Journaling Book of Mormon

Here's a link to the website i used to buy my Journaling Book of Mormon. a guy named "ben crowder" compiled it using the pdf that the church released. there aren't any changes to the text besides the footnotes and chapter summaries have been removed. it's an 8 1/2 x 11 inch book. you can even download the pdf version to look at exactly how the book will look on his site. (or you can use the pdf to have it printed yourself. but... i looked into that idea, and i couldn't find anywhere that could print it for cheaper than the lulu version i linked.)

there's also a Pearl of Great Price, and a Doctrine & Covenants version. although the lds church/ben crowder hasn't released a bible edition, here's an affordable king james version you could use.

now for the fun part: journaling supplies!

my favorite supplies to use include: stamps, washi tape, watercolor paint (using very little water since the paper is not super thick and can buckle), sharpie pens, stickers, and highlighters or crayons used as highlighters.

there are many methods of journaling, like writing down a favorite verse from that page of scripture, writing down quotes from hymns, or general conference that relate to that set of scripture verses, drawing images/using stickers that help you remember visual parables. you could tape a page of velum paper to the inside margin and use that entire sheet of paper to draw, or write down a long thought. and obviously, you could just use the wider margins to write down thoughts with a pen or pencil like you would a normal journal.

my end goal for this set of scriptures is for my children to be able to look through this book when i am older, or dead, and see not only my spiritual thoughts, but also see my creativity, and how my art improved over the years, i hope they look through it and read it as you would a normal journal. i put a date stamp on the bottom of each page that i doodle on so that they will know how old i was and when those scriptures stood out to me.

studying my scriptures like this has made me truly "ponder" the scriptures. i like to start my scripture study when Bayli has gone down for her nap, i start by praying, and asking either a question, or to be shown a set of scriptures in a new light. then i start reading. once i find a scripture, or have a thought that feels worthy of "journaling" i spend some time doodling and creating. this time that i spend drawing helps me think even deeper on the scriptures. finding more questions, thinking about comparisons to other verses, and truly pondering what the lord wants me to learn from those scriptures. the quiet time i have after praying and reading is truly priceless, and i've never experienced scripture study like it before. it's literally been life changing.

finally, another important part of this unique way of daily scripture study is that it provides an opportunity for me to spread the gospel and share my testimony through social media. taking pictures like the ones above, and posting them to my social media with an explanation of why those scriptures are important to me helps me encourage scripture study in others, and share my beliefs, opening the door for missionary opportunities, and encouraging others to participate in their own scripture study.

I encourage you to find your own version of scripture study that allows you to do more than just read. to truly ponder. maybe that is this journaling book of mormon, or maybe it's something else, but whatever it is, i hope this post has helped you see how scripture study can be fun and can be something that you look forward to doing on a daily basis. not only to read the word of the lord and his prophets, but also because of the personal growth it brings to your spirituality and in my case... creativity.

The Art of Manliness

in this month of fathers day, i would like to refer everyone to this website. its amazing. not only does it speak the truth but it is hilarious and insightful for both men and women. The Art of Manliness is attempting to bring back the forgotten attributes of a true man with articles like: How to shave like your grandpa, 9 ways to start a fire without matches, Stop hanging out with women and start dating them, the benefits of being married -this one is sooo good-, how to tie a tie, and more!

This website sits well with me because as i was growing up with my beard growing man of a father i realized that i wanted to marry a guy just like him. someone who likes camping, who would provide for me even if that meant killing, gutting, and cooking a wild animal. i wanted to marry someone who was determined and loyal, a hard worker, and who cared about his image but didn't obsess over it. someone who would ask my father for my hand in marriage and dance with his daughter at her wedding, someone who knows how to fix a car, grill a burger, wield a chainsaw, mow a lawn, and throw a football. someone who doesn't own a gym membership but instead works out by working in the garage. someone who rolls around in the mud with their dog on Saturday, and gets all dressed up for church on Sunday. someone who loves kissing their woman, and someone who looks into the eyes of a child and see's beauty. someone who smells like aftershave, who knows how to back up a trailer. someone who sings to the radio off tune, and likes to drive with the windows down. someone who could climb the rope in P.E. i want a man that can win me a stuffed teddy bear at the fair, and who knows his way around a dutch oven. Basically someone who agree's with this sentence. "A man loves, his God, his woman, and his country."

