Wipes

She cleaned the entire wipe container out. She sure had fun! :)

Love, Aubrey

Fall Time

I have really come to enjoy fall time. It is a pleasurable experience to sit on the front porch and look out at the mountains at the different colors of all the fall leaves. The air is refreshingly crisp, perfect hoodie weather, which I absolutely LOVE hoodies. The afternoon is the perfect time to go for a walk/jog. The moonrise happens pretty early in the evening due to the shorter days. Work is slow for Josh, so he comes home pretty early most days. I just like this time of year. It's really a delight.

Here's some fall pictures I've snapped over the last week or so.

She kind of looks grumpy in this one. But it's just the sun. She was laughing and having a good time. And then mom would ask her to look up at the camera and the sun was in her eyes haha

After she'd pick all the flowers, I'd turn the flower pot so the front side looked nice. Soon, there won't be any sides with flowers left on them.

See that cheerio balancing on her upper lip? It stayed there all of dinner, while she ate, played, dumped food everywhere, drank from her water bottle...that cheerio stayed put. It helped that she had snot with which to secure it there, but still...

Our beautiful fall fire!

Love, Aubrey

Halloween Cat

Sam makes a pretty darn adorable cat, if ya ask me.

The only cat I'll allow inside.

Ready for the ward Halloween party!

Those hips, though! Crack me up!

Begging for food and attention.

She was so captivated when the kids were doing the monster mash dance.

There was a trunk or treat after the dinner and monster mash, but we didn't stay for that. Cats gets grumpy when they're tired and it's past their bedtime, so we headed home. Which is a bummer because Josh had the BEST idea. We have a small thing of cat food to lure in the neighbor cats for Sam to pet. He emptied and washed it out and then lined it with a grocery bag, and that was her trunk or treat candy bag. It was pretty clever!

Happy Halloween!

Love, Aubrey

Date Night

We have quite the system worked out. One week Josh and I go on a date and Tasha and Eric babysit Sam. Then one week we watch Samson and Violet and they go on a date. And then the next week we get a temple night and the next week they are able to go to the temple.

This is before we dropped her off at Tasha's.

As much as I love having Sam with us, it was so nice to go on a date with just Josh. We had the perfect evening. The downtown theater is called the Movie Grille...it's dinner and a movie. We watched the silly Minion Movie as we ate dinner, in recliner seats! We almost had the theater to ourselves. We bought our tickets online but didn't like the seats that we had, so we moved seats, to the perfect seat. And then the only other people that were in the movie had tickets for those exact seats...so we moved over a few, to the even more perfect seats. And enjoyed our movie and dinner.

We played a game of pool while we waited for the movie

We got out of the theater just as the sun had set, so we walked around the temple, a block down the road. We were provided the perfect view, the mountains in the distance, a half moon sitting above the mountain range, the temple with all its lighted glory, and the beautiful flowers that surround the grounds. Walking hand in hand, we talked about how grateful we are for temples and families and for simple moments like this that strengthen our love for each other.

I am reading the Book of Mormon and I've been having a hard time keeping track of the timeline of everything, so we went to Deseret Book and found an outline that explains the timeline and events. We also found some skeleton Halloween candy, perfect for the package we're sending Taylin.

Then we went to DI where we found Sam a Halloween costume...pictures of that to come in a future post. And I tried on over 20 blouses, for Taylin. Now, if you know me, you know that's a BIG DEAL. I rarely make it past 3 blouses before I'm shopped out and grumpy. But I was on fire, so I basically found every possible shirt on all the racks and tried them on. I'd call it a successful trip. And we couldn't leave without rummaging through their book section.

Then we drove around and enjoyed a mixture of conversation and happy silence. During those silences I just kept thinking about how much happiness I feel when I'm around him. It really was the perfect evening.

