The Zac Brown Band says how I feel today best...

Gonna put the the world away for a minute
Pretend I don't live in it

----

Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze and it don't seem fair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there's a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

Teeny baby?

:( Where did my BABY go?!

AH!

to my daddy...

I know it isn't Father's Day, or my dad's birthday or anything like that...

But I've just been thinking about my dad lately and how awesome he is, so I decided to dedicate a post to him. My thoughts are scattered but I hope this flows ok;) I've never been one with words. I just say what's in my heart.....So here goes!

One of my favorite memories about my dad from when I was a kid was when I was about 11 or 12 (I think) and there was a daddy-daughter activity at our church that we were going to. I was pretty excited because with  all the kids in my family, one on one time with my dad was rare. On our way to the activity I think we got lost or couldn't find it or something. My dad decided we should go out to eat instead. We went to Olive Garden. Just me and dad. I remember feeling like a spoiled princess. We didn't go out to eat much so this was truly a special event. I remember going home and bragging to my mom about how dad and I went out to eat. JUST US! Maybe that's one of the reasons Olive Garden has always been a favorite restaurant of mine.

How cool is that? So much better than any daddy-daughter activity at church!

My dad is such an awesome guy. I don't know how else to say it. He is always so loving and kind-hearted. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He might look a bit intimidating (and he is sometimes) but I think people don't give him enough credit. He's one of the sweetest men I know.  I know he would bend over backwards to help anyone and I know he has many times. 

I've always loved my dad's voice. His singing voice, when he talks..everything. He has a deep, low, comforting voice that makes me feel at home every time I hear it.

I remember when we were younger, and even through High School, after we all went upstairs to bed

Dad would go to the piano and start plucking out a tune and singing. I remember I'd sneak into the hallway upstairs and just rest my head against the wall or lay down and listen. I think sometimes I even fell asleep in the hallway but would wake up once he stopped, afraid of getting in trouble for not being in bed. I'm sure if I would have just gone downstairs and laid on the couch and told Dad I wanted to listen, he wouldn't have objected. He would also play the guitar sometimes and even now when he pulls out his guitar and starts singing I can't help but sit and just listen. 

My dad is also the smartest guy I know. I think he knows the answer to every question I've ever asked.

I always look to him for wisdom and guidance, and I know I will until I'm old.

He's a hard worker and does all he can for  his family. We all appreciate that about him. He's always let mom stay home with us and he's worked hard to provide...and done a great job I might add!

My dad is way silly too. He can get weird and do weird, unexpected things that make us just laugh and laugh. He makes us all laugh and I know we love when dad joins a conversation. We all stop and listen because whatever dad feels important to add...is either HILARIOUS or very insightful and important.

My dad loves my mom too. That is one of the best things to know. I love the little ways he shows it too. I can see it in the way he looks at her when she is being silly, or in the way he talks about her, or in the way he teases her. She's a lucky woman and he's a lucky man. They are great together and I love that they gave us such a security in knowing that they are so in love. 

I've always known dad loved me. Even if he didn't flat out say it or anything,

 I just always knew and do know now.

I could go on and on about my dad. I love him dearly and I don't tell him enough. It's always been hard for me to spit it out face to face to him. I mean, I tell him I love him but I don't know if he knows just how much he means to me. I hope he does.

So to my daddy, I love you and I miss you, I pray for you daily and I hope all your dreams come true. I want only the best for you and I know you want the same for me. Thanks for making my life great and giving me a great example and someone to look up to always.

With my little sister, Carly.

Sorry, dad, I just had to put this in there. Dad's get tired on Christmas.

Did I mention Dad is an AMAZING dancer?!

Love my family!

Brielle at 10 months

I realized that I didn't even tell y'all what I put in the salsa I made yesterday

(Yes, I'm still hung up on how freakin delicious it was!!)

So I don't have to type it all out,

I got it from a YouTube channel I watch called HeyKayli

I don't know if you've ever heard of the Shaytards but Kayli is ShayCarl's sister-in-law.

She's cute and does lots of fun stuff on her channel.

Anyway, you can just search HeyKayli 

and the video is called Best. Salsa. Ever.

Just subscribe to her channel if you are an avid YouTube watcher like me.

There are a lot of hair tips and crafty things.

It is just fun.

Anyway....

Brielle is 10 months old today so I decided to write a little update on her so far :)

One of the things I love VERY most about Brielle is how curious she is.