That my friends is my definition of a real man, and that my friends is what i have as a husband and father.

i'm one lucky girl.

Daddy O

Watching the relationship develop between your daughter and her father is one of the most breathtaking things in the universe. it's such a special bond between those two. to watch so much love develop instantly as soon as he see's her for the first time in that busy bustling delivery room. it's as if time stands still. not only because you, yourself have just become a mother. but also... because the man you are in love with has just become a father. today in church the speaker said something profound: our heavenly father has the power to ask us to call him anything he wishes, but he prefers the title father. that proves right there just how special, and important that title is. i'm so lucky to have Garrison as the father of my children. he is the best, and he fits the role and title perfectly. watching my two favorite people interact together really is the greatest blessing. i cannot ask for anything more. i love you daddy o.

Happy Fathers Day

Bayli's Blessing

In the LDS church we bless babies when they are just a few weeks old. On Sunday, June 3rd Garrison was able to bless her through his priesthood and give her a name. (don't worry, it's still Bayli Grey) the blessing was beautiful. she was blessed to have virtue and femininity, to trust her family, to learn how to recognize when the Holy Ghost was prompting her as she grows older and so much more. it is obvious that our Heavenly Father loves her and has a great and beautiful life planned for her. during the blessing i was able to feel a glimpse of just how much love he has for her, and i cannot believe i get the privilege of raising her. As Garrison was blessing her, i could picture this little baby all grown up and starting her own family, every time i try to picture her with her own family, i start to cry. mostly because of how beautiful and happy i picture her to be, but also because i can't imagine life without her as a babe in my arms. i'm so excited to watch her grow and hope i do my part as her mother to make sure that the blessings He promised to her come true.

this picture is of her in the blessing dress, and me in the blessing dress just so you can compare. i hope one day she will be as excited as i am when she realizes that she was blessed in the same dress as her mother.

would you like a side of cake with those shots?

Happy Birthday! Today Bayli turned 2 months old. (HOLY MOLEY!!) At the doctors office we found out alot of good news, for example, shes already doubled in size (shes now a whopping 10 pounds) and we were also told that everything looks good and normal.
But, some bad things happened at this appointment too... 3 things actually. They are called shots.

As a first time mom, I got extremly nervous for this doctors appointment, I even asked garrison to take off work so he could come with me and everything. I was positive I would cry at the sight of someone hurting her and not being able to punch said person in the face to help relieve stress doesn't help much either. But, she handled it well. I'm so grateful that she still has her soft little newborn cry. But watching someone you love get hurt is never fun. Even if you know it is good for them. (side note: Sometimes, being a mom makes me understand our heavenly fathers love for us so much better)
I decided the motive behind every motherly thing comes down to one of two things. Growth, and protection. I change poopy diapers to protect her from diaper rash, I nurse because I want her to grow physically. I let her soothe herself to sleep because I want her to grow emotionally. I bathe her to protect from disease and infection. I pray with her to help her grow spiritually, I make her do tummy time to help her grow stronger. Etc, everything is done for one of these two things. And I will never want to stunt her growth or hurt her. But... I decided its evil When a doctor asks you to hold your child down as they hurt the helpless little babe you love... That goes against everything a mother is about. Its evil.

Bayli, I'm so proud of you for growing so fast. But... I think it would be a good idea if we just skipped the part where you turn 4 months old... I'm not that exited to do this again. and honestly, neither are you.

Bayli Grey: A Labor Story

it all started on Thursday when i went in for my weekly doctors appointment. they noticed my blood pressure was high and decided it would need to be checked at the hospital. so, we ran next door and got hooked up to the monitors, and took some blood to see if i had pre-clampsia. they also wanted me to do a 24 hour urine sample to see if there was protein in my urine. the next day i would need to come back to the hospital and drop off my urine sample and get tested one more time. but because my blood had come back clean and my blood pressure looked healthy and normal, we really weren't that worried. the nurses even apologized for the extra work i would have to do the next day because they didn't think anything was wrong.

