Our Anniversary

The year we were married, spring came early and the trees and flowers were all in bloom.  I remember the wisteria bush at my parents house was full of vibrant blossoms and looked like a purple waterfall on the side of their house.  I can't remember it ever blooming like that before and I know it hasn't since.  It was spectacular.  Of course we took full advantage of it and used it as a back drop for several wedding photos.  It was a beautiful representation of our wedding day. 

Time has flown by - faster each year.  This year spring is slow to come.  The early flowers are out but the trees and bushes have yet to bloom.  It was sunny today but the temperatures were only in the 50s with a strong, cold wind blowing from the North.  This year, there's no correlation between the weather and our marriage.  My life with Brad is wonderful - fulfilling.  He surprised me with a beautiful jade necklace to represent our 26 years or marriage.  I love my life and I love my boys and as cliched as it sounds, they really are the light of my life.  It gets better every year.  Happy Anniversary to me - to us!

Valentine Flowers

Sorry, this is sideways - I couldn't figure out how to rotate it so it would post upright.  Brad had the most gorgeous Orchids sent to me at work for Valentines Day this year.  I had to post a pic - just ignore all the files on my desk and focus on the lovely flowers.  Aren't they spectacular?

Snowflakes

Winston and I had a fun time tonight cutting out some snowflakes. He was feeling a little down because his older brothers didn't want to play with him, so to cheer him up I suggested we open the art kit that Santa had brought him for Christmas.  He started out drawing a picture of our house and then a picture of a snowflake.

Looking at his snowflake picture, we decided to cut out a few of our own to hang in his room.  I haven't cut out snowflakes for years and it took me a few tries to remember how to fold and cut to get a decent looking one but we kept trying.  We hung up our best ones on his bedroom wall.

Snowflakes are such a fun project. The possibilities are endless and they're perfect for January - especially this year.  It's been the coldest January we've had since Winston was born.  I'm actually hoping it will snow some more soon to bring the temperatures up out of the single digits.  Brrrr! 

Another Year

It's crazy to think that another year has come and gone.  I can't believe that it's been 6 months since my last post.  It's true what they say about time flying - the older I get the faster it flies by.

Summer time was soooo busy, I just fell out of the habit of posting.  I do miss sharing my random thoughts though so at the start of this new year I'll begin by getting back into  the routine of blogging.

Happy New Year!

I Did It!

Yesterday was the Utah Valley Half Marathon.  I signed up to run this race with my friend Laurie Petersen back in January thinking I had plenty of time to train - I was sure I'd be more than ready to run.  I started training in February - stepping things up in March and April.  I was actually doing pretty good until May arrived. 

I pushed myself a little too hard on a long run, injured my lower back and had to pull back for a few weeks.  Then work got crazy busy and Brad got sick and ended up in the hospital for a few days.  Needless to say, I didn't get  much running in during May.  A week before race day, I was only able to run for about 7 miles before tiring out.

Feeling discouraged but still determined to do this race, I decided to just focus on finishing the race in under 3 hours.  Laurie was great about it - saying she hadn't enough time to really train either and we would plan to walk as much as we needed. 

Going in with lowered expectations took the pressure off and I was able to relax and run so I did much, much better than I expected!  With Laurie's encouragement I ran most of the way - stopping to walk only at the aid stations to grab a quick drink and one pit stop.  I ended up finishing in 2 hours and 33 minutes!! 

I'm pretty sore today since I wasn't in shape for that long of a run but it's worth it.  The run felt great and I'm so glad I stuck it out.  Now, on to the next race in August.  :)

A friend posted this on Facebook and I really like the message - it's one I need to remember.  Sometimes I stop putting in the effort to accomplish something that takes a lot of work - at other times I can't seem to find or make the extra time needed to squeeze everything in.

When I've plowed through, made time and stuck with something, the sense of accomplishment has always made it worthwhile.  I just need to keep telling myself - "Don't give up, you'll be glad you kept going."

Where Oh Where Did April Go?

