blessings.

Sometimes, oftentimes, I see these two together and I can't believe they are mine! We have two children!! She is a sister, and they have one another. I can't believe how they have changed our lives. And how he has changed hers. Mornings are my favorite when I hear them in their room while she's lying in her bed, and he in his. He carries on a full-on conversation with her in his own language. He can't wait for someone to come along and lift him out of his crib so he can run over and climb up on her bed! (all while she scurries to protect her beloved stuffed animals)

Families are beautiful and I love this little family of ours. How did I get so lucky?

**Tonight we are going canoeing for FHE. I can't wait to see the excitement on this little boy's face, and the pleasure on hers! Must make the most of the last days of this summer break...

Sweetness.

                                   

Walking to church is one of my favorite weekly traditions. Sister was ahead on her scooter, thus her absence in this photo. My little boy looks so big with his backpack! (Thank heavens he's on his way to nursery and not school) 

Now that's what I call sweet. 

happiness.

The sun is setting on this day. I'm trying to take time to recognize and feel gratitude for my blessings everyday. Today, these are my greatest blessings (which could be said of everyday)...

I love to see my Mr. play with our children. He relates to them in a way that only he can do. Tonight Charlie pulled him up on the trampoline. He laughed and giggled like he had waited all day for that moment. Oh, they are sweet.

This little boy is going to be so sad when sister starts school. He loves her, and her hair! She rarely plays the piano without him running up and pulling her ponytail. Not good. I'm already dreading not having her home with us during the day, but I'm stoked that she gets out of school at 2:15 this year!! I think she's ready, which make it a little easier for the mama.

I'm still loving my road bike! It feels incredible every time I reach the top of the canyon. Not to mention the 30 mph ride down!! I see the most beautiful sunrises, and love hearing the sounds of nature while I cycle. I pray everyday that I won't hit a deer. They would undoubtedly win, but I don't want to test my suspicion.

Now we're off to bed. (trying to get back on a decent schedule before that 7:30 a.m. school time) Yikes!

the past three months.

he loves the 'peek-a-boo barn' app

Summer is here! Three months have passed since my last post- that hardly seems possible! 

We have spent a better part of the past three months being sick. Fevers, flu, achy joints, and now our pediatrician thinks Charlie has juvenile arthritis. While for some a diagnosis like that would be devastating, for us it has been a relief. We knew he was suffering, the question has been "with what?" When he started limping and holding his wrist saying "ouch," we had some clue about where to begin. A blood test concluded that he is definitely suffering from inflammation. Naproxen has been a miracle drug, improving his quality of life dramatically, until it started causing digestive problems. Now we are going off that to see if his digestive issues resolve. We will get it figured out. I'm overjoyed everyday when I see him running, laughing and acting like a 20 month old! And those teeth, oh how I love to see them when he smiles!

Our summer really has been uneventful so far. We look forward to visiting museums, the zoo, and cousins in Orem when Charlie is more comfortable. Lauren has been so patient with him, and me while we get this figured out. Sometimes I swear she was 20 years old the day she was born. Her maturity amazes me. And let me not forget to mention that she received the 'President's Award for Academic Excellence' at her 5th grade graduation! So, so proud. Last Friday she babysat (awake) Charlie for the first time while my Mr. and I went out to dinner. Oh the JOY! Blessed day! I think we're on to something here...

Happy Summer!!

Easter & April happenings.

  

  

                   

 

Easter was all but traditional for us this year. I did make the traditional outfits, but I think that was the only "norm" we experienced. We found ourselves in the ER with our little Mr. from 2:00-5:00 am. His little body was no longer handling the diarrhea and nausea well, and he became too lethargic for our comfort. Sister went to the neighbor's (thank heavens for such generous neighbors) and slept on their couch until we picked her up at 5:30 am.

Lizzy wore her Easter dress and Charlie wore his outfit long enough for us to take the sacrament, then we came home. (without Mr. W who was being sustained and set apart for a new calling) It felt wonderful to participate in this sacred ordinance on a beautiful Easter morning. I couldn't stand the thought of missing it, even in my exhausted state. How thankful I am to have a testimony of the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Grandma and Grandpa, and our dear friends joined us in the afternoon for a Easter dinner. I always miss being home with my family on holidays, but I feel blessed to have loving people around me to share them with.

 I'm thankful to report that little Mr. is doing much better now. The ER doctor called us Easter afternoon to report that he has c diff. Mr. W knew what it was and how to treat it, so that kept me from panicking. No wonder this "7 day flu" kept getting worse as each day passed. With antibiotic treatment, and lots of love and affection, he is running around like he was never sick. Blessed modern medicine!

Mr. W worked the entire conference weekend. Sad. We missed him like crazy. We proceeded with doughnut making and everything else like we always do, but it just wasn't the same. Once again, sister was the entertainment of choice for all four sessions. The train set helped him, but may or may not have been frustrating for her... :) She rose to the occasion, letting the mama relax as much as possible. I needed it and love her for it!

Now, let's hope the remainder of April is slightly less eventful...

blessed day.

 

Today is a blessed day for two reasons...
Easter outfits are complete. Fitted, hemmed, and buttons attached. Which means no stress to hurry and finish them last minute! I love sewing Oliver + S patterns. They sew together beautifully, and are finished inside and out. I can't wait to see my babies (sorry Lizzy, but you'll always be my baby) in their handmade clothes on Sunday. I feel like such a domestic mother, and I live for that feeling. I love carrying on tradition, and I will continue to as long and she will let me. We are 10 years and running!

Now, for the second reason. This is the first day that Lizzy has fixed her own hair for school!!!! She is maturing, and becoming more opinionated about how she wants her hair. We don't always agree. Many days I will fix her hair the way she asks, only to see that she has taken it out when I pick her up from school. (which is totally okay, I remember doing the same thing)

This morning was no different. We were both trying to be agreeable, but it just wasn't working. I asked (politely) "Would you like to do your own hair this morning?" To my surprise she said "YES!" I left her to do whatever she wished, and she completely surprised me when she walked downstairs with two braids! I am so proud of her! Oh the JOY! 

And that is why today is a blessed day in my book.

sick days.

My poor boy has been sick since Monday. Though I would never know it until diaper changing time. I finally called the doctor today and they said there is a 7 day stomach flu going around. He's got it. And my Mr. too. But, I don't mind pampering my family and playing nurse for a while. I especially love the extra snuggles! 

Yesterday was our first time taking Charlie to the park this year! He loved it! He's lucky to have such a wonderful big sister. She was right with him, protecting him every second. Makes the mama proud! Right now, she and daddy are at the STEaM Expo at school. Charlie and I stayed home where we can privately change his entire outfit every time he needs a diaper change...

Mr. W and I are slightly addicted to Downton Abbey at the moment. We haven't watched any of it until the past few weeks, so it's been a marathon watching all 3 seasons at once! A very good marathon I might add. (we are currently watching season 3, so no spoilers please!!!) It's our little treat every night after we tuck the children in bed! I can't wait to see what happens tonight...

And oh yes, I finished both Easter outfits this week. Now to finish preparing for the Easter Bunny to fill those baskets!

happenings ::

time gets away from me too quickly anymore. i find myself using instagram to capture "moments" in our lives. probably not the best idea for printing, but it's better than nothing. we've had many moments the past few weeks. lizzy loves to "sleepover" in our room. we bring the mattress up, and she camps beside our bed. we have our time to talk about the day, then invite her in. this time we left her reading on the couch. when we went to get her, she had fallen asleep with her earmuffs on. too sweet this girl is!

 she was in the spelling bee again this year. she misspelled the word "debutante." (i'm glad i had spell check for that one myself) i'm proud of the way she practiced and prepared. she was faithful.

she earned herself a visit to aggie ice cream. one of her favorite places!

this little man is growing up faster than any baby ever! i love this expression. everyday is about learning and growing. everything is new and exciting. what an adventure life is with a 1 year old!

 instagram keeps him entertained while we are waiting for lizzy at school...

 and as far as making in my life...this was the most rewarding project in a long time! every easter our dining table was decorated with the most beautiful sugar eggs. i loved to smell them, and look inside and imagine what it would be like to live in a sugary land with chicks and bunnies! every moment of making them was nostalgic for me. they even smell exactly how i remember. they put a smile on my face! i love passing traditions from my childhood on to my children. there is something about it that feels so sacred to me. and i must say, my mother is amazing for doing such activities with 9 children! that's right, NINE! she is amazing.

this is so my children will remember that i fed them nutritious food. and because i think it's beautiful. dinner is the highlight of my day. there's nothing like sitting around the dinner table as a family and talking and eating yummy food. nothing like it in the world!

valentine pixy arrows!

 2013 valentine's complete! yippee!!!

the monster and the boot.

our girl was in the annual monster concert at usu on saturday! i'm so proud of her, and so is her daddy. many moons ago it was him on this very stage, performing in this very concert. awesome!

