I could save this for a Leila-ism, but then I'd have to wait until the monthly anniversary of Leila's birth, which is January 5th. And by that time Christmas and Santa will be old news, so I'll post it now.
Leila can be pretty thoughtful in her prayers. She thinks of things that happened during the day and thanks Heavenly Father for those things. She will also sometimes tell me ahead of time what she wants to pray for next. The other day Leila said "Mom! When I say prayers next, I want to say "Thanks for Santa. . .and thanks that he says "Ho! Ho! Ho!" As random as that was, I thought it was pretty cute :)
Writing about this little moment reminds me of a sweet news article about a little boy who had a special request for Santa: He wanted him to kneel and pray with him for a sick baby! Children have a way of bringing the Christmas spirit! And what a beautiful combination to have the giver of earthly gifts (Santa) praying to the giver of eternal gifts. You can check out the story here:
Whenever people were surprised that he could do something well, my Grandpa Dixon (Poppy I called him) would say "well, I'm not just a pretty face!!" As for Leila, well. . .she's most definitely a pretty face, though she's not going to wow any crowds at "America's Got Talent" at this point. But in all seriousness, this Mama is proud of her little girl! She's among all these six and seven-year-olds and holding her own as well as a her little 3-year-old self can. I'm proud of her for making friends with these girls so easily, for getting up in front of lots of people and not being afraid! And this little group is a non-competitive one, with the goal to build confidence in girls, so I think it is serving its purpose! Besides that. . . goodness she's cute!
Now, for this next one. . .all I can say is that she missed two dance classes. Maybe that's when they practiced this one, 'cause she doesn't seem to know what's going on (and that's why I like watching it!)
I have often thought how grateful I am for the Savior. And of all the reasons I have to be grateful for him, what makes me feel like I am about to burst with gratitude is the fact that he gave me my family. Not only here and now, but the possibility that I can have them with me forever. Both my family of origin and my family of procreation mean the world to me. So when it comes down to it, Christ has really given me the world!
Ten years ago today I went through the temple (Cardston, Alberta) for the first time to receive my endowment (which means "gift"). It truly has been a gift to make promises with my Heavenly Father, and receive blessings both in and out of the temple. I feel peace and receive answers to prayer when I'm there. And I feel that, because I do temple work, the Lord blesses me in all aspects of my life, even when I am not inside those sacred walls.
I love this particular video, not only because it shows beautiful pictures of the Cardston temple, but also because it plays a song that Leila and I love to sing together!
A little less than half a dozen years after going through the temple for the first time, I was able to walk in the doors of the Bountiful Utah temple with my handsome fiancee and walk out with him as my amazing husband and eternal companion! The temple is a special place! The words that were spoken during that ceremony didn't end with "'til death do you part". Rather, we were married "for time and all eternity" as long as we live righteously. I am grateful to have been married in the house of the Lord by priesthood authority so that I have the chance to keep that wonderful guy! I miss him enough when he's gone a long day at work! I don't want anything, including death, to separate us. I'm grateful for my Savior, the temple, and my husband. Those 3 things really lay the foundation for every meaningful happy thought I have!
I wrote this one a few months ago, but haven't found quite the right time to post it. Since I need to fill up 12 days worth of posts for my 12 days of Christmas blogging, I figure now is as good a time as any. . .and I've got such a wonderful companion, I just can't keep it to myself for too long :)
I love this picture of us. . .even though it's 2 years old
. . .Robby and I need more pictures together!
I want to start a new tradition of posting from time to time what I love about Robby, so I can always remember and so that our children can learn from the marriage pro! It's incredible to me--I'm the one who got a degree in Marriage and Family Studies, but he's the one who "gets it" in terms of how to have a happy marriage and I learn from him every day. The things I love may not be mind-blowing, as they are usually just small acts of service or kind words, but they mean the world to me and, in my opinion, make for an extraordinary marriage! Anyway, without further adieu:
I struggle with meal planning off and on. So, instead of well-orchestrated dinners, too often we have pancakes, grilled cheese, or a pre-made Costco meal. Sometimes I can make it look like I've put some work into it by pulling out a freezer meal that I've previously made and popping that into the oven or slow cooker . . .but even those have started to dwindle. This past week I made a goal of doing meal plans. I don't know why I've been struggling with it so much! It's not like it's hard! I just print off a menu planner. . .
Like this one
There are gazillions of menu planners on the web. This one is my favorite because I don't write down the ingredients that I already have, just the ones I need and it becomes a shopping list--so convenient! Also, instead of writing down the starch that goes with the dinner, I use that spot to write which website or cookbook I got the recipe from, so I can find it again when I need it!
