8 Months Old

Yesterday Georgia Ann became 8 months old, time is passing so quickly. She is such a fun baby girl. She has the best personality and sense of humor. She is a happy baby, always willing to flash her beautiful smile -- unless there's a camera in your hand! She is smart and capable of so much more than she should be at 8 months old. She amazes us on a daily basis. She also amazes other people with her skills and size. People are always shocked to hear that she's only ___ months old.

This month she stood alone for just a few seconds, started pushing chairs and the block cart everywhere, got her two front top teeth, started eating like a true champ, experienced her very first Thanksgiving, started talking... and talking... and talking, and started keeping up with Jake as he runs around the house {she crawls really fast!}. It's been a good month.

We are blessed to have this sweet baby girl in our lives.

This afternoon she gave us a good scare. She put her hair barrette in her mouth and started choking on it. John had to get in there and get it out. She vomited from his finger but the barrette didn't come out and so he had to do it again. The second time he got it and she started breathing and swallowing much better. It scared me... a lot. I was nervous to even let her fall asleep for her nap. I've held her most of the day, watching her and making sure she's ok. She seems to be fine. Now... do I still put barrettes in her hair or let her look like a rag-a-muffin until she gets a little bigger???

******

Today John and I spoke in sacrament meeting. I was asked to use President Uchtdorf's recent General Conference address, "The Infinite Power of Hope" and John used President Monson's, "Finding Joy in the Journey". It was a crazy week for working on sacrament meeting talks, but we were blessed to find and make time, and I think that we both did a great job. I always like being asked to speak because it forces me to spend time in the scriptures and General Conference talks. It's something I need to make time for more often.

Tonight Gramma and Dawn came to our house for dinner for a change.

Decorating & Dinner, again...

We spent our morning decorating our house for Christmas. Jake loved getting out the decorations and seeing everything. He especially loves his Little People Nativity that we got for his 1st Christmas {shhh, we got Georgie her own yesterday!}.

Both kids have been playing with it for hours. Georgie just sucks on the people and animals, but Jake is playing with them and making up his own stories.

We also hung our stockings by the chimney with care

Today Georgia is 8 months old and so we made several attempts to take her picture with the monkey. They all turned out similar to this and so we will try again later, possibly tomorrow.

And then we took a trip to Papa & Grandma Cheri's house. We had a really nice visit with them. We always love going to their house. For dinner we went to a Chuck-E-Cheese-ish place and Jacob threw a fit that he had to actually eat dinner before he could play games. {Imagine that!} It was fun, once he started eating, and Georgie was loving all the attention from Papa & Grandma. Things started getting a little tense between two families in the restaurant - as in the police were called because of yelling and arguing- and we decided it was time for us to leave. :) We were invited back to their house for apple pie and boy was it good! Thanks so much for letting us crash your afternoon, dinner, and especially the pie. We love you!

New Decorations

We spent our afternoon in search of a new washer. Our's stopped spinning about a week ago. We tried to fix it ourselves and then called a repairman, he said it was the transmission and would cost just as much to fix as a new one and so we went looking. We knew there would be some good sales thanks to Black Friday, but we aren't crazy enough to be out at 4am so we waited until after lunch to get started. Our first stop was Lowe's {we should have just bought it there!}, then Sam's Club, on to The Home Depot, and finally Costco. The kids fell asleep in the car on the way to Lowe's and slept through our washing machine hunt. {Yep, getting in & out of the car over and over again. Sound asleep.}

Once we completed our search we headed to Gram's to help her decorate her yard for Christmas. Jake loved the lights and decorations. He was so excited about everything. It was really cute. This year is going to be a lot of fun for him. I can't wait!!

These pictures make it look like we were out there in the darkness, but it wasn't really dark outside until the end!!

After the yard was all Christmas-y we had a dinner of left-overs and then Gram watched the kids while John & I headed to Target for some Christmas shopping. We noticed a few things we were wanting to get Jake in their ad and so we took advantage of the sales. I am happy to report that both Jake and Georgie are now set for Christmas. Yahoo!

