I did a ten day fast from social media, here's what I learned.

If you don't want to read all this, scroll down to how I colored cute personalized trick or treat bags!

I was actually wanting to do another social media fast so when the Prophet of the church I belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, encouraged the young women/women of the church at the General Woman's meeting to participate in a 10 day social media fast, it was just the push I needed to start. 

I finished my fast yesterday and I learned a lot.  So much so that I wanted to share some. 

Firstly. I missed seeing my friends, I really did. A few friends had babies, some friends went on vacation, some posted some accomplishments, and probably even more things happened that I didn't get to see.  I really enjoy seeing my friends lives, their families, and the fun things they do. Social media can be so good when used properly and in moderation. 

Second. I don't like Facebook as much as Instagram. This one I already knew, but it was made even more evident after this fast. I deleted the app off of my phone and still haven't downloaded it. I'm contemplating even downloading it at all. I have mixed feelings about this because there are some of my friends on Facebook that don't have Instagram, some friends I really care about and who like seeing pictures of my little family too.  So to never post on there or see those friends' lives makes me a little sad, but Facebook seems to just make you scroll mindlessly without even meaning to and then you start missing out on your life. Your kids' life. That just won't do. I am posting this on Facebook though because it's so easy to leave a link to this blog there! :) 

Third. I had a lot of time to do a lot of stuff! I listened to the book, "Girl, wash your face", by Rachel Hollis. Most of you have probably heard of this one. If you haven't read it or listened to it, you need to! Like yesterday! It's a life changer, I connected with almost everything she talked about. I took notes and set goals! When you realize, finally realize, that YOU are the person responsible for your happiness, its a game changer. "Other people's opinions of you are none of your business." Seriously, can I get an amen! Personally, I don't think people talk bad about me, and if they did, it's none of my business, but I think I sometimes put these ideas of what people think of me in my head, and then I make it my goal to make sure I do everything right, be almost perfect for them. FOR OTHER PEOPLE! Sometimes strangers. WHAT? WHY? That seems crazy right. The only person I need to try to be perfect for is my Heavenly Father, and even He knows I can't be perfect. All I want is to be better than who I was yesterday. This book just opened my eyes to so many things. It's incredible.

Fourth. I guess I like painting and I'm not bad at it. Who knew? While I did fast from social media, I still got on Pinterest a few times, I love Pinterest and the ideas that I get from it. I saw a vintage truck step by step painting tutorial and I knew I wanted to paint it. My mom and dad were coming for a visit so it was the perfect time to do it. My mom and I painted together. We talked and laughed and I enjoyed every second I had with her. You can't get that on social media. Not happiness like that. The only thing I wished, was that my sisters could have been there too. 

I also listened to a few podcasts, started reading a book with Josh that our church came out with, also so good. It's called Saints, worked more on the kids' baby, school and birthday books, colored on some bags for trick or treating. I spent quality time with my precious children, there was so much giggling, dancing and playing it was wonderful. While I did play with my kids before, I don't think I was doing it as much as I should have been. They love it when we play with them. Social media shouldn't have that affect on us, it shouldn't want to take us away from playing with our kids, it shouldn't want us to feel like other peoples lives are more important than our own. Josh and I were looking through our old photos and videos and it was amazing to see how fast our kids have grown. Videos and pictures of them when they were babies that seemed to be taken just yesterday then looking at them now. Time is a thief! They are growing so fast, why would you want to not be a part of every second of their lives. These are some of the things that resonated in my head. I wouldn't say I was on Instagram or Facebook every second of every day, but it seemed like whenever there was a downtime throughout my day, that would be where I would go. When the kids where at school, napping, or playing in their room, thats where I would go. I could have been painting guys! I could have been listening to a book, or I could have been playing with them. 

Here's the thing, life still happens even when you don't post about it or see someone else posting about their day every day. Sometimes I think, if I didn't post it, it didn't happen. That's so not true. So much happened in these last 10 days and I didn't post about a single thing. I hope I don't offend those who do post a lot, please know I love seeing your life. It makes me happy. It would be a sad world if I didn't get to see the people I grew up around and where they are now. I couldn't even imagine. How lucky are we to be able to have this technology where we can all keep in touch. And you know I am still going to continue to post about my life, well my kids cause lets be real, they are pretty much all I post about lol. For me though, moderation is key. Maybe check just at night before bedtime, just once a day instead of 50. 

Post but then live! Continue throughout the day the way I did when I was on this fast. Time is too precious to spend it being a slave to our phones. Our kids need us more. Our families need us more. Heavenly Father needs us more. I love you all, and I LOVE seeing your lives. Let's not abuse this incredible technology and the wonderful way it allows us to stay close to those we may not have the opportunity to live close to. 

Here are the trick or treat bags I was talking about earlier...

I got some canvas bags and transfer paper from Hobby Lobby (click here for a link to the transfer paper), created a design I liked, printed it off on regular printer paper and then traced it on to the bag with the transfer paper. I just used the back of a paint brush to trace it. 

Then I used sharpie markers to color them!

They have these smaller bags at Hobby Lobby that are perfect for little Krim to carry around!

So cute and fun! Also, if you don't get what the vacuum, broom, and mop are for, go watch

 Hocus Pocus right now. Your welcome. 

Have a beautiful day guys! 

President Russell M. Nelson, Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said this at the General Women's session of the October 2018 General Conference, 

"First, I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast. The effect of your 10-day fast may surprise you. What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted—even just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression."

Pictures and Family

Hello friends!!

Wow what a summer! What an amazing summer! We have had so much fun and have done so many things! We moved to Star Valley and are renting a cute little house for now. We have plans to build either this coming next spring or the next but we will see what the Lord has in store for us.

The girls just started Preschool last week and are signed up for dance and gymnastics! Kanzis will be doing gymnastics and tumbling this year, she decided she didn't want to do dance, and Kamzlin is definitely still wanting to dance. We are so excited to see how their year goes and to be able to go watch them at the end.

We just had some family pictures taken with my side of the family and I love how much our family has grown. The last time we took family pictures with them, Kanzis was just little.

All the girls

Just the boys

Look at all those grandkids!

My dad hates taking pictures and he definitely did not want to take this one, but I am so glad we made him! I love this picture so much!

Proud Grandparents! <3

I don't like posting pictures of my real life laughing face but I just had to share this, this is our marriage. He brings a lot of laughter into my life and I am so grateful for that.

<3 <3 <3 <3

I sure love this family!

Josh and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary on the 25th by going to Jackson, Wyoming for the day. We went there for our honeymoon and decided to go spend the day with the kids. Josh's mom suggested we take old time photos and we thought that would be a fun idea to compare pictures from the ones we took on our honeymoon. I just have to find them first! 

*photo credit: Kanzis*

Happy 11 years to us! <3

Since we came to Utah for family pictures, we decided to stay in Coalville and spend time with some family for Labor Day weekend. We had a great time! We also visited Kaizen's headstone where, like usual, the girls told him what they had been doing. They told him about school, dance, gymnastics, they told him they loved him and gave kisses. Krimzon wanted to give him kisses too. These kids melt my heart and they will probably never know how happy it makes me that they do this.

Tickles from grandma

If you know me, you know that my favorite season is Fall. I'm not going to lie though, I am a little sad to see summer go. We truly had the best summer and I will miss these warm nights and watching these cuties play.

While I am sad about it, that is not going to stop me from getting my fall decor up, today, like right now! Gotta go! 

Have a great rest of the week everyone and happy almost Fall!

Lets start with today!

It has been quite a while since my last update, it was fun to read about our little adventure last August  though!

Instead of trying to catch up on everything, because that would take way too long,  I will just update a little and then start fresh with today and then hopefully be better at updating. I really do love this blog so much, its like my journal so I need to keep it up.

Life has been so busy lately and I love it! Kanzis is loving her school, absolutely loving it and so am I! I look forward to when I go pick her up and see and hear about what she did that day! Kanzis and Kamzlin had a recital in December where Kami danced and Kanzis tumbled. It was so fun to see them show off what they had been learning. After the recital, Kanzis decided she wanted to do dance too so now they are both in dance and Kanzis is still in tumbling. She couldn't give that up, she loved it too much. So between dance, tumbling, school and this propane business that Josh and I have started, it can get pretty hectic.

Our propane business is doing awesome and I am so thankful for it. Josh amazes me at how dedicated he is and works his butt off to make it successful. We started this business in Star Valley, Wyoming because that is where we wanted to make our home so now that it is really getting busier we are looking for places to live there and hopefully be moving there sometime this year. I love the Star Valley area so much, it is so beautiful there. Josh and I went on our honeymoon to Yellowstone and I remember passing through Star Valley and we both thought how we wouldn't mind living there one day and now here we are, getting ready to make that happen! Usually Josh travels there alone but sometimes we go as a family and every time we come off the pass and come in to the valley, the girls always say, "Wow its the Great Valley" from Land Before Time. I laugh because it really does look like it. It's breathtaking! So as we know more about moving plans, I will update more on that.

It is always scary to move somewhere new, not knowing many people and especially having to say goodbye to this beautiful home we are in now, and the friends we have made here. Seriously, it is going to be so hard, but I am hopeful for the future. I see the happiness that it brings Josh, having something that is his, that he started from the ground up and it brings me so much joy! We definitely have to give thanks to Josh's dad who has helped tremendously with getting this business going. It wouldn't be where it is now without him. We are so very thankful for a supportive family that is for sure!

2018 so far has been so good to us. I know we are only in month 2 but it has just been so good. I had several New Years Resolutions but the one that I was determined to make happen was that I was going to do things that would make me happy. I am what is called a "people pleaser" it is both a blessing and a curse. I absolutely love helping people, giving to people, and trying to make everyone around me happier but sometimes that conflicts with my happiness, so I decided this year I was going to change that. Yes I am still going to give and help people as much as I can, but I also need to make sure that I am happy along the way. If something isn't going to make me happy, it's ok to say no. I am a better mom, wife, friend, etc. when I am happy. Everyone is. So, so far this year, I have been making this happen. I have said no to things that aren't making me happy, which is so unlike me, but I have felt a sense of relief because of it. I am still helping people and striving to make those around me happy, but it seems I have found a balance and it makes me....happy!

