Yesterday (Sunday) Sterling and I went to nursery as usual. Nursery is my calling and Sterling has no calling but I need his help in nursery. I love taking care of the nursery kids but we have 13-17 kids every week. Jenn, my partner, and I need more than just us to manage the kids.
We gave a baby gate we no longer need to a family who wanted it. And I gave out the baby shower invitation flyers for each auxiliary where women are during church hours. I gave a baby shower a couple weeks ago and am already involved in another one. With the last baby shower I put a lot of work into it. I made the decorations and invites and flyers and shower games. I had help providing food. With this current shower I am doing the decorations, invites, flyers, cake and helping with two of the games. I am getting good at doing baby showers and the women receiving the party feels loved and grateful for the efforts.
At church we were handed the Roberts' computer to take home and fix. Sterling is really good at fixing computers and has helped out many people in the ward for free. Most people who need help buy cheap computers and maybe don't have good anti virus software. So they get viruses and their computers slow down and have issues. Sterling cleans them, wipes them clear and installs good software and antiviruses.
In our ward we , Ster and I, do a lot of service. With church callings and more. I watch other peoples kids even on short notice for free. We help any way we can. We don't really have to go looking for service opportunities because the ward knows us and our skills by now. They come to us and we happily help.
In our service efforts we bless others' lives but in return Heavenly Father blesses us.
Recently my visiting teaching companion had a baby. A week or two later a sister we visit teach had a baby too. I brought dessert and visited with my companion after her baby came along. She had a scary delivery and a hard post partum. So I was happy to visit with her, keep her company and make sure she was doing better.
Well yesterday was Fast Sunday and I spent the whole afternoon cooking and baking. I made croissant rolls from scratch, chicken salad sandwich filler and choc choc chip cookies. I took some of all those things and sweet pulled pork Sterling made over to the Mchaley's (the sister I visit teach who just had her baby). I brought them dinner for last night and the pulled pork for a freezer meal for later in the week.
Katie Mchaley is doing well. She has recovered nicely and feels great after a fast and smooth delivery.
After that visit I went to Kayla, my v.t. companion and gave her back her computer Sterling fixed. She is having a hard time because her baby still won't sleep at night while she has young twin boys and a toddler at home. She is teaching them school at home this year. I let her know I am available every morning this week if she needs any help she can call me.
On the drive home from the military base where I made my visits I thought a lot about my wonderful husband. Lately I've been realizing that our perfect relationship can't remain so wonderful without much effort. After 8 years of marriage you have to work hard to keep the relationship exciting and strong. I've been discovering ways to do that.
Saturday we went on an exciting date where we ziplined in the mountain. Ziplining is something a little scary that Ster and I each experienced only once in our youth. After so many years have gone by it was hard to remember the whole experience. I was worried it would be too high off the ground and that the end, the jerk at the bottom, would be too rough.
I was surprised to learn something I did not know about my husband...he is afraid of heights. He said the tower doesn't bother him (his work tower) but standing in the trees reading to fly down a line in a harness makes him nervous.
So it was exciting and a little scary for both of us. But the Tramway Adventures zipline in Keystone SD was not too high off the ground. It was so awesome flying through the trees! So much fun! And doing it with Sterling made me feel stronger and happier in our relationship.
I had picked the activity so Sterling picked the place to eat. We went to Sanford's for the first time and it became our new favorite restaurant. The environment was fun and the food was amazing. It costs more than other places in town but tastes so much better than the others. We'd rather go to Sanford's once in a while than eat out often at places that don't impress us.
Another thing I realized that helps me feel stronger and happier in my relationship with Sterling is to say the things I love about him out loud. On the drive home from the base yesterday I remembered that saying words out loud has power. I learned that from my mother.
I often think about the things I love about Sterling but I don't usually say them out loud.
So , alone in the car, wishing I had a friend with me to say it to I spoke aloud the things I love about Sterling. It takes over 15 mins to drive home. So I had that much time to think about how wonderful he is.
Some of the things I said are: "Sterling helps me to be a great mom. With his help and giving me breaks I don't get burned out. That causes me to be able to continue to be patient and happy and a great mom."
"Sterling is so wonderful to serve others. He could charge money for his computer services but that's not how he is. He isn't about making money any way he can. He is all about helping others."
"One of his priorities is to keep me stress free and happy. And I am so thankful for that. He has striven for that since we first got married."
"He doesn't always step in to help clean my chores or take care of the kids. But if he knows I need help he will definitely step in. And he does clean up his computer desk and his own stuff often."
You know what...saying them out loud made me feel more appreciation and love for him. Simply thinking about those things was not enough. Saying things outloud truly has great power.
I got home and walked in the house to find Luke cleaning. I saw the kitchen had been cleaned up and all the dishes done. The upstairs was clean! And downstairs I found Sterling and Ty cleaning the tv room! I could hardly believe it.
I knew immediately why he did it. It wasn't that I was getting burned out. It was that Sterling wanted to spend time with me and he knew if I had dishes to wash and things to take care of I would not be able to.
Sterling's actions that evening made me feel more love and joy for him. He truly is wonderful.
The house was clean and we were able to relax and watch tv together. The kids are pretty good at leaving us alone to do that once in a while.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Selfless Marriage
A couple days ago I was pondering my wonderful marriage. I realized that I was the more selfish one in the relationship. Sterling loves spending time with me. He wants more time together than I typically do. I spend my time with the kids, cleaning the house and with my husband. I do take time for myself when Sterling is at work. I take time to facebook, watch a girly show, and do something fun for me like scrapbooking or making hair bows. When Sterling is home from work I spend time with him but then I find myself also wanting to do stuff for me and do stuff alone. Even though Sterling still wants to be with me I would rather go do something for me or sometimes even do some housecleaning that I was not able to get to because of the kids.