A Week of Thanks Giving...

We have so much to be thankful for: amazing family and friends, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a nice home to live in, plenty of food to eat, we're healthy & happy, and have enough extra to play and enjoy some of the frivolities of life. We are blessed.

This past week we've spent a lot of time at Gramma's playing and helping get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm pretty sure Jake & Georgie are just as much "at home" at her house as they are at ours.

On Tuesday night Gram watched the kids so John & I could attend the Los Angeles Temple. What a beautiful place that is. As we were driving along Santa Monica Blvd. I thought about how its been in the news a lot lately and how "famous" it now is. People from all over the world now know what the LA Mormon Temple looks like. And the people who have passed it time and time again on Santa Monica now know that it is important and special to the Latter-day Saint people. I love that! I know that the church has, and continues to, taken a lot of heat for its stand on Prop. 8, but I know that lot of good has come by the protesting and standing for truth as well. John & I had a great evening there, we're so glad we were able to go.

On Wednesday we spent our day at Gram's again painting and painting and painting so more. :) Georgie's 4th tooth, the second one on top, came in so there was a lot of whining and fussiness. Around 3pm my dear friend Elizabeth called to say that her sweet little Madeleine Grace had been born. Now, that's something to be thankful for... a new spirit straight from Heavenly Father.

Thanksgiving day was, again, spent at Gram's. We had a delicious meal with Gram, my cousin Dawn, our life-long family friend Lester, and our little family. It was a nice afternoon enjoying each other's company.

Gram made the turkey

Dawn made the potatoes

Lester, John & Georgie watched football

Jake played outside while dinner was cooking

This evening John and I snuck out to go visit Aaron & Elizabeth at the hospital and meet baby Madeleine. She's a beauty! Congrats to Aaron, Elizabeth, and Noelle.

Once we got back to Gram's we were all more-than-ready to dig into pumpkin & apple pie! Georgie didn't get any pie but she was ready to eat along with us!

{I love her little scrunchie face smile! She pulls this face all the time.

If you look closely you can see her top teeth pushing through those gums, ouch!}

As you can see, we've had a great week. We have lots to be thankful for. It's been a week of thanks giving.

A Day of 'Twilight'

This morning I called Heather at 8am to see if she wanted to go see Twilight with me. Some friends I grew up with {Jennie & Kim} had two extra tickets and asked if I wanted to use them. I hoped that I could, but knew it would be tricky seeing how they live in Palmdale and I have two kids who did not need to be in a movie theater and no babysitter. And if Heather could go, she has Kyle who she didn't really want to see the movie with. Thankfully I have an AMAZING husband who agreed to drive to Palmdale and take the kids to lunch & the park while we saw the movie. {He really is the BEST! The one & only Suburban Fantasy!}

Once the movie was over John went to visit one of his 'homes' in Palmdale and then drove to LA for another appointment. Heather & I stopped and got some lunch for ourselves and then headed home. We already had plans to meet Eden at the 'big park' where Heather wanted to take pictures of the boys playing in the leaves.

Those boys are so funny together! They love to play and play and play. Not one of them will pause, even for a second, to smile at the camera but Heather got some really cute pictures anyway. You'll have to see for yourself here. {You'll have to help me pick the best ones of Jake and Georgie, I can't decide!!} Eventually all the boys ran off to play at the playground while the mom's got to chit chat about upcoming babies, the holidays, and anything else that came to mind. It was a really nice & relaxing afternoon, well twilight really, at the park.

Once we realized it was too dark to really see the playground anymore we all packed up and left. We headed to Gramma's house to see Dawn & the girls, meet up with John and go to dinner. The original plan was for Jake to have a sleep-over with Gram & the girls, but he's currently snuggled up in his own bed... maybe another night. :)

It's been a long and busy, but really fun day! Thanks to Jennie, Kim, & Meg for the invite, Heather for coming along, John for being the great man, husband, & Daddy you are!, Eden & Heather for the fun park adventure, and Gram for dinner. It's all appreciated greatly!


