David Travel June 2024

Last year I had a really busy July of travel and was traveling most of July. This year, June was the big travel month. I had the following trips planned. 

June 3-6: Minneapolis for Assurance Advantage Level 4 (Raddison Hotel Mall of America)

June 10-13: Denver for Assurance Advantage Level 3 (Downtown Denver)

June 14-15: Summer Range

June 16-19: Nashville, Tennessee - Partner Meeting

June 21-July 5: Peaden Family Nauvoo Trip

We also had a trip planned May 30-June 2nd with some friends to St. George and decided to cancel that one. Overall I slept in my bed 6 times between June 1st and July 5th. I really enjoy doing the Assurance Advantage trainings and Level 3 moved from virtual to in person this year (it was moved to virtual originally due to COVID-19). I've been helping with Assurance Advantage in some capacity since about 2016 or 2017, but obviously more since I joined the National Assurance Office. Something new this year is that with moving to in person and some other changes, there were quite a few changes needed for Level 3 this year and I was responsible for updating and creating new content and it was a ton of work. Overall I think Level 3 went really great. Level 4 is always fun and very relaxed since the participants spend most of the time looking at a file for internal inspection and we talk about that file and their review. 

Here is a picture of the participants in the Level 3 group. I really enjoy facilitating this training. We also are trying to do something fun at least one of the evenings and this time all the facilitators went to do an escape room. It was so fun and we made it out in our 60 minutes!

One other funny thing from all my trips - in Minnesota they don't usually have Dr. Pepper in most restaurants or other places, so I finally found a Dr. Pepper and took advantage of that. 

Fortunately I am really into the Lockwood & Co. series (Shantel introduced me to it) and so I had some good reading for the plane and hotels. 

The highlight of the trips was obviously going to Nauvoo - but the highlight of the work trips was going to the partner meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. I have not been back to Nashville since I served there on my mission. I've really wanted to go back with Shantel, but we have not been able to make that happen yet. It felt surreal as we flew into Nashville. As we landed and I walked through the inside of the airport if brought back memories from when I was an assistant to the president and would go and meet the new missionaries at the airport. As I walked to the ride share area it started pouring rain and it felt like I was home, that is the Nashville that I remember. As we drove downtown it was actually so different, there were so many new buildings from the last 20 years that it felt like a different city. However, there was still that familiarity and it was so fun to be there. We were downtown near Broadway and got to spend time on Broadway, which as a missionary we did not do except one time when we went to the hard rock cafe. I can't wait to go back to Nashville with Shantel some time. 

It was really enjoyable to be at the partner meeting and because I work with so many partners across the firm, it felt like I already knew and had a good relationship with many of them. On one of the evenings we got to go on a boat down the Cumberland River. I really enjoyed that, especially being able to stand on top of the boat and look out at the river, the trees and the City.  

Shantel June

This was a hard month for me. 

You know, some months are just hard - and that's okay. David was out of town a lot and although we usually manage just fine while he is gone, there was a lot going on and things were harder than normal. It wasn't necessarily the fact that he was gone that was the hard thing - I am a capable adult and we have great kids - but there were some other hard things in the month that happened and because I count on David to center me and help me through those hard things, it ended up being a little more difficult to navigate. 

That made it more stressful on David to be gone so much because I didn't hide the fact that I was struggling very well. I didn't mean to make him feel guilty for being gone, I was just genuinely having a rough time. We don't often have significant conflict but this month was not our easiest month. I am grateful for David's forgiving nature and how well he loves us and provides for us.

In part, I did it to myself. Usually when David is gone, we hunker down and just take care of ourselves/our necessities - but kids still had activities all through the month and I had many MANY things that I had responsibilities for and they all happened to line up back to back and it was just a lot. 

Additionally, I had a weird experience with a group of women that I've been getting closer to and it triggered some significant emotional distress relating to past experiences of feeling inadequate, of being unable to say the right thing to heal a relationship, of feeling unacceptable because of who I am as a person/my personality. Over the past 10 years I've had to work through a lot of difficult feelings of hurt, of guilt, and of feeling like I must be a bad person because I am so disliked by someone I perceive as being good. This experience brought a lot of that to the surface again and it just felt bad. 

I'm trying to shake it off and move forward. I need an affirmation statement to say in times like this. 

...

