.

talking about the weather

2012-02-27T21:18:00.003-07:00

spring is upon us & i couldn't be happier.
march is [by far] my favorite month in arizona.

time to put away the sweaters, bask in the sun, indulge in a pedicure, cut off the jeans into shorts, dig in the dirt, eat dinners on the patio, watch the flowers & vegetables grow, take bike rides & walks, celebrate both of my babies' birthdays & do my best to prepare for dreaded swimsuit season. ;)

i heart spring.

quote of the day

2012-02-22T09:33:00.004-07:00

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

chloe's valentines found via
amazing quote found via

wish book

2012-02-15T15:32:00.003-07:00

i love composition books.
who doesn't? i mean-they are so happy.
and, like 99 cents.

i collect them,
sloppily decoupage something on the front,
write my thoughts in them,
and then
throw them out when the ideas therein no longer serve me.

i like having a place to brainstorm,
take notes,
problem solve,
& count my {many} blessings-
old-school, pen-to-paper style.

one of my simple pleasures in life, for sure. ♥

hooked on a feeling

2012-02-14T09:35:00.009-07:00

{photo via}

9 years ago today,
myron & i went on a date as best friends
and pretty much confessed our
undying/unexpected/surprise love for one another.

happiest night EVER!

...but those fond memories [don't even compare]
to the contentment i feel knowing that we've
enjoyed almost a decade together
& have {forever} to look forward to.

trust me when i say- this man puts up with a lot living with me,
and i love him {with all my heart} for it.

happy valentines to

the most hilarious guy i know,
the most kindhearted & tender daddy,

and the most perfect-husband-for-me.

love you. ♥

i always did love rollercoasters

2012-02-12T22:45:00.011-07:00

{via}

i am a deep feeling person.
i am an extremely emotional person.

i mean, i think we've established that
over the last 964 posts on this blog, haven't we?

to quote this hilarious girl, "if i'm not between a 3 and a 7 on the emotional scale...i'm crying"....haha, it's true!

my oversensitivity has been both my gift & my demise in life.

i've gone through days of drama.
and days of clarity.
times i was proud of who i am.
and days i've really struggled.

and let's get real:
i still have my highs & lows...

but the rollercoaster ride is becoming a little less terrifying,
a little more in control...
with {just enough} thrill and unexpected turns and twists,
to be exciting & leave me wanting more.

it's true that i've spent a lot of wasted time wishing i were something else.
i've spent a lot of wasted time punishing myself for being less than my expected standard.
i've spent a lot of wasted time fretting & worrying & stressing & obsessing.
i've spent a lot of wasted time feeling jealous and frustrated.

i'd say it's a shame.
but it's really not to me.

through painful moments,
i've gained spiritual strength and perspective.

truth is,
i am human.
so are you.
so is the president of the united states.
so is the drunk guy panhandling on jefferson & 1st.
we are all children of god.

we are all beautiful, divine, spiritual creations of an all-knowing, all-loving god.
and we all make mistakes, too.
we all have fears.
we all have "stuff."
some peoples' "stuff" is more noticeable & obvious than other peoples' "stuff."
but we all have it.

my hope for this week,
[and the rest of my life for that matter]
is that i can keep my lens focused in that perspective.

because i am human, i am going to fall short.
because you are human, you are too.
*but, i can forgive myself & others.

{caution: scripture time!}
For behold, are we not all beggars ? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

i love that, because i believe we do:
we all rely on the same god, who loves us each completely & individually.

it is him who lessens the fear, and smooths the rough spots & holds my hand through the scary parts of the rollercoaster.

and i've learned, the more i seek his support, the less frightening and more exhilarating the ride!

my baby

2012-02-07T10:08:00.007-07:00

the hubs & i have been cleaning out
& organizing the garage:
[#25 on this year's bucket list]
& we found a bunch of baby stuff.

livy discovered this binky...
and she misses it terribly.
BOTH of my girls have been OBSESSED with their binkies.

we took pictures to be silly & then i threw it away.
*i think that made both of us a little sad.

my complete trust is in {the lord's plan & timing}
for when [it might] be right to expand my family...

but, in the meantime, can't little libs just stay a baby for a while longer?

*pretty please?
♥

paint it black

2012-02-02T08:41:00.010-07:00

several months ago,
the very talented michael fretz
{the stepfatherinlaw}
painted the exterior of my home.

he painted the door black as well & i {loves} it.
but it's been [needing] a happy little wreath since i took christmas down.

i adore houndstooth.
i don't care if it's already out of style/if it goes out of style...
cause it makes me happy.

i also like simple.
i am a minimalist at heart,
{though i'm also extremely ADD with my taste}
so sometimes i like over-the-top, too.
*i was in a simple mood when i made this...
can you tell? ;)

supplies for this insanely easy craft project-
purchased at the greatest store ever,
ETC
[formerly known as scrapbooks etc.]
did you hear about the name change?
ETC stands for EVERY THING CRAFT...
{because}
in addition to being paper craft heaven,
we also carry the yummiest fabric,
to die for homemade gifts
& other ridiculously awesome crafting supplies.
still a scrapbook store, just better!

have i mentioned how much i love my job?
*that's right, i have. :)

k, loveyou, bye.

smart man/smart words

2012-02-01T08:32:00.005-07:00

{via}

remember my post about president hinckley?
i miss him.
i saw this quote on pinterest & i loved it.
he was a wise, witty man, and i will always be grateful for him.

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey …delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.” ― Gordon B. Hinckley

loves it

2012-01-31T13:26:00.003-07:00

a few things i've been loving:

1. the valentine banner i made at jamie & kelli's {burlap inspired} "b-chic" class at ETC.
seriously talented friends i have. ♥
2. the heart quilt my grandma dixon HAND STITCHED me...one of my treasures. ♥
3. the glorious weather....i've been doing mass amounts of yardwork this week & it's pure heaven out there...definite proof that heavenly father loves me. ♥

sleep

2012-01-25T22:49:00.007-07:00

i need more of it.

myron's a legit senior citizen these days.
he goes to bed at a firm 9pm every night.
{because he wakes up for work at 5am}
*he deserves those 8 hours, btw.....
he went nearly three years without
any sort of consistent sleep schedule.

i think i'm ready to implement an early bedtime for myself, too.

6am comes way too early.

i like boring

2012-01-25T08:09:00.004-07:00

i'm blogging a picture of my lunch yesterday,
because that is how chill my life is these days.

not much on the calendar as of late.

in efforts to [focus] in 2012,
i've been spending more time relaxing, being at home,
letting go,
and learning to say no to things that stress me out.

i've been trying to do things because i want to do them,
instead of doing things because i [should] do them,
or because [i think] people think i should do them.

i've been working on being more spontaneous, c'est la vie-style.

this does not mean that every moment of the past couple weeks has been all grins and giggles.
i've still had my "special" moments when i revert back to my old anxious ways.

however, i am seeing progress.

i'm finding that i like my life simple.
call it boring.
*whatever it is....i like it.

toothless

2012-01-23T22:01:00.003-07:00

my first born lost her first tooth today.
milestone/tender moments.

her permanent tooth is pretty much already grown in
& her other bottom tooth is loose.

the first thing she said when she got off the bus today was,
"can i go to sleep now, so the tooth fairy can come?"
♥

meanest mom ever!

2012-01-21T10:37:00.005-07:00

we are implementing a new system at our house.

it's called: mom is mean & is sick of messes.

every toy, dress up & coloring book we own
is being held hostage in this closet.

with the new rule:
one mess at a time.

believe it or not,
i tricked the kids into helping me sort,
donate toys that never get used,
and to be excited about our new little plan.

{evil cackle}

a thoughtful surprise

2012-01-19T22:51:00.007-07:00

the other day, i opened my mailbox
& there was a package from my sweet sister.

she sent me this print,
[knowing that focus is my one little word this year]
along with a matching 4x6 size.