She is always into everything and trying to figure things out.

I know I've said it before about her but she seriously doesn't miss anything!

It is so funny to watch her try and figure out where every sound she hears came from.

I am told a lot that she is so alert and aware of her surroundoings.

Anyway, another thing I LOVE about Brielle's little personality is that she is so social.

She is shy at first when someone new picks her up or talks to her.

She'll stare at them for a while,

but doesn't usually cry.

Once she gets used to them she will talk and talk and smile and laugh.

Whenever we go to the grocery store, or anywhere out in public, once she spots someone she'll start rambling away and kicking her little feet and getting SO excited. It's hilarious.

When I put her in the cart she'll wave to everyone.

She gets really excited around other kids and spins around on her bum in circles and kicks her feet.

She is just a social butterfly.

She gives kisses now...but only at select moments.

She mostly will only give them to John.

Lucky dog.

She loves playing with her daddy,

but when it's time for eating or bed 

she basically only wants mama.

She is quite the little mommy's girl.

I love it:)

She has discovered  how to scream which isn't the most entertaining thing for me..

I am hoping that dies out soon.

She takes two great naps in the morning and in the afternoon/early evening.

She goes to bed between 9-9:30

She still doesn't sleep all night (wakes up twice usually) but we are working on it.

She is still nursing but will take a bottle occasionally. 

(Go me! My goal was to nurse for a year! Only two more months to go!)

She eats what we eat (with some exceptions) and doesn't like baby food too much anymore.

She loves to read books and she has started to dance when music is on.

She tries to sing with the church congregation and we get some good laughs out of that.

Anyway, in a nutshell I basically have the cutest, coolest baby;)

I love who she is becoming and the fun she brings to our lives.

I am glad she's mine and I am grateful everyday that she's healthy and happy.

That's all I could really ask for and I'm so glad I get the privilege of being her mother.

SALSA!!!

I made salsa...

Now I keep thinking of the Seinfeld episode when George and Jerry talk about how people like to say SALSA

Anyway....

I haven't ever made salsa before.
It's just not something I've ever thought about making..

Or felt the need to make..

BUT....

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be making this lots and lots now!

It's sad that I don't have a decent camera anymore so these are blurred and not the best...

Anyway I was proud of myself for doing something different and that it turned out great!

Now I just need to STOP eating it!!

Camera baby!

Brielle LOVES the camera these days!

Here's the proof :)

haha I love her!

I live for little moments...like that.

So yesterday I was doing the laundry and Brielle was helping me put the clothes in the dryer...

I wasn't paying much attention but then I looked down and she was staring at her binky 

in her hand and looking back and forth from the binky to the dryer

and then it was like her little mind decided the binky needed to be dried too...

She put it right on top of the clothes pile and smiled sooo big. 

She was so proud of herself.

I loved this little silly moment yesterday so I had to document it.

ramblings of my human mind

Today I woke up thinking...

Why can't life just be easy sometimes?

Why can't we have a better financial situation, have nice furniture, have more food;)

Why can't we drive two nice cars, have a flat screen T.V., have nicer clothes, more toys for Brielle?! 

etc, etc...

Ahhh...all those thoughts in the span of two seconds this morning.

I started comparing our lives to the lives of our friends and family...

I started wishing I could do some of the things they could do

and have some of the things they have.

But then I walked out to my living room and found my precious baby and my precious husband.

They were just playing around and laughing and having a  good ol' time.

And then I was embarrassed with myself.

I am so human sometimes...and such an emotional wreck lately.

But my family....

That's what is important in life.

I have to remember that. 

Although, some days, those things I mentioned would be so nice and make things a lot easier,

I really do have everything I need.

I could have it a LOT worse...

I would NEVER trade my husband or daughter for anyone else's...

So why do I wish sometimes my life was more like theirs?

Today my goal is to be grateful...

For EVERY little tiny thing I have.

Of course, for the obvious things....family, friends, apartment, car....

But also for the little things...

A warm blanket, socks, oatmeal, mac & cheese, water, dirty dishes,

laundry, smiles, laughter....

So anyway....I guess my point is...

If you are feeling like I do sometimes...

Really take another two seconds to stop thinking those negative things and realize what you have.

It's not easy to turn your thinking sometimes but it is so much better to think positively.

I need to do it more and ignore my stupid negative mind....