So this should be easy right?! But like many other things, I tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill and make things seem harder/ more time consuming than they really are, and I don't do it. Well, I planned my meals last week! Hooray! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it was super easy from A to Z, after all--I do have to figure out how to make dinner while having to entertain two cute/intense little girls, but it worked out!
So now that you have the background, here is how the conversation with my husband went:
Me: So, I'm really proud of myself!
Robby: Ya?! How so?
Me: I made a goal to do better at meal planning and I did it! I've felt silly having so many lame meals lately! But this week I made chicken and sausage stroganoff, breakfast casserole, chicken pot pie, and chicken enchiladas!
Robby: Good job! The chicken pot pie was so good! And the enchiladas were amazing! . . .But those seemed like pretty intense meals to prepare. To be honest, the difference between enchiladas and Costco lentils on rice is so little. It's like. . .
Me: The 80/20 rule?
Robby: Ya!
*Aside: The 80/20 rule is the idea that you do 20% of the work for 80% of the quality, so sometimes it just makes sense to stop there. Because otherwise, you have to put in another 80% worth of time/effort, just to increase your results a meager 20%. Robby's philosophy is--why sacrifice balance and sanity when 80% is still a good score?
Robby: Really, I'd rather we just had baked potatoes for dinner if it meant you could just get a nap in.
You can bet he got a hug, a kiss, and an "awww" for that one! He is always so considerate of me and looks for ways to help ease my load. And it's so nice to know that he sincerely cares about me!
If you want another story about how wonderful it has been to be married to this guy, check out this one.
So one of my New Year's resolutions was to blog once a week. You can tell from looking over there -----> and scrolling down that I didn't meet my goal. . .not even close. To kinda sorta make up for it (but not all the way), I'm planning on blogging the twelve days up to and including Christmas. Call it compensating for my lacking. . .call it a self-inflicted punishment. Either would probably be at least somewhat true :)
I don't know about you, but to me pumpkin flavor is not just a Thanksgiving thing, but a Christmas thing too. I'm sure it's partly because of big family dinners that end with a hefty slice of pumpkin pie. But I also think it's just one of those inanimate things that gives me a warm happy feeling! It fits right up there with fireplaces, hot chocolate, and candles flickering on the hearth. So even when it's in a cold smoothie, something about it being pumpkin just gives me warm fuzzies inside :) But I've come to realize that Oreo doesn't share my same sentiment as I can't seem to find pumpkin oreos now that Thanksgiving is over. If you've seen 'em somewhere--fill me in!!
Oatmeal smoothies. Have you had one? No? Sounds gross? Well, all I can say is, don't knock it 'til you try it. I've been making banana oatmeal smoothies for well over a year now and when I first served one up to my husband, he said "hmmm. . .it's like drinking banana bread batter. . .but I actually like it!" So there you have it. Oh! And my little girls really like them too, so that's a plus. I like them because they are kind of a stick-to-your-ribs kind of on-the-go food, they're yummy and not packed with calories=win, win, win!
So a week ago, I started thinking I would make a pumpkin oatmeal smoothie, 'cause those two things seem to go pretty well together. In fact, if you agree, you gotta try this pumpkin pie oatmeal--It's sooo good! But I made the smoothie it and it was missing something in texture and sweetness. I threw a frozen banana in (like I do with the banana oatmeal smoothie) and voila! That did the trick! But you'll notice I didn't call this recipe "pumpkin-banana oatmeal smoothie" and there's a reason for that--not only is that title too long to fit on one line, you actually can't really taste the banana that well, so it doesn't deserve to be in the title! Like I said, it just helps with adding smoothness to the texture and a natural sweetness without over-doing it.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked and cooled oatmeal (it could be any kind--even from the packets)
heaping 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup of any kind of milk (I use almond milk, but if you use sweetened almond milk, don't use honey or it will be too sweet)
1 Tbs. honey
1 frozen banana (I like to slice mine into quarters before I plastic wrap it and throw it into the freezer)
About a 1/2 tray ice pellets **see note below
Instructions
In a small bowl combine oatmeal, cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin puree, milk, and honey. Stir together and dump in blender. Add frozen banana and 1/2 tray of ice pellets. Blend until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Makes 2 glasses.
Here is a pic of my unique ice cube tray that I swear by for making smoothies.