*isn't that the most thoughtful thing ever?

i'm loving that tony robbins quote.
{tony robbins is my favorite}
and lovelovelove that i have this cute reminder hanging up in my little abode.

thanks heidi!
i ♥ you!

ps:
"Imagine, if you will, a pair of powerful binoculars. Two separate optical systems are joined together with a gear to focus two independent images into one three-dimensional view. To apply this analogy, let the scene on the left side of your binoculars represent your perception of your task. Let the picture on the right side represent the Lord’s perspective of your task—the portion of His plan He has entrusted to you. Now, connect your system to His. By mental adjustment, fuse your focus. Something wonderful happens. Your vision and His are now the same. You have developed an “eye single to the glory of God”. With that perspective, look upward—above and beyond mundane things about you. The Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought”. That special vision will also help clarify your wishes when they may be a bit fuzzy and out of focus with God’s hopes for your divine destiny. Indeed, the precise challenge you regard now as “impossible” may be the very refinement you need, in His eye."
-Nelson

falling in love again

2012-01-17T09:27:00.006-07:00

on sunday, i felt like getting crafty, just for fun.
we were home, sick-as-dogs & i was {desperate} for some stimulation...

so i decided to scrapbook, just for me, just for fun.
i counted, & from all the scrapbook classes @ ETC i have done over the years,
i have about 20 albums & over 600 layouts without pictures!

so i started scrapping & journaling our honeymoon
+ a few favorites from our engagement & wedding.

i slapped those pictures down on my pre-done pages,
[the blue layout was from the first class i ever taught!]

& added a few embellishments & sentiments & new title-age here & there.

i fell in love again.
i love this hobby.
there's just something about recording stories that makes me so, so happy.
makes me aware of my blessings.

reminiscing of our earlier days & putting my memories down on paper has been so therapeutic.
i am even more in love and feel even more secure than i did back on that happy day in 2003.
how far we've come. [SO] many lessons we've learned in the past 9 years.
through the good times & the bad....so blessed {and deeply thankful} to be married to my very best friend. ♥

"mrtin loofer king jooyr day"

2012-01-17T00:04:00.006-07:00

chloe brought me this note this morning
with a list of plans for her day off.

it reads:
martin luther king junior day [mrtin loofer king jooyr day]
paint toes and fingers [pant tos and fegrs]
camp in the living room [camp in the living room]
make lemonade [makce lemined]
and have a party [and have a prdey]

we did our best to get everything checked off the list.

20 pink fingers, 20 blue toes
& a pitcher of fresh squeezed lemonade before i went to work...

then a pizza party/movie night with dad while i was at work....

and i just came home to two sleeping beauties
on their mattresses parked in my living room.

...and {this} photo on the camera card...

makes me smile.
♥

responsibility

2012-01-15T16:44:00.009-07:00

with all the illness
{and it threatening to never leave us}
i failed to post about what we did
for our little fhe last week.

our activities were centered around {responsibility}
& how each of us contributes to our family in a special way:
[click on links to see details]

song: when we’re helping we’re happy

lesson: train analogy

discuss: how can each of us contribute more to our family?

activity: house puzzle

we reviewed our janua ry theme
& discussed ways we could make our home happier.

i'm looking forward to feeling 100% better & having the energy to practice what was preached at that family home evening. ha! ♥

humbling lessons from sickdom

2012-01-13T11:00:00.013-07:00

the little devil on my left shoulder has been
telling me all along that it was inevitable:

i officially caught the bug.

it's a drag. i'm coughing, fever, the whole nine.

i [despise] coughing & even more, i [hate] asking people to work for me. probably my least favorite thing, ever.

nevertheless, it happened, and here i am,
wishing i were sleeping...
but blogging from the comfort of my couch
& flannel blankets a-plenty....
cuddling with an even sicker,
more high-maintenance [very awake] blondie.

luckily i have amazing family, friends & extremely supportive co-workers...and everything is going to be just fine.

our dunn family has had a rough year with sickness. seems like every few weeks, despite my best efforts of staying sanitized, we cycle through another strain of something.

there's a crazy thing about being sick though, that makes me think about how much i truly appreciate being well and healthy. and how extremely grateful i am for this body heavenly father created for me. and that it's able to fight off germs. kinda a miracle if you think about it! modern medicine is amazing & we are so blessed to have natural resources available too.

i have a handful of friends and family that are battling very serious health issues right now, and i can't help but think about them...with my most heartfelt compassion, as i lie on this couch. they have such courage & are the strongest people i know.

makes me want to move more, and eat well. and to use this body of mine to accomplish great things, instead of just being obsessed with the way it [does or doesn't] look, or how much it weighs. makes me want to get up and run and jump, and do cartwheels with my girls, in honor of those who aren't able. *k, let's get real: makes me want to get in-shape enough to DO a stinkin' cartwheel. :)

it all causes me to realize that health is a blessing i continually take for granted.
and it just takes a minor bacterial infection to remind me that i am so crazy-fortunate,
to have the opportunity to get better,
and to [live] better.
♥

right this minute

2012-01-12T16:30:00.004-07:00

bookworm chloe readin' her junie b. jones
all by her little old self in the corner.
*so happy she loves to read. ♥

trooper olivia, freshly diagnosed with pnemonia, smiling about her cute little tent that daddy got her at walmart.
*there should be perks to feeling so crummy! ♥

around my neck

2012-01-11T11:24:00.005-07:00

i got my cute little custom OLW necklace in the mail!
{via chickadee beadart on etsy}

i [very] rarely purchase anything for myself,
so this happy little spontaneous splurge was a fun little reward.

and if it reminds me to stick to my goal,
it was worth every penny.

lovin' it. ♥

this little girlfriend

2012-01-10T23:00:00.005-07:00

my sweet livy is on the mend.
it's been a doozy of a week with a double ear infection and the most wicked cough she's probably ever had....but i'm just grateful it's little stuff & she can heal soon & be better.

night times have been the most challenging....
there hasn't been a lot of sleeping going on.

but there has been {lots} of popsicles consumed,
curious george episodes watched,
essential oils applied,
breathing treatments administered,
and medicine being spit upon my face. [rude!]

i feel a little tickle in the back of my throat tonight,
but i'm having faith it'll be gone by morning.
{please?}

on a monday

2012-01-09T13:47:00.005-07:00

the view from the treadmill. [my motivation]

time to retire these socks...ghetto much?

mama & baby panda....chloe is obsessed.
& our sprouting pumpkin seeds that need desperately to be planted in deeper soil.

apples are cute.

proof of a very sick babe.
please pray for her cute little lungs....she's so tired of coughing.
♥

forget me not

2012-01-08T22:08:00.003-07:00

{handout via}

it was an awesome day of rest.
love me some sunday to give me that "okay, i can do this" attitude.

our lesson in young womens was on our heavenly father's love.
we watched clips of THIS, which, let's get real, is perhaps my favorite talk of all time.
such.powerful.stuff. for women of any faith.

and tonight i attended a giant gathering of young people from all over mesa...
kicking off the dancentennial.
the message shared there was completely inspirational
& left me excited about trusting god & living to my fullest potential.

one thing i have learned about life, is that, it goes on.
might as well endure it well, right?

[sweet is the peace] the gospel brings, folks.
no lie. ♥

this week's take away message

2012-01-07T14:27:00.021-07:00

{via}

despite my {very} best efforts,
2012 has started out a little bit rough.

i've been nursing a sick toddler &
a pesky dark cloud that randomly
shows up to linger over my head from time-to-time.

never fear,
things turned around yesterday afternoon.

just so happens, i have an amazing mom
who encouraged me so much with her
thoughtful support & offers of service.

and the night ended among customers & friends at work who {through just being themselves} reminded me that my life is full of kind & generous people who have my best interest at heart.

i came home to a house of sleeping people {of whom i adore.}
*the redhead had even built the sick blondie a giant fort, complete with 2 humidifiers, 6 pillow pets & the softest blankies in the house.

it's never too late to start fresh.
i really believe that. ♥

"When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance." -david a. bednar

around the house

2012-01-05T12:27:00.004-07:00

christmas gift from rachel & david's family...
cutest wreath ever, made out of {quoting dave} "a bunch of really ugly sweaters"....
it coordinates so happy with my colorfully random home, and i smile every time i see it.

bookworm chloe doing her AR reading after school.
i ♥ arthur as well. "A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K"-remember that episode?

livy & her random obsession.
girlfriend isn't potty trained & still drinks from a bottle,
*but* she does have a large bowl of leafy greens daily.
do we get points for that? haha :)

the love note i came home to after mutual.
makes me want to be a hermit & never leave my babies...
...even more than i already desire to be a hermit & never leave my babies. :)
*i miss you too, chlo'.

