My New Skill: Crocheting

Crocheting has become a new full-fledged hobby of mine. I'm still new at it, and only know the basics, but I'm learning and becoming faster as the weeks progress. I originally learned the basics while I was serving in the Young Women program and went to several crocheting activities, but now I watch instructional videos on YouTube and then crochet right along with the instructor. I've made a collection of scarves and four hats so far, and I have a whole stash of yarn now. I've come to the point where I have to crochet at some point during the day, whether it's while I'm watching a movie, or riding in the car with Brad, or even talking to my mom on the phone. It keeps me easily entertained and my hands busy while I'm doing something that doesn't require both hands. I'm definitely hooked (no pun intended)!

"Outside"

"Outside" has become Lizzy's new favorite word . . . and her latest obsession. She LOVES to go outside, even if it's just to sit on my lap on the lawn.

First thing this morning, after I changed her diaper, Lizzy came to me carrying her shoes. "Shoes," she said sweetly. "Shoes!" I replied, and helped her put on her shoes. A few minutes later she came in holding MY shoes. "Shoes," she told me once again. "Shoes," I repeated, and to humor her, I put them on my feet, even though I wasn't dressed. With a big a smile on her face, and her hands shaking with excitement, she said, "BYE-BYE OUTSIDE!"

Good Things To Come

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.

Last night, Brad and I watched a clip from Mormon Messages on YouTube called "Good Things to Come." It was taken from a talk Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave in October 1999.

After watching the clip, I got to thinking how important it is for us to trust in our Savior during hard times, even when we feel like losing faith. We need to not give up... we need to keep trying. "There is help and happiness ahead," and Elder Holland said. "It will be alright in the end."

There have been moments in my life in which I thought I had hit rock bottom. There have been times when I felt like giving up, but didn't. I find that when I put my faith and trust in my Savior, that things generally work out in the end. Things might not have worked out the way I wanted them to, or may not have ended in a way I thought was ideal, but good things always come out of bad things.

Heavenly Father loves me and knows me personally. He knows me better than anyone else. He knows when I have to face difficult challenges, when I am angry, frustrated, or heartbroken. He knows what's best for me and what I can handle. I know that if I do my part and put my trust in Him, everything will work out fine in the end.

I loved the conclusion of the Mormon Message, when Elder Holland said:

"'Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.' Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end.
Trust God and believe in good things to come."

Baby Hungry

I'm baby hungry again. It's been nearly two years to the day I found out I was pregnant with Elizabeth. I guess I've been thinking a lot about it lately. Nearly every night this past week I've had "pregnant dreams." I even woke up this morning convinced that I needed to take a pregnancy test right away, because I was sure I felt baby kicks all night in my sleep. My sleepy head kept telling me that I have been pregnant for months, and that I was like the women on TLC who didn't know they were expecting until they were near the end of their pregnancies. The logical side of my brain finally kicked in and told me that I wasn't really pregnant, and that even if I was pregnant, it would be too soon to find out anyway. My logical brain is NO FUN!

Anyway, I suppose I should be patient and wait until the time is right for another baby to be born. I remember how hard it was for me to conceive Lizzy in the first place, and how blessed I am to have her in my life now. She is wonderful! I'm excited to think that someday, hopefully in the near future, she will have a little brother or sister to keep her company. Until that time comes, I will wait patiently... and enjoy my "pregnant dreams."

The Highlight of My Day: September 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in September:

Wed 9/1/10: I think I'm going to LOVE the new parent-time arrangement! It was so nice not having to deal with the stress of sending the kids off to their mother's house on a school night. Both Emma and Scott seemed happy too.

Thu 9/2/10: Brad is growing a mustache for Halloween this year. I think he looks cute. I personally like facial hair on men. I think my grandpa had something to do with that. Grandpa gave the greatest bear hugs and fuzzy kisses!

Fri 9/3/10: I had a lovely evening with Brad and the baby tonight. We went to the International Peace Garden on the way home from Bountiful. Quality time, just the three of us, without any drama or stress. It was lovely!

Sat 9/4/10: Another wonderful day with Brad and the baby! We had a very pleasant morning sleeping in until 9 am. We organized the storage unit some more, then we went to visit the Harman's. We bought a piggy plush toy from the Harman's garage sale for Lizzy.

Sun 9/5/10: Brad and I enjoyed watching the 3 hour feature from the special DVD edition of "The Two Towers." I love cuddling on the couch with my husband.

Mon 9/6/10: Brad's dad took us out to lunch at Woody's restaurant in Murray, then we went to Wheeler Farm. Lizzy enjoyed looking at all the animals, especially the cows, and Brad and David played a game of Bocce ball. It was a fun Labor Day weekend!

