Little Momma

Liesl has always had a very strong maternal instinct.  She started snuggling and tucking in Miriam's baby doll when she was just around a year old.  So, naturally, I knew she needed a baby of her own for Christmas.  She has been loving on her almost every minute since.  

She loves to give her kisses.

A rock her.

And snuggle her.

She's just a good little momma to her baby.  I love watching how sweet she is with the doll.

A Recommendation

I have a secret to admit.  I have a blog crush.  I promise to tell you all about her in a minute, but first, I have to tell you that I just don't read most blogs.  With the exception of a couple friends and family members, I actually only scroll through the pictures of the blogs I "read".  If something sparks my interest, I might skim it quickly, but even that's a rarity.

But there is one blog of someone I don't know, somewhere out there in the world (I'm pretty sure she's from the midwest based on her better-than-Idaho-but-not-as-nice-as-North-Carolina-weather) that I read every day religiously.  Just the one.  And honestly, I love everything she writes.  Everything.  She writes from the heart and every post has something interesting to me.  I've read her blog for nearly three years and even her everyday family life has become a story I enjoy following.  Perhaps it's because I share so many viewpoints in common with her or just because it's nice to have a more experienced mother with ideals I share to learn from.

So, who is she?  Her name is Sarah and she blogs here at Clover Lane.  She is a Catholic stay-at-home-mom of five, four boys and one girl.  Her kids range from a senior in high school all the way down to Miriam's age.

She writes about all sorts of life things.  Her life as a mom, mostly, but other things too sometimes.  She really is one smart lady and has a lot of life's lessons figured out.  I try to take her learned-the-hard-way-lessons and make them my own before I, too, learn the hard way, but sometimes I fail.  She writes about that too.  She writes about life and family and motherhood and birth and loss and pressures and guilt-trips we mothers go through on this journey of mothering.  And then everything in between.  Go check her out!  Start with her Popular Posts list on the side and then go read everything else.  Everything.  I promise you won't regret it.

Christmas 2011

We had a whole weekend full of parties between both sides of Owen's family and some present run-over into Monday.  I'm worn-out from all of it, but will hopefully be recovered well enough by Saturday for Miriam's birthday/New Year's Eve.  But, before all that excitement happens, here's pictures from our little family's Christmas morning.

Santa came.

Miriam was so excited about that.  I think this is the first year she really experienced all the anticipation of Christmas and seeing that Santa really did come after all the waiting and waiting was just magic to her.  I love Christmas with little ones!!  They make it so fun.

We started the "German" Pickle Tradition this year (apparently it's widely debated where this tradition actually came from -- I don't care, I think it's fun and we are doing it).  My family had a pickle ornament growing up but the tradition never really stuck.  I'm determined to have it for our family, so I made a special money star as the prize for finding the pickle.

I knew Miriam would really be the only child looking for it this year, but I'm ok with that too.  She had fun searching for it without competition from siblings.

She found it!

Then we checked out our stockings.

Then Miriam learned the art of present sorting.

We let the girls take turns opening their presents and then Owen and I opened ours while they sat and played with all their new things.

Miriam got lots of games and a new baby doll that looks like her.

Liesl also got a baby doll and the rest of the accessories to their dollhouse.

Santa brought a fun little slide that folds up for easy storage.  Although it's been out and being used regularly since Christmas so we will see how often it is put away.

Santa also brought the girls a little kitchen/doctor's office/nursery set.  It's also been a hit since Christmas.

I got some new books, a paper trimmer (woohoo to not cutting paper with an exacto and quilting rulers anymore!), a new watch (since mine recently broke) a gorgeous framed copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World from my sister, some sewing patterns and a big pillow.  I'm a lucky girl.

Owen got a bunch of movies, a few books, a survival knife, a tool box and a blu-ray player.

We were all so blessed this Christmas!

Science Center Visit

The local natural science center discounts their annual family passes in December so I figured I'd better get myself in gear and go get one before December ran out.  Owen had the day off and we wanted him to come so today was our day.  We had a fun visit despite the lack of pictures.  But there was this humongous, no-fear turkey wandering around the outdoor exhibits and I just couldn't pass up the photo-op.

Check him out!!  He's like half as tall as Miriam and more than twice as wide.  He's a BIG bird!

He followed us around for a while and would let people walk right up to him.  As soon as someone reached out to touch him, though, he backed away.

The Reason for the Season

It has been a wonderful Christmas day.  It was stressful, yet so nice, to have church and Christmas all bundled into the same day.  I loved hearing our ward choir's Christmas program.  It really helped me keep my mind on the true reason for Christmas.  And now that our family is back to the comfort of our home after spending the last two days running to different parties and such, I felt that the perfect ending to the Christmas season would be to watch A Gift to the World from the new The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos put out by my Church.  They are so well done and a perfect way to view the scripture stories.

Merry Christmas, and may you, too, remember that He is the reason for the season.  What a great gift for each of us!

Christmas Greetings!

We sent out our very first Christmas card this year because this year was the first Christmas since we've been married that we haven't been living on a student budget!  Woohoo for that!  But I know I missed a lot of people since I'm new at this and some people just haven't received theirs because I accidentally left a stack of cards by my computer, ready-to-go, and they haven't been mailed yet.  Sorry!  So, for those I missed or those who haven't gotten theirs or just those who want to see it again, here's our family Christmas card.

And here's our Christmas letter, minus the cute paper.