'vaeh building a castle.
and her cute sparkly toms.
such a cutiepie.

my grandma's?/mom's? vintage juicer that we busted out this week.
i have big plans for juicing random concoctions in my future.
i was allergic to milk as a baby, so my mom spent lots of time using this hog to juice me carrot juice back in the 80's.
she suggested i try juicing some carrots & see if it tastes familiar!
i'm totally gonna!
makes me happy.
♥

3 bears in a bed & the little one said, "roll over"

2012-01-04T13:36:00.003-07:00

wednesdays are our nevaeh day.
cousin "bay bay" {livy's nickname for her} comes to play!

this photo was taken last week,
but pretty much every week
they all chill together in the hammock
at one point or another. :)
cracks me up.
♥

my babies...

2012-01-03T22:01:00.006-07:00

...in plant & human form. :)
each beautiful, colorful, & make me soSOso happy.
♥

january :: prepare

2012-01-02T19:00:00.001-07:00

one of the things on my 28 before 29 bucket list,
and items of {focus} this year,
is to hold a simple & sweet family home evening every week.

my kids LOVE family home evening,
and though it's usually super-duper simple & a wee-bit crazy with the toddler...
i know that it is something that strengthens us as a family {when} we do it. ♥

we often have to get creative with the day & time we hold fhe
[because of work schedules]
but i hope to share little weekly recaps of what we've done each time...
as a record of the things we've learned.

this afternoon, we had our first fhe of the year, kicking off our january theme, PREPARE.

we learned about the sermon on the mount & the parable of the wise man/the foolish man. we finished by recording goals in our newly chloe-created {dunn family goal book.}

it was happy. ♥

song: i will follow god's plan for me
lesson: the sermon on the mount/the wise man & the foolish man parable
discuss: how can we build our house upon a rock/have jesus be our foundation?
activity: set goals as a family in our goal book

twenty twelve

2012-01-01T21:12:00.017-07:00

{via}

a very good friend of mine posted an inspirational question online this week & i've had it rolling around in my brain all day.

"why do i do what i do, when i know what i know?"

love that.
such a good question to ask myself as i'm aspiring to [focus] in 2012.

of course, that question can mean something different for everyone.

it means a few things to me,
but when i read it, i mainly think about my tendency to compare myself to others.

it's something that has always been a struggle & distraction for me.
though i've improved on this over the years,
it is still a go-to behavior when i am discouraged.

this type of negative thinking can snowball
& emphasize to me all of the injustices in this world.
comparing is destructive, and i'm vowing to have it take no part in 2012.

i'm going to use that question as a mechanism to combat comparative thinking:
"why do i do what i do, when i know what i know?"

why would i ever compare my life, my circumstances, my looks, my style, my talents to anyone elses when:

i know that we are each divine, important, treasured children of a kind & loving God who created us different, on purpose.

i know that we each have flaws, some more obvious than others.

i know that we all make mistakes, and have different ways of handling our problems, based on our very unique life experiences.

i know that we were all put on this earth to fulfill individual, specific missions & we were meant to have different traits & trials in order to accomplish those specific missions.

i know that our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy & confident, so that we are able to help each other along on our individual journeys.

when i [focus] on those things that i truly know for sure, i do better.

here's to doing what i know in 2012.

focus

2011-12-30T10:12:00.021-07:00

artwork via the amazing rhonna farrer

my OLW {one little word} for 2012 is focus.

[focus] on the things that matter most.

i can be {very} easily distracted,
and i want this to be the year of [consciously choosing]
to make my home life & my physical health
top priority, no matter what it takes.

i've got some important things i'd like to see happen this year.
things i know are out there-meant for me to accomplish.

i've gotta do my part &
i know the lord will bless me with the strength & ability
& miracles necessary to get where i want to be.

it's going to take work,
and dedication,
and follow through.

focus, angie, focus.

random highlights :: 2011

2011-12-30T00:05:00.013-07:00

january :: mike paints my kitchen cabinets & changes my life forever.

february :: we craft lots & celebrate love.

march :: the baby turns 2. [waa]

april :: myron welcomes some feathered friends into the fam.

may :: big-girl chloe graduates from preschool.

june :: i pretend i know how to be ward camp director.

july :: livy decides she's too cool for the crib.

august :: big-girl chloe gets even bigger.

september :: i win & enroll in an online class that enriches my life in the happiest way.

october :: we experience a memorable & happy trip to disneyland!

november :: blessings are bestowed.

december :: we chill & enjoy time at home.
{probably my favorite photo of the whole year. haha}

*2011 was good to us.

i owe it all to the man upstairs
& acknowledge his hand in all of my
randomly-random blessings & happy times.

i gained lots of peace and perspective this year
& my goal is to continue uphill on that path in 2012. ♥

benson love

2011-12-29T14:02:00.004-07:00

these photos from our recent benson trip make me happy.
can you tell myron's heart belongs in the country?
♥

christmas!

2011-12-28T16:48:00.009-07:00

christmas was all kinds of absolutely wonderful.

my kids make 99 cent coloring books from the dollar store seem completely magical.

watching their eyes light up on christmas morning
is on my top ten favorite things ever in this whole wide world. :)

i tried to make this season simple & happy,
and i'm delighted to report, it was one of my most relaxing & stree-free christmases ever.

we didn't have any cookies, so we left santa peanut butter cups instead,
with a thoughtful chloe-note, explaing the situation.
{santa didn't seem to mind.}

he left a special note for the girls too!

it was a perfect day,
and i feel so blessed to have a knowledge my Savior,
& to have my little family to celebrate Him with.

thank you to all our friends and family for making this season special. ♥

merry christmas 2011

2011-12-14T19:51:00.011-07:00

dear loved ones,

our traditional christmas card this year
comes to you e-style, on the blog.

we want you {all} to know how much we love you
and sincerely appreciate your friendship.

wishing you every happiness that this season can bring...

may the spirit of christ fill your hearts & homes this christmas.

with love,
myron, angie, chloe & olivia

the white stocking

2011-12-12T22:57:00.005-07:00

a few years ago, my mom gave me a special white stocking
with the following christmas message inside.

i copied her & sewed some up for my church girlies,
because i love it's reminder that christ is the reason for the season. ♥

for i was hungred, and ye gave me meat;
i was thirsty and ye gave me drink:
i was a stranger & ye took me in:
naked & ye clothed me:
i was sick and ye visited me:
i was in prison & ye came to me.

then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, lord, when saw we thee
an hungred, and fed thee?
or thirsty & gave thee drink?

or when saw we thee sick,
or in prison, and came unto thee?

and the king shall answer and say unto them,
verily i say unto you,
inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me.

{matthew 25:35-40}

just think...what gifts can i give the savior this year?

i was alone, and you sat by me.
i was discouraged, and you cheered me up.
i was feeling lost, and you showed me the way.
i was sad, and you cried with me.
i was overwhelmed, and you helped me.
i was grieving and you stayed with me.
i didn't understand, and you tutored me.
i was different and you didn't judge me.

have the merriest christmas & remember:
the true joy of christmas is the blessing we receive when we serve his children.

string of lights

2011-12-05T22:10:00.005-07:00

for the first time in the history of myron/angie dunn,
there are christmas lights up on our house.

took us 3 days and
i didn't have enough in my stash to do above the garage,
but i'm okay with it.

between our festive single string of lights,
and the brrrrrr {for arizona} weather,
it's beginning to feel a lot like christmas.

♥

the fourth watch

2011-11-30T22:35:00.006-07:00

this week our little family received a huge blessing.
a blessing that has been a plea in my prayers for a very long time.

myron has earned some shift changes at work that will enrich our family life so much.

might seem like a little blessing, but no tender mercy could have made me happier.
my gratitude for the opportunity weighs deeply in my heart.

i am so thankful for a loving heavenly father and his perfect timing.
i'm grateful that he allows us to experience discomfort, so we can truly appreciate the beauty.

i have times when i think he has forgotten about me & my prayers.
i still have hopes that have not yet been realized.

but i will wait on the lord.
because i know, he will always come through.