the next day (friday) at 7:30 in the evening garrison and i drove to the hospital to drop off my urine after a very usual day. except for Baxter, my dog, he had been acting strange all day long. he would shake and follow me extremely close, and he also tried to jump in the shower with me twice! (spraying water in his face is how we discipline him so this was a huge shock when he voluntarily jumped in just to be close to me) during the drive to the hospital i was having regular contractions every 2 minutes but, i had been experiencing regular contractions for most of my third trimester so, i was used to this. although they did seem a little more intense than usual. i was excited to get to the hospital to get hooked up to the monitors to check and see if they looked as intense as they felt. but, that was all i expected: drop off my urine to get tested, get hooked up to the monitors, have the nurses say "wow these contractions are pretty regular and intense. how are you feeling?" impress them with my ability to be happy through these torturous contractions for the entire hour and then be sent home happily knowing i didn't have pre-eclampsia. we were even talking about what date we wanted to go on that night and what movie we wanted to see.

^^Proof of my contractions before they even gave me pitocin.

after the hour passed and they got the lab results back from the urine sample all three of my nurses came in to my triage room and proudly announced that there was in fact protein in my urine and that meant that i had pre-clampsia and so they would be inducing me tonight! they explained that with this disease the only cure is having the baby so they wanted her to come out as soon as possible. i just stared at them trying to figure out if it was april fools day and this was one cruel april fools trick. obviously it wasn't and then the shock set in as they announced i would be a mother when i left the hospital, not on my way to go watch a redbox like i initally thought.

after they left, we both broke down in tears and called my friends and family to let them hear the news that had completely flipped our lives upside down; We were having a baby!

we then moved rooms and they hooked me up to all my odds and ends: iv, contraction monitor and baby's heartbeat monitor, pitocin, magnesium drip, and a folley balloon -this is a little water filled balloon that helps dilate your cervix. it is used until you are about 4 cm dilated and then naturally falls out-. they asked more medical questions and reminded me about my option for an epidural. i let them know that i wasn't going to get one until i was to that "GET ME DRUGS" point. (i was currently at a 3/4 on the pain scale before they even introduced the pitocin) after a few hours my friends and family started showing up. the pain also made it's grand appearance. after awhile my family being there to distract me with laughter wasn't enough and i not-so-kindly reminded garrison that "he could get me my epidural now" (that was at about midnight) the anesthesiologist got there really fast and it was over before i knew it. i remember being hunched over during contractions and garrison humming songs in my ears to distract me. i thought he was adorable, the anesthesiologist thought he was crazy. the doctor explained the little button that gives you more drugs and i explained that drugs in my system work better, faster, and harder than with other people so i doubted i would use his magic button. he tested his drugs to make sure they were working by giving me a pretty intense dose. i let him know they were for sure working by the instant numbness in my legs. about two seconds later, he was out the door. taking about 1000.00 dollars out of our pockets, and almost all of the pain out of my body with him. never to be seen again.

the nurses came in and hooked me up to one more thing: a catheter. then the family came back in, we talked for a bit longer, chelsey and justin came back with the belongings we had sent them out to get (since i had not packed a bag) my folley balloon fell out and then soon it was like 1 or 2 in the morning and everyone decided it was time for them to leave so that i could get my sleep. i decided to listen to their advice and got sleep inbetween the nurses coming in to check up on me and move my monitors because our little kickers was moving so much. at about 3 in the morning the doctor came in and broke my water to also help speed things along. garrison was super surprised by how much liquid came out, i basically remember it feeling warm and like i peed my pants. it didn't take long for me to fall back asleep.

Saturday morning around 6:00 i woke up to a pretty strong contraction that i felt even through the epidural and the most beautiful sunrise ever and realized, today i will birth my little girl. that both excited me and scared me. i really had low expectations for how fast i would dilate and so i was expecting a late delivery but, because they had broken my water last night i knew that they don't let labors last more than 24 hours after the water is broken due to infection so... it would for sure happen today.  i remember thinking that march 24th sounded like a good day for a birthday and the beautiful sunrise was a good sign that it was going to be a good day.