The Marshall Family

· 2011 Highlights ·

·         Owen completed his semester-long senior internship in Woods Cross, Utah while Haylee and the girls braved another Rexburg, Idaho winter.  Owen came home for the weekends.

·         Haylee made Owen a huge star-patterned quilt as an anniversary surprise while he was gone to Utah.

·         Liesl celebrated her first birthday on March 4^th.

·         Owen & Haylee celebrated their 5^th anniversary on April 29^th.

·         In July, Owen graduated from BYU-Idaho with his bachelor’s in construction management.

·         The next day we packed up everything we own and moved it all to Greensboro, North Carolina where Owen grew up.

·         We officially entered the “real world” when Owen was hired to be the sales manager for the BH Group of North Carolina in August.  He bids and estimates gypsum concrete and roof deck projects. 

·         After spending the first month in North Carolina with family, we moved into our own apartment September 3^rd.

·         Liesl entered nursery in September, so naturally Owen and Haylee were called to be the nursery leaders shortly after.

·         Haylee stays busy doing activities with the girls, completing an occasional craft and reading when she can squeeze it in.

·         Miriam will be 4, December 31^st.  She is learning to read and is a brainy whiz.  Her memory retention always amazes us and she learns new skills and information very quickly.

·         Liesl is developing rapidly, learning new words daily and trying her best to get her way by using them. She has a strong personality and should be a really fun 2-year-old.

Lots of love from Owen, Haylee, Miriam & Liesl!

We still have a family blog ·herewegoroundagain.blogspot.com·  

It is poorly updated now, but Haylee hopes 2012 will be the year of the blog. 

But you already know that last part because you are reading this from my blog already, right?

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Gratitude Challenge - Day 10

10 Things About the Gospel You are Grateful for:

Since it's Christmas Eve Eve and I am busy working like one of Santa's elves and spending time with my family you just get the simplified version tonight.

1. The Atonement
2. Eternal Families
3. The Book of Mormon
4. Living Prophets
5. Knowledge of the Plan of Salvation
6. My Testimony
7. Prayer
8. The Church Organization
9. Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price
10. Simplicity
Bonus -- The Music - I love hymns and the children's songbook hymns.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 9

10 Foods You are Grateful for:

This one is going to be so hard for me.  I really love food so narrowing it all down to just 10 should definitely be a challenge.  Maybe I will have to put in a few extras or do big groups of food for some things.

1. Fruits - If I had to pick an overall favorite I would choose fresh raspberries (has to be fresh).  Mmmm.  But I also really love strawberries and blueberries (only fresh blueberries though -- something about the texture of frozen blueberries icks me out) and all melons (especially cantaloupe, food poisoning risks and all, I will still eat it) peaches and pineapple.  I eat apples, bananas and oranges regularly because they are always available and always pretty good regardless of the season.  I also love mangoes, cherries and pomegranates but they are expensive and not readily available so they are definitely a treat.  I am not a fan of coconut at all.  I'm still grateful for it though because Indian food would just not be the same without coconut milk.  Oh, and we can't forget avocados or tomatoes; they are both technically fruit and I LOVE both, so I am very grateful for them.

2. Vegetables - Mmmm...vegetables.  I will never understand people who say they don't like vegetables.  I L.O.V.E. veggies.  Favorites are asparagus, broccoli, onions, zucchini, bell peppers, yellow (summer) squash, spaghetti squash, romaine/red/green/iceberg lettuce (I love salads), artichokes (fresh, not the yucky canned things), cauliflower, cucumbers and green beans.

3. Italian Food - Lasagna is probably my top favorite, but I love it all.

4. Americanized Chinese Food - I've never had PF Changs or anything like that and I hear those are more authentic Chinese.  I just like a good plate of sweet and sour chicken, fried rice and an egg roll.  I'm a big fan of moo goo gai pan, broccoli chicken or beef, lemon chicken, cashew chicken and chicken almond-ding.

5. Yogurt - No matter how much other meat and dairy I give up, I can never totally give up yogurt.  It is my indulgence.

6. Beans - The perfect protein boost for vegans, vegetarians and whatever we are (which is neither - but we definitely eat less meat than the average American.  My favorite will always be black beans but I have come to love most of them.  Chickpeas are probably at the bottom of my list, but I have even found some yummy recipes with those.

7. Chocolate - Enough said.

8. Soups - I grew up in a soup household and mine will be the same.  In fact, my mom is so pro-soup and has that so well ingrained in me that I didn't even know some people weren't soup families until I was in my early 20s!  Apparently some people don't consider soup meal-worthy.  It's like a side dish or an appetizer or something.  Not at our house.  We love minestrone, bean soups, lentil soups, taco soup, all manner of veggie soups and even some naughty ones like broccoli-cheese, cheddar chowder and zuppa toscana (homemade, of course).

9. The Almighty Cheeseburger - I will always enjoy a good, juicy (read fatty) burger decked with all the trimmings...lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo.  A good "gourmet" burger is always good too.  I love switching things up and having a Bonsai Burger from Red Robin or any other fun switch up to the traditional cheeseburger.  But really, sometimes, it's best to not mess with tried and true.

10. Bread and other Grains - I love bread and I love grains.  All sorts.  They are just delicious and I am grateful for them all.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 8

10 Modern Inventions You are Grateful for:

1. Music Listening Devices - I love, love, love to listen to music and I can't imagine how sad my life would be without the ability to do this.  I can listen to the radio, to CDs and mp3 files, directly from the internet and even on my TV (and we don't even have cable!).  Music is so readily available these days and I love it...although there is definitely some trashy music I could do without.