"I delight in the Lord’s mercies and miracles. I know that His tender mercies and His miracles, large and small, are real. They come in His way and on His timetable. Sometimes it is not until we have reached our extremity. Jesus’s disciples on the Sea of Galilee had to toil in rowing against a contrary wind all through the night before Jesus finally came to their aid. He did not come until the “fourth watch,” meaning near dawn. Yet He did come. My testimony is that miracles do come, though sometimes not until the fourth watch." -Susan W. Tanner

yikes

2011-11-29T22:26:00.004-07:00

i've taken 4 photos over the past week.
two of them, i blogged yesterday.

the 3rd was of me in sweats & a t-shirt, covered in livy's vomit from head-to-toe, to email myron while he was at work, with the caption, "just in case you're feeling sorry for yourself that you're working a double shift on your birthday."

and the 4th photo was this one here above:
a cute basket of clean & colorful socks to be folded.

...i think i need to get out more. ♥

in sickness and in health

2011-11-28T07:51:00.004-07:00

it was a long, rough thanksgiving week for the dunn fam.
all of us girls were under the weather with a very wicked strain of the stomach flu.
{apparently it's our year for sickness....i swear we always have something!}

chloe was so disappointed [understatement] to miss "indian day" at school &
we were too yucky to attend the thanksgiving feast at granny & gramps' too. ):

we had our fair share of awful, pitiful, depressing moments,
but we tried to make the best of a lame situation....

i moved the girls mattresses into the living room &
they had a sleepover the whole live-long week.

since we were up all night, every night, we might as well have access to netflix, right?

when the girls would have a peak of energy, we'd have a dance party....
they sure know how to shake what their mama gave 'em. :)

even though barfing & chills & fevers & more barfing...isn't exactly what i would have chosen to celebrate thanksgiving...i am indeed grateful for my many, many, many blessings.

i am especially grateful that we are all finally well, and i only have one last load of laundry.

hallelujah. ♥

happy quitter

2011-11-15T20:45:00.005-07:00

haha, i got bored with the photo challenge.
even though it's awesome, i'm just too busy working on other things to finish.
so i'm giving myself permission to be a quitter, with a smile on my face.

this november my heart is so thankful for life.
today was an especially blessed day-

i feel things shifting for me,
and i know that god has a plan.

i'm so grateful for this crazy journey called life.
i'm thankful for the challenges, trials and hard things-
*even though they're super lame.
i've learned so much from my personal heartaches.

i'm thankful for the beauty too.
i'm especially grateful for the good people in my life who haven't given up on me-who selflessly serve me & uplift me.

my cup runneth over.
it's a happy day. ♥

day 10: nature

2011-11-10T10:21:00.004-07:00

a shot of my newly planted babies:
snapdragons, petunias & alyssum.

*and a shout out to my sweet mom
for helping me plant. ♥

day 9: inspiring person [holler]

2011-11-09T16:58:00.004-07:00

day nine is dedicated to my little sister holly.

*these senior photos here were taken by
cute ashley over @ sunshine & shade photography.
omg, aren't they the cutest?

i have many wonderful, inspiring people in my life, and holly is one of them.

i think the phrase "beautiful inside & out" describes her best.
she's happy. she's kind. she's creative. she's sososo fun. she's lighthearted. she's hilarious. she's thoughtful. she's hardworking. she's...well, all kinds of awesome.

she's also student body president at her school & doing a mighty fine job.

i remember her being a teeny baby, babysitting her, and rocking her to the lion king soundtrack to put her to sleep....and now, she's all growed up. {single tear}

even though she's my little sister, i look up to her so much. [cliche but true] i admire her ability to have fun and always have a smile on her face. i admire her firm, ever-believing testimony that she freely shares with everyone. and most of all, i admire her quiet confidence-her ability to be humble, but kind to herself & others.

holls, i love you. ♥

day 8: favorite color

2011-11-08T16:43:00.003-07:00

this one's obvious.
pink!

orange, yellow & teal run at a close second, however. :)

day 7: something funny

2011-11-07T15:36:00.005-07:00

this picture speaks 1,000 words about my life.
it might not make you laugh.
{but it does me.}
♥

day 6: books

2011-11-06T15:29:00.003-07:00

childrens' books are basically my life story.
we read lots of "1fish, 2fish" & "the happy man & his dumptruck" in this house.

nothing makes my girls happier than storytime with one of their parentals.
♥

day 5: morning sky

2011-11-05T15:24:00.003-06:00

chilly, cloudy & overcast has been the weather this week.
but in az, there's always a little sunshine & the bluest of blue sky peeking out.

SUCH a delightful change from hot, hot, hot.

it's so beautiful.
can't get enough of this time of year.
♥

day 4: leaves

2011-11-04T15:18:00.001-06:00

our version of fall leaves =
beautifully green and extremely over-grown bushes.

a lot of the country is bundling up & preparing for winter,
but the beautiful weather party is just starting here in az.
♥

day 3: happiness

2011-11-03T15:15:00.001-06:00

happiness is: discovering sissie's old boots fit you this winter.
♥

day two: smile

2011-11-02T23:07:00.010-06:00

for day two of the challenge , i bring you:

chloe's double-dimpled grin.
that child's expressions are instant happiness to me. ♥

and:
i worked hard trying to get sweet livy to smile for the camera too...
turns out, all she needed was a quick swig from daddy's drink
to bribe a smile outta her.
little turkey: i could eat her cuteness for breakfast, lunch & dinner. ♥

perhaps my biggest blessing of all, is waking up to these two smiles everyday.

i need to remember that more.
i have so much to smile about...and it's right under my nose [quite literally] day & night.

here are a few things that made me smile today:

i made healthy choices and didn't eat any halloween candy today!

livy & i prepped our soil for some fresh flats of winter flowers,
to hopefully be planted tomorrow...if i have time.

cute cousins playing a freestyle number/{loud} duet...
and if you look close, you can see 'vaeh's darling silver boots....
[those made me smile too!]

and last but not least, happy vases of zinnias adorning the surfaces of my home.
all from this happy bloom.

*as a very wise woman once said:
"life is good, the zinnias are blooming..."

day one: favorite food

2011-11-01T20:31:00.006-06:00

this month i'm gonna participate in a 30-day photo challenge,
hosted by one of my fave blogs- positively present,
called {zoom in on gratitude}...

each day i'll be sharing a photo, based on her outline,
that showcases the big & small blessings i'm grateful for.

today's photo = these wheat rolls that i made last-ish week.
they were so easy & yummy.
*i halved the recipe to just make 1 dozen for our meal.
simple ingredients & very inexpensive.

i am grateful for another small success in the kitchen,
as i'm working toward becoming more domesticated at making meals for my fam. ♥

***

another thing i'm going to be working on this month, is my 28 before 29 list.
i edited/tweaked my list to make my goals more definitive/specific.
it seems a lot more doable now,
& tailored to what i {really} want to accomplish these next few months.
i am excited. ♥

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T21:54:00.007-06:00

the girls & i had the most lovely halloween evening.
[*dad had to work, but he was there in spirit.]

....we went for some sonic corn dogs {tradish!},
& then some good ol' fashioned trick or treatin'.

chloe & livy were the cutest hula girlies ever,
*they even hula'ed their hips for a few lucky neighbors!

there were smiles all around...
happy girls with tummies full of sweetness,
& kind, friendly people opening their doors for some neighborly fun.

it was the {perfect} evening.

*big thanks to aunt audrey for the authentic hawaiian attire that she brought home from her kona summer vacay......made for the cutest/easiest costumes in history! love you! ♥

power, love & a sound mind

2011-10-20T12:53:00.004-06:00

there's honey bbq beef in the crockpot & a new whole wheat roll recipe rising on the counter.
i'm in my pjs & an apron w/ bedhead....i'll shower & put a little makeup on before i go to work.
my house is relatively messy, but i'm not stressing.
i decided to keep this scripture in my mind today.
i have some legit problems i'm worried about, but i have peace in my heart.
my toddler is making a creation with crayons & stick-on rhinestones.
there is a mix of happy tunes blasting.
i just belted this song while i was unloading the dishwasher.
back door is open, welcoming in arizona end-of-summer, wishing for fall.
i've spent my morning doing laundry & pinning.
i have a fun workout planned for before bedtime.

i feel like myself.
and i'm not going to let any negatives thoughts creep in,
to make me feel otherwise.

feeling inspired

2011-10-19T08:49:00.005-06:00

the class i am taking is seriously amazing.
dare i say, life-changing.
it's inspiring me to be nothing but my authentic self in heart & soul.
and i feel like it's slowly unleashing a creative, confident me.
it's teaching me strategies to fully embrace the life i want to live.
i have mostly loved the depth & the detailed curriculum that just
resonates [so much] with what i feel on a daily basis.
it's been hard work & a time commitment, but SO worth every second.