the sunrise from our hospital window

 the new nurse came in  and introduced herself, she checked me and was impressed by the progress that had occurred through the night. we sent out texts to my friends and family letting them know what was up and i remember being surprised by how much i could feel the contractions. i even had my first thought about pushing his magic button to get more drugs. after a few hours i gave in and pushed his stupid button, then i pushed it again, and again, and again. it really was surprising me how bad it hurt but the hurt was different... it was like pressure instead of pain. it felt like my tail bone was slowly splitting in two. i was also super surprised by how strongly i felt like i needed to push. i was scared to say anything to the nurse though because i knew that if i said that but hadn't progressed when she checked my cervix that i would be very disappointed. so i tried to resist saying anything for what felt like forever but was probably just two or three more minutes. then i sent garrison out to let the nurses know that i was feeling the urge to bear down and push.

she came in, said i was at an 8.5. then said that she was going to let the doctor know and that she would be back soon so we could do a few practice pushes. well, each contraction while she was out getting the doctor felt like torture waiting to push. so, once the nurse came back and started teaching me how to push, and breathe through contractions. it was such a relief. i was so happy to start pushing and doing something besides waiting and enduring the pressure contractions. i had only pushed once or twice and i could tell that i was making progress, feeling the baby descend. the nurse kept coming in and out of the room, leaving garrison and i to do all the pushing by ourselves while she still tried to find the doctor. i didn't know this at the time, but my mom and best friend had been sitting on the floor just outside our room while all this was going on, waiting to hear the baby's first cry. and they told me a few days later that as soon as the door to our room shut, the nurse would start frantically yelling for a doctor and other nurses to come because i was that close and ready. it didn't help my mothers nerves. :) inside the room, i had decided to use a mirror so i knew that the head was getting close to coming out but, the doctor was still a no show.

then, apparently someone finally listened to our nurse because, all of a sudden it felt like everyone and their dog came into my room bringing all their carts and equipment with them. there was even a girl just standing there in her ambulance uniform doing nothing, more nurses and finally the doctor still dressed in his street clothes. he very speedily got the table all arranged and the stirrups ready and said "ok, we're gonna give you an episiotomy and then just one push and we will have you a baby" i remember being sad that i had to get an episiotomy but because of the epidural i didn't feel it at all, then just as he had promised, at 9:56am after a 13 hour labor and 20 minutes of pushing by ourselves, i gave one final push with the doctor and out came my little girl in one fast, big motion. she laid there at the end of the table and a few whimpers escaped her purple quivering lips while garrison cut the cord.

i remember thinking she looked super white, extremely tiny, surprised that she had so much hair and i was scared because the whimpers weren't very intense. they also didn't put her on my belly right away and instead rushed her over to the warmers. i asked the nurses what her apgar score was because i was so nervous that everything wasn't ok with her. it all seemed like too much. too fast. everything was rushed and she still looked so white to me. when the nurses replied an 8-9 out of 10 i instantly was relieved and allowed myself to cry and smile and look at my daughter knowing everything was ok. garrison stood next to me and held my hand as we both looked over at our daughter being weighed and measured and cleaned off. i remember calling him a daddy, kissing him, and being so proud of the little girl we had created together.

it took what seemed like forever for me to get my turn to hold her because i had to have so many stitches from both internal tearing and my episiotomy. but, after that was all finished garrison brought her over to me and i was able to hold my little girl and just cried and cried at how beautiful she was and the love i felt for her. she looked so much like her daddy. i felt so much responsibility on my shoulders to make sure and take care of her for her entire life. i felt so much appreciation for my own parents, and i felt overwhelmed by the feeling of being a family instead of just a spouse. it was bliss. this is what dreams are made of, all the pain, all the worrying, all the sleepless nights, it all was worth it. this is why i was created; so i could create another. and nothing will ever be the same. my purpose in life is so clear and im so happy to hold the worlds greatest title: Mother.

General Conference Weekend

ours consisted of baby staring and banana chocolate chip pancakes. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancake Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 mashed bananas
• 1 egg, lighty beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided

Directions:

1. 1
   Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. 2
   After mixing well stir in milk, banana, egg and vanilla.
3. 3
   Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
4. 4
   Heat a griddle, sprayed with oil on medium heat. Pour batter onto griddle making 3 inch rounds.
5. 5
   Cook about two minutes or until tops are bubbly. Flip pancake and cook for another minute or until golden.
6. 6
   sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and serve with butter and syrup.

