This will be short. Today I'm thankful for heat-in my house and in my car :) I was especially grateful for it when my car was registering the outside temperature at 9 degrees...and that's BEFORE windchill!
Happy Snowfall to EVERYONE! Seems like most of the country is getting blasted with it right now. Hope you were able to get on a new flight Von!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Birthday Celebration
We finally celebrated Bree's birthday last night. My friend Lauren had this awesome idea for a birthday sign, so I made one too-I LOVE how it turned out, and it's one we can use over and over!
I made some pink "cuppalakes" (Bree's pronunciation)
and she got a couple presents! Allan & Kris-the money you sent went towards the book thing-she loves it! (They both actually love it-can you say "contention"?) And she got a little bubble maker, which they also love!
The book thing we got plays a song (which you'll hear) and we were cracking up at Bree's version of dancing. Here's the clip-sorry-it starts out turned to the side before Dave figured out that you can't film that way on the small camera :)
I made some pink "cuppalakes" (Bree's pronunciation)
and she got a couple presents! Allan & Kris-the money you sent went towards the book thing-she loves it! (They both actually love it-can you say "contention"?) And she got a little bubble maker, which they also love!
The book thing we got plays a song (which you'll hear) and we were cracking up at Bree's version of dancing. Here's the clip-sorry-it starts out turned to the side before Dave figured out that you can't film that way on the small camera :)
If...
If we were to send out Christmas cards this year, this might be the picture you would have seen on it.
And I probably would have "cutesied" it up with my crazy digiscrapping skills :)
And we would probably tell you that it's been a really fun year with lots of visitors and fun trips and great times spent together.
But printing and postage just wasn't in the budget this year...especially after the grinch who didn't leave a note (see posting here).
But we do love you all and wish you a VERY MERRY Christmas. We're so blessed to have so many friends and family who bring us so much happiness. And we're grateful for the opportunity we have to reflect on the birth of our Savior, who gave us the greatest gift of all. I hope that, even through the struggles many of us are facing right now, we are all able to feel the love of our Savior and extend that love to those around us.
And I probably would have "cutesied" it up with my crazy digiscrapping skills :)
And we would probably tell you that it's been a really fun year with lots of visitors and fun trips and great times spent together.
But printing and postage just wasn't in the budget this year...especially after the grinch who didn't leave a note (see posting here).
But we do love you all and wish you a VERY MERRY Christmas. We're so blessed to have so many friends and family who bring us so much happiness. And we're grateful for the opportunity we have to reflect on the birth of our Savior, who gave us the greatest gift of all. I hope that, even through the struggles many of us are facing right now, we are all able to feel the love of our Savior and extend that love to those around us.
Gratitude Day #13
I'm grateful for my in-laws. I've heard some pretty bad stories out there, but I cannot relate to ANY of them. Not only do I love them, but my entire family (seriously-Grandma and Grandpa too) loves them too. The second I met them I fell in love with them. You know the movie While You Were Sleeping? Well, Dave wasn't sleeping, but I still fell in love with them and knew I wanted to be a part of that family. When I met them I just knew that they would take me as I am. And that's how they are with everyone. They will welcome you with open arms. What's theirs is yours. They are so generous, so kind, so welcoming, so forgiving, so funny, so non-judgemental. I love that whenever I'm with them we can talk about anything! They are people I trust with my deepest fears and feelings and they are people I go to for advice.
I admire the lives they have led. They aren't "in your face" members of the church-they are quiet stalwarts who are examples of the Savior to everyone they meet. I love how they treat me and make me feel about myself. They are always telling me how grateful they are that I married Dave and what a good mommy I am. I love the example they were and still are to Dave-he is who he is because of their example. And he treats me so well because he has learned from them. And they are sooooo loving to our little girls. Allan has the best time ever with all his grandkids! He is so silly with them. Emma calls him Grandpa tickle button. And the kids love to snuggle with Grandma Kris. They make such an effort to be a part of our lives even though we're so far away. We appreciated so much when they came to visit in May. We spent a lot of our time talking and watching the girls entertain us and make us laugh!