Yesterday evening Sterling brought up our marriage; as often happens due to the constant reminder of others that marriage isn't always as wonderful as ours. Sterling said "But I could be less selfish". I almost laughed at that. I then told him how I was thinking I was the more selfish one in our relationship.
He said "I spend more of the money." Which is true. He does always say that we need to save money and not spend but then he ends up buying more unnecessary things than I do. "How are you selfish?" he asked. I told him about my wanting more time for just me. He agreed that was true.
So yesterday we pointed out one way our marriage isn't perfect.
However, in that conversation we also proved how amazing our marriage is that we both see past our spouse's greed and see only how we could improve ourselves. That proves we are selfless in some ways.
The funny thing is that the times I do think "I wish Sterling would do that for me" and I realize he could be more selfless are the times I feel guilt for thinking of myself and wishing he were different.
Sterling is not perfect (neither am I) but it would be a truly amazing world if all men were like him.
Yesterday evening Sterling brought up our marriage; as often happens due to the constant reminder of others that marriage isn't always as wonderful as ours. Sterling said "But I could be less selfish". I almost laughed at that. I then told him how I was thinking I was the more selfish one in our relationship.
He said "I spend more of the money." Which is true. He does always say that we need to save money and not spend but then he ends up buying more unnecessary things than I do. "How are you selfish?" he asked. I told him about my wanting more time for just me. He agreed that was true.
So yesterday we pointed out one way our marriage isn't perfect.
However, in that conversation we also proved how amazing our marriage is that we both see past our spouse's greed and see only how we could improve ourselves. That proves we are selfless in some ways.
The funny thing is that the times I do think "I wish Sterling would do that for me" and I realize he could be more selfless are the times I feel guilt for thinking of myself and wishing he were different.
Sterling is not perfect (neither am I) but it would be a truly amazing world if all men were like him.
Celebrate 30 years of Tiffany
I love birthdays! For Sterling's 30th we did not have a party. That's his favorite way to celebrate. But for me...I definitely wanted a party.
The perfect party theme...Swing Dancing!
The Saturday after my birthday some friends came over to celebrate with us. Al & Malinda Stone and James & Martha Aston. I decorated with store bought silver stars hanging from the ceiling and black cutout silhouettes of swing dancing couples which I had cut out myself. I had decorated the tv room and there we danced. Sterling and I taught our friends some basic dance moves: the Triple Step, Rock Step, Bow Tie and the She-He turn. We practiced those moves and then turned on Swing music. We danced a while and it was a lot of fun.
I started Swing dancing in high school. I fell in love with it right away! I joined the school's swing dance club and I thought it was amazing. Unfortunately the leaders of the club graduated and nobody knew enough swing to take over.
Then Zack Guymon who became my best friend happened to love swing dancing too. So we would practice together. When my brother Aaron got married Zack and I were pretty good at swing dancing. At the wedding reception we showed off our moves. I didn't have any idea if it even looked good because I was doing it. But one day, years after the wedding, (I think it was Nicole) someone showed me a video from the reception that showed some of our dancing and it looked awesome! I wish I had that video. I have asked Aaron and Nicole to see if they can find it but I never heard back from them about it.
I went to a swing dance club, free at BYU, once with friends. Since then I've only danced with my husband. We practiced basic swing. I was trying to teach Sterling to swing because I love it so much and he was willing to do it for me. But it's not as fun when you don't do it all the time...when you are out of practice. It's fun when you dance so much that you and your partner are good at it. Sterling and I...we are out of practice.
At my 30th party we danced. We hung out while our kids played in the boys' bedroom.
I served chicken salad croissant sandwiches and we had brownies and ice cream for dessert.
30 years of happiness. And my life is more amazing than ever. My life is perfect. God blesses me in more way than I can count.
The perfect party theme...Swing Dancing!
The Saturday after my birthday some friends came over to celebrate with us. Al & Malinda Stone and James & Martha Aston. I decorated with store bought silver stars hanging from the ceiling and black cutout silhouettes of swing dancing couples which I had cut out myself. I had decorated the tv room and there we danced. Sterling and I taught our friends some basic dance moves: the Triple Step, Rock Step, Bow Tie and the She-He turn. We practiced those moves and then turned on Swing music. We danced a while and it was a lot of fun.
I started Swing dancing in high school. I fell in love with it right away! I joined the school's swing dance club and I thought it was amazing. Unfortunately the leaders of the club graduated and nobody knew enough swing to take over.
Then Zack Guymon who became my best friend happened to love swing dancing too. So we would practice together. When my brother Aaron got married Zack and I were pretty good at swing dancing. At the wedding reception we showed off our moves. I didn't have any idea if it even looked good because I was doing it. But one day, years after the wedding, (I think it was Nicole) someone showed me a video from the reception that showed some of our dancing and it looked awesome! I wish I had that video. I have asked Aaron and Nicole to see if they can find it but I never heard back from them about it.
I went to a swing dance club, free at BYU, once with friends. Since then I've only danced with my husband. We practiced basic swing. I was trying to teach Sterling to swing because I love it so much and he was willing to do it for me. But it's not as fun when you don't do it all the time...when you are out of practice. It's fun when you dance so much that you and your partner are good at it. Sterling and I...we are out of practice.