I love my life.

I really do.

And who knows...someday when we are old and grey...

 maybe we'll have two cars and a flat screen T.V. and a nice house...

But by that time...

we'll probably only want to be with each other and our children:)

And all that stuff won't matter 

And I'll look back at myself now and laugh and think that I was so selfish.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is....

BE GRATEFUL!!!!!!

Just be grateful.

It's so much nicer and easier.

Stephy Malloo!!!!

This last Friday I had the chance to go to Provo and visit my darling friend, Stephanie.

She just had a beautiful baby boy, Jayden, and I just HAD to see him while he was still tiny.

(Well he wasn't that tiny....9 lbs 2 oz)

Poor Stephy had to push for 2 hours! After 24 hrs of labor-or something close to that.

Sheesh...no wonder they call it labor!!!!

It was so great to see her and her baby.

I love Stephy.

I met her when I moved to TX when I was 12. 

I still remember the first time I saw her... 

She had a smile that lit up her whole face and long curly hair.

I just remember vividly thinking..."I want to be her friend."

Well, we've been friends since and I'm so glad because she has made my life so wonderful.

We have gone through a lot of dramatic teenage years together.

There are a lot of funny, silly, and sad things I've shared with Stephy.

I remember the first time I got a straightener and we decided to straighten her hair. HAHA! That took us 2 hours! (Thankfully we got better at straightening our hair...and got better flat irons!)

I remember when we liked boys that didn't like us back and we would cry and cry.

I remember sitting in her van (yes, she had a van and it was awesome!) and singing at the top of our lungs!

I remember when we found out she was on a different track at BYU-Idaho and we cried.

I remember when we lived together at BYU-Idaho and had a BLAST!

I remember when we went to Europe together!!! Ahhh so fun and I'm so glad we went together

*Sigh*

I could go on and on about us...(I may be sounding a little silly I know)

But I just love her and her friendship has always meant so much to me.

I don't tell her enough, and I don't want to miss any chance anymore to tell people how much I love them.

So, Stephanie Dawn, I love you!!!!

I am so happy for her and her family. 

And, I'm excited that she has a baby now and we can swap mom stories.

Here is the picture overload of just a handful of our adventures together. Most are Europe ,but eh :)

And they aren't in any specific order. 

Venice!

Just got to Rome! AHHH SO excited :)

The Vatican

Overlooking Germany. So pretty!!!

Tower of London tour guide:)

Ah red eyes!

WICKED IN LONDON! 

Woot woot!!

AW, I love her.

I'm Married!!!

She's married!!!

We are mommies!!!

Words to remember...

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will

—to your surprise—

miss them profoundly."

- President Monson

a little update:

So....

Another semester is starting for John tomorrow.

He only has class Tues and Thurs this semester, which is both a good thing and a bad thing

A good thing because then he is here a little more than usual

A bad thing because then he doesn't get as much work

He is a bit nervous. All the classes for his major are really kicking in so it's going to be a little more work than usual. I'm excited for him though. He is happy to do something he is interested in AND good at.

(He's good at everything, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his wife)

Brielle has been a pill these past few weeks sleeping wise.

She's never been a good sleeper but she was getting better and I was getting very hopeful.

Every time she turns a month older I tell myself

"This is the month she'll finally get it!"

....

I'm still waiting.

But I am trying to be positive and faithful that my sleep will come.

I'm probably going to go as far as buy ear plugs and sleep with them in. 

haha

I have been not feeling the best lately. 

First it was strep...

Then it went away

Then it was back again

Then yesterday it was a BAD stomach ache all morning

and then today it's definite sleep deprivation + recovering from stomach ache sickness.

Ugh.

I hope this house starts feeling better soon...

AND sleeping better so that I can feel whole again and start getting things done around here

But for now...I'm going to relax, stay in my sweats all day, play with Brielle and SLEEP when she does.

Back to the newborn days when I slept every time she slept...

Who am I kidding?

Those days still haven't ended for me.

 

Have a super Monday and be thankful for the sleep you get cause I'm missing mine terribly!!!

She is worth it all though. I love her!

My little helper...

Time to do the laundry!

P.S. don't mind my ANCIENT dryer....it was free :)

Such a curious little one I have.

She doesn't miss a beat!

She hears everything, and SEES everything!

I am pretty sure it means she's gonna be a genius.

Just sayin.