I love them so much and I am SO SO grateful that they are a part of my life for forever!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Gratitude Day #12
I'm grateful for my parents. I have a lot more appreciation for them now that I'm a parent. I think that's the way God planned it :) I think I went through all the normal stages when it comes to my parents-wanting all their attention, becoming more independent, thinking they didn't know anything (teen years!), then relying on them more, etc. I like the stage we're in right now. They are still my parents, but we're a better team now.
I'm grateful that they are both strong in the gospel. I think my gift of never wavering came from them. They taught me all the gospel principles, and those principles and values make me who I am. I am who I am because of those principles, not only because I'm a member of the church. I think people misconstrue that sometimes. They think we are defined by our membership in the church instead of being defined by WHO we are and the way we live our life. Not all members of the church live good lives, and not everyone who lives a good life is a member of the church. I'm grateful that the church guides us to hold these principles close and dear to our hearts, and I'm grateful that my parents taught me those principles and taught me the importance of keeping those principles. It's not always easy-it's downright hard sometimes! It's easy to lose hope. But I have watched my parents endure some pretty crazy things and they have kept true to those values throughout. The best lesson I've learned in this regard is that ultimately, Heavenly Father is in charge, so I can talk about something and think about something till my eyes pop out of my head, but it won't matter until I go to Him in prayer. And He will always answer those prayers-not always in the way I think or want, but I will receive an answer!
They have a genuine love for and interest in other people. It's not hard for them to make friends and have a good time! But once you come into their lives, they will be concerned for your well-being and want you to be happy. They are loyal friends. That's such a good quality.
I'm grateful for the lessons they taught me about working hard. And I don't mean work like a "job" type work. I mean putting forth the best effort in EVERYTHING you do. You will never see either of them doing a half-baked job (unless it's Mom's 20th paper due that week-haha! welcome back to school Mom!). It's a little bit of a catch-22 because I find myself going over the top on things that aren't necessary, but at the same time, I like how I feel when I've gone over the top sometimes :) And some things need someone to go over the top on them! hee.
I could go on and on about them, but I'll just mention a trait I've gotten from each of them that I'm thankful for. I got my dad's "passion" for things. You can always tell when he's excited about something because he gets really passionate about it and likes to talk to you about it, and I'm JUST like that. And I LOVE how I feel when I'm passionate about something! It's a great feeling! I feel hopeful, confident, excited, smart. Sometimes I get a little overbearing when I am passionate about something, but if what I am passionate about helps someone in any way, then I'm okay with people thinking I'm overbearing. But Dad is the same way-and the things that he knows are always helpful to others. I love knowing that what I'm feeling when I'm passionate about topics is probably the same way Dad feels, and that makes me feel a little more "bonded" with him :)
And from my mom I got my ability to create and my drive to make the things around me look beautiful. I went through a little spurt where I was concerned that my desire to make things around me look good was superficial and shallow and materialistic. But I got over that real fast :) My mom can make ANYTHING look good! She is sooooo talented with creating-fabrics, pictures, food, furniture, stories, memories, am I missing anything here? Out of all the siblings I think I'm the one most like my mom-the one thing that puts me over the top is the sewing-nobody else does it! But Mom and I have sewn things together that will NEVER go into the donation pile or trash-doesn't matter if I'm not using them anymore! That time together means too much to me. And Mom always made the things in our home beautiful-I don't mean that she spent all the money in the world. I mean that she has an eye for things that pull a room together so you feel like you're "home." Ann-Marie totally has that gift too. I'm not saying I'm good at it, but I LOVE to think of things to do that will brighten and liven up a room or the space around me (the bulletin boards in Primary are getting a facelift!).
