My 50th Christmas Dawns And I Post All the Pictures

December 25, 2015 • 2015, Christmas, family, missions, travel, Utah

I haven't been keeping a record of all my Christmases, so this being the 50th one isn't hugely significant, but it crossed my mind this morning as I woke early and put on some music. I am back in Utah, where I would have spent my very first Christmas,...

December 21, 2015 • 2015, Christmas, december, family, thinking out loud, travel, waxing philosophical

Whoops, thought this posted last week. This is from early Tuesday, December 15, just before we left for Utah. Today, my daughter and I leave for another big trip. This time last year I was gone from home for 6 weeks exactly. This time it will be a...

December 2, 2015 • my faith, service, sharegoodness, what I believe

The headlines and social media feeds are again filled with outrage and outright exhaustion over this latest-to-make-the-headlines tragedy in the US. As I consider what people are upset about, it seems to be centered on the fact that the government and...

October 25, 2015 • 2015, autumn, Evan, leadership, missions, quotes, travel

A week ago Saturday night we got an email from Evan letting us know that he would indeed be heading to Argentina on Monday. There was some question because of a glitch in his visa application, and we were prepared for the possibility of his serving in...

October 13, 2015 • 2015, audible, audiobook, book reviews, books, fiction, Kristin Hannah, world war 2 stories

The Nightingale by Kristin HannahFictionI listened to the audiobook narrated by Polly StoneYou might like this book if you are interested in yet another story about the intensity of World War 2 and how it affected families and individuals. Also, if...

October 8, 2015 • 2015, autumn, daily photos, Evan, my red door days, routine, work

I am so grateful for the friendships I've cultivated over the years. I'm not great at cultivation, but it seems that even my little efforts yield lovely things. It matters so much to me that others want to know how I'm doing. I always hope I'll remember...

September 25, 2015 • 2015, blogging, catch-up posts, my red door days, ordinary days, travel

Terry Pratchett says this is why you go away, so that you can come back, and I am back. Since I last wrote on the last day of August, another month has nearly come and gone, and I have been home for 10 of those September days. It will actually be good...

September 10, 2015 • Evan, I'm a Mormon, kids, missions, motherhood

I never served a mission for my church, but it is a huge part of the culture of people who are trying to live our religion. It's a decision that different people come to for different reasons, and it's always something I admire....

August 31, 2015 • 2015, faith, family, New York City, Temple times, travel

Since I last wrote, lots has happened. The revolving door of our house just keeps spinning, and the time hasn't stopped....

August 26, 2015 • 2015, 49, birthdays, kelsniftyfifty

Last Sunday was my 49th birthday. I think I confused some people when I said in a recent Instagram post that I would be entering my 50th year, but it's true. I have finished 49 years, and have now begun my 50th year. Lots of people use this time as a...

August 17, 2015 • choosing optimism, grumpy, headaches, it's going to be okay, sad

I really should just go to bed. Instead I want to process and make sense of things. I woke up with a sick headache that kept me in bed an extra hour and obliterated all my plans of morning routines and running and other productive things. ...

August 12, 2015 • 2015, choosing optimism, family, illness, Mom and Pop, mom's cancer

Some weeks ago, my mother had a bad fall down some stairs. In the aftermath of that, it was discovered that she has breast cancer. There are masses in her breast as well as in her lymph nodes. She's still being tested to find out any other places it...

July 28, 2015 • 2015, Colorado, craftsy, Denver, knitting, teaching, teaching knitting, travel

Most things I write about are little things. No, really, they are. I say that in plainspoken earnestness, not as a martyr or moper. They are important to me, my family, and a few others. They will never affect the outcomes of global events, nor will...

July 20, 2015 • challenges, choosing optimism, daily photos, meditation, photography

Yay Monday because last week was one of those weeks. I know it's inevitable that it will happen, but this was a convergence to be sure. What the heck happened, you may ask? Here is the rundown:...

July 15, 2015 • 2015, family, insomnia post, my red door days, photos, thinking out loud, travel, Utah

As a mother, there seem to be certain reflexes that haven't had long enough to slow in the scant year since my youngest left home. When I heard someone stirring in the wee hours, I woke up immediately to full alertness. It wasn't a big noise, just steps...

July 13, 2015 • birth story, birthdays, c-sections, family, hospital stories, Johnathan

Every so often, I get the urge to tell one of my kids' birth stories. Today is Johnathan's turn. I scanned some photos of his Birth Day and became quite emotional looking at our younger selves, his and mine....

June 21, 2015 • 2015, redminiroadtrip, travel, Utah

It's my last day in Utah. I am presented with an emotional dichotomy, to be sure, because leaving Utah means I bid farewell to mountains and endless skies and lots of my family and friends, but it also means going home to sheltering trees and fireflies...

