Reflection. and my list of loves.

(Jake. late night walk around the lake with the family. Monday night F.H.E)

I have been reflecting a lot lately.
Thinking a lot about our move, our transition,
leaving family and friends. Leaving Utah and establishing a home here in Colorado.
RY's new opportunity, his fullfillment, my fullfillment, our happiness, the kids's happiness.

Meeting new people, making new friends, starting a new ward,
new schools and new sports teams. The stress, the worry (a mama's heart), the wonder, hoping it all
falls into place.
easy? no
Possible? absolutely.

(Ry and the kids. fishing. first Boulder icecream in old town Lafayette. do you see them?)

And you know what?
We are loving it. (and don't get me wrong my Utah fam!)
BUT
after the (yes agonizing) decision to leave Utah and pursue this goal,
we have been blessed.

We have been watched over,
we have been directed,
and we are now finally creating a home here.
and.
it.
feels.
good.

Most importantly:
the kids are happy,
Ry is happy,
and my heart is doing good too!
THe Stott's have had quite the ride since March 1 and our big decision day.
We lost RY for 3 months, sold my (lovely!) house, said 1000 goodbye's
cried a million tears, but got excited for this new journey, this new path!
knowing that we were supposed to go, we were meant to be here
in Colorado.
and it is so good.

Yes, I do have all of my family and friends backing me up.
That means so much to my heart.
I think of all of you still every day
My best friends and sissa's with daily texts and calls,
I am closer than ever to all of YOU!
and with much Reflection

I feel grateful
and blesssed.
And I know
that we are one happy Stott family!

(notice the moon's reflection in the lake?)

and I will end with a list of "love's"
Today I love:

78 degree weather
carpools
Mace's squeaky voice (in the morning)
texts from my betsies
hummus
my 2 new pair of running shoes. (neon blue nike's and zig zag (pink) Reebok's)
my kids loving school! (yay)
color (everywhere)
tivo
sunset (pink lately!)
Ry's hard work
Jake's awesome, new soccer team (and coach!)
wispy clouds (over the Boulder mountains)
ry's new scout calling (with Jake and Aus!)
late night fishing (the kid's joy)
running into friends at Target! (in CO! wow)
Ry's winning run in Softball league (19-18!)
my ipod! (love u. seriously)
pretzel sticks
the FULL moon
phone call from a friend on the EAST coast.
sitting in the sun for 37 minutes and falling asleep yesterday! (wow!)
wide open spaces
my GPS (could not survive without you)
my bloggy-keeping pic's I love! memories
diet coke to survive
my huge dry erase board-schedules!
sisters (3 called me today!)
4 fabulous happpy crazy kids.
thus:
my job.
and lastly...
love.


xo! xo! xo!

Utah. Love. Family. Friends. Good times.

Oh Utah.

I loved you.

I had. so. much. fun:

The family, sissa's, friends, the sunshine, bbq's, pools...

Here are some of my favorite pics:

It was like I never left. I was back in Utah and it felt so good. Austin and I jumped on a plane (spontaneously) and spent 3 blissful days filling our "love pot" (as Nat puts it.)
And Love pot I did fill. With sweet love my parents opened their doors at the mountain house. (always!) My absolute favorite place (oh it feels JUST like HOME. here's why): warm air with a cool mountain breeze, birds chirping on every branch (blue jays), the sun shining through all the scrub oak, decks on the front and back of the house, a mountain view of lush green oak and sprawling green pine everywhere. A mountain house for sure. A feeling it brings. Simply Home.

The day I arrived, my parents hosted a family BBQ with everyone there! Oh I was so happy! Everyone walking in one by one, sisters, brothers, in laws, nieces, nephews. It was a sweet reunion indeed. Oh how my heart missed my family. But instantly I felt like I never left. We laughed, we talked, we caught up. We BBQ hamburgers, ate fresh Spinach salad, watermelon, and homemade cooked beans (fab TY!). For dessert: red velvet cake (oh sinfully divine) and chocolate chocolate donuts. After dinner, we ate fresh grown peas out of my parents garden. Then we watched my Grandpa Dalton's Memorial Day speech (he's a WWII vet) with goosebumps realizing how grateful we are for the 4th and celebrating a Country of Freedom. We told stories some more and hung out till the sun went down. I was a happy girl feeling the Brown family love again. Yes my love pot brimming!