2. Plumbing - It is a good thing I was born during this time period of the world.  I would be a wreck without showers and flush toilets and all the other great things that come by having running water.

3. Water Heaters - As great as having a shower is, it would really stink if they were all cold showers.  Owen experienced that almost his entire mission and I think I would almost rather go without a shower than have a cold one every day.  So, I'm grateful for hot water and you should probably be grateful for it too, because you don't want to smell me when I haven't showered in a few days.

4. Heat - I am a total wimp when it comes to my body temperature not feeling just right.  I don't like to be cold at all.

5. Air Conditioning and Ceiling Fans - As much as I dislike being cold, I don't like being hot either.  It may take a good 75+ degrees for me to actually call a house hot inside, but once it gets to that point, I am grateful for AC.  Owen and I spent our first summer married without AC and I remember our 3rd floor apartment regularly reaching 90+ degrees, and all our windows were North/South facing.  Last summer our apartment was East/West facing and even with our AC unit cranking we still got up to 80 degrees on occasion.  I was very grateful for AC then and I'm sure I will be grateful for air conditioning more than even for my first full summer in North Carolina.

6. Cars and Good Roadways - I can't even imagine life without cars.  I think it would take me all day to get to and from the nearest grocery store if I had to walk and a good couple hours on bike.  And the grocery store is one of the closer destinations to our house.  Church would be really hard to travel to without a car, so I'm grateful I don't have to.

7. Airplanes - Without airplanes, it is a lot less likely Owen and I would have ever gone to the same University.  On the off-chance we still had (maybe he would have made it by train?) visiting our families would be a rarity for sure.  So I'm grateful for airplanes bringing Owen and I together and grateful that because of them we can continue to see our families.

8. Household Appliances (Washer, Dryer, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Stove/Oven, etc.) - My life is so much easier because of all of these.

9. Phones - I have always been far away from someone I love.  I grew up with both sets of grandparents far away and the phone was always the way we talked because the internet was unheard of back then still.  When I was younger the telephone was our only option.  Phones have have changed and improved so much since then and now I can call family and friends while I am out running errands or doing whatever.  Plus, with cell phones I can call long distance and have it be no different than any other call I make.  Sure beats crazy high long distance bills or using those pre-paid long distance calling cards (remember those? -- they probably still exist, but I don't use them anymore).

10. Computers and Internet - Wow, have these changed how we live!  My kids are going to grow up in a crazy computer-filled world.  Miriam already knows how to do a million things on the computer and on Owen's smart-phone.  Little kids soak up all the technology so fast!  It really is a good thing, although it can be quite dangerous, and I am grateful for all the benefits of computers and the internet.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 7

10 Places on Earth You are Grateful for:

1. Idaho - I'm Idaho born and raised and there is just something about the wide open brown spaces that I will always love.

(Source)

2. North Carolina - My new home.  I love the trees and the much warmer weather.  I even like the humidity and heat.

3. BYU-Idaho - Owen and I met there.  We started our family there.  Both earned degrees from there.  There will always be a piece of my heart in Rexburg, on the BYU-Idaho campus and at University Village, the place we called home for 5+ years.

(Source)

4. Outdoors - I love nature and being in it, just not sleeping in it.  I value flush toilets, bug free living and cleanliness too much to enjoy camping.  But I love to hike and be surrounded by trees and mountains and trails and streams and all that good outdoorsy stuff.  It is so easy for me to see all the beauty God has placed on this earth for us when I am out in it.

5. My Own Little Apartment - It's quaint and homey and I love it.  It's nice to have some space to call my own.

6. The Temple - I miss having one five minutes (probably not even that long) from me, but I am grateful to have one in the same state, at least.

(Source)

7. My Parent's Home - I love being at my parent's house.  It is cozy and calm and everyone who walks through the door feels at home (at least that's what everyone tells me -- because for me it was home so I imagine it will always have that feel to me).

8. Italy - My family has lots of roots to Sicily and I love having an Italian heritage.  But my gratitude for Italy is a little more superficial than ancestry.  I really love Italian food, so I am grateful for a place with so much good food.  Hopefully I will get to visit someday and experience it all for real.

9. Restaurants - As much as Owen and I love to cook, we love to eat out too.  It's just nice to have something different sometimes, not to mention, they clean up.  I'm a huge fan of that part.

10. Craft/Fabric Stores - I'm a crafter through and through and I definitely feel a little pitter-patter in my heart when I walk through the doors of a craft or fabric store.  I could spend hours and hours and hours in there if I could justify it.  When I have my girls with me though, I'm usually on a mission to get what I need and get out before they break something or cause a scene.  And really, that's probably a very good thing because I don't need to waste all my time or money on crafts.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 6

10 Things About Today You are Grateful for:

1. My Visiting Teacher - I have the best visiting teacher.  I have been lucky enough to have an awesome teacher for the past 3 or 4 years (not all the same person even) and I love it.  I love having someone who not only wants to come see me and genuinely cares how I'm doing but who talks to me frequently because I am a friend and not just a check on her to-do list.

2. Having Owen Home for Lunch - He doesn't always get to come home for lunch and lately he's been so busy at work that he is at work for lunch more days than he is home, but he was home today.

3. Good News - This one is technically from yesterday, but I got some really good news that still has me smiling today.  I love getting good news, especially news that you've been hoping and praying and waiting for. Too bad I can't tell you what it is, huh?

