The Things I've Learned....

Life has a way of teaching us many things.  Some things are learned through trials, happy times, the Spirit and just life experience.  I made a list several years ago of things I've learned, and recently was reading through that list.  Many of the things on my list were reminders to me of the things I truly know and have experienced first hand...and some things I needed to be reminded of.  I thought I would share my list. 

The Lord knows our heart...

It doesn't always matter....

Just because people don't believe...doesn't mean it's not true...

Don't analyze things too much... (Which I tend to do...A LOT!)

Sometimes things just happen...

It's a small world...

Prayer does work...

The Lord knows where He needs us...

People come into our lives for a purpose...

You never know what could happen if you just have faith...

Miracles do come to pass...

It doesn't help to be negative...

Smiling always feels better...

Don't jump to conclusions...

Laughter is the best medicine...

Scriptures always uplift...

You do make a difference...

The Lord keeps His promises...

Love is manifested in small things...

The Lord has a plan for me...

It's always best to trust the Lord...

A smile can change a life...

God will never forget us...

The Lord is always there...

It's ok to cry... (And I do it a lot.)

Sometimes life is hard...

The Atonement does work...

What things have you learned through your life's journey?

 

Our Year: 2014

     I can't believe 2014 is nearing an end.  Seriously, where did the time go?  Time is precious, and it's no wonder why.  This year has been a good one and the Lord has been good to us.  That isn't to say it's been perfect with no trials, but we have been blessed with the Lord's love and companionship in those hard times.

      Casey started a new job the end of November and we decided to move into a bigger place.  We moved two days before he started his new job.  That was kind of rough, but we made it through.  He is enjoying it, although he is currently drinking out of a fire hose with all the information he has to take in. ;)
   
     He also began his Master's program through Western's Governors in November.  What a guy!  He amazes me all the time with all he takes on and accomplishes.  I truly admire him and am so grateful for all his hard work and sacrifices for our little family.  I love him so, so much! He is my forever!

     I am just playing house and being a mommy.  Haha! (Remember playing house? It isn't like you used to pretend is it?  Those little dolls didn't ever cause you any trouble...just sayin'.) :)
     I am truly loving being a mommy.  It really is a dream come true.  It isn't perfect, and I am quite often at the end of the day feeling like a big huge failure....but it is something I have dreamed about ever since I could play with dolls.  And I had a good example of a mom to follow....she is what made me want to be a mommy.  It most definitely has it's challenges, but boy is it rewarding.
     I am still doing hair when I get a chance.  It will be nice one day to be in a house and hopefully have a little salon.  For now, a kitchen chair will have to do. ;)

     Lilli is now 2 1/2 and is a lot of fun.  She is saying so much and learning so much.  It is so fun to listen to her talk and say so many new things.  I often have no idea what she is spouting off, but for the most part she is pretty understandable. :)
     She loves to play with her babies and stuffed animals.  She often will line them up against the wall, or the couch or her bed and sit and talk the them.  She is pretty entertaining to watch.
     Although she has a little mean streak in her (thank you terrible two's...and soon terrible three's), she really has a sweet, tender heart.  She is very loving and thoughtful.  We sure love her.

     Coleson is almost 13 months (in four days).  Yes, I am one those moms.  I count their age in months until they are two. (As a side note, it's really because they change sooooo much from 12-24 months that to say they are one when they are 18 months makes a huge difference.)  Anyway,  he is our little sweetie...for now. Haha! He is starting to get a little attitude and has been more cranky and feisty than ever before.  He sure is cute though! Good thing! ;)
     He loves to say, "cacker" for everything.  If it is food, it's "cacker."  He tries to imitate things we will say.  It's cute.  He can say mama, da-da, cacker...and there are probably other things he says that I haven't picked up on.  When I tickle him I will say, "tickle, tickle, tickle," and so he imitates that by trying to say the same thing. He is fun.  It is fun to watch both kiddos learn and grown at their different stages in life.
   

