Catch Up

I think because I've been focusing on other projects, I haven't taken the time to blog as much as I would like lately. But I want to stay on top of it because it's one of my ways to journal. So...here's a quick catch-up.

A few weeks ago we celebrated our 5-year home anniversary! It's amazing to think that we moved in 5 years ago - sometimes it seems like we've always lived here, and then other times I'll walk into a room or see the view and it will take my breath away, and I feel like I did when we first moved in. We're all just so in love with our home! And we know this is where we belong, where we can put down roots and grow in such a wonderful, safe area! To celebrate our home anniversary, we bought our home a present - a new address plaque. The one we had was sort of ugly and dated and it clashed with our shutters. So...we finally got a new one! I think our house likes it!



And speaking of our home, I finally painted our bathroom. Or should I say, I GOT to paint the bathroom. Yep, the one that (over a year ago) I debated about and shared my dilemma on my blog. It was the purple one that the girls share and is the main bathroom upstairs (read: the one guests use if we're upstairs.) I had wanted to change it for a couple of years now but the girls wanted to keep the light purple "grandma" color. I was a little disappointed, but I figured it wasn't a big deal and it was 3 votes to 1. So I didn't think about it much after that. But a couple of months ago we were curious and looked in a model home in Farmington. When we walked in the laundry room, I was so inspired by the color - it was the green color I had wanted to paint the bathroom! I casually asked the girls, "Hey, what do you think of this color?" They all said how pretty and fresh it was. When I told them that was the color I had wanted to paint their bathroom, they got all excited and told me I could. And it was pretty much identical to the paint chip I had taped to the wall so long ago! So...with their "permission," I (and Kasidee) got to work. 4 hours later it was done! To be honest, for the first 2 days I was heart-sick. I thought it was "too green" and I felt like I should have left well enough alone. I hate painting anyway, and I am not really good at picking paint colors. I felt so discouraged. But you know what? After a couple of days of looking at it and getting used to it, I just love it! Green has always been one of my favorite colors - it's natural and fresh and soothing. And I like how it looks in my bathroom, especially with the white trim and crown moulding and lots of natural light! I still have to find a picture to go on the wall, and I'd eventually like to frame the mirror. But that's another project. Check out the before and after pics:
BEFORE:


AFTER:





When I was put into Young Women's over 6 months ago, I somehow became the "unoffical photographer" for the Young Women activities. I do love taking pictures and have fun with it, but I've never had any training and don't really know what I'm doing. But it's still fun, and I think the YW presidency is happy to have someone willing to take pictures because no one else really wants to do it! Anyway, on the 15th of February the YM and YW went to an "old folks' home" in Bounitful for a Valentine dance. I guess our ward has done this for 7 or 8 years. I was a little skeptical, but when I saw the YM/YW going out of their comfort zones to dance with the old people, it was heartwarming. And even though I don't really know how to take pictures, I was happy at how some of these turned out. Some of the expressions are priceless:








This weekend the girls set up a library in their reading room, and they've been "playing library" every chance they get! They've spent hours playing and it has been so fun to watch. I love their creatvitiy. And it reminds me of what I used to love playing when I was little too!