Baby Blessing

I was so lucky, while in town for Grant's wedding my sister came into town to have her baby blessed at church.  I've only had the pleasure of seeing little Ashton, so being able to hold him was priceless.  I might be bias but my family makes beautiful babies.  I was telling my sister that I'm going to miss being away from my family and all the little babies and toddlers.  Audrey's getting so big and I'm starting to miss the littleness.  Don't get me wrong...three year olds are pretty awesome too.  Especially because they say the sweetest and the most hilarious things but I do miss me some baby lovin.  

I loved being there for a special event.  I don't get to to have that very often.  Baby Ashton you are beautiful!  Welcome to this great big world. 

I had to steal this picture from my sister....I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the baby on his special day.  I'm a loser  PC: Lisa Mcknight

Post Marriage

I was asked to sing for the luncheon.  The only word that comes to mind is, FEAR!  Why does it plague me so.  I wish I could sing the way I do at home in front of my piano.  Oddly it went way better than most of my performances.  I actually kind of enjoyed it.  I sang, "Fly Me to the Moon".  

I actually think it's getting better. Hallelujah!  I'll have to update on that later. 

Back to the wedding festivities.  Audrey has been looking forward to this day for I don't know how long.  I told her she could wear her princess dress and dance and she was all over that.  She couldn't have been happier.  At the reception she danced until she couldn't dance anymore, at one point she even started conducting them.  I smile just thinking about it.  The guys playing Jazz in the band kept smiling and talking about her.  They were amazing, and she has enough of a refined taste in music to know a good thing when she hears it.  I'd like to think that I taught her well :).  I've never seen her more in her element.  I think she might be a musician.  

Marriage

Something about weddings makes me feel old.  It was only 8 years ago for me, but it feels like it's longer, probably because I've know Paul for 16 years now.  Wow!  Saying it out loud makes it feel like a huge number.  Weddings also make me really happy.  One, because I love taking pictures and who doesn't want to take a few shots at a wedding.  Yes please!  Pick me!  Two, it reminds of that particularly fabulous day 8 years ago.  I love him now even more than I did then.  He's the Ying to my Yang....lol. Love you Babe!

We gave away Grant today.  He was the last of my brothers.  I don't even consider him a brother-in-law because we're that close.  I watched him grow up, I've been there through the dating years for sisterly counsel, and I was there at his wedding.  I feel like I deserve the title of sister. 

I found myself tearing up after the ceremony.  I looked over as we were walking out a Paul had tears in his eyes too. Cute! Happy tears.  

It was a beautiful (unseasonably warm for Utah) March Day!  I think the pictures pretty much say it all.  Look at all those smiles!

Liebster Award and a little bit extra...

So this month has been pretty eventful to say the least.  I wish I could tell you that we went to some hopping vacation spot and had an eventful time, but this was quite opposite.  

I don't know how it happened but Audrey ended up with the worse sickness known to me in my Mothering experience so far.  I had oral surgery on a Friday and the day after that Audrey started puking. She puked until there was nothing left.  And then in the middle of the night while I'm trying to comfort her she's screaming out that she wants milk and applesauce because she's so hungry and between her screams she's dry heaving because there's nothing left.  She couldn't stop and at some point she said, "Mommy, I don't want to puke anymore".  I wished I could take it from her.   This is by no means a plug for essential oils, but she did not stop puking back to back until I rubbed her tummy and her feet down in Digestzen.  I'm sure that mingled with my endless prayers are what finally allowed us to get a couple hours of sleep. That wasn't the end by any means but it got much better after that. Paul had to leave on a business trip Sunday evening.  I was left alone to manage the beast alone. It hung around for several days.  Thankfully Paul and I never got it. Apparently it's going around.  Be prepared!

On a good note.  We've had a great week so far.  We spent some much needed time with our Texas family yesterday and I was surprised to find that I've been nominated for a 

Liebster Award.  A big shout out to Ellie (http://tottoxxx.blogspot.com/)!  Thank you for nominating me.

I would be nominating 11 other bloggers, because that's kind the rule with this thing but I'll be honest and say that I'm not a huge blog reader.  So I'm going to nominate a few that I love to read.  The rules are below.  

The Rules:

♥ Thank and link back to the person(s) who nominated you

♥ Answer their 11 questions the nominee asked

♥ Nominate bloggers with less than 200 followers

♥ Make a list of 11 different questions for your nominees to answer

♥ Notify the bloggers you chose for the award

 1) What's your favorite film?

It's so hard to choose one. It depends on context. 

When I was a little girl I loved to watch the old Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.  I loved "Ever After", The most Recent "Pride and Prejudice", and "Princess Bride".  I love all the comic book movies like Batman, Thor, and Captain America.  I also really liked all the Lord of the Rings movies.  Like I said...too many.  I could go on and on and on.   

2) If you could be someone else for a day would you?
I would have to say no.  I guess I'm just used to being me, and being someone else sounds a little awkward to me.   

