Tuesday, November 26, 2013

THANKFUL

Thanksgiving is in 2 days. I stood in the kitchen today and thought of things that I'm thankful for right now. Things that I'm enjoying right now. Simple things. It's so easy for me to get caught up in wishing for things to be different. Every holiday season, I wish to be with my family but it just doesn't work that way. This week will be especially hard knowing that everyone is at home to say goodbye to Grandpa Z. I've settled in my heart to make the most of this week. Not to be wishful but to be thankful. There are so many things to be thankful for...this list is not inclusive. 


Happy, healthy kids.
A clean kitchen.
Folded laundry.
Cool weather.
Quiet evenings.
A husband who wants the best for us and works hard to give us the best.
Little Mr. constantly reminding me of his presence.
A place to go this Thanksgiving.
Our merciful heavenly Father. 
Countless happy memories of holidays past.
Freedom.
My friends.
My family.
Making new happy memories with our kids.

DEAR GRANDPA Z.

You were my Mother's Father and that made you extra special. I'm thankful for what you taught her so that she could pass it on to me.
I'm thankful to have known you. I'm thankful that you were my Grandpa. I'm thankful for memories of you.
You made the best jerky.
Goodbye Grandpa Z. I love you and I'll miss you dearly.

Monday, November 25, 2013

HOLIBRATION!!!

Ava is so excited for Thanksgiving. She gets excited about any kind of party, celebration and even potlucks. We were talking about what we were going to do for Thanksgiving and she threw her arms up into the air and said, "We're gonna have a holibration!!!" Makes sense! 

Ava has taken an interest in colors. She asks me all the time what color two other colors will make when you mix them. When she paints, she has more fun mixing paint than actually painting. We'll be riding in the car and she'll randomly ask me something like, "What do orange and blue make?" 

On a recent Skype session with Ava while we were in Scotland she told us all about echolocation. I asked her what echolocation was and with great enthusiasm and hand gestures she explained that, "They (animals like bats and dolphins) put the sound out there and then it hits and comes right back!"

Ava had the stomach flu a couple of days ago...It was not fun. She did manage to make me smile though in the middle of the night when I gave her a half of a Pepto Bismol tab to help her tummy. As she chewed it she said, "Oooh! It tastes like round pink bananas!"

Endless, endless chatter. A lot of it doesn't make sense but she's got quite the imagination. 
"Good days are worth waiting for and getting up out of your beds!"

She's figured out how to ask Siri questions on her Ipad. "How does glass break when it falls on the floor?"
The internet was especially slow and she told Siri, "Just use your voice to reconnect the internet!" 

We have a speller on our hands! Ava loves to sound out and write words. She spelled Tap the other day all by herself. Three letter words are easiest but it seems like she's catching on...

Jaina is changing. She's having less crabby days. So awesome. This morning I went in to get her out of her crib. It was 9 am and I hadn't heard a peep from her yet. I opened the door and saw her laying on her back with her feet on the wall between the slats and holding her puppy. She looked up and gave me a big grin. She's so fun to be around when she's happy. I think her favorite word is "No!" :)

Both of Jaina's bottom eye teeth have come through...now just the top ones...

Monday, November 18, 2013

SCOTLAND

I can't believe we went there. And London? Amazing. We did so much in a week that I can't write it all down. We had a wonderful time. Glad there are pictures to capture the memories. We're so thankful for Mom and Dad and that they were able to come down and watch the girls for a week so that we could go. Thank you Ken and Kathy for an amazing trip. We miss Scotland. :) 
Our first day: at the North Sea

Saturday, November 2, 2013

HALLOWEEN

I took Ava Trick or Treating around the neighborhood. She loved it. We did just over a mile loop...I pushed Jaina in the stroller and Ava walked beside us. I kept asking her if she would like to ride but she refused. She was such a trooper. Her bravery surprised me...walking up to the big houses all by herself, knocking on the door...She looked so small. 
After we had gone to a few houses she said, "But Mom!! I don't have very much candy!!!" Thinking that she was just being selfish, I told her that she had plenty of candy but she said, "No! I don't have enough because I want to share with everybody!!"
For some reason, she's afraid of pumpkins. There were a couple on a porch and it took her forever to get by them. When she finally worked up the courage to walk to the door she said, "Whew!" and breathed a sigh. :) 
Toward the end she got tired and finally hopped in the stroller...that bucket got heavy! 

SHE LIKES TO TELL JOKES

"What do you get when you cross a princess and a chicken and an egg and the egg eats the chicken and the chicken has feathers on it's toes and hair on it's head?"

"I don't know Ava, what do you get?"

"Well, something gets eaten and the princess is still crossing the road and then BAM!" 

THINGS THAT I FORGOT IN THE LAST POST

Ava has no idea what the difference between "on accident" and "on purpose" is. I've tried to explain but she just doesn't get it. So, when she does something naughty and I get upset she says, "I'm so sorry Mom. I did it on purpose!" 

Have I mentioned that Jaina has all four of her first molars in? I can't remember. Now just waiting on those canines! She loves to brush them.

I love when Ava is playing and she starts singing hymns. Two of her favorites are "God is Faithful" and "Jesus Came from Heaven."

Jaina's favorite songs are "If You're Happy and You Know It", "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "All the Raindrops."

Little Mr. has started moving around...19 weeks.