My Pendulum

I love these little people who I get to hang out with during the day. These pictures were not taken today,  but they are a good idea of what today was like.

It seems to me like life is such a pendulum. Sometimes the pendulum is all the way to the right where I feel energetic, happy, blessed and motivated. Other days it seems to swing the other direction and I feel unmotivated, tired, emotional and overwhelmed.

There is also the motherhood-sanity pendulum. When it's all the way to the left, which seems to kind of be where it has spent a little too much time in the last year, I feel a bit overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. Yet then it does most assuredly swing to the other side, where the days seem to be so sweet, precious and peaceful. And there is of course always the in between. Side to side. Up and down. Over all life is definitely up and even in my downs I still feel the greatness of the blessings around me.

Well today I'm happy to report was a really great day. The pendulum swung towards peace, simplicity, and contentment. Though the pendulum is not easily controlled by just one person, I do think we are the main magnetic forces for our own pendulums, not always, by usually. So why was today so great? How did I swing my pendulum to the happy side?  For me, for this one day, this is what worked; I decided to just keep it simple. I got the older two off to school, and made sure the only thing on my to do list today was this "Take care of your children". So, we got outside. We exercised. We ate good healthy meals. We took a bath. We read books and worked on reading skills, and we even took a nap snuggled up together.  I was able to sit down and study my scriptures and journal a little bit. We had fun and played. And it was. . .  GLORIOUS. Patience was not my struggle today. Love flowed so easily and freely. Instead of trying to balance 50 things at once, I only balanced one, and that was the kids. The result? Happy kids. Happy me, and, drum roll please. . . a MESSY house. Worth it? ABSOLUTELY.  Can I do this everyday? Nope, but should I start doing it more often. Yep.

It has been a long time since I have had a day like this. Which is why I'm writing this down, so I can remember how I can control my own pendulum at least a little by letting things go. By focusing on the simple, yet most important things in my life. Granted there can be days where even if I just focused on my kids they could still be cranky and whinny and it could be a really exhausting and very no good terrible day, which is why I mention the pendulum is not always in our hands, but today it worked out seamlessly and it was so delicious to my soul.
 

While I was Cleaning . . .

Yesterday Liv said to me, "Mom, I was digging in the back yard and I found, like. . .like. . . DECADES of roly poly's".  So cute her use of big new words and how she chooses to insert them into sentences. I love it.

Well, today I'm here to tell you that three of them died. And while I was cleaning I got word of a funeral taking place in my backyard for three very special friends: Tiny Pete, Mr Moose, and Buttercup.  Lets just say it was a beautiful procession. Kind words were shared. Sad faces, proof of mourning. Beautiful decorations. And even a snack from the garden to share with the funeral guests.

Now you know what I mean when I say, a little neglect goes a long way.

Funeral guests in mourning. 

Funeral decor. 

Refreshments. 

Grave site. 

Grave Stones

Invitations

Road Trip to The Strait of Juan de Fuca

Unfortunately this smiley face would end up being quite elusive over the next 24 hours of our road trip, which made things quite trying, but by the second day she had adjusted her little self to the camping lifestyle and was more happy, which made us much more happy.  

Three peas in a pod. 

Hiding behind bullets in a WWII Bunker found at Salt Creek Campground. The kids loved it. 

Liv, giving us a tour of the bunker. 

It was all fun and games, until she got up close to the dear, and it looked at her, then it was get back to Mom as quietly and quickly as possible. 

Sister Love

My Sweetest Girl in the Whole World

Trolls crossing bridges

The road trip to Cape Flattery, which is the very tippy tip of the North West point of the United States of America, was windy, and long, but the trail was absolutely awesome, with little stumps and rocks and bridges leading the way to the end of the continent. 

At the edge of the world. 

It's gorgeous.

And so is she. 

Brown Family at the edge of the continent. 

The little island off of the edge of the continent. 

Alas, our pack mule. 

Alas our mule pack. 

Don't get me wrong, she did do some work. In fact she would have done more if we had the patience. She was a doll on the trail. Trying to be so big and hike like the big kids. Don't you love her socks and pretty sandals? Yea, note to self, get Ruby some hiking shoes. 

My favorite part about the whole dad gum thing was all the gorgeous trees. So many twisty, turny, branches and trunks. I loved it. 

I took this picture from a little hide out Liv showed me behind where we were camping. I had no idea it was here until Liv showed me. Before getting to this spot I had to wack my way through a trail of bushes, then I came across what looked like a little dry ground beaver dam, built by my two oldest to make their hideout look disguised. They let me walk over the dam and through the rest of the trail until we scaled a little cliff and found came to this look out where we perched behind some tree branches on the side of the bluff overlooking a huge bald eagle in flight and this gorgeous scene. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It made all the Ruby squackin, no sleeping, cold wind, and general camp grumpiness in me all worth it. It's truly a moment I had with Liv and W that I'll never forget I hope. Watching that eagle sore over the still water with those magestic rocks int he back ground. Ah. Words can't describe. This is why we do hard things with four kids in tow, so that we, and they can experience moments like this. 

Craggles on the still

Don't ask me why I took this picture, because I have a HUGE fetish and sort of phobia of slivers and craggly wood.  I guess it was the cool twisty branches and roots that made me snap it. 

A close up of their look out. 

More craggleys. 

Beach combing loot at fort Warden, a quick stop we made on our way home. It is in Port Townsend and is filled with tons of Bunkers, and a beach, and lots of cool things to explore. 

Ferry Ride home from Bainbridge to Seattle was the highlight for every one, but Buster, who was too exhausted from the camp out to even so much as bat an eye at the huge wake put out by the ferry boat.

Ruby got a kick out of trying to walk on the swaying ferry in the wind. She looked like a little drunkard. 

Selfie on the Sound, with Seattle's Shoreline.

Ramblings

 I've been going non stop since about 5:45 am. Granted the first hour was all me time, running, reading, and showering, but after that it was go time. Laundry. Cleaning out my closet, in search of a rat. Eew. I know. Gross. One more thing right? Vacuuming. Finding no rat. Dusting. Cleaning. Kids wake up. Breakfast. Clean up. Violin. Chores. More laundry. More kid care. Got them ready for the babysitter and swim lessons. Went to an appointment. Came back to a super messy house. Took Liv to a play date. Put Ruby down for nap. Did violin with Warner. cleaned up the super messy kitchen. Picked up Liv from play date. Came home. Started dinner/ washing/ vacuuming cars. Shouldn't multitask while grilling chicken. Burned the chicken. Stopped fights. Kissed owies. Kind of did a half hearted job of a million things at once. Ate dinner. Played with kids. Family night. Made cookies. Prayed. Sung songs. Bed. Catch up on email. Check facebook, instagram. Now post. It's been a full day. Here's the thing. I'm grateful for my life, but I just gotta say that it's kind of weird to work your butt off all day and then not be able to really tell a difference in your house. I mean there are spots where I can tell I worked here, I tidied here, but really it all seems like a blur and like you wouldn't tell that there was someone working in here all day. I often joke with Jaron that my job is to cover up evidence that people lived in this house today.  Clean up spills. Wipe dirty faces. Clean up dishes. But you can't really tell the work was done, because you don't see the before and after.  It's a wierd thing.

Not every day is like today, but sometimes chores just need to be done, so that other days you can go to a beach with friends or go swim, or just read a book.

But right now I'm actually happy. Glad that it was a nice day of work. Glad that I let Buster help me make the cookies, even though I wanted to just hurry, because it was already 8:30pm, and we hadn't even started Family Night.  I'm glad I let the kids help me wash the car, even though collectively we all did kind of a cruddy job and forgot to wash the top of it completely, and even though Ruby rubbed the dirty soapy water all over her head and face, because she thinks buckets of water mean bath time.
I'm glad I got up early and was able to have time to myself to exercise and read, because it has been making a difference in how I feel.

I gotta be honest though, this summer has not been the easiest. My kids seem to be fighting more than ever and it's only the beginning of summer, but somehow it's good to know that tomorrow is a new day, and at the end of the day, even though they can be turkey's I love them with all my heart, and I would never give up what I have in my life. Ok maybe I'd give up laundry if I could afford to out source that, but the rest I would keep.

Happy Monday.

Good Morning America!

This is me, after a run enjoying the sound of the birds chirping outside and savoring the chill on my skin from the sweat cooling my body down after a good work out. I've prayed. I've studied my scriptures.  I've responded to important emails and now I'm enjoying each uninterrupted bite of my healthy amlet. 

Normally it takes me all morning to accomish these things with four kids in tow. 

Is this how early morning people feel all the time? 

Sheesh. I think it's time I turn over a new leaf and suck it up and GET OUT OF BED. 

This is a "note to self" type blog. 

But I'm curious, do you think people that get up early all the time have to work at it, or is it a genetic thing?   

This blog sort of stems from an article that caught my eye on changing habits by doing 5 minutes a day of something different. 

That led to another article that had suggestions on how to become an early riser and the benefits of it. I employed one of the suggestions this morning, which was to put my alarm clock across the room so that I have to stand up and walk to turn it off. 

This worked magically this morning. I also had a plan last night that I would wake up and run, so I had an immediate purpose to get out of bed. 

It worked today. We shall see about tomorrow. Ah Ruby is awake and squaking now. Parties over 😉 happy Wednsday. 

Right now

She fell asleep in the car after a fun day playing in the sun and I couldn't bring myself to put her down in her crib just yet. Had to soak up the moments while her little head still fits in the crook of my neck.  

Incidentally I took too long taking this picture so now she's awake and probably won't be taking an afternoon nap now. Ah well. It was still worth it.  I think. . . 

Bike Ride with ma girlz

This weekend was the annual "father-sons camp out" . While the boys were building fires "with their bare hands" as Warner excitedly recapped for me when he had gotten home from the camp out, us girls painted nails, watched a movie, and went on a nice long bike ride to a lake. I was impressed with Liv, who clocked 9 miles like it was nothin. She was so excited to put Rubie's supplies in her white basket which came in very handy.

My favorite moment, aside from when we were cruising at fast speeds down big hills while Liv screamed "Waaaahooooo!!" was the moment when a road biker came soaring past Liv and Liv, tilted her helmet and said something to him. I didn't hear what she said, but I could tell it was more than just "hi", so I slowed down and waited for her so I could ask her what she said to him. "What did you say to that biker" I asked. "Oh I just said 'Nice seeing you and smiled'." It was so cute. It made me laugh.

I'm grateful to live by this gorgeous trail, but not so grateful for the huge hill we have to go down to get to it.

The boys had a blast on their camp out and came back tired and stinky. Now everyone is bathed, and napping, and I'm awake and supposed to be preparing a Sunday school lesson for tomorrow, but am procrastinating.

It was fun being with ma girlz.