So, there are just a few tidbits about my parents. I love them, respect them, honor them, and wish I was closer to them! A huge shout out to them-Mom started back at BYU this last semester and Dad will be joining her this upcoming semester. They are doing things to better their lives, even though that's a scary step!
I LOVE YOU MOM & DAD!
I'm grateful that they are both strong in the gospel. I think my gift of never wavering came from them. They taught me all the gospel principles, and those principles and values make me who I am. I am who I am because of those principles, not only because I'm a member of the church. I think people misconstrue that sometimes. They think we are defined by our membership in the church instead of being defined by WHO we are and the way we live our life. Not all members of the church live good lives, and not everyone who lives a good life is a member of the church. I'm grateful that the church guides us to hold these principles close and dear to our hearts, and I'm grateful that my parents taught me those principles and taught me the importance of keeping those principles. It's not always easy-it's downright hard sometimes! It's easy to lose hope. But I have watched my parents endure some pretty crazy things and they have kept true to those values throughout. The best lesson I've learned in this regard is that ultimately, Heavenly Father is in charge, so I can talk about something and think about something till my eyes pop out of my head, but it won't matter until I go to Him in prayer. And He will always answer those prayers-not always in the way I think or want, but I will receive an answer!
They have a genuine love for and interest in other people. It's not hard for them to make friends and have a good time! But once you come into their lives, they will be concerned for your well-being and want you to be happy. They are loyal friends. That's such a good quality.
I'm grateful for the lessons they taught me about working hard. And I don't mean work like a "job" type work. I mean putting forth the best effort in EVERYTHING you do. You will never see either of them doing a half-baked job (unless it's Mom's 20th paper due that week-haha! welcome back to school Mom!). It's a little bit of a catch-22 because I find myself going over the top on things that aren't necessary, but at the same time, I like how I feel when I've gone over the top sometimes :) And some things need someone to go over the top on them! hee.
I could go on and on about them, but I'll just mention a trait I've gotten from each of them that I'm thankful for. I got my dad's "passion" for things. You can always tell when he's excited about something because he gets really passionate about it and likes to talk to you about it, and I'm JUST like that. And I LOVE how I feel when I'm passionate about something! It's a great feeling! I feel hopeful, confident, excited, smart. Sometimes I get a little overbearing when I am passionate about something, but if what I am passionate about helps someone in any way, then I'm okay with people thinking I'm overbearing. But Dad is the same way-and the things that he knows are always helpful to others. I love knowing that what I'm feeling when I'm passionate about topics is probably the same way Dad feels, and that makes me feel a little more "bonded" with him :)
And from my mom I got my ability to create and my drive to make the things around me look beautiful. I went through a little spurt where I was concerned that my desire to make things around me look good was superficial and shallow and materialistic. But I got over that real fast :) My mom can make ANYTHING look good! She is sooooo talented with creating-fabrics, pictures, food, furniture, stories, memories, am I missing anything here? Out of all the siblings I think I'm the one most like my mom-the one thing that puts me over the top is the sewing-nobody else does it! But Mom and I have sewn things together that will NEVER go into the donation pile or trash-doesn't matter if I'm not using them anymore! That time together means too much to me. And Mom always made the things in our home beautiful-I don't mean that she spent all the money in the world. I mean that she has an eye for things that pull a room together so you feel like you're "home." Ann-Marie totally has that gift too. I'm not saying I'm good at it, but I LOVE to think of things to do that will brighten and liven up a room or the space around me (the bulletin boards in Primary are getting a facelift!).
So, there are just a few tidbits about my parents. I love them, respect them, honor them, and wish I was closer to them! A huge shout out to them-Mom started back at BYU this last semester and Dad will be joining her this upcoming semester. They are doing things to better their lives, even though that's a scary step!
I LOVE YOU MOM & DAD!
