Alaskan Inn // Review

Two weekends ago, Colten and I went and stayed at Alaskan Inn in Ogden, UT. We had been invited to go enjoy a free night's stay in exchange for a blog review.

I was excited because we have stayed at similar bed & breakfasts before and love them! We love having a little getaway together. We stayed in the Kenai cabin and it was so cute. It's like a moose themed cabin and was so cozy.

They added a "Love Bird" package that included rose petals that went from the door to the bed, ten tea lights with matches, and chocolate covered strawberries. It was the perfect upgrade to give it a little extra romance!

The large jetted tub was by far my favorite part, but anyone who knows me knows I love my baths! I also enjoyed a bath bomb from the Inn and when I turned the jets on it turned into a bubble bath which was a nice surprise.

We had a blast. It was so romantic and the employees took such good care of us. The cabin was clean and warm when we arrived. They even had cookies & DVDs we could take with us to our rooms.

It was a great get away and we will definitely be back again!

Book online HERE or by calling : 801-621-8600

February Goals // 2017

January was good. Some of my goals changed a little bit as the month went by. For one, I canceled my membership at the gym where I was doing yoga. Honestly, as much as I love yoga it was not my favorite gym to go to. So I switched  to a gym my husband would start attending with me and we have been way more consistent since. If a goal isn't working, CHANGE IT! Goals are supposed to inspire you, not bog you down. I've changed my workout routine a bit which you'll see below. 

So I completed my February Powersheets prep last night and figured while I had some time I would share my February Goals. 

MONTHLY GOALS

+ Schedule next 2 dentist appointments. (This is something that has been in my mind for MONTHS. I need to make this happen so I'm just going to schedule my next two to get it over with.)

+ Set phone to be on "Do Not Disturb" from 9 pm - 8 am each day. 

+ Turn off social media "dings" (I've been meaning to do this for awhile, so I figured I may as well make it a goal!) 

+ Read 2 books

+ Write Monat Thank You's (I've been so blessed by support in my Monat business and want people to know how grateful I am for their support!)

+ CPR/First Aid Certification (This is a specific step toward Foster Care licensure. We are getting closer!)

+ Brainstorm sesh for my secret project (Ahhh I'm so excited. Stay tuned for more info)

+ Temple Date Night

+ Clean Out Closet 

+  Plan March Powersheets

WEEKLY GOALS 

+ Write & Post a Blog Post 

+ Journal (I've been slacking at my Sunday journal writing and want to get back into this habit) 

+ Write Colten a love note 

+ BBG 1 (I'm doing the Kayla Itsines BBG Workouts, but I'm modifying just a little bit to respect my body. I'll be doing 2 of the workouts each week!) 

+ BBG 2

+ Prayer Warrior Journal (I really want to spend some more time in quiet and prayer. I've been wishing I could do more to help the world, and while I know praying doesn't solve anything, I do believe that God has so many blessings waiting for us, we just have to ask! I'll also be asking for prayer requests each week, so watch for those!) 

DAILY GOALS 

+ Greens (Green smoothie, It Works Greens, Actual Green Veggies, Terra Greens from Doterra I don't care! I've just gotta do it.) 

+ Scriptures 

+ Skincare Routine (Still trying to make this a habit!) 

+ 10 Push Ups ( I have the weakest upper arm strength so I'm hoping this might at least help a little!) 

+ Biz Post (Monat, Salon, Doterra or Blog. Just something that spreads the word of the things I love!) 

+ Talk to God 

+ Kiss Colten 

Now tell me, what are your February goals! If you blog, leave me a link below so I can come read! 

OCTOBER 2016 GOALS

I was reading my blogger friend Ashley's October Goals and it inspired me! I love reading what goals others are working on and how they are achieving them. I've been off/on with blogging for awhile and have been feeling a little more inspired lately so here I am! I decided to share some of my October goals with you to keep you in the loop. 

We are in transition on a lot of things right now: becoming foster parents, becoming biological parents, selling our home, Colten graduating, new jobs, etc. So instead of worry about all the things I can't control, this month I'm really trying to focus on what I CAN control. Which is me! So here's my goals based on Luke 2:52.

WISDOM 

Read 4 books this month. I just finished No Ordinary Women by Elaine Dalton on audiobook and loved it! Now I'm starting a book about yoga and so far so good. I'll try to do an October book update like I did for September. 

STATURE

Practice yoga every day- even if it's only a couple of stretches before bed. 

This is something I'm working on to try and help with my anxiety, and so far I feel like it's been helping a lot! 

FAVOR OF GOD

10-30 minutes of "SIT" time every day. I need to write a full blog post to explain this concept, but basics of SIT time is that I spend time Studying wherever my heart desires as long as it is spiritually uplifting, spend time in Intentional prayer/meditation, and give myself Time to write in a journal.