Tue 9/7/10: Scott has braces on his bottom teeth now! He has a very metal grin. He'll be 13 years old in only 10 more days!

Wed 9/8/10: "Lizzy, what does a dog say?" "Mooo!" "Lizzy, what does a kitty say?" "Mooo!" Not quite there yet, but we're getting there!

Thu 9/9/10: Today was Lizzy's 15 month-old doctor appointment. Lizzy is in the 53 percentile for her weight (22.94 pounds), and the 82 percentile for her height (31.5 inches). Sounds like she's going to be a tall, skinny girl!

Fri 9/10/10: After dropping Scott & Emma off in Bountiful, we headed over to our stake center for Brad to play volleyball. The men in our ward won both games! Yay!

Sat 9/11/10: Brad and I ran some errands together today, then we stayed at home and finished watching the making of "Return of the King" on the special edition DVD.

Sun 9/12/10: We dropped off Scott's birthday party invitations to all of his friends this evening, then we visited the Bruce Clan for a couple of hours. Scott's looking forward to his birthday!

Mon 9/13/10: My baby has turned into a MONSTER! In less than five minutes she turned my bathroom into Q-tip & Toilet-Paper Land. She seemed very pleased with her messy project, and most unhappy when I began cleaning it up.

Tue 9/14/10: We went to our ward's Scout Court of Honor tonight. Scott received around five merit badges. Good boy, Scott!

Wed 9/15/10: A very simple dinner tonight of chili-cheese and chips while watching "Kidnapped" with my hubby. I love simple moments.

Thu 9/16/10: Brought home some Carl's Jr. for Brad & I to have for dinner tonight while watching "Two Towers." It was a our date night. I love being with my Bradley!

Fri 9/17/10: My awesome, wonderful, handsome stepson is now officially a teen! Scott turned 13 years old today! I'm excited that Scott has hit this milestone in his life. It's going to be fun watching Scott grow into a confident young man. If he's anything like his dad, he's going to be fabulous!

Sat 9/18/10: I picked up my mother at the airport today. YAY! Lizzy took to her immediately, which surprised me, because the last two times she saw her Grandma she was not happy with her. Scott has his birthday party today, and I decorated a "Portal" cake for him. Turned out beautiful!

Sun 9/19/10: We stayed home from church today, because Brad, Lizzy, and I were sick. Scott and Emma went to church. I enjoyed spending time with my mama. I made salmon chowder for dinner.

Mon 9/20/10: We took my mother to our library for the first time tonight, and had FHE when we got home. We did our "sweets and sours," and my mom got to join in, too. We had ice cream sundaes for dessert. YUMMY!

Tue 9/21/10: My mother left today, which made my heart sad, but it was lovely seeing how nice she made our home look while she was here. The kitchen and dinning room are spotlessly clean, thanks to her hard work. My mom is so awesome!

Wed 9/22/10: I enjoy hugs from Scott. Today he gave me a big giant squeeze while we were standing in line. He's such a wonderful boy. I love him so!

Thu 9/23/10: Brad and I enjoyed looking at costume possibilities for little Lizzy to wear on Halloween. She's going to be so cute to dress up!

Fri 9/24/10: I found Lizzy's costume today! YAY! I also bought Emma's costume online, and have Scott's costume lined up to buy. I even know what I'm going to be for Halloween. . . one month before Halloween!

Sat 9/25/10: We got rid of junk today... and bought some more. We stopped at Entheos to get our van washed after dropping things off at the storage unit. Entheos also had a small garage sell that Lindsey was helping with. We bought a VCR for $5, a toy for Lizzy for $.50, and a children's book ("Are You My Mother") for Lizzy for $25. Then we headed to the DI and bought my Halloween costume and clothes. I'm nearly all set for Halloween!

Sun 9/26/10: Got done some Visiting Teaching today, and I also went to Ward Choir. We're singing a "Sound of Music" melody for the stake Music Festival.

Mon 9/27/10: I'm beginning to establish a bedtime routine for Lizzy now. Read a book, sing songs, brush teeth, and go to bed. She LOVES brushing her teeth, even though she only has three.

Tue 9/28/10: I've gotten hooked on watching "Dancing with the Stars." My favorite celeb dancers are Jennifer Grey, Kyle Massey, Bristol Palin, and Kurt Warner.

Wed 9/29/10: My house looks beautiful today! My mom and visiting teachers need to come over more often. I need the motivation to not be a slob!

Thu 9/30/10: Planning, planning, planning! I've got a new project I'm working on. I spent all afternoon preparing for it. Crossing my fingers things will work out!