At my 30th party we danced. We hung out while our kids played in the boys' bedroom.
I served chicken salad croissant sandwiches and we had brownies and ice cream for dessert.
30 years of happiness. And my life is more amazing than ever. My life is perfect. God blesses me in more way than I can count.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
The Perfect Year -State of Mind
I feel like this year, 2014, has been the best year of my life.
Is it because of the things I have done, the places I have been and the things I have seen this year? No.
Having our family complete; three amazing children and a perfect marriage along with the life we have had leading up to our move here makes everything perfect. The Summer was perfect. The holidays are perfect. I am so truly happy.
What makes my life perfect? 1) Having spent an amazing 4 years in Italy with Sterling and our boys. 2) Now living within driving distance of our families. 3) Having a daughter...being able to do all the fun girly things with her I don't get to do with/for my boys. 4) Having decided our family is complete. Planning to not get pregnant again or go through labor and delivery. Knowing that these hardships of raising a baby (waiting for her to sleep through the night etc) are the last time I will go through these.
Other simple things like the trials I have faced that have made me as strong as I am today. Example: My insecurety and desire to have people like me and to know my friends are true friends. I went through that the whole time I was in Italy and maybe even before that. But now I am happy with the many friends I have here. I don't have a best friend, besides Sterling, but know that I have a list of girls I can call to go hang out or invite over.
Another example: last winter here in Rapid City was very harsh. Cold and windy together. This Winter so far it is nowhere near that. It does get cold but we have some almost warm days as well. And the wind has been very tame so far this Winter. So now when it's 0 degrees outside I don't mind going out to go shopping or go get stuff done outside. I don't mind being out the cold a little while because there is no harsh wind.
Another small thing that makes my life perfect ...I realized recently that I don't have to worry about getting fat again. After Tiberias was born I gained more weight than I have ever had on before. I allowed myself to be in maybe 2 photographs at that time. Both of them I stood on the outskirt of the picture so I could crop in the photo, cutting off part of my body to show less of my fat.
I shortly after worked my butt off with Sterling to count my calories (eat like 1200 calories a day), doing pushups and situps and hiking. Combined with breastfeeding Ty my weight melted off.
I have been worried about gaining back the weight ever since.
When we came back to America a year and a half ago I started eating not so healthy. We had gotten into a very good healthy eating lifestyle in Italy. Then we came back to all the fast food we had missed and celebrations with family. Then Sterling was away from us 4 months. Then we moved to South Dakota. I have not gotten back into a healthy eating lifestyle since. I did workout during my pregnancy with Athena...so my body stayed in shape. And after Athena was born , if I wore a tummy sucker under my clothes, I looked like I had not just had a baby. I looked great. I have been breastfeeding Athena but not working out much or eating healthy. Now she is almost a year old and I am still "thin." So recently I realized...I am not going to get fat again. I can stop worrying about it. Now that I am no longer breastfeeding Athena I do need to start working out often. Replace the calorie burning with another way of calorie burning. And I should start eating a bit healthier. But if I don't I am not afraid of blowing up like a balloon. Definitely something to celebrate!! :)
Not only that but the fact that I know how to lose weight if I need to. It takes years to learn how your body best loses weight and I do know my body.
My family has done some awesome things this year! Visited Mount Rushmore a few times as well as some other fun places in the area. Had grandparents come to visit because of the baby being born. We drove down to Provo and visited our family when Travis got married. But what made it the best year of my life, so far, is where I have been and what has tried me to bring me to this perfect state of mind and true happiness. No dream could be sweeter than my life. No hope or wish could make one happier than my life makes me.
Not only is it the past and present that bring joy to me but the aspirations for my future. Sterling and I talk about our future sometimes. We talk about having a piece of land after retirement, where we start out in a trailor while we build our dream home.
We talk of having animals on our land which we care for.
We talk of having a motor home and taking family trips sooner rather than later.
We once talked about living in or near a small town where we could open a little diner.
Sterling talks about being a cop, his dream job. And I honestly hope he gets that experience and loves it.
I dream about how I will spend my time when my children are grown. Photography, cake decorating, scrapbooking, sewing, keeping up my singing voice and performing for church and community events, etc.
The thing about dreams, with my husband, they tend to come true. Sterling has made so many of my dreams come true. With us being down to earth and financially secure (we are planners) it is totally feasible for any of our dreams of retirement to come true.
God has given us so much. And every day I thank Him for His blessings.
Is it because of the things I have done, the places I have been and the things I have seen this year? No.
Having our family complete; three amazing children and a perfect marriage along with the life we have had leading up to our move here makes everything perfect. The Summer was perfect. The holidays are perfect. I am so truly happy.
What makes my life perfect? 1) Having spent an amazing 4 years in Italy with Sterling and our boys. 2) Now living within driving distance of our families. 3) Having a daughter...being able to do all the fun girly things with her I don't get to do with/for my boys. 4) Having decided our family is complete. Planning to not get pregnant again or go through labor and delivery. Knowing that these hardships of raising a baby (waiting for her to sleep through the night etc) are the last time I will go through these.
Other simple things like the trials I have faced that have made me as strong as I am today. Example: My insecurety and desire to have people like me and to know my friends are true friends. I went through that the whole time I was in Italy and maybe even before that. But now I am happy with the many friends I have here. I don't have a best friend, besides Sterling, but know that I have a list of girls I can call to go hang out or invite over.