FAVOR OF MAN

Go on a fall-themed date with Colten! I've been wanting to go pick pumpkins and make caramel apples so we are definitely going to figure out how to make this happen. Fall is my favorite season!

That's all for now. I've been working through my mental illnesses and it has been very life-consuming for awhile. I finally feel like I'm getting a routine down that works! But I am still giving myself grace when I fall and need to pick myself back up. I hope you'll do the same for you this month.

The Sacred Gift of Childbirth- Book Review

I recieved this book from Cedar Fort Books in exchange for an honest review.

I've always been the person who writes and re-writes my packing list whenever my family would go on vacations. I like an itinerary, I like to know the plan. I'm a planner. I like to be knowledgeable about the places we are going and the things we will experience. Whenever I watch scary movies, I look up the entire synopsis before seeing it. Surprises just aren't really my thing.

When it comes to child birth, I've been afraid. I've heard horror stories and bad experiences. I come from a family with a lot of emergency and planned Cesarean births. I have friends who have had traumatic experiences giving birth no matter what way the baby came out, and I've been scared. I'm excited to be a mom one day don't get me wrong, but the whole pregnancy and childbirth thing has scared me a bit.

I had a friend who is way into the whole "doula thing" and it got me interested. Like, who are these crazy home birth people anyway? I had a friend recommend a book called The Gift of Giving Life a few years ago and holy cow it completely changed my perspective on pregnancy and child-birth. It really reminded me of how sacred and holy that experience can be. Easy? Not usually. But sanctifying? Yes.

So when I was given an opportunity to read The Sacred Gift of Child Birth by Marie-Ange Bigelow I took it. The book is all about learning how to make empowered choice for you and your baby. Marie is a certified doula and childbirth educator and is passionate about helping women have positive outcomes for birthing. I learned SO much reading this book and even read a few paragraphs to Colten throughout.

"The events that bring a child into the world are sacred and purposeful. They are designed by a loving Heavenly Father who has entrusted women with the responsibility of bringing His spirit children into the world. This responsibility is an honor and a blessing. When a woman understands this priviledge and sees Heavenly Father's hand in childbirth, she can find joy, strength, and faith through this experience." 

Isn't that beautiful? I've never had a contraction, never birthed a 10 pound baby after 9+ months of being uncomfortable. I've never dealt with morning sickness or the heart rate of my baby dropping suddenly during labor. I'm definitely inexperienced, but I loved this book and feel empowered by it.

"Consider three possible reasons for the pain in childbirth: First, there must be opposition in all things. Second, the pain of childbirth molds and refines women as they transition into motherhood. By experiencing the pain of childbirth, they have a deeper understanding of and gratitude for Christ's suffering for them, which helps them become more like Him. Third, the pain communicates to the mother that birth is imminent."

I have found so much knowledge in pondering on the reasons behind pain in childbirth. This book chronicles pretty much the entire process of birthing a baby, and not in a "Ew gross I didn't need to know that!" way, but in a "Wow, I'm so glad someone is educating me on this kinda way."

"It's important to remember that laboring mothers are NOT contracting for the majority of the time. About 20% of active labor is spent having contractions. The other 80% is typically free of discomfort and allows mom time to rest and refocus."

I don't know why but that quote changed me so much. How cool to think that child birth was designed in a way where 80% of the time you are mostly free of discomfort. Time to literally rest from your labors.

I have a few more chapters to read in this book, I didn't want to blow through it fast because I've been learning so much! I'll be so grateful to have it on hand in the future when I am pregnant and preparing for my own little one. Knowledge is power and if you prepare, ye shall not fear!

The Sacred Gift of Child Birth by Marie-Ange Bieglow can be purchased from:

Amazon 

Deseret Book

My 10 Goals for 2016

Happy almost 2016! I can't believe how fast Christmas came and went. It blows my mind every single year how quickly December goes. The only good thing about Christmas being over is that it is time to celebrate a new year.

I've been working through the prep for the 2016 Lara Casey Powersheets to help me decide on my goals. It has been REVOLUTIONARY for my goal setting. Instead of feeling like I absolutely can't fail, I'm giving myself some grace and know that it's okay to not chase perfect. It's more important to chase progress. So even if every checkmark box doesn't get filled each day, each week, each month, it's OK as long as I'm still progressing.

So without further adieu, there are TEN goals that I've set. And yes that might be an outrageous amount, but I don't plan on focusing on each one every single month. I'm just taking these goals, and adding the action ideas to my tending lists for each month to tackle what feels most important to me that month. Some things will sit on the backburner each month and some will be a priority every single month.

+ GOAL ONE: Find Creative Ways to Worship 

My sweet parents got me a Journaling Bible for Christmas and I am so excited to dig into that. I set a goal to read ONE book in the Bible a month. I've also pre-ordered the Write the Word Volume 1 Journal to use. I also plan to continue attending the temple 2x a month with my husband and having a monthly Ponderize scripture. We were created by a creative being, and I believe that by stretching myself creatively in worship will help me become closer to God.