3) If you could change something about you that's like, to have a mermaid tail, and not my ugly ears, what would it be?
I guess it depends.  Do I have to make a trade?  I would like to change my eye.  Last year I injured it and it's never been quite the same.  Instead I would love to have pain free mornings and twenty twenty, or maybe eagle vision. Lol.

4)If you had an album what would you name it? 
Life, because that's what inspires me.

5)If you could change your name,what would you change it too?

Helga Gertrude Watson. No.  I probably wouldn't. I think my parents did a pretty good job, although I did always want a a middle name.

6)What makes you smile?
My Daughter, my Husband, a sunny day, seeing Gods hand in my life

7)Where do you want to go in the world?

I would love to go to Italy and Spain. 

8)If you could relive one day in your life what would it be?
Can I choose two?  My wedding day, and the day I had Audrey.  When I think of true happiness, I think of those two days.  Of course there have been many more since then, but those are at the top.  

9) What is your favorite season?
It depends on where I'm living I guess.  I've always been a huge fan of summer, but since moving here I'm more of a Fall person. 

10) Favorite type of hat?
I have a thing for fedora hats, although I don't own one.  

11) Why did you start your blog?

I remember sitting in my Mom's room as a teenager reading her journals.  I couldn't get enough.  It was real experience through my Mothers eyes which is priceless.  I want to give that to Audrey, and I want it for myself.  I think it's good to reflect on past experience, especially the hard times and realize that everything has turned out okay and that we've grown to be better people.  

My Nominations Are:

http://laughmommy.blogspot.com/

http://melissamichiale.blogspot.com/

http://nicki-tyler.blogspot.com/


My Questions for my Nominees are:

What inspires you?

What brings you the most joy?

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven't?

What is your favorite thing to do with family or friends?

What is your favorite dessert?

What is the most spontaneous thing you have ever done?

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go an why?

What is your favorite flower?

Favorite childhood memory?

What do you do to recover from a long hard day?

Why did you start your blog?

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!  I love Valentines day.  I love decorating sugar cookies, getting and giving love notes, and of course going out with my better half.  We usually celebrate the weekend before or the weekend after because it's ridiculous to go out on Valentines Day.  Besides, I get to celebrate a little longer that way. :)

James and Jenny were so kind to watch Audrey for us when we went out.  We went to Macaroni Grill and I made Paul play pictionary with me on the paper table cloth.  As I sat across from him I couldn't help but remember senior prom at the same restaurant.  It's kind of crazy that we've been together that long.  We've come so far and have been through so much together. I can't imagine my life without him.  After dinner he made me look really bad when he beat me several times in bowling.  I think I need to take lessons or join a bowling league.  I'm really terrible.  Anyone want to join?  After bowling we went to a home decor store and Costco because we could.  We didn't leave with much but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  I know I'm biased but I think I got the best of the best. I look forward to him coming home everyday.  I love being a parent with him and sharing with him what happened during the day.  I love the way he takes care of us and of course being close to him.  

On Valentines day we frosted sugar cookies with Audrey.  I couldn't help but take a few pictures. This little girl came into our lives and filled us with a different kind of love.  A love that I didn't know anything about when I was struggling with infertility.  Now that I know I realize that all those moments of heart ache were worth it.  I know now, that the best things in life are always worth waiting for.  Everyday I find myself looking at her and thanking Heavenly Father so much that she is mine.  I look forward to her morning smiles, her need to be on the counter while I'm cooking, her endless singing, her sweet words (I don't know how she learned to be so polite, it wasn't me), and her snuggles.  She's the best three year old I know.  

Here's to love!  However it may find you.  

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam

I thought Audrey would have a hard time transitioning into Sunbeams, mostly because she really loved her nursery teacher.  I was scared when I brought her to church that Sunday.  I could envision the rest of her life and the first time I dropped her off at kindergarten.  I'm not ready for that.  I'm glad the hardest thing I've done so far it drop her off at Primary (which kind of sounds ridiculous right now).  I'm not in the primary anymore so I can't watch her from a distance.  When I picked her up afterward she was so happy. She must have enjoyed herself.  Although I was informed later that she removed her skirt in front of the whole primary.  We had a talk about modesty.  From now on she will have shorts under her skirts. :)  

 I have been Substituting the last three weeks in Sunbeams...lucky me!  I think Audrey is getting sick of me.  She's with me 24-7 and it's not good.  At the end of the day on Sunday she wants nothing to do with me.  I hope they find someone to take her class soon.  

The picture below is Audrey's first self portrait.  We were learning about how we have bodies like Heavenly Father.  I love her drawings, it's a good thing that we live in a digital age because I think I'm going to end up with a lot of them.  

Singing

Audrey watches me teach voice lessons every Friday.  Sometimes I hear here singing along behind me.  I love that she sings.  I know she's probably interested right now because her Mommy loves it, but I hope it sticks.  This morning I came downstairs to this.  I guess Audrey found the music stand I left out.  Paul thought it was only right to accompany her. :)  Her favorite songs are from the Disney movies so I guess her princess books will do for music.