April has flown by for me - it's been a crazy busy month at the Shafer household.  My mom had knee replacement surgery on both of her knees in the middle of March and I've been helping her in the evenings after work.  Brad has been out of town several times on work trips and Winston's T-ball games started up.  Plus, I've been getting up in the mornings to train for my upcoming half marathon on June 9 and to top it off, work has picked up dramatically so I've been working a lot more hours this month. 

My mom is doing well - she's actually ahead of schedule in her recovery.  I'm doing pretty good on my training too - not as far along as I hoped I'd be but I'll be ready in time for the race.  Unfortunately, my house is a mess right now and I'm way behind on getting much Spring cleaning done but there's only so many hours in a day, something has to give.

I'm hoping May will be a much less hectic month.  When life runs at such a crazy pace like April has done, it doesn't leave much time to relax and enjoy the journey.  One nice thing about this past April is that the weather has been great so I've been able to get outside for many runs and I've really enjoyed the spectacular Spring flowers.  The world is a beautiful place in the Spring. 

Happy Spring!

I'm so happy that Spring is officially here!  It's been a mild winter this year - I'm not a big fan of snow and cold weather so to me, it's been a great winter.  I love having more daylight.  I love sunshine and I'm so looking forward to Summertime and all the outdoor activities that go with it.  Happy Spring!!!

Time for a Change

My life is due for some change - I'm not sure how to start or what to do.  I just know that a change is needed.  It's time for some serious thinking and planning...

 I found these quotes on Pinterest.  Aren't they great?

 Change can be a really good thing - a great way to grow.

It's hard to know where to start but I know I need to.

 I'm anxious now but I need to get excited.

 And I need to believe in myself - things will work out.

Yes, it's time for some magic happen in my life.

Happy February 29th!

What do you do with an extra day every four years?  The idea of getting an extra day is great - if only it could be a free day.  A day to hang out with family, have fun or relax, you get the idea.  Unfortunately, on leap year day, life goes on as usual - today I still had to go to work, do housework and all the usual stuff I do each day. 

But wouldn't it be nice to get a day free of your usual responsibilities each leap year?  A day to completely relax and have fun.  I guess I'm just missing some down time right now.  Work has been beyond busy and I've started training to run in a half marathon in June so needless to say, I don't have much free time. 

I'd really love a day off to read or watch some movies - old favorites and some I haven't seen yet, maybe do some shopping and browse online uninterrupted for a little while.  Wouldn't that be nice? Sigh!  I need a vacation.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today I'm so very grateful for my fabulous husband and three wonderful sons.  My heart is brimming over with love and appreciation for my family.  Life with them is so very fulfilling and worthwhile.  I am blessed - truly blessed.  Happy Valentine's Day!

A Travel Wish...

I can't believe January is over.  Every year the time goes by faster and faster.  I really want to slow things down - to sit and relax in a chair on a beach like the one pictured above.  To take life at a slower pace and not have every day be a rush from sunrise to sunset trying to get everything done.

Isn't this a gorgeous picture of a Hawaiian sunset?  Hawaii is on my list of places to go someday - in fact, it's near the top of my travel wish list.  I found Hawaii's Offical Tourism site to help with planning a trip when I finally make it there. 

I definitely want to go to Hawaii's Volcano National Park.  I've wanted to go here from the first time I saw pictures of this place - to see lava erupting in person.  Amazing!

Another thing I plan to do is walk on the beach with Brad - either at sunrise or sunset or maybe both.  Just the thought of this is so relaxing.  Looking at this picture I can almost smell the ocean and feel the wet sand on my feet.  One day I'll make it there. 

In 2012 I will Achieve...

I'm a little slow getting my resolutions decided on this year - to be honest, I'm still trying to get all the Christmas decorations put away.  Yes, I'm a little behind so far this year.  The way I see it though, you can start a resolution any time of the year - not just the first of January.  Once you decide to make a change, you should start on it right away - don't wait.

