My Sister-in-Law could beat up your Sister-in-law

That's what I would say if I was still in grade school. 

Because really she is my hero.  

With the nursery furniture needing to go to a new baby, Miss B needed big sis furniture. I searched everywhere, then went to our local classifieds and found the perfect set. Brad and his brother had been planning to work on the basement tonight, so I knew they wouldn't be of any help (and really the basement is very important that was not a project I wanted to hinder for furniture). So I called up Andrea. They as always tweaked their plans  so she could come with me and help load up furniture in Chris's truck we borrowed (especially since me being pregnant I would be slightly worthless, even not pregnant I am so weak).

We loaded up 3 kiddos. By the end the littlest ones were in tears.

 Also did I mention the battery died while we loaded furniture so we needed a jump?

Here is Andrea carrying out the heaviest piece of the set.

And then it was she, who tied it all down so it was nice and tight. (Because let's be honest I have no idea how to work the ratchet straps).

And then I made her drive the truck, because she is a better driver than me. And we made it home! Nothing damaged. 

We also may have said a prayer or two :)

So if you haven't figured it by now, it was all her that did this. All I did was find the furniture. Why she still agrees to help me is beyond me, but boy, am I glad she does :)

My Pop

My Pop is undergoing an emergency surgery at this very moment. He has been sick since Thanksgiving. As I was looking back at photos and videos I came across this one. Healthier days these were.

The Raw Unedited Me

 

I was challenged this week to share who I am, so here it goes:

I often speak and act before I think things through and this gets me into trouble and has cost me us money on more than one occasion. Trying to overcompensate for not thinking things through, I frequently over think things and it still ends in the same result of trouble.

 I wish I were more assertive and less of a doormat.

I am a wannabe granola.  I wish I could be more homemade, more health and environmentally conscious, I wish I could be a naturally birthing mama but I am not ashamed to admit I was made for modern medicine.

I feel extremely blessed to have married into a wonderful family. I have no sisters, and I married a man with three (beautiful) sisters whom welcomed me right in.

I would love to live next to the coast.

I live 2,000 miles away from my family and I miss them every day. I talk to parents daily. So I figured if I am going to live far away might as well be next the ocean, right? 

 

I have an inner feminist and an inner fairytale Princess and they are often at war with each other.

I can’t drive manual, and it terrifies me when Brad wants to do (another) practice session. We have had a manual car for 6 years and I still can’t drive it, pathetic.

I love my husband with every bit of my heart but I am not afraid to admit that there is no other human being on the planet that can make my eyes roll more than him. At the same time, there is no one else on this planet that can make me smile more than him. We have days when we just get each other, and then there are days that he is obviously from Mars.  Also I think we can never get divorced… because he knows too much. :)

I hate being wrong [period]

I hate snakes and the winter. I love my dogs and summer.

I love being a wife.

I love being a mother but hate being a homemaker.

I hate horror movies, the last one I ever saw was May of 2003 and it was The Ring it took me a month to sleep again and years to forget.

 I often have flawed logic, but it doesn’t stop me from believing what I do.

I hope every person who walks into my home feels welcomed and loved and comfortable to be who they are. 

And I'm a Mormon.

A Day in the Life

We had quite the "I-definitely-have-a-toddler" kind of a day, and I thought I would write it down so when we look back we can laugh and laugh at how curious this little Miss is.

It all started when I was trying to make dinner (of course).  She now knows how to open the pantry door, or so I learned. She got into the pantry climbed up the shelves (she rarely shows fear for that kind of stuff) and got a hold of the box of baking soda. Yes, I just keep my baking soda in the box it comes in with the top open. She grabs it and shakes the baking soda all over the pantry and I mean ALL OVER. A lot of it got into our recycling bag which was full of shredded pieces of paper. I put that to the side to just take outside. As I finally got it all cleaned up I turn around and see she got a hold of the recycling bag (which remember has a ton of baking soda and shredded pieces of paper). She promptly turns it upside down. I give her some chalk and direct her to her art easel.

