Bedroom Makeover

When I think back to being a newlywed, it feels like a lifetime ago. After Andrew and I got married (over 8 years ago!) and moved into our first unfurnished apartment, we purchased some furniture. It wasn't hard to decide where to begin our search in small Rexburg, so we headed for the one furniture store we knew of. Pretty quickly, we found 2 matching black dressers and were happily on our way. Those black dressers have followed us over the years through multiple moves.

Andrew was quite proud of our new furniture, especially since we got a deal. For a while, it felt like Andrew told almost everyone who came over about the killer deal we got on the dressers. Eventually, I had to tell Andrew that I actually didn't love the style of the black furniture, so he would stop bringing it up and showing every guest that entered our house our bargain find.

Recently, I've been more bugged than ever by our cheap, poor-college-students purchase. These dressers didn't hold up super well over the years and some pieces have broken off. Andrew was completely on board with the new dresser idea and the hunt began. After consulting my sister and sending her some of the options I was considering, I felt confident with my choice.

But, like any project, you change one thing and then suddenly, -BOOM- you have to update everything else in the room immediately. What started out as a quest to find a replacement for our ugly, black dressers, turned into a bedroom makeover.

Suddenly, our $20 mismatched nightstands didn't seem so classy. (They weren't even picture worthy.) I purchased 2 nightstands that matched the new, sleek dresser. They even have drawers which is a luxury I'm unfamiliar with. Our room looks clutter-free because our remote and books have hiding places. We knew when ordering the nightstands that they might be too short next to our massive bed. We were right. This meant we got to spend more money! We bought a new bedframe/headboard that allowed us to get rid of our oversized box spring. You can't get a modern new bed and skip fresh bedding. Next purchase: a new white bedspread.

(From Wayfair)

(Also Wayfair, but was cheaper on Amazon. I promise the color matches. It's called Caramel.)

Target

We learned a hard lesson during this process. I wanted our dresser up STAT and Andrew went with it to please me. He put together most of the dresser while keeping track of 2 kids in the room since I was teaching piano. As a result, our kids made the mess of a century with Styrofoam. It was EVERYWHERE! I'm not exaggerating when I say it took longer to clean up the Styrofoam mess than to put the dresser together. After 2 full of hours of cleaning and vacuuming, the mess was mostly gone. (Just yesterday I found more Styrofoam!) Needless to say, when the nightstands arrived, our kids were eager to jump into the Styrofoam and we firmly put a stop to that before another disaster struck. Andrew says someday I'll laugh about this. That day has not come.

The new vibe in our bedroom was definitely worth it though! The space was transformed and feels chic and tranquil. Just when you think there isn't anything else we could possibly need in our bedroom, I'll prove you wrong. We may get another dresser because we don't have quite as much space as we used to. (We went from 10 drawers to 6.) Also, wouldn't cute throw pillows add something? Jess, my go-to interior designer, suggested adding a plant in the corner. Whew! I think we'll take a break for now.

Andrew keeps bringing up my birthday and asking what I want. My response is typically, "I got a new bedroom, I don't need anything else!" Aka-- don't spend a cent more! I'm thinking that our new furniture may last more than 8 years, so I'm glad we invested in something I love. And I actually kind of secretly hope that Andrew does show off our room to guests.

Embarrassing Loss

I am vigilant about taking "the pill." Right before I got married, I forgot to bring my birth control with me shopping. When I realized my mistake, I was frazzled. I sped to meet my kind dad in a random parking lot, so he could give me my prescription. As you can see, birth control is no joke to me.

I have an alarm set on my phone and it goes off daily. In case you're wondering, I do adjust the time I take my pill with day-light savings for added security. Even my kids are aware of my "medicine." Just yesterday, I heard James say it was time for my "birth control." I didn't know he was familiar with that phrase. Some of my friends casually say, "oh, I just take the pill when I get ready for bed and the time varies every night." If you can live like that, more power to you! 

Right before Christmas, I was frantically packing presents and an overnight bag to go to my parent's house. There was a lot to do. I took my pill that morning (at 11:30am to be precise), but later couldn't find it anywhere. My little container of pills should be in one of two places: a basket on our kitchen table, or a specified pocket in the diaper bag. I searched and cleaned and prayed. Nothing. I had Andrew look. No luck. I checked everywhere... the trunk of my car, the piano, shoes, the dryer, you name it. I don't typically lose things and this was frustrating for me. Eventually, I decided to get a new prescription. 

Fast forward about 2 weeks (I had nearly forgotten about the said missing pills) and I got a phone call from an unknown number. Luckily, I answered. It was a librarian. "We found some medication in one of the books you returned. I think it's birth control. Is it missing?" Talk about humiliating and random! What were my pills doing for 2 weeks? I know books go into quarantine when you return them, but it's only for a couple of days... And how could my pills possibly have ended up in one of my books!?