it has also been so amazing to get creative again, like, just for fun-style.
i used to mod podge & collage the world, back in high school.
i had a lot funkier style back then & wasn't so linear with my art.
it's been inspiring to just get messy with different mediums & embrace total imperfection.

i'm working on an art/life-journal right now that is going to be so special to me.
i couldn't be more excited.

hi, i'm angie &

2011-10-18T09:37:00.005-06:00

my profile on mormon.org got published today.
click here to read a short little ditty on who i am & why i love being a mormon,
aka, a member of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints.

i feel strongly that friendship knows no religion.
i simply love to share my faith because it is the greatest source of my happiness.
...and i love to spread the happy. :)

2011-10-17T13:44:00.004-06:00

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity {quote found here}

orange & black

2011-10-11T21:15:00.007-06:00

we took advantage of some of our fall break freedom
to decorate the house {a little} for fall & halloween.

i'm not one to go overboard with decorating {holiday or otherwise}
but i do love me a few touches of festivity here & there.

the girls are completely obsessed &
i let them choose where they wanted our little collection
of homemade & gifted trinkets to live for the next few weeks...♥

disneyland!

2011-10-10T01:03:00.025-06:00

a dream came true for us this week-
deb & mike took the entire family to disneyland!

our girls have never been & it was beyond wonderful
to experience the happiest place on earth/california adventure
with the little girls & the people we love.

we shared so many sweet memories together-
*we also shared a wicked strain of pink eye,
[compliments of chloe's kindergarten class].

i am so grateful for a family that is there for each other
& also knows how to have a good time together.

it's sorta impossible to capture all of the thousands of happy moments in photos,
but by the looks of the ones we did take:
you can tell there was lots of smiles & magic.

thanks for the memories, guys. ♥

our little student

2011-10-03T15:59:00.006-06:00

so proud of my little chloe girl for comin' home from school with this award in her backpack today.

she's thriving in kindergarten and it does my mama ♥ good.

i'm grateful she has such an awesome, supportive teacher
who pushes her with the learning stuff,
but also lets her be her creative little spirit.

i hope next semester i have some more time
in the afternoons to volunteer in her class
& see what she experiences throughout the day.

love her.
and i'm proud of her no matter what...

happiness project, step 3: honor your truth

2011-09-28T11:42:00.008-06:00

step two of my happiness project lasted kind of a long time,
because it was a humbling experience.

i learned about a lot of things i need to work on as a friend, family member & human.

i learned a lot of my strengths & weaknesses when it comes to being genuine.

knowledge is power!
i can celebrate the good inside of me & change what i am not proud of.

i also re-visited something i already know about myself:
my deepest heartaches and conflicts stem from falling into old patterns.

so, step 3 is about working on that.
it'll be more than letting go.
it'll be about restoring things that were lost.

i'm taking soul restoration 2 @ bravegirlsclub.com for the next 6 weeks.
and i can already tell it is going to absolutely change my life.
i've already begun my self-work & it's going to be so enlightening & empowering.

i'm going to try something i've never really done before:
i'm going to keep my goals & processes for the next little while totally private.
i'm not going to blog about it. {i'll blog about other fun things instead!}

i'm going to spend several weeks working on solving the issues
that seem to be causing me to feel weak, less-than & not enough.

i'm going to hold {myself} accountable,
without needing others approval to feel worthy & important.
i am going to reduce the inner noise, focus and work on honoring my truth.

it'll all be between myself & my god.
*the way it should be.

thanks to all you lovely souls who read my blog &
support me in my wonderful, happy, challenging, struggling, beautiful, crazy life.
i can feel it, and i love you. ♥

bloom

2011-09-26T22:29:00.008-06:00

my spring zinnias died a long time ago.
i tore them out and we endured a long summer of boring dirt/weeds in the flowerbed.

but across our little doorstep,
in the gravel, a tiny seed sprouted
...and a beautiful zinnia grew & bloomed among the rocks.
it steadily grew & grew, in the wicked arizona heat, without water.

and i believe god made it a pink one, just for me.

such a little thing-but it inspires me.
i love walking outside to the bus stop every morning with the girls and observing it's growth & progress.

...and taking with me throughout the day,
it's reminder,
that we can all bloom where we are planted.

there is beauty, even when our circumstances are difficult.
there are opportunities for growth, even when things seem destitute & rough.
there is potential to be reached and goals to be achieved, no matter what the odds.

look to the sunshine & live.

needed this ♥

2011-09-26T08:34:00.000-06:00

shocked & excited!

2011-09-21T20:08:00.004-06:00

a couple of days ago, i entered a giveaway on one of my very favorite blogs,
brave girls club.

they were giving away spots in their online course called soul restoration 2.

and guess what?!
i was one of the winners!

i am so extremely excited!
i am so inspired by the ideas & creativity that brave girls club offers.
i cannot wait to begin the course!

feeling very blessed. ♥

bedtime shenanigans

2011-09-20T19:45:00.005-06:00

pre-bed festivities at our house are sort of hilarious & involve a lot of musical pleasure provided by yours truly.

it's a little ridiculous, but it's kind of fun and my kids think i'm amazing even though i didn't make "teen tones" in junior high. {wink}

after we are done with baths, i comb the girls hair whilst belting this song, very obnoxiously {like mother gothel} to make them laugh hysterically & encourage less whining:

chloe usually reads us several stories.
we drink sippies of milk.

while i'm brushing their teeth, i sing 2 enthusiastic rounds of this song:

before jumpin in bed, we pray for safety and "to dream of unicorns and rainbows and kittens" [direct quote from chloe tonight.]

and as they relax, cozied up under their covers, the favorite musical number is:

i'm lucky if the last one stays in my head all night,
but unfortunately it's usually barney. :)

playroom

2011-09-19T14:26:00.006-06:00

i'm happy, thrilled, overjoyed, and ECSTATIC
to report that we have successfully combined our girls into one room...

it's taken a couple months & some seriously frustrating times, but
they are now, both, consistently sleeping through the night without drama.

*which leaves us with one HAPPY mama & a spare bedroom.

so, i've been working on #16-a playroom.

i gave myself a $20 budget,
and have i already spent it on a curtain rod & fabric.

so it's mostly just rearranging & organizing & being creative with my at-home resources.

my girls are already loving the changes.
i'll share a peek when i'm finished. ♥

panels

2011-09-16T11:56:00.007-06:00

i've had the fabric + thread to make some panels for my sliding door since my birthday.

myron chucked the vertical blinds {yay!} and installed the rod & clips shortly thereafter.

2 months later, on this fine friday-i woke up feeling ambitious.
so, i pretended i knew how to sew curtains {i don't}....

and finished up my goal/project for the month.

they're {not} perfect by any means, but i'm randomly happy with them.
i'm going to love having pretty gold yumminess hanging in my kitchen. ♥

"cloud water"

2011-09-15T09:03:00.003-06:00

we could not get enough of the rain that we got the other day...
we jumped for joy,
played ring around the rosie to our hearts' content,
& got soaking wet- loving every minute of it.

cooler temps/blissful arizona fall/winter is around the corner!
there's hope! who knew?

genius baby

2011-09-13T12:41:00.005-06:00

liv came up with the amazing idea to
drink her yogurt from a upcycled circle-k straw in the morning.

i give her a spoon,
she throws it,
finds daddy's latest 44ozer,
steals the big blue straw,
i trim it down to baby-size,
& she's in business.

it cracks me up every time
& makes {way less} of a mess than the self-spoon-fed method.

happy toddler, minimum mess.
win-win. :)

on my mind this morning

2011-09-08T08:38:00.009-06:00

{via}

late last night i was feeling a little melancholy.

just feeling like certain blessings that [i feel] like
i have been really patient waiting & working for aren't coming.

things that i feel are righteous desires seem to be out of reach for me.

my initial reaction to this, is to think:
am doing something wrong?
am i not having enough faith?
am i not being [good] enough to deserve it?

but after really thinking about it and feeling those feelings & think those thoughts,
i still find hope.

i know that the lord will work it all out.
he'll send me what i need, when i need it.
because he loves me.
and knows what i need more than i know what i need.