+ GOAL TWO: Use the Internet for Good

I find myself mindlessly scrolling through social media far too often. I plan on taking #socialmediafreeweekends all year. This is going to be so hard. I did a trial run last weekend and caved a few times. I'm trying to figure out what to do with all the free time I have without being on social media. LOL! I plan on continuing my Monday in the Word series and sharing a weekly goal setting periscope every Monday morning as well. Another goal is to share a monthly family update on my blog and use NO SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER 9 PM. How much time could I spend in the scriptures or with my husband if I wasn't so attached to my phone at 9 pm. This will also be hard.

+ GOAL THREE: Tend to my Marriage

Make the bed every single morning. Colten loves a clean house more than anything. And when I make the bed it makes him so happy. He is 100% an acts of service love language. I also told Colten I wanted to plan two overnight getaways. We have a gift certificate we purchased this weekend to use at Anniversary Inn so we will be scheduling our first one soon! I want to write him a love note every week and read a book about marriage. I also plan to buy him a surprise at least once throughout the year. Whether big or small, just something that shows how much I love him.

+ GOAL FOUR: Take Control of Our Finances

I'll be real specific here folks. We've been using $500/paycheck from my paycheck to pay off our down payment mortgage. We should have that paid off in 4-5 months which is super exciting because we have been working super hard to pay that off. We also auto save $100/paycheck and I want to make sure that even though our goal is to pay off debt that we also are continuing to build our emergency fund. I want to complete a personal no spend month. No eating out while working, no Diet Coke runs, no new clothes, books, etc. Just one month of not spending money I don't need to. I want to donate some of my personal money each month (it's kinda like a grown up allowance so Colten and I don't have to get permission for all personal purchases) to causes that I care about. We are also building our food storage so I want to buy one thing for food storage each month.

+ GOAL FIVE: Take Care of Myself Emotionally

I want to plan one refresh day a month where the entire day is open and dedicated to recharging my personal batteries. I might have to work during the day, but the evening will be for me. I want to walk my dogs 1x a month, which I know is ridiculously low, but they get to run around our yard and we just don't take them on walks. But I want to. I plan on getting ready head to toe every single day. I work from home so I can be slobby/lazy in my appearance. Which was nice for awhile, and it's nice I can wear leggings every day, but it's done a number on my self esteem. On the days I get ready I feel so much better about myself. I'm also going to get my hair done 2x at least this year. It's been over 6 months since I last got it lightened and I am dying to be blonde again. I also plan on doing some capsule wardrobing and one big surprise for me is to get a massage this year, which I have never done!

+ GOAL SIX: Be an Encourager

I feel like I have been given the gift of being an encourager. However, I am shy and have social anxiety and struggle to reach out. I set some goals I want to try and reach this year, but will give myself lots of grace and praise for what I do accomplish. I want to invite someone over for dinner one Sunday every month, go visiting teaching and put my phone away when I'm with ANYONE. I am planning on hosting a Galentine's party again in February but truth be told I'm terrified. I also want to donate to good causes and send out "Happy mail" to someone at least 1x a month.

+ GOAL SEVEN: Improve my Eating Habits

I plan to meal prep my lunches for my work week. It may not be much, but it is do-able for me and I think it will make a big difference. Hopefully by July I can start meal prepping my breakfasts too. I want to stop eating when I'm full + eat slowly. Drink only 1 soda per day and eat only 1 dessert per day. My sweet tooth is OUT OF CONTROL. I also want to study the Word of Wisdom in Doctrine & Covenants to really understand God's perspective on eating/taking care of my body.

+ GOAL EIGHT: Improve Self Physically

Walk on the treadmill during my work breaks. This adds up to 30 minutes per day. I have been doing this for awhile now and it is so convenient and fun! I read or watch Netflix while I walk and love the break from work. I got a Fitbit for Christmas and am wearing it for awhile to get a feel for how many steps a day I take and will set a stretch goal to start reaching for. Go to bed at 10:30 and wake up at 7:00 am. Do yoga sun salutations 5 minutes per day. Walk the dogs 1x per month and stretch before bed. January I am focusing on my treadmill walking & my Fitbit. Everything else may come later.

+ GOAL NINE: Prepare to be a Mom

We are getting closer to starting a family! (My mother is probably so happy about this lol!) There are so many things I can do to prepare. I want to continue building our savings so if we have an expensive hospital baby we have savings to help, I want to tour a birth center and read books about pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. I also want to look up some classes in my area about birthing. (aka Bradley, Hypnobirthing, all that jazz) Another exciting thing is we are going to start taking the steps to be approved for adoption/foster care. Ever since we were married Colten and I have talked about the possibility of fostering and adopting children. We decided this year we want to take the steps to be approved including doing a home study. I'm not sure how this will all play out or what God's plan is with this, but we want to be ready for anything.

+ GOAL TEN: Pray More!