Also, there are so many things to choose from.  I found the above picture on Google and loved all the things listed - they're all things I want to either try or do better at.  Anyway, for this year, I'm going to still work on some of the goals I set last year so here's what I've decided on:

1.  Continue trying to Make a positive impact on someone's life each day.  I started this last year and felt the good effects in my own life as I tried to make a positive impact on those around me.  I'm still going to work at making my little corner of the world a better place  - I've learned it not only benefits others but also me.
2.  Take a cooking class - I didn't get around to doing this last year so this year I'm going to do it!
3.  Improve my Running time and distance.  I set a goal to run a half marathon last year and I did it!  This year I've already registered to run in two more half marathons and I want to improve my endurance and time - lots and lots of training ahead of me.  : )
4.  Take time each week to write down the highlights.  This is another goal from last year and I was pretty hit and miss at doing it.  I started out alright but as the weeks went by, I let the busyness of life use up my time.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to manage my time better and write down life's highlights.  

Well that's it for this year.  Wish me luck!

2011 Resolutions Recap

I thought it would be good to review and analyze how I did with last year's resolutions.  Some of my goals were easy to remember and work on, some were not.  Here's a recap of my 2011 resolutions:

1.  Make a positive impact on someone's life each day.
2.  Take a cooking class
3.  Learn to better control my reactions and not allow the actions of others to dictate how I react and how I feel. 
4.  Be a more patient and considerate driver.
5.  Run in a 10K and then a Half Marathon.
6.  Take time each week to write down the highlights.

 For #1 - making a positive impact each day - I had a good start, beginning each day with a prayer and conscious decision to do this but as the days passed, the demands of life gradually took the front seat and pushed this farther back in my thoughts.  I definitely made progress in making a conscious choice to stay positive so I feel this goal was met (I wouldn't say finished because this goal will be a continual work in progress throughout my life.

For #2 - taking a cooking class - I completely missed this one.  I'm going to do it this year though, really!  I failed to make the time to find a local class to register for.  Cooking/Baking is something I really enjoy (not a surprise to anyone who's browsed my blog) so this year I'll find a class and make the time to go.

For #3 - better control of my reactions - again this one will be a continual work in progress but having made the decision to not let the actions of others dictate how I react and feel made a BIG difference.  Deciding ahead of time that I'm in control of how I feel and how I'll react helped me to pause in those difficult moments, think things through and decide how I wanted to respond.  Definitely a success.

For #4 - being a more patient and considerate driver - I've made big gains in this area.  All I have to do is imagine that a driver who makes me frustrated is a friend or family member or that they're in the middle of their own crisis and I instantly feel more patient with them.  This works most of the time and has helped me be a more patient and considerate driver - success for this goal.

For #5 - run in a 10K and then a Half Marathon - well, I kind of skipped the 10K and went straight for the Half Marathon.  Not only did I finish it, but I didn't do half bad and have already registered to run in two Half Marathons this year.  I'm going to have a lot of fun runs this year.

For #6 - writing down the highlights of each week - I started out okay with this and then completely dropped the ball.  This is one I wish I hadn't failed on and I'm recommitting to do better this year.  I don't want to forget all the special moments that happen throughout the year and obviously the best way to remember them is to write them down.  I think I'll post a reminder note on my mirror.

I'll be thinking about this years goals and posting them during the next week.

A New Year Begins

Wow, we're at the end of yet another year - my how they pass so quickly.  Time really does fly by faster each year.  I hear Winston complain about how long it's taking for him to grow up - he can hardly wait until he's old enough to have his own pocket knife and bb gun. I remember feeling this way as a child - that time was crawling by.

As a grownup, I'm so surprised by how quickly the weeks and months fly by.  It seems that Winston was born just last year and not more than 5 years ago already.  I worry about missing his growing up, which despite his complaints is happening at a rapid rate.  There's a lot to be said for seizing the moment and stopping to smell the flowers - don't wait until you're less busy - time doesn't wait for you and you'll miss all those special moments.

