11:30 | One Thankful Thing

Routine

Elizabeth loves her routines for going down for naps and bedtime.  She will often remind me if I forget something.  We do things that she likes to do (read books, sing songs, and snuggle) so she likes to do it.

10:30 | One Thankful Thing

First snowfall

9:30 | One Thankful Thing

  My Family

I love my family so much!  I've been blessed to have such a wonderful husband, and a delightful daughter.  I have also been blessed with amazing parents, siblings, in-laws, and extended family.

8:30 | One Thankful Thing

Hair Elastic

I am not sure what I would do if I wasn't able to put my hair into a ponytail.  My hair has gotten so long, and gets everywhere.  Most times I just need to put it up really quickly, so these little things are a lifesaver.

  

7:30 | One Thankful Thing

Books

I love to get completely lost in a good book!  I am so glad that Elizabeth is falling in love with books, too.

6:30 | One Thankful Thing

Dancing

I love to dance!  Dance while cleaning, with my husband, by myself, with my little girl, with family and friends.  Dancing always puts a smile on my face, and makes everything seem right in the world.

5:30 | One Thankful Thing

Leaves

The best part about fall...jumping into a big pile of leaves!  I am so grateful that I got to share that joy with Elizabeth this year.

4:30 | One Thankful Thing

Scarves

I am almost always cold, so scarves are wonderful to help keep me warm.

5:30 | Photography Challenge

Childhood Memory

 

Thankful Thursday

• I am so grateful to have a husband to help me around the house.
• I am grateful that we had a pumpkin for Elizabeth to finger paint on Halloween, and I am now thankful that it is gone (since it started to rot)
• I am grateful for cars to drive where I need to go
• I had a great time at the Merrill's for a play date.  I love chatting.
• I have loved getting out so much in this last week.  It has been good for both Elizabeth and me.
• I am so glad that my husband has been working so hard to be healthier.  I look forward to many years with him.
• I am grateful for light.  Thomas Edison, right?  It's fun to have candle light sometimes, but light bulbs are so much better to work by.  It would be so hard without them in the winter here.
• I am so grateful for heaters
• I am thankful for water heaters too
• Technology is a wonderful thing to help me keep in touch with my family and friends
• I love, love, LOVE books
• I love listening to music
• I love dancing to music
• I love listening and dancing to music with my little girl
• I love that Elizabeth loves to twirl
• It makes me happy to see Elizabeth enjoying her 'white tutu' so much
• I am so grateful for the temple, and the blessing that are received and promised there
• I am so glad that I get to go to the temple this weekend with Brian
• I love that Aunt Jessi lives here, so that she can do our family pictures (among many other reasons why I love Jessi)
• I am so glad I found a sweater for Brian tonight, and it was cheaper than the one I was going to buy
• I am grateful for paper.  To write on, doodle, draw, fold into something, and especially to capture Elizabeth's beautiful drawings and paintings
• I love that Elizabeth loves to draw and paint.  She is so creative.
• I am grateful that my girl will be in a tumbling class this next month.  She loves to tumble at home, so this will be great to have a safe place for her to learn how to do more safely.  It will also keep us sane and doing something as the weather turns colder and darker.
• I am so grateful for Thanksgiving.  It is going to be so awesome with so many family members coming to join us here in Michigan.  I love family and food, so it will be great!

3:30 | One Thankful Thing

Snuggles

I love to snuggle!  With my girl, with my husband.  It feels so wonderful to hold onto someone I love, and just be together.

5:30 | Photography Challenge

Someone I love

2:30 | One Thankful Thing

Hands

I can't imagine life without my hands, or the use of them.  To try to go a day without using them would be so hard.  I am always, always using my hands.  They are so versatile that it is AMAZING!  I can do a task with them, help someone with them, and even express emotion with my incredible hands.  I am so grateful for them.