I get the second mess cleaned up and go back to dinner. When I realize I am hearing an odd noise I turn around (the art easel is in the kitchen) she has used the chalk and colored all over the floor (our floor looks like a chalk board and it didn't sound any different than her chalk board) what I heard was her coloring on the walls. Yes, at least it was just chalk and cleans easily but it was still another thing to clean up. I took her chalk and gave her rag and sent her to work to clean her mess. Which really she cleaned it as well as any two year old could.

I then decide to put her in front of the tv and watch Curious George. I go back to dinner. She maybe watches it for 2 minutes and gets up, and goes to get the broom. Seeing that she is just sweeping and it is entertaining her I let her go. I go back to dinner. Once everything is cooking I look up to see how the sweeping is going. I realize she is no longer sweeping but mopping... with the dog's dish water.

She went to bed early that night and I went and got some ice cream before I thoroughly cleaned everything again.

I am glad she is curious. I am glad she is busy. It means she is alive and healthy and growing, albeit at a ridiculous rate.

Signs of Spring

Nothing exciting but life...

As I was looking through my pictures trying to find what exciting things have we done I could blog about... really it's been nothing except life. So here are a ton of pictures of my kid :). 

Enjoying a sunny Saturday.

I have been a little afraid to go anywhere as I am trying to keep us all healthy for the last leg of winter.

Uncle Chris crashed at our house one night. She loves him. 

Our neighbor's went to Disneyland, and they found the exact Minnie shoes!!! Now she insists she wear one red and one pink one :)  She accessorized herself in the below picture. A big bow and red shoes for church. I don't fight these battles. 

 We experienced some mild temperatures and when I say mild I am talking 45 degrees so we spent it outside. She kept going to our neighbor's house and knocking on the door but no one was home except the dog, who B would blow kisses to through the window.

 Brushing her "beebee" teeth.

She loves to watch ballet (she does not get that from me). She particularly loves to watch Swan Lake while wearing fancy shoes and dancing along with it.

First time licking the beaters. Chocolate frosting.

And our biggest/exciting project... finishing the basement. Here is a sample of some carpet.

Valentine's Dinner Party

So I decided to have a Valentine's Dinner Party. And it really was an absolutely fantastic evening. My dear friend Nancy lost her husband 15 years ago and February 14th is her wedding anniversary. My other dear friend Elise is recently divorced, not her choice (she doesn't know it now but in the future she will realize she is better off). So I wanted to make sure they had plans and those plans would be fun. We invited Chris who brought, really the most darling date, and the Little Miss just loved her (she cried when she left - this is a good sign right? Maybe Chris should pursue this one?)

I didn't get a picture of the food but it was delicious. We feasted on King Crab Legs, loaded baked potatoes, strawberry spinach salad, Brazilian lime aid, and for dessert Cherry cheescake. Because you know, the food is the most important part of a dinner part. 

It was awesome company. A whole lot of food and laughter. And we were entertained by this video: (We all have a common friend who is a crazy cat lady and we couldn't help but watch this and think of her.)

New Things

 

We are thinking spring! 

It may still feel like winter here, but we are getting our spring on. I think I need to avoid Target for the next month until spring like temperatures begin (which here, I probably should avoid it for the next 2 months). Just too much of a temptation to want to buy everything springy. 

Nanny Saves the Day

When my grandmother heard of the little Miss's plight of her favorite shoe becoming a chew toy, she wasted no time and when straight to the Disney Store. She couldn't find the exact ones but as you can see the little Miss hasn't noticed. She is in love with these new shoes. I couldn't get them off her feet. She was twirling and tapping all over the house.

I was able to capture a picture of just one, but you can see how darling it is.

Thank you Nanny for thinking of us! The shoes are a hit.

Sister Sister

 We are having another girl!! 

and for a lady with no sisters, I cannot tell you how excited I am to have sister daughters. I can't wait to say, "My girls". 

The above picture is after many (failed) attempts to have Brooklyn hold the sign and picture (see the crinkles). 

Here are the attempts: