Month of Thanks

November! Gratitude month. I saw a sign awhile ago that read, "gratitude turns what we have into enough" Amen. My life is far from perfect, but I am grateful for my faith in God. It has been the one constant in my life.
 
Thankful day 2: I am thankful for a body that has carried two children and allowed me to bring them safely into this world.
 
Thankful day 3: I am thankful for sleep and the little sleep I actually get with two kids.
 
Thankful day 4: I am thankful for family, more specifically extended family. For the time being we are blessed to live among both sides of family. While we don't see them all as much as we would like the time we do get to spend together is wonderful.

Thankful Day 5: I am thankful for this cool weather that allows me to keep my windows open and my electric bill super low. Saving money this time of year is wonderful!

Thankful day 6: I am thankful for our bedtime routine. Snuggling clean babies, reading scriptures and praying as a family at the end of the day has become a cherished time. No matter how good or bad the day we end on a high note that makes me count my many blessing.

Thankful day 7: I am so thankful that I have three older sisters. I never would have thought growing up that they would become my best friends, but I feel so blessed to have them! I love you all. 

Thankful day 8: I am thankful for the small spurts of "me time" and how i feel after just a few hours to spend on myself.

Thankful day 9: I am thankful for the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ.

Thankful day 10: I am thankful to be able to work with Primary children through my church. It is so wonderful to see them learn and go as they remind me to be as a little child. 

Thankful day 11: I have a overwhelming love for those who serve in our military and their families. My grandpa, father and husband are among those we honor today. So grateful for everyone who serves to protect this nation!

Thankful day 12. I am thankful for public libraries and story time.

Thankful day 13: I am thankful for my cute and trusty car. I don't have to worry about my car breaking down.  

Thankful day 14: I am thankful for these not so hot days that we can enjoy our grass.

Thankful day 15: I am thankful for all of my beautiful friends. I can't imagine life without girlfriends.
Thankful day 16: I am thankful for modern medicine to help my babies when they are really sick!
Thankful day 17: I am thankful for crock-pots. Boy do I love mine and the chicken noodle soup I just made in it!
Thankful day 18: I am thankful for parks, specifically our neighborhood.

Thankful day 19: As I was grocery shopping today I was getting teary with gratitude that we have stores full of food. Every inch of the place was stocked with Thanksgiving feast items and the very thought of all of those people who are hungry and who have empty cupboards made me realize all the many blessing I have in my life. So, I am very thankful for food and the stores to buy so many different types of foods to feed my family.d park. It is so nice to just walk down the sidewalk and let the kids swing and play before dinner.

 Thankful day 20: I am thankful for Target and that it makes the worst day so much better.

Thankful day 21: I am thankful for the health of my family.

Thankful Day22: I am thankful the kids have a phenomenal pediatrician. Who is so attentive and invested in their health.

Day 23: I am thankful Brent was in the Navy and cleans with military precision. He knows how to make a bathroom sparkle!

Thankful day 24: I am thankful for scented candles. They make my house smell so amazing.

Thankful day 25: I am thankful I get to watch a super cute little boy while staying home with my two children. Three kids under three is crazy busy but that has become so normal around here. Being a Mother is my dream job.

Thankful day 26: I am thankful I married Brent. We have come so far and grown so much since we have been together. It makes me so excited as we move forward in life. He is a perfect companion for me. 

Thankful day 27: I am thankful I am CPR certified and that I have taken the classes so many times that it is so engrained in my head. Genivieve was chocking and starting to panic. Good thing I was standing within sight and could save my poor girl. After she started breathing and crying telling me how scary that was I started to cry too. So very thankful right now! 

Thankful day 28: I am Thankful for this Christmas season ahead and to focus on our Savior's birth.        

Halloween

Halloween was fun this year. This was the first year Genivieve got to pick out her own costume. I thought I would dread the day we moved into the Princess phase, but for her its more about the pretty dress and hair and not about being a princess. So we pressed on. Like every stage in child rearing it has been a fun one.

Now that we are rounding the corner to having a three-year-old we have been focusing on earning things. Since she is not quite ready to understand money she earned her princess dress by being accident free for one ENTIRE week and I held firm. It took a little over a month but she made it! Glad we started Potty Training in September or she might have not earned it in time for Halloween. 

Luke made the most serious Astronaut Commander but a very handsome one. Some of the older folks at church thought he was a race car driver.... guess they missed his NASA patch. Either way he is one squishy handsome boy.

Oct 20. LUke Dieter 8 Months

Luke is now 8 months old and so very handsome. He has a smile that would melt anyone's heart and we just love having him in our family. He is still pretty fussy but in his difference it is usually when I don't keep him on his schedule. Putting him in the Ergo is still a cure all and I thank Heaven for that every day. I am so glad there is something to do to make him happy. We started sleep training at 7.5 months. It took three days of me sleeping right next to a blaring sound machine but he did great. I am sure the first night was worse for me, I don't think Luke even cried.