We have been blessed this year to see Casey's youngest sister, Sarah, receive her endowments in the Ogden Temple and then be sealed to her husband a week later.  We also just recently were blessed to go to the Ogden Temple to see Casey's other sister, Jennifer, receive her endowments.  Both were such beautiful occasions.  Most beautiful to be in the temple with family.  It is so great to be in the Celestial Room with all the people you love so much.  And to know one day that is how it will be in the eternities.  How wonderful!  Family is what it's all about!

     As this year comes to an end, and I reflect on this past year, I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for all that He has given us.  He is always so good to us; in good times and in the rough times.  He is our rock.  He is who we rely upon.  We know He is there for us.  We know He loves us.  We love Him.  I am so grateful for my knowledge of the Gospel and for the testimony I have.

     I pray that next year will prove to be great for all of us!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

He Thought of Me In The Garden of Gethsemane

Yeah, oops! It's been awhile since I have written.  I will be honest, I sort of haven't wanted to because I think, no one reads it...so why bother?  Oh-well.  It's a good outlet for me and something I enjoy.  So I guess if nothing else, it's for me. :)

So I have fallen off the "no sugar" wagon.  Whenever Aunt Flow decides to visit every. single. month (can you tell I don't like her?), I tend to want to eat...SUGAR!!!!  It's awful and I have zero self control.  None.  But I am determined to get back on track.  After Aunt Flow is finished visiting.  Which, coincidentally, happens to be going on right now. :P

I have mentioned before that I really don't like what I see in the mirror.  I like from the neck up...that part is ok, but not the rest.  It's sad to say, but it's true.  I have THE most amazing husband I could EVER ask for.  He is so wonderful in so many ways, but one of those ways is he always tells me I am beautiful.  He is so sincere and true and desires more than anything for me to see what he sees.  I love him for that.  And I know that is why I was blessed with my dear, sweet Casey.  He helps in so many ways, he will never know.  He means the world to me!

I am working on it and one day will be there!  I just don't want my darling girl (and any other girls we may have) to ever view her body the way I have always viewed mine.  It's not fun, nor is it fair.  I want her to be confident in her own skin, to be happy to be who she is no matter her size!!!  But she won't be able to really do that unless she has a mommy to show her how to do so.  And I not only need to do that for her, but for me!

I know I can do anything with the help of my loving Heavenly Father and dear Savior.  Isn't that what the Atonement is all about anyway?  To help us overcome our trials and shortcomings?  This has been a real struggle all my life.  But I know that only through the Atonement of my Savior that I can overcome this.  Thank heaven for our beautiful Savior's sacrifice.  I have a very strong testimony of the Atonement.  I know it is real.  I know that it is powerful.  I know Jesus Christ knows me, He knows every single pain and sorrow I have ever experienced and ever will experience, because He himself experienced it.  I know He thought of me, little ol' me, as He bled from every pore.  I wasn't just a passing thought.  He really, really thought of me.  This is something I have come to know, without a single, solitary doubt.  I don't comprehend how He did it, but I don't need to.  I just know, through the witness of the Holy Ghost, that He did.  And I know He did it for every single person.  You, too, were not just a passing thought.

Being Mama

I love my little family! I have been thinking a lot about family lately and how blessed I am to be a mama.  I have dreamed of being a mommy all my life, ever since I was little.  I know why, too.  I had the best example of a mother.  She made it look beautiful and wonderful.  I always watched my mom and looked up to her.  She is the reason I always wanted to be a mommy.

My mom was a good example of love, service, kindness, patience, gentleness and I could go on and on.  She was a good homemaker. I loved watching her sew, cook and bake.  There was just something about the way she did things that made me want that when I grew up.  Anyone who asked what I wanted to be when I grew up would get the answer, "A mommy" (aside from the time I wanted so badly to be a "jeeter" a.k.a. a cashier....I was a weird kid, okay? :P)

I loved to help her bake.  We would make cookies and watch them bake and she would read me books while we waited for the cookies to bake.  This made a beautiful impression on me.  It is something that always sticks out in my mind when I think of memories with my mama.  It was special to me.  It was time with just me and my mom.

I don't think I can ever recall a time when I heard her yell.  I am sure she raised her voice at times, but what I remember of her was she was calm and patient and most of all soft spoken and gentle. (She still is).  I want to be like that.

