Photography - McKenzie Sue Makes

Little sneak peek to a new project I’m doing. Th

Little sneak peek to a new project I’m doing. This one will take a while but I am very excited about it! Still pretty new to this medium but I love when an amazing idea motivates and challenges me to try my hardest to learn the skills needed to do it. #linocut Sewing projects are at a still until I figure out a good sewing spot. Planning to get our breakfast nook pads finished this week!

Even though my kids are too young to grasp many go

Even though my kids are too young to grasp many gospel topics, I still want to make an effort to teach them now, little by little. This week’s study of the Old Testament is an easy, fun one. We played a game of picking a creation, saying thank you to God, and Hazel hasn’t stopped playing it all day. Thank you God for all the amazing creations of this beautiful Earth!

For a few years now I have chosen a word for the y

For a few years now I have chosen a word for the year. I really enjoy the idea of picking a word that captures what I want the coming year to signify, an encouragement or intention of sorts. The word of the year represents what I want to work on and what I want more of in my life. It is the intention that I hope will guide me over the year. Previous years were: listen, enjoy, confidence. I’m not going to lie, when thinking of a word for this next year of motherhood and life, the first word that comes to mind is “survive”. I write this as both my 2 and 1-year-old climb on top of me like a jungle gym. (Why are their nails so incredibly sharp? How do they know the exact moment I sit down for a break and then they ask for help?) Most days it feels like I have a personal space of -9 and with my youngest on the cusp of walking and having an opinion for what toy he wants, I know I am in for a wild ride. Although “survive” could be a fair word, it is not how I want to view this phase of early motherhood life I am in. I know I have the ability within me to thrive as well as survive. When I came across the word bloom as a word idea to focus on this year, it instantly resonated and just felt right for 2022. To bloom in my mind is to mature into achievement of one’s potential—to flourish in beauty, freshness, excellence, vulnerability, happiness. To become fully expressed. That is exactly how I feel and hope this year will be. This new exciting chapter for our family has such a freshness and clean slate to it. I have felt like a winterized bulb ready to flourish and bloom. Like a long neglected plant holding on to survive, with just a bit of love, patience, and work, I will bloom. Behind the idea of bloom are lots of personal goals I’ve made, as well as lessons I want to remind myself throughout the year. They won’t all fit in this little caption but the reminders all go along the lines of these quotes I found. Swipe through and tell me your favorite one and why! As most everybody, I hope this clean slate of a new year will encourage you to bloom into the person you strive to be! ✨🌷

The 3 words for #HAZELendofyear this year perfectl

The 3 words for #HAZELendofyear this year perfectly describe our Hazie girl. She is: Giving: Hazel is the best sharer and gives freely to James. Whenever she gets a plate, a snack, a drink, etc., she grabs a second one for her brother. She gives him bites of her dinner and if he’s sad about a toy she stole, she will usually give it right back. Adventurous: This girl is so stinkin’ brave and adventurous. She makes every other parent nervous at the playground when she confidently climbs the rock walls or slides down the fireman pole flawlessly. She takes a challenge head-on and loves to do things herself —“no help mama”—until she masters it. Rule-follower: Once you lay out the rules, she is driven to follow them. Whether it’s no snacks on the couch, stay in your room until the green light turns on, or baby can’t climb up the stairs, she does her best to follow them (like literally lay across a stair to prevent the baby from climbing up🤪). She’s sneaky smart about them too—she will stuff her face and then jump on the couch, or change the light on her sound machine and walk out with a smirk on her face. She has put me in my place multiple times when I command a rule and then break it myself just a few hours later. 🙈 Gosh, we love our giving, adventurous, rule-following curly-haired puppy-lover!

2021 pushed me as a mother, it tested my spiritual

2021 pushed me as a mother, it tested my spiritual foundation, and showed me the amount of earthly and heavenly love that surrounds me constantly. My little family here is my everything and I can’t wait to see what we do with 2022! You can bet I’ve got a LOT of ideas ☀️✨

Each year we choose 3 words that describe each chi

Each year we choose 3 words that describe each child for the year. For #JAMESendofyear, he is: Loveable: Anyone who meets him falls in love with him instantly! He gives affection to all and loves to randomly rest his head on anyone holding him. He is very much a loveable guy! Beaming: James is ALWAYS smiling. He is a happy, content kid who gives his biggest smiles with the smallest amount of eye contact. His happy spirit beams out of him! Curious: He will crawl off on his own and find something interesting to focus on. Whether it’s a new toy or toilet water, he is curious to explore it all! Something that draws his attention he will zero in on and no matter what you do he will continue to follow his curiosity. Gosh we love this loveable, beaming, curious little chunk!

Instagram caption: Post-Christmas toy play in the

Instagram caption: Post-Christmas toy play in the morning light ✨✨ Reality caption: Our pod of belongings is still on its way, so literally the only things in our new home is furniture we’ve bought, kitchen supplies graciously donated, and toys from Christmas. We are grateful for our new home and all the wonderful light that comes in—even on a cloudy day!