The Solution

image from beckyhiggins.com

Scrapbooking....is it the the bane of my existence or a cherished hobby?  The answer is yet to be determined. I love working on scrapbooks, and I love watching my kids devour their scrapbooks.  And yet, I don't get as much done as I would like.  I really thought the digital revolution would change me, and make me get stuff done quicker.  I guess it has, when I actually find time to do it.

The solution???  Project Life from Becky Higgins.   Honestly, I just started this new idea/method and I hope it works for me.  The idea is to take a picture a day, and put it in a scrapbook. (There is digital and a hard copy method)  The picture a day thing is sometimes hard for me, but I have done pretty well so far.  Yes, I have missed days!  So what?  I used pictures of things around the house to tell our story for those days...  Like what?  The morning paper to illustrate my love of reading the news, the dirty sink in my kids bathroom, my rainy windshield, etc..

So, what about all those past years I have still waiting for me? Becky also has a scrapbook that has a page per month.  The story still gets told, in a shorter way, but at least it is there. 

More questions, check out her website www.beckyhiggins.com.  You won't be sorry.

Bella the Great

Bj's best friend, Derek, has published his very own children's book.  

Derek and  his family have encountered some trying times in this challenging economy.  

I know there are many of us who are the lucky ones, we have jobs.  

 Now, here's an opportunity to make a big difference, a big bang for our buck.  Please join us in supporting a friend!

Go to their website www.bellathegreat.com, to purchase the book, and other goods.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!

Of all the things I love about Bj, the thing I love best is that he is my absolute best friend.  

I want to tell him everything, and I want to hear everything about him.

He is my very favorite person.  

I love you, honey!

Day 13

Bj serves others.

This is a picture of him serving me and the kids by making sandwiches for the week.  If he didn't do this, all of our mornings would be much more hectic.

What I don't have a picture of is the other ways he serves.  He attends every move in our ward he is able to.  He happily sets up/takes down chairs and tables at the ward functions.

Quietly and without fanfare, he serves others.  He thinks nothing of it. And, I love him for it. 

Day 12

Bj is a goofball. 

He makes me laugh.  Even when I don't laugh out loud, I am still laughing.  

Sometimes I am laughing at him, but only when he wants me to.

I love that he doesn't take life too seriously.

Day 11

Bj is in it for the long haul.

He is strong and immovable.

I love knowing that he is committed to me FOREVER.  We will be together for eternity.

I feel safe, with him, in a way I can hardly explain.  

I trust him completely.  

(Plus, I love his buns.)

Day 10

Bj encourages me.

I came to him a couple years ago, asking what he thought of me working towards writing quilt patterns.  He said go for it.  Without a second thought, he told me to go for it.  He wasn't concerned that I might drop the ball as a mother and a wife.  He only thought about what I wanted.  

Over the next 2 years he continued to encourage me, through a lot of fabric purchases, changing plans, almost giving up, going full speed ahead, and quilting/writing my brains out.

Even when I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew, he still didn't second guess me.  He simply asked how he could help.  He did more chores, supplied me with time alone with my sewing machine, and peanut m&m's.

As the publishing date gets closer, he continues to encourage me.  There could be travel to different quilt shops, and he tells me to go and is happy to watch the kids.  

I love him to pieces.

Day 9

When I was searching for my one true love, I knew this was a quality I couldn't skimp on. I had to marry someone who knew the value of hard work.   Little did I know I needed to put a caveat in there... My love needs to know when to work hard, and when to play/rest.  Heavenly Father must love me a lot, because He gave me Bj, who knows exactly when to put the shoulder to the wheel, and when to lay back and have some fun.

I love that Bj works hard.

No matter what he does, he does it well.  He puts his whole heart into it. 

Even if it is 3 year old soccer.

I love that he holds a busy calling in our ward, does all he needs to, and still doesn't stress out about it.

He works hard, and is a good delegator.  

I LOVE HIM.

Day 8

Flowers

The first few years we were married, Bj worked hard to bring flowers to me, at least once a month.

I have always loved that he is so thoughtful.

I love that he had that goal, from the very beginning, to be the best husband he could be.

Honestly, the flowers aren't coming once a month anymore, but they have been replaced by:

diapers, dove chocolate, formula, cheese, hamburger buns...

whatever we need that I am too lazy to pack all the kids up and go get.

I love these little acts of kindness.  

He goes out of his way to show me he loves me.

I LOVE HIM.

Day 7

What else do I love about Bj?  He is a smarty pants!  

I mean it, he is super smart and handy.  He is an engineer, and I love how his brain works.  

The patio cover, the new island, and all the pinewood derby cars....I love that he can figure out most our "fix it" needs.

We rarely need to hire a professional to do work around the house.  

When I need help with quilt patterns, this guy is there for me! 

I love knowing I have my very own "smarty pants."

Day 6

Each night, as I sit down from a long day of loving my family, my dear love gets me a glass of water to sit and enjoy.  

I don't have to ask, this man I married knows my needs before I do.

These little things mean the most to me.  The small kindnesses he shows me each day truly touches my heart.

Day 5

You thought I forgot.  Okay, almost!  I have family in town....busy.

Bj is such a great dad.  I love that!  He has so much fun with the kids, he wrestles, reads stories, changes diapers, and goofs off with them.

I love watching him with our baby.  Here is this tough man, and he is so gentle and loving with our baby!  His tenderness always warms my heart.

Day 4

September (baptism Saturday, baby blessing Sunday)

Day 4

It's Day 4, and the reasons for why I love my sweetheart keep on rolling.  

I love Bj because he is such a good man.  I love that he honors his priesthood, and he is always worthy to perform blessings and baptisms.

I love that he listens to conference on his way to and from work.

I love that he is always working to improve himself, and be even better.

I love the way he reads scriptures to our family every night.

This is one of the greatest blessings of all, that my sweetheart honors God.  

Day 3

I love that Bj is playful.  We have a running joke in our family, that he is the "fun" one, and I am not.  Why is this?  Because Bj will do almost anything to provide a good time for our family.

Our first date....he took his mattress, put it in the bed of his truck so we would have a comfy spot at the drive in. 

 A date at the park = at least 4 different lawn games packed in the back of the car.  

Seriously, this guy is all about having fun, and I am grateful we have at least one person fun in this family.

Day 2

The next thing I love about Bj is that he is helpful.  Of course, he goes to work all day, and has many things pulling for his attention, but he is still so helpful to me.  Just last night, as I was doing dishes and laundry, and he was holding Noah, he took the time to clean the ceiling fans. I love that he is tall, and uses his tallness to help this shorty pants. 

 He does so much to help, and when he can see I am starting to get overwhelmed with my ever growing list, he always asks how he can help.  Thanks honey, for all you do. Thanks for making all the sandwiches, cleaning the bathrooms on your off Friday (or on Thursday's), thanks for doing laundry when I have  missed the appointed day, thanks for always taking out the garbage, thanks for mowing the lawn and watering all the plants, and thanks for all the little things you do, I notice!

14 days to Valentines

Picture from Becky Higgins' Blog

Traditionally, I am not a very romantic person.  I am a little too practical for that.  But, I thought it might be fun to do a 14 days of Valentines about my one true love.  So, I am hoping to post something wonderful about my love each day leading up to Valentines Day.  Wish me luck.

Day 1

I love that I can trust Bj with my deepest, darkest, silliest, and embarrassing secrets.  I know he will never throw me under the bus.  I know he will never make fun of me in public.  I know he won't make fun of me at home when we are alone.  What will he do?  Ease my worries, tell me I am perfectly normal, and then try to kiss and hug away my worries.  This is a very good quality indeed!