Another example: last winter here in Rapid City was very harsh. Cold and windy together. This Winter so far it is nowhere near that. It does get cold but we have some almost warm days as well. And the wind has been very tame so far this Winter. So now when it's 0 degrees outside I don't mind going out to go shopping or go get stuff done outside. I don't mind being out the cold a little while because there is no harsh wind.
Another small thing that makes my life perfect ...I realized recently that I don't have to worry about getting fat again. After Tiberias was born I gained more weight than I have ever had on before. I allowed myself to be in maybe 2 photographs at that time. Both of them I stood on the outskirt of the picture so I could crop in the photo, cutting off part of my body to show less of my fat.
I shortly after worked my butt off with Sterling to count my calories (eat like 1200 calories a day), doing pushups and situps and hiking. Combined with breastfeeding Ty my weight melted off.
I have been worried about gaining back the weight ever since.
When we came back to America a year and a half ago I started eating not so healthy. We had gotten into a very good healthy eating lifestyle in Italy. Then we came back to all the fast food we had missed and celebrations with family. Then Sterling was away from us 4 months. Then we moved to South Dakota. I have not gotten back into a healthy eating lifestyle since. I did workout during my pregnancy with Athena...so my body stayed in shape. And after Athena was born , if I wore a tummy sucker under my clothes, I looked like I had not just had a baby. I looked great. I have been breastfeeding Athena but not working out much or eating healthy. Now she is almost a year old and I am still "thin." So recently I realized...I am not going to get fat again. I can stop worrying about it. Now that I am no longer breastfeeding Athena I do need to start working out often. Replace the calorie burning with another way of calorie burning. And I should start eating a bit healthier. But if I don't I am not afraid of blowing up like a balloon. Definitely something to celebrate!! :)
Not only that but the fact that I know how to lose weight if I need to. It takes years to learn how your body best loses weight and I do know my body.
My family has done some awesome things this year! Visited Mount Rushmore a few times as well as some other fun places in the area. Had grandparents come to visit because of the baby being born. We drove down to Provo and visited our family when Travis got married. But what made it the best year of my life, so far, is where I have been and what has tried me to bring me to this perfect state of mind and true happiness. No dream could be sweeter than my life. No hope or wish could make one happier than my life makes me.
Not only is it the past and present that bring joy to me but the aspirations for my future. Sterling and I talk about our future sometimes. We talk about having a piece of land after retirement, where we start out in a trailor while we build our dream home.
We talk of having animals on our land which we care for.
We talk of having a motor home and taking family trips sooner rather than later.
We once talked about living in or near a small town where we could open a little diner.
Sterling talks about being a cop, his dream job. And I honestly hope he gets that experience and loves it.
I dream about how I will spend my time when my children are grown. Photography, cake decorating, scrapbooking, sewing, keeping up my singing voice and performing for church and community events, etc.
The thing about dreams, with my husband, they tend to come true. Sterling has made so many of my dreams come true. With us being down to earth and financially secure (we are planners) it is totally feasible for any of our dreams of retirement to come true.
God has given us so much. And every day I thank Him for His blessings.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Callings
We moved into the Rapid Valley ward in December last year. It took a few months before I was given callings...Sterling as well.
I was called to two callings around the same time. 1)Relief Society Enrichment Committee Head. To lead the committee that plans and throws the monthly RS activities.
2) Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. Malinda Stone would teach one week and I would teach the next.
I enjoyed both callings. My 1st calling was a lot easier for me. I had a lot of fun with my committee planning and throwing fun events. We did the Annual Birthday Dinner (huge success), a Get To Know Your Sisters Game Night (Success!), Visiting Teaching Conference (Which was a success despite the drama one sister caused) and a cake decorating Basics class taught by Druceal Sheldon (frosting decorating) and myself (fondant). It was moved from one date to another due to weather so we had a small turnout of about 5 sisters aside from the teachers. But it was a success anyway. It would be awesome to do annually.
My Gospel Doctrine calling also took up a lot of time but only every other week. It took about three days of working on my lesson to get it prepared. Being a mom of three I don't find that much alone time each day to work on it.
I learned so much by studying the scriptures! Old Testament is not easy for me to understand. But praying for help and studying it over a few days has really opened my eyes. I would read some of it and not understand it at all. But with the help of the manual and the Seminary manual and reading it a few days after the 1st time, I understand. I have never learned the Old Testament as well as I have by teaching it.
I have also been an unofficial Primary substitute. Not many people in the ward are willing to take on a primary class. So I do it. After a few weeks of teaching Gospel Doctrine I feel really confident to teach, even last minute, a class of 3 year olds or 5 year olds.
I have been subbing when I can in Ty's 3 yr old class while his teacher had her third baby and has been staying home with him.
And my last calling is Visiting Teacher, of course. I have been one to strive to get 100% visiting teaching each month when possible. I did well at it in Italy.
Now I have three kids and my husband works two totally different shifts rotating every other week. And the sisters we visit are spread out. Two live in Box Elder which is 15 minutes away. One lives close to me. But we can't seem to get them to let us come visit on the same day. So we make different trips when we can. One sister only wants to see my companion because she has had her as her vising teacher for a long time. And the other two are also inactives.
Visiting Teaching is, sadly, a burden now. I pray that it will change. I no longer feel I can get 100% v.t. each month. I feel I need a break every other month. It has been stressful with my life being so busy.
It has not been that long since I got my callings in this ward. But I am being released from both of those callings and placed in another. I will be in the Relief Society Presidency...one of the counselor. Although I am not sure which one...first or second. The Bishopric member could not remember which when he asked if I would accept the calling.
Of course I would accept. Ster thinks I will be as busy in this calling as I was in both my current callings.
