Values Bring Joy | Family Brings Joy

This Is Really Happening

September 10, 2013 By Shan 2 Comments

Twas the night before I take my oldest daughter to college…

The car is packed. Yep! I’m so exhausted. I need to head to bed and get some shut eye before arising early in the morning to drive for 11 hours. I’ve been wanting to sneak some time to blog about this important milestone in our family’s life and it just didn’t happen. The only reason I am typing this up now is because I’m waiting on some cd’s to burn. I’ve been writing letters to her. These letters include a playlist of songs about the subject of each letter. I plan on sharing this on the blog sometime. Anyway, it is taking an eternity to burn these playlists for some reason. So I decided I would hop on and capture what I’m feeling.

Earlier when we were in my oldest’s room packing, I glanced over at my youngest to find her crying. She had just said before, “I can’t believe she’s leaving. I don’t want her to go.” She ran into my arms and sobbed causing a chain reaction…as I then began to cry. I honestly didn’t realize how much this was going to effect my 2 younger children…the oldest leaving. They both adore her.

It is going to be weird for all of us not having her here. So many people have asked me recently, “how are you holding up?” “Are you ready, mom.” I think I am ready. I am really excited for her. I know she’s ready and I know she will have a wonderful time. It will all be in God’s hands. I recently told a friend of mine… to be a mom, you have to be willing to have faith. Otherwise, you will be a nervous wreck and stressed out all the time. I’m so grateful for the opportunity she has to go to BYU in Idaho. I went there and received my associates degree when it was called Ricks College. It will be so fun to go back and see how the campus has changed over the 20+ years since I was there.

Getting everything into her car was no small feat. I have to admit we ended up leaving a few items here, but they are easily able to be purchased there. We made 2 trips to the store for more space bags today, but we did it! You should have seen my 2 girls and I as we very carefully shoved her memory foam mattress topper into a space bag. It took a while before we were able to seal the bag shut so we could suck the air out of it. {I put a video on Instagram today of us using a space bag.} We took turns sitting on it and punching it. I’m sure it would be a funny sight to behold, but I was not backing down. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

My disks are done so I’m headed off to dream land. I hope to plop a few photos on here tomorrow and keep in touch with our travels. I really do appreciate all of you who have expressed support of me during this monumental time in a mother’s life. Some of my dear friends on Instagram, who also have kids going to college, have been so sweet and we help each other. That means a lot.

Kids bring joy,

Filed Under: MY Family Brings Joy, Other Emotions, Values Bring Joy

Putting Off the Inevitable

September 6, 2013 By Shan 2 Comments

I’ve put it off long enough. It’s time.

This morning I’m headed to have my first mammogram.

Yes, I’m nervous.

I’ve been told you should begin having them at age 40. I turned 43 on Monday. How many of us procrastinate the things we don’t want to do…or maybe I should say things that are painful? Totally ME!

I came across a pin titled “10 Secrets to a More Bearable Mammogram.”

I wish I read this about a week ago. Some good advice.

I sure hope you have better plans in store for you today.

Wish me luck…

Be proactive,

Filed Under: Other Emotions, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Happy Birthday Family Brings Joy

August 17, 2013 By Shan 6 Comments

Today is the day.

Five years ago I began Family Brings Joy.

I can’t believe it’s been 5 years.

I wonder how many of you have been following this thing I called life {my blog} for the majority of that time? I know my sweet mom has. I hope one day my kids will be happy to have me follow and comment on all their social media. Right now it’s frowned upon.

Anyway, today I will be celebrating by taking the girls on a shopping trip to our favorite city 2 hours away. It’s time to buy my college bound daughter a laptop. She’s pretty excited. I would be too…there were no such things as laptops when I went to college. My youngest needs new jazz shoes while my son needs longer jeans. I don’t really need anything for me. I’ll just enjoy being with them and grateful we can purchase the items they need.

I hope each and every one of you has a fabulous day! Thank you for being you and being a part of the Family Brings Joy community. You are special and mean the world to me.

Happy Birthday Family Brings Joy!

Filed Under: Blogs Bring Joy, Me Time Brings Joy, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Anything Could Happen

July 27, 2013 By Shan 5 Comments

Hey there!

