1.29.2017

This Is Us...

.... Which by the way, I love that show. Landon won't watch it with me. Boo. 


But the only title I could think of this week was that. Because I just wrote A LOT of stuff about us. 

Lando: 

Ran 16 miles on Saturday. Training for your first marathon is fun because every Saturday you run a new longest. He finished listening to Killing Regan on his run and started Harry Potter again. I'm sure he was smiling from ear to ear! He really loves Doctor Perry and is learning so much from him, both medicine and life knowledge. He has this incredible ability to make each one of us happy--its such a blessing for our family. He went to the temple. He set up and took me on a double date with our friends, the Beazers. He's currently making jax laugh like no one else can. We love him! 

Becs: 

My week was really busy. We fed the missionaries on Monday, we had a relief society activity on Tuesday that I helped with. I helped run the Cub Scout Pack meeting on Wednesday (scouts is crrazzzy people!). I went to a baby shower for a wife of a resident in Landon's program thursday. Date night Friday and then on Saturday our ward put together dinners at various people houses. We hosted the Finns, Durrants and the Jensens. It was really really fun! Hopefully they were okay with the tight head quarters. I held a ward play group at my house this week too--I hope it can continue. 

My test results continue to come back from the reproductive endocrinologist office. This doctor here was pretty sure I didn't have PCOS when we first started working with him, but I think he is slowly starting to change his mind. Unrelated, my vitamin D levels are really low, #spokane. Who knows what will happen in the next few months. But all we can do is do our part, act, and then put the rest in the Lords hands. I have full confidence that we are exactly where the Lord wants us to be and we are heading in the direction we are suppose to go as we continue to add to our little family. And thats such a great feeling! 

Jax: 
He has really struggled lately. Its been hard on both of us, trying to understand whats going on. I talked to both grandmas and got their advice on Monday afternoon. We put Ty down and did a special FHE with just Jax. It was maybe my most powerful mommy moment to date. We talked about things that make him happy and things that he is struggling with. Daddy gave him a blessing. It was sweet. After the blessing I asked Jax if he wanted to talk to us about anything else. He then talked to us for close to an hour. Non stop talking. Just about everything. School, church, friends, people, etc. I learned so so so much about him. I think he is a home body and a family body. I love both those things about him so much. I love being a mom. And I love being a mom to these boys. Motherhood takes a lot out of you. And this week im just realizing how much emotionally motherhood can take out of you. I've mostly dealt with the physical aspects of motherhood thus far. Both can be exhausting! Either way, I never feel more empowered than when I am working with God, Landon, (and grandmas) to raise my kids. It is such a blessing to be a mother! 

Ty: 
He really is understanding so much and expressing himself even better. I feel like he almost said a few words this week. Ty is a goof ball. I mean an absolute cheeser. But on the flip side, he also has this spidey sense. He knows when someone needs help. Like today me and him were playing legos while Daddy and Jaxy were home teaching. I put my head on the ground and closed my eyes. He came over and kissed my cheek, patted my head, ran and grabbed his blanket and then brought it to me (and stuffed it in my mouth). I love that he can sense peoples emotions and wants to help. He also will pat anyone who is crying or sad. He wants people to be happy and he wants people to be together. Like we all have to be sitting at the table when we are eating or he will scream. Oh his screaming.... oh well... Hes the bom dot com. 



















1.22.2017

I Hate My New Years Resolution!

Becca: 
Yeah so, I hate my new year's resolution. It was just the absolute worst. I wasn't fixing the biggest problem I have (spending quality time with my kids) and focusing on the very thing that distracts me most (my phone). SOOOOO.... Its still January, I can change it right?

My new 2017 resolution is to have 3 INTENTIONAL MOMENTS (IMs) everyday. One with Landon, one with Jax and one with Ty. Then to write them down. My goal is really simple. I just want to do something intentional with/for each one of my people. Like one day this week I text Landon that "I was so grateful he was my man." One day I asked Jax what three things he loved about school and three things he didn't and then proceeded to have follow up questions. And one day I got off in the middle of a phone conversation to play with ty ty who desperately needed my attention. Three little things, but three intentional things. I just want to be a little more intentional. Mom life can just get so routine and almost thoughtless. I seriously find myself in my own little world even in the middle of having a conversation with Jax. I just want my boys to know that I loved them and that I tried, every day, in a small way to be intentional. Because really they are my whole world, I love them and at the end of my life, they are who i'll think about. Well them, and all of their people too. So three I.M.s for each one of my boys every day. Its been a fun fun week--and i've even found that at the end of the day, i've still forgotten to do something. Isn't that crazy? This is good. 

