Trying to prioritize (aka, goodbye Facebook)

The other day I was on facebook (for probably the 20th time that day) just looking at things I'd already seen, avoiding my kids, and just being a lazy bum. My house was a mess, my mind was all over the place and here I sat, at the computer, wasting away my precious time.

That night as I nursed and rocked Katelyn to sleep, enjoying her sweetness, I felt very strongly that I needed to say goodbye to facebook for a good long while. I realized that I have a FOMO problem (or fear of missing out) that is not helping me live in the here and now and not allowing me to enjoy my kids and my role as a wife and mother. I was so worried about what other people were doing in their lives, that mine was suffering. I was addicted to the Candy Crush game. I would think throughout the day in terms of how I could word that incident on facebook (I'm still overcoming that... it takes longer than I hoped).

So that very night, after Katelyn was in bed, I went on facebook, changed my profile pic to one that could stay for a while, and announced my leave. It has been really hard to not go on and see what people have said in response to it. I know I have had some withdrawals and I still look at the computer longingly at times (but it has only been 2 days). I think in addition to my FOMO, I also have this need to be validated by other people. Maybe that is why I became so engrossed in the facebook world of posting and getting likes and comments. maybe that is why I included my e-mail, cell #, and blog site in my goodbye so I could still feel like people could reach out to me and acknowledge me. I know that the only people's opinions who really matter are my husband and kids, but I'm human and still want other people's approval. (I know after writing this that I will check the comments often for the same reason... but one step at a time right?)

So, from this point forward (until and undetermined time) I will be working on coming on the computer only once a day (and work towards less), unless I am specifically working on a project for my kids or my primary calling. I want to get my priorities straight. That means, my kids, my husband, my home, my spiritual well-being, and my health. Because those really are the only things that matter in life. Maybe one day I will get back on facebook, when I feel like my life is straightened out enough to control my usage, but for now, I have bigger issues to work on.

Thanks for reading. This blog will take higher priority because I need to keep record of my family. (but will not take over facebook's position)

Now I will leave you with pictures of I my reasons for this change!

I sure do have a beautiful, wonderful, loving, and supportive family! I am so blessed!

Lately

I haven't really posted very much lately, so I thought I might just go through the camera pics and see what we have!
Katelyn is 2.5 months now (11 wks today). She smiles and coos! I LOVE IT! (Although this picture is from a few days before she turned 2 mo.)

 We have a mole in our backyard... pesky critter. Rob has a trap, but hasn't set it yet.

 Timothy loves to play in the rain. I think the umbrella is his favorite thing ever.

 Robby hiked Mt. Timp with my brother. They did the sunrise hike which means they hiked all night so they could watch the sunrise from the top. He said it was beautiful (enough to make his overly tired emotions flare and he teared up!) I'm sure the pictures don't to it justice, but they are pretty nonetheless.

 We had a play-date at Scheels with our good friends the Besseys. There were awesome fish aquariums, but I didn't get a picture.
There was a Ferris wheel!

 The escalator was a hit. Timothy deemed it his favorite thing from the day.

 There were picture ops all around and we took advantage of some!
Their reactions to the skunk was hilarious! Timothy even warned Spencer not to touch it or it would spray him!

 AHH! Help!

 They fit right in with the lion. ROAR!

 I ran my first race of the year! (Ironically enough, this same race last year was my last race of the year).
Warming up!

 Timothy enjoyed some wide open space to do a little running of his own!

 Ready, set, go!

 Waiting for mom to finish!

Apparently I ran it so fast that Robby was not ready when I came upon the finish! He barely got me stomping the timing pad.

 Walk it out!

 I was really proud of myself. I ran it in :33.22 (I think that might be my fasted 5K or really close to my fastest) and I didn't really train very much for it. I guess once you are a runner, it doesn't take much to get back into it.
I ran with my good friend Alexis. She rocked it and got 1st in our age group! I'm so happy she joined me for it. It was great to have a friend there!

 We are strong!

 Katelyn a few days after her 2 month mark. I love this outfit and had to get a picture of her in it.

 Stats at 2 month:
Weight- 12.06 lbs (74.54%) she's chunking up!
Height- 23.5 in (92.64%) She is TALL!
Head circum-15.25 in (71.9%) definitely smaller than her brother's!

She has grown so much and it is fun to see the boys hold her, she takes up their whole lap!
Cute Timothy! He is such a GOOD big brother and helper to me with her.

 Sibling love!

 This pretty much sums it up! He likes to squeeze. Poor baby!

 Then Timothy took the camera!

 He got all 4 of us in one shot!

 Brothers!

 Fall is here! and Halloween is just around the corner! So we painted some cardboard pumpkins!

 She is my darling little pumpkin (I had to take this because she may not fit this shirt by Halloween)

 General Conference wore him out! He couldn't even finish his pretzels.

 This makes me so happy! He loves to wear goggles! He wore them in the van today to run some errands and every time I looked in the rear view mirror I just smiled! He is so cute! And when we wanted to look at something out the window, he would tip them down and peer over the top! So funny!

 This is a random picture that Timothy took, but I put it in to show that we are working on our basement. (You see it int he background). Robby is making headway and slowly but surely it will get done!

Well, I think that is all for now. We are just getting by day by day. Timothy is in preschool and loves it. Me and Spencer and Katelyn enjoy our time at home. And we all look forward each day to Daddy's return from work!

Pioneer Woman

This late summer I have felt very homemaker-ish and like a good old pioneer woman.
I have been using the land! We were very blessed to inherit some fruit trees and blackberry bushes upon the purchase of our home, as well as space for a garden.

So I have been canning up a storm (it seems like) these past few weeks.
The total count so far...

5 pints blackberry preserves (SO delicious over vanilla ice cream)
8 pints worth of plum jam (12 1/2 pints and 2 pints)
3 pints plum syrup (basically plum jam that didn't set) (Amazing over pancakes!)
3 pints canned plums (can you tell we had plums coming out our ears)
8 quarts tomato soup (which includes green peppers from our garden as well as tomatoes)

 ( 6 of the 8 tomato soup quarts)

 First batch of blackberries and the plum syrup

A pint and two 1/2 pints of the plum jam

We also have an apricot tree. It did very well this year also. However they came on right when I was very pregnant and just after Katelyn was born. I was not up to making jam at that time, so Robby and I chopped them up and froze them. They are great in milkshakes and smoothies! (Definitely jam next year!)

frozen apricots

I also made a batch of fresh salsa using tomatoes and green peppers from our garden. 

As the tomatoes continue to ripen I hope to make and can salsa and tomato sauce.

YAY! for planting a garden and saving money!

Comparisons- just for fun!

I thought it would be fun to compare my children to each other at their newborn stage!

Hair:

Timothy had a small amount of hair/fuzz, but it was definitely Blonde.

Spencer looks to have about the same amount as Timothy (a tad more?) but his was slightly darker.

Katelyn has a ton of hair, and it is definitely dark.

Although they are all thinner on top.

Brand new:

Timothy had jaundice... you can see it in his skin tone.

 They have have cute chubby cheeks and round heads!

The Look: 

Sideways glance

Timothy

Katelyn

I guess I don't have one of Spencer... but look at their CHEEKS!

With Dad:

Timothy

 Spencer

Katelyn

I guess he has finally outgrown the constant hat wearing (now it is just occasional)...
and he has moved beyond wearing his BYU Men's Chorus sweater all the time (although he wouldn't be wearing it with Katelyn anyway because it is July)
I LOVE YOU Robby!
 I'm so happy you are my kids Daddy! They sure are lucky kids to have you, as am I the luckiest woman alive to have you for my husband!