Ha. I was starting to feel upset all over again so I took a break and asked Google AI Gemini to write me a personalized positive affirmation statement. Here are some of it's options:  

I am fully confident in my capabilities and potential. Mistakes are valuable lessons that contribute to my growth. My worth is intrinsic and not determined by others’ opinions. I am enough.

I am confident and capable. I am learning and growing every day. Sometimes I make choices that aren’t ideal, but I am always striving to do my best. My value as a person is not determined by others’ opinions. I have chosen this path and am committed to seeing it through.

Good job Gemini. 

Moving on... 

Here are some of the things I was in charge of. I took one picture at each event. 

1. Mothers of Influence gathering to watch the live broadcast of Marlene Peterson's Simple Beauty Conference. 

2. Summer Social for the Primary Presidents in our Stake. Usually we hold this at the Thanksgiving Point Deli, but because David was out of town (and I was babysitting Sylvie and Juniper in preparation for July when we babysit them for 3 weeks), we held it at my house. 

3. Inklings gathering to study the conference talks from April General Conference.  

4. MOI Springville Meeting where I was tasked with leading the discussion about Math. I love Math and feel passionate about Math in homeschool. 

5. I hosted a baby shower for Dani and her sweet baby boy. I'm so grateful that there was such a good turnout and that it went so well. This was my favorite event of the entire month. I love this dear friend and am so grateful for her in my life. We played dice games: Quixx and Bank in a rotating winner/loser round order and then squoze in one round of secret hitler. We ate leftover ice cream from my Primary President meeting and I borrowed a balloon arch from someone who had one leftover from a child's birthday party. It was simple and lovely and good. 

Whew. 

June.  It was a lot. 

We had a cousin weekend. I dropped the kids off early Friday morning even though David had to still work.  I spent the morning at the temple doing both initiatory and an endowment. I wanted to squeeze in a sealing-to-parents, too, but they couldn't fit me in and I was super bummed. When I was done, I took a little picnic lunch and hiked a nearby trail, Red Potato Trail, then sat and painted in my travel watercolor journal. I sat on the top of that mountain and just breathed. Breath after breath after breath. I listened to general conference talks. I painted. I felt the sunshine on my skin. I ate a delicious packed lunch. Actually, on the way up the trail it started sprinkling rain and I texted David that he might have to come pick me up from the top, but I stubbornly kept hiking. I had a whole exasperated conversation with myself about why I was still hiking instead of turning around - but I knew that I needed this afternoon and I was going to take it rain or shine. In a tender mercy, it stopped raining as I approached the summit, waited for me to have my hour or so at the top, then started sprinkling again on the way down. It was beautiful and my heart needed the quiet and peace more than I can even express. 


The beginning of June wasn't my favorite month ever. But we've got fun things on the horizon and I'm putting the stress of it behind me and recentering on my confidence and ability to move forward in faith. 

insta.Q2 (April, May, June)

{4.5.24}

The sun is shining, we learning about spring and flowers, and life is good.

{4.26.24}Summer is on its way and it feels SO good. With the sunshine has come a lifting of spirit that has made such a difference to me. I’ve been feeling motivated and inspired. Making decisions to better align my priorities. Completing our first couple Spring Hikes. Enjoying my days with my children. (And counting down the last days of school!)

{5.1.24}

So proud of this guy. He works so hard for us and is being promoted today into a position that is perfect for him and something that once seemed like an improbable dream. *cue celebration *

{5.10.24}

There are two kinds of people in this world. One of them hits empty then drives three more places knowing that “empty” doesn’t really mean empty and if you fill up with 24 miles to go, you’re winning!

The other doesn’t like a little extra excitement in their life.

Guess which one I am.

#risktaker #butonlyinthis

{5.15.24}

As part of our year-end with school; Lucy had a functional vision test which examined her in more areas than her typical ophthalmology appointment. I am so proud of her and how well she is doing; but I also experienced some heaviness when they spoke of things she couldn’t see, wouldn’t ever see, and what that will look like in her life. (No stereo vision means reduced/no depth perception, which we knew but was hard to hear). She’s doing so well, but we are approaching the age where the impact will start to increase.

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I’ve felt sad and scared for her- but as I watched her climb this jungle gym by herself I was reminded that she’s not in this alone and neither am I. Here we go faithfully stepping into the future together. We will figure it out and I know there will be lots of blessings along the way.