it was also a wonderful weekend because we were able to hear the prophet, his apostles and other general authorities of the LDS church speak. it was wonderful to have my little newborn baby in my arms as they talked about the importance of families and the proper way to raise children. i love this gospel and it's teachings and cannot express enough gratitude for all the ways it has blessed me in my life. if you would like to read one of my favorite talks from this weekend click here.

baby kicks vs holy ghost

yeah, interesting comparison. i know.

but just go with me for a second on this one.

this post is more for those women who either are, or have been pregnant before.
if that's not you... then just go ahead and try to follow.

baby's movements:
-in order to feel them in the beginning you usually have to be in a quiet place, very focused, with your hand on your belly applying pressure. then you listen. i know that's a weird way to put it because little kicks don't make noise. but... you "listen" anyway. if you focus on listening then your mind kinda goes blank and you are able to focus better.
-they start out as very very very subtle things that could potentially just be your own heartbeat, gas, or, a fiction of your imagination.
-as your baby get's stronger, and as you focus on feeling it more the kicks and movements become more distinct and you realize that it really is the baby, not just your own body.
-sometimes the kicks hurt. especially later on, but... you wouldn't want them to stop altogether because it's better to know that he/she is there, knowing that they are there and healthy is way better than stopping the sometimes painful kicks. no mother would want them to stop completely.
- as you get further along in the pregnancy, you don't have to focus so much in order to feel them. they can just happen through out the day and you just get reminded, "ok, baby's still there"
-the little kicks make you love them even more. it sorta brings you two closer together, like your communicating kinda.
-even when you are feeling them all the time, (when you're close to your due date) if you want to just make sure they are ok or just want to feel them move, you can stop. apply some pressure, and "listen" just like you did when he/she was first moving and you will know it's there. -if you don't feel them move, that's a sign you need to go to the hospital-

now, go back and read that list and replace the little baby phrases like "it, she/he, the baby, they" with the holy ghost and replace the kicks/movements with "promptings of the spirit" and basically allllll of them work!

i really hope that this is not pushing things a little too far in terms of the gospel principles. but... it's just the way my brain works and it's brought me closer to the spirit after figuring this out and maybe it will help you too.

we have to learn the way the spirit talks to us. it's not like they are (always) real words, sentences, or hearing literal things with our ears. instead they are little tini thuds or kicks of knowledge that let us know that He is there. He is listening. and He loves you.

i have always had a belief that the spirit talks with each of us differently, he knows us, and he knows what "technique" works best with us, and he is not going to try and trick us. so, he might work for someone really creative and insightful through song, or poem, or even art. he might work with a math savvy person through facts and undeniable truths. he might talk with some through another person. he might talk with some through dreams or visions and he might simply talk to some by focusing and listening. in D&C: 8 Oliver Cowdry is told how he can feel the promptings of the spirit. through the burning of the bosom, and like a fire within him. well, maybe that is the way the spirit talks to him, oliver, that does not mean that is the way the spirit is going to talk with everyone, like me.

i've been jealous of people who cry because the spirit overcomes them. i've been jealous when i hear stories of people listening to a song on the radio and got an answer to their prayers, i've been jealous when people talk of dreams they have of family members who have passed on, i've been jealous of hearing stories of people who randomly open their scriptures and instantly find the passage that answers their prayers... i've also been jealous of people who know how to speak Mandarin Chinese.

but, i'm not anymore.

after i realized that i knew the way the spirit talks to me. i know what "language" it uses to get through to me. i stopped being jealous and wishing i was like those people who have those cool stories. and i started learning my own language. i started testing the waters and seeing if what i thought i heard actually was real. i started participating in this big conversation that the holy ghost has been trying to start with me from the beginning. i started literally coming unto Him.

i love this baby and i love how much closer i feel to my Heavenly Parents because of it. i love how much more i understand all of the little parts of "the plan." i love how much clearer everything is when i have this change of perspective. i have loved everything about this whole pregnancy. and you know what else, i think i'm finally starting to realize what those mothers meant when they said "having a baby was the one moment in my life when i felt closest to god" being a mother is going to be the best. and i love the little things this baby is teaching me. already.

p.s. if you were wondering what "my" language of the spirit is. it's writing. everything gets so much clearer when i take the time to just write it down.