4. Shindigs with Family - My niece, Linlee, turned one on Saturday so we got together with family to celebrate tonight and eat cake.

ice cream - yum

white chocolate bunny ear - yum

5. A Nap - Both girls woke up at 5:30 because Liesl had pooped (which never happens in the middle of the night) and she was screaming...which is why Miriam was up too.  After getting the problem solved, I got them both back to sleep, but I couldn't.  So, by 10:30 when I was dragging, I knew I would need a nap.  My sweet Miriam agreed to let me if I would let her watch TV.

6. Leftovers for Lunch - I love when lunchtime rolls around and I have leftovers all ready for me to eat.  It makes lunch so fast and easy.  I just make the girls sandwiches or quesadillas or something else fast and easy and I get to eat my leftovers.

7. Menu Planning - I actually don't mind menu planning like a lot of other people seem to, but that might be because I like to cook and I have a really large repertoire to work from.  So, today, I knew exactly what I was making and had all my ingredients ready and it made dinner prep easy and fast.  I'm not a fan of not knowing what to make for dinner or not having all the ingredients for something I want to make.  I like when I feel organized and my life runs smoothly and it did today.

8. Early Mornings - As tired as I was from being awake earlier than usual, I was able to get showered and ready for the day before my kids woke up and that always makes my day go better.

9. A Clean Kitchen - I wish I could say my kitchen was clean all the time, but Owen and I have a tendency to go in waves.  Sometimes it is really clean and sometimes it is really messy, not ever in between though.  Having a tight kitchen seems to amplify this.  With only 3 or 4 feet of total counter space, it is easy to have them all covered and then the kitchen looks like a disaster.  The blessing of this, though, is that even when the kitchen looks like a bomb went off, it usually only takes an hour or less to have everything spotless again (including the floor).  And today it is clean already, so it should take about 10 minutes to clean up dinner.  

10. Watching Miriam and Liesl Together - My girls really are best friends and like all best friends they have their moments where they fight and don't get along, but most of the time they are really sweet together.  I love to watch them play and read and pretend together.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 5

10 Things About Nature You are Grateful for:

1. Sunsets - Idaho has some of the most beautiful sunsets ever.  Seriously.  I've been told the latitude has something to do with it.  Also, it's always windy there, so the debris always floating throughout the atmosphere makes more vibrant colors.  I'm sure it doesn't hurt that it's wide open there too so you can actually see the sky.  Oh, I miss my Idaho sunsets.

2. Seasons - I love autumn and usually tell people it's my favorite, and it is.  But when spring comes around I love it too.  And although I don't say I love winter or summer, there really is a lot to love about both.  They both hold my favorite holidays (Independence Day and Christmas), so I'm sure that helps.  Really though, I just love that it changes and that the earth renews itself.  There is something to love from every season of the earth.

3. Mountains - I love me some big Rocky Mountains.  I grew up in the Snake River Plain where you are nearly surrounded on all sides by the Rockies.  They aren't super close but an hour drive gets you so near the Tetons you feel like you could throw a rock and hit them.  You can't really; they are still VERY far away, but it is such a fun illusion that I always want to try anyway.

(Source)

4. Clouds - Do you remember lying on your back in the grass or on the trampoline watching the cloud float by and arguing with your friends about which was what shape?  Maybe that was just my childhood, but we definitely had a unique neighborhood.  I loved looking for cloud shapes then and I still love it now when I stop long enough to look.

5. Trees - Even before I met Owen, I always had a thing for the east coast.  I loved looking at pictures or watching movies set back east because there were so many trees!  It was almost magical how many there were.  I still love all the trees and I am grateful for their beauty throughout the seasons.

6. Flowers - Oh, I love flowers.  My mom has a pretty good green thumb and growing up we had tulips and roses in our yard.  I loved the roses.  When my parents built their new house my mom left the higher maintenance type roses out of her yard plans but she now has daffodils, irises, dahlias, poppies, daisies and all sorts of other wild flowers along with the tulips.  She plants lots of annuals every year too and I love all the color and variety.  My oldest, sister, has caught my parent's gardening bug and her yard is so fun to walk through now too.  She has mums and primoses and probably 15+ more that I can't think of or remember the names to, and she knows each of their names and sunlight requirements and she just keeps a beautiful flower garden.

cherry blossoms in my mom's yard.

7. Rain - I love rain.  I don't love driving in it; that scares the daylights out of me.  But I love the pitter-patter, I love the smell, I love the colors and sights it brings and I even love the storms (when they aren't interrupting my sleep - I have no idea how Owen can sleep through the crazy loud thunder).  Best of all about rain...puddle jumping.  My friends and I used to go to a part of our neighborhood that would flood every time it rained and go wade through the nasty water and jump and splash.  Now, with little ones of my own, I love watching them gravitate to every little spot of standing water just to jump into it.  Not to mention, where else would we get rainbows?

8. Gardens - I've already mentioned that my mom and sister have some mad gardening skills, but it doesn't just stop at flowers.  They both grow amazing vegetable (and some fruits) gardens every summer.  My dad and my brother-in-law, Kelly, both get involved with this endeavor too.  It really is a family project and we all enjoy the fruits of our their labors, namely tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, carrots, onions, bell peppers, radishes, peas.  Oh yum, is it garden season yet?  I could really go for a good garden-grown tomato.

