Our trip via phone camera

Because our laptop is ancient, I can't plug our camera into it to download our pictures from the last several weeks. So, I emailed a few pictures from my phone to myself and here is a rundown from the last few weeks:

While in Calgary, Canada Gracie had an accident. 

I was a mean momma and told her to suck it up. 

Two weeks later it was still swollen and extremely painful for her. 

So I took her to a walk-in clinic where they took x-rays and sure enough, her foot is broken. 

Oh sad, sad day. 

Luckily her "boot" is stylish, she get's to wear it for 6 weeks:

Our pit stop in Utah was great. 

Lot's of family time. 

Shopping. 

Playing with old friends. 

Slip n' Slides:

(photo's and collage courtesy of my sister, Gentri)

And we were off:

 Driving 80 on I-80, my hot husband at the wheel, Rio playing in the back seat,

that's what road trips are made of. 

We made a stop at Cabela's in Sydney, NE to stock up on the essentials.

Chocolate covered cinnamon bears and rainbow trout. 

Cabela's candy is THE  best. 

 We spent a night in Kearny, NE and found this amazing park. 

I could not take a picture to do it justice. This is only an 1/8 of the gorgeousness of this park. 

Think 3 awesome playgrounds, 2 splash pads, swan paddle boats, a serenity garden, and more. 

I love this park. 

So much so that I would agree to live in this "nowhere" place just so I could come to this park every day. 

Another highlight of Kearny is the great Archway:

This is more than meets the eye my friends. 

Inside that great archway is a Disney-esque historical documentation of the growth of the western United States. Life size scenes starting with the Mormon pioneers and native Americans illustrate how "the West was Won". It was very patriotic and entertaining. A definite MUST for anyone traveling I-80. 

We spent a night in Kansas City and made it a priority to visit the historical Liberty Jail. 

A place we Mormons have a special connection with. 

Click HERE to read more about it. 

This is us in front of the recreated prison. 

A phone camera + inexperienced random person acting as photographer = creepy picture. 

And at last:

St. Louis

We are 20 miles east of the city. 

I keep catching myself scan the horizon for a silhouette of mountains. 

I wonder how long it will take my subconscious to realize there are none. 

We move into our new home this weekend. 

I feel grateful that we have a "house" to live in while we wait. I at least can feel a sense of normalcy this way. 

The kids have their own bedrooms to sleep in.Which they are doing quite well. It's practically 9 am and there is no sign of life from their rooms. 

While I am missing Alaska desperately, I have a sense of contentment. I know this is where we are supposed to be and I have a feeling it's going to be a good life here in Illinois. 

Goodbye Alaska

We were sad to leave this place behind:

However, our trip through Canada was quite amazing!

We had many adventures and ssaw so many gorgeous things.

We are visiting family in Utah for the moment, and will be heading out to the mid-west the last week in August.

I haven't been much of a blogger on this trip, and I don't see any improvement in the near future.

For a recap on our drive you can check out my sister's blog...again.

Ha! I love that I can cop out and send you to her!

When we move away I won't be able to do that any more, so I'll make the most of it while I can.

Running away

I'm updating this neglected blog to let all you cute faces know that I will be offline for a while. 

Not that you'd notice a difference. 

With all my many postings and all. 

This move has taken it's toll on me. I've moved lots of times, but this one by FAR has been the hardest. 

Not to mention the very day we're trying to load stuff out our septic system goes haywire. 

Yes. We have a septic system. One of the downfalls of living out in the boonies. 

So, if all goes well, we will be out of our house by Saturday afternoon and on the road on Sunday. 

That is if I don't run away (turn up MIA) before then. 

A baby shower gone wrong

 Last week I thought I was invited to a baby shower for Melinda. 

Boy, was I PUNKED!

I have the BEST friends in the entire world. 

I would not love Alaska like I do without them. 

Dear friends, 

I do not deserve the love and service you constantly give me. 

I adore every single one of you. 

We are all like a giant puzzle, each piece different, but we fit together perfectly. 

Thank you for making me feel so special and loved. 

I L.O.V.E. you! 

~ me.

Fail.

I was never meant to be a bakeress. 

July 14 is a very big day.

No matter how hard I try...

 This girl refuses to quit growing. 

8 years ago she weighed 6 lb 11oz and was only 21 inches long. 

Now she weighs a whopping 42 lbs and I really don't know how many inches (not many if you compare her to her peers). 

My Gracie girl loves to learn. (she gets that from her dad)

She loves to take care of people. 

She loves to play the damsel in distress. 

She is thinking about loving to run. (no pressure from dad, to be sure)

I love to watch this girl teach her younger siblings.

I love to watch her change her brother's diapers and get him dressed. 

I love to see her face light up when she sings in church. 

I love this picture. 

It feels so anti-conformist. 

It feels so "baptism vogue". 

{pictures courtesy of my awesome friend and photographer Jessica Musil}

Happy Birthday dearest Gracie. 

I thank Heavenly Father every single day for the honor of being your mother. 