Gratitude Day #11
Whoops-forgot yesterday. But I knew what I was thankful for! It's actually been on my mind for a little while, and I had another experience yesterday that reminded me. I'm thankful for the awesome preschool teachers at Emma's preschool-and I don't mean just her teachers. I carpool with our friends, so I pick up their son from his class. Emma's preschool incorporates special needs kids into all their classrooms, and some classes have more kids than others. Emma's has a few, but none that I can see with physical disabilities. Sam's class has more with physical disabilities. And it has been an awesome experience to watch all these teachers with those kids. Not only are they wonderful towards kids without disabilities, but they are sooooo great with the others.
Before I had my own kids there was a special place in my heart for those with special needs. We had 3 in our ward growing up that we loved with all our hearts! I learned great lessons from them. But it wasn't until I had kids of my own that my heart REALLY felt a pull towards children with disabilities. I can't imagine the stress and strain parents must feel as they learn to take care of children who are handicapped, but I also don't get the chance to feel the joy they must feel as those children teach them life's lessons. Those are definitely special parents and special children.
And so, as I pick up the kids from school, I LOVE to watch the teachers and caregivers with these children, and some of those kids are SO FUNNY! And yesterday I watched a dad push his daughter in her wheelchair to their car, with a little 2 yr old in tow. And I loved the tenderness that could see that he felt towards those 2 kids. There's nothing more likely to put me to tears than SEEING and WATCHING the love that parents and teachers feel towards children. It really makes me have more faith in humanity when I see others showing such love!
Before I had my own kids there was a special place in my heart for those with special needs. We had 3 in our ward growing up that we loved with all our hearts! I learned great lessons from them. But it wasn't until I had kids of my own that my heart REALLY felt a pull towards children with disabilities. I can't imagine the stress and strain parents must feel as they learn to take care of children who are handicapped, but I also don't get the chance to feel the joy they must feel as those children teach them life's lessons. Those are definitely special parents and special children.
And so, as I pick up the kids from school, I LOVE to watch the teachers and caregivers with these children, and some of those kids are SO FUNNY! And yesterday I watched a dad push his daughter in her wheelchair to their car, with a little 2 yr old in tow. And I loved the tenderness that could see that he felt towards those 2 kids. There's nothing more likely to put me to tears than SEEING and WATCHING the love that parents and teachers feel towards children. It really makes me have more faith in humanity when I see others showing such love!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Gratitude Day #10
Today I'm SO SO SO grateful for my little baby Bree! Today she's TWO! This little girl drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes, but it just makes me love her even more. She's the funniest little thing EVER. Whenever I'm away from her and I think about her I just laugh. She is SO opinionated and stubborn. Being the control freak that I am, you can understand the frustration I've had with her! But I noticed that as I started being okay with HER decisions I've realized that her decisions aren't so bad-just not what I want. And that's OKAY! It's kind of funny-when I think about her I think "spazzy, outgoing, chatty, stubborn, curious, active, smart, observant, leader." All those things make me think she'll be the more "sporty" one, the one less likely to be "girly." But NOPE! She's been wanting in on the dress-up thing going on at our house on a daily basis. And I've never seen a little girl more gentle and tender with dolls. I'm so excited for her Christmas present-I found the PERFECT doll for her!
At the ski resort we were talking to the kids ski instructor about how the little kids do in the classes. If you've ever rented skis before you know that you have to classify yourself as a Type I, II, or III skiier so they know how tight to do your bindings. Type I is someone who is more cautious (boy, that would be Emma!), II is someone a little more advanced, but careful still. And III is someone who takes risks and likes to try new things. The ski instructor talked about how you type yourself based on your personality, not your skill level, and all I could think was Bree is Type III all the way! She has no problems trying new things or being adventurous-she's a lot like her daddy in that way. While Emma didn't want to learn to ski yet, I know that the second Bree has the chance, she'll take it!
