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Meet Amy
I have struggled with the answer when asked, "What do you do?" and it isn't work-related. Ultimately, we settled on that I find things and untangle things. But I also read (a lot), pretend to wake surf, and watch Hallmark films.
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During the pandemic, we added an adorable Labradoodle to our family. She’s a micro and weighs between 12-15lbs (depending on the time of year and whether or not she’s getting all her walks in.) I thought I’d share some of her favorites with everyone (and yes, these are affiliate links).
Food
I combine a “fresh food” with a kibble. Unfortunately, the kibble brand we use went out of business, and I bought a bunch before they closed their doors. When I find a new one, I’ll update and add it to the list. In the meantime, we are using Ollie for our fresh food. It’s not cheap, but it is the best deal I found. We tried SO many different kinds of fresh food, and this was the one Luna liked best.
Everything Else
She loves her treats, and there are a lot of types she likes. Here are some of her favorites.
- Pupford – my link will get you 20% off your first order. They have wonderful training, treats, and rewards. Luna has liked everything I’ve gotten from Pupford except the freeze-dried blueberries. We haven’t tried their bully sticks or “engage” line yet. But I’m sure Luna will like them too.
- Most of Luna’s treats come from Amazon.
- Toys, Gear, and Bedding
- She loves her frisbees (chuck-it and one with a hole that helps with tug), mini tennis balls, and snuffle mat.
- Favorite bed and one for car travel
- Crate, Crate Bed, and Cover
- Collar, Harness, and Leash. Long Leash, lead, and poop bags
- When we’re away from home – water bottle, paw cleaner, seatbelt
- Other Favorites
25 books received a “favorites of 2023” label in my Goodreads. But there were, of course, a few that stood out as Outstanding.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is one of those standout stories from 2023. I hesitated to read it because I was told it was a story about an octopus. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I tried to avoid chores, TV, and fixing dinner because I just wanted to hear the story without interruptions. It was not only about an Octopus in an aquarium but about a charming old woman resisting aging and a young man who was seemingly lost and barely making it through the day. It was absolutely lovely, heartwarming, and beautifully told.
Amazon Hardcover | Paperback
Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes kept me engaged from the get-go. Two very different women end up walking in each others’ shoes – literally! And it turns their lives upside down. I read this story in March, and I still vividly remember so much about it. Jojo Moyes is a brilliant artist who paints such a vivid picture through her words, so much so you feel like you are part of the story. I’d love to see this as a movie.
Amazon Hardcover | Paperback
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand made me think about who would be my five stars. Elin Hilderbrand shares a story of a mom struggling to be relevant while mourning the loss of her husband, finding new hope, new footing, and reconnecting with her daughter. The five stars are someone who was key in each stage of her life – some of whom she hasn’t spoken to in years.
Amazon Paperback | Hardcover
The Power of Writing it Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by Allison Fallon prompted me to write things down and share with others all about the book I was reading. While I’m not going to write a book, this book has helped me with the direction of my journaling making it more therapeutic, beneficial, and impactful.
Amazon Hardcover
Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals should be required reading for everyone! It is a firsthand account of the Little Rock Nine. I don’t want us to bury our bad behavior but speak up about it and learn from it. While NO ONE should EVER be treated the way these kids and their families were treated, we need to acknowledge it as wrong and learn from it.
Amazon Paperback
There were several other books that I loved, but these were the standout ones.
Starting Fresh with a New Year and New Goals
It has been a long while since I last posted, but I’ve felt a pull to share some of what we have been up to, things we love, and places we’ve been. I’m unsure how often I’ll post, but I look forward to it.
My blog was first named “The Family Trifecta” as my husband and I hoped to have our priorities in place with Faith, Family, and Fun. We are entering a very different time of life now, but those three things remain at the top of our list. Our faith remains our foundation. Family is the constant and eternal love and motivator. Fun makes all of the difficult times worth it. I wish I could say we were amazing at making all three happen every day, but we are constantly working on it. The fun part seems to get lost in the work grind, school focus, and the chores that come with responsibility.
Jade recently returned from her church mission to Tokyo. She’s starting at BYU in January and moving to Orem for the semester. Ivy is wrapping up her senior year with an English class, seminary, and a new job at the Porsche/Audi dealership. We’re anxious to hear where she’ll be heading in August. It’s crazy that I started blogging when Jade was four and Ivy was just 18 months old! Now, Jade is almost 21, and Ivy has just turned 18.
