the remains of a morning

Arise early...

...it's 4:56 in the morning. I've got a load of laundry going, have said prayers and read  my scriptures, and even got the window unit going to cool off the house. In five minutes I can add "completed blog post" to my list.

No, I am not suffering from insomnia.

I realized not too long a go that, for myself, persistently  remembering that there must be something better in doing *this* is an effective way to do follow a commandment I struggle.

"Arise early, that your bodies and minds may be invigorated" Doctrine and Covenants 88:24

So I started waking up a 5 am.

I noticed a remarkable difference in my productivity. I got more done. I wanted to get more done. I felt better throughout my day. 

It was far from easy, and I have had numerous times of just ignoring my alarm and snuggling up to Mr. Baker for another hour (or four).  However, I now realize how much I need to do this to be happier on a daily basis.

Then I realized, as I'm sure most mothers do, that the only guarantee of getting something done is to do it before anyone else gets up.

So here I am, waking up at four

And I'm happy

Because I know I'll get the things I need to do done. Because it is easier to avoid pinterest and Facebook at 6 am than at 9 pm. Because I will finally have a consistent hour to work as an artist every day. Because I know each commandment we are given improves the quality of our lives

My pre marriage fantasy gets a reality check

Before I met mr. Baker I was planning on going to England for grad school. I daydreamed I would meet some older, sophisticated, successful man who looked like this:

Imagine how I laughed when I saw this same actor, who had lent his face and northern english accent to so many a wandering dream to fun and romance a la the British Isles, in the trailer for the Hobbit looking like this:

I know that the old joke is how marriage is never what you expect it to be, and how quickly the exterior qualities of one's partner go down hill fast. However in my life of "exceptions to the rule", can I really be surprised that the "husband" I once envisioned, before meeting Mr. Baker, went to seed, yet Mr. Baker is all the more appealing.

I don't know if anyone else can find the humor in this, but honestly ....

...I think I made the right choice....

... my real life husband has filled my life with "dream checks"--times when I couldn't believe that life could be so good--  and I have been so happy with Mr. Baker as my best friend and companion through life.

And we look forward to going to see the Hobbit together for date night someday ;) HAHA

New Beginnings

As a young teenager, my church young women's group always held a night called "New Beginnings". It was a time to renew efforts on our progress and review what we had accomplished in the past; a time of advancement and inspiration.

Now as a woman, I have something new in mind

You may have noticed that I have not blogged in a while.

I've had a time of personal realization. There is a plague among women of trying to be or at least appearing to be super woman. This "I can do it all, and do it effortlessly" causes much lack of self worth and pointless self pity in many women. On the flip side, the attitude of "this is who I am, take or leave it, and I don't care" is equally abhorrent.

At any rate I fall in the former category all too often in my life and came to realize how pointless that was.

So I've taken a turn of "I'll just do me duty" and not worry what people may think or say. I have responsibilities and I must set an example of what I think is right. However example and influence stem naturally from intentions and you cannot hide fake and superficial.

In a nutshell, I've been busy focusing on what I need to do rather showing off what I do.

It's been a "New Beginning" of priorities and outlook and it has permeated to my actions and day to day work.

I've simplified and let go of a few things.

I've set up goals and schedules

I've felt the urge to do more for my family.

One thing I've come to realize is my need to improve in meal planning

We need to eat healthier--that's nothing new. So I made a plan. I grabbed a copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and perused the "Best Odds Diet" section that list foods in groups and how much you should eat of them. (I choose this approach because I am in the time of my life of where I will be having children for the next few years or so, and I found this very resourceful when pregnant with my little ballerina).

I thought it would be a good idea to pick a few new foods from these lists every week and try them. AND so as to prevent them being put away and forgotten to long after their expiration date (a fate that too often happens to new foods) I conveniently put them all in a basket on top of the fridge. I call it my "New Beginnings" basket-- a new beginning to foods I've never tried or am less familiar with. Now when I go to prepare a meal, I can reach for the basket, grab something, and try something new and healthy....problem solved.

Let's face it, I'm odd...

...I came home after classes and went to work tidying up the house. I soon found myself thinking 'Ahh--it is so nice to come home after a long week and clean'---not...even...kidding.

 For most of my life, I have been quite the slob. Nevertheless, sometime before I met Mr. Baker I decided things need to change. Now it's been a slow battle--it's not easy to completely change the way you look at your living. Keeping things clean require more than just cleaning, but a mentality of cleanliness and a discomfort of mess. I finally made significant headway before Poppy was born, but having a baby and going back to school puts everyone back a ways. Now I focus on cleaning on the weekends and aiming for "tidiness" as I cannot maintain the standard of cleanliness I aspire to until I graduate and "clean house" moves up in the priority list.

One of the things that's first to go down is this bookshelf...oh how I love to organize and I cannot wait to get my paws on these out of control, catch all shelves. (Don't even get me started on how eager I am to clear out the Kitchen cabinets.)

And don't think I have forgotten you, my darling dear. Last night I was counting potential sewing projects to fall asleep instead of sheep. Nevertheless, I know full well that anything I can accomplish now--as busy as I am-- I'll probably be able to do with more kids. So I try to sew for a few hours every week, just to keep in the habit.

And finally, these little darlings. Tomorrow night my cousin Nan is coming over to help me hang these and I printing off pictures to put in some empty frames--it only took my over a year of marriage to get down to it.

And of course, the Kitchen, oh how I look forward to getting back to my pursuit of culinary excellence. I'm going through a bit of a decadent phase (we've seen a return of white flour to my pantry).

Living in the moment today (with children), pays off tomorrow

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard parents lament how quickly their children grow up and how they wished they had appreciated that time with them more.

So just before Poppy was born, I made a promise to myself to not take my moments with her for granted. Already she has grown so much, so fast

I've found that feeding her in the wee morning hours was a lot easier when I considered how brief this period of her life is--only a year or so.

I know really it is unavoidable. No matter what I will always yearn to have spent more time with her than I remember having, but life must be lived. That goes for her just as much as it does for me.

Enjoy the rest of these pictures from play time earlier this afternoon

giving a little "mona lisa" smile