today.

Today. my little letter:


Dear Mace, I want to be you today. A child with no responsiblities, lazy mornings, cartoons, a morning with NO work outs, NO dishes, NO laundry... JUST simply relaxing and laying with the kitty.

Dear fire, Thanks for being there for me every single day of my life. I turn you on from sun up to sun down. Hope the bill is not to high, but I just don't care because you warm me up every day in this cold, exhausting winter weather.


Dear red and gold frame, thanks for cheering me up yesterday. Your colors and patterns made my heart happy and you matched my valentines theme. And thanks for allowing me to hang with my sisters and eat a big pink sugar cookie at your store.

Dear third window, thanks for letting the sunshine PEEK through the corner of your window today. My spirits really needed to see a ray of the sun. Plain and simple. The sun makes my life thrive and I sure was missing you.



Dear Science fairs, traffic school, patriotic symbol class report, and valentine class parties, you are simply my last straw. I am done, I am tired, can you all go away and give the Stott household a break. Mama's tired.
(and dear cop at traffic school (last night), thanks for letting us all go home early if we bought a snicker and a drink...your one hour was much better than two. And I so didn't deserve $115 ticket on a right turn! )

Austin's:

Ashlyn and Whitney's

Dear life's road right now: will you stop just for a sec? I need a break. Just a moment to collect our thoughts. On the brink of a big decision. Sure hope our faith has helped us decide. The unknown is scary but also a litte exhilarating.

New adventures + new experiences = growth.

And lastly, dear bloggy readers, whoever you may be.

Thanks for putting up with all my thoughts and pics. I thank you every day too for being an outlet for me. For allowing me to use creativity and words in such a crazy way.

A blog? the internet? wow, who knew. But you bring me joy every day too.

And if my hunch is right, this blog may take lots of twists and turns...not sure which direction it will lead. but will know soon enough.


So today, be good. alright?? I need a break, I have a headache, I won't work out, I will clean (a mama can't get behind!), and I will go to lunch with a good friend. (thank goodness for her!)
Yay, for all of that, I am grateful. today. yes today.

till next post ....! xo

All in today.

Today it's NOT really a blizzard outside in April! (again)

Today I have the best friends in the whole world. really.

Today I had the best diet coke with chocolate chip cookie at lunch with Kimmers.

Today I refuse to wear a winter coat and I put my short sleeve vest on.

Today I ran 5 miles and sadly realized I am not running my half this Saturday. (I still might w/o my running chip. But 12 days of no running and being sick...argh.)

Today I decided to run the Provo River trail run next month to make up for my 1/2.

Today I realize it is Mace's 3rd birthday in 2 days.

Today I cleaned my entire house top to bottom and it felt so good.

Today I finished my tivo'd Biggest Loser and cried cuz it's so darn inspiring (sad huh!?)

Today I realized that life throws way to many curve balls but that's what it's all about.

Today my kids are bummed that all of their soccer training was cancelled again.

Today I am grateful for a husband that knows me.

Today I love Nie Nie's blog...she is truly amazing.

Today I am grateful for cute grandparents who send Easter Packages in the mail for the kiddos. (thank you Gma Suzy and Gpa Jerry)

Today I am grateful for a 2 year old that NEVER. stops. talking. ever. ever. ever. ever.

Today I realized I may never get to decorate or paint my basement. s a d.

Today I have a house full of crazy kids and lots of cousins and appreciate every minute of it.

Today I hope we can come to a decision about one of the biggest decisions of our life and p l e a s e stop snowing in April because it's making Arizona sound really goooood right now!

Today I hope you all have a good day!

song sugarland, 'We run.'

Life's road~

It feels good to be back. The Rockies. my home. My run felt so good this morning: I was surprised after 12 days of no running that I saw tulips budding, trees blossoming and the smell of the fresh cut grass (a first this year). So exciting to finally get good weather. I was so sluggish in my run considering my diet of cinnamon bears, cadbury mini eggs and diet coke on the road for 4 days (thanks to Amber's loot bag she left on our doorstep. so sweet.)



wow what an adventure......


Thanks to the help of my sisters and my mom taking my kids (you are all life savers!), Ry and I hit the road....it was beautiful to see all of the sights....we said goodbye to the tall Rockies and were off to the desert.

WE drove through the little towns of Utah. Kanab was our favorite. I could wake up every morning to the blue sky and red rimmed rock. People's lives seemed so easy and care free...ahh I was jealous at the simplicity of their lifestyle.

We saw the beginnings of the tall towers in Bryce Canyon.We drove down a narrow, curvy road that gave us the first glimpse of the North rim of the Grand canyon. You could see the earth drop off into the large caverns of the earth....I loved it.
We stopped in Page Arizona to see the wondrous Lake Powell. The most beautiful lake on this earth. I have never been boating on the lake but I have hiked it many times as a child. My dad's favorite trip was to take us kids backpacking down the Escalante and hike 50 miles with just the food and clothes on our backs! It taught me to appreciate nature's beauty and to love the outdoors. okay most of the time....the stories I do have about our crazy adventures...

Here is the view from the top of the bridge...amazing!

My only fear in life is heights....I wanted off that bridge!

Next, we drove through the Indian reservations along the Northern tip of Arizona. There was tall, red-rock cascading for miles and miles with their homes just sitting at the brim of the rock. w o w. can I live there too?WE made it through the desert and we were back into mountains...I had no idea AZ had mountains.

We drove through the S N O W in flagstaff, Arizona. It looked like powdered sugar sprinkled on top of the large pine trees and the clouds hovered low to the mountain line. I couldn't believe in 10 hours we could hit sun, snow, and sunshine again.

We made it. finally! Ry's building: Fidelity Investments.

Arizona was beautiful. Flowers in full blossom, wavy palm trees, and all types of plants blowing in the wind. It was a refreshing sight compared to Salt Lake. It was eighty degrees..ahh perfect.

The rest of our journey was spent in the car driving the entire Phoenix, Glendale, Peoira areas. Searching, looking, calling, trying to find what we were looking for....hmmmm. What a journey, what a trip.

After two exhausting days in Phoenix, we hit the road to come on home. We stayed in Kanab Sat. night and we made it back to Provo Sunday morning. Thank goodness the Easter Bunny hit Grandma's mission home for the kids....they were thrilled to find all the candy and eggs. Thanks so much to grandma and grandpa and the easter bunny... We love you!

Overall the trip was good. Ry and I enjoyed the time alone and had a great time together. Road trips allow you to just talk and talk and talk without constant interruption. Imagine that! I want to thank all who helped and offered to help. We feel so much love and support from all of you and we thank each of you for being an important part of our lives! xoxo

Kids with gma at the Provo temple on Easter sunday....! (Thanks to my mom (who I have never asked to help b/c of her mission but she was able to do it this time but I know she had sooo much to do: missionary interviews, hosting dinner to 50 plus missionaries, running around organizing, phone calls and yes my four kids! exhausting.

My kids had such a good time loved to be able to see what Mission Presidents do every day. They looooved all the "cool" missionaries..thx again.) and I couldn't resist this cute picture of my mom holding sweet, baby Chloe. soooo cute. (good job T and K!)
Here is a pic of some of us girls on Easter...fun day, nice to see everybody. I missed my girls!!!

btw, my face is in the shadows and I loooooove that I look somewhat short!! yay xoxo