Where does the time GO?!???

And please, how on earth do you go from this:

To this:

?!???!!!!
Ok, I know the answer. Three years. Riley turned THREE on August 23rd. And as usual, she got spoiled. This is going to stop. No more going overboard, I swear!

And what's even more crazy is that tomorrow she has her first day of preschool! I can hardly wait. I hope she has an awesome year!

Oh dear am I behind!

I know, I know. I have been THE WORST blogger EVER lately! Actually, not true. There are plenty of you out there not doing so well with regular posts either!
But I just wanted to say: new posts coming soon!!! I promise. (I think).

Today has been one year...

...since we moved to Utah. One long year. I mean that in a good way. It's just that most people think we have been here longer when I tell them that. And a lot has happened in that one year. Our girls are one year bigger and older. So are we (older, not bigger:)). Travis has had a job he loves-- the biggest blessing. We bought a home. Just to name a few; It's been a busy year.

One year exactly.

I consider August 16, 2008 to have been a big deal for us. Compared to something else that happened on that day, it's nothing. On that same day, something very heartbreaking happened to another family. Heartbreaking, but it has a happy ending (not that their story is over, it's just that it is a story full of hope, that could have ended much worse). If you have never heard of the NieNie Dialogues, you are missing out. Stephanie Nielson is my hero. I don't know her, I simply blog-stalk her. (I mean this in the most innocent, non-creepy way, I promise. It's therapeutic to read other people's blogs. So many wonderful, funny, uplifting stories to read!) I came upon her blog because my sister-in-law posted about her back around Mother's Day, I think. And I had seen the "I read Nie Nie" button before. But it wasn't until more recently that I visited her blog. And then I got hooked on Nie's sister CJane's blog, too. Love my daily dose of these ladies! Gotta have it!! (And their blogs have lead me to many others. But they are the two I follow religiously.) Anyway, we moved to Utah last summer and got our TV hooked up and news of Stephanie and her husband's airplane crash was on the news. I remember hearing about it several times. And I will never forget it. I remember seeing their family photos on the news. What a cute family going through such a life-changing, awful trial. And now I like to follow her and her family's adventures of getting back to what is normal daily life for them. She is such a strong woman. There are no words to describe how I admire her. How my heart breaks for the struggles she has had to overcome. She is a young mom of four. And since coming upon her blog, I have gone back years, reading her posts since she first began blogging. I have spent HOURS reading them. If you come to my house, you can tell...I need a cleaning lady! Anyway, I just wanted to celebrate our being in Utah a year, but more importantly, I am privately celebrating Stephanie's surviving and overcoming. I know she still has a ways to go, but she has come so far. I am thankful for the lessons I can learn from her. To not take any day, moment, -anything for granted. To find pleasure in the simple things. When I am having a bad day, I know it's nothing to what many people have had to go through. I am truly blessed. I have no right to complain (this does not mean, however, that I won't complain. I am human. And I am a woman. And I think that gives me some right. Okay, maybe that doesn't seem valid, but c'mon? It's just human nature.) Nie Nie's life is a beautiful love story full of triumph and hope. She has touched thousands (probably more that that!) of lives. And I am but one person in that huge following, but I am so grateful for her and the strength and example she is. I think she was an incredible woman before her accident, but she is even more inspiring having gone through the nightmare she did. She has incredible family who has done so much for her. I wonder if I could have done what they have? Had I been in their shoes. I mean, sometimes you have no choice but to live, and do what needs to be done, but what struggles!! I just can't imagine. But I am grateful for the lessons that can be learned from this tragic event and for the things they (Nie and CJane) teach everyday about being moms, women, etc. Today's relief society lesson was about "Relief Society: Divine Organization of Women" How fitting that this is an anniversary for me, an anniversary for Nie, and the wonderful blessing she is in so many lives! And more importantly, the blessing that I might be able to be in some one's life. You never know who you will touch or who you can help or uplift. I hope I can do the same for others :)

Per Skyler's Request...

Videos! Nothing that great....but Uncle Skyler wanted some. Boring for most people. But not when you love these little girls. Riley is a spaz when I get the camera out. I am not sure if she thinks it is awesome or what...but I would call it annoying. hehe....

And when I referred to Baa Baa Black Sheep as "Beautiful" what I meant was...."where are my ear plugs? haha. Oh well. Sometimes she stays on tune okay :) But when she starts belting it....No WAY! Just trust me when I say she has come a long way. She used to be tone deaf, I swear. Isabelle on the other hand, when she tries...she can sing on tune. Love it :) And obviously we need to work on the words a little bit. It takes time.
I asked the girls to sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" but instead of singing the whole song, they decided this was more fun. Silly girls.

Frustrations!!!

I am frustrated. Bet you couldn't tell by the title of the post or anything, huh? UGH. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I don't like to be negative, especially when I am posting for the world, or my family, to see....but hey, a girl can't be perfect all the time. In ten weeks I will be a Licensed Massage Therapist (assuming I pass my national certification exam on September 21st, that is). I am very looking forward to starting this business. The problem is, and I have said it before, you have to have MONEY to make money. I have saved every single tip I have received from massage clients. Every penny. But it only covers 1/2 the cost of my seated on-site chair I want. That's pretty good, really. But it's not good enough. Because I don't want to have to wait to have that chair. It will be helpful in getting clientele. I was doing really, really good at being patient. But then today...I received an email about a volunteer opportunity for massage therapists right here in American Fork. At a brand new chiropractor's office. Tomorrow, they are having some sort of grand opening or something...and they are looking for massage therapists to give seated massage. This doctor is new to Utah and therefore has not made any connections with massage therapists here SOOOO...he is looking for a good therapist to refer his clients to. OH MY GOSH! Talk about an amazing opportunity. This guy will HAND me his clients!! And I have NO CHAIR. I want to cry. I want to participate. I want this doctor to see me work. For him to see how much I love helping people and love the work I do. But no....I have no chair. I am depressed about this. And I am frustrated...because I have no money...to help me make money. I am in no way saying we are struggling. We aren't, Travis makes enough to make our house payments, pay all the bills, take care of the basic needs of our family (AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT). But there isn't exactly a lot of money left over after those responsibilities are fulfilled. I guess I just hope that eventually I will have that chair and build clientele on my own one of these days. But can you understand how I would be frustrated???