Thankful.

this post has taken a couple of days to write but i just cannot rush things this important

My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ:
they make all of the other things on this list possible. and he made my life wonderful after finding him and learning of him. therefore, my entire being, happiness, and life is because of him. his love and kindness to me is what gets me through the day and what ultimately brings me closer to him and those i love. as a subcategory i would also include the gospel, temples, and callings as things i am thankful for.

via

Family:
My immediate family: consisting of baby jones and hubby. they are the most important things in my life. im so grateful that we did (or better said: resisted doing) all the things we needed to be able to be sealed together forever in the temple. i have so much love for both of them already that i cannot even begin to imagine life without them after death. and the fact that the savior made it possible for me to be with them forever is just amazing. i love feeling baby jones move every single day, wondering what he/she is thinking about and if he/she is experiencing growing pains because of how fast this whole process is going. i love how much of a father garrison already is. he sings to, dances with, gives raspberries to, carries on conversations with, and genuinely loves this little guy so much already that i cannot wait for the two of them to meet so that this love can truly blossom. Garrison is my rock in this life and without him, i would not be the same.

my extended family: (winn side) i turn to them for laughs, insight, and help more than anyone knows. i know that my sister will miss absolutely anything in the world to be there for me, my mom has the most wisdom of anyone i know and can provide a second way of viewing anything from relationships to recipes. my burly mountain man teddy bear of a dad is the greatest source of knowledge and love a daughter could ever ask for, and my brother with his entire family of goodness always has good company, good food, and the funniest moments in recorded history when in their presence. the few "abs" that i have were made from laughing so hard with them that it counts as a workout.

(jones side) although i am still learning all of my new nieces and nephews names, and have experienced being a part of this big family for only 10 months, i have grown to love them already more than i anticipated. from them i've learned: a billion new recipes, parts of the Swedish language, how to travel properly, tricks for teaching children, interior decorating with an emphasis on table setting, the intimate differences between being part of a large family and a small one, and the enormous love a family can have for each other even when separated by miles, or centuries.

Friends:
because of all the extra day dreaming i've been doing since being pregnant about my future life and what it will entail, i am surprised by how much mine and garrisons close friends will play a huge role in our future. the bbq's, the showers (both baby and bridal) to attend, the late night movies, and afternoon lunches, their kiddos will be the kids that my children are friends with, and their influence on us will ever be present and welcome.

Moving:

it's so nice to be able to go through all of the stuff you've accumulated over the years, get a new fresh start, and try something different. although change, especially change this big can be stressful and often resented, i am finding out ever so quickly how much i am looking forward to and thankful for this move. now that it's only a month away i can hardly contain my excitement. plus, realizing that this will be the new house that we bring our newborn home to will make it a very special place indeed i'm sure. basically im just thankful for the real, full size, working dishwasher thats waiting for me and my dry cracked hands to use.

The Internet:

hulu, pinterest, facebook, my own blog and the blogs i follow, youtube, and google search are all words used in my daily vocabulary and in my daily life. i use the internet for filling time when garrison is studying and i am trying my hardest not to disturb him, for time wasting in general, for advice on pregnancy and child bearing, for help with recipes and ways to make my home more "homey" it is my greatest tool for answers and also my biggest weakness.

Work:

being able to be my own boss and set my own schedule is the best blessing ever. it's made this pregnancy wonderful and it's made my life bearable. my co-workers are turning into some of my greatest friends, and my clients will always have a soft spot in my heart. i love working in this salon and doing what i love. i love having a reason to get all dressed up and out of the house. and i love being able to provide a service that genuinely blesses others lives and makes them feel good about themselves. it's the best job ever and i love it. 

some others in random order:

not having to do jury duty three times in a row. waiting and keeping the baby's gender a secret in its little envelope. hot chocolate, giving service, nicknames my husband comes up with for me, little love notes i find all around the house, a healthy baby that kicks and squirms all day long, this song, garrison graduating in a month, my camera, ultrasounds and my doctor, christmas decorations and coming up with christmas presents,

the fact that i am finally starting to show and that this baby bump decided to make it's appearance, and last but not least, i'm thankful for this thanksgiving season to make me sit down and remember all of the things i'm grateful for.