Scripture reading comes pretty easy to me, but prayer for some reason becomes an afterthought, which is totally backwards I'm sure. I want to write out some prayers in my journaling Bible, and ask my Facebook friends for prayer requests. I've started a prayer list on my phone of all the times I think "I should pray for them..." or "I should pray for that..." or "I'm so grateful for this..." so that way when it comes time for me to pray, I am prepared with all the things I've been waiting to tell my Heavenly Father. I want to read a book about prayer and ask on Twitter for more prayer requests.



Phwew that was a long post. I would love to hear what some of your goals are so be sure to leave them in the comments below! You can also tweet me about them @brooklynjolley and I'd love to chat. Happy goal setting loves!

On the Top Shelf // A Jolley Love Story

We've been married 2 years, and yet somehow the only mugs we own are the 4 we were given in a beautiful set for our wedding. They stay on the highest shelf in our kitchen cupboard. The other day I dragged a kitchen table chair over to the cupboards and moved all 4 mugs down to the bottom shelf so they would be easily accessible for me. (Being only 5 feet tall can be rough sometimes)

I came down later in the day to make myself some hot chocolate and noticed the dishes had been washed (thank you husband!) but the mugs were moved back to the top shelf. I found my husband and told him why I had moved them down to the bottom shelf and we both had a laugh. He said he couldn't figure out why the dishes were in the wrong place!

Today, my husband did the dishes again (this is not uncommon for him, I definitely married up!). I didn't think much about it until later in the evening. He was off watching a TV show with his guy friends, and I got off my late work shift. All I wanted was hot chocolate and some quiet time. 

I sighed and dragged the chair across the kitchen floor again in hopes of reaching the top shelf mugs, but when I opened the cupboard I noticed all four mugs, sitting perfectly aligned on the bottom row easily within my reach. 

I am so grateful for a husband who listens to me and cares about me so much. We are not a perfect couple. He's a total extrovert and I'm an introvert which has caused many an argument over the last little while. And we are both sinners, just relying on our faith in Jesus to make us better. But somehow, in the midst of the crazyness of life, he remembered to put the mugs on the bottom shelf, and that meant the world to me. So from the mouth of "newlywed" of 2 years, I truly think marriage is all about the little things.

When Beauty is a Beast // Review

I was sent a copy of When Beauty is a Beast: Avoiding 10 Things Women Do That Harm Their Relationships to review. I knew it was a topic I was interested in (marriage) and I knew that it was something that could most likely improve my marriage. Anything that could improve my marriage is worth my time.

We all know that men can be abusive to women. Physically, emotionally, verbally, etc. We hear it all the time and we warn young women to avoid abusive relationships and to GET OUT as soon as there are signs. We often avoid talking about the other sides of things, that women can abuse men too! Physically, emotionally, verbally, etc.

I'm definitely a sensitive person, and I do not like my dirty laundry aired. I remember specifically a fight I had with my sister who told me that I never listen to anyone, and that I'm always interrupting. It hurt so bad, because I knew she was right. It was a weakness I had/have and have been constantly working at. Having someone point out your weaknesses and say "Shape up!" can be hard to hear, but I think sometimes we need a good kick in the pants. This book is it!

Rather than waiting for your spouse, mother, best friend, sister, or random stranger tell you all your flaws, read this book! Author C.C. Sorenson goes over 10 different ways that women often harm their relationships. I didn't find myself in every chapter, but in some I did. And it was eye-opening.

I would definitely suggest this to any woman, single, dating, engaged or married to wants to take a good hard look at improving their relationships. I truly believe this is something we need to talk about more. I don't think most women realize how destructive some of our behaviors can be towards our relationships. I know I sure have a lot to work on! But this book is a great read with lots of insight and quotes from general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Even if you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, if you are a Christian, your marriage will benefit from this book!

Purchase here // Barnes & Noble // Amazon //

On Buying Our First Home //

Last November we bought a home. Our first home. At the respective ages of 21 & 23. Yeah, it kinda took me by surprise too. My husband had received a great raise in June, and one night we were looking over finances and thinking, "We probably have enough money to afford a mortgage. Why are we throwing away rent money each month??" 

So began our hunt for the perfect home in September. We didn't really have a lot of preferences. We didn't even really care too much what city it was in, as long as it was within reasonable distance from Colten's work, we were good with it. We looked at all kinds of houses, fixer uppers, brand new, in fancy neighborhoods, in run down sketchy neighborhoods. And each time I'd find a house I liked, Colten didn't like it. And each time Colten found a house he liked, I didn't like it. 

..........

I'll be honest. For me, house hunting was NOT fun. It was stressful. We bid on 2 houses that our offers were turned down. The first because someone else had bid just a few hours before us, and the second counter offered us higher than their list prices. Weirdos. I cried a lot. I had a lot of meltdowns. I just wanted something to work out for us! 