Speaking of being a mom, Gosh I just love these kids of mine! Some days, by the end of the day,  I am so exhausted, I feel like I need to hide in the closet or make bedtime earlier. Some days, I really just need to be alone for a few hours so I can keep my sanity. But then some days, I can't get enough of them and nap time gets skipped because I just don't want to be away from them. Some days I just want to forget about all of the to-do lists and just play with them. Being a stay at home mom is tough, and it definitely has its challenging days, especially now that I am taking care of the propane business, answering phone calls, with crying or loudly happy kids in the background and trying to put in invoices, mail out statements and file and such but it also is very rewarding. I have witnessed so many milestones, wiped so many tears, kissed so many boo-boos and have felt so much love it is priceless. They are safe with me and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be with them as much as I can.

Today at the Library for story time, the lady said something that really got to me. Today was market day so she read a couple stories about going to the store and then she told us mothers that we need to be thankful for right now, when we take our littles to the store and they ask for a treat, because one day they are going to be grown and we will be asking them if they want to come to the store with us, that we will buy them a treat if they do! And then when they are even older, they will ask us if we will go grocery shopping with them. That's just it isn't it? This is all temporary. They have to grow up. As much as that should make me happy, it makes me sad. It seems like it's just happening too dang fast! I am thankful for all that they are able to do now that they are getting older, I just wish it would happen a little slower.
Paw patrol came to story time and the girls were so excited!

They were singing "5 little monkeys jumping on the bed"

Do things that make YOU happy. I am finding that it really is the way to go. It is possible to be giving and kind and still be happy yourself. I want to be the best me so that my kids can have the best mom for them. Have a fantastic Wednesday! <3

Staycation!

Josh's job allows us to go on some pretty fun adventures. I have been to places I probably never would have been otherwise. This particular time it had to do with the new business we have started, High Country Propane. Josh needed to complete a week long training certification class in Casper, Wyoming and we decided we would go with him. I have been to Casper before so this wasn't new but we stayed in a hotel for the week and while he was in training I took the kids to a park I could find. I'm not going to lie or try to make it sound easy and fun because it was quite challenging, the whole week. Trying to keep kids quiet in a hotel room at night, taking all three kids to the complimentary breakfast each morning by myself, keeping said kids in a confined space when it's too hot to go outside, trying to drive around to find a park while also needing to hurry so I can feed a hungry baby. It was just tough. Thankfully Josh had an hour lunch each day and got out around 2:00 each day so I didn't have to battle it for too long by myself but I did question if it was a good idea for us to have come. The week seemed to go by pretty fast, thankfully. There were some fun times though watching the girls play, that is always fun to watch.

Josh found a crane truck that we would need for setting tanks for our business while browsing online, it was located in Des Moines, Iowa so we decided instead of going all the way back home we would just leave from Casper to go pick it up.
Even though paperwork hadn't been finished we thought we would make a little trip out of it and take our time getting there while we wait. I have to tell you I was quite nervous for this road trip after the experience in Casper, but thankfully it went great and the kids were so good We left Casper Friday afternoon and headed towards Iowa, we knew we were going to split the trip up but just didn't know where we would stop. We ended up staying in a place called Ogallala, Nebraska for the night. We didn't do anything fun here just stayed for the night. Saturday morning we got up and started the drive again. We stopped in Kearney, Nebraska for some gas and found a little museum. The Great Platte River Road Archway and museum. It was way neat, we all had a great time!

That is not a real person! Everything was so life like!

There was a little speed detector so we got to see how fast the cars were going.

So much fun!

After we left Kearney, we stopped in York, Nebraska for some dinner at a cute little diner that was absolutely delicious! I love small town diners! 

Then we ventured to Omaha, Nebraska to stay for the night.

The next morning we went to the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium where my lifelong dream came true! 

Best. Day. Ever! I couldn't even believe it I was so happy!

Kanzis didn't have to wait as long as I did. :)

Such an awesome place!

We ended up staying in Omaha again that night and then made our way to Des Moines the next day.

We found a Cabela's and decided to go in, we love looking at the displays!

We also visited a Bass Pro Shops store which was absolutely amazing. The displays were awesome!

We thought we would probably be able to get the truck and be able to head back home by Monday maybe Tuesday but both days came and went and we were still waiting for last minute things to go through so we did a lot of checking out and in to hotels. 

In the midst of the waiting we did find a few things to do, we found a Botanical Garden which was so pretty.

We also found a huge park, It had like 4 different playgrounds with a path around the whole thing and a pond with ducks!

We were able to get the truck Thursday morning and make our way back home. I was pretty nervous to drive with the kids myself that far, I knew we would have to make lots of stops so I could feed Krimzon but surprisingly the kids did wonderful! 

We stopped and visited the Omaha, Nebraska Temple on the way back. We like to visit the Temple when we go to new places so I am so glad we were able to stop.

We still split the day in two and stayed in North Platte, Nebraska which was about half way in between. 

I was so excited to get home! That was a long vacation! 

Memories were made and it was fun to get a way with just our little family.