One Thankful Thing

My journey of gratitude through my 'glass'

4:30 | Photography Challenge

Favorite Color

 

1:30 | One Thankful Thing

Backwards pants

Elizabeth pretty much dresses herself these days {often more than once a day}.  In her dressing herself, many times she comes out with some mismatched outfit that has something inside-out, backwards, or otherwise creatively put on.  This morning was no exception.  My girl came out of her room decked out in her grey and green dress, her new warm hat, and her jeans on backwards.  So backwards pants has become a symbol of my girls independence.  She is growing up, and it amazes me at each new thing that she learns to do on her own.  But it also symbolizes that she still needs me.

Thankful Thursday

As Thanksgiving approaches I have decided that I want to focus more on gratitude.  To help me with this I would like to take a moment each week to express what I am thankful for.  This will be the first things that come to my mind in fifteen minutes.  This way it will be simple, and what is on my mind at the moment.  So here I go...

• I love my husband, and I am grateful for the sacrifices that he makes for others.  He spent hours in the middle of the night, at the hospital with a woman who needed some help.  I got a good man!
• I am happy to have such a wonderful little girl, that is healthy and amazing!  I love her personality, and independence.
• I am so grateful for me own health.  I have been very fortunate to be able to not worry too much about myself physically.
• I love being tall!  At times I didn't like it, but being tall has many advantages.  My husband is taller than me, so its all good!
• I am so grateful for the beautiful fall colors that surround me at this time of year!
• I am grateful it only took about 20 minutes for the carpet cleaner to clean the carpets.
• Technology is so wonderful!  It lets me keep in contact with friends and family that live hundreds of miles away.
• The Warner Brothers were AWESOME!  I can hope on a plane and see my family in less than a days flight.  It's amazing that I can travel so many miles, in so little time.  Glad that I don't have to travel days/weeks/months to visit family.
• I am grateful for my bed.  I am so glad that I do not need to sleep on the floor, but cuddle into a nice soft mattress.  I love sleep!
• I am grateful for photography, and the many memories that it can capture forever.
• I am so glad that I can wear pants!  I would hate to have to wear skirts or dresses everyday.  It's getting cold outside!
• I love the color blue!  It makes me happy!
• I also love other colors.  I think life is so wonderful in color.
• White with a splash of bright colors make me smile!
• I love old classics!  Movies, books!  Jane Austen was an OUTSTANDING author!  Love her books!

3:30 | Photography Challenge

{Clouds}

 

2:30 | Photography Challenge

{What I wore}

1:30 | Photography Challenge

{Self Portrait}

 

Blurbs of thought | A full day and friends

Today is Kevin and Jakobe's birthday.  Kevin's big 30, and Jakobe's golden {23 on the 23rd}.  Got to chat with Jakobe for a little bit, it's always fun to talk to him.

***
Made little stoves out of an energy drink can with the Cub Scouts this morning.  Brian and Elizabeth came with me, and B was excited to make one too.

***
Had a great time at the Ann Arbor Art Fair with E and Nichole!  As always, I loved spending time with Nichole.  I also found that I have really come to love and appreciate oil paintings.  I hope to be able to do some for myself some day.

Had a huge umbrella blow right into me at the Art Fair.  I was just talking to B on the phone, then heard a little commotion so I turned my head.  That's when I saw a huge umbrella come straight for me.  It hit me hard on the side of my face, and then went over me.  I was dazed, and went and sat down while Nichole got me ice.  I have a nice scratch on the side of my face near my eye, and I am sure I will have a nice bruise.  It really jarred me.

***
We had a lovely dinner with our friends Erkan and Elif this evening.  They are moving to California tomorrow.  They are such good friends, and adore Elizabeth.

When walking across the parking lot to our car, a car didn't stop for us.  Elizabeth also decided to run ahead, and I have never been so grateful to see her fall.  Her fall prevented her from running in front of the car.  So grateful for the angels that watch over her!

Thoughts of Janey

Janey is getting married today!  I wish I was there!  We grew up together.  We lived next door to each other for many years.

I remember...