I was thrilled knowing that a month of my birth control pills didn't go to waste... I can push off my annual OBGYN appointment one more month which is a big win. I was less thrilled about going to retrieve my pills at the library. I went while James was in preschool, so I didn't have to explain myself and answer endless questions. I think I can confidently say Izzy was oblivious to what went on.

When I walked into the library, a nice man dashed ahead of me to hold the door open for me. I had seen him get out of a fancy, extremely expensive car in the parking lot. (I wanna say a Porsche, but it was way out of my league, so who knows?) It turns out that we both needed to talk to a librarian and I was now first, since he so graciously opened the door. He was definitely within earshot when the librarian, Ms. Valerie asked, "What can I help you with?" I shyly said: "I'm here to pick up something from the lost and found." When she asked me what, I froze. I didn't want to admit with this man right next to me that I desperately needed my birth control pills. Fortunately, I eventually said: "Someone called and said I left some medication and it should be labeled with my name." 

Ms. Valerie returned with a sly grin on her face and my pills in her hand. I've never fled the library so quickly. Of all the librarians it could have been, why did it have to be her!? I know Ms. Valerie the best. She is the "wee-read" story-time teacher and we were faithful attendees pre-covid. Will our next encounter be awkward? Of course. Will she ever forget? Doubtful.

Backup about a year or so and I was juggling mom life with 2 young kids. We were at story-time and I was flustered passing out fruit snacks and trying to prevent tears. On our way into the library, we returned some books. We were finally somewhat situated and semi quiet next to friends awaiting the start of story-time. I was feeling pretty proud of myself, UNTIL... A librarian came into the room holding up one of the books I'd just returned. She came over to me and said I left my bookmark inside the book. She noticed that it had some personal passwords and information on it, so she didn't just want to throw it away. I was mortified. You better believe I made a special folder labeled passwords later that day. I also now have a dedicated book mark, so that will never happen again. Although, who am I to say? Apparently birth control pills make a great bookmark.

The library is an integral part of my life, but now it has become an intimate part of my life. Birth control pills, passwords, and who knows what else can be found there? Next time something goes missing, I know where I'll look first. And I hope it's something less awkward than birth control..

Bring on 2021!

Looking back over my resolutions for 2020 is insightful. There were some fails, but also some successes. No, I didn't start kneeling for my prayers. Oops. But, I killed my reading goal to finish 30 books. I read 56. Big surprise here--I didn't floss all 365 days last year. I did read the second volume of Saints though. I meant to earn credits to renew my teaching license, but that didn't happen either. I did write birthday cards to Andrew's family (ages 8 and up) and I'm going to give myself a big pat on the back for that one. It was a lot.... 40 cards if I counted correctly. In addition, I also wrote birthday postcards to the primary children (and teachers) in our ward. Please note that this year I did not make a goal relating to cards. I'm the one who suggested the primary birthday postcards and this year I happily suggested boxed cereal.

Resolutions are all about change and becoming better though, not being perfect. I definitely wasn't perfect in completing all of my goals. I can confidently say that I am a better person though which is why I want to give this goal-setting thing another whirl. Here they are, broken down into categories for your convenience:

Spiritual:
1. Listen to a Come Follow Me Podcast each week.
2. Read the Doctrine and Covenants.
3. Make scripture study a priority. Read my scriptures BEFORE allowing myself to read a leisurely book.
4. Read the book "Saints" volume 3. (It's expected to come out this year, but there isn't a release date yet.)
5. Use a hard copy of my scriptures instead of my phone, so I'm less distracted during my study. 

Personal:
1. Surround myself with positive, uplifting friends and people.
2. Worry less about what others think. 
This is hard for me. I delete so many "Marco Polo's" because I stress far too much that I said the wrong thing and I don't ever want to upset anyone. Even writing a book review on Goodreads worries me because I don't want to hurt the feelings of the person who recommended the book.
3. Blog at least twice a month.

Physical:
1.Run Strawberry Days (or another 5k) and get a PR.
2. Figure out my hurt knee, so it doesn't hold me back.

Educational:
1. Earn points towards renewing my teaching license. Sub or take a class. 
(Repeat goal from last year...) I will definitely be doing this though. If my professors in college taught me one thing, it was to never let my license lapse. Knowing that I have a teaching license helps provide peace of mind. Who knows if I'll ever need to start working.
2. Read 55 books and rate them.
Rate them and not care about others judgements. 
3. Read the second book in the Mistborn series By: Brandon Sanderson. (This is for you, Andrew!)

I don't know if I've ever seen Andrew as happy as when I was reading "Mistborn." He has been wanting me to read this book for ages and loved discussing it (and looking over my shoulder as I was reading it). Fantasy isn't my favorite. I actually thought it was well-written and that the characters were really interesting. It did have more magic info than I ever wanted to know though.