Love, Aubrey

Hiking Buddies

Tasha is my friend. Really, she's an answer to many prayers that I've said over the last year, since moving to Utah. Tasha is in my old ward and we sat next to each other in Sunday School and Relief Society because Sam and Violet would entertain each other. Tasha taught RS (which I was always super impressed by, she does such a great job!) and I'd always go home wishing I could be more like her.

The week before we moved, Tasha offered to watch Sam for me while I packed and while we moved. So I took her up on the offer, which I'm so glad I did! Then we took our kids to the park and talked and talked and talked! She was such a fun person to get to know and talk with. Since then, we've traded off babysitting. And we hang out all the time! We take our kids to library discovery time, go on walks, workout together, and let our kids play together all day. I consider her one of my closest friends. We are a lot alike, which I think is why we clicked so well. She is so great and I'm so thankful for her friendship!

We like to go on hikes, too!

Tasha balanced her phone on the tree limbs to get this picture. SKILLLLL

It was the perfect fall day to go on a hike.

Love, Aubrey

Journals

Journals. If there one passion I have in life, this is probably it. I have this overwhelming desire for EVERYONE to write in a journal, because I know it's important. And I know that our children and grandchildren will be blessed as they get to know us through our own words. Everyone has a unique story and experience in this journey of life and I think it's worth recording!

I will forever be thankful for Shiree Phillips Bradley, who gave a young women's lesson about writing in journals. She brought some of her journals and gave us some tips and ideas about journal writing. And that Christmas my parents bought me my first journal. And the rest is history. (haha...get it?) When she showed us some of the journals that she had written in I thought to myself, "There's no way I will ever be able to write that much?!" But I started anyway. At first I didn't write every day, but over time it became a habit to write at least something every day. There is always at least one thing to be grateful for in a day. Near the time that I started writing, Elder Eyring gave a talk in General Conference and he said, "I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done."

As I read through my journals, I sometimes I wish I could rip pages out, change or delete some things I have said or done or thought, but as silly as I feel I know that my posterity will come to know me through those writings. They will see that I too was human. And that I was once a young girl, a college student, a newly wed, a mother, and all the roles in between.

 President Kimball, way back in 1980, said, "We may think there is little of interest or importance in what we personally say or do—but it is remarkable how many of our families, as we pass on down the line, are interested in all that we do and all that we say. People often use the excuse that their lives are uneventful and nobody would be interested in what they have done. But I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records, they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others, on through the generations. Each of us is important to those who are near and dear to us—and as our posterity read of our life’s experiences, they, too, will come to know and love us. And in that glorious day when our families are together in the eternities, we will already be acquainted.Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life."

I usually don't write a ton in my posts, but this is something I feel very passionate about, so here me out! I just finished another journal and so I'm literally starting a new chapter in my life as I open up a brand new, unmarked journal where I will record the next few months of my life. I went through all my journals and as I was reminiscing I also snapped a few pictures to show you some things I like to include in my journals. Consider this my personal Journal 101 session. I didn't take too many pictures of the actual pages where I write because some things are personal and some silly and some just not meant for the internet.

This is my second journal, and I obviously hadn't figured out that the binding can only hold so much memory....So don't over-stuff it. Just get a new one. Or you'll have to rubberband it together like me, and store it in a gallon size bag to keep it all together.

This is on the inside cover, where I like to put pictures, quotes, inspirational stuff, and random things with my name on it.

I love girls camp, but that's about all I'd remember if I didn't write about it...just that it was...fun. But because I wrote about it I will forever remember the special and spectacular things that happened, and so will my children and my grandchildren.

I like to paste notes that I get from people. Skyler is so good about writing me notes, and always has been. And I'm pretty sure they have all found their way into my journal. I look back with smiles; I get all nostalgic as I read her sweet (and most of the time really funny) notes.

I keep silly things like this, so that I can look back and remember that I was a champion runner....even if it meant making my own medal. I'm pretty sure I got last place, as usual, but that's not important.

2010...what a great year!

More notes. If you've ever written me a note or letter or sent me a card, it's most likely somewhere in my journal stash.

More decorations on the inside covers.