9. Snow - Yes, you read that right.  I am grateful for snow.  I probably wouldn't be so grateful for this if I were still in Idaho right now, but I'm not so I'm slightly missing the snow and the probability of a white Christmas.  Snow really can be fun though.  I learned to ski when I was 14 and I loved it.  I haven't been at all since Owen and I got married because it is ex.pen.sive. but hopefully one day I will get out in the powder again and maybe even teach Owen!  Plus, sledding and snow angels and snow ball fight and forts.  I remember doing all of those every winter as a child.  So, although I'm sure I would curse it if I was in it now, I am grateful for it and slightly wish I could see a flake or two.

Miriam making snow angels at Grandma's - January 2011

Liesl all bundled up and plopped in the snow - January 2011

10. Wind - Again, I know it sounds crazy, but I've come to appreciate wind a little more now that I'm not bombarded with it daily.  Wind really can be refreshing though and it certainly is to our earth.  It is a necessary part of nature and I am grateful for it.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 4

10 deceased people you are grateful for:

This one might be a little harder for me today.  I haven't had a lot of people close to me pass away yet and that's something I'm very grateful for.  And I don't have many words to write about the people who are deceased that I am grateful for.  We will see how it goes...

1. Joseph Smith - He translated the Book of Mormon and brought about the restoration of Christ's true church.  I am grateful for the many sacrifices he made to make The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day-Saints possible.

2. Gordon B. Hinckley - He was the Prophet of my youth and I always loved him dearly.  I loved his push for more temples throughout the world.  I loved his Book of Mormon challenge.  I loved his optimistic outlook on everything in life (his wife's too).  He was just a great man and I am grateful he was the prophet for so long and during such an influential time of my life.

3. Grandma Rose - My grandma rose just recently passed away actually and I wouldn't say we were very close, but I am grateful for her raising my amazing mom.  I'm sure she taught my mom many of the skills she knows and I am very grateful for that because my mom has taught me a lot of her trick too!  Oh, and she's Italian and used to make a killer lasagna.  Mine never even come close.

4. Owen's Mammaw - Owen's grandma was one of the first converts to the church in this area of the south.  She is considered a pioneer for the church around here.  Because of her, Owen's dad stayed active and raised Owen in the church also.  It is easy to underestimate the choices we each make, but this shows how much of a legacy for good or bad we create by our choices.

5. Grandpa Norman - I didn't know my Grandpa Norman very well.  He passed away when I was 8 and he was sick most of the other times my family visited.  I am grateful he raised my dad though.  My dad is a great man and I'm sure he picked up some of this from my grandpa.

6. Grandpa Leo - I loved my Grandpa Leo a lot.  I may have been a spoiled little girl to him, but boy, did he let me get away with it!  I'm grateful he put up with me so I can now have many good memories of my grandpa.

7. Johannes Gutenberg - He invented the printing press and because of that many religious texts (including the Bible) were available to more people.  Little catalysts like this were vital pieces to the full restoration of the gospel.

8. Martin Luther - My sister did a project in school about Martin Luther and I remember learning a thing or two about him then.  He is most well known for being the German priest who posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Catholic church.  This sparked the Reformation.  Many churches came about after this time and the commotion between them all during the 1800s influenced Joseph Smith's desire to find which church was God's true church.

9. Lucille Ball - This one might seem silly, but I first discovered 'I Love Lucy' when I was 12 or 13 and fell in love.  I knew when each episode aired and rarely missed any of the repeat episodes that were played on TV for months and months until I started seeing them over again...and even then I still watched some of them again.  So, I had a lame teenage existence.  Oh well.  I thought she was hilarious and I probably still would if I went back and watched them again.

10. Founding Fathers - I am so grateful to live in the United States of America.  We may have our problems and have definitely come a long way from the world the Founding Fathers lived in (some good things, some not so good at all) but this is still the greatest nation out there.  I am blessed to be a born and raised American.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 3

 10 Living People You are Grateful for:

1. Owen - There really are no words for this so I will just sum it up by saying he is absolutely perfect for me in every way.  I am a lucky girl to have him!



2. My Children - I love being a mom.  I love that I get to be with my kids full-time and that we can play and learn and love altogether all the time.  It's hard sometimes but so rewarding and I love that I can see life through their curious eyes and that they teach me so much about how I really should be.

My cute girls playing in their "cars" while we were unpacking.

3. My Parents - I have the best. parents. ever.  Seriously.  My dad is amazing.  My mom is amazing.  Anyone who knows them, knows this.

4. Sisters - I have lots of sisters.  Two I grew up with and a whole bunch of sisters-in-law.  I love them all.

5. Owen's Parents - I am so grateful for good in-laws who raised a good, strong man for me to marry.  I'm also grateful that they love me and my children.

6. Carrien - Best. Friend. Ever.  Carrien is the perfect friend for me.  She drags my behind out of bed so I can go on big long walks and work the cookies off that we ate while crafting the night before.  She even drags me to the gym in the evening so we can really work off the fat.  Plus, she's funny and crafty and a good cook/baker and gorgeous.  She's kind and always watching out for everyone else.  There's just a lot of great things about her.  Of course, I went and left her all freezing cold in Rexburg so now we just get to text and chat on the phone.  It's not nearly as fun but I am still so grateful to have met her and become friends with her.

Carrien and I the day before we left Idaho.  Lots and lots of tears that day.

