Hey, it's me!

Yes, we had five boys in eight years. It was a lot. I clearly remember not sleeping more than three hours at a time for six straight years. I know exhaustion. I know losing myself. I know desperation. I know joy. I know heartache. I know loss. I know laughter. I know you. Scrolling on the interwebs for sanity, for a reprieve, for ideas, for some kind of break. It's okay, I've been there and sometimes I go there again. Having my oldest two boys become teenagers changed everything. I want to go out - no problem. I need help reaching that top shelf - they can get it. I feel like I need a break - they wanna play a board game to help me chill out. Teenagers are the best (knock on wood). My hubby and I met when we were 23 and got married just a few months later. He's amazing. He works for Amazon, and is building an app with his friend that will take over the world of pickleball! (Check out this link if you want to stay in the loop!)  He supports my goals and loves it when I succeed. He truly is my Bestest Mensch (any Office fans out there get the reference?). We've been through a lot. I battled cancer while pregnant with our youngest, so that's a thing. Although I wish cancer isn't in my history, I'm glad for the perspective it has given me in life. So. . . that's me. . . unless I forgot something, but I feel like that pretty much covers it. Below are a few things that are important to me and that will be featured on this website, and these are the "why's" behind them. 

 

Gardening

I have memories of picking blackberries on the side of the road in Washington, where I grew up. I loved the smell of the berries, how they squished in my fingers and stained my clothes. I loved when my mom made Blackberry buckle and raspberry jam. My Dad grew the most incredible Dinner Plate Dahlias, Sunflowers, and salsa garden when I was in High School. He would get so excited showing me what was blooming and explaining to me the science of botany, watering, and caring for God's great earth. Having a garden is to invite the love and wonder of God into your home. Gardening is peace, love, beauty, and satisfaction. I fail. . . a lot, but each time I do, I learn something new. We moved to the desert about six years ago and the first two years were pretty dire in our yard. I killed EVERYTHING! It was heartbreaking, but I didn't give up. By year three I figured out how to amend the soil and had our first productive desert garden. I'm still learning, but gardening in the desert gives a whole new level of pride, knowing the struggle it is to keep anything alive. It's all worth it!

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Graphic Design

About fourteen years ago I got really hooked on digital scrapbooking.

Inner dialogue me, "You mean I can make cute scrapbooks, cards, baby books, letters, etc. without my glue gun? Without paper cuts?" I was hooked. Two years after the digital scrapbook revolution, I made my first recipe binder, which changed everything in the kitchen! I will never go back to a cupboard full of cookbooks! Recipe binders are the way to go, and I'll share all about how to make your own. Since that time, I've enhanced my Adobe InDesign skills and am currently taking graphic design classes to use more of the Creative Cloud effectively to create useful printables, worksheets, and stationary to make life easier. I'm all about organization and simple design. Hey, if you have an idea of something you would love to see made on paper, let me know! I love meeting needs and creating helpful instantly downloadable printables (wow, say that ten times fast). Anyway. Graphic design makes me happy! Check out my Etsy shop @5BoyMa if you want to see some of my work. The items available change, so come back to see what's new anytime!

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Author

When I was little, I had a lot of pent-up (or not so pent up) youngest-child angst. ;) My siblings sometimes called me Devil Child, because I earned that name. Yes, we have a couple of our own just like me. When I was around 9-10, I was really upset about something. I threw a tantrum and was pouting about my life not being fair. One of my older sisters handed me an old notebook and told me to "write it down and throw it away." I wrote SO hard on that notebook, but after a little while, I started to loosen my grip and soften my press. I learned that writing my feelings down actually made me feel better! Since that time, I have frequently used writing to work through my feelings. There have been a number of studies proving the healing power of writing therapy, too. 

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I had a LOT of very deep and powerful emotions. I know that the healing balm of my Savior and writing saved me. I wrote a couple of books and felt like finishing the books literally, and figuratively, helped me close that chapter of my life. I want others to feel that same freedom. If you have a story that needs to be told, I want to help you! If I could write a book with five young kids, no college education, and undergoing cancer treatments, you can too! You just have to put in the work and decide what's most important. Check out the Become an Author page, where I will make your writing journey easier than mine was. My goal is to make life easier on you because we all need a lifeline sometimes. Who's with Me? . . . If you're raising your hand, just pretend that I gave you a high five. I can't actually see you.