Things I’ve noticed.

1. I’m actually starting to like avocados. I’ve been eating a lot more salads lately (trying to shed some poundage) and I look forward to adding some avocados to them. I still remember meeting Steve’s cousin Jared and his fiance (or were they already married, I don’t remember) Mychael-Ann for the first time. They came over to my apartment to have dinner and they brought a truly BEAUTIFUL salad of avocados and tomatoes. I wouldn’t eat it. Lame huh? Mychael-Ann must have thought I was a snob. I would have thought I was a snob. But that is how much I didn’t like avocados at the time. I was strictly a guacamole girl. But now all that has changed. I would not be afraid to eat Mychael-Ann’s salad anymore. I would probably really love it now. So there’s still hope for my kids to over come their hate of potatoes right? One day…

2. Boot addiction is in full swing. My Valentine’s gift from my hubs. I finally got them and I don’t want to take them off.

3. Drawing during sacrament meeting. Ok, don’t judge me for taking pictures during sacrament meeting. I just HAD to capture how intent he was. And then he saw my camera/phone out and needed me to take a picture of his masterpiece and wanted me to text it to his dad! It was too funny. I promise I didn’t do anything else non-church related on my phone the rest of the time I was at church!

4. When I was training for the Carlsbad Half Marathon Steve and the kids would follow me on my long runs. They were on their bikes, of course. When I got to the 9 and 10 mile runs they would stop at a park part way through and wait for me to get some more mileage done then we’d run home. It really was a great way to spend our Saturday mornings. And it helped me stay motivated. One of the biggest challenges, for me, when I train for half marathons is feeling bad about leaving my family behind.  I don’t think Sadie really is thrilled about being in the trailer but really, it’s the best seat in the house! She has her uncle Clay to thank for documenting this picture for her. Time for half marathon number 5!

5. "Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best ... Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment and shame.  It's a shield.  Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from taking flight." ~ Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

I got this quote off a daily email chain I’ve been receiving. I really love this. I’ve never thought of myself as a perfectionist. Perfectionists have to have sparkling clean houses ALL the time, perfect food ALL the time, perfect bodies ALL the time, kids who behave perfectly ALL the time…etc. I’m not like that (although I wouldn’t mind the perfect body one…ha!) But I’m slowly realizing that some of my expectations in life have a “perfect” stigma to them and its bringing me down. So when I read this quote and it separated perfectionism from striving to be your best I had an aha moment. I can drop the perfectionism. I want to strive to be the best mom I can be but some days I’m not. I want to strive to be the best wife I can be but some days I’m not. I want to strive to be the best version of me I can be but some days I’m just not. Each day is a perfect opportunity to try again, even if I don’t succeed its still worth the try. And thank goodness for another day to strive.