In case you are unfamiliar with our religion, we believe that at the age of 8 kids are old enough to understand what it means to be baptized and are able to do so if they choose. It's tradition that the girls are given a white dress to wear on their baptism day and I thought it would be neat to have a photo shoot documenting this special time in her life. 

If you want to know where I've been...

Just head straight over to my sister's blog.

I've been much too lazy to update the blog on our whereabouts since Gentri and my parents came into town. 

So - if you care, just go read her blog and you'll know ALL about it. 

Here's a quick preview:

(just in case you're not already a follower of hers...not likely, but just in case)

A week of birthday celebration

I felt very spoiled this year for my birthday.

I am so blessed with amazing friends and family. 

The girlfriends took me out to dinner and spoiled me with gifts:

I also celebrated with my little family with a delicious dinner and outing to the "alaskan beach".

As soon as I whip out the camera my kids start striking poses:

So I decided to get in on the action. I am the one who taught them everything they know after all. 

It was beautiful and sunny. 

As you can see, this is no tropical resort kinda beach. If the rocks don't throw you off, the freezing temperatures of the water will. Hypothermia anyone?

It sure is gorgeous though!

Then, as icing on the top I went on a 18 mile back packing trip with a few of my girlfriends. 

I didn't want to cart my lug of a camera around so I just used my phone and didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked. But just look at the scenery! 

It was such a spiritual experience (once I got past the sting of my blisters).

I learned a lot about myself in two days. I almost didn't go because I was so afraid I wasn't tough enough. 

I learned that I'm tougher than I think. 

What a great way to start year 28!!

Hey all! 

Check out my cute sister:

She is an adorable (and increasingly popular) blogger and she let me do a guest post today!

You should go check her blog out and you will fall in love with her, I swear! 

Battle of the foods

Food has been on my mind a LOT  lately. 

For the first time in my life I am feeling an almost immediate reaction physically to the types of foods I eat. 

Sadly this hasn't stopped me from binging on cookies. 

But my mind has been having a constant debate and when I mentioned my thoughts to a health foods store owner last week I got more than I bargained for in advice. So, I want to hear from you. 

There seems to be two polarizing opinions when it comes to the most healthful diet. 

There are the

"anti - meat" eaters,

and the

"anti - grain" eaters. 

For years and years I (and the rest of the world) was of the opinion that going "vegan" is the ultimate healthy lifestyle. 

Lately, with the advice from my psycho naturopath doctor, I've been testing with the idea that grains may be digestive system's enemy. I've also been following Dr. Mercola and his newsletters who supports the idea that  limiting grains in the diet is the optimal way to a healthy digestive system.  

If you like, you can do this experiment at home. 

Take any grain; bread, pasta, oatmeal, etc., and put it in a blender with some water. 

It turns into glue. Literally. 

That consistency is exactly what it does in your gut. It clogs you up. 

The government (USDA) has been telling us for years that grains should be the majority of our daily food consumption. 

I feel good when I eat grains. 

I'm addicted to grains. 

The scriptures say that grains are the "staff of life". 

Yet, when I think about it my "gut" tells me that I should be avoiding grains. 

The very fact that I'm so addicted to grains that I can't stop eating them gives me a bad feeling. 

I've never been a steak eating kind of girl. Though I've been trying to add more meat to my families menu. We had steak and vegetables for dinner last night and this morning I felt good. 

What does your "gut" tell you?

(If I ever get control of my grain addiction I'll let you know how it goes. )

Have you thanked your heart lately?

Last night I was having trouble falling asleep. 

(as usual)

So, I thought I would try a relaxation technique I learned in junior high.

 *Thank you modern dance class.* 

I'm sure you've all done this before; you just focus on one body part at a time, moving slowly through the body, relaxing the sections as you go. 

It takes serious brain power to focus/meditate and that is diff-i-cult for me. 

I started at my finger tips and work my way through my arms, up through my shoulders and was led to my lungs. 

I focused on my lungs for a moment, picturing them inside my chest; inflating, and deflating

inflating...

and deflating...

and I followed the flow of the oxygen to my heart. 

I was surprised at the flow of emotion that came over me as I pictured my very own heart, right there, beating it's little jig just as it should. Suddenly I was overcome with gratitude. I stayed in this thought for as long as my ever racing brain would let me, and visualized the contracting. I was in awe at the magnificence of my body. The blood flowing, constantly moving, healing, giving life. This entire team of organs and such working diligently, nonstop while I never even give it a second thought. If I do happen to give my body a thought it's negative. (I'm fat, too short, and don't even get me started on my RA)

I took a moment to say thank you to my heart. 

I think it was a big moment in my relationship with my body. 

**I can picture my mother's face at this moment and she's thinking, "What in the world has my daughter turned in to? Some naturo-freak who talks to her heart!?" She must be so proud. **

I think I shall make this a nightly ritual. My body and I have a rocky relationship and we've got a long way to go, but I think I just discovered a good place to start. 

This has been running through my mind all week:

Happiness is like a butterfly,

The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. 

But if you happen to sit still and let things be it will likely come and land on your shoulder.