Heck Yeah

Congrats to my hubby who won "Best Overall" chili in the recent chili cook-off! Okay, but let's face it. He made something called "Buffalo Chicken Chili" which you are supposed to eat with blue cheese and blue corn tortilla chips. It WAS NOT really chili, if we're going to be totally honest here. And we all know that chili isn't that great....so that is probably why he won. :) That, and his mad campaigning techniques. I told you that man was competitive!

Montana is Frakkin' Cold

Some cool photos from last Sunday. There were neat little icicle things on every tree branch and telephone wire. It is freezing here in man's country.

Maturity and Growth

It's like I just woke up yesterday and realized I was different. But it really wasn't that way. It was a LONG process to get where I am now. I am in no way perfect, or close to it. But I feel good about where I am and the road I'm on. I have grown so much mentally and spiritually these last few years. And I think I've reached a level of maturity I've never experienced before. Is that what defines being an adult? I dunno. I just know I'm not the same person I was 10, 5, or even a year ago. Here are some of the things I'm talking about. You know you've grown when:

Certain things just don't irritate you anymore. Even that snide comment from the gossipy girl in your ward just rolls off your back.

You lose the sense to compete and just start loving who and what you are. You don't really care anymore if someone has a nicer house, car, t.v., hairstyle, wardrobe, etc. than you. You enjoy what you DO have and are thankful for it.

You figure out it's more important to do what you want to do, rather than try to please other people.

At the same time, you let other people live their lives and make their own choices/mistakes.

You follow your heart more and follow the crowd less.

You stop regretting your past mistakes and realize that the past is actually a helpful tool. I've recently come to appreciate the fact that my past experiences (even the really crappy ones) have given me the opportunity to help someone else in a similar situation.

You own up to your mistakes and don't blame your problems on other people. You understand that most of your (un)happiness comes from the choices YOU make.

You judge people less. You recognize there are more ways than just YOUR way to do something. And you give people the benefit of the doubt.

You acknowledge the gifts God gave you.

You realize that in order to heal your heart you have to open your heart. (Yeah, this sounds so cheesy, I know.)

You see your trials as a chance to grow.

You free yourself from the ideology of others and live by your own rules.

You realize you don't have all the answers and you are okay with that.

You forgive more easily and you swallow your pride and seek forgiveness from others.


I feel like I'm doing much better in all of these areas. Like I said before, I know I'm not perfect. I still need lots of work, but it makes me feel happy to know that I am really changing and making improvements.

Rosy Cheeks

Montana air is so horrible on our skin! Especially in the winter time. It is so dry and cold that both Mike's and my knuckles are cracking and bleeding. Vessie's cheeks are constantly rosy and dry, no matter how much lotion I put on them. I will be happy to move to a more humid climate!

Becoming Self-Reliant

A few weeks ago I went to the library to find me some books on how to garden. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about what grows well here and figuring out what kinds of food we're gonna want to eat. I've never grown an actual garden on my own, so this will be a first for me. But I think I'm going to love it. My parents grew a garden almost every year and I don't think I ever fully appreciated the work that went into it. I mean, I had to help maintain it and weed it. But I didn't have to till the soil, plant it, figure out what plants liked more shade, more sunshine, more water, less water, etc. I also had to help my granny pick raspberries from her enormous raspberry patch. Not always fun, but I did enjoy eating the benefits of other people's labor. :) My mom even canned a little bit when I was younger and I regret not paying more attention to that. Maybe I could've learned a thing or two.
But now here I am. I'm just going to learn as I go. And if this year's garden isn't so great, it will be okay. I think I'm actually going to enjoy just being out in the sunshine breathing the fresh Montana air and getting my hands in the soil.
I'm also excited to be a little more self-reliant, even if it only means I didn't have to buy my carrots from the grocery store.

Artwork by the Boy Child

The Boy Child

The Boy Child's recent art using watercolors

Using magnetic marbles to make a man. Notice he didn't forget the genitilia.