Sometimes I like to type my journal. So I get a binder and keep it all organized. I usually write until I get 20 pages and then print them and put them in the binder, and add all the little doo-dads that I want to preserve. I love that picture of me and my mom at the Atlanta temple. When I look at the picture I get to relive it, and it brings back so many happy memories!

I doodled a lot in high school. This must have been in 10th grade when I did color guard.

That's my typed pages. Sometimes I do fun fonts and colors, but most of the time I just do times new roman.

I just type until I fill a binder.

I found some pictures of my parents in their BC (before children) days. There is a natural curiosity regarding what life was like for our parents and ancestors. 

I like to include inspirational things that I find, like this. This was back in high school when I was training for a marathon. It inspired me to run. And stay hydrated, obviously.

I was in the newspaper a few times in high school, and I thought that was pretty cool. So I put them in my journal!

Sometimes I don't realize the significance of something until looking back at it. Like this post. "Rexburg bound." My first time away from home. It's where I studied to become a nurse. It's where I met some of my dearest friends. And it's where my life took a direction that has affected and continues to affect my eternal exaltation, when I met and married the man of my dreams. And now I have a beautiful family. I'm so glad that on August 16, 2010 I decided to take that big step and move across the country to Rexburg.

Cards from my mom are THE BEST. And I want every one to know how amazing my mom is. So I save everything I get from her. And I read through them often.

This is the journal where I started dating Josh, so it's pretty thick and full of mushy gushy romance.

I was able to write about our daily adventures, about what impressed me about him, about my worries, my joys, my journey to falling completely in love with Josh. Before we got married I read through this journal and realized I would be making a terrible mistake if I didn't marry him. He is truly the GREATEST person I know. He is my everything. And it all started at the sand dunes, which is all detailed in the words on these pages!

I record our traditions. Tradition is so important for families. And recording them is essential to help them stay alive.

Josh's first "love note" to me. That I will cherish forever. And when I'm old and have dementia I'll read these and think, "oh, what a complete gentleman, I wish I knew him!"

These are doodles when Josh and I watched general conference. Of course we paid attention, these were drawn during songs. haha

My posterity will know that I was a voter.

Another love note.

Letters and notes from friends!

Special things that have been given to me over the years. Like this bracelet that Sarah D made for me our senior year of high school and I wore it until not long ago. I didn't want to lose it, so I taped it in my journal. With reindeer duct tape.

Serious, if you've ever written to me, it's probably in here. haha

I can look back at big days like this.

Or bigger days, like when I got engaged!

I write often about how much I love and miss my family, and days like this are special, when I board a jet plane and return to Georgia, where I was born and raised. I had such a good childhood!

Or how about when I had a baby. Sam is going to love reading through these.

I had my journal at the hospital as we were excitedly awaiting the arrival of our dear Sammy. When it got to where I couldn't write anymore, I had Taylin take notes of what times things were happening and some of the things that people said. These are fun to read through. Epidurals do wonderful things.

I number all my pages. This is something that Shiree talked about when she gave her lesson on journals. That way if a page falls out I know where to put it. It just helps with the organization of it all.

Sometimes I add pictures to my journal.

There they all are. My life on a bookshelf.

More pictures. That was a fun day!

It's important to remember. Keeping things like this funeral program, and writing about the few times I met Zac, will help me remember the impact he's had on my life.

And then I keep silly things like this. We were in church and I told Josh I wanted fish sticks for lunch when we got home. So he drew me this.

Well, I hope you were maybe even a little inspired to write in a journal. It doesn't have to be every day. It doesn't have to be super detailed. And you don't have to keep every letter ever written to you. But, it is important to write, because your life is significant and unique and spectacular.

To finish with what President Kimball said, "We hope you will begin as of this date. If you have not already commenced this important duty in your lives, get a good notebook, a good book that will last through time and into eternity for the angels to look upon. Begin today and write in it your goings and your comings, your deeper thoughts, your achievements, and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies."

Love, Aubrey