January

Usually January drags and feels so long, but it went fast this year. I was busy driving up to Salt Lake to visit mom and helping dad.  Life felt very heavy.  I hated the thought of my mom in the hospital and then taking her to memory care was a whole different heavy and hard. I constantly feel torn between my family and my parents.  I want to spend as much time with my mom as possible, but I also want to make sure I'm there for my kids. It's a constant juggling act. It feels particularly frustrating that I also have to work now. It feels like terrible timing to add that in right now after years of not having to work.  I do try to focus on the positive though (some days are easier than other) and I'm very grateful that I'm only working part time.  I'm also very lucky that I love the people I work with and that they are always supportive of me making family my first priority.  I have had to leave work to pick up sick kids from school or attend a school activity or to attend a meeting with dad and they never have a problem with it.  I'm very grateful for that.  

Caitlyn loved going back to work during Christmas break.  She loves Chick-Fil-A and all of the people there. 

Her friend Sydney from work attends SUU too, so they get together sometimes. 

Hallee loves having Caitlyn home.  They make lots of trips to Dollar Tree. Here they are showing off their new lip gloss.

They look so much alike and I love it!

Hallee had art the first semester this year and all three of her art pieces made it into art shows.  They had a little reception at The Covey center where her digital art is on display.

She loved doing digital art. She loves to make jewelry so she used that for her digital art piece. It was fun to see that hanging in the Covey Center. 

Hallee needed some new clothes so we went shopping. I used to love to shop, but I hate it now.  I did my best to have a good attitude and Hallee and I had fun. We didn't have a ton of luck at Old Navy, but we got this cute outfit at Walmart for $20 and we were both thrilled!  She looks so cute in it.

Jonah got really serious about filling out his mission papers. He felt a rush and wanted to get them going and try and leave in June.  I was impressed how he jumped in and didn't stop until they were done.

I have been missing those beach sunsets, but the sunrises here have been beautiful.

On my way to work every morning I get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

I love the contrast with the blue and pink.

I love the pink above the snowy mountains.

One morning it was bright orange. It's a great way to start my day.

Caitlyn came home for Martin Luther King weekend.  She decided she didn't want to get a job in Cedar City, so when she has a long weekend she comes home and works at Chick-Fil-A.

We had fun playing SkyJo while Caitlyn was home. Jackson would sit on her lap and rest his head on the table, it was so cute.

Jackson is always very happy when Caitlyn comes home.

I have to admit, he's a pretty cute dog.

Wyatt had to participate in the Stem Fair for his stem classes.  They did a non-toxic bug spray.  He did a great job and worked hard on it.

Jonah wanted me to cut his hair short.  It's been a while since I have cut it this short. I think I did a pretty good job.  Any haircut looks good on him though.

I keep getting emotional realizing that he will be leaving us soon. I want to hug him all the time and take lots of pictures.  He is not a fan of the pictures, but sometimes he humors me. 

It's a huge bummer that mom's place is right up by our old house.  I wish we still lived there so I could easily pop in every day.  It's changed so much up there.  I was shocked to see there was a Jack In The Box.  I always end up staying longer than I think I will when I go visit mom so I'm usually starving by the time I leave.  Sometimes I treat myself to Jack In The Box or Taco Bell. I usually listen to "I Am Not Oaky" by Jelly Roll and eat and cry after each visit.  I had a song that I listened to over and over while Keith was out of work. It was "Right on Time."  It talked about how God's blessings and answers are always right on time so we don't need to worry.  Since mom has been in the hospital I've listened to "I am not Okay" by Jelly Roll on repeat.  He talks about how he is not okay, but everything will be alright. Everything will be alright in the end, even though it is so hard right now.  Music has been a great therapy for these hard times. 

Jonah played in the teacher verses students basketball game. He had a great time. He traded jerseys with his math teacher, Mr. McLean.   I'm so grateful for great teachers who have a good influence on my kids.

I love when I see videos or pictures of Jonah on the Provo High Instagram page. I love seeing him live his best high school life.