On Sunday I will be released from gospel doctrine and hopefully Enrichment Committee and set apart in the new one.
The Relief Society President is my visiting teaching companion Missy Davis. Her other choice for counselor is a woman I do not know. And the Secretary is not changing...Laura Smith.
Actually, I have not been told I will be released from Enrichment Committee. I'm just kind of hoping so. It's a busy calling and if I have to do that as well as Relief Society Presidency I might be way too busy.
Ster thinks I will be kept in charge of overseeing the committee but that I won't be in charge of coming up with the ideas for events and hosting them. I will probably continue to make the flyers (digital and printed) because I am good at it and getting it done promptly so everyone can plan for the event.
I am so thankful to be a part of the Lord's church and to have so many opportunities to serve. I am blessed in countless ways for serving in the church! Some of those ways are gaining experience in different areas and growing.
This will be my first time in the Relief Society Presidency. I am
I was called to two callings around the same time. 1)Relief Society Enrichment Committee Head. To lead the committee that plans and throws the monthly RS activities.
2) Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. Malinda Stone would teach one week and I would teach the next.
I enjoyed both callings. My 1st calling was a lot easier for me. I had a lot of fun with my committee planning and throwing fun events. We did the Annual Birthday Dinner (huge success), a Get To Know Your Sisters Game Night (Success!), Visiting Teaching Conference (Which was a success despite the drama one sister caused) and a cake decorating Basics class taught by Druceal Sheldon (frosting decorating) and myself (fondant). It was moved from one date to another due to weather so we had a small turnout of about 5 sisters aside from the teachers. But it was a success anyway. It would be awesome to do annually.
My Gospel Doctrine calling also took up a lot of time but only every other week. It took about three days of working on my lesson to get it prepared. Being a mom of three I don't find that much alone time each day to work on it.
I learned so much by studying the scriptures! Old Testament is not easy for me to understand. But praying for help and studying it over a few days has really opened my eyes. I would read some of it and not understand it at all. But with the help of the manual and the Seminary manual and reading it a few days after the 1st time, I understand. I have never learned the Old Testament as well as I have by teaching it.
I have also been an unofficial Primary substitute. Not many people in the ward are willing to take on a primary class. So I do it. After a few weeks of teaching Gospel Doctrine I feel really confident to teach, even last minute, a class of 3 year olds or 5 year olds.
I have been subbing when I can in Ty's 3 yr old class while his teacher had her third baby and has been staying home with him.
And my last calling is Visiting Teacher, of course. I have been one to strive to get 100% visiting teaching each month when possible. I did well at it in Italy.
Now I have three kids and my husband works two totally different shifts rotating every other week. And the sisters we visit are spread out. Two live in Box Elder which is 15 minutes away. One lives close to me. But we can't seem to get them to let us come visit on the same day. So we make different trips when we can. One sister only wants to see my companion because she has had her as her vising teacher for a long time. And the other two are also inactives.
Visiting Teaching is, sadly, a burden now. I pray that it will change. I no longer feel I can get 100% v.t. each month. I feel I need a break every other month. It has been stressful with my life being so busy.
It has not been that long since I got my callings in this ward. But I am being released from both of those callings and placed in another. I will be in the Relief Society Presidency...one of the counselor. Although I am not sure which one...first or second. The Bishopric member could not remember which when he asked if I would accept the calling.
Of course I would accept. Ster thinks I will be as busy in this calling as I was in both my current callings.
On Sunday I will be released from gospel doctrine and hopefully Enrichment Committee and set apart in the new one.
The Relief Society President is my visiting teaching companion Missy Davis. Her other choice for counselor is a woman I do not know. And the Secretary is not changing...Laura Smith.
Actually, I have not been told I will be released from Enrichment Committee. I'm just kind of hoping so. It's a busy calling and if I have to do that as well as Relief Society Presidency I might be way too busy.
Ster thinks I will be kept in charge of overseeing the committee but that I won't be in charge of coming up with the ideas for events and hosting them. I will probably continue to make the flyers (digital and printed) because I am good at it and getting it done promptly so everyone can plan for the event.
I am so thankful to be a part of the Lord's church and to have so many opportunities to serve. I am blessed in countless ways for serving in the church! Some of those ways are gaining experience in different areas and growing.
This will be my first time in the Relief Society Presidency. I am
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Valentine's 2014
This year for Valentine's day Sterling's parents were staying with us. They came to see our new home in Rapid City South Dakota, meet our new baby Athena and help us during this newborn time.
Mom Roundy has been so helpful! She has cleaned and taken care of the kids everyday! Dad Roundy has worked in the mornings and early afternoons then read and played with the kids after that. He also spent time doting over her. She's so cute how could you not?
Mom also helped me throw a baby shower for my friend Martha. We threw her party on the 11th and she had a scheduled c-section on the 14th (Vday).
The party was awesome! Mom watched my kids while I made and decorated a cake and cupcakes for the party. She helped clean for the party and even make sure everything we needed during the party was had. We had a ton of girls show up and only a few kids who played together downstairs.
On Valentine's day we did not have a big romantic date. Nor did mom and dad. Sterling had to work but we were able to spend time together as a family.
The day after Vday Sterling and I went on a date. But first we took Ster's parents on a road trip. We all drove to Wall to see Wall Drug Store. Half of the cool store, which was like a mini mall, was closed for the winter season. So we drove on...to the Badlands National park.
We drove through and it was beautiful. So windy and cold though. Not snowy cold but just cold enough to be annoying. The wind was really all that was annoying because it was crazy windy.