i think we all have things we wonder about these days.
politics are crazy.
the world is unsafe.
things are uncertain.

but i know that
daring to dream,
having hope for a better time,
doing all that i can....
being realistic-but not cynical,
and just being grateful for what i have in THIS moment,
is what will make me truly happy.

that's all.
have a great day. ♥

blondie

2011-09-07T12:37:00.007-06:00

oh my precious liv.
i feel like i never blog about her because i take most of my photos while she's sleeping.

if i take photos while she's awake,
my house is covered in the contents of:
some kind of liquid soap,
powdered food,
wet wipes,
or cracked eggs.

yes, she's two.
she's intense.

but boy, is she an angel.
those big blue happy eyes of hers- they speak to my soul.
she came to our family at just the right season.
her spirit is a comfort to me...reminds me that all good things happen in the lord's timing.

as she was coloring a few moments ago, she shouted, "i did it!" with every marker she opened. [it was the cutest thing ever...] and then she came up to me, where i was eating my eggs, and commanded, "in my mouf!" i finally surrendered my plate of eggs to her, for her to finish. and then she went and filled a pitcher of water & used that for her drink to go with her meal. and now, she's as happy as a clam, eating her second breakfast [my breakfast], drinking from the biggest water cup in the house.

i love my demanding, beautiful, amazing, sweet, sweet baby.
so blessed to call her mine. ♥

oh yeah, i have a blog

2011-09-06T20:39:00.003-06:00

hello.
i've been a {tad} weak-sauce with the blogging...i feel a little boring lately.

i took a picture of my lunch today because it was really pretty & made me happy,
.....but other than that, i got nothin'.

life is swell & uneventful.
i like boring.
feels nice.
♥

baby's first year!

2011-09-01T11:21:00.005-06:00

hey guys!

so, here's the scoop on one of my new classes @ scrapbooks-etc: baby's first year.

it's a 4-part class & if you sign up for all 4 installments, you will complete an entire album for baby's first year.

each class is $22, and you receive 3 single-spread 12x12 layouts for that cost.
*with the option of copying & purchasing the supplies for a matching double spread at class, including a darling information/stat sheet for you to fill out about baby each month.

you get to pick girl [top row] or boy [bottom row] kits.

here are the class dates:
september 9th, {next friday} 10:30am-12:30pm
[layouts for month 1, month 2 & month 3]
*pictured above

october 14th, 10:30am-12:30pm
[layouts for month 4, month 5 & month 6]

november 11th, 10:30am-12:30pm
[layouts for month 7, month 8 & month 9]

december 1st, 10:30am-12:30pm
[layouts for month 10, month 11, & month 12]

if you sign up for all 4 classes, you will receive 20% off a WeR 3-ring album of your choice, at the end of the series of classes. :)

great deal, super fun layouts, and some seriously productive scrapbooking!

you can sign up online here & receive 10% off.
or, call scrapbooks etc. & they'd be glad to assist you: 480-854-2303.
*you must pre-register, so i can plan to make you a kit.

and remember! if you can't make it the day of the class, i can hold the kit for you & you can do it @ home! ♥

thanks!!! hope to see you there!

mom, are you so proud of me?

2011-08-30T08:36:00.004-06:00

ever since i drafted my "28 things" list, i've been itching to get started on one of the tough ones.

turns out, the new "sophie" line of moda fabric was all i needed as motivation.
it was extremely hard to choose a print...they are all amazing.
those tiny-baby houndstooths in every color completely slay me: SO CUTE!

*if you didn't know, scrapbooks etc. not only has the best scrapbooking supplies,
but it's also fabric heaven. prettiest, yummiest fabric in town.

anywho,
i did something i've never done.
i followed a pattern all by my little old self & made a fun new apron for work. :)

seems easy, but this kinda stuff tends to intimidate me.
so, i am kind of a nerd, and proud of myself for finishing this project in a timely manner.

yay for trying new things....and only having to unpick twice! :)

happiness project, step two

2011-08-29T14:11:00.008-06:00

step 1 of my happiness project has been, well, a happy experience.

i started by making a list of feelings, patterns & behaviors that i would like to let go of.

like, officially, permanently, let go of.

i then took that list & converted it into a collection of beliefs that i have subconsciously taught myself over the years.
i took some time to recognize them as un-truths that were damaging my spirit.
and then i proceeded to, 1 by 1, let go of those beliefs because they are no longer serving me.

it took prayer.
it took conscious thought & breathing.
it took revisiting the scriptures to find truth that zaps those lies away.
it took having courage to believe i could live a different way.

i have tried to let go several times before, but one thing i was really reminded of over the passed few weeks, is that letting go will {absolutely} have to be a daily thing for me. daily repentance, to me, means relinquishing control of my will & desires, to god, one day at a time...being grateful for all the blessings & tools that he has given me & asking for his help to find my way for another 24 hours.

it's not going to take over night, or a mere 3 weeks, for me to un-teach myself these thoughts/beliefs that i have engrained inside, and frankly, become addicted to.

but i know that as i keep letting go & moving forward, i will develop momentum.

i feel ready to move onto step 2.

step 2: be genuine

i have become very aware recently, that one of my biggest weaknesses is
finding fault in others, especially when i feel insecure in a situation.

even though i know that gossip & judgmental thoughts are destructive to my spirit, i find myself giving into these behaviors more & more & i don't like it about myself.

i'm not ashamed to admit that i'm not perfect & i sometimes give into temptation,
but i am ashamed to admit that sometimes i don't even try to withstand.

and you know what? it's really hard for me to feel proud of myself & what i stand for, when i'm contradicting what i claim to be, with my actions.

i am quite good at loving people fully, unless they threaten my position in some way.
and that is the ugly truth.

so, step two is be genuine.
be the same angie front and back, left and right.
be the same angie to everyone around me.
handle problems maturely.
honor my core belief that we are all on the same level....all children of god...nothing more, nothing less.
make this awesome advice, my guide & goal:
starting right this moment.

i expect this change in my life to be a very refreshing, freeing experience.
i can't think of anything happier, than feeling genuine & sincere love for everyone.

a list

2011-08-27T08:18:00.015-06:00

{via}

~~1. make an apron for work~~
2. french braid chloe's hair for school one day
3. try 10 new recipes
~~4. make curtains for the kitchen~~
5. read leadership & self deception
6. take my neighbors a treat
7. implement a daily skin regimen
~~8. visit disneyland with my family~~
9. learn 5 favorite hymns
~~10. clean out the craftroom~~
11. bake bread for the fam
12. do a family service project
~~13. keep christmas a simple, stress-free, and happy experience~~
14. start documenting our photos/history in a simple fashion
15. write a lovenote to someone
16. give the playroom a makeover
17. plant a small garden
18. visit the zoo with the girls
19. take a family picture
20. re-read the book of mormon
21. plan an anniversary weekend away with myron
22. create an exercise program that i enjoy
23. be to my goal weight by may 17th, 2012
24. volunteer at chloe's school at least 5 times
25. clear out the garage
26. hold a simple & sweet fhe every week
27. finish creating my soul restoration projects
28. host at least 1 family party at our home

LOVE

2011-08-26T09:53:00.003-06:00

do yourself a favor:
hit play & kick back/relax & enjoy [this] for the next 4 minutes & 17 seconds.
♥

pearl of wisdom

2011-08-23T19:21:00.008-06:00

um, heyyy,
i'm still {technically} avoiding the internet at all costs.

but, per usual, i make my own rules...
& this mama is taking a {little break from my break}
to share the tender-est thing my 5 year old told me today.
[mostly because i don't want to forget it. ever.]

we were chillin' on the couch having an ordinary, normal moment
& chloe, randomly, out of nowhere, gave me the sweetest tight squeeze & said,
{reassuringly}

"mom, if you ever lose something,
don't worry. just look in your heart.
it was there all along."

for all i know, she probably heard that off a carebears episode {whilst i was being mother of the year & letting the television babysit her.}

but i will tell you, that her comment was incredibly timely, and much needed.

in the moments when i feel {a bit} like all is lost,
i'll remember that all i need, i have already.

my babies are my best teachers. ♥

unplugging

2011-08-20T23:56:00.010-06:00

as much as i {love} to dink around on the internet/facebook, blogger & pinterest,
i seriously need to FOCUS this upcoming week on some exciting stuff.