My Wonderful Mom

My Mom traveled to Utah last week and spent three days with us. I LOVED having her here! During that time she vacuumed, bathed the baby, changed most of the diapers, fed the baby, took the baby on walks, cleaned the kitchen, did all the dishes, and washed the kitchen and dining room floors. The woman is amazing! And I thought I had cleaned the house before she got here, too!

I love my mother. She is the sweetest, most enduring, and most industrious person I have ever met. Lizzy loves her, too. I loved watching them interact together while my mom was here. Hopefully Grandma can visit us again soon.

On the side note, my mother is celebrating her 60th birthday today! Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

Happy Birthday, Teenager!

Scott turned 13 years old today. Here's what Scott has to say about himself:

"Now that I am 13, I am a teenager!"

Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Foods: Pepperoni Pizza
Favorite Movies: Star Wars, Indiana Jones
Favorite Books: "The Indian in the Cupboard," and "Poppy"
Favorite Animals: Rats, bunnies, cats, dogs
Favorite Superheroes: Spiderman, Batman
Favorite Character: Chell from Portal
Favorite Quotes or Sayings: "We do what we must because we can," "Not never but now!", "Courage isn't the absence of fear."
Favorite Video Games: Portal, Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2
Favorite Songs: "Still Alive," "In a Meadow"

Activities and Hobbies: Video games, art, and Legos.
Goals for the next year: Become better at math.
I would describe myself as: VERY GEEKY

Lizzy's 15 Month Old Stats

Weight: 23 pounds, 53% for her age.
Height: 31.5 inches, 82% for her age.
Head Circumference: 18.5 inches, 81% for her age.

Teeth: 3 total (2 bottom, 1 top), and 1 more coming soon.

Her favorite foods: yogurt, cheddar cheese, bananas, grapes, noodles, raviolis, eggs, prunes, apple sauce, hot dogs, and rice. She LOVES ice cream, too.

Foods she does NOT like: green beans and broccoli.

Her favorite games:
The chase me game!
This Little Piggy
Peek-A-Boo
Her favorite thing to do is play outside-- doesn't matter where.

Her vocabulary (with her own baby pronunciations): bye-bye, dog, doggie, kitty, hi, thank you, uh-oh, Mama, Papa, Emma, all gone, no, ball, you're welcome, nose, bottle, and Grandpa.

Her favorite songs: "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and "Old Mac Donald Had a Farm."

My little girl is growing up! If I were to describe Lizzy in three words I would say: active, curious, and confident.

Lizzy believes in herself and her capabilities. She is not afraid to try new things. She's well coordinated for her age. She can climb on things and go up and down the stairs without hurting herself. She can also grasp a pen or pencil very well and draw scribbles. She gets bored quickly, and needs to keep moving constantly so she can explore new things and challenge herself physically. She likes to cuddle and be held when she's not in a busy mood. She's a little stand-offish with people other than her immediate family, but she loves to socialize and play from a distance. She is very vocal and bright. She understands what people say most of the time, and figures things out very quickly. She is a happy child with a great sense of humor.

Little quirks:

• When she wants to eat something really bad she says: "Mmmm! Yaeeee!"
• If she hears anybody opening the front door or walking up the stairs she will whisper: "Pa-pa."
• She says "hi" enthusiastically after we say "Amen" at the end of family prayers.
• If I open the fridge, she immediately checks to see if there's a box of Gogurt.
• She DOES NOT like being brought inside after playing outdoors. That's the only time she will throw a huge tantrum.
  
• She knows how to climb on the bed, the couch, and the dining room table. YIKES!
  

My Little Cowgirl

Lizzy has a new favorite accessory: a red cowboy hat. I think it used to belong to her cousin, Charlotte, from Halloween a few years ago. Lizzy wore her red hat all day on Labor Day. She wore it outside while we were watering the lawn. She wore it to Woody's diner, where we had our lunch. And she wore it to Wheeler Farm, where we saw farm animals and played Bocce. She blended right in with the farm setting. She loves her little red hat! I love my cute little cowgirl!

The Highlight of My Day: August 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in August:

Sun 8/1/10: Rachel and Craig arrived at Aunt Cindy's house today. We went to Multnomah Falls together. It was beautiful! The Marshes arrived this afternoon, too. It was great seeing them again.

Mon 8/2/10: We headed to Powell's Bookstore today. We also went to the Portland Temple, and the Lego Store. We got some great books and Scott was very pleased with his Lego choices. We had taco salad for dinner. YUM!

Tue 8/3/10: The whole family went to Cannon Beach today. It was kind of cold and rainy, but we still had fun eating lunch together, shopping, and playing on the beach. The Norths and Montgomerys played soccer after dinner. I took pictures. Everyone had a fun time!