{5.17.24}

Planting a garden today! Shoutout to my friend Tarah for sharing her tomato plants with me. were have so many varieties and are excited! The kids planted carrots, watermelon, and peas. I planted zucchini. We also have two plants doing very well that we think are flowers from a bunch of seeds Austin planted in the fall. It will be exciting to see what they grow into (unless they are weeds, then it will not be exciting).

{5.17.24}

We finished our bookwork today! The kids worked hard to push through their lessons and even though we’ll keep working on a simple schedule through the summer we are SUPER excited to be done with our school year work. Next week is “Project Week” and our annual Lagoon trip.

{5.17.24}

-a.homeschooling.heart-

he end of the school year is upon us and here are a few things that we’ve been up to this week:
-Last week of bookwork!
-Lucy functional vision test
-Market Day at Co-op
-Biztown

Next week we have:
-Project week
-Lagoon
-Last day of Co-op
-SUMMER!!

{5.23.24}

Annual Lagoon Day End of School Celebration was a success. We started and ended with the new “Primordial” ride, got SOAKED on Rattlesnake rapids, and made sure not to miss our favorite- the “White Rollercoaser”. We had a small group this year, the cousin crew + Aunt Amy, but we loved every minute of it! @jennahaderlie @amypeaden1

{5.24.24}

Last day of school! So grateful to be doing this homeschool journey with such amazing families and SUCH good kids. This is only a small part of our amazing community and I am grateful for each one of you. (We will start celebrating summer AFTER the Stake Primary Day Camp next Thursday. Wish me luck!)

{5.25.24}

Things I love right now and would recommend, part 1:

1. The Hello Girls is playing at Hale Center Theater Orem right now until June 1. I want to tell everyone I know to GO! It was fantastic. 5/5 stars and we almost never give more than 4.5 stars. It was such a beautiful, intense, and inspiring story about WWI with spot on acting and incredible production.

2. The Pizza Wheel at Ruby’s Grill in Logan. Everything there is delicious, but this is my favorite. I think I would drive there just to eat this.

3. I don’t know if people already know about these salads at Maceys but they are YUM! They are my favorite thing to pack for a bag lunch or for a long flight.

4. This artwork by @paigepayne_creations - I love it so much and am feeling inspired to cultivate my heart and mind in a way that pours down with love and growth to my children. Perfectly captures the essence of the “A Mothers Heart” section of the WEH Catch the Vision.

5. Escape from Germany - I want to take my older two kids to this. We’ve been reading a couple of books about WWII and this story is incredible. I think everyone should watch it!

6. Books. My Goodreads has me at 33 books for the year and I’ve been reading so many great things lately. Some favorites lately include the Emma M Lion books (recommended by @readintorebecca)and the Skyward series (from the @everydayreading book club). I’m currently reading “The Best of Friends” (by my favorite author @sarah_m_eden, loaned to me by my sweet sis @jennahaderlie) and next up on my list are finishing Jane Eyre (with @daniellelindsay.m) and “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating (recommended by @a_connected_home). David is reading the Lockwood & Co series (also from @everydayreading ) after I raved about them last year and we are going to finish the last book together. (Oh, and I should add that I’m only 2 hours away from FINALLY being done with The Two Towers after getting stuck in the Battle of Helms Deep for approximately 6 months.)

*note: 90% of my reading is actually listening to audiobooks while folding laundry and doing dishes.

No one asked for this, but you’re welcome. Now, GO SEE the Hello Girls! And who wants to talk books with me?

{5.28.24}

Summer!

Today we did a “nothing day”. They had no chores/responsibilities. They could have no screens. We could spend no money. But we could do whatever they wanted. It was THE BEST day! We hit the library, kids spent their own money at the dollar store, we went to the planetarium in SLC, and we went to the swimming pool. It was more “going” than I expected for a nothing day- but we loved it.

{6.15.24}

Fifteen year anniversary today! I rewrote this post over and over today both in my head and typing it out and deleting it. It seems that words really can’t express how deeply I feel about being married to @davidpeaden Here is my final attempt:

We are living such a good life together and I am so happy that we found each other. We celebrated our anniversary last week in Logan and we were mistaken for students on campus 💪🙌😂 (which was one of my favorite parts, yeah!)

We make a good team and I’m grateful that David has proven to be just as patient, kind, steadfast, and fun as he had to be during our exciting 18 months of dating. June 5 is my favorite day.