The things we love

In honor of Love Day (Valentine's Day), I thought I'd share just a FEW of the things we (the McGregor's, but Jenny biased) love.

10. 70 degree weather in February, and playing outside in our own backyard. We'll take it!!
9. Friday pizza-and-a-movie nights. (6:30ish every Friday, if you wanna' join us.)
8. A clean house. (Even better is not having to be the person who cleans it.)
7. A good read.
6. Financial stability.
5. A cold, rainy day every once in a while. Cookies baking and music playing are musts on these days.
4. A date night out (and the kids love babysitters, so we're all happy).
3. Nap time!!!!
2. The gospel as taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.
1. The opportunity to be part of a family, to love and to serve one-another, and to grow-up together. (My partner in crime is pretty great, too!)

What are some things you love?

Happy Valentine's Day!

12 Year-Old Me Meets 30 Year-Old Me

*Please note that if you were involved in one of these stories, I am not writing about you and am not attacking in anyway. This is simply about me growing up and figuring out who I am. 

Scholastic Book Fair, Sugar Grove Elementary 199(3?):

I am in love with the Sweet Valley Twins Book series, and they are selling one at the book fair. The book is $1.99. I can't decide if I am going to spend my hard-earned allowance on this book, and while discussing it with a friend, she says something like, "It's only $2. What's the big deal?" Boy do I feel dumb. A few days later I try to convince a different friend to spend her money on the book by saying, "It's only $2--what's the big deal? You should get it." She replies, "Yeah, but it's my $2, and I'm saving it for something else." Why didn't I say that?

Fast-forward 18 years:


I am eating with some beautiful and talented friends and we are discussing Valentine's Day. They are throwing out complicated (to me) Valentine's cards ideas. The conversation is roughly as follows:

me: Are you doing that for her teacher? (I never thought about doing a special Valentine for the teacher.)


friend(s): No, I (we) make our Valentines.

me: You don't just buy the ones from WalMart for $2?

friend(s): No, they come home and I throw all those away.

me: Yeah, I LOVE that!!!

friend(s): (something about making them cute and personal.)

me: Yeah, Madison put some silly bands in hers and Logan got Star Wars cards that change pictures. They love 'em, and we did them all last night while we watched a movie. It took 30 minutes.


I'm not fancy or complicated and I hate stressing over things (like planning birthday parties). I'm not gonna' lie. . . sometimes I feel guilty about this personality flaw. But I feel like I'm finally coming to terms with who I am. And I'm okay if other people know I'd rather buy already made cards at WalMart than spend my time making some. We are all awesome in different ways, and that isn't one of my ways of being awesome. I think I'd even be ok telling someone that I didn't want to spend $2 on a book. Being 30 is wonderful. 


A more normal face (which, by the way, Joe says must mean I am confident if I can put that crazy picture out for the public to see. lol, that's one way to look at it. :)