in this life of mine

  I made it home from Virginia on Christmas Eve and have been filling my days with sleighrides, sledding, board games (Blokus and The Office Trivia Game), and Happiness Project outlining. Virginia was incredible, but nothing could replace this life I live out here. We went night sledding last night and the sky was clear enough we saw the Milky Way. We all were commenting that the world would be set right if everyone had a view like this.
Check back soon for our Happiness Projects. Comment with a link to your post about New Year Resolutions--we both find inspiration in others' goals and would love to read about yours!

reasons my country life is the good life

...baskets of eggs.

...tess's pretty face.

...dad's amish horse-pulled cart.

...the cats and dogs rub up against each other.

the polar bear club

I went home last weekend to see my dad baptize my little brother in the frozen river next to our house. It was frigid outside, but they both were so brave and didn't complain a bit. My auntie wrote this sweet reflection, and I thought I'd share her words.

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Weather: mid-winter, 34 degrees, but more like 10 degrees with the icy wind, snow a few inches deep, river hasn't frozen solid, but the banks are ice.
Porter made the decision (all by himself) to be baptized in the river.
John: optimistic, cheerful, supportive.
So down to the icy water's edge we all trekked.
Porter took off his jacket and was standing there shivering in his short sleeved whites and sneakers, posing for a few quick pictures in the whipping wind.
A nervous smile through the chattering teeth. No signs of turning back on this boy's face. Something about when it's your decision, you stick to it.
We all hushed as the Spirit settled on the group.
John strongly took Porter's hand and led him to the edge. John quickly got in, water to his thighs, showing absolutely no shock at the temperature of the water.
He reached for Porter and Porter got right in, no hesitations, and no fear...albeit a little stiffening...
John quickly said the words, and then dunked Porter right in. He pulled Porter out of that water and onto the bank in almost one motion, a look of utter shock on Porter's red face.
Julie rushed Porter into the ice fishing tent they had borrowed to get his wet clothes off and start warming him up.
Meanwhile, John did a very curious thing: after lifting Porter out, he lay back into the icy water himself, up to his neck. Then up and out to the tent.
I've wondered why he would do that. I didn't ask him why, but I believe he wanted to feel what Porter was feeling, so he could relate more closely to what Porter had just been through.
When Porter came back to the house, I asked him if he knew that his dad had dunked himself, too. He was surprised. John hadn't even mentioned it. I would've gone right into the tent, shivering and bragging to my kid that I knew exactly how he was feeling, etc. etc.
Not John.
Humility.
I asked Porter how he felt. He said his temples had hurt a lot, but he smiled while he related the experience.
How in the world can such optimism and strength be packed into one scrawny little 8-year-old boy?
Much to do with an optimistic, strong father such as John.
John is a stellar example to us all, I think. Haven't you all noticed that he never complains? I'm sure he has his own hardships; not everything comes easily to him. But his constancy and optimism is remarkable.
What joy I felt yesterday. After watching their attitudes, their faithfulness, and their happiness, I know that I should be more cheerful about doing hard things. Hard things are just a part of life. But hard things make us strong.
I thought back on our "fathers" a few generations back who spent hours upon end walking through the same sort of icy waters to help weaker people across the river. Out of love.

Homey

 

 All via. 

I want my home to be the equivalent of a warm hug. 

Happy New Year.

When I get home in a couple weeks, I want to...

{Bake}

cheesecake in a jar

deep dish cookies

lasagna soup

strawberry rhubarb pie

peach and raspberry crumble

{Watch}

Harry Potter 6. And 7.

The Office

The Help

The Green Lantern

Monte Carlo {with little sister}

{Do}

sleep in my own bed

shower in my own shower

read read read

work out my class schedule

do TurboFire like never before

blog

do my hair

do my makeup

go shopping in my own closet

go on dates

flirt

play the spinning game in the backyard

get a snowcone

drive into town with the windows down and Lady Gaga on full volume

drive

kayak with little sister

have a bonfire

have a barbecue

show everyone my chaco tanlines

hug my computer because I've missed her

choose an outfit not based on how much I'll sweat that day {inspired by my lovely friend, Emily}

go on a roadtrip to see Harley

I miss a lot of things, but I'm glad to miss them. There's nothing like being in a different place to shake up my world and make me appreciate what I have back home.

I'm learning that I have more than I ever could have imagined and that I should be more grateful for even the smallest wonders and beauties in my life.

What do ya say we do it together?

Starting today, more gratitude.

xoxo

J.

Awkward Saturday {I like to move things around}

Part I.

Here you have it--a week off

A W K W A R D.

p.s. sorry if it's overwhelming. it was an awkward week.

-Coworker saying, "I say 'bless you' for all bodily functions."
-Harley's little WC experience. It deserves its own post. {To give you an idea: it involved her & another girl, two stalls, and no toilet paper.}
-Getting sick on car rides.
-Major PDA. Just because the sun comes out does not mean you have the right to suck each others' faces off RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

-Men having long fingernails. Guys, cut 'em off. That's disgusting.

-The women in Relief Society who talk really loud. It's so uncomfortable.

-Pickles.

-Me ending phone conversations. {If you agree that I am, please don't tell me. I'm working on it, I promise.}

-The stuffed animal cat, Prissy, my grandpa whips out at every family gathering. The thing's meows give me nightmares.

-Taking the risk of posting something flirty on a boy's wall and never getting a response. Apparently he's not interested.

-Sporting homework hair all of finals week.

-Brushing too closely to a Smith's employee. Sorry...It was my bag, honest.

-Running into The Cocoa Bean just to use their bathroom and averting eye contact or they'll for sure know what I'm doing.

-Taking 20 minutes to put on mascara when the tube is almost out.

-Trying to sit down in tight jeans.

Part II.

I'm headed in my favorite direction today

and into the best place around:

i d a h o.

I swear the earth holds its breath for me while I'm away.

It breathes again when I cross the state line,

I can feel it.

this is from last year when i moved home. isn't it lovely?