• going to preschool together
• primary classes together
• playing in the circle
• being so sad the day she went to kindergarten without me (I think I even cried)
• putting together a summer school for younger kids
• walking home from school together
• swapping books
• classes together again in high school (loved that)
• hanging out with friends
• group dates together
• and so much more.

Mommy lessons | Encouragement over Praise

I recently finished reading "Positive Discipline, the First Three Years" and thought it was a great in helping me better understand what Elizabeth understands and needs now.  One of the things that really stood out to me was the part about Praise versus Encouragement.  We live in a society where we all seek after praise {especially including myself}.  The praise though is something that can be a hindrance.  It says that you just get recognition after you have done something.  As for encouragement, it is saying that you believe in the person as they are working on something.  So as a parent I am going to try to seek was to encourage Elizabeth more.

I have already found that to be encouraging instead of just praising is a difficult thing to do.  Praising is such an ingrained thing.  I have found that I have to think really hard to change the way I say something to make it as encouragement instead of just praise.  I am looking for ways to help me better understand what encouragement is, and then make it into a habit to seek for ways that I can be encouraging.

I CAN DO IT!!!

Sweet little moments

Elizabeth gazing out the window with the evening light gently surrounding her.

Elizabeth falling asleep in my arms while reading to her before her nap.

Little Miss E standing on her little chair on the opposite side of the desk, flipping through a magazine.

Little E tasting the waffle batter, and leaving a ring around her lips and nose.

Rocking my girl before bedtime.

Blurbs of thought

After almost a week, Little Miss Elizabeth's fever has finally left!

Took Elizabeth to the doctor this morning and found out she has an ear infection.  Glad that this can be treated with antibiotics, unlike her croup.  But doctor thinks her croup should be gone in a few days.  I sure hope so!


The weather has been so beautiful!  Warm and sunny!  We all love it!!!


Jakobe called to chat this afternoon.  I love talking with my brother!


Elizabeth took a really long nap, and woke up content.  This makes us both really happy!

I never want to forget...

Elizabeth laughing in her sleep at DTW airport...

Elizabeth had fallen asleep on the first flight last Friday, and I carried her to our next gate and waited to board with her in my arms.  While waiting, I enjoyed watching her sleep, and once again noticed that she doesn't sleep with her eyes completely shut.  I knew that some in my family sleep the same way, but I didn't know about Brian.  So...I asked him if he slept with his eyes open, and he looked at me as if to say, "Really?  What kind of a question is that?"  I made me laugh, and when I laughed I heard and saw Elizabeth give a gentle smile and laugh in her sleep.  Well, this made me laugh a little more, which made Elizabeth laugh a little more, and smile a little bigger.  Which then made me laugh more, and you can guess the rest.  Elizabeth eventually woke up smiling and laughing.  I loved this moment!

This is for you, Amy

August 10, 2009

Nine days before Elizabeth Adelaide was born

Blurbs of thought

LOVED Tangeled!  Watched it as a family last night, and we all loved it!  Elizabeth even sat mesmerized through it all.

Elizabeth loved sitting in her own seat...her booster seat with tray {of course}.  She also loved hanging onto the bowl of popcorn.


Loved running around with E and B before bed last night.


I love watching my baby take care of her babies.


I can't believe how lightly I am packing for my trip.  Still have over 5 pounds, and that's with all the books I am taking back.  So glad I don't need to pay to check a bag.

I love packing with Ziplock bags!  See through, categorized stuff, get out excess air, and can label.

Only one carry on suitcase and diaper bag!  That's for both me and Elizabeth!


I have been asked to take pictures at the funeral.


Love that Elizabeth is now saying prayers by herself.  When I picked up dinner yesterday, she knew I had food and wanted to eat it.  So...from the backseat we saw her fold her arms and heard her pray with a big 'Amen' at the end.  She knows what we do before we eat, and she wanted to eat!

Life lessons: simplify

Recently I have stumbled upon a few blogs about Minimalism.  As I have been reading them, I have come to feel that what they are saying really 'speaks' to me.  Minimalism is about living with only the things that make you happy, and cutting out the junk.  It's about simplifying your life so that you have the time, and energy for the things that you love.