... and now on to the boot. this is fun. my foot started hurting saturday, and by sunday i couldn't walk. the dr. thinks it's a stress fracture. i do have a bone out of place, but he is not certain if that is a old or new injury.  he will check again after a week in the boot. lovely. doesn't he know what a routine oriented person i am? running with this thing on is, needless to say, impossible. but i did manage the elliptical this morning. i do not have a good relationship with that thing. i hate it in fact. but it will have to do.

so, luckily, i had plenty of projects going to keep me sane. i started sourdough starter a week ago, and have been experimenting with it's possibilities. so far the sourdough pancakes are a hit. the bread was a rock, but i'll keep trying.

 i finished this "bonnet" for charlie. it's amazing how quickly you can knit something up when all you can do is sit. i enjoyed it really. i don't let myself do that very often, but i think that needs to change.

 i borrowed my mother-in-law's dehydrator and have been drying apples and banana chips. YUM! *need to get my own asap*
now i will finish designing lizzy's valentine's. i promised her i would have everything printed and ready to assemble when she gets home... i know what she'll be doing all night long!

making.

 everyday while charlie naps i make him fresh squeezed orange juice. and a nutritious lunch. this dairy allergy throws quite a wrench into our diet, but it has forced me to study and learn more about nutrition and how to make every meal count. trying to decide what to feed him can be consuming at times. thankfully, he likes a variety of foods, but that can be challenging too. restricting dairy from my diet has helped me know what he needs. i figure what my body feels it needs, his does too. i hope this allergy goes away sooner than later.

i love making charlie clothes from mr. w's hand-me-downs. i think it's the sweetest ever. what's not to love about a little boy in daddy's repurposed clothes?! 

desperation...

his eyes say it all. poor max. happy baby.

more white love, and hearts

we are still painting this house. with every wall that gets painted, i love it more!  *still painting a wall a day, or whatever can be done during nap time* white is beautiful. it feels so good. everything looks beautiful next to it. did i mention i love it??!

hearts are popping up around here. lizzy and i made the garland for the fireplace last year. {tutorial found here} we will hang more hearts in the windows this afternoon. *i must wait for my little helper* what would i do without holidays?... thanks mom for always making them special and being a keeper of tradition. i hope i can do the same for my children.

smiles.

*riding the escalator with grandpa*

we had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday in slc. we shopped, and bought, and were all exhausted the following day. 

it was so nice to visit with dad during his layover. he brought gifts for the children, which melted my heart a little. for lizzy, a glass flower necklace he bought her in oregon and "samples" from his hotel. an "i love you" flap book for charlie, and conversation hearts for all of us. we ate at a&w, dad and lizzy's favorite place. we missed seeing grandma this time.

 i love this girl. even when she's smirking at me...

35.

today i celebrate my thirty-fifth birthday as a happy woman! really and truly, i feel blessed. as i have anticipated this birthday, i've been thinking about my life. the choices i've made, and the consequences (good or bad) that have followed. overall i feel proud. i still have a to-do list that i will get to one day. but for now, this is why i feel happy and proud of my life:

* i married the right person. how thankful i am at this stage in my life that i got that RIGHT. my Mr. is mine! he is so kind, gentle by nature, and the most incredible father. he is an amazing husband, provider, pianist, student, and teacher. and the list goes on and on... i cannot imagine my life without him. he is my life.

* i am a mother. i love my beautiful children. they have always been my children. they make us complete. they fill me with life and laughter. i have learned more from them than they will ever learn from me.

* my home. nothing is more satisfying than making our home happy. i love the feeling in our home. everyday i look forward to the evening when we are all home together. home is where life's lessons are taught, love is fostered, and where every person is safe.

* i am healthy. after battling itp and infertility, i am so thankful for my healthy body and mind. i am proud of myself for literally wearing out my treadmill. seriously! i don't think my body feels 35. (at least from what i hear other people complain about)

* i have good, loving relationships with my family. too often i take this for granted. i am so thankful for a father i can look up to, a mother i can always talk to, sisters to do the same, and brothers that are always good for a laugh.

*real friends. true friends. that i can completely be myself around. that accept me for who i am. friends that i know are not coincidental. 

*my talents. there, i said it. (why is that difficult to say?) my hobbies, gifts, talents, whatever you want to label them, make me happy! i love to create anything. absolutely anything. sewing, knitting, cooking, decorating, it doesn't matter the avenue, but no day feels complete until i have made something. i love to look back on my day and see something beautiful i created. 

i could keep going, but nap time is ticking away and i need to delete some of the 16,000 photos on this computer. 

making my birthday (carrot) cake! how sweet are they?! blessed.

i am thankful this is what my house looks like everyday. it is better than incredible.
i am blessed. i am happy. it's going to be a great day.

it just keeps coming...

the snow just keeps coming this year. i'll admit, my arms are tired from all the shoveling. and so is my back. but it is SO beautiful! i'm sure lizzy is disappointed, they canceled her field trip to the state capitol today. :(

i was hoping to wear leggings and stay home all day. not happening. i realized i had appointments this morning, and need to renew my driver's license this afternoon. oh well, maybe tomorrow...?

...and i can't post without including a picture of one of my children. charlie says "hello!"