I welcome this new year and look forward to all it will bring.  I hope there will be more good kind of experiences than difficult ones, but will take all that is to come.  I'll try my best to learn and grow and cherish each day.  Happy New Year!

O Christmas Tree

I love our Christmas tree.  It's a family tradition of ours to get a real tree each year and our tree this year is such a beautiful shape and color.  An added plus - it makes our house smell so nice and piney. 

Another tradition of ours is buying a special ornament each year for our boys.  We started this when Zack and Bo were little and it's been a fun thing each year to add to their collection not to mention I enjoy shopping around for each year's ornament.  I love looking at our decorated tree and reminiscing about all the ornaments we've accumulated over the years - it adds to my holiday magic.

Don't get me wrong, I do love to see others theme decorated trees and admire their beauty, but for me our smorgasbord Christmas is the most beautiful of Christmas trees.  

Dancing Fall Leaves

I love days like today when the wind is blowing the fallen leaves in swirls across the lawns and roads.  The mixed fall colors are beautiful to see as they dance on by in the wind and the dry crinkley sound they make enchants me.

Driving down the road with the leaves swirling and dancing around me brings both feelings of enjoyment and expectation along with a feeling I can't quite explain but am always grateful to experience. - like a fond remembrance  Fall days like this are too few and far between.

As the leaves spin and tumble on by, it feels as if the world is restless - anxious for the coming winter season.  Fall is on it's way out and winter with it's cold snow will soon be here.

A Tutu

Last week was our Super Tuesday activity for the women in our ward/neighborhood.  Even though I don't have a daughter, I couldn't resist signing up for the class to make a Tutu - I should have granddaughters someday, right? 

It turned out darling and was so easy to make. I wanted to share some pictures. Also, I found this website- Just We Moms - which has a great tutorial on how to make these.  You can make one that's all the same color or alternates two, three or a rainbow of colors. 

Here's a couple of pics of my tutu - they don't do it just though.  It's so much cuter in person - the red tulle is sparkly and catches the light as you spin it.  I only wish I had a daughter to put it on and watch her dance and spin around in it.  I'll just patiently wait for a granddaughter. :)

I Love this Quote

I saw this quote on Pinterest - which if you haven't heard of Pinterest yet it's become my new favorite pastime.  It's a site that allows you to post favorite web pages, pictures, sayings, recipes, etc - like an online bulletin board - and you can follow the pins from others too.  It's full of fun and fabulous things. 

Anyway, back to this amazing quote.  I'd love to have this hanging in my home - what a great attitude and philosophy to have.  I'd never heard of William Arthur Ward before so I googled his name and there's a bunch of information about him out there - he's on of the most quoted American authors of inspirational writing.

He's written a bunch of newspaper and magazine articles, poems and stories.  Here's a link to one site listing many other famous quotes by William Arthur Ward and here's another link to his official website.  I love his positive and motivating take on life.  I thought I'd share a few more quotes of his that I really liked:

Lose yourself in generous service and every day can be a most unusual day, a triumphant day, an abundantly rewarding day!

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. 

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.

10 Day Challenge - Day Ten

And last but not least day ten: Ten Secrets

1. I'd LOVE to be a stay at home mom while Winston is still young.
2. I wish I could work from home.
3. I want to go back to school and finish my degree.
4. I love my boys more than I can say and wouldn't trade them for anything, but I do wish I'd been able to have a daughter or two.
5. I'm very shy and more often than not feel extremely awkward in social settings.  I also wish I had more really close friends but the shyness is always holding me back.
6. I'm looking forward to having grand children someday. (no rush though!)
7. I'd love to travel and am looking forward to the day when Brad and I can travel together - just the two of us.
8. I'm a terrible procrastinator and always have been.
9. My house is more often a clutterly mess than not.
10. Sometimes I long to have a day where I could sleep in, lounge around half the day with a good book and spend the other half watching some good chick flicks all by myself.

Well, that's the end.  It's been fun to share a little about myself these past 10 days.  :)