I love this concept on so many levels!  I am often hating myself for getting so bogged down at times.  I hate feeling like my home and life is overstuffed.  I often feel like I have to choose between a clean house, a happy toddler, a happy husband, or being sane.  Reading about minimalism makes me feel like there is something that can help me have all three.

I have started to work towards this by first getting rid of clutter, and extra stuff in my home.  This hasn't been easy and I still have a long ways to go, but it feels wonderful!  I get so excited by each bag we take to the garbage, or Goodwill.  I have been making more space everywhere, which is great when living in a small apartment.

I am looking forward to a more simpler life.  Spending less time cleaning, running around and getting nothing done.  But most of all...I am excited to take the extra time to spend it with the people I love, doing the things I love!

"You!"

We just watched "Toy Story 3" as a family the other day, and Brian and I like to copy the scene when Ken and Barbie saying "I love you."  They each take turns saying a word in the phrase...

Barbie, "I."
Ken, "Love."
Barbie, "You!"
Ken,"I."
Barbie, "Love."
Ken, "You!"

Well, today when we were in the car getting ready to drive home from the river trail, this is the variation that we had...

Brian, "I."
{Kiss}
Me, "Love."
{Then we heard the sweetest little voice from the backseat}
Elizabeth, "You!"

Can't get better than that!

Snow day fun

Elizabeth is finally better, the temperature was moderate for winter, and there is snow on the ground.  These all combined made it perfect to finally take Elizabeth outside to play.  She was so in her element!  We walked, and tromped through the snow, and ended up at the playground.  Can you believe we had the whole place to ourselves!  Elizabeth loved the slides, especially the big twirly one, that I had to go down with her.  It was so slick we almost ended up in the snow at the bottom, and I found that I need some snow pants too.  I am so glad that I was able to take her outside, it's where a toddler should be.

Big A, little a, what begins with A?

Today was a really good day.  I think what helped me today was having a kind of 'game plan' to keep me focused, especially when it came to Elizabeth.  I started today to do some teaching time with Elizabeth, or planned play/craft time.  It was so good!  I found a site that has curriculum for toddlers, and modified it's ideas.  We made 'apple pie,' worked on learning to sign apple, and I told her about Adam (as in Eve).  Her favorite part, by far, was coloring her 'apple pie.'  She was on a coloring spree today!  I spending the time with her, and teaching her new things.  I loved that I had things planned, but we went with the flow (didn't know she was going to color as long as she did).  I was great too, that while she was doing some of her coloring, I was able to get a few things done around our home.  I think she had a great time, and I know I did!  I hope I can keep this up, and keep learning with her.

Bumps

Poor Elizabeth has had a hard day today.  To begin with, she fell while standing on her chair, and hit her head on an edge of a bookcase.  This gave her a nice bump on the back of her head, and you can even see the line from the edge.  After waking up from her nap she wasn't in the happiest mood, and when I went to put things away she followed me crying, with a blankie for me to wrap her in and carry her.  I quickly finished what I was doing, and rushed back to her, but too fast.  As I reached for her my fingernail scraped the bridge of her nose, and poked her in the eye.  She really latched onto Brian tonight when he got home, and I don't blame her.  I hope that tomorrow is a better day.

Kinect fun

Went over to Justan and Jessi's for dinner and some fun tonight.  For Christmas they got Kinect, and we all got to play today.  It was so much fun to do, and a bit of a workout too.  It's so fun to be up and moving, and it was fun to see all of my families moves.  Elizabeth even had a great time joining in.  She loved getting right along side and helping you do your moves.  She also loved dancing to the music.  We need to get one!

One for me, a handful for you

Elizabeth loves to do things for Brian and I, like we do things for her.  A cute example of this from today when she was having a snack.  She would be eating her goldfish, and then put one into my mouth to eat every once in a while.  When she ran out she asked for more, and each handful she would give me more of them.  She really had fun feeding me, and would get insistent that I eat what she offered me.  In the last handful of goldfish I think she only ate one of them, and she shoved the last bunch quickly into my mouth.  It's a good thing her handfuls are smaller than mine are.