7. Rachel - The other best friend  in my life.  Rachel and I have known one another since we were 7 and been friends almost as long.  That's close to 20 years!  That's a long time for someone who's only 25.  She was my next door neighbor for 5 years and ever since we were 12 we have had a long-distance relationship.  So, although we don't see each other much now, we are still great friends and can pick up right where we left off last time we talked.

8. Young Women's Leaders - Young Women's feels like a really long time ago, but I often think back on my amazing leaders and how influential they were to me.  Becky (Sister Goodwin) and Jodi (Sister Parker) were my favorites and boy, oh boy, did they have a tough job being my leaders.  I was not an easy teenager to deal with, but they loved me despite my strong personality and helped me develop part of who I am to day.

9. First Presidency & General Authorities - I am so grateful to live in a time when Prophets are on the earth again to lead and guide us.  I really love listening to and reading their words.  They always say just the right things at just the right time for me.  It's just another testament to me that Heavenly Father is aware of me personally and that He speaks through His Prophets.

10. Jesus Christ - I have a hard time putting my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, into words.  I owe Him everything and I will never even come close, yet He loves me anyway.  He has provided me not only the opportunity to repent and always try to become better, but hope and strength through trials and the chance to be with my family forever.  So, any profession of gratitude will never be enough, but I will continue to say it anyway.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 2

10 Material Possessions You are Grateful for:

1. Minivan - Once upon a time, as a dumb teenager, I said I would never be a minivan mom.  Then I had kids and practicality hit me over the head.  And now I have a minivan and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love being a minivan mom.  And I really love MY minivan, in particular.  Leather with heated seats, awesome JBL sound system, automatic everything.  It's pretty awesome.

I also love that we paid 4,000 less than blue book for it and 2,000 less even than all the other comparable vans we looked at that were standard, no nothin' special at all included, minivans.  The best part?  It's technically paid off.  We took out a loan on it to build our "I Love Debt Score" (yeah, we are Dave Ramsey nuts) credit score because we will be buying a house next year and our credit score will make a huge difference in our mortgage interest rate.  So, just for the van purchase we created a minivan savings account that will pay toward the loan for a year when it will be paid off.  So I love my minivan and I really love not having to worry about how to pay for it.

2. Bosch Mixer - Oh man, my mixer.  We have quite a few kitchen appliances, most of which I truly love and would be sad to cook/bake without.  But of all of them, the one I am sooooooo grateful for is my mixer.  Now, if you don't know what a Bosch even is, just imagine your top-of-the-line Kitchenaid and then imagine waaaaaay better than that.  Because it is.

I grew up with a Bosch and you could say we are a Bosch family.  I'm sure having any stand mixer is better than none, but for a foodie, the Bosch is the way to go.  It will last FOR-EV-ER.  Whereas, just regularly making bread in a Kitchenaid will wear it out FAST!  My mom's Bosch is old, like really old, but still works like a dream.  I make bread almost every week in it and will continue to until I decide I don't like homemade bread as much as store-bought anymore (like that will ever happen).  It's amazing for cookies and brownies and cakes and frosting and all sorts of delicious things too (even non-desserts -- but why would I make any of those?).  I plan on mine lasting me till I'm a grandma and then I can pass it down to my grandchildren.

3. Comfy Bed - I'm truly grateful for all the "stuff" I own and grateful just to have a place to sleep in general.  But every time I sleep in a bed that isn't my own, I'm am reminded just how comfortable my bed is.  It's just a Sam's Club mattress, nothing special, I suppose, but it is so comfy.  I love it.  And it has a nice, worn-in quilt on the top (more on that in a second) that makes it dreamy to sleep in.

4. Quilts - I mentioned yesterday that I was raised by a quilter, but there is just something so cozy and comforting about sleeping or snuggling with a quilt instead of a duvet/comforter/blanket/whatever.  Once you have, you will never want to go back.  Plus, there is just something so sweet about being wrapped up in something someone worked so hard on and put so much love into.  One of my visiting teachers made a snarky comment to me one time that she just couldn't understand why someone would take so much time to cut fabric up into little pieces just to sew it all together again.  She obviously doesn't understand the heritage of a quilt.  Each piece is carefully cut, sometimes out of special (occasionally even heirloom) fabric, then arranged artistically to create a new picture, then quilted and bound and gifted to someone with love.  See, if you meet a quilter, you will find that while they do keep a fair amount of the quilts they make, they usually gift quite a few too because quilting is about the love poured into it, not just about sewing little pieces of cut up fabric together.  Phew, off my quilting soapbox.  Find yourself a quilt (or better yet, make one) and then snuggle up with it and tell me it is better than your store-bought one.  I dare you.

5. Crafting Tools - This was too hard of a category for me to narrow down, so I'm just including it all.  I guess if I was forced to pick JUST ONE thing, I would go with my sewing machine.  But I love my Silhouette (electronic cutter) and all the other little things that help bring my creativity to life.  My fabric stash, my 20 types of glue, markers, crayons, pastels, oils, paint, paper, thread, yarn, ribbons, ric rac.  Oh, I could go on.  It is so nice to have when I'm working on a project because I can just grab parts and pieces and get my projects done fast.  If I have to go to the store to buy something to fix or finish a project, it seriously slows down my progress...and motivation.

6. Washer and Dryer - I may complain about having piles of laundry on occasion, but really, I have it so good.  I don't have to go down to the river to scrub my clothes on a rock, or have to boil water and wash them by hand on a washboard and ring them through that ringer outer thingy.  I just throw them in, add some soap and turn it on and voila! it's done.  I'm am so blessed.