She is so ready to be a big girl. We made the crib into a toddler bed and she loves it. I actually think she's ready to be in the twin bed already! And she talks to you like she's having a real conversation. The best is watching her talk on the phone-I hand it over to her and she's off! She'll start walking around while talking, laugh at appropriate times, answer questions, then jabber away! Anyone who has talked to her knows that you'll get an ear piercing scream when I try to get the phone back! Or you'll hear her say "No No! No touchy!"
I love hearing her talk-she has the cutest little voice and lisp. I love it when she accidentally does things and under her breath she'll say, "oh, sorry" but with her lisp it's more like "thorry." It melts my heart! She can say a lot of things and I love that she's starting to make sentences. One of my favorites is "where you going?" She asks it in such an "intelligent" way :) And whenever she wants food she'll say "want some nummy?"-insert lisp :) I think she took it upon herself to differentiate between "nummy" (meals) and "nnnnnnack" (snacks-and yes, she says the n for a while).
Bree LOVES her daddy. She wants him to comfort her, put her to bed, change her diaper-whatever she can get from him while he's around! She will change from raging monster to the happiest kid on the block when he walks in the door. She jumps up and down yelling "daddy daddy daddy" and I love watching that. She loves to jump. On everything, off everything, you name it. She hates being held or being put in a shopping cart or stroller-she wants to be off and exploring! That was quite difficult when we were in NYC. And I never go to the grocery store with her anymore either :) Family pictures were quite the ordeal. She loves to touch everything and find out what it does (most of the time by putting it in her mouth-nice).
I just love this little girl to PIECES. I can't imagine our family without her.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BREE!!
At the ski resort we were talking to the kids ski instructor about how the little kids do in the classes. If you've ever rented skis before you know that you have to classify yourself as a Type I, II, or III skiier so they know how tight to do your bindings. Type I is someone who is more cautious (boy, that would be Emma!), II is someone a little more advanced, but careful still. And III is someone who takes risks and likes to try new things. The ski instructor talked about how you type yourself based on your personality, not your skill level, and all I could think was Bree is Type III all the way! She has no problems trying new things or being adventurous-she's a lot like her daddy in that way. While Emma didn't want to learn to ski yet, I know that the second Bree has the chance, she'll take it!
She is so ready to be a big girl. We made the crib into a toddler bed and she loves it. I actually think she's ready to be in the twin bed already! And she talks to you like she's having a real conversation. The best is watching her talk on the phone-I hand it over to her and she's off! She'll start walking around while talking, laugh at appropriate times, answer questions, then jabber away! Anyone who has talked to her knows that you'll get an ear piercing scream when I try to get the phone back! Or you'll hear her say "No No! No touchy!"
I love hearing her talk-she has the cutest little voice and lisp. I love it when she accidentally does things and under her breath she'll say, "oh, sorry" but with her lisp it's more like "thorry." It melts my heart! She can say a lot of things and I love that she's starting to make sentences. One of my favorites is "where you going?" She asks it in such an "intelligent" way :) And whenever she wants food she'll say "want some nummy?"-insert lisp :) I think she took it upon herself to differentiate between "nummy" (meals) and "nnnnnnack" (snacks-and yes, she says the n for a while).
Bree LOVES her daddy. She wants him to comfort her, put her to bed, change her diaper-whatever she can get from him while he's around! She will change from raging monster to the happiest kid on the block when he walks in the door. She jumps up and down yelling "daddy daddy daddy" and I love watching that. She loves to jump. On everything, off everything, you name it. She hates being held or being put in a shopping cart or stroller-she wants to be off and exploring! That was quite difficult when we were in NYC. And I never go to the grocery store with her anymore either :) Family pictures were quite the ordeal. She loves to touch everything and find out what it does (most of the time by putting it in her mouth-nice).
I just love this little girl to PIECES. I can't imagine our family without her.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BREE!!
Gratitude Day #9
Although this day wasn't as awesome as the day before, I am grateful for people who make a bad experience better, even when they can't do anything about it.