Walking Buddy

You always hear that it's best to have a buddy to exercise with...well, I found one.  She's full of energy, always moving, very optimistic, full of smiles, and always ready for something new.  She's perfect to workout with!  She is also learning the English language (as well as ASL), she weighs 20ish pounds, stands at about 30 inches, and the cutest little workout partner there is!

For my workouts I usually watch a YouTube video for walking inside.  Often I wait for Elizabeth to go down for her nap, but today I decided not to.  Elizabeth saw what I was doing, and decided it looked fun, so she joined me.  She loved the kicks, sidesteps, and got a kick out of walking forward and backward, and reaching up high.  It sure made my workout time more enjoyable having Elizabeth do it with me.  I am so glad I didn't wait for her to go down for her nap before I exercised.

Side steps...

 Reach up high...

Making faces

Elizabeth loves to read books!  I have found a great trick to get her to lay still and happy while I change her diaper, it's to give her a book to read while I do it.  There is one book that she has been reading a lot the last few days called "Counting Kisses" that she's been enjoying a lot.  She loves it when I kiss her feet, and each time she picks up the book she lifts her feet to me, and makes kissy noises.  She also loves pointing out the dog and cat each time she gets to those pages.  But the thing that amazed me today while we read the book together is when I had the first page open.  On it is a picture of the little baby is crying with tears going down it's cheeks.  All of the sudden I heard Elizabeth start crying, I turned to her, and she then looked up at me with her fake cry face, and then it quickly turned into a huge grin on her face.  She had recognized from the picture that the baby was sad, and mimicked the emotion herself!

Elizabeth has been having a great time making lots of faces.  Not only with the book, but she loves make faces at herself.  She has been loving reflections for this.  Not only does she enjoy the mirror, but she has also found that the TV screen shows her reflection, as well as the computer screen, windows, and other glass surfaces, etc.  She also waves hello and goodbye to her friend in the mirror whenever we go into or leave the bathroom.  She is always on the look out for her friend in the reflection, to practice her silly faces on.

I love my girls creativity!

Cub scouts

I was recently called to serve as an Assistant Den Leader in the Cub Scouts.  This was a surprise to everyone, and I am so sad that I was released as a primary teacher.  I don't know scouts, but I am really excited to work with the Den Leader, and the boys that I taught all last year in primary will all be joining the Cub Scouts this year.  I will enjoy working with them again.  Also, one of the girls comes because her mom is the Den leader.  She's so sweet, and always gives me hugs.  It will be fun to see her at the meetings, too.  Today was my first day going to one of the cub scout activities, and I think it will be a fun calling.

One of those lazy days

Last night we had friends stay the night so Elizabeth stayed in our room.  It started out okay, but it would have been better if Brian and I had not stayed up until almost 2am playing Scrabble, then we would have had more sleep by the time Elizabeth woke up at about 3:30am.  I won't go into details but she didn't go back to bed quickly, and really not at all.  After spending some play time with Brian, she actually ended up falling asleep by herself on the floor next to our bed.  When late morning came, and she finally woke up with was cut to find that she just started to ready books by herself, since a bookcase was right by were she slept.

After this restless night, we were glad that our friends are ones to sleep in, we finally went out for breakfast at lunch time.  We then did a few other things around town, and then came home put the place back together, and chilled in front of a movie.  It's so nice to have a day to take things slow and relax after a crazy night.

Playing doggies

Elizabeth is so creative!  I had such a fun time playing with her this morning.  We played and danced to songs on Pandora, and her favorite game was playing like we were doggies.  We would crawl around and around the couch on all fours together.  I am so glad I put everything on hold this morning to just focus on Elizabeth.  She really brightened my day!