Scott and I have both been working from home for the past 6-7 years, which has been excellent, but maybe not as fantastic for the girls because they have to keep it quiet when either of us is on calls, and we aren’t perfect about walking away from work. But it has been great for flexibility, minimized the impact during COVID-19, and it means one of us can almost always help the girls when they need something.
Some things I’d like to share here include ways we are having fun, recipes (in hopes the girls will use them in their own homes one day), spiritual lessons/talks, thoughts on parenting young adults – and where we fall short, family stories that deserve a more permanent place than my memory, and stuff that makes our life easier (especially the things Scott researches like crazy).
I keep feeling drawn to my blog – even though I haven’t posted on it in more than 5 years. It seems silly, since it really has just become an archive on when the girls were younger, and life was different. Really, not only is life different, but I’m different, Scott’s different, and the girls are completely different. The only thing that is the same as when I posted the last time is that the four of us are still a wonderful family full of love and laughter.
After five years, it is time for an update – and hopefully me being drawn back to this site means I will keep posting.
We moved two and a half years ago to a home that is close to high school. It has been great to be nearer to the school for both girls – especially when Jade was dancing at 6:30 in the morning. It was as huge peace of mind when Jade got her license that she did not have to drive through a gully during snowstorms to get to school. Ivy quickly embraced riding the bus to junior high and was a rock star making friends and connecting with people in the new neighborhood and ward.
The home has a great shop, and we will never again be able to have a home with a normal sized garage. Scott is in heaven having his workspace and storage space. It has been fun having friends come over to work on their boats, snow mobiles, motorcycles, cars etc. in the shop. I’ve loved watching him find joy and take breaks to tinker on projects.
Jade will be starting University this fall and Ivy has been loving her freshman year in high school. Both girls are excelling at school and have done a fantastic job of being involved in school programs and clubs – despite covid changes.
I graduated from BYU in April of 2017 – finally. It was a blessing to have almost a year off work (not by choice) to complete my degree and find more confidence in my own capabilities. In January of 2017, I started working at SUSE and it has been a wonderful place for me – I’ve had a lot of growth and personal development opportunities.
So, that about gets us caught up. I’m looking forward to sharing again, and writing about things other than IT.
Welcome back and talk soon!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the topic of fear lately and realizing that I have not been the best, most amazing me I could have been. I have let fear and self-doubt stop me from excelling in anything. That’s a pretty sad statement. And to make it sadder, I can go back to my 14th year and highlight a list of things that fear kept me from doing.
4 years ago, Ivy and I were in a car accident with my cousin-in-law, Lisa. It was one of those kind of accidents that should serve as a major eye opener that there is more to do than what we’re doing. We were lucky to live through the accident and to walk away without a bruise or a scrape, was truly a miracle. One that left us saying, “what is it we are supposed to be doing??” Lisa and I talked about it afterward and wondered what we should do. And then life and the daily rigamaroll got in the way.
As you can see from the photo, we were very lucky, blessed, in a sturdy car, and watched over. I still have nightmares about that November morning, especially when it is near the anniversary of it. But this is the first year that I have really stopped and thought about what good have I done since that day? And what difference could I be making in others’ lives if I weren’t afraid.
I’m afraid of a lot. And FAILURE isn’t really the biggest one that keeps me from trying hard things.
I’ve debated sharing with you my list of things that I didn’t do because of fear. But decided that maybe I’ll share that in another post. Instead, I’m going to share my rational and irrational fears.
- I am afraid that what I have to say isn’t good enough or important enough for someone else to listen to.
- I’m afraid of not making enough money to support our hobbies and most importantly, the girls’ dance and other lessons.
- I am afraid of disappointing my family.
- I’m scared of being laughed at.
- I am afraid of putting myself out there and being made fun of for my beliefs and thoughts.
- I’m afraid of being wrong.
- I’m afraid of being dumber than everyone else in the room.
- I’m afraid that my voice doesn’t matter and that it shouldn’t be heard.
- I’m scared of being judged harshly.
- I’m afraid that I’m just not good enough.
- I’m afraid of succeeding.
And that last one really is the one that holds me back the very most. Because, if I succeed, then I have to keep it up and keep succeeding and keep being awesome. I wanna be a one-hit-wonder at whatever it is I’m supposed to do and continue getting residual income and accolades from that one success. And I don’t want anyone to expect a sophomoric hit from me. Cause the pressure would drive me nuts. But you and I both know that no one ever approached something and said that it was the only time they were gonna give it a try (except marriage – that’s the only “one-hit-wonder” we should try for). No other success comes from that approach.
What are your fears? Suggestions for getting past them?
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