What will my kids remember of me when they look back on their childhood?  I would hope they would have the same memories of me as I have of my mom.

Boy do I try!! I try so hard to be patient and loving and most of all gentle.  No one responds well to yelling. No one.  Kids especially.  I try to always get down to Lilli's level and speak to her calmly and gently.  I most certainly get frustrated and often speak louder than I should and snap at silly things, but I am sure trying not to.

I thank my loving Heavenly Father for blessing me with a wonderful example as a mother!  She has taught me so much and continues to.  I am also very grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing my to be a mom.  There was a time I truly felt as though marriage wasn't in the cards for me, let alone motherhood.  I thought that the only "mothering" I would do would be to my nieces and nephews and  the children of others.  He just knew I needed to wait for my very special husband who is absolutely right for me!  He is special and perfect for me and I love him with all my heart.  And what I am especially grateful for is that he made me a mama.

I couldn't be more grateful for the two sweet kids I have.  Aside from each other, they are mine and Casey's whole world.  They are so special and we both feel so incredibly blessed to call them ours.  More will come one day, and we will have that much more joy.  I pray every day that Heavenly Father will truly bless me with the attributes my kids need from me and most of all, for patience and love and a gentle, soft-spoken demeanor like my sweet mama.  That is what will stay with them most.

You Could Win A Million Dollars!

You could win a million dollars!  Well, you could! But not here.  I just wanted to make you interested in reading my blog.  Did it work? ;)

So before I get to my main point of my post, I had a few little things to write.  First off, Casey asked me the other day how many "followers" I had on here.  I laughed and said, uh probably zero. So, if you have been following my posts, thanks! You are probably the only one. ;)

Second, it's been two weeks since I have started my no sugar journey! I am happy to announce I have held strong! I am so proud of myself!  Last weekend we made a quick trip to Bear Lake with Casey's family, and since it was raining, we hung out at our sister-in-law's parent's condo.  There were some yummy treats and cake but I refrained.  It is getting easier and easier to refrain.  And on the upside, I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 4 lbs. so far! Yay!!

Now, to my main post.  This morning I watched this video ---> (http://ldsliving.com/story/76653-dont-be-the-perfect-mother-be-the-mom-your-kids-need) about being the mom YOUR kids need you to be.  It really pulled at my heartstrings.  The things she said were things I have thought soooo many times! I am quite often comparing myself with other moms. This mom goes alllll out for holidays and does awesome things for her kids.  Another mom is super mom and does crafts and has every talent you can think of.  That mom is kind and patient and never yells.  Why can't I be that mom!?

After watching that video it got me thinking...what kind of mom am I?  I only have two kids...and they are still little.  So I am still sort of a rookie mommy.  However, I am still a mom, and I still compare my mothering to others.
So I thought....
I am the kind of mom who likes to have fun and be silly with my kids.
I am the kind of mom who loves make-up and hair and nail polish and all things girly.
I am the kind of mom who tries to be patient with big and little things.
I am the kind of mom who is compassionate, sensitive and loving...with tender feelings towards other's feelings.
I am the kind of mom who loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all my heart and longs for my children to gain a firm testimony one day.
I am the kind of mom who lets my two year old watch Fisher Price on my phone while we shop to keep her entertained.
I am the kind of mom who is ok with my two year old watching TV during the day.  And yes, even as a babysitter while I get things done, like writing on my blog. ;)
I am the kind of mom who limits the amount of TV my two year old watches during the day. ;) (I had to add that in there so ya'll didn't think I just let her watch TV all day.
I am the kind of mom who loves to give hugs and kisses (like crazy) and say I love you lots and lots.
I am the kind of mom who loves to sing songs to my kids at bedtime.
I am the kind of mom who loves to tickle my kids until they laugh super hard.
However....
I am not the mom who is a super gifted crafter, photographer, sewer, etc.  And that is where I have problems.  I hear of mom friends who are the super mom types.  The ones who do EV.ER.Y.THING.  And my whole list up there just gets lost in all the comparisons because I am not THAT mom.  I then conclude I must be a crap mom because I don't do everything.  But I love, love, love what the lady said on the video.  You are the mom your kids need you to be, and Heavenly Father sent them to you.  If he wanted them to go to the super-awesome-does-everything mom, He would have.  But he sent them to me, because He knew I would be right for them.  That is a lesson I must learn...over and over and over again.