You can see see that roughly half the tray is empty, 'cause I used it to make a pumpkin
oatmeal smoothie. Honestly, when I try to dump the ice into the blender I get a good
number of them all over the floor and my 3-year-old goes scrambling for them as though
I just hit the jackpot on a pinata. So it's, really probably a little less than half a tray
that ends up in the smoothie :)
**Note: One trick I use in making smoothies of all kinds is to use an ice cube tray that makes little pebbles rather than big honking blocks. I got mine in a pack of two at Target. I find that my blender (a Ninja--so not a small potatoes Osterizer, but not a high fluting Blendtec either) can break it down into smoothie texture better without having those random chunks of ice floating around in my smoothie. I don't know what it is, but I like to chew my orange juice (extra pulp), but I don't like to chew my smoothie. . .no thanks! So you can use regular ice cubes, I just don't know how many--I'm sure it's not an actual science. . .I would guess 4 or five would be great.
If you try it, let me know! Even if you hate it, 'cause at least you'll have the right to say so if you've actually tried it :)
This is my little cutie in her dance costume. I will post some videos of her first dance performance EVER later this month. Dang! She's cute! (. . .If I do say so myself!)
1) Reading Buddies
Leila likes to be read to. And although there are many books that she likes, there is one that stands out above them all--Classic Bedtime Stories by Scott Gustafson. Not only does it contain some great classics like Jack and The Beanstalk and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, not only does it have breathtakingly gorgeous illustrations, but it was purchased for my daughters by their beloved Grandma Parker as a "just because" gift (those are the best kinds of gifts, aren't they?)
When Robby was little his Mom read to him and his siblings a lot. Robby often tells me of the memories he has of his mom reading to him when he was young. It's common to hear him say "I love that book! My mom read it to me as a child." Being read to aloud is just one of the many examples of memories that have created such a strong bond between Robby and his Mama.
One of the stories Robby and his Mama read together was the story of Little Black Samba and The Tigers. That story happens to be in this compilation of classics--I think that's why this book piqued Grandma Parker's interest when she saw it at the store :) She has read it to Leila a *few* times :) You can tell that's an understatement when you watch them reading it together in this video.
Note: This video was taken 6 1/2 months ago (in May when Leila was not yet 3). I tried in vain to upload it months ago. It took me this long to get me to ask my super-duper multi-talented, technically savvy hubby for help. It was NBD for him of course.
What a little performer she is!
2) I Have a Happy Family (Home Evening)
During FHE Robby asked what Leila likes about our family:
She said "I like that our family reads scriptures together and that you guys got married in the temple"
For another FHE Robby asked when was the last time Leila felt the Spirit. She turned it into the same question as the other week:
Leila: I like that our family loves each other so much!
I like that too. . .and I like that she's so darned sweet!
3) Jesus' Hands
We have been trying to teach Leila that when she makes good choices it makes Heavenly Father and Jesus happy and when she makes not-so-good choices it makes them sad.
One day she spilled some water and said "Oh no! It's not good to spill water! When we spill water on the floor it's like we're spilling water on Jesus' hands!"
**Hmmm. . .not. . .exactly.**
Here is Leila with Santa at the Christmas party. I liked that they had a couch--no need to sit on a strange old guy's lap, right?
4) Syllable Smarts
This week Leila learned about syllables. It took about 30 seconds to get the concept. I'm always amazed how quick she is to catch on to things!
L: All. On. A. Sat-ur-day. Night! (pointing at me, then her and switching who she was pointing at for each syllable)
M: Oh! That's good! You pointed at a different person for each syllable! Do you know what a syllable is?
L: No. What is it?
M: It's the sounds in a word. Let's see how many syllables Saturday has in it: Sat-ur-day (holding up a finger for each time I said a syllable). How many is that?
L: 3!
M: Great job! How about "Leila"? How many syllables are in your name?
Together: "Lei-la" (holding up a finger for each syllable)
L: Two!
M: That's right! How about "hippopotamus"?
L: Hip-po-pot-a-mus (holding up fingers) . . .five!
We kept trying that--I would suggest a word, then she would suggest a word. She got them all right until she suggested a whole sentence, something like "I have some peanut butter to eat". At that point she bit off a little more than she could chew :)
5) A Little Medicine Goes a Loooong Way!
The other day I was getting ready to give some Zarbee's cough medicine to Heidi. It's all natural, boosts the child's immune system, and is OK for kids 12 months and up. . .Oh. . .and it has honey in it. So I sucked up a half teaspoon using the medicine syringe, but in doing so, I got some sticky medicine on my hands. . .and I DON'T like being sticky! So I stood the syringe up on the table with the nozzle pointing to the ceiling while I washed my hands. Leila immediately climbed up on the chair and, harnessing the full power of her curious nature, pushed the syringe down . . .hard. It all happened in the blink of any eye--before I could let out a dissuading response! So I just watched helplessly as the contents of the syringe spewed quickly into the air, raining all over my shirt and arm, Heidi's hair, and leaving a nice sticky trail on the ceiling! Of course Leila ended up untainted! So much for not getting sticky!!