I’m getting excited about the blog conference I’m attending in Atlanta next week called Haven. Last night there was a twitter party for attendees. I was tweeting away with the best of them, only to realize nobody could read my tweets because my twitter account is “private.” I used to have my twitter open to the public and received all kinds of SPAM so I decided to privatize it. It was kind of a let down since the whole idea of having the party was to get to know some of the bloggers before attending the conference.

So I was visiting the Haven Link Up…

hmmmm…

I’m wondering if I’m going to a modeling conference instead of a home bloggers conference. Holy cow…if you want to see more of the beautiful bloggers click here. If you are not sure what a link up is…it’s where you link up your blog so conference attendees can get to know each other by visiting their blogs. Most bloggers inserted a photo of themselves instead of using their blog’s logo like I did. Honestly, it’s probably a good idea to add a photo so people can put a name with a face. However, I don’t really have a professional updated {with my new pixie cut} photo to share. I need to do that.

Anyway, all of these bloggers look beautiful. There’s nothing to say that they shouldn’t be beautiful. Everyone is beautiful to God since we are all His children. I guess it’s just a little intimidating. I’m not sure what that says about me. I’ve had friends tell me they used to think I was intimidating before they got to know me. {I’m pretty sure it’s not because they thought I was model worthy.} I’m completely and utterly shocked when this information was explained to me. The LAST thing I would want would be for someone to be intimidated by me. I love people and strive to be as friendly as possible to everyone I meet.

Blissdom 2012

Here’s what I have learned about myself after attending 2 Blissdom blog conferences. Even though I am secure in who I am as a person…even though I am content in knowing I’m not the top blogger on the block…even though I’m a people person…I still struggle socializing at conferences. I am the girl who always wants everyone to feel accepted. In high school I struggled with being friends with just one group of people. For me, it was better to be friends with people from all the different “groups” than to ostracize people who weren’t in my group of friends. This can be a little difficult because then I don’t feel like I belong anywhere.

before Blissdom cocktail party familybringsjoy.com

Me before Blissdom cocktail party

Let’s face it, when a bunch of women get together {sorry I know there are men bloggers too} invariably cliques form. It’s like a law of nature or something. This part makes me uncomfortable. It’s not necessarily the workshops I have a problem with, it’s the “cocktail” parties and formal occasions. You walk in and everyone is dressed up. I like to dress up. It’s fun when most days I wear t shirts and jeans. After I walk into the party, and since I don’t know many people…well, it’s awkward. Where do I go? Who do I stand by? Who do I talk to? Then I feel as though people around me are noticing I’m alone. I begin to think, “they must think I’m a real loser since I don’t have friends to come to the party with.” The last conference I went to had a scenario like this: I walked up to a table with 2 younger woman. I asked if the spot at the table was taken… if I could join them. They politely said I could join them. We began to talk small talk and exchanged our business cards with our blogs on them. I don’t remember exact words these girls said (thankfully), however I do remember how they made me feel. I felt small…less than. This is the exact feeling I never want people to have around me. Nobody, I don’t care how many visitors come to your blog a day, is better than another person. We all have problems. We all have talents. There is a quote that says “comparison is the thief of joy.” I completely agree. Once we begin to compare ourselves to another person we become insecure with who we are. That feels dark and lonely. Joy is filled with light and unity.

2012

After sharing the preceding story you might wonder why I even want to go to these conferences. Well, fortunately, those “cocktail” parties are few and far between in the grand scheme of the conference. The majority of the time you are in workshops learning more about the world of blogging and in this particular conference, home blogging. The last 2 conferences I attended were for all types of bloggers, open to all. But do you know who were the most genuine and friendly bloggers I met there were? Yep, it was the home bloggers. These are the women who focus primarily on inspiring others with things they do in their home by way of design and DIY. After Blissdom, and later in the year, I had the amazing opportunity to be invited to participate in a blog hop with many influential home bloggers. Do you remember what it was called…Roomspiration. The other participants welcomed me warmly and helped whenever I had questions about anything. I have never been able to meet any of these sweet ladies in person. At least not yet, because I will next week at Haven! A teensy part of me is nervous they won’t remember me. It’s been a while since Roomspiration and I haven’t posted as often as I did then.