For now, I must just be the best mom my kids need; to be the kind of mom I am and truly try to be. And most of all...be not only okay with that, but happy about it.  And that needs to be good enough! :)

What kind of mom are you or what kind do you want to be?

We. Are. Faaaamily. (I am singing that...did you hear?)

Last night we were able to go to the Ogden Temple Open house with my Loock family.  It was so beautiful in there! I felt so much peace in there, even though it has not yet been dedicated to the Lord.  It was such a wonderful thing to experience with not only my sweet little family, but my wonderful in-laws.  I love them all so much!

It was fun to see Lilli walk around in her cute little white shoe covers (she thought those were pretty neat).  She liked to see the pictures of Jesus.  Coleson was fascinated by the lights, and there were some absolutely gorgeous lights!  The celestial room was absolutely stunning!  It was so bright and beautiful in there.

Although it has changed and is renovated, it brought back beautiful memories.  The Ogden Temple was the place Casey and I met in person and was our first date.  Good memories!  That day was the day I knew he was the one I would marry.  I didn't have that exact thought, but I did have the thought, "You won't be dating anyone else ever again."  The Ogden Temple grounds is also where her proposed to me.  Ahhh, sweet, sweet memories! :)

Walking through the temple with my family brought such love and peace.  I love my little family, my Loock family and my Gilbert family.  What a beautiful thing the Lord has blessed us with.  What would we do without our family?  I don't like to think about it.

I have been so blessed.  I love and appreciate all of my siblings.  I have a friendship and relationship with each one that I treasure.  And my parents...I am so grateful for my parents!  They have always been there for me.  Being the youngest, I was able to really get close to my parents.  Aside from Casey, I consider them my best friends.  I am so grateful for them and the relationship I have with them.  They mean so very much to me.

My Loock family...I love them so much!  I am so grateful I was blessed to marry into such a wonderful family!  I love everyone of them.  My mom and dad -in-law are the best.  I truly couldn't ask for better in-laws.  I always hear stories of people really disliking their in-laws and their MIL...and I think, "Man, I am so glad I don't have anything bad to say about mine."  I am so blessed and grateful to my Heavenly Father for those blessings!

Family is so important to me and always has been.  Now I have my own little family.  Something that I have dreamed of all my life.  Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be a mommy.  And now that I am one, I couldn't be happier!  Love your family.  Cherish them.  Never, ever take them for granted.

Day 10: No Sugar

Today is day 10 of having no sugar.  It has been so much easier than I had expected.  Sure, I still get googly-eyes over all the yummy treats I see on Pinterest, but I am doing good! Granted, there have been no temptations at home, but that's also because I haven't bought or made any goodies. ;)

At our family reunion in Richfield (Gifford reunion) I did great! There were temptations, but I resisted.  I was proud of myself. Although I guess I did have sugar....in the jello salads.  It just wasn't yummy-goodies-that-I-crave sugar (a.k.a chocolate, cookies, any kind of baked goods, ice cream, etc). :)  I've totally got this!

I have been trying to eat less through-out the day and drink as much water as I possibly can.  So far so good.  Today I have already drank about 70+ oz. and am hoping to get a few more in before bed.  This goes without saying, although I am saying it, I am in the bathroom all. day. long.  Those who know me well are not shocked in the least. ;)

I weighed in on day one and then again on Monday (a week later) and I had lost 1.4 lbs.  However, when I went and donated plasma on Tuesday morning, their scale only put me as losing 4 oz.  Boooo!  Oh-well.  I have to remind myself that it is a slow process and to just be patient with myself.  I only allow myself to weigh myself on Mondays.  It is dangerous of me to weigh myself any more than that because then I get discouraged and down on myself. Just ask Casey.

I plan to continue strong!  I am bound and determined to lose this weight!