6) Origins
Leila: What is oatmeal made of?
Me: Oats.
Leila: Applesauce is made of ducks!
*mmm. . .K! I may never look at applesauce the same again!*
Like reading about our fun, smart, sweet girl? Click here for past Leila-isms!
As mentioned in the last "Leila-isms" post, my goal is to post cute/new things my girls are doing on the monthly anniversaries of their birth. This one is about Heidi who is already 14 months old!!
"The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days." - Gordon B. Hinckley how true it is!
Since I haven't done a Heidi-ism post before, I've got quite a few that have accumulated. After becoming a mother and finding that the whole world ends up revolving around your little one, I was struck with wide-eyed wonder. . .how could a mother manage TWO children? I was pleasantly surprised to have Heidi be such a sweet baby girl from the beginning, making the transition to two children quite seamless. She was easy-going, sweet, and cuddly. In fact, I actually nicknamed her "cuddles" for about the first 4-6 months of her life. . .then she became a lot more vivacious and would more aptly be nicknamed "wiggles". But even with all her moving and exploring, she is still a sweet girl who hasn't completely grown out of cuddling. When she was a newborn, I would just nestle myself in the corner of the couch and fall asleep with my living doll napping peacefully on my chest. We both felt like we were in dream land! Her favorite way to cuddle was to lean any part of her head on the soft part of my cheek--I became a human pillow. . .and loved it! Even now, we have such a strong bond that I have a hard time weaning the sweet little thing! As I nurse her I will often stroke her soft, nearly bald head. When I forget, she reminds me--she'll pick up my hand and rub it back and forth over her head. In those times that I'm distracted, I'm grateful she's on top of things to help bring me back to the moment and remind me of what matters most--being a mommy! Soon after her birth, my mom came to visit and mentioned that her temperament was like that of a housecat's. I had that in mind when I answered the oft-asked question: "what's it like being the mother of two children?" My reply became a canned response: "I don't know! I feel like I am the mother of one lively toddler and a housecat--she just stays curled up in the corner of the room, looking all cute and sweet. When I want cuddles, she's happy to oblige me, but I seldom hear a peep from her unless she's hungry!"
Here is our little kitty cat on the prowl at 11 months old :) She learned to walk unsupported only days later!
As she's grown, she has been quick to smile. I love her nerdy toothy grin with big gaps in between each tooth. And I love how she wrinkles her nose sometimes when she smiles. Her happy noise comes from her throat and sounds like a pigeon's purr, though I'm sad to say she is starting to grow out of that. Probably one of my most favorite things about Heidi is that she has generally allowed me to comfort her. When she cries, I hold her or hug her, or pat her back. . .and she stops crying! It makes me feel . . .the way I've always wanted to feel as a mom--like I am a strength and a support to my child and my help is wanted and needed. I love that feeling!
One time when she was a few months old, I tried to give her a bath in the bathroom sink. I hadn't tried it with her before and realized by trial and error that she was too big for the sink! As her limbs flailed around to demonstrate her discomfort in this tiny excuse for a bathtub, she pushed the handle on the faucet toward HOT. It wasn't scalding luckily, but it was certainly uncomfortably hot--worth every decibel of noise that escaped from her lips. Of course I immediately yanked her out of the sink and pulled her dripping wet body close to me. She screamed as she clung to me. I spoke softly to reassure her (and to apologize). I stroked her head and patted her back and within about 30 seconds. . . she was calm. I know that might sound like a simple story, but to me it was profound. I am so grateful for this girl and that my presence comforts her.
Now that I've caught up on some memories and general feelings about my baby, here are some recent Heidi-isms, with some pictures to spice it up:
Heidi has been learning some ASL signs! So far, at 14 months she knows:
Dog
Bird
More
Hi/bye
All done
Milk
Ouch!
Help
This past week, I was holding Heidi and she leaned forward to bite my chin--HARD! I said "No Heidi girl! Don't bite Mama!" She looked at me with concern and made the sign for "ouch!" I agreed, saying "that's right Heidi! It hurt! Can you kiss Mama better?" and she did! Although my chin was sore, it was so fun to see her interact with me and show understanding!
This is what she looks like when she reaches for me. It melts me!
Working on those first steps!
This just doesn't happen anymore--Heidi girl is just too busy to fall
asleep on anyone these days. . .but church got in the way of naptime
and Heidi made an exception. I just had to capture this rare sweet moment.
Not only does this video show that she is just SOOO darn
cute, but see those dots? She likes to "pick them up" and
"eat them" ha ha! Funny baby!
This little sweetie has learned this month how
to fold her arms for prayers, and she does so on
command!
