I am not a hippie, but...

I know this post is going to paint an inaccurate picture of me, but I wanted to share my experiments. I am not a hippie and I don't usually spend very much time worrying about my hair or face. With that being said, here is what I have been trying out.

Hair
Sometime time ago I came across what is known as the curly girl method. Basically to for curly hair and some wavy types, you give up shampoo, and use only silicone and sulfate free products for conditioner and hair styling products. Having wavy hair that sometimes wants to be curly and sometimes wants to be straight,  I was intrigued by this method. A friend who has very similar hair to mine gave it a try and now has real curls instead of just waves. So I wanted to give it a try.
I decided to go with the extreme side at first to really jump start my experiment. I gave up shampoo and conditioner and replaced them with baking soda and vinegar solutions. After one or two washes with the baking soda solution, I realized that it was too drying for my hair to use everyday, so I only used it once a week after that. After almost two weeks, my head was so itching and dry, I went and bought some silicone free conditioner, which cleared up the dryness in a few days.  

I still only use the conditioner, and a baking soda rinse every once in awhile, and no dryness or oiliness. Just normal hair-actually, super soft, normal hair.

I haven't found a hair styling product that I really like yet that is silicone free. And I really miss hairspray. I have heard good things about more expensive products, but I just can't rationalize that much money on a hair product. I would rather use the money to go on a date with my handsome husband than a bottle of spray gel or mousse. So still looking for the perfect product to hold my waves in.

I have enjoyed trying new no heat curl methods....my favorite is the headband method, and next I like pin curls, but I have had success with the sock bun method too.


Face Wash:
A blog that I follow had a post about washing your face with honey. Lately I have been breaking out like crazy which is unusual for me, and I was washing my face twice a day and starting to just go without make-up (not super uncommon since I stay at home most days with the squirts and don't like getting dolled up every morning), but I felt like I couldn't wear makeup without it increasing my already high risk of breaking out. 
So anyway, I come across this random post about using honey to wash your face. And I have been doing it for about two weeks. Not going back! I love it. My skin feels so good right now and i haven't had a pimple since I started doing it. Every third day or so I use a baking soda solution for an exfoliant. WOrks great!

Catch UP

Our last days in Salt Lake

the never ending hotel stay

getting settled in our new home

Our Favorite Things about Oregon so Far:

Berry Picking

Tons of trees

Not so crowded

Lots of Rivers

No sales tax

Having our own fenced backyard

Having a house

Great Ward

the temperature

being an hour from the ocean

Hail the Conquering Graduate

 We Did It! Justin graduated yesterday. There aren't really words to describe our feelings. Everything we've worked for and hoped for in the last five years has been realized, and we feel so blessed. SO BLESSED. We literally were living on a prayer the last two years, and now that prayer has been fulfilled. I am so proud of Justin and how hard he worked. He never gave up even when things got really hard, and he always tried his best to put family first. What a CHAMP!

We are so excited to move to Oregon, and put some roots down. We will miss so many of the dear friends we have made here. My heart really breaks when I think of leaving my dear sisters in Relief Society. They have changed my life forever, and I will never forget them. I know there will be a wonderful ward to move into, and more wonderful sisters to get to know, but the Forest Dale Ward RS will always hold a very tender place in my heart. 

We still haven't quite figured out where we will live in Albany, but as soon as we do, I will update everyone with our new address.

This is My Mother

 At my wedding

 Mom and I the day I graduated from BYU-Idaho

Granny and Katie the day she was born

Granny and Grace Mothers' Day 2011

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."

-Abraham Lincoln

I have an angel mother. She is probably the most kind, most giving, most remarkable woman you'll ever meet. No exaggeration. 

The longer I am a mother myself, the more I realize how incredibly blessed I truly am to have her as my mother. A memory has been on my mind this week as Mothers' Day approached.

When I was in junior high, I got this letter in the mail saying that I was picked to be in the "Who's Who in America Junior High Schools" book. My picture and a small blurb was going to printed in the book, and my proud parents could buy this book for only $$$. My mom saw it for what it was, just a company trying to make money off of proud parents, but I was hurt, thinking that this recognition of my achievements didn't matter to her. My mom saw that I was hurt. In her own quiet way she reassured me that she was very proud of me.  A couple weeks later, despite the fact that we had no money, a copy of that ridiculous book showed up in the mail. I felt humbled and grateful. I realized then I didn't want the book at all-I had just wanted a physical confirmation that my mom was proud of me. I don't even know where that dumb book is now, but that book symbolizes so much to me-my mom's willingness to do whatever she could to show her support, love, and confidence in me. My feelings mattered much more to her than money.