We saw some fun wildlife; prairie dogs...whole towns of them, deer, big horn sheep and buffalo (from afar).
That evening Sterling and I got dressed up and went to Applebee's for dinner. It was busy, being a Saturday night in a busy town. But it only took 15 minutes for them to have a table ready for us.
We then drove to the church for a ward Valentine's dance. It was like a party more than a dance because only about 7 couples came. And there were some really fun people there...outgoing women. Singing and dancing, snacking and socializing. It was a lot of fun! Sterling did not want to go but went because he knew how happy it would make me. Once there I didn't want to torcher him so I decided we didn't have to dance the fast songs. They played the Electric Slide and a group was doing the dance. Sterling revealed to me that he had never heard that song before so he had of course never learned the dance. I was shocked. In Vegas as the LDS youth dances we always danced that song.
And Sterling surprised me by saying he would try it! So we got on the dance floor! It took me a long time to get it myself...having not danced it in so many years.
We socialized. There were only two couples there I had not met before. One woman I was friends on facebook but had not met her. The other was a young military member and his fiance who was here visiting. So we met both of those couples.
We slow danced, gazing into each other's eyes, feeling the magic we still have between us. It was so romantic!
We had fun! And at the end of the dance they played "Earth Angel" by the Four Seasons.
As Sterling and I danced he sang me the words of the song; "Earth Angel, Earth Angel,
The one I adore, Love you forever And evermore. I'm just a fool, A fool in love with you."
It was cold out but not too cold. I was so tired, as mother's of newborns are by 9pm, but had such a wonderful night.
Sterling and I had agreed not to get each other gifts this holiday. But I saw a Darth Vador mug in the Valentine's section of the store and I couldnt help but get it for Sterling. Then he had pointed out a poster, of the Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug, that he liked a while ago so I decided to get him that as well. Mom and I framed it in a big frame Ster and I had lying around and we put it on the wall in the tv area of the downstairs. He loved his gifts but felt bad that I did those when he hadn't gotten me anything. He did get me my favorite though...Twizzlers. And he got me a flowers and branches mold for cake decorating...one I picked out and purchased and told him it was a Vday gift from him. :)
The Sunday after Vday we all went to church together. The weather was wonderful that day!
Sterling received a calling...to be Scout master and a Young Men's leader. I received a call to be Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. I am a bit intimidated by this calling because I have to stand and teach adults every other week. But I think I'm up for the challenge.
We were set apart that day. Then the bishopric offered me another calling which they had previousely decided to ask me to do but then forgot about it.
I can't think of the title right now! It's a committee that organizes and puts on Relief Society events and occasionally ward events. I will be the head of the committee. There are currently 6 members but they plan to have 8-10.
I'm not intimidated by this calling because I will have plenty of women on the committee to help me out. And because I love planning and throwing social events.
Mom and dad Roundy stayed about a week and a half. They left today...flew back to Utah. We loved having them visit! Now I'm going to be crazy busy. With Luke going to school and then having homework after school, house cleaning, taking care of the kids, meals, my hobbies like blogging and the church.
Sunday will be Sterling's birthday! I will be teaching Gospel Doctrine for the first time then we'll celebrate Sterling's birthday. Then we are feeding missionaries twice that week. The sister missionaries once and the elders once. And Sterling is going on a camping trip that weekend with the scouts.
Plus, I have to do something special to celebrate when Tiberias spends a whole night in his own bed. He's been so freaked out that mom and dad might leave him in the night that he gets up screaming and crying "mom? dad?" And he doesn't want to go back to his own bed. He sleeps on the floor in our room. Sometimes it's before midnight and sometimes it's as late as 5am. But if he can make it to 6:30a without coming to our room, and he doesn't freak out then we celebrate.
Twice we've done this. Only two nights in the last like month has he been good to sleep through the night and not drive us crazy.
I come up with a song we dance to because he loves to dance. We play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We even have a special treat like homemade brownies. He loves having these parties! But they take up my time when I'm already so busy! Now mom Roundy is no longer here to help me take care of the kids and clean the house.
Now I have to stand on my own two feet. Learn how to be a mom of three without a mother here to help me (a few weeks before mom Roundy came my own mother was here helping out!)
And now I'm about 5 weeks past my delivery so I'm allowed to start working out again. I am happy to get back into working out. And I love that there's no pressure. I'm not over weight. I look pretty good. It's the first time I've started my pregnancy thin ...so staying in shape throughout the pregnancy really helped me looked great right after the delivery. My first week back at church people said I don't look like I've just had a baby. My husband even reassures me of that. And Sterling isn't one to tell me things just to make me feel good. We're too realistic. When he or I do something like that it's not very convincing. That's what makes me feel I am not a very good photographer...because Sterling won't compliment my work very much. I really get the impression he thinks I'm not that great at it. And it makes it so I think I'm only okay when really I want to think I'm pretty good. Others tell me I'm really good.
Other than that Sterling is the best husband ever!
Anyway, my point was that it feels great to be able to start working out and not have the pressure of NEEDing to lose 5 pounds. Yes, I need to lose weight. I want to lose ten pounds. But I don't worry about it because I have not worked out much in over a month so when I do start it should work to lose weight. And breastfeeding really helps me lose weight.
I am tired! I am happy but tired! And it is so windy here! I'm starting to really hate the wind. But mom Roundy pointed out...we are on the prairies where the wind blows. That's just the part of the U.