Silly girl, she loves to eat everything! And often times she doesn't take the
trouble to pick it up and put it in her mouth. She just laps it up right from the
ground like a little puppy! She wouldn't have made the cut for Gideon's
army! (Judges 7:4-7)
This little doll-face just LOVES her chicken dinosaurs! In
fact, I would say they are currently her favorite food. The
trouble with them is that they start out frozen. . .and to get
them to the point of being edible, they've got to be microwaved
and possibly even cooled. The wait resulted in her very first
kicking-and-screaming-on-the-floor tantrum. . .like the kind
you see in cartoons :) When I finally handed her the goods, she was content to just stay where she was and gobble it up!
Heidi is mesmerized by animals so her favorite song right now is "Old McDonald". She likes saying "E-I-E-I" She doesn't have the "O" down yet, but that kinda makes it cuter :)
Heidi likes the book: "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?"
. . .and she loves kissing things--like this black sheep in the book. . .
Now I think this one is better blurry because it
shows how excited she was to discover helium balloons--
there was just a constant flurry of cuteness zipping past!
. . .and herself. How can she resist? I know I can't stop kissing her!!
This girl thinks she's "ready to read". Here she is at the library, browsing through
the early chapter books. Doesn't it just look like she's saying "hmmm. . .what should
I read today?"
Heidi has learned to color. . .on the floor. But I showed her the
paper and told her that we only color on paper. Ever since then,
she has pulled out a piece of paper and sat down with a crayon/
marker/ pencil crayon and went to town scribbling.
. . .and then she made me realize that my rule
doesn't always hold true. I guess there's a time
and a place to color on the ground.
This one's a little blurry, but still! She made an adorable
elephant for Halloween! Oh goodness!
If you can't tell from this picture, being this baby's Mama is an absolute joy. . .really just a dream come true!
My husband is a stud. Really though! He is a natural at marriage. From the moment we got married it was as though marriage fit him like a comfy pair of tennis shoes--so well, and without rubbing the wrong way. He shines in so many areas and one of those areas is gratitude. It's just his way-of-life to say "thank you", which is nice, because as they say "being a stay-at-home-mom is a thankless job!" And there's definitely truth to that--like when all you have at home is a non-verbal infant whose best version of reciprocity is to "return" the applesauce you gave her by spitting it all over your face. . . But staying at home doesn't have to be totally thankless, thanks to husbands :)
It helps that my husband is observant--he notices things. He notices if I've cleaned the house. . .or part of the house. . .or just vacuumed. I'm sure he also notices when I don't clean the house, but he has a positive attitude and chooses not to dwell on that. One of the things that just warms my heart, actually stems from me having a rough day. . .or at least a not-well-planned day. Sometimes me and the kids hang out at home just long enough to mess up the house. We take off to run errands and then it seems we return home just in time to add to the mess--by making dinner. On some of those days, the bed is even left unmade, there are toys all over the house, the bathroom is a mess, there are dirty diapers on the change table and the kitchen is in shambles.
Then my knight in shining armor walks in the door with a big smile on his face and expressions of love on his lips. Our little girl wraps her arms around his neck for a big welcome home hug. Our baby smiles, coos, and claps. If we're really on top of it, we'll greet him with a chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". I give him a hug and a kiss. We're all glad he's home. He doesn't mention a thing about the state of the house. Instead, he gives me a long hug, tells me he loves me and that he's happy to see me. As he walks into the bedroom to put his things down, he lays his backpack down on the unmade bed and notices beside it, a laundry basket. The laundry is clean. . .and dry, but that's all it is. It's not folded or put away, it's just a tangled mess that's accumulating wrinkles. Of the plethora of comments he could choose to make at that moment, he just says cheerfully "thanks for doing the laundry!"
Can I just tell you how very loved that makes me feel? Just moments before, I was feeling a little vulnerable because "why did I even bother doing the laundry if I couldn't do it all the way?" (my thoughts). In stark contrast to my insecurities, I now feel validated for my efforts. I feel safe--safe in my home, safe being myself, safe with my spouse. Have I ever heard him say "what do you do all day?" Never. (And I don't expect to--he protects my feelings . . .and he has spent time with the children, so he knows how high maintenance they are and how it takes at least 4x longer to get anything done when the girls are circling around like hungry sharks.)
Here are my two cute little handfuls!
Anyway, you know what's remarkable about his comment besides the fact that it's totally sweet and selfless? It's motivating! It makes me want to do better! No amount of nitpicking could possibly make me want to do better at cleaning, scheduling my day, or using the girls' nap times more wisely, but sincere expressions of gratitude are addictive! I just want more! In fact, I so appreciate being appreciated that I have often been laughed at for saying "thanks for thanking me!" But I mean it! Not only am I motivated to do better because I think the words "thank you" sound good together, but I'm motivated because he's so good at making me feel happy and loved--I just want to do the same for him! As a side note--it's nice to know that it's possible to make him happy. It's not a losing battle, instead nearly every effort seems to be worthwhile.
