I'm proud to be an American.

I give thanks to our God who gave us this land.

I give thanks to all who fight for our freedom.

I give thanks to all who strive to uphold

all the good this country stands for.

Today I honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives to help others on 9/11.
Those who were lost will never be forgotten.

I wish to all who lost loved ones in this terrible event, that you may be filled with peace and comfort and know that one day you will be together again.

One of my favorite things is watching my daughter's face as she discovers a new part of the world.

When life gives you Lemon Juice...

make Stain Remover!

We love smoothies at our house. One night as my daughter enjoyed hers she managed to spill it down the front of her shirt. So there I had a mix of black berries and raspberries smeared into the fabric and I wasn't hopeful that it was going to come out. I tried my typical stain removing techniques and the berry stain wasn't even fading. Next move...google. I love the internet. I googled 'how to get out berry stains' and found a ton of different links and came across one in which a girl had used Lemon Juice to remove berry stains from her shirt. I figured I had nothing to lose and gave it a shot. As soon as I poured the juice onto the stain it started to fade and then completely disappeared. I was shocked! I then washed the shirt wondering if there would be any mark from the juice...or the berries...but it came out looking like new! I have never tried it on anything other than this one shirt...but I will definitely keep it in mind for future stains! Definitely the cheapest stain remover I have ever bought!

I love living near the ocean, and I especially love that it is warm. Last night we had a ward party at the beach and afterwards hung around to play in the water. I loved feeling the warm water surround my ankles as I watched my baby run and play. There is just something about the hush of the waves and how it separates you from the noise and hustle of the world.

TO ALL YOU PARENTS OUT THERE...

you know that parenthood brings life's greatest joys and life's greatest challenges. 

I hope you experience more joys than challenges and I really believe that the challenges can bring us joy. They give us the chance to develop patience, recognize the good, unconditionally love, stretch our minds and simply just understand that we can't control everything! The beautiful children sent to us are people of there own, we simply have the privledge of helping them know who they really are and understanding their eternal potential. We do this by loving them and teaching them and showing them. And most days, that can be hard! In my short time as a mom I have found one of the hardest things for me is knowing how to handle all the different situations. How do you handle a baby that won't sleep, or a toddler that won't eat or a child that hits you or is too afraid to try new things? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure it all out...and I believe one of the greatest lessons we can learn as a parent is that we aren't meant to figure it all out. That being said, there is a lot we can figure out. For me, once I know how I am going to handle a situation, I don't feel so overwhelmed or frustrated. I focus on sticking with my plan and try to be patient as it all unfolds (or doesn't unfold.) I am super grateful for my family and friends that have shared thoughts and given advise when I am just not sure what to try next. And I am grateful for all the rowdy toddlers in the world that remind me that is what kids do, and for all the overwhelmed moms who remind me I am not the only one! There are also a few books I have come across that have really helped me. With a newborn I read "The Happiest Baby on the Block." It was awesome and it worked for us. I am now reading "The Happiest Toddler on the Block," and it is another great help. I am also reading one of the "Love & Logic" books that I find to be super insightful. The thing I like about these books is they don't just tell you how to deal with parenting, they help you understand your child, their abilities and weaknesses and how to approach life with them, rather than control it. And they are simple. Many of the things they teach have helped me and because of that, I can't help but want to tell every parent to give them a shot! There are so many great things out there to help us as parents, these are just some that I have found especially helpful.

Moving to a new place means change and transition and excitement and work. All of which I have experienced the past few months. When I left Utah I took a piece of it with me and left a piece behind. When I left Milwaukee, it was the same. Now I'm in Texas experiencing new people,  new places and a new phase of life. Life is such an adventure! With a move comes the chance to rearrange, clean out and organize. It leaves me with a fresh outlook on life and a sense of accomplishment. A lot of the 'things' we own Rick and I brought into our marriage, or were given as hand me downs or wedding gifts. I have bought things here and there throughout my life looking forward to the time I could create a home for my own family. As we settled into our new place I began filling the walls and creating what we call 'home'. It's so wonderful to have your own space, whether renting or owning, big or small...it is yours to enjoy and love. As I came to the kitchen I had a big empty wall and an empty table. I really wanted to create a space I loved. So I took a few things we had, and bought a few things on sale and came together with a few hanging pictures and a vase of fake flowers. And as simple as it may seem, I loved it. It is one corner in my house that I feel is completely my own. I created it. And every time I am in the kitchen or siting at the table I feel totally at home. It's funny how proud I feel for creating something so simple, and even so meaningless to anyone else in the world. But I do. 

It makes me think of God and how we are His creation. And we are much more amazing than a corner in my kitchen. How He must feel about us. How He desires to be near us. How He loves us and cares for us. And how He holds us in His heart...
His greatest creation of all.

 Over the weekend we were able to attend a Houston Astros Game. I enjoyed being with Rick and watching our babe stuff her face with popcorn and crackers. It's no wonder she hasn't wanted 'real food' the past few days!

And I always enjoy a good firework show!

The stadium was awesome and Downtown Houston made a great backdrop. I love big cities!

Life isn't about perfection.

It's about loving the imperfections all along the way.

There is nothing I love more than spending time with my family. Rick had Saturday, Sunday and Monday off and little love enjoyed her daddy time. She had an extra bounce in her step and babbled a little more than normal all weekend long. I could tell she was so happy to have him around. We were able to go swimming, work in the yard and just be lazy. But there is nothing we enjoyed more than watching our baby laugh and play and learn and grow. There is this part of me that blossoms every time she smiles, laughs or does something new. I especially love the quiet moments before bed when we sing our song, say our prayers and she wraps her arms around me as I carry her to bed. Binkie in mouth, hand on head as she twirls her hair and her eyes get heavy. She is safe. She is happy. In that moment I can give her all that she needs. I know that phase will pass all too quickly. So I hold her close, whisper sweet words and savor every moment of her warm, little body wrapped in my arms without a care in the world.

I’m standing in the kitchen preparing treat bags for my sunday school class. Rick is in the family room wrestling and rolling around on the ground with Liza. Ben Hutchinson sings his song Hallelujah in the background. I feel happy. It’s been a big few months with moving, trips to see family and Rick’s busy schedule. We haven’t seen a whole lot of him and it felt so good to have him home...a perfect saturday morning. Liza’s laughter runs through the air as her daddy eats her stomach. I love seeing them play together. I love that her daddy is home. I love our home. I love these precious moments of life. The busier Rick becomes and the more our family grows up, the more grateful I am for the times we share together and the moments we can be at home...in our own little world.

We all have things that inspire and motivate us. We all have things that we enjoy. For some it is reading a good book or running a marathon or creating art or any of the other many great things there are to do. For me, it is sharing life with others. For as long as I can remember I have loved having someone to share life with. I love being with my family, my friends, church members, class mates, strangers, co-workers...basically...people. I love sharing life with people I love. Just over 4 years ago I was blessed to marry my best friend and share life with him. Then 16 months ago I was blessed with another best little friend...my sweet daughter. Now every moment of my life is shared with someone else and that is my dream come true. To me, that is life. I love hearing and learning from others, helping and serving and hopefully giving goodness to those around me. Because life is good...and everyone needs good. When I was young I read The Diary of Anne Frank. I remember reading, "I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart." Though I was young, I felt the same. I truly believe there is good in everyone...and in everything. There is a sweetness in life that is meant to be enjoyed by all. So here's to the sweetness of life...in the good times and bad and everything in between!