what motivates you?

when i run i always keep in mind mini motivations to accomplish bigger goals.
if i can just make it to the other side of the park i can slow down.
when i hit 300 cals i can run downhill.
when this justin bieber song ends i will sprint.
the list goes on and on until i feel like i have reached my main goal.
i began thinking about my habit of forming mini motivations throughout other aspects of my life.
i started listing off the things that motivate me...

• a happy husband
• a healthy son
• a natural relationship with Heavenly Father
• a strong body
• a clean home
• fresh relationships
• the ability to have an eternal perspective

all these things motivate my everyday choices. 

i am learning more and more to filter my decisions with what i am motivated with in order to create the optimum sense of happiness day to day.

i have gotten to the point where i am surrounding myself with multiple projects that are driven by my motivations listed above. 

i often wonder if what motivates me is really why i do the things i do.

i run a company, i have the blog, i started one of these bad boys with some great friends, and i work with the youth at church.

but more importantly...

i am his wife

i am his mother (don't mind my honker.)

and that seriously is all the motivation i need.

PS- that was the unofficial etsy shop announcement.

she is just a babe right now, but get ready. 

when she is working it full force it will be as exciting as hearing fireworks boom on a day that isn't the fourth of july.

tiny house

as some of you may know i have a small to absolutely ridiculous obsession with portland designer, jessica helgerson.
her work is all over pinterest, martha stewart has her on the radar, and she has won plenty of awards for her work.
based in portland, helgerson is slowly transforming vintage homes into reclaimed, high-efficiency abodes.
her talent of using small spaces and creating timeless homes is amazing.
one of my favorite blogs, birch and bird featured her tiny house yesterday so i thought i would spread the love.

This little house is where Jessica and her family have been living for the last several years. It sits on a five-acre property on Sauvie Island, an agricultural island on the Columbia River 15 minutes north of Portland.

The house is an interesting experiment in reduction and reuse not only because it is only 540 square feet or because it was remodeled using nearly exclusively reclaimed materials, but because the building itself is now being recycled for the fourth time.

the home screams simplistic chic.
blake and i are always talking about when we have a lot of money people won't know it by the size of our home and our children won't know it either.
we want to create a home where what goes on inside it's walls is more rich and abundant than how much was spent on it.
i think it is important to teach your children that money doesn't make you happy.
now if only i could talk california into thinking the same thing.
when we move there this motto won't be a choice!
tiny house or bust!




the best things in life aren't things and i believe helgerson has captured the very essence of that.

lulla lemon

blake got a puppy.
nikson is allergic.
i am exhausted.
lulla has a new home.
everything is back to normal.
hope your weekend was as eventful as ours.

dear blake,

i have had some really great laughs this week.
when we were trying to take a nap before the little woke up and you said, "it was snap time."
i naturally started snapping.
when you went on your rant about decorative soaps and towels and asked if we were going to have decorative babies too.
"has our relationship really come down to this?"
when you watched downton with me without even complaining.
i laughed when you told me about the frog you caught in your youngers and just put him in a bowl under your bed.
i sort of laughed when my homemade spaghetti turned out to be totally awful.
we laughed when allie's chipotle shrimp tacos burned all of our insides and we drank all of their milk.
even though they were hotter than anything we have ever experienced they were deceptively delicious.
we owe you allie!

the little feels kind of sick today.
makes me wish you were home to snuggle him.
but i will do it.
i don't mind.
thanks for being the dad and such a good one.
thanks for letting me be the mom.
i love you.

i am excited today is so sunny.
that means we get to spend some time outside.
we will wait for you.
promise.


dear beard,
you make me happy.
you look really handsome on blake.
he looks older.
we have learned a lot about each other.
i think we will probably learn more, which scares me.
never a dull moment.
in fact, you make kissing very spontaneous.
the bigger you grow the stronger we will get though.

Congratulations to The Bishop's Wife follower...Laura Burtis!