Other expressions of gratitude from my thankful spouse include "thanks for cleaning the house" (yes, that happens too), "thanks for breakfast" (sometimes even when it's just cold cereal--that makes me smile), thanks for dinner (even when I can tell it's not his favorite) "thanks for taking good care of the kids". . . and the list goes on.
Even though I'm not perfect, rather than picking from a list of flaws as long as my arm, my husband gives me the benefit of the doubt that I'm trying. And I don't have to do my "absolute best" either--in fact, he has communicated that he prefers I don't. His love for me is not conditioned on my doing my absolute best--he loves me unconditionally, and he wants me to know that. So my "reasonable best" is good enough. giving my absolute best is risky! Sure, the house might be clean, but my perfectionistic tendencies (along with my stress level) would be sky high. When stress is high, sanity and happiness are low. That's problematic for both of us because my husband has adopted the adage: "Happy wife, happy life". I like that! But I think "happy spouse, happy life", though not rhyming, is closer to the truth. That way, each other's happiness is in both of our best interests.
In conclusion: as long as my husband and I try our reasonable best to keep each other's happiness in mind, not forgetting to use a healthy helping of "thank-you's", I think we'll continue to be each other's favorite happy thoughts. . .and the house will probably look as good as it's gonna get!
So, I keep saying I'll do better with recording the cute things that my kids say/do. . .but it just never comes to fruition. So I've made a new goal to try to make this happen--I'm going to write down moments all month long, then on my girls' "un-birthdays" (the day of the month when my girls were born--Leila is the 5th and Heidi is the 25th) I will publish those memories and milestones :) So happy un-birthday to Leila! She is 40 months old today (3 years, 4 months)!!! 1) A Forgiving Heart
It was a rough day with Leila. She was super emotional, whiny, and oppositional. I lost my cool with her more than once :(
Leila: (mumbling something) . . .like Jesus.
Me: What's like Jesus?
Leila: (smiling) You are!
Me: No. Not today!
Leila: Why?
Me: Because I got really upset at you today.
Leila: That's OK! You're nice now!
I love how forgiving children are!
2)A Sweet Prayer (later that day at bedtime)
Leila: You're a great Mom! And I know you're thankful for me!
Me: Thank you! And you're right! I am thankful for you! I'm so glad you're my daughter! . . . It's time to say the prayer. Would you like to say it? Or would you like me to?
Leila: I'll say it! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! AMEN! Ha ha! Just kidding! Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for my mom and that she's so cute. . .
3) Swings: Leila-Style
a fairy dress-up costume complete with shiny stretchy pants, wings, and a bike helmet with a unicorn on top. . .and of course a great big smile :D 4) A Cute Prayer
Leila: Thank you for my mom and that she's so great, thank you for my dad, that he's so great, thank you for Leila, that I'm so great, thank you for Heidi, that she's so great. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Me: *laughing a little*
Leila: What? Why are you laughing?
Me: Because. . .that was a cute prayer.
Leila: Ya. . .that's 'cause I'm cute!
5) Mirror
"Mom, I love you. . .even when I get mad at you." 6) Thanks Mom!
Here's a nice one for the month of Thanksgiving! They call motherhood "a thankless job", but Leila can actually be really good at saying thank you! These are two examples from today:
Thanks for dinner tonight, Mom!
Thanks for watching me when Daddy's at work!
7) Before Leila
Aunt Sarah: (pointing to a photo) Who's that in this picture?
Leila: I dunno. Who is it?
Aunt Sarah: Look closer!
Leila: Oh! It's my Mama!
Aunt Sarah: That's right! That was before you were born, so you were in heaven!
Leila: Oh ya!! I was crying because I wanted my Mama!
8) Watch my Mouth
When Leila was a baby, a friend of mine was expecting her first child. She asked me an interesting question: "Is there anything you say that you don't want your kids repeating?" I just kinda raised my eyebrow at that and shrugged it off--"No". Well, sometimes you don't realize that what you say isn't always the best. . .until you hear it coming from a child's mouth. The other day, we walked outside and Leila started whirling around in circles and saying "What the heck?! It's nice outside! What the heck?! It's nice outside!What the heck?! It's nice outside!" That made me realize I should probably consider "heck" an "H word"!