Oh, and in case you're wondering {or care}... My review of Twilight: meh.

Little Turkey's

Today we were invited to make turkeys out of leaves and pine cones by Eden & Flynn. Jake had such a good time running along the paseo's with Flynn & Kyle collecting all the needed supplies.

Georgie loved watching the boys, she just smiles and laughs at all their shenanigans!

All three boys were pretty pleased with the finished projects. Too bad about half-way through they wandered from the table to chase each other in circles while screaming so Eden, Heather & I finished gluing the turkeys. Then when we tried to get a picture of them together with their turkey's not one of them would fully cooperate. {Apparently they're 2, who knew!}

Little Turkey's.

Jake & Kyle, Flynn wanted nothing to do with a picture

Once we got home Georgie got right to work, walking while pushing chairs all over the house. That girl, I tell ya. She is becoming far too mobile way to quickly for my liking! The chairs were making a terrible noise on the hard wood floors so John got out the block cart instead. She's so dang cute and proud of herself... how can I be upset with that little face?!

Little Turkey!

Pushing the Chair

Pushing the Block Cart

Jake's always the helpful one, but listen to Georgie laugh and talk while they push together!

cutest thing

I just heard Jake tell Georgie, "you're my favorite girl".

That might be the cutest thing I have ever heard!

In my entire life.

Oh... and we got to preview our proofs of the family pictures we took on Monday night. I have no idea how we will ever pick just one!! What a relief that they turned out so well. I always worry about that.

I've Been Thinking...

I've been thinking lately... and it's not about the fact that Georgie stood all alone for about 5 seconds on Sunday, which she did.... twice. And it's not about my "Blogging Family History" class that has a syllabus due on December 10th, which I've put some thought into. And it's not about the fire that is mere miles from our home, which it is. It's not even about our family pictures that we had taken today, although I can't wait to see how they turned out.

I've been thinking a lot about my Grandma, you know-- G'G'ma.

About a month ago she was evacuated from her convalescent hospital due to a nearby fire and once she came back something just wasn't right with her. Since she was admitted in May {the weekend of Georgie's blessing} her health has slowly declined, as we always expected it would, but the change from before the fire and after is quite significant. As we've gone to visit with her over the past few months we've all noticed that she's gotten really hard to hear and understand. The home has her in bed most of the time we visit and so her body has curled into the fetal position. She always slept like that at home, but since she would spend her days in her wheelchair it seemed to help. Now that she spends the majority of her days in bed, she just curls up. We know this is one of the signs.

There are many obvious signs that the end is near. The doctors have been telling us for over 10 years that the end is near... and yet she keeps on going. But I don't know for how much longer.

Since the fire something's just not right. My mom thinks she may have had a stroke but there's no way really for the doctors to tell since she's had so many little one's over the years. Before she was evacuated she would reach out to touch Jake & Georgia. Before she was evacuated she would be awake while we visited. Before she was evacuated she would hold our hand and mumble to us. And we would smile and answer what we thought she might be asking. Before she was evacuated.

Now she sleeps. Curled up in a little ball, she sleeps. Every time we've been there in the last month she's been asleep. There have been a few moments that she's opened her eyes but she doesn't see us and she's not awake. She stares off into the corner of the room, sometimes into her pillow. And when I look into her eyes I no longer see the eyes of my Grandma. Their beautiful hazel color has left. Now they are almost empty. I know these are more signs.

And so I've been thinking a lot about her this past week. We went to see her last Thursday and as I sat there with my babies on my lap holding G'Gma's hand I wondered how much longer she will be with us. And I thought about how grateful I am that she was able to spend so much time with Jake and meet Georgia. And how they won't even remember it. I thought about how her life has been filled with hardship, but she's never complained. Not once. I thought about how she is a fighter.

I've often wondered why she is still holding on and if it's because she's afraid. Many times I've wanted to whisper in her ear that it's ok to go.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. And on Friday night when the Sayer Fire broke out just miles from her convalescent home I wondered if she would be evacuated again.

