Happy Birthday to Erin!

I can't believe my baby turned 1 today! Time sure flies.


It seems just like yesterday we were rushing to the hospital (a month early) for her birth. If you missed the birth story, you can read it here.


Then, just like that we were home,


cuddling our 5lb little preemie.


Oh the hair...


Then the helmet...read about her helmet here.


Life on the farm. She wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up, I can tell.


Summer turns to fall...


Fall = apples, Erin + apples = heaven!


Good morning birthday girl. Love you babe!

A Sneak Peak...

Garland of Gratitude

Last night for family night we made this garland of gratitude. I got the idea from Family Fun magazine and adapted it to our family. Since Shelby is still too young to read and write, we cut pictures out of our church magazines and glued them to different fall-colored leaves and then hung them on some string in the window next to our table. We went through the magazines together and decided on the things that we were thankful for and we talked about each one so that Shelby would understand and remember. I thought Shelby's attention span might be too short to finish the whole activity in one night but she was great and seemed to really enjoy it.

I am so thankful that Shelby is beginning to grasp gospel principles and that she is so eager to learn and understand. This morning while we were eating breakfast, Shelby looked over at our garland of gratitude and began telling me the things we were thankful for. (That's the good stuff right there!)

My Thankful List

I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving week. As I sat and thought about it, I knew that I had a lot to be thankful for. I've actually been trying to embrace the "attitude of gratitude" longer than just this week and the results have been wonderful and amazing. I am thankful for so many things.

1) I am thankful for my God and His great plan. Even though at times I may not know or understand things, I know He sees the big picture and allows me His tender mercies as I work through life's difficulties.

2)I am thankful for my husband. I probably don't tell him as often as I should but he works so hard for our family so he can be a good provider and we have always had sufficient for our needs.

3)I am thankful for my two beautiful daughters. They are my joy. They make me laugh. They make me cry. They make me scream, sing, dance and play. I'm learning so much by being their mother; love, compassion, kindness & gentleness, patience and much more.

4)I am thankful for good neighbors. We live in such a wonderful neighborhood where selfless people regularly give service to those around them; service that we have also been on the receiving end of. It has been a great example to me.

5)I am thankful for trials. Maybe this sounds odd, but I've had a few trials this year that were, at times, pretty difficult for me to handle. However, once I started giving up my pride and stubbornness, I was able to learn from them and my weak things were starting to become strong.

What are you thankful for?

Poop Sausage

I just couldn't resist this!

Shelby: Mom, what are you making?
Mom: Sausage.
Shelby: Mom, that's poop sausage

Shelby took this picture.

Oh the drama!

I've been told that raising girls was a lot of drama. I didn't think that I'd be experiencing it this early but BOY have we been in the thick of it this week. Something just clicked in Shelby the other day, I have no idea what it is but she seems to be crying at ANYTHING! I keep telling her to get a grip (cause I don't have much patience for stuff like that)-maybe I should be a little more compassionate though. Erin has been a little more cranky than normal too but I'm attributing it to her second round of teeth coming in. I think I need a time out.

Here's Shelby's new style. She's been sporting that headband for the past couple of days. She also decided to color, with marker, her already beautifully painted red fingernails. Now her "pretties" have pretties.

Great Deal On Disney Pixar's Up Movie

Here's a link for the printable coupon for $10 off when you buy the combo pack (Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy)of UP. I believe the combo pack is only $19.99, so with the coupon it's only $9.99. The promotion only lasts until the 14th (tomorrow) even though the coupon says it doesn't expire until the 17th.

UP Coupon Offer