Colten wanted a fixer upper because he likes to build and do fixer upper type things. I wanted a finished home because I never knew anyone who finished their basement if they bought an unfinished one. Colten goes to school full time and works full time and I sure as heck don't know how to finish a basement. 

..........

I remember the day that we went to see about 6 different home. I was tired and somewhat cranky. We had a random house in a city I'd never been to on the list. We walked into the home and I said, "Colten, I want this house." The more I saw the more I wanted it. It was in our price range, plenty of rooms, updated carpet and paint (nice carpet was a real winner in my book!) and overall it was just so cute! Colten fell in love with it too. We knew from the moment we walked in that this was the house for us. It felt... right.

The neighborhood seemed quiet. The house had it quirks (aka a backyard of all cement and a huge sideyard of grass) but we BOTH wanted it. We made a full price offer that night, the next day it was accepted with only a change of the closing dates.

..........

Because an investor had bought the home to fix it up and re-sell it, he had not owned the property very long. In order to avoid additional inspections/appraisals, we had to wait until the investor had owned it for 90 days. The 90 days was up in November and we signed off on our home. There were a few other bumps in the road (aka my credit score dropping 1 point below what I needed for a certain loan during the 90 day period and adding $80/mo to our mortgage) but after the home was purchased and we moved in, it was all worth it. 

We have LOVED our home. We love the neighborhood, the neighbors, our church family and the quietness and peace we feel here. It was the first home that we both wanted. We wanted it so badly. And we feel so grateful to be living here in our little small town part of Salt Lake. 

                                                                          ..........

For our 2 year wedding anniversary, I got Colten this home drawing from Breezy and Co. Isn't it adorable?? You can get your own (or anything else in the shop) 15% off using code BROOKLYN15. Be sure to let me know if you decide to get one, I'd love to see how it turns out!

Our Love Story // The Short Version

When I was little, (okay let's be honest, even today) my parents would say, "Brooklyn can you give us the short version of this story?" What can I say, I love words! So if you're long-winded like me, you can check out my 23 part love story by going here. If you want the short version, well, you've come to the right page today.

Colten and I met on a blind date set up by Brielle, a friend I only knew through blogging. Even though we had never met in real life, she asked me if I was single, told me she had a friend that just got home from his mission and wanted to set us up. He Facebook messaged me, we got each others number and we texted all weekend. The following Monday he drove from Logan to SLC (an hour and a half away) and took me on our first date, the next night he came up again. Those 2 dates were the best dates I'd ever been on and we knew we wanted to see where things would go.

We didn't see each other until the next Monday. On that day we shared our first kiss, and became "official" boyfriend and girlfriend. If you ask Colten, he knew on our first date that we would get married, I took a couple of weeks.

After about 3 weeks of dating we started to talk about marriage. Looking back, it's pretty crazy, but in the moment, I just knew I couldn't live my life without him. He told me that he knew he wanted to get married to me, but I needed to decide for myself if this was what I wanted too. I prayed, cried, worked out, prayed some more, pondered, prayed some more and more and more. After about 4 weeks I told him that we should do it, we should get married. I'll never ever forget the smile on his face when I told him.

We went ring shopping, started planning a date, a temple, the reception etc. And then after 8 weeks of knowing each other, he officially proposed. 2.5 months after the proposal we got married. Every day isn't peaches, rainbows, and sugar cookies, but life is pretty darn great. We are both romantics, we are both committed. We have a lot of different interests, and a lot of core values that really bring us together. I'm so grateful I didn't let anyone else's opinions keep me from marrying Colten. I'm glad I took a leap of faith, trusted my gut and trusted God. He's the love of my life, my biggest supporter, and the best husband I could've ever asked for.

Now if you want all the details about my decision, the proposal, the engagement, the wedding, etc. Go HERE and read the whole story!

She Got an Iphone for Valentine's Day & I Didn't Get A Thing

It's true. My husband & I kinda decided last year to not do Valentine's gifts and we still didn't this year. That doesn't mean we never will, but for now, it just doesn't really matter to us. We like to save & splurge a little more for our anniversary. (Valentine's is almost exactly our half-anniversary. Kinda like half-birthdays yeah?)

There's a girl I went to college with that got an Iphone from her husband for Christmas. And for Valentine's Day? A new tablet. Probably worth close to $1000. My eyes were popping out of my head? Aren't they "poor college students" just "trying to get by"? How in the heck do they afford that?? Then, I pull up Instagram, and I see that someone is going to Europe for a 3 week trip for their anniversary in a few months. And then on Twitter I see someone say how grateful they are for their NEW CAR that their husband got them for Valentine's Day. And then I see all the millions of dollars worth of flowers on Facebook that men are buying for women. It's pretty easy to start to feel envious isn't it? 

Jeffrey R Holland said it best...

"Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those.

Furthermore, envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving. Obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know! What a bright prospect that is—downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment!"

