Average

I took my blog down because I was finding myself without enough Kodak moments in my life to post. I was not sewing amazing projects, taking amazing photos, cooking amazing meals,

scrapping amazing pages, or taking my kids to amazing places. I was feeling just average. I was feeling inadequate and average and who would want to check out an average, inadequate blog. Then I discovered there is something cathartic about blogging that I did not recognize before I was awoken to my averageness. I don't want to have just Kodak moments. Life is not Kodak moments. It is work, and trials, blessing and growth. I wanted to come back and blog about my wonderfully average life. A blog is like a journal only interactive and people can actually validate or set your straight and that feels pretty great! (rhyming not intentional). So the blog is back. My average blog is back!

Orange

One of Shawn's favorite things and one of mine.  Can you guess which is which?

cellulite and a shorty robe

Kaleene, Kathleen

I sent an email with my address which includes my name KALEENE.  I signed it KALEENE.  And can you believe I got a reply addressed to Kathleen.  I have been called Kathleen so many times in my life, I just accept it at this point, but it does irritate me a bit.  My mom spelled my name Kaleene, instead of Kaylene,  with hopes that no one would nick name me KAY (my mom is not into nicknames).  But I would bet she never dreamed that people, lots of people would call me Kathleen.  Anyway,  I love my name despite the common confusion, in fact if it didn't feel so indulgent I would name my daughter Kaleene.  Thanks, Mom

The good life

 I am so grateful for all that I have.  My blog has been neglected lately, I have just seen it as a source of guilt because I don't get to post as often as I would like.  But today I wanted to post and have made some time to do that.  Life has been crazy lately.  We have had quite an unusual past year or so and I am just left feeling like ultimately, I have a good life.  Despite how hard it gets or how complicated and challenging it can be it is still a good life.  I would not wish for things to be any different.  We are all given what we can handle and I am thinking I must be pretty strong to handle all we have been through.  I am so grateful for amazing friends who love and support me and for a family that I couldn't live without.  Life is good.

looking back......

I love this photo of Nico when he was younger.

Dito and Cheeny Lou

Dito and Cheeny, aka, David and Kathryn are my first babies.  When I was 16 years old I had just moved home from Costa Rica and I was going on home studies.  I had lots of time on my hands and Kelley and Joyce (dear family friends) were looking for someone to help them with their brand new baby twins.  It was a match made in heaven and one of those pivotal moments in my life.  

I had an amazing experience working for Kelley and Joyce.  I was in their home everyday where the spirit dwelt strong.  I was learning great skills that I would one day use as a mother and I was given the opportunity to see a different side of life.  Kelley and I are like oil and water sometimes, but he is a man that I feel was placed in my life for a reason.  Kelley has known me since I was a baby.  I think he even dated my mom at one point.  I know I had a crush on him when I was a kid and to this day I think he is so wonderful.  In many ways the man that I ended up with reminds me of him.  

Joyce his wife, is hands down the sweetest most kind and wonderful person I have ever known.  I have never in my life heard her say a mean thing about another person.  She is patient, smart, understanding, non judgmental, loving and beautiful.  I can only hope to be a mother like her.  

They had these amazing babies and I am so grateful to have been apart of raising them in the early years.  Now the kids are 13 and I just get to watch them blossom.  They are the most amazing kids I have ever known.  They are brilliant, I mean really brilliant, compassionate, they have a testimony of the gospel, they love to read and they are obedient and love their parents. I feel so privileged to be a part of their live and feel it is one of the tender mercies of the Lord to have placed me to closely intwined in their lives.  I love you all, to pieces.