7. Computer - I have a love/hate relationship with the computer.  I hate it because I don't fully understand it and it is frustrating to use a tool that doesn't always work how you think you told it to.  I also hate it because it can be a huge time sucker.  There is a lot of good available through computers too and I'm grateful for those aspects.  I try to use the computer for good and wise purposes only to make sure I am using my time the best way possible.  Reading blogs used to make it tough for me, so I cut out a bunch of blogs and now only read good friends, family and a few crafty blogs.  Facebook used to make it hard too, so I got rid of it.  Now, Pinterest makes it difficult for me to stay in the "only choosing the best" game of life, but I justify it because I get so many great ideas and am able to organize them so efficiently.  But I still often wonder "at what cost?"  Am I giving myself idea overload?  Does being on Pinterest make it easier to be content with who I am and what I have or does encourage comparison and feelings of inadequacy?  I haven't yet come to terms with giving it up too.  So, for now, just know I am grateful for my computer, but I feel like I fight battles with it EVERY stinkin' day.

8. Books - I was raised by readers in a book-filled household.  I am a reader.  I've turned my husband into a reader.  And now I am teaching my kids to be readers by reading to them and even by teaching Miriam to read on her own.  I love the books I own and I love that I have many libraries available to get even more books to read.  There's a whole other world out there in print and I love discovering it!

9. Furniture - Owen and I have been very blessed throughout our marriage to have been given a lot of furniture.  Other than our mattress (and our girls' mattresses, come to think of it) which was brand new, every piece of furniture we own has been a hand me down or bought second hand.  And of the money we have put into furniture, we've spent under $500.  We have super comfy couches that I hope to recover in a neutral someday soon, a solid hardwood table Owen and I refinished and many fun accent pieces (bookcases, end tables, desks, etc.) that all bring a relaxing ambiance to our home.

10. Pooh Bear and Piglet - There's just something to be said about a child's comfort object.  There is no price to them.  They are soft and worn in and smell just right.  If lost, it would be hard to duplicate a replacement that was good enough, so lets just hope that never happens.  Miriam received Pooh Bear as a gift from Aunt Wendy when she turned 1.  We decided that having a different Pooh character would be a fun tradition for our children so we gave Liesl Piglet for her first birthday.  Each girl LOVES her animal dearly and for that I am grateful.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 1

10 Physical Abilities You are Grateful for:

1. Healthy Body - I currently have a cold, so this is actually on my mind quite a bit today.  I don't get sick often though and when I do get sick I recover quickly.  My body is amazing.  I remember my dad always pointing out to me how cool it was that my body could heal itself when it had a cut or bruise or whatever.  It really is cool!  So, while I'm not indestructible, my body is healthy and knows how to repair itself when something comes along and throws a kink in its usually perfectly functioning rhythms. 

2. Motherhood - Another friend of mine is also doing this challenge on her blog and she posted about her easy pregnancies and how she is so grateful for that.  Mine aren't quite as picture perfect as hers (she doesn't get sick or even get really big...lucky duck) but I do get pregnant easily and have never had the sorrow of losing a child through miscarriage or at a later time.  And despite morning (all day) sickness and some typical aches and pains that I'm not a huge fan of, I have textbook perfect pregnancies.  I have always wanted to be a mom as far back as I can remember, and I know that many struggle to receive the blessing of motherhood  and I try to be extra grateful that it has come to my life so readily.

  

3. Coordination - I'm no star athlete or prima ballerina, but I have been involved in many sports (clogging and tennis are my favorites) throughout my lifetime and I generally pick up new kinesthetic skills with ease.  

4. Strength - Again, nothing most would seem noteworthy, but I consider myself a very strong person.  Maybe mentally more so than physically, but I have given birth to two babies without medication, so my body obviously has a fair amount of gusto in it.  I would love to run a half marathon (dare I say a full?) someday, but I haven't convinced the physical side of me that it's possible yet.  Someday, though, someday...

5. Vision - I'm not talking about by eyesight, although that's on my list too...getting there.  This is more of my artistic vision.  I have a strong sense of visual spacial aspects.  When I am working on a project or thinking about working on a project I can usually see everything down to the last tiny detail clearly in my mind.  I'm obviously not so good at explaining my visions though, because I often get the "You want to do what?" look from friends and family members only to do the project anyway and be met with "Wow, that turned out really nice!"  Always the tone of surprise.  One day, maybe people will stop questioning my vision and just roll with it.  

6. Crafty Capabilities - Anyone who knows me well, knows that this is my passion.  I love to create!!  My mom is a master quilter and she began teaching me quilting basics when I was 12 or 13.  I've made a number of quilts since then and with the exception of matching a point on triangles or a little pucker here and there, I have a natural knack for quilting.  Maybe when my kids are grown and I have time to be bored (ha, what is that?) I can make quilts all the time like my mom, until then, I will sketch, plan and delegate cute quilts for her to make my kids and me.  I don't just quilt though, I love my sewing machine for all sorts of other sewing crafts (except clothes, making clothes still scares me, not that I couldn't do it, but that I might spend a lot of time on something and then not love how it fits...scary thought) and I am a master with a glue gun.  I make hair bows and home decor and whatever else pops into my brain.

7. How Children Develop - Having had babies of my own, I have sat in awe and how perfect those little beings are.  They come to this earth with the basic reflexes needed to survive with a generous, full-time caregiver.  From there, they gradually learn everything they need to know and do to be independent and self-sufficient.  They learn to crawl, walk, feed themselves and talk all within the first years of life.  From there they learn more gross and fine motor skills and develop the ability to read, study and reason.  I love watching life and this world unfold through my children's eyes.

