The Reason for the Season

The spirit of Christmas is indeed the Christ spirt." - President Thomas S. Monson 

What a wonderful opportunity to play Mary and baby Jesus in West End Creative Group's newest Christmas video. Although Everett is quite a chubby "newborn", he played the role perfectly. Looking down at him during filming, I thought of the feelings and thoughts Christ's mother, Mary, had as she held the Savior of the world in her arms for the first time. It reminded me of the song, Mary Did You Know?

 If any of you have not heard it, here are the lyrics: 

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am. 

Our Heavenly Father has given us the greatest gift there has ever been given, and that is the life and light of our elder brother, Jesus Christ. He did indeed come into this world to save us.  Because of Him I know that we can repent and live again. Because of Him I know that there is no suffering we cannot handle. Because of Him I know that families are eternal. 

May we remember this precious gift that has been given to each of us this holiday season. 

Family Pictures

I absolutely love this time of year. 

The earth is covered in a layer of white, the air is filled with magic and you are surrounded by all those you love and care about. There's nothing better. 

This year we have a new addiction to our family and his presence has made such a difference in our lives. Everett is already teaching me so much as a new mother and wife. Life has a whole new meaning. I have learned that nothing else matters. 

I know that God created families so that we can have joy. 

These boys are my joy. 

 

Photo credit: Lori Romney Photography 

Guest Blog Post on My Kind of Simple

 Last week Kimberly Smith, from My Kind of Simple, asked me to write a guest blog post for her blog. I know Kim from back in high school and she has the cutest blog. I have loved reading from a fellow wife and mother about her day to day life experiences.  She asked me to write about what my kind of simple looks like and about my transition into motherhood. I thought I would share what I wrote: 

I absolutely love Kim’s blog moto, “ Remember that the simple things in life are often the most treasured.” Life is anything but simple and I don’t think anyone would argue that. Life is so complex and all of us are truly just trying to get through it. But what if we only focused on that complexity all of the time? We’d all have chronic headaches. So there must be balance. There must be simplicity. Those simple, quiet and lovely moments are what create that balance. Those “simple things” are what make life worth living.

My new life as a mother is the BEST and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But I have had to learn how to take a step back and simplify. I can’t do everything that I was doing before. Sometimes I get discouraged when I don’t complete everything on my list for that day. At times the house doesn’t get cleaned, or the laundry and dishes are neglected but in the end I have to look at what I have done. Being a mother in and of itself is a lot of hard work. I didn’t know that until I became one 11 weeks ago. The question I often have to ask myself is, what am I going to remember?  Will I remember that the house was vacuumed or that I got to cuddle with my baby boy and read him a story as he fell asleep in my arms? I can tell you that moments such as this make all my troubles wash away.

I have learned that you can’t plan for these moments, they come when they come. But if you are to overwhelmed or stressed, then they can be overlooked and forgotten. Here are some things that have helped me balance my life as a new mom and that have allowed me to enjoy these precious moments:

1. Cleaning the house- Cleaning is always discouraging especially when there is a lot to do. Housework can add up quick! One thing that I have loved doing is baby wearing. I put Everett in my wrap and he comes right along for the fun. One day he’ll be a little more help (wink, wink) but for now he pretty much sleeps through the cleaning. This has allowed me to still be with him and get things done!
2. Working out- Of course before the baby I just had to worry about Taylor and I. Now, with another person to care for there is less and less time to take care of myself. I think that every mom can relate to that. So working out or even showering gets put on the back burner. I have found the best times to work out are when Everett is sleeping. Although I can’t go to the gym or go on a run I can watch YouTube. Yes, you heard me. YouTube. You can find everything from yoga to kickboxing videos on there. It’s the BEST! This has been so helpful for me because I have little or no time when it comes to working out.
3. Cooking- Cooking can be an overwhelming thing for me. So instead of thinking I have to make an entire full course meal. I just focus on making one item within the meal. Say I’ve mastered lasagna (main course), then I get a premade creaser salad (side), then I focus my efforts to making something new and broadening my skills. So I try something like garlic bread twists (second side). Let’s say I want to try making chicken cordon blue (main course), I then pair it with a pan of roasted potatoes (side). The idea is that I’m not trying to overwork myself. I’m not trying to make a whole complex meal. I’m focusing my efforts towards one item within the meal and then simplifying the other items. 

You’ve got to start simple. You can’t be a mom, work, shower, have a spotless house, go to cross fit everyday, and eat like a king…if you can do all of that, props to you! Doing the simple things that I talked about above have allowed me to be present and a part of these precious simple moments in my life. Some of my favorite yet simple moments are made up of cuddles, pillow talk, family dance parties, and walks. It truly is these simple things that I treasure most. 

Everett's Baby Blessing

November 1, 2015 Everett received the most beautiful baby blessing from his daddy. During E's blessing I could feel the love that our Father in Heaven has for him. We feel so blessed to have such supportive family and friends who surrounded us with love and made this day so special.

 I am grateful for my eternal family. 

I am grateful for a husband that holds and honors his priesthood. 

And I am grateful for our precious baby Everett. 

Our Little Family

Back in July I won a giveaway on Instagram for a newborn session by Lindsay Olsen Photography. We kept in contact all summer and finally our little Everett made his entrance into our lives. On day 8 of life on earth we went to Lindsay's studio and she worked her magic. I had no idea the talent it takes to photograph newborns. Posing little humans that startle easily, poop, and pee...  takes a lot of patience and sweat. 

We are so happy with how these photos turned out. I could stare at our beautiful baby boy all day long. We feel so blessed to be his parents. These two boys are my everything. 

Lindsay, we can't thank you enough for photographing such a sweet moment of our lives.