June 2, 2015 • eduknit, knitting, tnna, travel

Last night I drove home from Ohio through the hills and valleys of the Allegheny range of the Appalachians. I kind of love exploring with the WAZE app, and it navigated me home from Columbus a different way than I originally went and it was perfect....

May 27, 2015 • celebrations, family, sam's wedding

Friday night, we started our celebrations of our third child's marriage. We hosted a small, family party at our home. We borrowed tables and chairs, put up some fun bistro lights, and set out the candles and flowers. Friends and family made food, everybody...

May 18, 2015 • everyday stuff, everything is all right, good times, health, myreddoordays, sam's wedding, thinking out loud

It's still sort of everything, all the time, but mostly, it's the wedding times. Jeff and Ashlyn are here, along with the cutest baby girl I currently know. The guest space I carved out of the basement is working well. There's still more to do in terms...

May 12, 2015 • 2015, balance, sam's wedding, wedding

After my little rant in the middle of last week, I did want to revisit and tell about the gorgeous parts that happened. It was a great week in a lot of ways. I'm still processing some of the ways it was overlaid by some serious challenges, but right...

May 7, 2015 • balance, everyday stuff, faith, letting go

Is it really only Thursday? In this house, we've been asking ourselves that question every day this week. It's been a long week. Good, even great, in so many moments, then in the next, challenging in ways that can only be coped with by the maniacal laughing...

April 25, 2015

I found this random hashtag online a few weeks ago that has has been a blessing to me. It's #nozerodays. I haven't taken the time to research the origins or even look at other people's posts so hashtagged, but what it has become to me is another tool...

April 14, 2015 • family, home, kids, missions, Sara

It's been a week since This happened: ...

April 3, 2015 • 2015, april, easter, friendship, missions, Sara, thinking out loud

Goodness! My nervous system is on high alert today. I'm so excited for Sara's return on Tuesday but I'm now into the tiny last minute details of wanting her to have a really nice place to come home to. Since we had turned her room into an office, we...

March 22, 2015 • briggs-myers, choosing optimism, infp, thinking out loud

Every time I take the Briggs-Myers Personality Assessment, no matter which version, I always end up as an INFP. I like these infographics, used with permission from CPP: Tendencies. ...

March 19, 2015 • choosing optimism, hard times, kids, language, TED talks, word fun

I'm extremely grateful you're along for the ride....

March 17, 2015 • 2015, book reviews, comedy, humor, jim gaffigan

Dad is Fat by Jim GaffiganMemoir, Non-fictionI listened to the audiobook read by the Author. I found it through my local library on Overdrive.You might like this book if you're a fan of the author's comedy, or if you like humorous memoirs about family...

March 15, 2015 • 2015, Anthony Doerr, book reviews, fiction, world war 2 stories

All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr Fiction I listened to the Audiobook read by Zach Appelman You might like it if you like stories about Europe during and after World War 2, especially those told in an unusual way rather than just recounting...

March 15, 2015 • 2015, family, kids, Sam, wrestling

Grown-up kids are great. They are smart, care about their money (and yours, at least while they're still in college), are doing amazing things, and are living good, productive lives. It does a mom's heart good. My grown-up kids are all those things,...

March 8, 2015 • change, church activities, friends, friendship, I'm a Mormon, thinking out loud

I'm writing this on a Saturday night but by the time it publishes, things will have changed for Eric and me, and it goes much deeper than just Daylight Savings Time. It has to do with Eric's church assignment. Church is one of the major pillars of my...

March 5, 2015 • 2015, facebook, gratitude, march, social media

This quote from President Monson helped me today so I shared it on the Facebooks. How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, provided an answer. Said he: “The grateful...

February 26, 2015 • 2015, California, eduknit, knitting, stitches expos, teaching, travel, Utah

Since I last wrote about 2 weeks ago, I have been working and traveling. This is one of my crazy-long words-and-pictures catching-up extravaganzas, so you might want to get a cup of hot cocoa....

February 8, 2015 • 2015, anxiety, blogging, busy, choosing optimism

I finally realized, due to having to write so much for actual work endeavors, writing here doesn't always feel like the relaxing treat it once did. It feels a bit like another assignment. It still matters to me to write here though, and go through the...

January 13, 2015 • 2015, kelsnzadventure2014, thinking out loud, travel

I don't have any new photos to share, I'm not caught up on my New Zealand Posts, nor have I written a a complete paragraph about these last three weeks in Arizona (which includes my son's wedding, for Pete's Sakes!), but tonight, I feel like writing....

January 1, 2015 • 2014, december, kelsnzadventure2014, new zealand, redcarpettours, south island

After we left Edoras, or Mt. Sunday, we made our way to the tranquil town of Twizel, stopping by turns at Lake Takapo and Lake Pukaki for spectacular views of the Southern Alps and Mt. Cook. We enjoyed gorgeous weather and had a perfect view of the mountains,...

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