Well, that's all for now folks! For more Leila-isms, check back in a month. . .hopefully I'll be following through with my goal at that time :)
Baby girl turned 1 a few weeks ago! It has gone by so fast! And I have so much to say about her that I just haven't been able to wrap up all my thoughts! So I'm going to put that on hold a little longer and just post the easy thing--the recipes from her birthday party. I had a few people ask for the cake and/or salsa recipe. So instead of just emailing them, I figured I would just blog about it, 'cause maybe someone else wants those recipes too, right?
NUTELLA CHOCOLATE CAKE
Nutella Chocolate Cake--Heidi's Birthday Cake . . .sort of. . .except she is allergic
to eggs and dairy, so she couldn't actually eat it. But as you can see, she did
have a cupcake and what a cute little cupcake eater she was!
I have a question--from one baker to another: What could be better than having someone compliment you on your baking? Having someone go out of their way to compliment you on their baking! Am I right? Let me illustrate--I made this Nutella Chocolate cake for Heidi's birthday. Four layers of moist chocolate cake stuffed with plenty of thick, creamy Nutella-y frosting, then topped off with a fudgey chocolate ganache.
My cousin shoved a piece into a plastic cup ('cause I forget to get paper plates) and brought some home for her husband who wasn't able to attend (you just can't compete with a BYU game, ya know?) Well, my husband received a text like this not too much later:
M: Where did you get that chocolate cake?!
R: My lovely wife
M: I'm sincerely serious that that's maybe the best chocolate cake I've ever had. How did she do that?
R: It's a boiled batter cake. If you come over you can have some more.
M: Is right now a good time?
Yep. He came right over and got some :)
So. . .it's very yummy! Want the recipe? Here it is! And the only thing I would change is to use heavy cream instead of milk or water in the frosting. You need heavy cream for the ganache anyway, and there is plenty of extra in the smallest carton you can find at the store to make both the ganache and the frosting.
Yay for Heidi girl! She's 1!
BLENDER SALSA
INGREDIENTS
2 cans (14.5 Ounces) Diced Tomatoes (I used Western Family brand) 1 can (10 Ounce) Rotel Tomatoes (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies-Original) 1/4 cup Chopped Onion 2 cloves Garlic, Minced 1/4 teaspoon Sugar 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin 1/2 cup Cilantro (more To Taste!) 1 whole Lime, Juiced (about 2 Tablespoons)
INSTRUCTIONS
Loosely drain (but don't squeeze 'em dry) all 3 cans of tomatoes.
Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or large food processor.
Pulse until you get to the right consistency, a dozen pulses or so.
Taste and adjust seasonings to taste.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips
This was the main course--a crazy yummy burger that Robby suggested. Mine is shown here with lettuce, tomato, red onion, ketchup, mustard, grilled pineapple, a fried egg, and cheese. . . After I took this picture, I picked up the plate and this tower of a burger fell over, but it's OK. . .'cause I caught it.
Opening presents at the family party!
Little cutie got a new coat and some baby cutlery!
It's been awhile since I've recorded any Leila-isms! The last ones were in April! She says funny things all the time, so I need to be better at this. I know I loved reading about the funny things I said as a kid--I'm glad my mom took the time to record those for me. Here are a few Leila-isms from the last little while:
1)
Me: I don't like it when you do that
Leila: (in a rebellious, come-back tone) Ya?! Well. . .I like yooou! And . . . you like . . .MEEE! (being cute/sweet--even if it's not on purpose is a good way to not get in trouble!)
2)
Leila: You're good for me. . .you're a great mom! *AWWW!*
3)
She made up a new creature called a "vampirate" (vampire/pirate). Pretty clever I thought!
Leila loves to do people's hair. This is her doing
one of her Aunt's hair. She used my nursing cover
as a cape and tangled little fishies from a fishing game
between her locks!
4)
Robby: What does "question" start with?
Leila: Kuh kuh question. K?
Robby: No. Qu qu question.
Leila: Question mark?
5)
Leila's Freudian slip: Dad, when are you leaving right now? (Sometimes she just wants him to leave because she knows that as soon as Dad leaves for work, Mom goes and takes a shower and Leila gets to watch kid's songs on YouTube).
6)
Stranger at party: Where is your Sister?
Leila: Heidi is sick. She throwed up. (Makes gagging noise and sticks out tongue to demonstrate).
That's all for now! Hopefully I'll post more of these little moments before another six months goes by!