My happiness should NEVER rely on what happens in other people's lives. Isn't that an interesting way to think about it? My life isn't any worse just because someone is going to Mexico for the 3rd time this year. My life isn't any worse because my sister and brother in law were able to afford a house worth $100,000 more than mine. My life isn't any worse because my friend's parents paid for her schooling and she doesn't have debt. My life is the same. Regardless of what happens to others. 

How sad it would be, to live a life so full of negativity, that we never get to celebrate the success of others. To let Satan make us feel inadequate or worthless, just because someone else is succeeding. We are important. Your marriage is important. Your job is important. And you have a role to play in your life that no one else can ever fill. 

We may feel envy occassionally, that's pretty normal. But what we do with that envy is what matters. If you can't talk yourself out of the negativity, the envy, and the judgement, pray your way out of it. Life is hard enough already. Why would we honestly choose to down a quart of pickle juice every time someone else has a happy moment?

So when you see the girl who gets the Michael Kohrs watch for Valentine's Day, tell her it looks amazing on her. I promise, you won't ever regret being a little too kind.

Anniversary Inn // A Night Away

For our first anniversary we stayed in an Egyptian themed room at The Anniversary Inn. We had a blast. Each of the rooms at the hotel are themed different and we had a lot of fun peeking into each of them while they were being cleaned the next day.

Once you've stayed, you can buy a "Bounce Back" pass to stay at a super discounted rate. We bought one after our anniversary and were planning on using it in August for our 2nd anniversary!

We've been really busy and really stressed lately and haven't had as much time for each other. I told Colten I wanted a night away and so we booked a room at Anniversary Inn- Logan on Monday and stayed that Friday night. Because it was already paid for we were able to just enjoy it without worrying how we'd pay for it.

I love how it comes with Martinelli's and Cheesecake, and the bathtubs/showers are always the best part of the hotel! They have free movie rentals so we usually rent a chick flick of some sort. Last time we ordered a movie deal so they brought popcorn, candy and drinks. This time we ordered some Chicken which actually came in the form of chicken nuggets (LOL) and some Spinach Artichoke dip which was heavenly! We loved our stay.

We didn't buy a Bounce Back again because we want to try some other hotels, but for sure if you're looking for a nice night away, Anniversary Inn is a great option.

The Girl I Was Before Marriage

I read a lot of books as a teenager about marriage. I've always been interested in the concept of 2 people, getting married, and spending a lifetime + an eternity together. Plus, as a fairly needy person, I really liked the idea of a built in best friend. I was drawn to the idea of being a wife, it was my ultimate dream job. 

I have now been a wife for just over 22 months. It's hard to believe! Sometimes I sit back & think about the girl I was before I got married. She had been through trials, heartbreak, disappointment, and set backs. She'd been judged, lied about, and lost friends because of her faith. But the girl I am now? The married version of Brooklyn? I think she's been through so much more. 

She gave up everything she knew, moved 2 hours from all her friends to marry the love of her life. She's grown to love the temple, and the ordinances made therein. She finds strength, hope, and power in the words of the temple sealing. She spends more time worrying about others, and less about what she looks like. She's prayed nightly with her husband, asking where the Lord wants them to serve. 

She's bought a house, two cars, and 5 pets. She's a dog mom who cried her eyes out while driving her puppy to the vet for an emergency. She's got 2 church callings, and even though she doesn't feel like she's accomplishing much, she knows that God sees her heart. She's lost contact with old friends with distance and time, and gained new friends who challenge her views, and make her stretch. 

The girl I was before I got married was very self-centered. It was all about me. The married version of Brooklyn is still selfish, but she's improving. She's baked homemade cookies, and thrown Tony's Pizzas in the over for dinner multiple nights in a row. She's graduated cosmetology school, college and tries to have patience while her husband gets his degree. 

She doesn't make it to every family party. Sometimes she turns down invites to binge watch Netflix, and take a long bath. She's been through anxiety attacks, weight gain, weight loss, weight gain again, and learning how to care for her body. She's done yoga, zumba, walking, biking, stretching, and weight lifting. She fails sometimes, and she succeeds sometimes.

She's not the girl she was before she got married. She's not the World's Greatest Wife. She doesn't cook and clean and cater to her husband's every desire. & that's okay. Because even though she's not where she wants to be, she's getting closer. & that's all that really matters. 

April Goals

The sky is staying light until 7 pm or later and I am one happy gal! Spring isn't always my favorite but I love that it's a little taste of summer. So today I wanted to share my April goals with you...

1. I really want to dive into the scriptures again. I'm starting The Book of Mormon over to complete my Personal Progress Virtue Value Project. I've been slacking too much and I'm trying to saturate my life with God's word. 

2. Take our puppies to Petsmart puppy training. This starts on Tuesday and I'm so excited to take our 7 month old puppy and 3 year old rescue to training. Heaven knows they need it.