She was.

Now I wonder if she'll make it home.
Or if she'll just return to her heavenly one.

A Day of Accomplishment

It was a good day, we got a lot accomplished. We started off at the Social Security Office to get Georgie's social security card. We had a little bit of a wait but the kids did great! Then we headed to the post office to send off Georgie's 6 month pictures to the Grandma & Papa's and Aunts & Uncles {be watching your mail!}. Both kids did great there too. Jake was so helpful with putting the stamps on all the envelopes.

Next we headed to the Recycle Center to turn in our water bottles. We do this whenever we get two bags full. We earn a whopping $6.90 but it's worth it, not only for the environment, but because we pay 5 cents extra for each bottle anyway. Jake really likes to help John put the bottles in the machine. And Georgie really likes watching them work!

Then we headed home for some lunch. After we had a nice, relaxing lunch outside on the back patio Georgie decided it was time to start using the block cart the proper way... that's right, she took 3 steps while pushing the cart! And she was pretty dang proud of herself!

Our next adventure involved working in the kids room. Remember this post I wrote way back in July? Well, today was the day we finally got around to getting the shelves on the wall! Of course Jake had to help with this as well.

I am so glad to finally have the shelves on the wall with the kids belongings on them! I think they both turned out really well.

I still need to find Jake's letter blocks to put his name back on his shelf and I'd love to get Georgia a vintage doll or something for her shelf. But I do love the way they turned out.

This evening John went to work and the kids & I met Heather & Kyle at the park for some fun. Jake and Kyle loved running around the playground chasing each other and the ball. Georgie loved watching the two of them. I enjoyed chatting with Heather. We really are blessed with good people in our lives.

It's been quite a day. We got a lot accomplished and it feels really good.

I love days like this.

A Lazy Weekend

It's been a lazy weekend around here.

Friday night we made turkey's out of our hands. Jake thought it was so cool that our hands are shaped like turkeys! :) We hung them on our front door, most have fallen off already, and consider ourselves decorated for the holiday. {I know I should be better about this. I use to be so festive. Now, I'm kinda lame. I should be better... for Jake & Georgie. I'll work on that. I promise to have decorations for Christmas.}

John had to work on Saturday so the kids & I spent our day with Gramma. She has 4 new reindeer to add to her herd this year: Georgia, Adyson, Miranda & Mariah {my cousins girls} so there's lots of painting to do! Once John got off work he met us there and Gram watched the kids so we could go to dinner. It was a much needed break.

This morning we were greeted at church by protesters on Prop. 8. I figured they'd be there. They were few in number and not very vocal, honestly I'm a little surprised there weren't more. It's been an interesting few days since the elections and Prop. 8 passing. The church is taking a lot of heat for being such a small number of voters in the state of California. The LA Temple has been closed {but it opened again the next day} due to protesting outside. The gates and walls surrounding the grounds have been spray painted and signs have been hung {and removed!} from them as well. I figured there would be a backlash. I'm sure the really vocal protesting will be cooling off soon, but it's not over... not by a long shot. There will be more fights to be fought and more truth to uphold.

Since we've been home from church we had Kirby over for a home teaching visit, lunch {which consisted of the cupcakes Kirby brought, grapefruit, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches... we're totally health conscious around here!}, and now a nap... or a sugar induced coma.... you decide.

That nap is a much needed one. Let. me. tell. you. No one, and I mean no one, has been sleeping around here for the last 3 weeks! For some reason these two kids of ours are awaking up throughout the night. And they can't do it at the same time! It seems like just as one gets back to sleep the other one wakes up... and the whole process repeats itself, over and over again. Night after night. It's getting old. We're all tired and irritable. Good times.

And, Georgie's finally starting to eat baby food and you know what that means... it's a whole new world in the diaper changing business.
Can't she just be nursed forever???

