Feeling Thankful

I love Thanksgiving. Not just for the wonderful food, but for taking a day to be thankful for ALL that I have been blessed with. It doesn't seem right to just have one day to celebrate. I need at least a week to give me time to reflect on all I have to be grateful for.
Here is a shortened version of my thankful list:
1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ that gives meaning, direction, comfort, and purpose to my life.
2. My incredible husband. Who is able to come home from long, grueling days of schoolwork and pick up where I fall short.
3. My three kids. They teach me every day and bring so much love, joy and entertainment into our home!
4. My extended family (on both sides!) Although we don't see them much anymore I really hope to be closer someday so our kids can be close to both sets of grandparents and really know their cousins, aunts and uncles. Life is too short to not be close to your family!
5. My health. I think being healthy is one of the greatest blessings. Without good health I wouldn't be able to do so many things, or enjoy so many of my other blessings.
6. My country. So thankful for this wonderful country that is like no other. And thankful for those who have, and do, work every day to keep it that way.
7. My friends! Life in Michigan would be very lonely without the wonderful friends I've made here. I'm so grateful for ALL the friends I've ever had and what each of them have brought into my life.
Thank YOU!
8. Technology..... that sounds kind of lame but without my computer or my cell phone I wouldn't be able to keep in contact with my friends or family!

I love reflecting on all that I have and feeling even more humbled and dependent on the Lord for all he blesses me with every day. Sometimes I feel so blessed that I worry about what is in store for the future. But I know I need to just make the most of each day and show how thankful I am for my blessings by trying to bless others lives as well. I am truly grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!!

How time flies!

I can't believe Miles is 9 months old (on the 16th of this month) He is such a sweet little guy. Here is what we know about Miles so far:

1. He is an easygoing kid and happy most of the time.
2. He loves wheels and anything with hinges that can open or close!
3. He likes to watch Sophie and Nora being silly - it makes him laugh. But he will often put up a fight when they try to hold him..... he's also a fast learner :)

4. He is very persistent. I've been trying to let him "cry it out" at night so he'll sleep better - 0kay, so I'll sleep better! He is still waking 2-3 times each night and I've learned he can cry for HOURS. So sad. And very frustrating. Any tips or advice would be appreciated. (The crying method has been put on hold until Brian is done with school for the semester.)

5. He's very curious about what's going on around him.
6. He has 3 teeth so far. Two on the bottom and one on top. His other top one is just starting to break through.
7. He loves to be moving. He is working on standing on his own and occasionally forgets he can't walk yet and will try it anyhow. He'll take a few steps before falling - but I wouldn't call it serious walking. I am anticipating that in the next month or so. We'll see. Maybe I'll start knocking him down so he won't learn to walk and stay my baby just a bit longer.

I have a feeling he looks like a total "phillips" in this picture.

8. He is starting to learn when he's being mischevious. When he's about to do something he shouldn't he often looks at me with a smile and laugh.
9. I love his hair. It's funny because I thought I'd be sad to miss out on all the cute bows and headbands that little girls get to wear. I didn't realize how fun it would be to cut Mile's hair!
10. He's very ticklish
11. His nickname is Bugga Bugga. We can often be heard singing, "Bugga Bugga Baby Boy - I love you!" or, "Heeeey Bugga Bugga!" I don't quite remember how it came about. I think I started calling him that soon after he was born and it kind of stuck.
He also loves to.....

Play with balls......

Empty out the kitchen cupboards.....

Climb the stairs......

Empty out the kitchen drawers....

and un-roll the toilet paper any chance he gets!

Miles has been such a perfect addition to our family and we are so blessed to have him in our home. We love our Bugga Bugga!

Quick update...

It seems I've been posting a lot lately.... but only 1 out of 10 of the posts I'm thinking about actually makes it onto the blog. The rest are in my head! Life is busy (yours too, I'm sure) but good (yours too, I hope!) and we thoroughly enjoyed the last warm weather we had here by spending every day at the park. Cold weather is now here and I am stocking up on hot cocoa, marshmallows, plastic for our windows and cheap mittens for the kids. Bring on the cold!

Miles enjoying the park (yes, he really was having fun - just looks concerned in this pic)

I had to include this picture of Nora even though it will probably make her grandparent's cry because she looks so sad! She pinched her fingers in the door at church and then passed out (long story - but she does that often). I've always heard that when people pass out they can lose control of their bowels........ and I found that to be true. I was holding her while she was passing out and got peed on. Luckily church had just gotten over and we were on our way out to the car! So this picture of her is right when we got home from church. Poor girl.

Here is Nora asleep in her bed - she loves her zippy jammies because she can stuff them full of treasures and not lose any of them!

Sophie loves to help me clean the bathroom. It is hilarious because she does it like she's on a TV show...... "Now, you take the cleaner and spray a little bit - Not too much, though- on the mirror. Then you take the paper towel and wipe like this......" I think it is from watching Rachel Ray. I have GOT to get it on tape sometime but she gets embarrassed if anyone watches her do it.

and Nora just likes to make silly faces in the mirror!

Sunday by Sophie

Sophie got a hold of my camera yesterday and took some pictures. It was fun to see things from her perspective, and luckily I've taught her how to hold it carefully!

She told us - "Okay everyone - get together!"Miles was sitting on the floor in front of us but apparently he didn't make it into the shot.

A necklace she's been working on

Nora and mama being silly

Daddy doing dishes - not an uncommon thing on Sunday evening. :)

Our family picture - before we had Miles

She told me she had to take a picture of this picture because it is very special to her.

My favorite painting ever - done by my dad. I guess Sophie likes it, too!

Miles playing with his toy in the corner.

My dead plant. I have a very black thumb. Very.

Some bread we had for dinner (thanks for the recipe Emily!)

Miles - looking a little scared or surprised at something...

The photographer herself, with her favorite little munchkin!

This morning we awoke to this out our back door! I know, it isn't much but that means I got to break out the Christmas music (I try to wait for the first snowfall or the day after Thanksgiving - whichever comes first. I don't think I've ever had to wait until after Thanksgiving!)

Nora was up and in her snow clothes before breakfast and wanted to go build a snowman. We may have to wait for a bit longer to do that.

A realization

Today Nora and I were downstairs playing mama (her) and baby (me). Lucky for me she is still at the age where I can be cleaning and using my baby voice at the same time and she is still happy with that (usually). As we were playing I suddenly noticed the outfit she was wearing and I realized it was pretty funny. I hadn't really noticed that it was funny because it was just so......... normal. For her. I decided to take some pictures of her and now that I am looking at them I am laughing at my new level of normalcy.

Check out these moves!

Silly, silly Nora. How we love you.

A visit from Naunie

It was so fun to have my mom come and visit us here! We were all SO excited to see her and sad to see her go. We had a fun time just hanging out, shopping, going to the cider mill and just being together. Thanks for everything mama! We love you!

reading books together

At the park

At one of our favorite parks

a picnic at the lake (I love Miles' face in this picture! He really wants that cheesestick!)

me and my mama

miles and naunie

Naunie has this cool license plate purse that Miles LOVED. He would sit and open and shut it over and over again! I thought it was so funny because both Sophie and Nora would have had that purse emptied in 3 seconds flat when they were his age but it seemed that Miles was more interested in seeing how it worked. So cute.

more books!
sophie at the pumpkin patch

naunie and nora at the pumpkin patch

3 cute ghosts

decorating the haunted gingerbread house

messy hands!