Mormon Mommy Blogs

as (non-mormon) Emily Matchar, author of this >amazing and interesting< article  said. "I’m completely obsessed with their blogs. On an average day, I’ll skim through a half-dozen Mormon blogs, looking at Polaroids of dogs in raincoats or kids in bow ties, reading gratitude lists, admiring sewing projects. I’m not alone, either. Two of my closest friends — both chronically overworked Ph.D. candidates — procrastinate [on them] for hours."


This article, caused me to change the way i blog. i also follow lots of the mentioned mormon mommy blogs and more that she didn't mention. but, if i were to write something in her "comments" section, i would say:


"don't call us fake. we are not unrealistically happy. if you blogged, you would blog about things you want to share, and you write the same way that you think. well, who would want to share with the world how bad your day has been? who would want to display the hard times you have with your family? yes, you might trust this information to a close friend or family member, but not the world wide web. especially girls who have tens of thousands of followers like those blogs do. 


"you also write the way you think. and i believe that being a mormon, we have been taught to think about the positives. we don't dwell or stress about minor negative things, instead we try to be optimistic. what do you get when you put those two things together??? a very happy, optimistic, positive blog about the best things in their lives including: good hair days, cool crafts, the cutest pictures of their kids, the new shoes they bought yesterday, something yummy they made/ate, something loving their husband did, etc.


"there are negative blogs out there. it takes awhile to find them though because they don't have followers or traffic! who would want to read about bad hair days, stupid crafts, ugly pictures of  kids, (you get my point) basically, they are not making this stuff up. if they are the mormons they profess to be then we are also taught not to lie and making stuff up is lying. hehe. but thank you for posting this article. it made me change the way i view my own blog, and my life. 


"i am a mormon mommy-ish blogger and my life although not as stylish, is just as happy as theirs. sometimes, i think mine is happier. and if, they have the opportunity to make money by writing in their journal and taking pictures (which every mom does in some way, or should) then they have figured out how to work the system and just made their lives even better. because people like you and your friends read them and are just wishing you had the same knowledge about life, the gospel, and His plan of happiness. so instead of reading their blogs all day long. let me direct you to another website full of articles you would be interested in www.lds.org"


due to the lengthiness of this "comment", it was not posted for all to read under her article. instead just for my own followers. but. i do believe that she has some good points and provides a new and interesting outlook for the blogs we write. if, by some miracle, someone outside of my little community of mormon mommies reads my blog, i hope she will realize i am a mormon not because i post my church talks, daily scripture study insights, and lesson manuals. but instead because of my own positive outlook on my life, my family, and my home. because of the way i view motherhood as the most important role i can play in this life, and because of the love i freely give to all the children of our Heavenly Father. 


My name is Valeri Jones, I am a hairdresser, mommy of .5 kids (so far), photographer, and wife. I am a Mormon.

Baby Diary: Day 1

(wrote on August 25th 2011)

for the past few weeks (or months depending on which symptom you're talking about) i have just not been feeling the same, i went to the doctor a few months ago to check and see if my thyroid medication was wrong, it wasn't. levels were all normal and healthy. i haven't really been gaining weight but i was just mostly tired and sick feeling. lots of nausea and cold sweats. anyway, in going through my options a few things continued to come up. not eating right, not exercizing enough, starving myself at work, sleeping too much, pregnancy and even depression were options. well, in order to start eliminating options i tried to control my variables and fix whatever was messing me up inside. and granted, you have to understand that i have been taking my birth control like clockwork and haven't missed anything, ever. so pregnancy, although it did answer alot of the symptoms, i truly felt was at the very bottom of the list of "likeliness"

garrison and i have been married for 7 & 1/2 months. we love each other alot and really nothing is wrong, we don't have debt, we have so much fun, we don't argue, we like our house and are enjoying our callings, and everything is just a-o.k. and a baby has been in our discussions. there wasn't really anything keeping us from not having a baby. it would change things obviously, but there wasn't anything we had to fix before a baby would be welcomed in the world and so it was always an option to get pregnant but, mostly i didn't want one. not yet. "let garrison finish school first","i have so much more that i need to do with work, and exercize, and vacations, and hobbies before i start that chapter","we would be the first of our friends to get pregnant, most aren't even married yet!" were some of my excuses. well.... god didn't hear them.

he had a different idea.

