Day 3

Day 3-A picture of you and your friends

These ladies are my very best friends. 

We grew up together.

We went to college together.

We got married within 2 years of each other.

We had babies within 5 months of each other.

I love these women!

Day 2

Day 2-The meaning behind your Blog name

When thinking of a name for this blog I really wanted it to reflect me. I thought a lot about things I am passionate about. I brainstormed for a while and thought of words that described my personality, interests, talents, desires, and my life. 

These are the words I thought of:

woman, mormon, wife, mother, love, family, inspire, create, parenthood, 
happiness, spaces, friendship, dance, ballet, simple, organizing, 
design, writing, thoughts, develop, movement, sisterhood, 
photos, life, memories, experiences

After beginning several different blogs with different titles so I could see what they really looked like, I slowly narrowed it down, one-by-one, until creating simple was left. 

Why creating? 

One of my favorite speakers is President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

This short talk and video has always stuck with me

I know that I have always had a desire to create...

Why simple? 

Simple is one of my favorite words. In all its forms.

Simple, simplify, simplicity...

Simple means real, honest, true, uncomplicated.

That is exactly how I want to be, and how I want my life to be. 

I want to create simple.

"If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, 

then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on 

what matters most."  

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf         

Look to the Light

It's That Time!

Well it may, in fact, be a bit past that time.... so I suppose it's time to quickly send out Christmas cards! 

Since we are an official family of three this Holiday Season I really want to send a classy Christmas card to our many friends and family members living far away from us. Things always seem so busy and hectic, and I can see why it's often easier and simpler not to have to worry about finding a photo, printing one you like, finding cards, stuffing envelopes, etc. 

What better way to keep things simple than to have your card and photo all-in-one!

 Shutterfly is doing a Holiday card promotion for 50 free photo cards! I heard of this promotion from a few of my blogger friends, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity! Shutterfly has hundreds of cards to choose from, on cardstock or photo paper, with flat or folded options.

The hardest part will be choosing one because they are all so lovely

I was also happy to know that they also make personal calendars, thank-you cards, photo mugs, and other stationary. 

I'm excited to see Baby's chubby cheeks on one of these great cards. I'm excited to save our first family Christmas card for Baby and future children to see. I am excited to "join the ranks" with the official families who send Christmas cards. :) I'm excited to send them to my grand-parents, parents, aunts and uncles, best friends and siblings. 

I'm excited not to have to run to Kinko's to print off pictures. I'm excited not to have to drag Baby to Target and look through boxes of smashed Christmas cards while avoiding crowds of people and shopping carts. I'm excited not to have to buy 4 boxes of cards just to have enough to send! 

Thank you to the friends who shared this promotion! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Day 1

Day 1-Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

1. I actually don't really find myself interesting at all. In fact, I would say I'm quite dull. Oh but I don't mind. I will be the first to admit I'm a rather boring person.

2. I enjoy listening. I'm not shy, but I am quiet. I don't really care to talk much. I'm usually not the first person to start a conversation, and it's often hard for me to keep one going. My husband is one of the few people who might tell you that I actually like to talk a lot.

3. I've never broken a bone (knock on wood).

4. In 4th grade a boy in my class punched me in the face. He wouldn't get off the slide, and I wanted to go on it, so I kicked him off. Enough said. 

5. I am the oldest of 10 children. I have 6 "real" siblings, 2 step-siblings, and 1 half-sibling. 

6. As a child I was quiet, imaginative, thoughtful, and obedient. You could probably find me alone in my room, wearing a princess dress, playing house or princesses. I always wanted to obey my parents. I was afraid of getting in trouble or doing something wrong.

7. I have always been a very modest person (especially in my clothing choices). As a little girl I remember crying because I felt so uncomfortable in a dress that showed my collar bones. Seriously. To this day I am always worried about things being too tight, low-cut, too short, and too trendy.

8. I have traveled a lot for dance: Russia, Germany, Holland, Italy, France, and all over the country. 

9. I will gladly skip out on amusements parks, lines, crowds, loud music, horror movies, and crude humor. 

10. I get really angry with myself when I'm late, and I also have a really hard time being patient when others are late. 

11. I've only had 1 "real" job in my life. In high school I danced nearly all day and didn't have time to work. In college my first job was dancing professionally with Utah Regional Ballet. After quitting ballet to focus on school I got my first real job at an organization/retail store. I also designed closets for people. The next, and only other, jobs I've had have been teaching dance. 

12. My first kiss was at age 18, after high school, and it was a dare.

13. I really like to vacuum. That's all I wanted for Christmas one year in college.

14. I like grapenuts in yogurt. 

15. According to one personality/color test. I am 45% white, 50% blue, 4.999% red, and less than 1% yellow. Yes, I told you I was boring! 

Something New

A friend of mine found this idea from her sister, and it looked like a great way to change things up. I'm always looking for new things to blog about. I will probably do it over more than 30 days; with some different posts in there too. I will also probably use these ideas more as guidelines and inspiration.

_______________________________________

30 Day Challenge

Getting to know me.