Painting

This morning I was able to finally get out of the house for the first time since Sunday.  I also had the opportunity to do some service for a friend in my ward.  Her family will be moving soon, and are getting their home ready to sell so they asked for some help painting.  It felt so good getting out of the house, and I loved helping out this wonderful family.

This friend has been such an inspiration to me ever since I first saw her.  I wasn't in this ward yet when I first saw her at some conference meeting at the stake center one evening, so I didn't know her name to begin with, but I was impressed and intrigued from that night.  You see, she radiates light, and is in a wheelchair.  When we started attending this ward I was introduced to this woman, and got to know her.  She is an amazing woman!  I learned that she had fallen out of a tree while in college, and broken her back.  But that doesn't stop her!  She is now married, and just had her third little boy this summer, and is an inspiration everywhere she goes!  She is so happy, and does so much!  She does wheelchair racing, and done at least one marathon in her chair.  I could go an and on, like I said, she's amazing!

Kids again

Last night was full of RC's and fun.  Brian got out the little RC helicopter that we got for Christmas, and last years mini RC cars.  We raced around with the cars, and had fun learning to fly the helicopter.  Brian is getting the hang of how to fly it, and didn't crash as often as he did on Christmas Eve.  It was my first time getting to try the ropes with it, and I had a great time trying to figure it out.  It's quite a challenge in our apartment, but Brian learned first hand that it doesn't mix well with snow (or roofs either).  Elizabeth even got in on the fun, and after being okay with the crazy little thing that makes noise and flies around the room, she took over the controls.  It was so fun playing together!

Girls Party!

...in the middle of the night!

Elizabeth has been waking up in the middle of the night every few nights or so lately wanting to play.  Since she is sick and crying just aggravates her coughing, so crying herself to sleep hasn't worked out very well.  So Brian being the sweet guy that he is, has been playing with her when she's woken up, until she is sleepy enough again to go back to sleep.

Well, last night I decided to give Brian a break, and stay up with Elizabeth.  We had a great time together.  Elizabeth is not scared of the dark, and seems to thrive in it at times.  She was having fun putting the Santa hat on and saying "HO, HO, HO!"  She played with her toys, loved playing peek-a-boo in her cardboard castle, we 'read' books (in the dark), sang songs, she had lots of fun carrying boxes around, and other fun things.  We had lots of fun together, and I found that it was easier for me to focus my whole attention on Elizabeth in the middle of the night.  It was easier for me to 'see' her in the dark, and not notice the other things that can distract me.

After all this fun and more, she finally got tired.  I was able to get her back to bed, and go to bed myself when I heard her start crying again.  She tried to play some more, but we were both needing to get some sleep.  So, I rocked her then walked around singing to her as she snuggled against my shoulder.  After singing to her for a while she was okay to go back to sleep.

It was such a sweet night!  Even though I missed out on a few hours of sleep, I loved sharing last night with Elizabeth.  I love my Little Miss Elizabeth!

Cabin fever

Elizabeth has had croup for about a week now, and I can't wait until she is better.  We have only taken her outside a few times since she's been sick, when we thought that she was doing a little better, but each time she seemed to get a little worse.   So I decided that I would not take her outside again until she was completely better.

Well, being stuck inside does not agree with us.  We were okay when we would stay inside last year, but Elizabeth couldn't move around much last winter.  Now she is an energetic toddler that needs to move around, and an apartment doesn't have much space for that.

So with being sick, stuck inside an apartment all day long, oh, did I mention her molars have been coming through, we are both ready for a break!

All dressed up with no where to go!

 

My family is doing a contest with the new year, and one of the things that we need to do is be dressed and ready for the day by 2 pm.  Some might say that this is so simple, but I usually spend my days in my PJ's.  It's even more unusual to find me with both my hair and makeup done.  Come on, I'm a stay at home mom, that likes to be comfortable.

Well, I have decided that this challenge is a good one for me to do.  So here I am today, all dressed, hair done, and even some makeup on.  It feels good to be ready, but weird that I am not going anywhere.  Maybe someday I will get used to it, or find more places to go.