8. Musical Abilities - I have a pretty good singing voice and I do know how to play the clarinet and some basic piano, so although I have some capabilities in this area, I really appreciate others' musical talents more than my own.  My sister is an amazing (like seriously amazing) pianist.  She has little children and lots of other obligations and doesn't get to play very much now, but when we were growing up she practiced over an hour every day.  Good stuff too, classics.  I loved it then, but I definitely took it for granted.  What I wouldn't give to have a real live person playing a real live piano at my house everyday.  Until then, Pandora will just have to do.  

9. Basic Body Functions - You know, ears that hear, eyes that see, a heart that pumps, lungs that inhale and exhale, etc.  So many things about my body just happen; I don't have to think about them.  But by them I am able to fully enjoy so many of the other things I am grateful for.  

10. My Eyes and Hair - These are kind of a stretch as they aren't really physical abilities, but rather attributes.  Either way, I am really grateful for gorgeous dark brown eyes and silky soft, yet surprisingly strong hair.  I would be very sad to lose either of these.

The Choice to Be Grateful

I love the December 2011 First Presidency Message on choosing gratitude.  It is so fitting for this time of year when people are all consumed with lists of things they want, often forgetting all the great blessings they already have (I know I'm often guilty of this).  President Henry B. Eyring begins the message by saying, "Our Father in Heaven commands us to be thankful in all things (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18), and He requires that we give thanks for the blessings we receive (see D&C 46:32). We know that all of His commandments are intended to make us happy, and we also know that to break commandments leads to misery...So to be happy and to avoid misery, we must have a grateful heart."

Well, that's easy then, right?  Just have a grateful heart, you'll be happy, avoid misery.  Life will be great!  Oh, well sometimes my brain thinks it should be that easy and then reality hits.  President Eyring continues, "We must ask in prayer that God, by the power of the Holy Ghost, will help us see our blessings clearly even in the midst of our trials. He can help us by the power of the Spirit to recognize and be grateful for blessings we take for granted." 

So all I have to do is ask Heavenly Father to help me recognize my blessings and I will have a grateful heart?!  Woohoo!  Again, not always that easy...but, I have found that developing gratitude is one of the easier character traits to develop, at least for me.  So, when I'm feeling grumpy, entitled, ungrateful, bitter, jealous, etc. etc. etc. here's what I do.  I grab a sheet of paper (any kind will do) and then I write down a whole bunch of blessings.  Anything I can think of.  Before I know it, I have usually filled a whole page or two and my mind and heart are instantly overflowing with gratitude for everything I have.

So when I saw the Gratitude Challenge for the Youth at the bottom of the First Presidency Message, I was super excited to participate.  I plan to do one of the 10 categories each day leading up to Christmas, then by Christmas day I will have a list of 100 things I am grateful for as my gift to Christ this year.  Feel free to join me!

Trunk or Treat 2011

Blogging Hiatus

It's been a while.  Meh.  Not because I haven't had anything to blog about or because we've just been so busy I haven't had a chance.  I just haven't wanted to.  And I'm stubborn, so when I don't want to do something, there is very little that will change my mind otherwise.  So, although for months I've had person after person nag, prod, poke, remind, etc. that I haven't updated my blog even once in 2011, I knew deep down I wouldn't be satisfied unless it was my own will pushing me to post something.  It's finally happened...I want to blog!  Tonight, at least! So, don't get your hopes up, but at least you have something to look at for the next little while in case I disappear from your updates for another nine months or so.  I'd promise a family update from 2011, but I'm not feeling that motivated today.  Maybe another day...maybe.

Primary Program 2011

This year was Miriam's first time participating in our church's annual Primary program.  I was really excited for her.  She loves to sing and loves to be the center of attention, so naturally I figured the Primary program would be the perfect place for her.  I was right that she would love singing in front of everyone, but boy was she crazy up there on the stand!  She was hopping around and going up and back from her seat to the front of the stage.

We've been working on her part for a couple of weeks and she knows it well, but she's a little stubborn and when she got up to the microphone she looked right at the Primary President with the "I need help" look so she didn't say it on her own for the actual program.  Oh well, at least she can recite her line to me all day long.  "I am thankful for Joseph Smith."  I caught a video of it this morning before we left for church.

I also tried to grab a picture of her since I had gone though the effort to fight the hair battle.  You know, the one where the child will do anything to avoid having their hair done (Heaven forbid Mom might comb the tangles --not to even mention the curling iron)?  Well after nearly 30 minutes of wiggles, I got it combed and curled and slipped a bow in to keep it out of her face and I wanted a picture to prove it!  Plus, I scored this adorable navy polka dot dress at a consignment sale and I think she's just precious in it.  Here's how the photos turned out:

Miriam is slightly stubborn.  These are seriously the best I could get!  And since Liesl is Miriam's tag-along, she wanted in on the action too.  After not even getting one child to cooperate, I knew my chances of a decent picture with both together was slim, so after just a few I got this one and called it good.

The picture may be lousy, but the girls sure are gorgeous and photogenic!  Oh, and that little Liesl girl...two weeks ago was her first official day of nursery (we've been taking her in for a month or so, so she could warm-up to the idea or being away from mom and dad -- and then of course we were called to be the nursery leaders).  Can't believe she's 18 months already!!