Paper Chain

This one time... 

I made a paper chain because I was too gosh darn excited to go to Oregon...

And it took me three days to finish.

I'm a procrastinator...

And then two weeks to even put up in our home.

I had my excuses....

And then when I saw that this chain took up 2+ walls in my little apartment...

It made me really really depressed. 

But hey, 71 days until we leave for Oregon! 

One day it will only take up one wall.

hashtagsomethingtolookforwardto.

2014

This year,

This year my once immobile baby can now crawl, walk, and run on her own.

This year Adam was laid off; one of the scariest and most stressful times of my life.

This year I got a job that had incredible benefits and great pay.

This year we had an amazing adult weekend getaway. 

This year Adam fell asleep at the wheel and crashed the car.

This year we didn't pay a dime for school thanks to financial aid and student grants.

This year Audrey said her first word "duck", and now speaks a mile a minute. 

This year we made our small apartment into a home.

This year there were times we didn't have enough food to feed ourselves, only Audrey.

This year we paid off all debt, then racked it up again.

This year Adam had a kick ass birthday. 

This year we got an unexpected check for $800.

This year we worked to make amends with our families.

This year we didn't go to urgent care or the ER... not once. :) 

This year we tried new medication, and it WORKED.

This year Audrey learned to sing almost every nursery song.

This year Adam surprised me with a wedding band.

This year I was diagnosed with Crohns.

This year I chopped off all my hair.

This year Audrey went to nursery, and actually stayed in nursery at least 3 times.

This year Adam passed every single class.

This year I replaced my phone three times.

This year we got a new niece, and found out another was on the way.

This year Audrey discovered baby dolls, princesses, and movies.

This year I started on steroids, and quickly became the size of a whale.

The older I get the more I get the "cycle of life". There is a lot of hard stuff, a lot of "how on Earth do we overcome this" moments. But in the middle of all the hard, there is so so much to be grateful for. Life is full of little wonders, and little beauties; which even the darkest of times can't hide. I am so grateful for our challenges, I am so grateful for all these lessons I am learning. During them it sucks; but when they are over I always learn something new, find something new to love and be grateful for.

This year I have learned so much as a mother and wife. I have realized that my poor Mom deserved way more credit that I ever gave her. That my daughter is the greatest lesson and blessing in my life. That literally I will do anything to make sure she is happy and well rounded. I learned so much as a wife; I have had to be the supporter - even when I want to rip my hair off and burn the U to the ground. I have learned that Audrey is our world, but we have to take the time just for us too. I have learned that these sacrifices are so difficult now, but I have faith that they'll be worth it. As long as I continue to support and do all that I can for him. 

I am such a lucky woman to have Adam and Audrey. And even luckier to have the family that I do. That I can turn to them when things are bad; and even if they can't help in any other way but letting me vent, that having their support is worth everything. 

So to sum it up, the biggest lesson I have learned this year would be this;

There is always, ALWAYS something to be grateful for. 

2014 Resolutions Part Deux

The end of the year is days away so I thought I would look back at what resolutions I did and did not accomplish this year.

 Let's start with resolutions that I had set, but now are being pushed to 2015's list:

Go to an Indian restaurant for Adam.

Try to make homemade sushi.

Make Audrey a dress. 

Go to Oregon.

Throw a fondue party.

And now the FAILS:

Start meditation.

Send out Valentines.

Make Audrey a scrapbook.

Read The Inferno.

AND THE BEATEN...

Read Pride & Prejudice. 

Buy Petunia Pickle diaper bag. 

Read The Great Gatsby.

Buy The Hunger Games series.

Don't get pregnant. [I can officially "pass" this one off, woohoo!]

Pay off debt. 

Take Adam to Pizza Factory.

Buy new clothes. 

Do something great for Adam's birthday. 

Get presents for Adam for Christmas.

Try bold new hairstyle. 

More family dinners at table.

Audrey crawl.

Audrey walk.

Audrey 1st word. 

Audrey see Santa Claus.

Send out Christmas Cards.

Try essential oils.

Family Pictures.

"Look Anniversary"

After talking day and night for 10 days, on this day 7 years ago... we saw each other for the first time.

He still owns the jacket he walked in with, and he didn't take it off the whole night.

He was wearing his chucks with his pants rubber band above them. (Boy I am glad I broke that habit)

I was wearing this maroon baby doll shirt, and I even remember the socks I was wearing... I was staring at them most of the night.

I don't think either of us really said much. It was mostly my Dad and Dallin talking while we nervously looked at each other.