The next day, I went on an early morning run loving every second with my beautiful Rockies. (oh yes!)Then went on a walk with my mom looking at beautiful homes and (yards!) against the mountain. Then I ate breakfast with m and d on the back porch with Alison Krauss sweet voice singing through the air. My mom made homemade wheat pancakes with fresh mango and raspberries on top of yogurt. A glass of cold apple juice to top it off. My cute parents making such a special effort for (little ole) me! I was spoiled and relished in my alone time with my parents. (loving every second). My Dad and I talked about how the earth was created, how our galaxies are beyond our imaginations and how important God is in our lives. I loved it. I was home.


The rest of the trip: Secret pools, shopping, pedicures, cafe Rio, early morning run and breakfast...it was heavenly. I fit so much in 3 days, going to the pools, hanging with the family, visiting with my friends ( I missed so much) Kim, Nat and Robyn. Catching up on each other's lives and kids. I was loving it! Kim and I sat in the sun at secret pool and talked and talked.(we could talk forever!) Nat, Rob and I met at the Riverbottom's at sunrise on Tuesday morning and went on a 5 mile walk and then ate veggie omelette's at Paradise. We had such a great time! WE talked and talked away..oh I love my girls! My friendships mean the world to me, I realize how more important they are to me. Girls need girls, relationships and good friends. I am so blessed to have sissa's and friends who fill my love pot. Thanks girls.

From delicious pork salad at Cafe Rio to cute pedicures with the girls, my trip was so fun. Like I said, being away makes you relish and love your relationships more. Austin played and played his life away with the 4 pack. His smile so big the second we arrived. Amber and Tyler taking him in their home: sleepovers in a tent, homemade crepes, and movies. They are simply the best aunt and uncle to my kids. (how we miss you guys!) What a trip, a trip I needed.

Now my July even better, looking forward to the days ahead. Ry's parents coming out to visit, my birthday week coming up and ending it with a trip to Bear Lake with the entire Brown clan (oh we can't wait!)

Loves to all of you and thanks for hanging with me! You all mean the world. The trip was fabulous minus the 2:34 a.m. arrival (so tired.) from Salt Lake to Denver. A flight to leave at 7:30 p.m and be home by 8:30. But a five hour delay (due to black clouds in Denver) sitting at the airport. No fun! But Austin and I made the best of it. We ate cinnabons, pink candy popcorn, bought Harry Potter and Crocodile Hunter Biography's, and drank Sprite all night. Good times. It now feels good to be home. Loved it. Thanks everybody! Love you Utah. xo!
p.s stole this song (Glee!) off my cute niece Ali's blog. Aligories.

Today. Little Reminders.

Today.

I was grateful.

I felt the sunshine today.

It made me so happy.

Good days are coming.

The sun brightens up any day.

To the sisters..park days in 2 weeks. Oh yes!

Today.

I was grateful for a hubby.

A hubby who works hard, loves me, his kids,

and will do anything to have our family succeed.

Today.

I was grateful to be a mom.

As hard as it is, day by day, hour by hour,

I am grateful. Simply blessed.

Life never stops, we don't get breaks, we don't get thanks,

but my rewards comes every day from these crazy kids I have.

Today.

I am grateful for my extended family.

We are blessed to have each other.

With many ups, and many downs,

we have each others backs. no. matter. what.

and lastly today,

I am grateful to find out, that the little boy we did the 12 days of Christmas on,

got baptised on Saturday.

I heard the news and got a little teary eyed.

My friend Kara thanked my kids for playing a role and getting him baptised.

I told her we did nothing and didn't deserve credit for his Baptism.

We were just glad he was the one we picked. And we were happy to serve.

It's funny how "life" seems to work out.

I believe we are here for a purpose.

We have a direction and a plan.

There are days I question my course and wonder why??

But little reminders like Saturday, help me remember what life is all about.

We are thrilled to have 2 new members of our Church.

Now today, I will go on and do my best.

The sun is shining, I have a good hubby, four kids I love,

and a family I cherish!

xo!

*and no, blog button not fixed, but figured out how to do 3 or 4 pics at a time..I will take it!*