Brooke’s Baptism and A Big Goal of Ours.

I love these pictures, and I love that Brooke was able to *choose* baptism! I may have my own beliefs, but I do think it’s a great thing when young people are approached as individual beings who can be accountable, who can make choices, and who are TRUSTED to make good choices. Teaching that from an early age becomes the foundation of self-awareness, independence, and resilience. And when Brooke is raised in a context of a mama who wants her to remember she is loved by so many people–man, that’s just gold right there. Solid gold.

I know it’s scary to share so much of your personal life and so much about children on the internet, but I *love* that your context of sharing about your kiddos is the idea of “the more people who love them the better.” Good job, mama!

I don’t really decorate for holidays, except for Christmas. We get a teeny tiny tree from the grocery store, and we have white twinkle lights and some cheapo silver and red balls we put on the tree. Not fancy, but it works for me and Tom and our little apartment. And we have some of my yiayia’s Christmas dishes (yiayia=Greek for ‘grandmother’) that we use on Christmas day. It’s hard to decorate when you live in a small apartment, you’re always working, and you have two cats that are lovely and adorable but who are, even at the human age of 11.5 years old, little robotic destruction machines. One day when we have a house and when life feels more stable and Tom and I each can only work one job (and when I actually have a job that is fulfilling again–that prayer train needs to continue, as it’s been SO HARD for so long), it might be different. There might be a holiday wreath or doormat thrown into the picture, and maybe even a table cloth in fall colors and one in spring colors to match our white everyday dinner plates. But that’s probably it. ;)

My favorite holiday to CELEBRATE, though, is hands down birthdays. To me they’re the truest holidays. Any religion can have or dispute a holiday. Any country can create a holiday to give government workers a break. Some holidays–like mothers day–can bring so much sadness to people. And there are other things that people just don’t celebrate. But it is ABSOLUTELY UNDENIABLE that your life is better because of the people who are in it, and it is a FACT that each of these people was born on one specific day. So no matter where the chips may fall at any point in time–an easy season of life or a more challenging one–your life is able to be sustained because of these amazing people who fill it with love and beauty. So when it comes to birthdays, I get giddy and SO EXCITED, almost as if it was my own birthday. They’re simply the best!!!

Hope your day in Utah is SO GOOD today :)

Congratulations tor Brooke! It looks like a really lovely day!

Where and how do you guys store your Halloween decoration stash? I’m limited on storage space, and wonder what strategy you use.

My parents always said yes to “just one more chapter before lights out”. And it was NEVER just one more chapter ;)

My mom would always tell us to ask dad so I guess she was just passing on saying no?? Haha

I wake up at 530 every day and rarely need an alarm. I always set one but I usually wake up about 528.

Congratulations to Brooke on a beautiful day! It’s so special to be with family and celebrate your faith.

HUGE CONGRATS to sweet Brooke on her Baptism. Such a memorable and special day for all of you.

As a child of divorce, I just want to give you a HUGE kudos for including Brooke’s dad and other part of her family in this event ❤️ My parents couldn’t be around each other for events like this until my brothers and I were adults, so I just love seeing Brooke get to spend her special day with everyone!!

I got baptized when I was 7, so reading about Brooke’s baptism brought back a lot of happy memories. I’m glad she was able to be surrounded by all her loved ones.

I love decorating for Christmas (it’s really the only holiday I decorate for) and celebrating Easter. Both very important days to me.

I only use an alarm if I absolutely have to be out the door super early. I’m usually awake before 6 a.m.

My dad was definitely the one who said yes. Unfortunately, he learned to say, “Go ask your mom!”

I can’t remember who was more likely to say ‘yes’ to us growing up but with my kids it is definitely me and they know it! If I say to ‘go ask your dad’ they know the answer will be no and that I don’t want to be the one to say it.

Thanks for sharing Brooke’s baptism. Both of our children were baptized as babies but they can also rededicate themselves when they are old enough to choose. My husband and I actually got re-baptized when our son was and it was pretty special for us to all do it together.

I love those videos showing the different types of runners! So funny and true!

What a beautiful way to celebrate and honor Brooke. I bet she was thrilled to have so many family members there showing their love and support (and I am sure she felt it from those who were not there, too!) I hope you rested after all that, I’m sure it was mentally, emotionally, and physically and tiring day and weekend. Many of us understand how family events can *feel* when some of our past and present come together. Sounds like it was a good situation since the day was about Brooke. I appreciate things like that coming up because it is really life and reading about how others view this or handle it is reassuring.

What was the flavor of that amazing looking cake?! Yum!!!

How fun for Skye and Knox to hang out together. Your kids are so cute.

Answer to Andrew-I’d say both. If it involved anything adventuresome or random, my dad. Now that I think about it, I think my dad said yes more. Unless he had a gut feeling it was something my mom would be totally against, then it was a no.

Dad for sure said yes more than Mom!

Favorite holidays are Fall/Halloween and Christmas

Yes my body naturally wakes up at the same time even on weekends but I still set alarms just in case!