Cool Summer of '14

Our summer so far looks like:


 
1. On the first day of summer I decided to become a plus-sized thirtysomething postpartum fashion instagrammer. Because WHY NOT? It's an underrepresented conglomerate. And people were so kind to me! The response was very encouraging. So encouraging that I sorta became self-conscious. It only lasted a week. Maybe a plus-sized thirtysomething postpartum fashion instagrammer just isn't in the cards afterall. And listen Fashion Instagrammers of the World, I am sorry I ever thought your work was easy, that was harder than coming up with things to blog about. And posing is really awkward. And finding new places to shoot at home is really taxing. And self-timers are tricky. I bow down to you, my friends.

Also p.s. I don't think my work here is finished. 


2. As per my "taking special care of myself in my postpartumness" I am working out with a trainer. Her name is Sara. She's also my Relief Society President. Does your Relief Society President come to your house and stretch the hell right out of you? Mine does. She's helping me understand that it's pretty important to strength train when you're a mom with four young children. My life is very physically taxing and energy-draining. Lots of pushing, pulling, carrying, wiping, running, folding, holding and let's face it, loving. I think you get a work out just nursing a newborn every two hours. Anyway, Sara is both a great trainer and RS Pres AND FRIEND!

p.s. She's taking more clients, email me if you're interested.


3. Also I am in a relationship with a dietician. It's a client/dietician relationship but it's still hot. She's teaching me HOW to eat. I missed that human skill somehow. Anyway, currently I am taking a photo of everything I eat and answering this question: WHY AM I EATING THIS? And yes, sometimes the answer is BECAUSE I AM LONELY AND THIS RITZ CRACKER LOOKS LIKE A GREAT FRIEND. In all caps. Of course.

p.s. I am lonely because my Christopher works a lot out of state and sometimes I just miss the fellow and lots of times all the cookies in the world aren't enough to replace "us" you know?


3. We're listening to this very beautiful, haunting, philosophical album. Adam Klopp's voice actually crawls out of the music and dances on your heart until it cracks in little tiny lines which eventually shatters and leaves you in a daze of the sublime. Go here and try CABIN FOUR.

p.s. Adam is my friend. But that has nothing to do with how much I like this album.


4.  In an attempt to prepare him for kindergarten, Anson has been working with a tutor named Melany who we would like to adopt into our family if she'll have us. If not, at least we found a tutoring situation that works for us--in our house, with a state certified teacher my son loves! So dreamy. We found Melany through Academic Achievement and BRING ON KINDERGARTEN!

p.s. Academic Achievement also does nationwide online tutoring. Find out more here.


5. We're getting ready for this by watching a lot of CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP viral videos. This one is our favorite, partly because, well, people are flying bikes into a pond. We're also listening to House of Lewis. This one we listen to daily.

p.s. Mimi Knowles is also a heart throb.


6. Six years we've lived in this house and never discovered until this year how nice it is to have dinner in the backyard when it's shady and the mountains are stained by the sunset. We're done with having lunch in the direct-sun dining room with a blowing swamp cooler producing the feeling of eating in a full fish bowl.

p.s.  I am SO SO SO grateful for that swamp cooler and a shady backyard. Are you hot too?


7. I added to my Provo Temple art collection with a Kirsten Sparenborg print. I love it. I especially love that she included that looming Rock Canyon profile in the background. Now I need to find a great frame for it. If you like temples, (AND WHO DOESN'T?) I recommend you check out her incredible collection of watercolors.

p.s. If they ever change the Provo Temple I will hurt deeply. I love the unique 60s architecture. THIS is symbol of Provo to me. DON'T CHANGE THE PROVO TEMPLE. I am starting a campaign.



8. The Provo Rec Center Pool. Can't get enough and why would you want to?

p.s. I love running to readers at the pool. Thank you for saying hello. Thank you lady last week who touched my shoulder and whispered, I LOVE YOU and then turned off to chase a toddler. I felt your love.


9. My new goal in life is to do something vulnerable everyday. This is my duckface.

p.s. I can now add that to my pile with "wore a bikini to the community pool" and "wrote a public post about my feelings on female ordination" I am going to be SHAME FREE in NO TIME!



10. We do a lot of this.


And this.


And tons of this.


And in general massive adoration of this:


p.s. How is your summer going?