Just a little

Dear Brie,

    You are growing, against every wish I make you still grow and grow.  Somehow I believed that if I wished it hard enough you might slow down. But you, my love,  just keep growing and changing and learning and locking those perfectly chubby finger tighter around my heart.

 

But I still keep wishing. I keep hoping that if I hold you a little longer the time won't slip by. If I just sit and watch your beautifully long lashes flutter on your oh so kissable cheeks for a few seconds more maybe I will be able to kiss them forever. 

If I hold my breath maybe those few seconds when you lock eyes with me and stare into my soul before you drift off into dreamland will linger into minutes, and hours and days. 

If I squeeze you just a little tighter, and kiss you just a little more, if I wish just a little harder somehow maybe your perfect 7 month self will stay just that way.  Maybe you always find wonder in the way a rattle makes noise, and the way your tiny little toes can wiggle. Maybe you will never have to see the sad and the weary that comes with life. Maybe your innocent eyes will always just see love and joy.

But then again beautiful girl, you would miss so much this way. You would miss the wonder that comes from catching a snowflake on your tongue and the accomplishment that comes from completing the thing that has made you so weary. You would miss all the joy that comes with the sad, and the beauty that can always be found when you look.  So perhaps it is best that you grow, for you have a peace to bring to this world that so many need.

But for now I think I will still take just a little more time at the side of your crib as we talk about our days plans. I will kiss you a little more, and breath in your smell a little deeper, and maybe wish just a little it would stay forever.

xoxo- momma

Who wore it better?

Taycee and I have matching outfits. We didn't buy them at the same time, in fact it took me quite a while to realize we actually had matching outfits at all. But when I brought it to Taycee's attention she would not rest til we wore them on the same day. At first I was a bit hesitant to walk through the halls of preschool wearing the same outfit as my 5 year old daughter. But then I saw the pure joy and pride on her beaming face and all my reservations melted.

So the question (or really no question at all) is who wore it better?

True to the norm all things look better in child sizes. 

Thanks for being my twinner Tasty Sweet.

Snow Days

One of the hardest things to get use to in Virginia has been the complete and total fear of snow. Seriously, snow is predicted in the 5 day forecast and the shelves at the store go bare. We lost almost half a month of school in January to snow days. I found it all a bit ridiculous, BUT the kids had a blast playing in the overwhelming amounts of snow. ;) 

Kaden pulled Taycee around the yard on a little sled with her jump rope. She tried to return the favor but he was too big for her little arms to pull.

They made a few snow angels and even slid down the ice on the driveway on their cute little bums

And then they took a break for some hot cocoa and grilled cheese sandwiches

A snow day is fun, but snow months make me consider homeschooling. (or just moving back to Utah :D)

Projects

It seems that I have a never ending project list, to go along with my to do list, my goals list, and my "I'll never find the time but if I do..." list. 

Most of my projects have been household ones lately, from wall clocks to a kitchen back splash I have kept our every spare minute full. Chris has been his normal helpful self and has taken each project in stride and with a drill (or hammer or tile saw) in hand. One of my last projects was refinishing an old storm door. Taycee was able to help this time and she was so excited. I decided to document this project from start to finish, with my awesome phone camera. :)

I found a store in Richmond that salvages old doors and building parts from old condemned buildings. It was an awesome store that I could spend far more money than I should in.  Finding the right door was a bit tricky, the space the door was to hang was only 67 inches wide, far shorter than a normal door. After looking through isles and isles of old doors I found this beauty. 

 I carried it to the counter and sorted through a few bins of of doorknobs picked out these gems...

 And 67 dollars later I was out the door... with a door. :)

The project began by cleaning the inch of dust off the glass panes 

Then after taping off the glass we started with a coat of ivory paint.

 After coat two on both sides we were finished for the day.

I took some sage paint from an old can in the garage, added some plaster of paris and added a coat of the newly  made chalk paint. 

Once it was dried it was time to do a little distressing, after I did one side by hand Chris suggested using his handy drill attachment, which sanded the entire door in 1/4 of the time it took me to do half the other side.

 All distressed and ready to be waxed.

 After waxing it was Chris's turn to do his handiwork and attach the four door knobs

Drumroll....the finished product...

The next project came about while I was in the shower staring at the pitch of our ceiling. Somehow it reminded me of chevron stripes and I thought to myself, huh, I think I would love big grey chevron stripes on this wall. I told Chris of my thoughts that night as we were laying in bed and 3 days later he was making it happen. (Love that man of mine.)

It wasn't easy, but I LOVED it when it was done. 

I think for now we have reached the bottom of my project list. At least for today, I might have a few ideas brewing in the back of my mind, but for fear of wearing thin that man I love maybe I will give him at least a few spare minutes to enjoy!