Joint:
1. Do family scripture study and prayer each morning.
2. Use Mint regularly.
3. Buy a new house?
4. Go on a vacation to somewhere other than WA or to see family.
5. See a play at Tuacahn. 
For Christmas in 2019, I got Andrew tickets to go see "The Count of Monte Cristo." We were scheduled to go in July and it was cancelled. We rescheduled for September and it was cancelled again (understandably). Hopefully Andrew will finally be able to use his gift!
6. Read a book together.
7. Get a treadmill. 
Andrew says this isn't a resolution which is true and made me laugh. I'm leaving it on here though because I want it to happen.
8. Work on family history together once a month.

James:
These are adorable.
1. Learn how to draw an airplane.
2. Learn how to write my name.
3. Learn how to ride a bike without training wheels.

We are going to print out our goals this year and put them in a place we see regularly, so we forget less of them. Here's to 2021! Bring it on!

Pause

Sometimes I wish I could pause time. This month is one of those times. I've been worried about what life will be like after this month ends. We have made so many memories. James and Isabelle's ages are prime for this season. Here are some of our favorite traditions:

Christmas Cards

The first Monday of December, we try to address our cards and get them ready to send out. Getting the mail in the month of December is less of a chore and more of a treat. Our wall is filled with friendly, smiling faces.

Neighbor Gifts

We try to get neighbor Christmas gifts delivered early on. My sister-in-law, Sara, suggested giving neighbors a "Don't Eat Pete" gameboard. I paid for a board on Etsy. I got the gameboards printed and laminated. We delivered those along with a Christmas Card and M&M's and Swedish Fish. The one downside of this gift is that not everyone can use it. Yes, I gave it to a grandparent in the ward and I even gave it to my single friend who sees her nieces weekly. We didn't feel like we could give the bishop a "Don't Eat Pete" board along with some others who don't have kids, so we used Bath and Body Works Soap for them. We typically gift soap or wrapping paper. I got lots of compliments about the game!

Santa 

Yes, things looked a bit different this year. Santa Claus was behind a fence to ensure families kept their distance, but that didn't stop our kids from the magic of the moment. It was chilly outside, and our masks kept us extra warm. To finish the night off strong, we grabbed Suss Cookies. I'd say the night was truly a success based on how upset the kids (especially Isabelle) were when we got back in the car.

Lights

Several friends have mentioned cheap, drive-by lights. We decided to join the bandwagon and trekked out to Spanish Fork. We made it extra special by allowing the kids to get out of their car-seats and sit in our laps for the short duration of the lights. Best day ever! The caramel chocolate popcorn was a must for the drive home to keep the exhausted children from dumping it. (Keeping James awake on the way there was quite the challenge-- when 5:30pm rolls around, it's pretty difficult to keep those heavy eyes open.) We also drove by some local lights in Pleasant Grove and saw the infamous "Ditto" sign. My OBGYN said that he always thinks of this house when he sees my name.

Stories and Movies

Christmas stories are a must and we read our fair share. We've exchanged many Christmas books at the library this season. My kids love to listen to books, so I know I've done something right. Nana also let us borrow a big box of her Christmas stories. Nana made a special debut and read Christmas books to my kids. Singing Christmas carols has also become a new favorite. Our kids know lots of the words now and sing/scream along. Singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" makes James happy. James has been listening to the story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" almost every day during quiet time. "Deck The Halls" is also a crowd pleaser, especially on the "Fa-la-la" parts. "Angels We Have Heard On High" was also requested numerous times, with a plea to repeat the chorus.

We've upted our movie viewing game. During "A Christmas Carol," we ate pizza and breadsticks. "Elf" was accompanied with more pizza and Root Beer. (Root beer was a first for James.) During, "The Santa Clause" we ate homemade caramel corn pops. James was fascinated by "The Polar Express." 

Dollar Store Gifts

We decided to start a new tradition this year. We took the kids to the dollar store and let them pick things out for each other. James was so hyper and couldn't keep what he bought Isabelle or Andrew a secret. We opened our gifts to each other on Christmas Adam. James picked out a Spiderman Santa Hat for Andrew and ducks for Isabelle for bath-time. Isabelle got James lollipops and me purple nail polish. We will definitely be doing this again next year. It was hilarious and took James no time at all to pick things out. He did not want any help or ideas from me.

Gingerbread Houses

The kids lucked out this year. They got to decorate gingerbread houses twice! The first time was just with our little fam, but the second time was with Nana, Papa, Jessica, and Chris. They were big fans of eating as much candy as possible and making big messes.

Jammies

Christmas jammies have always been a must. We usually get them on Christmas Eve and take a group picture with my family, but this year, things were a bit different since not all of us were able to be together. (Covid) My parent's Christmas Card featured each family wearing their pajamas and turned out pretty cute.