i have 2 new classes coming up on the {brand new} scrapbooks-etc. calendar!
my new classes are called celebrations & baby's first year!

here's the 411 on what they'll be like:

baby's first year starts on september 9th {10:30am-12:30pm} & is a 4 part class.
each class we will do 3 layouts representing months of the baby's first year.
each month is $22.
you get to choose boy or girl layouts.
if you sign up for all 4 months, you will get a smokin' discount on a coordinating album.
if you can't make it to class, you can opt to pick up the kit & i'll just hold it for ya! ♥

celebrations is a monthly class.
first class is september 29th 6-8pm.
we will be doing festive pages representative of the theme associated with that month.
september: back to school/school picture/class photo pages.
october: halloween pages
november: thanksgiving/gratitude pages
december: christmas pages
*and if you {attend} class, you get a free make & take card too!

i'm working on getting my samples finished [by september 1st]
so that lots of fun people will want to come scrap with me & my buddies!

so, i'm officially unplugging until all of my goals are met & my projects are d-o-n-e. :)
*and i think, with the magic combo of dedication & all day kindergarten, i [just might] be able to do it!

in the meantime, feel free to peruse this darling website & drool over it's photography. pie in the sky recently shot some [amazing] back to school photos of little chloe. amanda is awesome!

i'll share more when i get back off my little internet hiatus.
have a happy week.
♥

on being a mom

2011-08-18T22:49:00.003-06:00

is it just me,
or is packing lunches so fun?
i love it.

laundry though?
not so much fun.

and liv, thinking it'd be cool to bury herself in a brand new roll of paper towels....
is a little bit of both. ♥

kinder update

2011-08-17T22:52:00.004-06:00

chloe is LOVING school.
and, well, so am i.

don't get me wrong, there is {definitely} a bittersweet factor that plays into my first babe being in all day kindergarten.

but there's also an [amazing, i love this] factor....

she's having fun learning & socializing,
whilst i have time to do things like....mop the floor & shower before 3pm.

a couple of days ago, she fell at recess & got some strawberry/road-rash-action on her knees.

she's said, "mama, i didn't even cry. 'cause i just love school so much."

yay. :)

speaks to my soul

2011-08-16T22:09:00.010-06:00

today i'm going to share a couple cute pictures of my babes
{because they make me happy}
& a couple awesome links
{that also make me happy}:

every night, i receive notes/"daily truths" from
the brave girls club in my inbox.
today's just resonated with me.
enjoy. ♥

and yesterday, my brother in law re-shared a link
to the following message on facebook.
it was exactly what i needed to be reminded of
at the exact time he posted it....inspired-style.

there have been lots of times when i have prayed similar things as to "hope ya know, i'm having a hard time"...but, i truly believe that christ heals [all] wounds and through faith in him, we can find safety and security.
click here. ♥

today's pictures + captions

2011-08-15T21:25:00.005-06:00

after school snack!

i ♥ pinterest. peoples' creativity = my benefit!

baby waa-waa cantaloupe from the garden!

chloe's $.50 job for the day: sorting!

soon to be curtains!

fhe= health goals & 1 enthusiastic round of "jesus wants me for a sunbeam!"

step one

2011-08-13T14:34:00.008-06:00

i finished this book.
and, well, it changed my life.

i'm starting to work on my own {happiness project} now.
and it's exciting!
and inspiring.

i'm going to keep most of it [personal],
{just as it should be}
but i'll share [little glimpses] of my documentation of the experience
as i move forward.

step one has to do with letting go.

letting go of past perceptions of myself & others.
letting go of hurt associated to circumstances i can't control.
letting go, forgiving & moving forward with love & faith.

i've committed myself to a year of growth & endless possibilities.
so. excited.
♥

baby steps to the elevator

2011-08-12T13:19:00.005-06:00

our little family ate out this summer {a little} more than i care to admit....
due to the fact that:
a. i'm lazy/busy
b. the dunns can be fed for approximately $5 @ taco bell & little ceasers

i'm gettin' back into the swing of things...
makin' simple dinners/lunches for the fam....
been couponing for the past few weeks...
saving lots of money....
and trying to stock my shelves up in preparation for the upcoming/inevitable financial crisis.

just kidding!
*but [really] serious. {not funny}

i'm not very good at this stuff.
meal planning.
or meal budgeting.
or being organized about food storage.

but i feel heavenly father blessing me/helping me as i {keep calm & carry on} with it all.

just doin' my best.
:)

the baby

2011-08-11T23:25:00.005-06:00

liv is loving her only-child lifestyle during the day whilst chloe is busy learning at school. :)

she's a good little putterer when she has free reign of all the favorite toys in the household.

but she's always happy to see "coe-ee" when she gets home, too.

school is going to be a good thing for all three of us, i think.
makes our reunion @ 2:30pm so sweet....
love it.
♥

girlfriend goes to kindergarten

2011-08-10T08:29:00.005-06:00

it's hard to believe, but the day has come!

i am so excited for this girl.
it's hard to be emo when i know she is going to {LOVE} it!

sure tugs at the heartstrings to watch 'em grow wings though...
fly, baby, fly. ♥

cousin & niece {once removed?}

2011-08-03T23:24:00.005-06:00

this argyle yarn-wreath my cousin katie made me pretty much
causes [death by happiness] every time i behold it's cuteness on my wall.

and it gets better: the colored felt blocks are interchangeable for the seasons!
i know! right? total genius.
love, love, loveitsomuch.

i also love my cousin katie. a lot.
and i'm expecting a little text from her any day now, saying that her firstborn has arrived!

i smile just thinking about it.
can't wait to wish the little girlfriend a happy birthday/welcome-to-earth-shoutout.
and tell her that she scored bigtime with kate bein' her mama.
♥

a happy solution

2011-08-02T16:57:00.006-06:00

this might make me kind of uncivilized.
and kind of not-normal. {as if i've ever been normal?}

but last week, i moved my girls' entire closet into the laundry room/craft room.
{hanging items included}

we have a small one-level house, so:
+ it's easy access for the kids to get their jammies/outfits/shoes
+ there is more room for toys in their closets [less clutter!]
+ i have so much less random laundry strewn about my abode....because they just put their dirty clothes in the basket for me to throw in the wash.

+not to mention, as i do laundry, i can just fold & put away on the spot.

we call it the {changing room}...

and i don't care if it's weird or seems lazy, because it works beautifully.

yay for happy solutions!

growed up

2011-08-02T01:26:00.003-06:00

liv's been somewhat of a late talker, {just like her older sis was}...
but she's really starting to say stuff now! and make sense-ish!

and can i please tell you how adorable it is?
{beyond precious}

only trouble is,
day by day,
she becomes less of a baby & more of a little girl.

wish i knew how to slow down these days with my little toddler
sportin' nothin' but a crown & a diaper....it all goes too fast. ♥

happy harvest

2011-07-28T23:18:00.004-06:00

chloe had an emotional day.

first, our dog fake ran away.
i say "fake ran away" because he does this thing where he legit hides
& we freak out
& say a million prayers that "he won't get runned over by cars,
and that he'll love us so much & sniff his way home to us...."

and, then myron walks in the door, and the dumb dog
comes running outta no where.
mr. miyagi's been inside the house the whole time.
[sigh]

too much trama for a 5 year old.
chloe was sad.
and cried a lot over the incident.

until dad told her he had a surprise!
our first yellow squash of the summer!
and she also discovered a few more cukes that are just about ready to pick!

*farmer myron to the rescue.

lovin' this...