The House

I am behind in posts. I have many pictures just sitting and waiting to be shared. But every minute of my spare time these last few weeks has been spent preparing for our housewarming party that occurred yesterday. We had hopes of meeting our neighbors and making a few friends. We made invites, ordered food, polished floors and threw a pretty good party. We met neighbors and only had a few awkward "oh you're Mormon" moments. :D It was fun, but I couldn't help but look around the crowd of unfamiliar faces and wish we had a few familiar ones to share our new home with. I could use a few girlfriends to come crash my house for awhile... anyone up for a quick 6 hour flight? No?...*sigh* ... well I figured as much, so I decided that I would bring my home to you. :) Welcome to our online housewarming party...

http://smu.gs/1ktHhbT

Browse through, take your time. And then decide to come for real.

xoxo-me

The Most Important Part

Lots of people have asked "How is Virginia?" and to be honest my answers vary depending on how the day has been going. I would be lying if I said I wasn't homesick. I miss my friends, I miss my family, I miss familiarity. But as the sweet lady behind me in church said after I gave a talk and mentioned leaving all of our families back in Utah, "But sweetie, you have the very most important part of your family right here with you." And so I do.

I will be eternally grateful for this most important part of my family. We went out for lunch on MLK day. It was the first time we have ever attempted to take all four kids out to a sit down restaurant. Much to our surprise they all did fabulously and we had a very enjoyable experience. As we sat and talked and ate my heart was bursting with love for the sweet little people that I get to call mine. They are smart, and curious, and just darn hilarious. They keep me busy and they keep life full. And the best part is I get to do it all with my very best friend.

 

Oh how I love this man of mine. Anywhere he is is home for me. 

He is the one who can calm my fears and talk me down off the I am going crazy ledge. No matter the problem he is there with a reassuring hug and a calming "It's going to be fine." He has been with me from "My roommate just got married at the courthouse and moved her husband into her room!" to "Addison's poop is greener than grass and Brielle hasn't pooped in days!" He is my sounding board, and my picture hanger. He is my kindest judge and my fiercest cheerleader. He makes me better.

There is something simply beautiful in the way we just fit. He is the grounded to my crazy and the gathered to my scattered. If the last 6 months have taught me anything it is that we are stronger together. Life can be challenging, there is no two ways around that, but it always seems more surmountable when we face it hand in hand.  

So here is to the husband who got up 3 hours before me on Saturday to clean the house and start the laundry before I woke up "just because". The daddy who makes my girls squeal with glee when he walks in the door from work.  The guy who still makes my stomach flip and my cheeks blush. The dad who knows answers to little boys questions like "what is the slowest growing thing on the earth and why are flamingos pink?" The man who fulfills all of his responsibilities for work, church and family without a word of complaint. The nintendo guy who can beat Bowser every time. The door knob fastener, picture leveler, paint taper, propane tank filler, do it all-er guy we could never do without. YOU are the best part of Virginia, and as long as I am here with you it's going to be just fine.

 Here is to surmounting the newest adventure with all of the most important people by my side. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The best 6 of you

Dear Brielle,

   You are 6 months now, and I feel like the tighter I grasp to these passing days the more fleeting they become.

I have a hard time believing that half a year has passed since I heard your perfect tiny cry and yet it feels like you have been a part of my heart for eternity. But then again, I suppose you have. I lose many moments of my day staring and your perfect little face and taking in the wonder that you are.

At 6 months you are tipping the scales at 17 lbs 8 oz (80th percentile) and you are 27.5 inches long (over 95th percentile) You are tall and beautiful and perfect. You recently had your first illness and it was a whopper. You had RSV and an ear infection all at once and I spent many hours watching your chest rise and fall. 

You have woken up from that sleepy newborn stage and have a constant desire to explore everything in your reach. Each new sound pulls your eyes and you pass your toys from hand to hand with great curiosity. But my most favorite time is when your eyes find me and you break out in your 100 watt"I know you" grin.

You are a pro at sitting and eating. You can roll over if you must but you don't care for it much. You have liked every food you have tried although plain carrots weren't your favorite. When I steamed carrots mixed with corn beans and peas, however, you ate them right up. Peaches seem to be a favorite fruit although you like applesauce and pears as well.

You love to snuggle your favorite purple blankie, and I don't blame you. It may be the softest blanket ever created. You are easily consoled when you're upset as long as that blankie and a binkie are present. You like to be part of the action and hate to be left alone in any room.

You are beautiful. All babies are I suppose but you seem to possess an extra dose of beauty. That is the first thing everyone who meets you says. "She is such a beautiful baby!" Usually followed by a comment about your eyes or bow. :)  Our new ward here in Virginia is obsessed with you and we hear whispers of admiration all through sacrament meeting from the pews behind us. One particular sweet grandma makes a point to come up every week to talk to us and tell me you are the most expressive baby she has ever seen.

I would keep you just this way forever if I could. The thought of you getting just a tiny bit bigger everyday tears at my heart. I would keep a baby in my arms forever if I could and you are too quickly trying to leave them. So I hold you tight while I can and give those silky soft cheeks 1 million kisses a day.

If I could only hold on to 6 things of you just the way you are they would be 

The way you tap your hand against me while you nurse til I give you my finger to hold. 

The way your watch your sisters so intently as if you are trying to learn exactly how to be like them.

The way you flail your arms and squeal when I come to get you from your crib.

The way your face lights up and your mouth starts to work when you see your bowl of food.

Your perfectly porcelain skin and plump ruby lips.

The way you open your mouth and giggle when I snuggle my nose into your neck.

Thanks for six months of you my sweet baby.

xoxo- mama