Explanation:
We took the girls to the daycare again, then went out to breakfast. Then we just lounged around again and went to the hot tub. From there, the plan was to wait for Bree to fall asleep at the daycare, then get Emma and take her swimming (Bree would be MAD if Emma left and she didn't, and since Bree was having some pretty "bad" diapers, it wasn't smart for her to be in a pool). And while Dave and Emma were swimming, I would pack up the car and get ready to go. On my first trip to load luggage I saw it:
I saw it from a distance and was just PRAYING it was just the way the sun was reflecting on the car, then thought-wait, what sun? So, first reaction was punch to the gut. Second reaction was to look on the windshield for a note. NONE. I unlocked the car to open the door and see if there was a note under the snow. Oh wait, the DOOR WON'T OPEN! That's how bad it was smashed. It also cracked and bent the mudflap type area (whatever it's called) so when the wheels turn they rub against it. And this wasn't a small car either-it had to be a huge truck with how high up the damage went. Luggage went into the back and I was on my way to the front desk.
The manager and security guard came and took a report, then called the Sheriff's department to come so I could have a report for insurance. This all took place over a few hours of time, but during it all, I couldn't have asked for friendlier, more sympathetic people. The guard and manager drove around the entire resort to look for cars with a high back end, red paint on their bumper, etc. Not a thing. And they brought out their mechanic to see if he could pop anything out in order to make the door open, but it couldn't be done without causing more damage. So, while I lost some respect for humanity (RUDE not to leave a note-RUDE), I appreciated being treated the way I was by those who were helping me. Customer service is SOOOO different outside of Cleveland!
Good thing I didn't raise my deductible a couple weeks ago!
Gratitude Day #8
We were out of town, but now we're back! We decided that we wanted to start a tradition of doing something fun together as a family for our Christmas present instead of doing a ton of gifts. We'll still have a few things for the girls to open, but this is where our Christmas budget went to. We planned a little ski trip to this ski resort called Peek 'n' Peak. Since it's considered "early" season, we got all these deals. We booked a room and got our lifts tickets for free. And the room was CHEAP (cheaper than the price of 2 lift tickets)...and it had separate sleeping areas for the girls and us. It gets better. They have an indoor pool, indoor kiddie pool, indoor/outdoor hot tub, sauna, fitness room, and a HUGE play space for kids with 3 huge jungle gym/swingsets, pool table, ping pong table, and arcade games. AND they had a spa (like a massage/facial type of place). AND...they had daycare. So, on Tuesday we were SOOOOOOOO grateful for BABY-SITTING!!
Dave and I took the girls to the daycare center, and to be honest-I had a few reservations about taking them. I was worried about the quality of it, etc. We walked in and loved it right away. The girls took off and started playing with the toys, no problem. Dave and I were trying to figure out who would leave skiing to come pick up the girls, get them lunch and take Bree back to the room for a nap. Then we had to discuss whether or not it woould be worth it to get back onto the lifts if Bree didn't wake up until late, blah blah blah. Then the lady pipes in "we have cribs and a quiet room for naps." WHA????? HALLELUAH!!!! (or however you spell that) AND they feed them lunch. WAHOO!!!! They seriously had an awesome set-up in there. So we left them (no crying!) and looked at ourselves like a couple of kids in a candy store. What should we do with a whole day without kids????
Off we went to ski! It took a while for me to get the hang of it again-it's been at LEAST 6 years since I've gone. My knees were starting to hurt pretty bad (story for another day), so I decided to be done after a little while. Dave went off on his own and I went...to the spa for my very first massage EVER! Oh man, that was AWESOME. It was so nice to feel like I was asleep but not really asleep. I don't think I drooled :) It was a really nice spa and I totally felt pampered and relaxed!