Wed 8/4/10: This afternoon we had our annual family BBQ. The potato salad and fruit salad tasted great, and Nick, as always, did an amazing job grilling. It's nice being with family!

Thu 8/5/10: We went out to dinner at a restaurant in Idaho tonight, and when we went to pay the check, the waitress announced to us very cheerfully that someone had already paid it for us. How nice is that? It made my heart very happy that someone would be that generous and kind to us despite us being perfect strangers.

Fri 8/6/10: It's great to be home after a long day of driving! I was so happy to sleep in my bed again.

Sat 8/7/10: I loved waking up beside my husband this morning tucked in our own cozy bed. It was so nice having Lizzy sleep in for us. Yay for time zone changes!

Sun 8/8/10: I announced in Young Womens that I completed my Personal Progress. I should be getting my medallion next week!

Mon 8/9/10: Lizzy has a new tooth coming in! It's her first tooth on top. The one next to it is following close behind. Pretty soon she's going to have a very toothy grin.

Tue 8/10/10: My happiest time of the day was cuddling with my husband and baby. Being a mother and a wife are my greatest blessings.

Wed 8/11/10: Lizzy is getting so big! She's walking and getting into EVERYTHING now. Her sense of humor continues to grow as well. We spent a good 20 minutes today just playing with her diapers. She would empty out her bag of diapers and stick them on my head and watch them fall off. She thought it was the greatest game ever invented!

Thu 8/12/10: I watched Lizzy make funny noises outside the bathroom door while she was waiting for her papa to get out of the shower. She was mimicking her father's raspberries perfectly. At first I thought it was Brad not her. Very, very cute and silly!

Fri 8/13/10: Scott & Emma came back from their week-long visit with Melanie. It's great having them home again!

Sat 8/14/10: We went over to see the Harmans today, and we helped clean and went swimming. Rosie and Tricky came, too. I had fun taking pictures of Rosie and the kids in the pool.

Sun 8/15/10: I received my YW Recognition today. I'm glad I got it done!

Mon 8/16/10: Lizzy played in the sprinklers outside for the first time today. She liked sticking out her tongue and licking up the water. She's such a cutie!

Tue 8/17/10: I like being internet savy! I discovered some pretty interesting things today. Did some detective work.

Wed 8/18/10: Emma had her therapy appointment this morning and I got to participate. I love my stepdaughter! She's such a wonderful little girl.

Thu 8/19/10: It POURED today while I drove to Scott's school to pick up papers. It's the Utah monsoon weather, as Margaret would always say.

Fri 8/20/10: Today was Scott's 7th Grade orientation at his new Junior High school. He enjoyed spending time with his friend Brett and seeing his new school. I can't believe he's in 7th Grade already!

Sat 8/21/10: Brad and I went to see "Inception" finally. We've been wanting to go for weeks. We enjoyed it, but agreed it wasn't as good as some of Christopher Nolan's other films.

Sun 8/22/10: Emma gave her talk in Primary today. She spoke on miracles that Jesus Christ performed while he was here on Earth.

Mon 8/23/10: First day of school! Emma was very excited to go back to school. She loves her new teacher, Mrs. Murray. She's excited to get back into the swing of things.

Tue 8/24/10: I watched an old 80's cartoon called "The Fluppies" on Youtube today. I spent my whole childhood thinking it was called "The Fluffies," so I never found it until now. It was fun watching it today. I remember watching it as a kid and loving it.

Wed 8/25/10: Brad and I started watching "Young Victoria" tonight. What a great movie! I wish they'd make more movies like it.

Thu 8/26/10: Scott put soap suds on Lizzy's head tonight. Lizzy thought it was pretty hilarious. He made her have a Mohawk and look like "Two Face." Silly brothers!

Fri 8/27/10: Lizzy went with Brad and I to Chick-fil-A for dinner tonight. It was rainy and wet, and Lizzy wore her adorable black and white hat to keep her head dry. Lizzy enjoyed her yummy chicken nuggets. Mmm Mmm!

Sat 8/28/10: Things went really well for Brad today! Mediation turned out much better than he anticipated. We celebrated in the afternoon and had a late lunch at Applebees.

Sun 8/29/10: Brad gave a fantastic lesson in Sunday School today on select verses from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. I love the way Brad teaches. He's naturally a great teacher.

Mon 8/30/10: For Family Home Evening we had popsicles in the front yard while we discussed the new parent-time plan the kids would be following. We wanted to know how the kids felt about the new arrangements. I think they're going to be fine.

Tue 8/31/10: We set up Lizzy's new dresser in her and Emma's room today. I had a busy time sorting through all the clothes and decorating things. My baby girl is growing up! She keeps out-growing her cute little infant outfits. Where has the time gone?