There was pizza, and I still remember I was too nervous to take a single bite.

I thought it was a bust, especially as they got up to leave early.

But they came back. :)

And he came and sat by me while we watched Nacho Libre. (Oh the teen years)

He got so close I could hardly breathe, and he talked to me.

We talked about Jack Black and pizza while my heart beat like a hummingbird's.

And then he smiled his crooked smile, and I swear everything stood still.

And we never ever looked back. 

Audrey 21 Months

 I already blogged about Disney on Ice, but I had to share these pictures again. :) 

Her smile!!! 

I am crazy about this girly of mine.  

Just "chillin" with Daddy while watching "Toys" (Toy Story 2).

This little stinker usually won't go to nursery so she comes to Sunbeams with us! 

I think she does that just so she can play with the older kids and to pretend she is a "big kid".

*Update: Today was the first time in months that Audrey went to nursery!!! I tried a new "tactic" and it worked! I was one happy Momma, not to mention teacher.

 Audrey has started to love all the dogs at both Grandma's houses. 

When we were at Damma's house she was sharing everything with Jack, including a piece of pizza while he was taking a nap.

 Do you see this?!

 Kennedy has outgrown some toys and so Audrey got all of this!!!! 

Talk about an early Christmas! 

We LOVE getting hand me downs!!! :) 

A freshly cleaned little owl. 

 This is right before she got the flu... poor baby. 

But Audrey is always in the mood for some chocolate, especially from Aunt Kelsy.

 She always is finding somewhere weird to sit down/on.

This is Kennedy's baby doll stroller. 

Sick with the flu at Damma's but still such a happy and adorable girl.

 Aunt Amber did Audrey's hair to get ready for the CHRISTMAS KICK OFF.

 Christmas Kick-off with the K's.

 Start of her "sick time" with Mommy. 

The only plus of her being sick is lots and lots of cuddles. 

 Flu days watching Barney. 

I love how she lays like this now.

 While we were busy decorating the house, Audrey was more in the mood for lounging on the couch.

 Yes, this is a toilet part on her head. 

She loves to take apart her princess potty. 

While we were home sick, we both were practicing life with two kids.

We both decided we could handle it.... :)

 Audrey got to play with Sarah and Evelyn. 

All of them were busy making dinner and caring for the babies.

I think she is going to be the goof ball of the group. 

Just like Daddy.

 Audrey's newest favorite past time - picking her nose! 

Ugh how do you parents out there get them to stop? 

 We were busy this past month getting all our baby stuff ready to hand down to Kelsy. 

But Audrey decided to have another go in her bouncer.

 I mopped the floors, turned around to take the mop to the closet, and came back to tiny footprints everywhere! 

But her feet are just too dang cute.

 Miss Fashionista went to Temple Square to see the Christmas Lights, her first time!

Now every time we get in the car she thinks we're going back and says "LIGHTS?!"

 We are steadily entering the "Land of Two".
Audrey's lower lip is sticking out more and more and the pouting has come into force.
I think she is mad at me in this picture because I started putting away her shoes...

 This month's funny sleeping style was: The leap frog. 

 Audrey has discovered Cinderella!
And is slowly getting hooked.

We went Christmas shopping with Damma and the K's and found a princess store! 

They have the princess dress aprons and a little tea party that they let the kids play at while their parents browse. 

Tonight we headed to the "Tree of Life" in Draper. 

Absolutely beautiful and Audrey loved it.

She especially loved that it is finally cold enough that she has to wear her Minnie Mouse gloves. 

Roid Rage

I've been on the "roids" for four weeks as of yesterday so I thought it was time for a rant... I mean update.

Fact: I thought that it had been six weeks and I was halfway there and started shouting for joy! 

No, it's only 4 weeks in. ICK.

Fact: I was first told I would only have to take it for three weeks. 

Then it turned to 8 weeks. 

Then I get the dang bottle.... 11 weeks. 

E - L - E - V - E - N. 

This seems like eternity to my little mind. 

Oh and speaking of the bottle, let's just take a look at it shall we.

This does not do it justice. 

But to put it in perspective I have LARGE LONG hands.

And that's what the bottle looks like in my monster hands.

I know I'm complaining now. 

But this is my space so shhh...

Basically, everyone is surviving at my house by this procedure:

Poor Adam and Audrey. 

Poor wallets. 

Poor drive in and all 7-11 workers.

The eating is out of this world. 

And half the time I'm really not hungry. 

I just HAVE to have it.

It's like pregnancy cravings times 10. 

No, it's like pregnant grizzly bear cravings.