Whether those girls remember me or not, whether I make any new friends or not, I still want to go. Going to the conference gives me something to look forward to. I get away for a little bit from my normal routine and I am Shan the blogger. I’m not so and so’s mom or so and so’s wife, I’m just me. I enjoy being around other women who share in my passion for blogging. I’m not going to let my uncomfortableness of certain social settings keep me from attending. We have to take risks in life to grow and learn. It’s not always pleasant, but wisdom and experience are the fruits yielded.

A friend once said this about me, “what you see is what you get.” He is exactly right. I don’t hide behind my feelings. Many times I say the things I’m thinking when I probably shouldn’t because it sometimes is taken the wrong way. I like to be unique and creative in the way I dress. I absolutely despise gossip, which I know for a fact has kept me from having more friends. I just try to treat others the way I would like to be treated. Therefore, if I don’t want to be gossiped about, then I don’t gossip. I have a big heart and only want the very best for people. I have sincerely enjoyed writing and posting photos about our family’s home. I’m grateful for the countless people I have gleaned inspiration from to make our home a haven.

If you are attending Haven next week, I hope to meet you. Please use my comments section as a sort of guestbook to let me know you stopped by. I would love to visit your blog as well. BTW, thank you for visiting my small abode. 😉 Only 5 more days…

Home Brings Joy,

Filed Under: Blogs Bring Joy, Home Brings Joy, Me Time Brings Joy, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Believe In Who You Are

July 7, 2013 By Shan 1 Comment

Songs speak to the heart. I listened to the following song on the way to church this morning.

I remember the first time I heard it. I remember feeling so much LOVE from our Heavenly Father. I was quite sure the author of the song must have private videos of my life and thoughts. If you are a woman, you need to hear this song. It need not matter if you are a mom or not. It need not matter if you are a stay at home mom or not. The words and soft melody will bring you a feeling of hope and love. Don’t we all need that in this life…to feel there’s hope…to feel loved?

The song is called Who You Are. It is sung by Hilary Weeks. I’ve mentioned her before on here. This is the only video I could find for this song. I did not make the video, but the photos are very fitting for the song. More importantly is for you to listen to the music and lyrics. I’m including the lyrics below as well.

Who You Are

I know you wonder

If you’ll ever have a day

Where the kids stay calm,the laundry’s done

And the dishes are put away

And sometimes you feel like

Your days are spent and gone

And the question running through your mind

Is what have I gotten done

And when you finally have a moment to slow down

At the end of your day I know Father would say

Believe in what you’re doing

Believe in who you are

And hold tight to the truth that you’re a daughter of God

Believe in who you’re becoming, believe in who you are

Now it might seem simple

All the little things you do

But the lives you touch matter so much

And there’s no one else like you

And Father needs you to stand tall and faithful

To be all you can be Oh, if you could see what He sees

You’d believe in what you’re doing

You’d believe in who you are

So hold tight to the truth that you’re a daughter of God

Believe in who you’re becoming, believe in who you are

And when it’s hard to believe in yourself

And you feel like you’re beginning to doubt

Remember

That He believes in what you’re doing

He believes in who you are

So don’t lose sight of the truth that you’re a daughter of God

That He believes in who you’re becoming,

He believes in who you are

******************************************

YOU are special,

Filed Under: Music Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Tuesday Ramblings

June 4, 2013 By Shan 6 Comments

Bloggy Ramblings

I love comments.

It lets me know people are still reading my blog and care about the time and effort I put into it. THANK YOU!

I have not made money from my blog. Every once in a while I receive products to review, but usually if I receive a product, the company offers a giveaway for my readers as well. I did not begin this blog to make money. I don’t think making money by having a blog is wrong by any means. As a matter of fact, all the bloggers I have met who do make a living from their blog (bless their hearts) are very hard workers. They have to work very long hours typing, editing and collaborating with companies and other bloggers.

I initially began Family Brings Joy back in 2008 as a way to share our family life with our family and friends. It still has that purpose yet it has blossomed into much more. This blog keeps me connected to the outside world. Oh how I would have loved to have a blog when my kids were young. Moms with young children can feel alienated. Blogging and social media must be a blessing for those moms. It is also a blessing for this mom. Living in a remote part of the country with not many friends can be quite lonely.

