- I pulled the girls in a trailer and Cade rode the ENTIRE 10 miles! It was awesome and we plan on making this a family tradition.
• I finally retrieved my childhood ten-speed from my parent's garage and have actually taken it on bike rides with Savvy
• Attended the temple each week 
• Cleaned out my closet
• Got Cade's picture taken
• Had the siblings take pictures together, too!
• Took up Zumba
• Started Running again
• Went to Education Week (highlight!!)
• And lastly --but certainly not least: 

Hosted a pool party with The Bookettes

I've mentioned my friends, the Bookettes before. I've known them since I was a young newlywed. I'm still young, right? These gals have been there for me through all my moves and babies (because really, what were the first 6 1/2 years of my marriage but moves and pregnancies and babies?! I'm sure there was other stuff, but it's all a blur.). They are amazing, fiercely loyal, and genuine. I once read a book about a book club....the ladies, most of them mothers with young kids, once got together at one of the gals house's in her backyard pool. It was just them in their pool floats sipping cool drinks and talking about their hopes and struggles.  It's always been a dream of mine to recreate that scene in the book with my own friends. And, after all, if you have a pool in your back yard, what good is it if you can't spend some quiet time with the ladies laying out and enjoying each other's company? (Actually it's still nice to have, but to enjoy it like this is priceless!)  Despite the unusual hour (we typically have book club in the evening) a handful of them were able to steal away for a few hours in the middle of the afternoon sans children and soak up the sun, eat some good food, laugh, sigh, and offer encouragement. After all, isn't that what friends are for?

Laurel really made the vision a reality by bringing her entire pantry to the poolside bar. She mixed us up the most amazing shaved ice creations.

SHAVED ICE+CREAM+CHOCOLATE+ ALMOND ROCA FLAVORING= HEAVEN.

The lovelies enjoying their food and being kid-less (mostly. Karen was a super star and made it for a bit in between dropping off and picking up her older kids. She has the cutest kids!

See? I told you Karen's kids were cute. Doesn't this little guy's smile melt you?

Sweet Sadie!

Ah, looking at these pictures make me happy. I sorely missed my other Bookettes who weren't able to make it. It would be great to have had everyone there. 

The time went by too, too quickly, but I think we all felt recharged and energized and ready to face the whatever the world decided to dish us after this heavenly afternoon. This will definitely be a repeat event. In fact, I think we should do it twice next summer.

"I do not wish to treat friendships daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost-work, but the solidest thing we know."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson