finding joy in the journey

a parenting sampler of my summer thus far.

• painting a church dress with toothpaste. i'm thankful my kids brush their teeth and it's not a battle anymore.
• a drawing on the wall with a whole tube of brand new lipstick. my child likes beautiful things and it creative.
• 8 little black pieces of rubber that go on the ends of skull ear buds - destroyed. my child can figure things out on her own. she didn't need any help.
• formatting a 500 gig external hard drive full of all the cheney family photos. we have a lot of photos on my blog which i started in 2008. it could be a lot worse.
• a hole in the bathroom door on accident. my child is strong and able to use the bathroom. i don't change any diapers.
• blatant disobedience. my children are free thinkers.
• children micromanaging their parents. my children are learning how lead {like hitler}
• they ate all the chocolate. if they didn't, i would have!
• and drank all the diet pepsi. they have a taste for fine things.

i attended a women's conference at my church a few weekends ago. one of the talks was entitled, 'this too shall pass.' when i think of that statement it is often in reference to situations like the ones i've listed above. but the speaker reminded us that it is more than just the negative.

• anna still speaks like a little girl. this too shall pass
• nicole and matthew couldn't pronounce spaghetti correctly. this has passed
• i don't change diapers or bottle feed anymore. this has passed
• nicole and matthew don't believe in santa claus. this has passed
• anna believes in santa claus. this too shall pass
• nicole and matthew don't have any baby teeth. this has passed
• anna still has a mouthful of baby teeth. this too shall pass
• all my kids are in all day school this year. this too shall pass
• all our kids live at home. this too shall pass

my aunt jill told me on nicole's 5th birthday that she [nicole] would be graduating from high school the very next week. nicole is 14 and starting high school. jill was right!

i just need to keep reminding myself to find joy in this journey because we are living our 'someday' and for the most part, it's pretty darn good.

a thought on the mother's curse.

so there is a mother's curse. when you grow up i hope you have a child just like you. i know why mother's do this. it's because we grow up, to do so many things, just like them. it's their validation. pretty sneaky, huh? that being said, it has to be obvious my children are awesome. [they are just like me.] but does that excuse them for mocking me when i vacuum the kitchen floor? [just like my mom?] they are grounded.

waxing sentimental

tonight before i go to bed, i have to tell you how lucky and blessed i am to have to many awesome people in my life. this week i have gone walking with a friend, spent time at the lake with other friends and had a late night campfire with more friends. my visiting teacher, someone i didn't even really know two months ago, is so awesome! we went to shipwreck beads on thursday and had a great time. i have a friend clear across the country in pennsylvania who i miss so much and another in georgia, who i've known since high school, who i'd love to see again. i had a conversation with one of my besties from kansas this week. i miss her a lot! on saturday i saw cousins who have been near and dear to me since i was a little girl and i loved every minute of our time together. i'm so thankful for my kids. our house has been really quiet this week with only nicole at home. i can't wait for the noise to commence. just thinking about all the awesome people in my life brings me to tears. it's not often a girl associate with so many people that only buoy her up. i am so blessed.

15 years and counting.

15 years and 1 day ago i spent the last night in my mom and dad's house. yep, i'm one of those people. i went from the room i shared with my 11 year old sister to the room i share with my husband. [maybe that's why i want to live in a shed! i just want my own room.] i digress.  15 years ago today, i woke up at 4 in the morning and woke up everyone who spent the night in my room with me...gina and adam. hey guys! wake up! i'm getting married. they weren't as excited as i was. they are lame.

this is my favorite picture from that day. the sun was shining and there were no clouds in the sky. in seattle! that doesn't always happen around here, even though it does happen a lot more often than you may think, if you've never been to these parts.

 fifteen years later, i couldn't be happier. i really love this guy. he is equally as nerdy as i am and that just may be our secret. we have a great time together and laugh the whole way. it's not really a secret though. we may or may not be some of the loudest people you know.

so i gave ken his metal chicken to celebrate our anniversary and can you believe he was surprised? just not in a good way. even though i've been telling him for months i was going to get him one. there is a video below. it has a swear word. [damn] watch it or don't. click here for the link if you aren't reading this on my blog.

 i told him the chicken's name was beyonce. he chose to be offended about not even being able to name it. the chicken's new name is damn chicken.

here is an anniversary countdown.

• we've been married 15 years-the year of the big metal chicken!
• we have a 14 year old daughter
• we have a 13 year old son
• lived in 12 houses
• we've gone on separate vacations 11 times.
• robert would be 10
• ken has worked 9 different jobs, in 4 different industries. [we had a hard time committing to a profession at first.]
• we've visited 8 temples together
• we've gone to ensign ranch 7 times
• we have a 6 year old daughter
• we've bought 5 cars together.
• we've lived in 4 states
• 3 - the number of anniversaries we've spent together, not counting this year.
• ken has baptized 2 of our children.
• 1 happy family.
• 0 - the number of times we've gone away without our kids. [that will all change in november]
• we are married for eternity

so that's how we roll. i hope you have a great august 9! i know we will.

cheers!

i'm complaining.

i have been growing my hair out since january. i've had it cut 4 times to keep it out of the mullet stage, but other than that, i've let it grow. i had great plans for a super cute hair style. last friday i went to my lady who cuts my hair to get said super cute hair style. she messed it up. big time. she messed it up so badly i told her i couldn't wear my hair like that and had her cut it a lot shorter to 'fix' it. i'm still sad three days later. i don't typically care that much. the funny thing is, i have had this exact haircut dozens of times. [the one she gave me to fix the bad one.] i've even had it cut shorter than it is right now and loved it. but i don't want it anymore. i want a longer short hairstyle. and i paid my dues with 8 months of frumpy hair. and i'm back to square one. and i think i look like a man. ryan to be exact. 

boo.

***

in other news:

 matthew left this morning at 5:30 for scout camp. he will gone until saturday. i miss that little stinker already. it's after 8 and no one had asked me if they can watch tv, play on my phone, or go to the lake. what am i going to do with my time! i'll tell you what i'm going to do.  i'm going to clean his room and throw all the junk away! muhahaha.

i love an empty closet. it is beautuful.

***

i have three countdowns on my phone right now. here's an update on important dates in my near-ish future.

my birthday is in 78 days. i'm going to have a birthday party. we will be eating fondue. a lot of it. and it will be delicious.

ken and i are going on vacation without our anchors children in 101 days.

ensign ranch is in 165 days. too much food, the best talent show ever and an epic game of pit and loaded questions await our arrival to the ranch. that reminds me, i'm in charge of the gift exchange again. 3rd year in a row. note to self: get that email sent out.

one date, not on my phone:

ken and i will be married for fifteen years this thursday. do you know what that means? see here if you need a reminder.

***

a few weeks ago i sent out a challenge to throw away 100 things in your home. did you do it? i did! i may do it again this week. all from matthew's room. haha.

***

i think that is all for now. stay tuned for more awesomeness.  here is a picture to look at. i need a ceiling fan in my house so i can do this.

Source: postteenageliving.com via Nella on Pinterest

july awesomeness

here's what happened last month that i was too lame to blog about.

• nicole turned 14.
• she went to her first mariner's game.
• and to wild waves.
• and her first stake dance.
• anna turned 6 years old.
• she's been telling me she is big now.
• i went to girl's camp. first time since i was 15.
• matthew started football practice.
• tackle football practice.
• we fed the missionaries twice.
• we went to the dosewallips.
• we got cable tv. (to watch the olympics)
• we canceled netflix.
• i didn't get to go to utah to see my bff.
• gina got to hang out with mybff.
• i worked 158 hours.
• i went to target with my friend amy. (<--- click that link!)
• i made a costume for my friend, lara, who is in a musical review in tacoma. tonight!
• we are going to that review.
• i talked over 3014 minutes on my cell phone.
• i sent 641 text messages.
• i practiced the piano.
• my brother moved from michigan to astoria. 
• welcome home garen!
• i didn't eat very many nachos.
• ken's brother, rick and his family, came to visit us.
• 4th time in 15 years cheney's have graced our door.
• it was a great time.
• i went swimming in the lake fully clothed. again.
• i polar dipped at camp in glacier water...fully clothed also. (in my defense, i wasn't planning on doing it but i had to support my 6th year!)
• i think that covers the big stuff.
• happy august. i'll post at least once a week until school starts back up and we aren't so busy.

ttfn! 

said, dedra