My brother warned me that I would get fat but my gosh.

First I definitely knew I was and still am bloated... but all that eating, it's really starting to pound on.

I have never posted any picture of my body like this. 

I have been obese, and had a baby.

Ain't nobody needs to see this jiggle.

But I JUST HAD to document how enormous my stomach has gotten.

And I still have 7 weeks, heaven help me.

But really, this medicine hasn't been helpful in the slightest.

I am still using the bathroom 4-5 times a day.

The pain is worse, if not just the same as before.

I have no energy.

But yet, I stay up during the night talking to my walls like a maniac.

The real kicker is that this week we got our first taste of "Roid Rage".

Jason warned me about it; and told me how crazy and angry it makes him.

But I'm usually not an angry or vocal person, outwardly anyway.

But oh boy - My poor Adam. 

He isn't used to me having even that bad of PMS, but suddenly I became a 15 year old girl complaining, moping, and growling about everything.

I am PRETTY sure I am not on that kick today.

But we'll see.

I am really obviously looking forward to getting off this medicine.

If I understand it right, I will only take this during a "flare up" or "attack", but hopefully we can tell them how badly I did on this medication and we can try something else in the future.

Adam's friend that kind of inspired us to start pursuing my stomach problems was diagnosed with ulcer colitis which is very similar to Crohn's. He had the same problems with the steroids but now he is on injections and a special diet and has never felt better.

So hopefully we'll be able to figure something out and get everything under control. 

Here's another happy picture to end off with.

*I'm not on Prednisone exactly but it still describes it perfectly! 

And I am sorry about the complaining... ;)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I have gotten mighty "decoration crazy". Luckily Adam and his wallet.. ahem, have let me splurge a little this year! I love our little home and I love getting us into the holiday spirit. Here's a little of our Christmas decor. The photos are crappy iPhone shots and don't do it justice.

Audrey and I were home sick with the flu when I decided that we should put out our decorations. I wanted to make it really fun and get Audrey really excited. I put on a Christmas movie, told her she could decorate the whole tree, showed her the new stuff we had, and instead she decided to sit in a pot giving attitude... what a cute little weirdo.

I need to take a better picture but this is the NOEL made out of books I was talking about! 

I love it!!! And do you see the little Precious Moments nativity?! It's my favorite. It was my mom's and she gave it to me a few years ago. They are kind of in rough shape but they always put me in Christmas mood once I put them out.

 

These are the 3 new nativities we got on our Anniversary weekend. 

Little but I love them. 

I love the differences, especially ones from different cultures, and use different techniques/materials.

 This is one of our dollar store purchases. 

My mom always had these really tall and pretty nutcrackers that she would put up on our fireplace mantle. 

I'm starting to notice a pattern here, am I turning into my Mom?! :)

 Our stockings! Once again... my mom makes them. But I absolutely love them. Christmas isn't the same without my Mom's stockings. Adam didn't have his own stocking growing up, his family had one big one. It's always his favorite thing that he has his very own and that it's filled with things just for him. 

Every year so far I have ran out of Christmas lights halfway through.

I LOVE this picture. 

I thought she would be a lot more excited about decorating the tree but she really didn't care about anything except the star.

We wanted to start a new tradition where we all get a new ornament every Christmas. 

This was everyone's this year! 

Daddy's, Mommy's, and Audrey's.

 Our Christmas ornaments are slowly evolving. We have pink and purple from when I was a teen, and then more and more that we have collected since we have been married. 

I didn't like most of the wreaths I could find (I got my decor mostly at dollar stores and Big Lots though...) but I loved this little guy! Audrey says "bye Tanta" when we leave to go to school.

 This is another favorite decoration.

My mom got this from a work party I believe a few years ago and gave it to me.

It always helps me remember the story, and makes me have a moment to be in awe of Mary and baby Jesus' humble birth.

 At our Christmas kick-off my Mom surprised us with these adorable advent calendars! We love it, and Audrey gets so excited to look what's inside each day.

Really crappy photo but I found this really cute candy lights that light up in different colors and even sing Christmas songs! It was a cheap fun find BUT the dang thing has already broken! Only the red ones flash now. I guess you get what you pay for!

I don't have any decor things in my kitchen, and I spend a lot of time in there so I decided to make it fun! I think Adam was a little concerned when I started smacking bows onto everything but I think it looks cute!

It looks a little ghetto but I hate the big space above my sink and thought for the time being I would put a little Christmas cheer while I do my dishes.

I just LOVE our little home. I can't say it enough.