2011-07-27T23:07:00.006-06:00

my sweet [and talented] friend jamie sewed me up this
{darling!} table runner for my birthday a while ago.

it's cuteness has been chillin' on top of the piano ever since.
and it just makes me so happy every time i peek in it's direction.
♥

a happy tired

2011-07-26T20:41:00.004-06:00

these girlies wear me out.
{in a good way}

and since i'm currently off the sauce [pepsi],
life w/out caffinated beverage/fake energy = i'm pretty much exhausted @ 7:49pm.

wake me up when the next load of laundry is ready to be folded, k?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

the power of 1 minute

2011-07-25T22:46:00.005-06:00

my cute blog friend, onehm, posted this lovely link [on organizing] {a while back}...and i love, love, loved the ideas. particularly, the {one minute rule} is really helping me get my life in order-ish. it's a great tool to fight perfectionism....or as i like to call it: my all-or-nothing personality disorder. :)

last week, my aunt turned me on to the happiness project blog & i can't get enough! the author vlogs about the one minute rule {here}. a few of you have recommended [the happiness project] book to me & i bought it tonight w/ some b-day money. {thanks katie!} i can't [wait] to read it!

but now, i think i'll take {a minute} to replace the 12 burnt-out lightbulbs in my house, because i'm tired of living in a cave. ♥

running a tighter ship

2011-07-19T15:17:00.006-06:00

after my mini meltdown last week,
i decided it was time, yet again,
to renew a sense of structure around here.

my kids are still little,
but they aren't [too little] to learn some basic responsibility.

chloe will be starting school {really} soon-
so, i figured we better start practicing our morning routine.

i made some paper/velcro responsibility charts,
similar to the ones we've done in the past,
only this time i got smart-ish & had them laminated. :)

we also invested in some pretty little banks for the girls to start keeping track of their earnings. {each day they'll have the opportunity of having 1 job that makes 'em a little coin-age.}

my trouble with chores & routines...
is that they make me tired & seem to require a lot more energy than it would if i just did the stuff myself.

but i have to remember that teaching them to love work is a gift.

[and] that i am training a little army that will help me maintain this little home of ours for the happy years to come. ♥

to my blue eyed babies

2011-07-18T20:25:00.005-06:00

i love you something fierce.

returning to virtue

2011-07-17T14:37:00.005-06:00

church did it's job today.
i left feeling so happy & inspired.
my spirit learned so much.

this little video sums up my goal for the next little while.

i'm refocusing, with more diligence & heed.
so grateful. ♥

popeye

2011-07-13T22:47:00.002-06:00

i guess i should be happy that my 2 year old is obsessed with her raw veggies?

but seriously people, is this entirely necessary? ;)

love her.

shiny happy people

2011-07-12T14:37:00.007-06:00

all is good and well in the world again.

today is a [much] better day.
{thank freakin' goodness.}

i love my life,
it just took sweeping the floor of shame, aka my kitchen, to remember.
♥

man vs. mess

2011-07-11T14:07:00.005-06:00

i'd like to publicly apologize to anyone who witnessed my awful attitude this morning, from approximately 9am-present time.

i'm currently sitting on my bed, in mom-time-out, whilst chloe eats her lunch over netflix & livy sleeps after "crying it out" in baby prison.

btw: after a 20 minute tantrum, this is how i found her naked self/her surroundings:

so yeah, hmmm.....
perhaps i spoke too soon, when i wrote this post?

let's just say,
chloe & i just made "magic smoothies" to "help us have a better day."

and after our mandatory time out,
we are going to sing 5,000 rounds of
"when we are helping we're happy" & "clean up, clean up"
until every toy is in it's proper place & our sinks are lemony fresh.

this week's FHE will be a special lesson brought to the fam by yours truly,
entitled....."how to live like a civilized person"....
complete with demonstrations on how to put dirty clothes in the hamper,
dishes in the sink,
and trash in the acutal garbage can.

i'm a firm believer that the spirit dwells where there is order & calm.
and this mama {desperately} needs her order & calm.
*order and calm, where are you!? i miss you!

my problem isn't that i don't know how to be organized.
i do.
i have the skills and the desire.
i actually recognize it as a talent of mine, when put to good use.

i'm just busy.
and i allow my house to suffer over other priorities.

everyone tells me to take time for me.
but time for me = a disorganized, messy abode.
and it's not worth it to me anymore.

motherhood is a big, fat service project,
one that i am extremely grateful to be a part of-

and if "time for me" means i'm cleaning toilets so i'll be in a better mood....
i just need to stop whining, glove up & grab the comet. ♥

the weekend i learned that a messy house is not the end of the world

2011-07-07T23:10:00.008-06:00

let's just say,
i've been a little lazy the past few days.

well, unmotivated might be a prettier word.

i somehow obtained a crazy-wicked stomach flu over the holiday,
that was quite literally, plotting to take away my life, liberty & pursuit of happiness.

*it wiped me out for a good 3.78 days.

between the bouts of barfing & season 2/3 of celebrity rehab, {i ♥ dr. drew!}
i completely lost my ability to be a functioning citizen of the dunn household.

i'm done with the sick part now, but i'm still trying to regain my energy slash motivation.

i did manage to run to costco yesterday, and swimming lessons today......but i'm like a 95 year old senior cit, that can only schedule one event/day....even if that event = checking the mail. {which i failed to accomplish today, btw.}

i [have] kept my children alive and loved and [mostly] fed at the appropriate times,
plus i've worked at the store in the evenings...

{but}
the house needs a good ol' fashioned de-ghetto.
certain persons who shall remain nameless are on their last pair of clean underwear. {tmi?}
my yard is the definition of a hot mess.
i'm like, 75 months behind on grocery shopping/couponing.

and the beauty of it all is: i'm not really that stressed about it.
i'll catch up eventually....one day at a time, status.

i'd usually be freaking out over the state of my surroundings right now,
but if there is [one thing] that i learned from my weekend of reality television,
it's that my "problems" are not real problems.

so many people suffer in this world that need help and compassion and support.
like, they have been through crazy-hard things, that i can't even {begin} to imagine.

and i get stressed over mopped floors.

really?
really!?

i'm over it.
life's too fragile & short & important to be freaked out about the things i freak out about.

*but i am gonna go start a load of whites when i finish this post.
because no clean underwear is where i draw the line.

and help me to be wise.....

2011-07-04T01:31:00.012-06:00

The older & older I get, the less & less I care about fluff. I want depth. I want real-ness. I want truth. I want honesty. I want to know where I stand. I don’t want facades, games or drama-I want to be a real, genuine, straight-up, take-it-or-leave-it, this is me, type of person.

I love and admire authentic people who show their true selves and don’t apologize for it. And what I’ve realized, is that oftentimes- that means, I love people who are completely different from me. I have come to discover that what I respect most in an individual, isn’t how “cool” or seemingly amazing they are, but instead, how genuine they are. I admire people who are confident with themselves & their values enough, that they don’t feel the need to tear others down to feel better. I look up to people who can tackle problems honestly & maturely. I respect people who have no room for snobbery or judgment because they are humble enough to know that we all have issues and shortcomings.

I strive to live this quality, but “being real” has always been something that I have really struggled with. I can be real to the point where I share my deepest self, but then I lack the confidence to face the consequences of that vulnerability.

I know who I am, and I enjoy being randomly unique, but at the same time-I fear others’ judgment daily. I fear not being accepted. And most of all, I fear that I am being a bad example or letting others down, when I make mistakes & am not perfect.

And there you have it- A few short paragraphs that sum up my greatest heartache.

It is a heartache to me because a large part of me knows my truth. Part of me is deeply, spiritually aware of who I am, my potential and mission on this earth, and the perspective to get me through hard things….but there is another part of me that will do anything to please other people & keep peace, even if it means degrading that truth. And when I don’t listen to my truth, it hurts & causes me to be a less-than charitable/real person- to the point where I let jealousy, hurt feelings & fear of not being liked, destroy me.

I’m sure I sound legit crazy right now, but the point of this post is to help myself, and perhaps some other random soul out there have clarity with it all. My thoughts might seem slightly neurotic to some, but sharing is what heals me. It helps me to grow and become truer & truer to that part of me that knows what’s real.

What I pray for daily is wisdom. I pray for the strength & ability to listen to the voice inside of me that is wise & knows all the right answers. All the right answers for me. Not the right answers for my neighbor. Or my best friend. Or my uncle. Or his dog. But the right answers for me. It is a voice that we all have inside of us. A voice that teaches honesty in it’s truest form. A voice that inspires goodness and realness and forgiving behavior.

It’s taken me almost 30 years, but I think I’m finally learning from that voice: that being real, doesn’t mean being perfect. It’s been a hard battle for me….finding that realness…..the person in me that is charitable and kind, but also has self-respect and boundaries with others. Finding that happy medium between honesty & rude. And having the maturity to accept that I cannot change anyones’ feelings or perceptions but my own.

Wisdom is a blessing that I know I will receive if I seek it. It comes straight from my God, whom I recognize as the source of everything that is good. A God who loves me & allows me to go through hard things & feel these emotions, so that I can learn to love & have compassion for others...and depending upon my faithfulness, receive everlasting joy.