when i went into my first appointment with my obgyn for my pre-marital exam i chose birth control because i was already used to taking medication (thyroid) every day at the same time. it was cheap, painless, and best of all had a 99% success rate. the only option that would have worked better was tying my tubes! well, I AM THAT 1%. i am the girl that got pregnant, i am the girl that "beat the odds" i am the girl that besides her best efforts still has a bun in the oven.

garrison and i found this out today (august 25th) four days after my 21st birthday that i am pregnant. 3 pregnancy tests and a few filled cups of pee later, we finally believed what the crosses and lines, and plus signs were telling us. BABY DUE!

this was a few hours ago when shock hit in, when the next chapter started, when the abrupt, immediate, life-long, heck! eternal change was realized. after a few calculations and figuring out exactly when my last missed period was (yes, i missed a period, but this had happened multiple times before and i wasn't pregnant all those other times!) and we figure we are about 6 weeks along. that means, my baby is about the size of a pumpkin seed, it's head is formed. it has buds for arms and legs, little balls for eyes and ears and.... drumroll please..... it had it's first heart beats.

i personally, besides the usual symptoms i've been dealing with for the last few months do not feel different. now, when i realized that i am pregnant, i have come to understand that i have had my first craving: Costco bread, toasted, with butter and mom's raspberry jam. i have been nauseated, and tired. but, nothing overwhelming. i've had dry heaves but no actual throwing up yet, thank heavens. i currently weigh about 122 pounds and am 5"3. we shall see how that changes within the next few months.

luckily, we are both relieved that it wasn't our decision, ever since we first got married we have been stressed about how we will know when to start trying, or knowing if we are ready or not. but, this way, although our "agency" is not really a factor, we are relieved that we know this is gods will. we know that even though this is a shock, and that it is unexpected it is the right thing. and we are finally, after the shock is wearing out, we are now getting excited and love each other and this little pumpkin seed all the more every minute of every day

Im Surprised...

since our wedding day...

i'm surprised by how many times "I love you" can be said in a day and each one still feels as genuine as the first. 

i'm surprised how much our lives did not slow down like I thought they would.

i'm surprised that our thank you cards still aren't finished almost 5 months later.

i'm surprised how I haven't been writing in the blog as much as I anticipated I would.

i'm surprised how much of a daughter/sister I feel like to my in-laws.

i'm surprised how I can't sleep unless he's next to me.

i'm surprised how much I still feel the same.

i'm surprised by how much has changed.

i'm surprised how our spiritual conversations have gotten so much deeper. 

i'm surprised that he truly knows me inside and out, better than I know myself, and what my thoughts are before I think them.

i'm surprised that cooking didn't come as easily as I figured it would.

i'm surprised that we haven't argued or gotten sick of each other even once!

i'm surprised how much I wish my single friends could just live one day in my life so that can see what they are missing out on. and, how GREAT it is to wait till it's. just. right.

i'm surprised how much modern family makes us laugh

i'm surprised that we are not embarrassed at all from farting in front of each other.

i'm surprised I ever thought "I love him so much, I can't love him any more than I do right now in this very moment" cause, the next day, he will make me think it again.

i'm surprised how much i've learned about money, the value of it, and why budgeting is the best thing ever, and saving, and spending, etc.

i'm surprised how much more i love john mayer's music.

i'm surprised that he really wanted to marry me. I was back then, and I still am now.

i'm surprised how much more a hug means.

i'm surprised how much the lord blesses us.

i'm surprised when he brings me flowers

i'm surprised how many times in one day I can watch the movie Tangled.

i'm surprised by the number of books i've read. which is alot.

i'm surprised how much I love looking at our wedding pictures. 

i'm surprised by how great it feels to come home to "our home" especially when it's clean

i'm surprised by how many more hours of sleep I get a night.

i'm surprised that I miss him so much when he's gone.

i'm surprised how much we think and talk alike.

i'm surprised by the fact that we will be able to spend forever together and im so grateful for the gospel and our temple covenants.

i'm surprised that we have been able to go to the temple every week!

i'm surprised by how diligent he is with his nightly routines.

i'm surprised how much I love our bed.

i'm surprised how beautiful I feel when he looks at me.

i'm just surprised by how wonderful my life is now, and wouldn't change a single aspect of it for a second!

thanks baby for making me the happiest girl in the world and for making me laugh everyday like you promised you would. :)

your chugga chugga bang bangs