Please contact me and we will get you set up for your Bright Forest print.
Thanks to everyone who participated. 
More giveaways to come!

a confidence boost

last night my cousin kristina and i headed down to provo for utah blogger meet n' greet.

i felt a little reluctant to go since i am just barely diving into the blogging scene.
but i put on my black skinnys and went.
it was the first night i was out for myself in a long time so a special thanks blake for being a champ and tending the little.
we walked up and my first impression was, "oh geesh, here we go."
but i was really impressed with all the talent that filled this amazing boutique.
i met so many bloggers that i had only heard about or read about.
so many inspiring women who really try to make life beautiful and share it with others.
it was really fun.
i really learned a lot about how i want things to be.

my mom and i have regular talks about "doing" and "being".
it is kind of a thing we have.
so naturally it is always on my mind.
sometimes i can get carried away in inadequacy or self-doubt, but i really try to channel it into something productive.
after coming home last night i realized that a lot of women have the common talent of doing and being.
it could have been a night of selfish comparing.
comparing outfits, hair and makeup, success, or products.
but that feel wasn't there, for me.
i consider it a blessing.
i was really bolstered by these powerful women who have successful business' yet focus on their family and life happenings first.
so here i am listening to feist radio on pandora feeling ready to conquer all the loose ends.
i can do hard things.

spring time the only pretty ring time

i have spent every year of my life living in a place where winter is brutal. 

snow was just a part of my life and boots were an outfit necessity.

this winter i have been t-shirt clad and flats with no socks.

it truly is amazing.

i live in that state that claims the best snow on earth and we have shoveled once. 

it is making me very anxious for picnics, early morning runs, brightening up our humble adobe.

i am welcoming spring in full-force.

who cares what the groundhog said.

here are a few pins i want to incorporate to welcome the spring.

bright home decor (we have a lot of grays over here.)

more blooms around the house.

many more garden parties

and for those i will need my event toolbox via mingle

also- i really love easter.

all images found via here

what do you do to get ready for spring?

our life as of late

one thing i love about my phone is i document way more than i used to.

the big debate in our home is how often each other is on the gadget.

i probably would have been the winner had temple run not been created.

i am now a very close second.

are his eyelashes for real?

not fair.

remember the enter this week's giveaway here.

happy tuesday friends.

ps- 

something new is starting up over here. 

i can't tell you now.

but soon.

it will feel like summer when i do.

president's day giveaway

hello my sweeties!
how was your weekend?
ours was full of making forts, hanging out with family, and deciding to get a pet.
want to know where it will live?
check it out here.
it was a very serious decision and i told blake he would have to be the responsible party.
he really wants to own a pet that won't die.
i mostly just want to own that fish hotel.

now on to the important stuff.
today's giveaway is super fun and totally up my alley.
bright forest is a curious collection of vintage style art and dictionary page art.




one lucky winner will get the print of their choice!

the twin whales are my favorite.


how to win:




-become a follower or subscribe to The Bishop's Wife.


(you can join the site down at the bottom of the page.)


-visit Bright Forest here.


-leave a comment with what print you will choose when you 


win.




Giveaway ends on Friday.

All winners are chosen at random, using random.org. When entering giveaways please make sure to leave your email/contact information so that I can get back to you if you're the winner! Please also take a quick minute to subscribe to The Bishops' Wife blog! 

love letter

dear handsome,

this is serious.
can you not tell by the expression on his face?

i wanted to let you know that greatly admire you.
you can withstand the wife tempests, while being such a charming dad.
our son is very much in love with you.
when your car pulls in, his body starts prepping with massive wiggles for some dad play time.
he knows its going to be crazy.
not very many people can multi-task like you do.
you make sure everyone is feeling happy and safe and i really appreciate it.
even when you make sure all our doors are locked because we live downtown and who knows what crazies might decide to pop in for a little visit.
thank you for watching Mike Rowe on QVC, Downton Abbey, and Modern Family with me this week.
i really love when we do stuff like that.
i love it so much i dream up my own episodes.
also- you are phil dunfee, no battle.
i mostly love how much you laugh at ridiculous things, when you show me new music like this, and when you don't call me by the new "worst nickname ever".
i won't even utter it.
it's the worst.
i love you darling.

here's to a great weekend of no plans.

the daily grind

we like our baby.
he seriously is the most charming baby two inadequate parents could have been given.
most mornings while blake is getting ready for work, the little and i are playing in bed.
he almost always has cinnamon chex stuck to his mug.

i love his concentration face.
"look at my toes, mom."

here is where i leave him while i quickly shower.
baby einstein is our best friend for shower time.

the new play spot.
we have heaps of toys and he chooses to play in the car seat.

or with my phone.
we have a mini-geek, er, i mean blake on our hands.

speaking of handsome and his love for nerdy things...

i saw this on one of my favorite blogs.
the diy'r in me threw it together quickly in photoshop.
it does it's job.
makes people double take.
i was talking to my friend allie, who is married to one of handsome's high school buddies, about how it's kind of fun being married to a geek because it's little things like zombie prints and new headphones that get them excited.
i think i even said the word giddy.
cute.