29 Things I've Learned

1. Life rarely turns our the way you planned

2. Expect the unexpected

3. Eat chocolate - it's worth it

4. Enjoy the little things

5. Look around you - there's always something beautiful to see

6. Heavenly Father loves us and knows each one of us

7. Find something you love and do it often

8. Life is more fun when you surround yourself with those who love you

9. Always wear your seat belt

10. You can do harder things than you know - especially with our Heavenly Fathers help

11. Stop and smell the flowers

12. Sing in the car - who cares who is watching

13. When you are generous with others, it always comes back to bless you

14. There IS beauty all around when there's love at home

15. Pray always

16. Sacrifices for your kids are so worth it

17. Nothing like a few kind words to heal a broken spirit

18. Do something you think you can't at least once - and then see how strong you REALLY are

19. Love others - it makes you a prettier person inside

20. Look for the good things in even the worst situation - it makes you happier

21. Don't fret about those last 5 pounds. It usually comes off when you're not looking.

22. Learn how to do the Heimlich Manuever and CPR. It's important.

23. Little baby kisses are the best

24. Be silly - it's highly underrated

25. Sing - even if you can't carry a tune in a bucket.

26. Travel at least once to somewhere you've always wanted to go

27. You don't need everything you THINK you need

28. Keep an eternal perspective

29. People are more important than things

This Needs To Be Documented for Posterity!

Aftyn just took her first "on purpose" steps! Yay!

Sadly, my camera batteries just died trying to take a picture of this momentous event.

Just try to imagine a hesitant little baby/toddler

walking for yummy cereal pieces her mama is enticing

her with.

You gotta use what works, right?

12 am Musings

It doesn't get much more real than this. Check out how long my hair was then. :( I miss it a little bit.


I love Friday Nights. It's the one night of the whole week when if I feel like it, I stay up really late. Just because it's Friday. Maybe that's why Saturdays haven't been very productive for me lately?



Sometimes on nights like these, I sit and wonder about my life. Tonights musing : If the people around me can see who I authentically am and if they appreciate me for it. Don't we all wonder this at some time or another? Along with this would obviously come the thought, do I appreciate the people around me and can I see/feel who they authentically are?



I like authentic people. Not the people who let all the bad stuff hang out all the time because they think that's what being authentic means. Authentic people let you see the good mixed with the bad and don't apologize for the bad because it's real. Like mothers who mother in public. I love them. Mothering needs to happen wherever it needs to happen, in my opinion. I'm not condoning public spankings - but if that's what works in discipling your child - just take it outside so no one else has to see. :)



I can also appreciate people who can move on from the past and leave it there. Sometimes people make dumb choices, are immature, or are just plain childish. And then they grow up to lead a completely normal life and leave all their dumbness behind. I like them too.



By the way, I am thinking of no one in particular in this post. Maybe it is more a reflection of myself and how I want to be treated or thought of.



If nothing else, this is some good food for thought, right?

Thank You

Can you spot the item on the table that I just made spending $4 at the Dollar Store?

Not much happening in our neck of the woods.

Last weekend got some great deals going to garage sales - Aftyn finally got the new wardrobe she was needing! And she looks so dang cute, it brings a smile to my face every time I get her all dressed up.

Aftyn has really started to have a lot to say lately. I just discovered today that she says "Thank you." Where did our child learn to be so polite? I think it may be because when we take things from her that she shouldn't have, we say thank you. Sounds kinda like "Dadejyou". Pretty dang cute. She will say a few things on command, including thank you. She seems to be growing up so fast. But no worries. She's still not walking, so she's not growing up WAY too fast.

Oh yeah. She loves the song Old MacDonald. Especially the E-I-E-I-O part. And she sometimes helps to sing the O part.

Sorry no video or funny pictures of Aftyn. I'll work on remembering to buy some batteries for our camera so we can record these cute things of Aftyn for posterity's sake. And then we'll share them with you all. Have a nice weekend!

And like Mr. Minor my chemistry teacher used to say "Stay out of the jails and hospitals!"

Ta-Da!

Clearly, she wants up. Yet another word I'm trying to teach her to say when she wants to be picked up.

Aftyn seems to have hit the point in life where she likes words. Especially the word "Dada".

She knows who he is, likes to look at pictures of him, and just generally walks around muttering that word or forms of it all day.

It's okay, because when she really needs something from me, like a bottle or to be rescued from something she's gotten herself into, she says mama in the most sweet way.



Today, however, she learned a new word, and it sounds like dada.

I unknowingly brought it into her world today when I said "Ta-da!".

You should have seen the grin that just popped up on her face - and the immediate sounding out of the sound "t".

I heard a lot of those, followed by lots of ta-da's. (When she says it, it sounds more like "day-da" and you can tell it's different than dada because she holds the last da out extra long.)

Darn those cute chubby cheeks and sparkly eyes - she's got daddy wrapped around her finger.

Wonder what we'll learn today?

Could it be Spring Fever?

No idea why, but updating my blog has been the furthest thing from my mind lately. It's not that I'm super busy, I guess I'm feeling creatively constipated. :) Do you ever feel that way?

As I'm sure everyone knows, we had lots of sickness in our house last week and I'm glad to report that other than Reed's dry cough, we all seem to be all better. Aftyn's appetite even seems to be back to normal.

Aftyn still won't walk, but a few days ago, accidentally took her first step. Twice. I saw it. But I can't prove it to you.

Aftyn also has lots of words to say. Dada. Mama. Baba. Bup. Papa. Poopoop. Also lots of squealing and giggling and this new "ha" thing she says when she's trying to be funny. I think she got it from daddy playing with her. She is truly such a sweet little thing, and has a lot of personality. Oh yeah, and she likes to sing. Really, all it is is a sustained sound, but that's all that singing is, so she's gradually catching on. Smartie. She loves to jump with daddy, and even without daddy. She will stand against the couch, leaning on it with her arms and jump her little legs. So darn funny.

Okay, well, that's a good start for me. I'll try and build on my creativity this week. Maybe that's the problem, I've been channeling all my creativity into bows. That's something to think about.

Our Easter

Thanks to Cindy who took all these fabulous pictures when all the rest of us (with kids) totally forgot our cameras! :)

Daddy's helping.

Look Mom, I found this thing, and if you shake it, it makes sounds! :)




Here's one of Aftyn's new bows!




All the cousins who participated in the little people egg hunt - and some of their daddies.