S. we moved to.
Mom Roundy has been so helpful! She has cleaned and taken care of the kids everyday! Dad Roundy has worked in the mornings and early afternoons then read and played with the kids after that. He also spent time doting over her. She's so cute how could you not?
Mom also helped me throw a baby shower for my friend Martha. We threw her party on the 11th and she had a scheduled c-section on the 14th (Vday).
The party was awesome! Mom watched my kids while I made and decorated a cake and cupcakes for the party. She helped clean for the party and even make sure everything we needed during the party was had. We had a ton of girls show up and only a few kids who played together downstairs.
On Valentine's day we did not have a big romantic date. Nor did mom and dad. Sterling had to work but we were able to spend time together as a family.
The day after Vday Sterling and I went on a date. But first we took Ster's parents on a road trip. We all drove to Wall to see Wall Drug Store. Half of the cool store, which was like a mini mall, was closed for the winter season. So we drove on...to the Badlands National park.
We drove through and it was beautiful. So windy and cold though. Not snowy cold but just cold enough to be annoying. The wind was really all that was annoying because it was crazy windy.
We saw some fun wildlife; prairie dogs...whole towns of them, deer, big horn sheep and buffalo (from afar).
That evening Sterling and I got dressed up and went to Applebee's for dinner. It was busy, being a Saturday night in a busy town. But it only took 15 minutes for them to have a table ready for us.
We then drove to the church for a ward Valentine's dance. It was like a party more than a dance because only about 7 couples came. And there were some really fun people there...outgoing women. Singing and dancing, snacking and socializing. It was a lot of fun! Sterling did not want to go but went because he knew how happy it would make me. Once there I didn't want to torcher him so I decided we didn't have to dance the fast songs. They played the Electric Slide and a group was doing the dance. Sterling revealed to me that he had never heard that song before so he had of course never learned the dance. I was shocked. In Vegas as the LDS youth dances we always danced that song.
And Sterling surprised me by saying he would try it! So we got on the dance floor! It took me a long time to get it myself...having not danced it in so many years.
We socialized. There were only two couples there I had not met before. One woman I was friends on facebook but had not met her. The other was a young military member and his fiance who was here visiting. So we met both of those couples.
We slow danced, gazing into each other's eyes, feeling the magic we still have between us. It was so romantic!
We had fun! And at the end of the dance they played "Earth Angel" by the Four Seasons.
As Sterling and I danced he sang me the words of the song; "Earth Angel, Earth Angel,
The one I adore, Love you forever And evermore. I'm just a fool, A fool in love with you."
It was cold out but not too cold. I was so tired, as mother's of newborns are by 9pm, but had such a wonderful night.
Sterling and I had agreed not to get each other gifts this holiday. But I saw a Darth Vador mug in the Valentine's section of the store and I couldnt help but get it for Sterling. Then he had pointed out a poster, of the Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug, that he liked a while ago so I decided to get him that as well. Mom and I framed it in a big frame Ster and I had lying around and we put it on the wall in the tv area of the downstairs. He loved his gifts but felt bad that I did those when he hadn't gotten me anything. He did get me my favorite though...Twizzlers. And he got me a flowers and branches mold for cake decorating...one I picked out and purchased and told him it was a Vday gift from him. :)
The Sunday after Vday we all went to church together. The weather was wonderful that day!
Sterling received a calling...to be Scout master and a Young Men's leader. I received a call to be Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. I am a bit intimidated by this calling because I have to stand and teach adults every other week. But I think I'm up for the challenge.
We were set apart that day. Then the bishopric offered me another calling which they had previousely decided to ask me to do but then forgot about it.
I can't think of the title right now! It's a committee that organizes and puts on Relief Society events and occasionally ward events. I will be the head of the committee. There are currently 6 members but they plan to have 8-10.
I'm not intimidated by this calling because I will have plenty of women on the committee to help me out. And because I love planning and throwing social events.
Mom and dad Roundy stayed about a week and a half. They left today...flew back to Utah. We loved having them visit! Now I'm going to be crazy busy. With Luke going to school and then having homework after school, house cleaning, taking care of the kids, meals, my hobbies like blogging and the church.
Sunday will be Sterling's birthday! I will be teaching Gospel Doctrine for the first time then we'll celebrate Sterling's birthday. Then we are feeding missionaries twice that week. The sister missionaries once and the elders once. And Sterling is going on a camping trip that weekend with the scouts.
Plus, I have to do something special to celebrate when Tiberias spends a whole night in his own bed. He's been so freaked out that mom and dad might leave him in the night that he gets up screaming and crying "mom? dad?" And he doesn't want to go back to his own bed. He sleeps on the floor in our room. Sometimes it's before midnight and sometimes it's as late as 5am. But if he can make it to 6:30a without coming to our room, and he doesn't freak out then we celebrate.
Twice we've done this. Only two nights in the last like month has he been good to sleep through the night and not drive us crazy.
I come up with a song we dance to because he loves to dance. We play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We even have a special treat like homemade brownies. He loves having these parties! But they take up my time when I'm already so busy! Now mom Roundy is no longer here to help me take care of the kids and clean the house.
Now I have to stand on my own two feet. Learn how to be a mom of three without a mother here to help me (a few weeks before mom Roundy came my own mother was here helping out!)
And now I'm about 5 weeks past my delivery so I'm allowed to start working out again. I am happy to get back into working out. And I love that there's no pressure. I'm not over weight. I look pretty good. It's the first time I've started my pregnancy thin ...so staying in shape throughout the pregnancy really helped me looked great right after the delivery. My first week back at church people said I don't look like I've just had a baby. My husband even reassures me of that. And Sterling isn't one to tell me things just to make me feel good. We're too realistic. When he or I do something like that it's not very convincing. That's what makes me feel I am not a very good photographer...because Sterling won't compliment my work very much. I really get the impression he thinks I'm not that great at it. And it makes it so I think I'm only okay when really I want to think I'm pretty good. Others tell me I'm really good.
Other than that Sterling is the best husband ever!
Anyway, my point was that it feels great to be able to start working out and not have the pressure of NEEDing to lose 5 pounds. Yes, I need to lose weight. I want to lose ten pounds. But I don't worry about it because I have not worked out much in over a month so when I do start it should work to lose weight. And breastfeeding really helps me lose weight.
I am tired! I am happy but tired! And it is so windy here! I'm starting to really hate the wind. But mom Roundy pointed out...we are on the prairies where the wind blows. That's just the part of the U.
S. we moved to.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Making Friends
Dinner Party
The family room downstairs has the office area all set up and decorated...Sterling's doing. The new sectional couch is down there, the 32inch tv and the awesome ottoman we just got. We can't really decorate the walls yet because we plan on doing so many changes in that room; we will replace the tv with a huge one and mount it on the opposite wall from where the current tv is. That means moving the sectional as well.
Sterling is going to build book shelves to go on the shelf that runs all the way around the walls. Put our dvd collection and book collection on them...on both sides of the fireplace he is going to put in (in the center of the wall). He has worked hard to clean and paint that fireplace stove. It looks great now!
The boys have a bunkbed in their room and tons of toys too. But I can't do much organizing in there until their other bunk bed/desk/drawers piece of furniture is delivered from the store.
The kitchen looks great; all we did there was add a refrigerator/freezer.
The dining room has a tiny table that was my craft table in Italy. There are no decorations on the wall. But we bought a fine dining table with two benches and chairs that will be delivered tomorrow! Then we'll decorate the wall and that room will be complete. (Crossing my fingers that the table is not too big for our dining area)
We had our friends the Liefker's over for dinner yesterday, despite our unfinished dining room.
Brenda, Ben, Braeden and Bryson. And as soon as they arrived Brenda told me the exciting news...she's pregnant! She's about to start working a new job and was surprised to learn she's pregnant. So now that shakes things up a bit.
She is dealing with the first trimester sickness.
We gave them a tour of the house.
All the little boys played downstairs in the boys' bedroom and the tv room (where they love throwing all the big pillows off the couch, jumping on the couch and the ottoman and pulling out the games we placed inside the ottoman.
Sterling and Ben started getting to know each other in the office area of the downstairs where Ster keeps a bunch of his projects and things right now.
Brenda and I chatted upstairs and then I made dinner; pizza spaghetti skillet. After dinner we ate homemade chocolate chip cookies Brenda made. Yum!
Sterling taught Ben how to play Mancala...a game we have. Then after dinner Ben taught Brenda and they played a few rounds while we all socialized.
They asked us how we met and we roughly told them the story. Then they told us the story of how they met. Some of it was that they dated then they broke up. She started to move on and was dating someone else. He tried to pursue her and once she agreed to just see him and hear him out it didn't take long for him to propose...they were not even dating each other. lol.
A few things I really like about the Liefker's:
They are religious and actually go to church. Not our religion but a religion.
They lived in Germany and came back recently. So I don't feel bad at all talking about Italy because they have had some amazing experiences in Germany themselves. Usually I feel kind of bad talking about Italy because people are so envious. I don't want to be bragging ever.
Braedon and Bryson are really nice boys. They are not bullies. And all four of our boys get along so well. They have so much fun together! Ty doesn't like to play with them as long as Luke and Braedon do. Ty will come hang out with the grown ups or the baby sometimes. But I guess Bryson does that too. Maybe it's their age. The older boys have fun with friends longer.
Baby Shower
A day or two ago I started itching to plan a cake. I need a reason to make and decorate a cake! A baby shower would be awesome! Then I realized that maybe, just maybe, my friend Martha is going to have or wants to have a baby shower. Her due date is coming up, late January, and I have not heard a thing about a baby shower for her. It is her third child but it's her first girl. And she does have plenty of girl clothes so she doesn't need those. But maybe she'd like a diaper and wipes party? And I can make a cake to show off and share.
I text messaged Martha and she said she doesn't have any plans for one but would love one. So now I am planning her baby shower!
Quickly I have to find women to help me plan and throw the shower. Martha gave me some names of her friends in the ward. Once I have a committee we will meet sometime this week to plan the event...get the ball rolling. I am excited! :)
Martha wants to make little hair bows for her baby as an activity at the party. I think it's a way cute idea. Better than just baby shower games. I'll have Martha pick out her perfect baby girl shower cake and I will make it.
Friends/Neighbors
I also really like the Nopes who are in our ward and live just across the street. They had us over at their house with their (I think) 5 kids for New Year's Eve night. We have not had them over to our house yet because we didn't have furniture and now we have a newborn. In a week or so we'll have them over for a meal or something.
And Druceal I made friends with recently (a play date at her home)lives just across Twilight street from us. She has two kids and she does cakes, painting and homeschooling.
There are many wonderful and sweet women in the ward that I know I will make many friends. I am excited for this year. To start doing cakes and photography again. To have playdates/baby showers and events where my friendship grows with the women in the ward. And to host events at our house which is awesome.
The bad thing about living up on the top of the hill is the wind. Now, there is wind all over Rapid City! But it hits the back of our house so hard! Atleast it's not the front of the house it hits all the time.
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