Each day of the month, write a blog post according to these guidelines:

Day 1-Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

Day 2-The meaning behind your Blog name

Day 3-A picture of you and your friends

Day 4-A habit that you wish you didn't have

Day 5-A picture of somewhere you've been

Day 6-Favorite super hero and why

Day 7-A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

Day 8-Short term goals for this month and when you'll accomplish them

Day 9-Something you're proud of in the past few days

Day 10-Songs you listen to when you're bored, happy, sad, mad, hyped

Day 11-Another picture of you and your friends

Day 12-How you found out about blogger and why you have one

Day 13-A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

Day 14-'A picture of you and your family

Day 15-Put your ipod or shuffle on-first 10 songs that play

Day 16-Another picture of yourself

Day 17-Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Day 18-Plans/dreams/goals you have

Day 19-Nicknames you have and why you have them

Day 20-Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future

Day 21-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 22-What makes you different from everyone else

Day 23-Something you crave for a lot

Day 24-A letter to your parents

Day 25-What I would find in your bag

Day 26-What do you think about your friends

Day 27-Why you are doing this 30 day challenge

Day 28-A picture of you from last year and now-how have you changed?

Day 29-In this past month, what have you learned?

Day 30-Your favorite song

Lovely

My friend Aaron was one of the dancers in this video.

 I've never seen anything quite like it. 

It's absolutely lovely. 

Thought of You from Ryan Woodward on Vimeo.

Some SimpleSpacing

I didn't document each step with photos, but I will be sure to do so for future projects. 

Here are the (current) end results:

Refrigerator Before

(what do you keep in your fridge?) 

Refrigerator After

(notice the clean glass on the botttom...lots of work)

Bathroom After

(sorry, no before shot)

Bathroom Closet After

A Memory or Two

Do you ever get a feeling or a memory that you wish you could explain, but no amount of explanation would ever do it justice? A memory that makes you get a little twinge of sentimentality?

I had one of those today.

As I looked at this photo today, courtesy of Coastal Living, I had a flood of memories come into my mind. Memories of the beach, my childhood, and my family.

When I look at this photo I am 9 years old again. I can smell the ocean wind coming through the screen door. I can feel the sticky humidity on my skin as I walk outside, and the cool, dry blast of air conditioning as I come in. I can hear my family all around me, and I can see my brothers already running out to the beach to see who can jump in the water first. I can hear the North Carolina accents of my grandparents. I can see Grandaddy Roger sitting on the porch rocking chair, reading, thinking, looking and being.

I see the starfish in the window and I think of a sand dollar; they look similar you know. I remember the time I accidentally bit into a sand dollar that I spent hours trying to find. Sand dollars were the treasure of every summer. I remember crying about it because I was embarrassed, and because they are very hard to find.

When I look at the basket hanging on the door I think of the lunches GranBonnie used to pack for our days at the beach. She always made pimento cheese sandwiches--and none of the children ever ate them. I remember the smell perfectly. There were always Goldfish crackers in that basket. Grandaddy Roger always bought us a great big carton full of them.

When I see the mug on the table I think of the smell of coffee in the morning. I always knew that it wasn't good for me to drink, but I sure did love that smell.

For a moment, when I see the rock on the table I think of another memory from another place; I was with my dad along a river bank. I found a beautiful rock that I kept with me to always remind me of that special time I could spend with him; just the two of us. 

I'm grateful today to be able to remember wonderful times with people that I love so much. These memories are such a treasure to me.

And then there was light. . .

Thanks to a gift card to Lowes, that I won from this contest, I was able to update a few of our lamps for FREE.  Updated lighting is a great way to spruce up a room.

Bedroom Before

Bedroom After

Console Table Before

Console Table After

Living Room Bookshelf Before

Living Room Bookshelf After

Desk Before

(I like this lamp, but it was a bit too large, so we moved it next to our bed)

Desk After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

This is what I mean. . .

. . . when I ask my students to have clean, clear preparations and finishes. 

This is marvelous. 

For the Labels

Labels = Little inspirational hints during times of writer's blog block

SimpleSpaces

My mom is incredible, and not just because she gave birth to eight children and raised ten. 

Not only is she is an amazing dancer, and an incredible example of a woman with integrity, and she lives what she teaches, and she taught me basically everything I know, and she keeps an immaculate home (even when there were ten children under age eleven), and she shares everything with everyone....

But also because

She is an author of a book that is going to change lives. 

This book.

We are born with nothing, and we die with none of our earthly possessions; only the knowledge we have acquired. We arrive on this earth unclothed and empty-handed, and we leave in the same manner. What we do in the space between that entrance and exit is our life's journey. All that we receive, purchase, consume, handle, and call our own, facilitate this life. Knowing what is truly necessary and sacred is imperative: what to hold on to, share with someone else, or throw away. When we free-up our spaces of all that isn't vital, we free ourselves from the responsibility and concern for those things.

 As we simplify our spaces . . . we free-up our lives. 

-Kim Smith Yandow

November

It's cold today.
It's dark and windy and wet.
My baby is sleeping.
I want to hold him so I can be warmer.
He's a good personal heater.
Travel sized.
The heat isn't working.

Time to call the landlord.