After I was done there Dave met me back at the room-he had done all the runs a few times already! Let's just say, it's no Utah :) But they do a good job with what they have to work with. So we relaxed, watched tv, read. Then we picked up the girls around 3-ish. And this is where it rocks even more. Every Tuesday is Ladies Day, and you get FREE baby-sitting!!!! We were expecting to shell out money for this and it was FREE! You usually have to book it as a Ladies Day thing, but when I went to make the reservation the lady told me it didn't start until January. I was a little bummed, but we got all the other deals so it was okay. Then the lady at the baby-sitting said that it was going on now and she arranged it so we got it for free! Everyone that worked there was so awesome. They sent the girls home with all their art projects, and Emma was sad to leave. But then we took them to the indoor pool and they were in heaven again. Emma kept telling us she wanted to live there. After the pool we went to dinner, then came back to play in the big playzone. The girls slept well that night!
So if anything, the baby-sitting alone made that place worth every penny! We're going to try to go back again during Spring Break if they're running those same deals :)
Ahhhh...that was awesome.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Gratitude Day #7
Today I'm grateful for Emma. She's such a good little girl, and sometimes I'm not so patient with her, which gives me a huge guilty complex. I'm working on it! I got off the phone a little bit ago with her teacher-we weren't in town for parent/teacher conferences, so we just did it over the phone. She began by saying that this wouldn't take long because they don't have any problems with her! She quickly went through her list of all the assessments they do and she excels in all of them. And while I'm glad that she knows her letters and shapes and math, I'm mostly glad that her teacher told me that she does such a great job socially-she is polite, she accepts discipline (though they have rarely had to use it), she solves problems with her classmates, and her classmates all love her. She communicates well with everyone and just is a pleasure to have in their class!
I think I'm hard on her because she has always talked so well that I assume she's older than she is. It's hard to remember that she's only 4! Sometimes she seems like such an old soul in that little body. But when I expect too much from her is when we both get frustrated. So we're both working on that, and I think it's going well! I'm learning that I need to give her more clear, specific instructions on things, and she's learning that whining isn't okay :)
She loves to be a helper, which is hard for me since I'm such a control freak. But I've learned that she actually does a good job when she helps and I'm learning to let go of some things. She definitely "mothers" most things around her-Bree, her dolls and stuffed animals, other kids, her food (when she plays with it). I can tell how I've been disciplining by listening to her. She has used the phrases, "Mom, look at my eyes" or "Are you listening to my words?" when she's trying to get my attention. That makes me laugh.
One of my most favorite times of the day is when Dave is home, Bree is in bed, Emma is in her jammies, and she's hanging out with me and Dave on our bed. All Dave has to do is ask one innocent question about some silly thing and we get a great story or explanation from her about it. From there she just talks and talks and talks. Even though she appears more reserved and quiet, she's actually pretty chatty...I don't know where she gets that from :) And I love how Dave likes to explain "life" things to Emma. She has been very interested in Elizabeth's recently missing tooth. Last night Dave told her that when she was a baby and she was sleeping, the Tooth Fairy came to her and planted little tooth seeds in her mouth. Then her teeth grew in. And when they get too old they will fall out and Emma will put the tooth under her pillow, the Tooth Fairy will come and take the tooth, leave some money, and plant a new tooth seed in it's place so she can have big Mommy and Daddy teeth. From her expression I think she was a little concerned at the thought of someone crawling in her mouth and putting something in there. But she accepted it! Dave has all sorts of explanations for "life" things. She thinks there are bunnies in her tummy, mice in her toes, and frogs in her throat. The best is when she gives Dave's explanations to someone else. She's also really into fairies and princesses. Quite a few times I've caught her moping and asked what's wrong, only to hear a cry of "I'm not a fairy princess yet! Look, there aren't ANY sparklies on my arms!" And the other day she put her wings on, then proceeded to flap her arms up and down, then fall to the ground in dramatic despair because "I can't fly! It just WON'T WORK!"
I love this sweet little girl and I know there are wonderful things in store for her. She's a quietly stubborn little thing, but I know it's because Heavenly Father needs His children to be strong and have conviction. I'm so grateful to be her mommy!
this is Dave being artistic :)
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