Wednesday, January 15, 2014

UNPLUGGING

I love technology. I love my phone. I love my computer. So...in an effort to simplify and detach...I'm unplugging....little by little. 
Deleting my Facebook account last year was a huge step for me. I haven't missed it one bit. 
Oh, don't get me wrong...I'm not going off the grid. :) I don't think I could handle that. :)
Some might find it annoying that I keep my phone on silent all day.  Or that I forget to charge it and it just lays there, dead, for hours. I find it much more pleasant to check my phone at my leisure rather than be controlled by every beep and buzz.

For me, there are two glaring facts. 

  • The kids are more crabby and I get more agitated with them when I'm on my phone or the computer (even when I'm doing useful things like paying bills).
  • I waste more time and I get less done.
I have two goals.

  • Try and do the bulk of my computer work and game playing while the kids aren't demanding my attention. Like for example, when they're sleeping. :) 
  • Slowly delete time wasting games off my phone....this is going to be hard. 
I spend plenty of time on my devices....I can afford to spend a little less and survive. :)

I read a blog post awhile ago that really hit home and has inspired me to make an effort...

"Each time I take a phone call while having lunch with a friend or family member the message is:
This phone call is more important than you.
Each time I walk and scroll through my phone and pass closely by a stranger the message is:
You are invisible to me.
Yuck. And I know how annoying it is but sometimes I do it anyway. I don't want to be that person."
~Ashley from lilblueboo.com

HOUSTON ZOO {JAINA'S FIRST ZOO TRIP}

She had fun. She really did. She just didn't like the monkey. 
Yesterday was the perfect day to spend at the zoo. I'll never forget Jaina's reaction to seeing an elephant for the first time. It was a breathless "woah". :) It was the same for the giraffes and the monkeys and the lions. Ava was sad to leave all of the animals. I think the favorite was Jonah the sea lion and his performance. Do I hear Sea World calling? :)

Monday, January 6, 2014

INSTAGRAM

Pictures are special. They freeze moments in time. Our computer has thousands of pictures on it and every once in awhile, it's fun to travel back in time and remember things that we are only reminded of because of the picture. Things that would normally be long forgotten are brought back to life because of a single photo. 

Instagram is extra special to me because it's a collection of photos that I normally wouldn't take with my digital camera. They're quick shots of little moments throughout the day. Passing moments that would be forgotten...A picture to capture the little details in our lives. 

These pictures (with the exception of the Fun Cub which was taken last night) were all taken today. Moments that wouldn't mean anything to anyone else, but to me, they are special. 
A couple of quiet hours after the kids were in bed and we had this new airplane decorated and ready to go. Quality time together. :)

I love the way Jaina's little fingers hold her canvas. Only her second time with a paint brush and she could have painted all day. Her hands won't be small forever. 

I remember making flubber when I was young. It was fun to watch them feel it for the first time. They loved it!

The first purchase for our little boy. A small stack of onesies all washed and ready to go. 

It's not very often that they get along perfectly. I was doing laundry and came out to find them like this and it made me so happy. I love when they share and help each other. I love when they get along and play with me.

Time passes so quickly. The kids will soon be grown and gone. I'll treasure these frozen moments of time.

THE PASSING OF TIME

I love pictures like these. Looking back, it's hard to believe that Ava was so little. Where has the time gone? When we went to Minnesota in 2012, Jaina was only 2 months old...too little to pose for a picture. :) This year, she stood next to Ava...Oh, how she has grown!
(Dad, you need to keep this sign for ever and ever so that we can take pictures of our kids next to it!)
Ava with her cousins, Savannah and Brooklyn

MINNESOTA {A WINTER WONDERLAND} 2013

Jaina's first time in the snow!

You'd think she was a Minnesotan!

Fun times outside with Grandma!

Plowing snow with Grandpa!

First snowmobile ride with Uncle John!

Beautiful morning.

Uncle Eric and Donald ready to fish!

The Lund Boys {Christmas Day}

Donald and Uncle Eric headed out to ride snowmobiles!

Grandma Jean

Grandma Z.

My little Eskimo! :)
It was so good to be home. The bitter cold and snow made the daily fires in the fire place extra cozy. The girls finally had their time in the snow and did much better outside than I thought they would do. Special time with Grandma and Grandpa can't be beat. Visits with Grandma Z. and Grandma Jean were so special. Wish we were closer so that we could see everyone more often. Donald went ice fishing, snowmobiling and ate lutefisk for the first time in his life. Temperatures reached 29 degrees below zero.  It was definitely a trip we'll remember!