Light the World

We enjoyed doing the "Light the World" challenge from the church this year and had many cool experiences. I'll share one. One of the suggestions one day was to send a book you enjoy to a faraway friend. I was trying to decide who to send it to and felt strongly that I should send the book to my friend in New York. After sending it, I didn't think much of it. I later heard from my friend. Through tears, she told me that she had been feeling down and lonely. That same day, she got my book and it helped her feel loved. I'm so glad I listened to that prompting! (I'm working on being better at following promptings.)

Christmas Sunday

Puzzle

My parent's also started a new tradition this year. They got each family the same puzzle and we had a competition to see who could complete the puzzle first. We were all given the same starting time with a promise that the winner would get a gift-card to their favorite restaurant. Andrew and I did not win, but we did finish the puzzle which was an accomplishment for us. We aren't good at puzzles and it took us a long time to complete. 1000 pieces is no joke! My mom had this tradition with her family growing up and I think it's neat she wants to keep it going. We are definitely leaving our finished masterpiece out for awhile to admire all of our hard work!

Nativity

This year, the Nativity looked different. I'm glad we were able to still see all of my family over zoom, but it wasn't quite the same. Daisy got to be baby Jesus all the way in Massachusetts and Simon and Esther were Mary and Joseph virtually from Provo. James was a Donkey, Isabelle a Wiseman, me an Angel, and Andrew a Shepherd. (Although some say he looked more like Obi-Wan Kenobi.) Jess and Chris as well as Joel were with us at my parent's house. Christmas Eve was special with many thoughtful gifts exchanged and of course, PIZZA!

Pandemic Update

I got tested for the coronavirus about a week after we returned from Boise. I wanted to be extra careful and was sick. My test was negative which was a relief! In other news, vaccines have now started to come out. What a blessing! Andrew and I are anxious for the day when we are able to get the vaccine. I recently had a dream I got the vaccine which excited me. We should be able to return to more normalcy in the coming months.

Unfortunately, December is nearly over no matter how much I want to pause time. I'm open to all suggestions for how to make January exhilarating. 

So Long, Farewell!

The Sound of Music soundtrack has been on repeat over here. My kids love it, so apparently I've taught them well. After over a year of employment at the Piano Place, I decided to say, "So Long, Farewell." Employment is kind of a loose term in my case. I only taught at The Piano Place once a week-- on Wednesday afternoons.

Initially, I started teaching at The Piano Place to have a built in break from my kids. I thought it would be a good outlet for me. I enjoyed interacting with coworkers and students and not only being described as a mom or known only for my adorable children. The money was an added perk too! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention one of the best parts-- Jessica. She teaches at The Piano Place too, and a scheduled excuse to see her each week was something I looked forward to.

Lots has changed since I started working at The Piano Place in October of 2019. In March of this year, I got to tackle teaching zoom lessons. I applaud teachers who are still doing this. I have been back teaching at the studio for the last several months (masks included). My feelings about motherhood have changed this year too. I'm no longer dying to have something else to fill my time. And just to clarify... I definitely still want, need, and plan on having breaks from my kids. I'll just do something more relaxing. 

Teaching at The Piano Place has become exhausting and that needed break and rejuvenation that I was seeking, was instead replaced by a feeling of dread. This is partially my own fault. My schedule used to have some breaks and I complained, so my breaks disappeared. Teaching from 3:00-6:30 strait takes its toll! Even when I taught as a full time teacher, I would get breaks throughout the day for recess, lunch, when the kids had specialties, etc. Having 7 students back-to-back tested my patience, hunger, and bladder for that matter. Each week, I'd come home grumpy, starving, and ready to collapse. I discovered I would rather have my patience tested by my own children than by a random 10-year-old boy with an attitude. This experience gave me a whole new appreciation for working moms. Hats off to you!

I said my final goodbyes to my students at the Winterfest Recitals this weekend. I even performed a duet with a student. (She happens to be my favorite, but don't tell the others.) Jessica started the recital off strong with her beautiful rendition of Away in a Manger. She set the bar high and I was glad to be there to watch her. 

Jess and I

Leaving makes me sad in some ways. I'll miss my most advanced student. He's getting so good and it's exciting to hear him play challenging pieces. I'll miss my student Annie who cried when I told her I was leaving. She was my friend. I'll miss Motivosity (earning points to buy giftcards) more than I should admit. I'll miss my built in Jess time. I'll miss seeing how excited my kids are when I get home after being away from them for a few hours. I'll miss working in my grandma's neighborhood, so I'll have to be sure to take the time to drive to see her.

I said, "So Long, Farewell" to The Piano Place for now, but my music career isn't over. I still teach a couple of students in my house and will continue doing that. I don't find it coincidental that right after I quit at The Piano Place, someone reached out to me about lessons for their 2 kids and I'll start teaching them in January. I'm happy to have my Wednesdays back!