3. Focus on keeping our home more clean. Clean homes make my husband happy. And even though I'm content to live in piles of clutter, he's kinda not. Plus, cleanliness is next to Godliness right? 

Happy April! 

Date Night Essentials: Be An UnderWarrior

It's no secret around here that date night is my favorite night of the week. It's the one night a week that I know no other obligation such as homework, friends, family, work, etc, will get in the way of quality time with my husband. And because my love language is quality time all the way, I need that time with him. 

However, as we all know, life gets in the way sometimes. It can be difficult to fully enjoy date night when there's a million things on your mind. So I'm sharing my date night essentials to a fun, flirty, and leak-free date night. 

1. Airplane Mode 

I love to turn my phone on airplane mode on date night. Sometimes I'll leave it at home, but I do like to have it with me at all times. Turning it on airplane mode makes it easy to focus on my husband because I don't have incoming calls, tweets, texts and emails distracting me from being with him. 

2. Perfume 

My husband LOVES when I wear any type of body spray or perfume. I don't usually wear it every day, but I try to be more intentional about it when it's date night. 

3. U by Kotex with 3D Capture Core 

Yup, I went there. No one likes to be on their period for date night, but alas, mother nature wins out sometimes. U by Kotex pads with 3D Capture Core take the worry away! You don't have to worry about leaking because the technology quickly draws in and locks away liquid. With super soft sides and no scent, these pads will keep you comfortable through long walks on the beach & late night Netflix cuddle sessions. 

4. A cute outfit

I prefer skirts to pants, which is really to my benefit because my husband loves how girly I look in skirts and dresses. I try to choose those over leggings, at least for date night ;) I love to dress up for him!

Date night is always my favorite night of week. So if you try to contact me on Thursdays, you probably won't hear back that night. ;) 

If you're worried about your period getting in the way of a great date night (like Valentines Day, which just past, but still...) you can request a FREE sample of U by Kotex with 3D Capture core by going here.  Or just learn more about their awesome products here. 

Today's post was sponsored by U by Kotex & they will save your undies! And save your date night from utter destructions! (Well, maybe that's dramatic. But that's just how I roll)

WHAT IS TRUE LOVE?

I love Valentine's Day. I think I always have. When I wasn't married, I was throwing cookie decorating parties with my friends, or taking someone's shift at work so they could surprise their girlfriend with a special date. 

I just love that we have a holiday completely dedicated to love. To loving our spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, moms, classmaters, coworkers, and even occasionally strangers that we choose to serve. 

So what is love? Is it kissing by the Eiffel tower? Staying up til 2 am talking? Is it coming together and buckling down on finances to buy a house? Is it praying together every evening? Is it growing old together? Is it getting dressed up for no other reason than to knock the socks off your spouse? Is it getting up at 2 AM with the baby, even though it's HIS turn? 

Love is SO many things. I love this quote about charity, because charity is the pure love of Christ. And if I can learn to love my spouse the way Christ does, our marriage will be so blessed. 

"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other. When we don't judge or categorize someone else. When we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness & being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." (Marvin J Ashton)

So what is love? You decide. And then, go out... and love.

20 Questions to Help You Learn More About Your Spouse

Hey readers of A Little Too Jolley! I'm Charlene and I blog at From Bisons to Buckeyes. Along with most of blog-land, I picked a word of the year for 2015. That word for me is LEARN. I want to learn all I can about everything from God, to my work, to my relationships this year. One of the biggest aspects of my life where I will be applying my word is in my relationship with my husband. I say there is always more to learn about your significant other. Even though I've been with my man for over 8 years, I feel like I learn something new about him every day.

One way I plan on purposefully learning about my husband is by asking him deep questions. I ask at dinner, laying in bed at night and whenever I feel like it. I thought I'd share 20 questions I've come up with to ask your spouse so you can learn a little more about him or her.

1. Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?
2. What was your favorite subject in school? Did it change through the years?
3. What is your favorite memory of each of your siblings?
4. What is your biggest fear?
5. What is your favorite restaurant and share some memories associated with it?
6. What were your favorite family traditions growing up?
7. Describe your perfect date.
8. What is your favorite thing we've ever bought together?
9. What is your favorite movie of all time?
10. Name 3 of our friends who you hope we are still friends with in 10 years.
11. If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would you pick?
12. What is your favorite color?
13. What is one thing you've never done?
14. What one quality do you most hope our kids inherent?
15. What is your favorite TV show from your childhood and why?
16. What is your favorite TV show from your adult life and why?
17. What would you buy if you found $50?
18. Who is your favorite singer and actor and why do they inspire you?
19. Name a time when you saw God at work in your life.
20. Who was your best friend growing up and what are your favorite memories of him or her?

Do you have any other ideas for questions? Please share!

Thanks for reading

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my Love Languages series where I share ideas of ways to love your spouse through all the Love Languages.

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Eternal Titles

In this last General Conference, I loved the talk Parents-The Prime Gospel Teachers of Their Children by Tad R. Callister. This was the topic of Relief Society yesterday. 