Our Own Oregon Trail

Does this image bring back any memories for anyone? Well, we will be forging our own trail to Oregon in a few weeks...because Justin got a job!!!!! in Albany, OR. We are so excited for this next adventure in our lives. Here are a few pictures of the wonderful place we are moving.


Emerald Gorge



Willamette River

Bridge in Albany, OR

Northwest Balloon Festival, Albany Oregon

A little on the Cranky Side

You know those days where you are awake but you wish you were still sleeping...I am having one of those days. One where the kids do everything opposite of what you say, the little one is screaming all day long, and you just want to be on a date with your husband instead of telling kids to stop fighting.

I try really hard to keep a prayer in my heart, but it doesn't last long before I am chasing down the kid with the open tube of toothpaste or breaking up WW3 between the kiddos, and that little prayer in my heart went right out the window. I try to regroup, and say let's start over. But in the next ten minutes we're back in the rut of screaming and time-outs and "please can this day just be over yet?"

Sometimes no matter what you try, it just doesn't work. There are days you just have to plow right through, and start over again tomorrow. I guess that's what we'll try today...

Oh give me patience when wee hands
Tug at me with their small demands.

And give me gentle and smiling eyes.
Keep my lips from hasty replies.

 

And let not weariness, confusion or noise
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.

So when, in years to come my house is still
No bitter memories its rooms may fill.

I don't know who wrote this, but if anyone knows the author, please tell me. Definitely words I need to commit to heart.

In the Springtime, the lovely, lovely Springtime

I can't remember a more beautiful spring. So beautiful. What a wonderful gift from God to bask in the warm sunlight, hear the birds sing, and watch my little ones gather up all sorts of blossoms. Loving this time of year.

1. katie is always, always, always picking flowers. She's a sucker for pretty things.

2. gracie had her little legs crossed, and I just couldn't resist

3. Grace loves to swing. LOVES to swing

4. no picture. skipped the number

5. enjoying a ring pop (we planted "magic jelly beans" and candy flowers grew)

6. masking tape bracelets (went straight for the flowers once I explained these were nature bracelets--collect different things you find outside and stick them to your bracelet.)

Pre-Easter Egg Hunt---this is I can hardly contain myself, I am so excited

Post Easter egg hunt. Wait, there's something inside this thing. THis year we opted for putting mostly snack items in the eggs--things they don't get very often--orange slices (slight intolerance to them, but girls love them better than candy), goldfish, sunflower seeds, etc.

Easter Day

"What comfort this sweet sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives!"

- LDS Hymn Book 136

Little Girls

 I"m not really sure at what point I stopped thinking of Katie as a baby, but I know exactly when that moment was for Grace. A couple weeks ago, I was holding a tiny precious newborn. And Gracie came running in. She was so surprised to see me holding a tiny baby, and she was delighted. I had just enough time to move before her grasping little hands tried to snatch the baby so she could hold it herself. And it dawned on me: This is a baby...Grace is not. I felt my heart sink. It was hard to swallow. It was suddenly getting very hot in there. Why this unusual emotional reaction? I have no clue besides I'm a female and tend to get all fuzzy and gushy about children....but really why do our hearts ache when our children grow up?

 I can't figure Grace out yet. She is just a little quiet mystery to me. She is so quiet and yet and you can tell there is some intense thinking going on behind those very observant eyes.

Calling "MAAAAAAMA"

chortling, yes chortling.

Running with elbows up and out like wings, and bum a-wigglin'

sneaking sister's belongings

developing a passion for chocolate

"PWEEEEESE"

vigorous nodding, pointing, and motioning

hide and seek

ring around the rosies 

dancing, twirling, and UH-oh FALL DOWN

signing time! 

lives to get a laugh, but doesn't like the spotlight.

TURTLES

and dogs, and cats, and any creeping thing 

Kisses goodnight, and kisses goodbye, and don't forget a squeeze 

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Katie....oh I could write books about Katie. What she has taught me, what she learns, all the funny things she says, all the times I would like to send her off to Grandma's to live, all the heart warming moments, and the day to day adventure she brings into my life.
When Katie gets the camera:

 documenting her new healthy food choice-peas...in her mouth

 inside of her sippy cup

 "Momoo" cooking

her footwear of choice- boots

Katie has led me through a journey--- a quest for understanding. The food issues, the skin issues, the inflexibility issues...I knew after the first few weeks of her life that she was not a normal baby. And I am so grateful for that. I love her just the way she is and because of her "issues" we have changed quite a few things about our lives...our level of activity, the way we eat, and the way we parent. And we are better for it. And she is blossoming into the most beautiful little garden flower. She is so precious, so very, very precious.