At 8 Months Luke:
* has 6 teeth. (4 on top, 2 on bottom)
*wears size 3 diapers
* size 12m clothes
*sleeps from 7pm- 730am waking up once around 5am.
*takes two naps a day. 9:30-11:30am and 2-3pm
*rolls and army crawls all over the living room
*love to eat greek yogurt, mashed potatoes, green bell peppers and Genivieve's popsicles
*love to be tickled
*enjoy it when the whole family puts on a show and sings to him for every meal
*Says Dada and decided that he loves his Dad! Mom however is reserved only with tears.
*has some serious "monkey toes" gripping toes. He tries to grip the floor so he doesn't stand much.
*loves all things musical and loves story time
*loves to pull hair

** journal at 7 months. We love our little man so much and so thankful to be getting a little sleep.

Today my boy is 7 months old and yesterday was the first (hopefully of many) day that he did not scream or cry at me once! What a glorious day. I forgot I could be so happy**

Sept. Camping

It's Raining, it's pouring and we forgot the tent poles.

We headed North to go Camping with the Grantham's and enjoy so cooler weather. We packed up our tiny city car that turned into a clown car with camping provisions. We got to camp just in time as the sun was going down and a light drizzle started. At that point we found out that WE FORGOT THE TENT POLES. It was a new tent so maybe that makes it better...

Thankful we have engineers with us and the boys made a make shift shelter. By then it was pouring and our bedding was soaked. Awesome.  Luke screamed all night so I crawled in their suburban and endured a loud sleepless night while trying to save the rest of the campers from Luke's torment. In the morning in had multiple blow-outs and slept all day. Poor guy.

The campsite was beautiful with a wide river down a shot hiking trail with fishing. But after two nights of no sleep I called it and we headed home a day early. I was done. At least it funny now.

Aug- Happy Half Birthday Luke

Aug- 6 months 28in (85%) 17lbs (50%)

Luke celebrated his half birthday while we were in LA. This Little boy just the sweetest thing when he is happy but voy can he flip a switch and be the angriest little thing. That angelic smile sure melt my heart every time. Luke is so social and loves people and he loves to be outside. He has had his first few tastes of food and is a big fan. So far he loves pizza crust and it seems to help his teething gums. It has been a wild few months but you are such a good friend for Genivieve and so adorable. We love you Dieter!

Potty Time - September

The time has come. Genivieve will be three in January and has become so aware of her surroundings. I knew I needed to buckle down and start the processes of exchanging the diapers for panties and letting my sweet baby become the big girl she is. I sure had a list of reservations. I devoured every book I could find on the subject and plotted my master plan. We started our journey in May and it was too much for me with a fussy nursing Luke and the 10-month-old I babysit. So we stopped and I vowed to try again after our 24hour car trip and I think that was a good call.

So here we are in September and G is so ready. So bring on the princess panties and off we went. I must say the first day was a disaster and I take full responsibility. I would get so stressed and mad when my carpet, chairs, couch and everything got wet. There were more children and more mess than I could keep up with. So I picked up another book and kept reading. I was doing it all wrong. my stress was ruining the whole thing! This was a time to celebrate and a time for us to bond. Once I figured that out day two was smooth(er) sailing.

Every success what a BIG deal. Lots of cheering, jumping and congratulations. The bigger the celebration= less accidents. This has been such a bonding week for me and my girl. lots of trip to the restroom together and so many hugs and kisses. I love my sweet girl and that I get to be here for her for ever step of life.

As I sat here contemplating our week it struck me that this was a prefect life lesson. Patience and redirection when things don't go right are the secret to life with kids. She aims to please, she thrives on praise. In everything we do it seems there is a bigger lesson in it for the Mom to learn.

Pan Pacific Park, LA

We took the kids to this great park to play and Travis took some amazing pictures of our family. It is so wonderful to be in a picture My kids are going to wonder were I was all those years growing up. I am always behind the camera documenting our life but sadly I never get in on any pictures. So thank you Travis for including me in the memories.

End of summer

Brent finished his internship of with a bang. He presented his project to all the big wigs and made a name for himself. We are all so proud of his hard work and he seemed to enjoy his work. So he packed and left his spacious-quiet-living for our cramped-loud-city living. We are so excited to have him back and I am thrilled to have some extra hands.

We left the next day and headed to Auntie A's place in Hollywood. We only get to visit once a year and we just love going. Auntie Andrea and Uncle Travis are a lot of fun and love playing with the kids and the kids love them right back!

We spent two days at the beach, it never gets old and Genivieve is a beach lover and could have stayed for every. That's my girl!

It was a little cold and windy at the beach, as it should be. Luke seemed to enjoy it until he got dunked in the ice cold ocean. Overall I think he loved his first visit.

 This year we spent some time at Santa Monica Pier and Genivieve got her first taste at riding carnival rides and loved every minute. She was begging to ride the roller coaster, but thankfully she was to small.