Still, having a blog is quite time consuming. And like most people, I like and prefer to be compensated for my time. However, I don’t like going to blogs and being inundated with ads. I find them very distracting and frustrating. This is why I have tried to keep ads at a minimum. I only share companies who have products I believe in and are family friendly.

DH asked me yesterday when I was going to write another blog post. I laughed because this past month and a half has been a whirlwind in our lives. The time just hasn’t been there. I have to say, a part of me wonders if I should keep blogging. I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.

Feelings Ramblings

It’s almost like I have put aside all the feelings I should have been feeling and am experiencing them all at the same time right now. I know, it’s weird. Probably doesn’t help that my monthly visitor has come. Sorry if that’s too much information, but come on, we all know about that. If you are a man, you know about it from being around women and how the hormones can affect us. If you are a woman, you most certainly know how this time period intensifies everything.

Trip Ramblings

BTW, jet lag sucks. We returned home Sunday from our daughter’s graduation trip to Maui, Hawaii. {Yes, it was amazing!} I had no problem adjusting to the 5 hour time difference when we got there. It’s been the 5 hour time difference since we returned that has been killer. Not to mention the LACK of sleep on our 7 hour overnight flight we took from Saturday to Sunday. I will NEVER do that again! You know you’re a mom when you let your 10 year old child lay their head on your lap on a plane, so they will sleep, even though you’re leg falls asleep and becomes painful so you can’t sleep. Honestly, unless you don’t mind sleeping sitting up in a very tight and cramped space for hours…I don’t recommend flying overnight on a plane. My ankles were so swollen after…looked like they did when I was pregnant. If you can afford to fly first class, then by all means do that if you take an overnight flight which is over 6 hours long. Those people who flew first class {American Airlines} had seats that completely reclined…almost the size of a twin size bed. It’s pretty ~~sucky~~ awful to pass first class ~~seats~~ recliners only to sit on the very back of the plane stuffed like sardines.

And don’t get me started on…how do people afford to go to Hawaii!?!? Oh my goodness it was expensive! Let me tell you, we’ve been planning this vacation for about 5 years…pretty much when our daughter began high school. People warned me it was expensive. Our tickets cost $1000 a piece…that’s $5000 for airfare alone for our family! I won’t go on my rant about how disgusted I was with the service we received on American Airlines. I might have to save that for another blog post. So our food bill probably almost cost the same as our airfare. The food at the grocery store and at the restaurants was outrageous! Don’t get me wrong, the food was delicious and amazing, but how do families afford to vacation to Hawaii?

I overheard someone saying they knew someone who spent their whole life’s savings account visiting Hawaii. I believe it!

If you don’t want to go into debt by vacationing there, then you better start saving your money. We met a sweet couple while we were in the ocean who did not give each other gifts for two years for every holiday so they would have the money to go. So SMART! They left their kids at home…lol. They had already spent a week in Oahu and were now spending a week in Maui. That’s definitely the way to go! Very smart of them to save money for the trip instead of giving gifts. A family should do that as well. I could see myself wrapping up a photo of a para sailing brochure to give to the kids for Christmas. That way they know the money from their gift was going to something awesome to look forward to.

Anyway, I am rambling. Time to get some work done. I’ll have to begin sharing some photos from our trip to Maui with you tomorrow for “Wordless Wednesday.” If you can’t wait until tomorrow to see photos, I have 26 trip photos posted on Instagram. My Instagram user name is @familybringsjoy. Love my Instagram peeps! It’s killing me to again be posting another post WITHOUT photos. But, it’s either post it without or not at all. This writing was probably more for me than you. Since I’m such a visual person I don’t always read posts without photos…gasp!…I’m sharing secrets with you. So if you are like me, then I don’t expect too many readers or comments. No worries! If you did read this, well bless you. You’re pretty dang awesome! 😉

P.S.: This post took 2 hours to write and that’s without any photos. Granted, I am a mom and needed to do mom stuff during this time period. Just a FYI

Aloha,

Filed Under: Other Emotions, Values Bring Joy