I heard yesterday that Elder Richard G. Scott of the quorum of the twelve apostles passed away. He was one of my favorite apostles, partly because I was able to meet him and spend about an hour of my life with him. That small window of time has been impressed upon my mind for the past seven years as a special moment in my life. Here is my journal entry from that day (edited mostly to enhance flow): June 25, 2008 I worked the mission president's seminar at work (The Missionary Training Center Food Services). Many of the twelve apostles were there to teach the mission Presidents. I got there at lunchtime and I was told to go eat, rather than to start work. I grabbed a plate of food and was pointed to a room where I should sit. There were 13 of my co-workers and Richard G. Scott! There was only one empty seat and it was right next to him! . . .So I sat right next to him! He looks different in person. I didn't even recognize him at first! . . .I guess I'm not used to seeing any of the twelve apostles that close. Surprisingly, the thing that helped me to recognize him was his voice: so calm and mild and his words seemed so well thought out. I love his voice! And he was so personable!
He joked, talked about his career as a nuclear engineer, asked us if and when we served missions, and what our majors were. Then, although he was our guest, he took our dishes back to the dish room. When he was coming back to the room, I was on my way out. We crossed paths and I was grinning from ear to ear as though I was in the presence of a celebrity ('cause I was! Church celebrities are the best kind!) He said "now that's a lovely smile!" He complimented me! (which was awfully nice, because I honestly was just grinning like an idiot) Then he shook my hand. He said something like "I enjoyed talking with you Courtney!" He remembered my name! Then he said "that was fun, wasn't it?" I agreed. The apostles must meet so many people! How easy it would be to treat and remember them as a group rather than as individuals, but he remembered my name. . .Heavenly Father surely knows me be name.
Something I didn't mention in my journal entry was the way he looked at me. I still remember that so well! He looked at me so intently and with so much love! He does a good job of that at general conference, speaking into the camera as he imagines all of his 'brothers and sisters' who he is speaking to. Surprisingly, this used to be something he struggled with! He mentioned in one of his talks that his wife once said the following to him:
“Rich, when you talk to people, look in their eyes. You look at the ceiling and the walls and the floor, but you never look in their eyes.” That suggestion profoundly changed my life. My precious companion loved me enough to help me by telling me what I needed to know.
I think that is a neat little example of how someone's weakness became their strength! (Ether 12:27). I am going to miss that man! When I found out he passed away, I honestly felt like I lost someone I loved. But I am so glad that he gets to be with his dear wife again! Theirs is a beautiful love story that kept going long after her death more than 20 years ago. He is well known for his adoration for his wife, Jeanene. He spoke about her, it seemed, as often as he could. Here is one of the things he said at a BYU devotional that I attended, back in 2010: Please pardon me for speaking of my precious wife, Jeanene. But we are an eternal family. Although she is on the other side of the veil, that love and appreciation for each other continues to grow and mature. I am confident that when, in our future, I see her again beyond the veil, we will recognize that we are more deeply in love. We will appreciate each other even more, having spent this time separated by the veil. We have grown closer together through the kindness of the Lord (To Have Peace and Happiness, September 12, 2010).
So many of the things Elder Scott said have touched me, I wanted to share just a few of his quotes. I have emboldened the main theme of each of the quotes below: Often we have difficulty mastering lessons the Lord wants us to learn when things are going too well in our lives. When there is suffering or pain, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. Some of them ought to be: What does the Lord want me to learn from this experience? What do I need to do? What do I need to change? Whom do I need to serve? Or what characteristic must I improve? Pondering and prayer will help us understand what we are to learn from the challenges we are asked to overcome. -Obtaining Help from the Lord October 1991 let us encourage every woman who questions her value to turn to her Heavenly Father and His glorified Son for a supernal confirmation of her immense individual worth. I testify that as each woman seeks it in faith and obedience, the Savior will continually prompt her through the Holy Ghost. That guidance will lead her to fulfillment, peace, and a consuming joy through magnifying her divinely appointed, sacred womanhood. I know the Savior will do that. -The Sanctity of Womanhood, April 2000 Pray even when you have no desire to pray. Sometimes, like a child, you may misbehave and feel you cannot approach your Father with a problem. That is when you most need to pray. Never feel you are too unworthy to pray. -Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer, April 2007 Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry.Being creative will help you enjoy life. It engenders a spirit of gratitude. It develops latent talent, sharpens your capacity to reason, to act, and to find purpose in life. It dispels loneliness and heartache. It gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, and zest for life. -Finding Joy in Life, April 2006 Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change. . . .Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing. -The power of scripture, October 2011 Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it! -Make the exercise of faith your first priority, October 2014 I know that Richard G. Scott was called of God as one of his apostles in these days. I am so grateful for a living prophet and righteous leaders who help direct this church according to the will of a loving Father in Heaven--A God who does not leave us alone in this world, but continues to provide direction. I'm excited to hear the words of the prophet and apostles in General Conference in a couple of weeks! Elder Scott will be missed, along with Elder L. Tom Perry and Boyd K. Packer who also passed away this year. But they have left beautiful legacies of faith, love, and goodness, which I hope to emulate in some small way.