In that talk he said this, "In the life to come, I do not know if titles such as bishop or Relief Society president will survive, but I do know that the titles of husband and wife, father and mother, will continue and be revered, worlds without end."

I spent some time yesterday and this morning pondering on that quote. What are MY eternal titles? I'm not yet a mother, but I'm a wife. I'm a daughter, and a sister, and a child of God. Those are my eternal titles. The titles I'll get to keep with me forever. Not hairstylist, or mathematician, or accountant, or education major, college student, or any of those earthly titles we get to have while here. But wife, mother, daughter, sister, child of God, I get to be those things FOREVER. 

How can we best prepare for the next life? By honoring our eternal titles, and working to improve ourselves in those facets. 

I'm grateful for my Eternal Titles. And I'm excited to be those things... forever. 

New Year's Resolution Ideas for Your Marriage

Hey there A Little Too Jolley readers! I’m Amanda, a crazy cat lady and reality TV fanatic. I blog at Notes from a Newlywed, where I write all about my life as a new(ish) wife. I’ve written about wedding planning tips, what I’ve learned about marriage, having in-laws and trying to be a better wife, and even a few recipes and randoms thrown in there. I’m so glad to meet you!

It’s that time when we’re all thinking about our resolutions for the New Year. Have you made your list yet? Typically, most lists include personal goals, which are great, but if you’re married, it’s so important to make sure you work some relationship goals into your list.

 I’m a believer that our marriages should come first over everything else – above our jobs, kids, friends and even ourselves most times. To have a happy, successful marriage, it needs to be a priority, and so outlining ways to actively work on your marriage can be really helpful.

 Here’s a list of some ideas to plug into your list of resolutions this year: 

 -Ask your husband once a month how you can be a better wife to him. Really listen and then take his answer to heart.

 -Pray for your husband and your marriage regularly.

 -Make a plan to always have at least one monthly date night. 

 -Be intentional with time together. Try going unplugged one night a week. 

 -Do something spontaneous for him once a month to show your appreciation. (Ideas: Wake up early and make him breakfast in bed one weekend morning; Wash and gas up his car one day; Give him a nice back rub without him having to ask; Do one of his usual chores.) 

 -Walk around your neighborhood together regularly. 

 -Eat together at the table…without TV or cell phones.

 -Initiate intimacy on your own once a week. 

 -Read a marriage book together and discuss it. 

 -Be aware of, and thank him, for all the big and small things he does for you and your family. 

 -Treat him to his dream date … even if it is something you would hate, like watching football in the woods.

 -Pack his lunch and tuck in some love notes to brighten his day at least once a week. 

 -Let him pick out a new meal once a month that you will learn to cook.

 -Try something new (to both of you) together. -Tell him “I love you” every single day, no matter what.

What other marriage resolutions would you add to the list?

The Best & Worst Marriage Advice I've Ever Recieved

When I got engaged it seemed like everyone had advice for me. Some was good and some was... not so good. So today I'm sharing the best & worst pieces of marriage advice I've received.

BEST

1. Be grateful you have someone to clean up after.
I'm grateful I have someone to do the dishes for. I'm grateful I get to fold his clean clothes, and take out the trash occassionally. How luck am I to have someone so amazing to clean up after?

2. Be unselfish.
I don't think I realized my selfish tendencies until I got married. I always considered myself a giving, loving, self-less person, but getting married showed me how much work I have to do. Putting Colten above me is a learning process, I'm not perfect, but I'm truly happier when I choose to make him happy.

3. Make date night a priority. 
We used to do date night just whenever we "had time". Then we realized even as a newlywed couple without kids, you don't just have time to go out, you have to MAKE time. Now every Thursday night with few exceptions we go on a date, and those precious moments alone with him, both of us disconnected from electronics are my favorite moments of the entire week.

Now click HERE to read the 3 worst pieces of advice I received. 

3 Books Every Newlywed Should Read

When I was engaged, I read everything about marriage I could get my hands on. I knew I wanted to be married & I wanted to be as prepared as possible to have the best marriage possible.

So here's 3 books I think every newlywed should read.

The 5 Love Languages

I'm not 100% for boxing people into specific "personality types" but there is too much truth behind the 5 love languages for me to deny it. We took the online quiz early on in our marriage & it really helped me understand how to show Colten my appreciation & love for him even better.

How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It

Lots of marriage books say to read the book together & to work together on your marriage, and while my husband has always been open to my hair-brained ideas about improving our marriage, not all husbands are. And sometimes I just don't want to bore him. I love that this book is all about improving yourself & improving your relationship all by yourself. 

Then Comes Marriage

This book has a Christian perspective on marriage and hits all the hot topics you encounter during your first year of marriage. This book focuses on not just not getting divorced, but also on how to make your marriage your happiest relationship. 

What marriage books have you read & love?