A Little Blurb

Last year I blurbed my blog into a book, which we absolutely love. I am planning to do it again this year... except blurb no longer supports blogger! That means I can't slurp my blog. I have to do each page individually, page by page, copy and paste. What a pain! Last year I did most of it myself anyway, but the thought of having to do it ALL this way is a little overwhelming at this point. I think I spent close to 20 hours on it last year, this year will take longer. A. lot. longer.

Guess what will fill all my free time for awhile???
That

and
This

I have been asked to teach a class on blogging at our regional Family History Fair in January. I know I am not the greatest blogger with clever and witty insight, I'm more of the spur of the moment mommy blogger documenting our daily lives, but I feel honored that I was asked to teach. Our Stake President has requested I try to show how family history can be recorded through a blog. I have lots of ideas, but would love any suggestions you have to offer.

So share witty, clever bloggers....

Jesus Heals!

About a month ago I posted this request for our friends who were told they had a very sick baby.

Here is a portion of an e-mail I received today from Mommy directly:

.....Well my friends, prayer is real. Miracles happen and God is so good! We had an appointment with the doctor for another ultrasound yesterday. I was hoping for the best, but trying to be prepared for more of the same bad news for our little baby boy. I have to tell you again faith is real and prayers are answered. As he looked at the ultrasound screen the specialist said that the change in our boy was remarkable, that if he hadn't seen us a month ago he wouldn't have known this baby ever had faced the problems he had. The umbilical cord is exactly as it should be. His brain is normal and growing. The problem in his intestine is almost completely healed. His heart appears to be slightly further to the left than it should be, but apparently this can be a common problem that usually fixes itself or is easily corrected. We do need to keep that in our thoughts and prayers, but we are so far from where we were a month ago....

When she received the diagnosis that her baby was so sick her brother said, "I don't know what those Mormons believe but you tell her that JESUS HEALS!" For whatever reason it lightened the situation and brought some comic relief. We have giggled about it and carried on the motto that, JESUS HEALS! Whether you believe in God or not this is an amazing miracle, one to be celebrated!

Thank you for being a part of a miracle. Your prayers were heard.

We can't wait to meet the little guy we already love so much!!

Election Day 2008

This morning we voted...

Then went to Story Time at the library with Jake's buddies.

Nash, Kyle, Jake, Ian, & Scott

Tonight we went for some free Election Day ice cream at Ben & Jerry's with the Keil's.

{This is what you get when you give two 2 year olds ice cream... running, running, and more running}

And now... It's a historic night in America. Obama wasn't my guy, honestly neither of them were, but I am so proud to be an American this night. What a wonderful country this is. The American Dream is alive and thriving, you can still dream of becoming anything you want to be! Isn't that wonderful?! It really is the greatest place on earth.

I cried during McCain's concession speech.

I cried during Obama's acceptance speech.

I love this place.

God Bless America.

"Summer Is Upon Us"

"Discipleship includes good citizenship. In this connection, if you are a careful student of the statements of the modern prophets, you will have noticed that with rare exceptions—especially when the First Presidency has spoken out—the concerns expressed have been over moral issues, not issues between political parties. The declarations are about principles, not people; and causes, not candidates. On occasions, at other levels in the Church, a few have not been so discreet, so wise, or so inspired.

Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kings 18:21.)

President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had “never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ!

This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.

If the challenge of the secular church becomes very real, let us, as in all other relationships, be principled but pleasant. Let us be perceptive without being pompous. Let us have integrity and not write checks with our tongues which our conduct cannot cash.


Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel.


There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself.

Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, “summer is nigh” (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!"

By Neal A. Maxwell

"A More Determined Discipleship"

delivered on 10 October 1978 at BYU

How grateful we are for modern-day revelation.

For Prophets and Apostles.

Tender Moments

Recently I heard a talk about being grateful for the "Tender Moments" in life. This is one I am especially grateful for.

This is how they ride in the car.

They are in love with each other.

and we are in love with them

{tender moments}

Gramma's House

Whenever we go to my mom's house this is where Jake spends the majority of his time.

In her bedroom, tucked into her bed, watching tv.

Nothin' like making yourself at home!