Other than that, I went and saw Tiffany on Saturday, it was her birthday and it was a blast for all of us to be with her and her kiddos. It did good things to my heart, I love that family so so much! I've been going to Cub Scouts now every Wednesday night. I went with the resident doctor wives to cafe rio--and thats just a win no matter how you look at it. It was a good week. I'm really enjoying right now. No feeling of rushing to the next stage of our life, no looking back. It may have to do with lando's rotation... just a little bit #outpatient 

Lando: 
Is working at the VA and LOVES the doctor he is working with. And is inspired by the veterans he sees. He ran outside for the first time this week in the balmy temperature of 37. He had MLK day off! He always has a few books he reads, but the one he loves the most right now is "How to Win Friends & Influence People." I got that for him for Christmas, thank you very much! 

Jaxy: 
Man I love this human. I do think he is experiencing loneliness and neither of us know how to help him. I just feel like 5 is a wonderful age because they become so much more capable and aware and opinionated and 5 is hard for the same reasons. He got a CTR ring at church and is obsessed. He loved playing at the open gym and of course with his besties Kade & Ten Ten! He is brilliant--I know you're not suppose to say that, but whatever. He basically knows how to read now, he can add really big numbers in his head. Like 201+123.  He makes these legos that I feel like could actually be sold by LEGO with an instruction manual. Mama Woolf is right, LEGOS are my boys thing. He learns things fast and never forgets them. He is athletic and spends hours every day shooting the basketball or kicking the soccer ball. Man, he is a rock star and I don't care who knows it. I'm one proud mom of this little man. 

Ty: 
I am obsessed with this little guy right now. Every single thing about him makes me happy. I just want to freeze him in this phase, turn down his vocal cords slightly, add a few more words and i'd be good forever. He is insanely compassionate. If someone is crying he jumps right up and pats their head. He is aware of emotions. He is playful. He'll drop to his hands and knees and egg you on to chase him. He has determination and will power. He may or may not control our household right now. His hair is who he is... amazing. And even a sister in relief society commented about his hair during her lesson. If I go somewhere and his hair is actually under control, people frown and say.... "What happened?"  

OH man! I'm gushing. I love them. They are sleeping right now so I can easily say a million wonderful things about them. My feelings may change tomorrow morning at 8:00am sharp when I make them eat avocado toast. 

Life is happy! God is good! Christ is our Savior! Families are forever! 

Peace. 




















1.15.2017

Minimalism.

Becca: 
Over the years i've become more and more passionate about minimalism. I've thought about starting some kind of instagram account/blog to show how our family is becoming minimalists, but I kind of decided I needed to spend my time other ways. Like playing with my boys. But if any of you want to know where I've been inspired... Marie Kondo, Joshua Becker, The Minimalists Documentary, Allie Casazza... to name a few. I could talk your ear off about this stuff, so if you ever have questions, ask me :)! But if not, i'll just say, I really believe less stuff brings more joy. Its crazy how well my kids play with only a few toys and how little I find myself cleaning up every day. The more I get rid of the more time I have on my hands to do things I actually want to do. Thats enough, i'll stop. Basically, I just love it and thought i'd share. 

ALSO if you like podcasts, The God Centered Mom podcast, the only podcast besides Serial i've ever listened to, is AMAZING! These are just a few of the things that have taken up my time and thoughts lately. 

Landon: 
Had Monday off because his new rotation wasn't ready for him. YAY! So we built an igloo together. He took most of the week readjusting to being awake during the day. He fell asleep most evenings at 7:00pm. He ran 14 miles on the treadmill. Yuck, but awesome. He is happy to not be on the night shifts, and is enjoying what he is learning at the VA. 

Jaxson: 
LOVES building amazing things with his legos. And creating wonderful games with his creations. He's growing up and creating opinions and relationships outside of me. I love it. He has had a harder time lately in social settings. I think the Indy move was hard on him and continues to be. But we are grateful for the friends he does have and i'm particularly happy when he actually decides to play with them. 

Tyler: 
IS the best. And his hair IS amazing. And he LOVES me. If i'm laying down, he will just come and lay by me. The other day he laid on Jaxson's bed with me for at least 10 minutes. Didn't move, just cuddled up next to me and stayed. 


A few other things to mention this week. 

At a church meeting last night a marriage and family therapist said that the new average age a child views pornography for the first time is 6 years old. SIX. Jax, you are 9 months away from that age. SIX! Another counselor said that sex industries are targeting children. The earlier they can get kids addicted to sexual activity and pornography the more money these industries make.  That makes me sick and scared and sad. But it also makes me extremely motivated to do more. They recommended that husband and wife read together: "30 Days of Sex Talks" and Overcoming Pornography 

Our car got stuck stuck stuck on the side of a cliff on my way to an infertility consultation. It was crazy and a little bit emotional. But i'm grateful for visiting teachers and their husbands who let me borrow their car, watched my kids, and dug out my car while I was at the appointment AND Bishops who let us use his tractor to pull us to safety. It was crazy. 

Thats all. :) Happy week:)!