I love pictures!

When I found out that Jonathan had this last Saturday off, I emailed my friend Kristen and asked if she could take our family pictures for our Christmas cards this year. They were so nice to agree because they are expecting their fifth baby next week! Kristen and I were joking about how every stage of the girls' is documented on their camera and it's so true! This is our third photo session in a year. But I can't help it. They are so talented and so fun and so inexpensive. And I think the photos are priceless. Here are a few of my favorites...with more to come soon! Thank you Kristen, Mike, and the kids who tried to get the girls to smile.

We love this picture. We told Sami to give Janie a hug-and she did just that! Except it's more like a head lock...

Thank You

I have been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. Because I am teaching a YW lesson on it next month. And because Thanksgiving is coming up. And because there were two talks in General Conference on the subject; one by Elder Holland and one by our beloved prophet, President Monson. Both were great reminders to me to say "Thank you" and be grateful. 

Of course, I am so grateful for my family. Sami is so fun. Last night Jonathan called to see how we were doing. Sami wanted to talk to him and when she was done, she handed me the cell phone and said, "Mama, it's Daddy. He's so cute." We got a big kick out of that.

And Janie walks around saying "Oh, man!" in her tiny, cute little voice. Both girls like Dora, and I'm pretty sure that Janie doesn't realize that Swiper is the "bad guy" trying to "swipe" stuff, but she loves it when he says "Oh, man!"  

Jonathan is getting pretty beat up by his residency. But he's doing a good job and learning a lot. One of the key things he's learning is he doesn't like the hospital. He's great in high stress situations, like codes, etc., but he doesn't like the stress. So we're thinking clinic life is the life for us. I am so grateful, because I really want him home for weekends and holidays. He's trying to run again, to help with the stress, & the girls love stretching with him.

And I am so grateful that the weather is finally cooling down.  The girls are loving being outside and I love it too. We all go a little stir-crazy when it's too hot to be outside.

One of my favorite quotes on gratitude comes from Elder Nelson who said: "Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future." I love that. So many times I think, "It will be so nice when..." we get a minivan, our loans are paid for, when we can buy a house, etc. But really, my life is absolutely wonderful right now! I was giving Jonathan a hug the other day, and Sami ran up and threw her arms around our legs. It was such a wonderful moment for me because I remembered just then how many times I had begged Heavenly Father for such a gift: my own child hugging my legs! And now I have it! Times two. I am amazed that Heavenly Father, the God of the universe, takes time to listen to my prayers. He answers even the seemingly silly prayers, that don't really matter in the long run, but matter to me right then. I feel His tender mercies throughout every area of my life. 

And I am grateful for you, my friends. Thank you for being there for me, even when you see my weaknesses and shortcomings, you love me and care about me still. Thank you so much.

Wonderful Cake

My mom told me how to make an old, plain cake mix into a wonderful, moist, too-delicious-to-resist cake! First, substitute sour cream for the oil (I used low-fat sour cream and it was awesome!) Then add in a box of instant pudding. Just dump the powder in; I used vanilla (they used to put pudding in the cake mix but don't anymore so this really makes it moist!) Then add 1/3 c. more water than the box recipe calls for. Keep everything else the same. Then mix it really well. Bake as directed on the box. It will be so moist and delicious!

Then, for a fun change with your frosting, just substitute peanut butter for butter in your favorite butter cream frosting recipe and your mouth will love you!

I Wonder...

Tonight I was watching Sami eat her dinner and I couldn't help but wonder what she thinks about her little life.  She spent a lot of time in time out this afternoon. Once for chasing Janie around, trying to get her snack (that was actually comical-imagine Janie running screaming holding her snack with Sami right behind her, arms out reaching), once for yelling "no" when I told her it was time to go potty, and once for something else...can't remember because it's after 8 pm.

Truth be told, she spends some time in time out almost every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. When we have a hard day, like today, I tend to take it personal, like "if I was teaching her better, she wouldn't act this way." But then Jonathan reminds me that she is two, and she is just testing me. And I have to consistent and it will all be okay. But consistency is hard.

Some moms think I'm strict. And I agree with them.  I like to think it's better to fight the little battle than wait until it's a big battle later on. So I try to teach and reinforce the positive and discourage the negative. But some battles aren't worth fighting at all, and that's where it can get tricky for me. And sometimes I just don't want the fight. Some days I do better than others. But what I really want, more than anything, is for the girls to know how loved they are. Sami came up to me the other day and said "Sami good girl. Sami make good choices." I hope she knows that I am so proud of her, and that I will love her no matter what her choices are. She's my little sweetie, my angel girl.  I know she doesn't know anything other than her life with us, but I hope the cookie baking and yard sale memories will stand out more than the time-outs.  I hope that the one thing she never, ever questions is how loved she is.

Girly Stuff

I love having girls. I've been known to say that I want four girls. But I wouldn't mind having a little boy, not at all. In fact, I hope we do have a little boy some day. But he will probably play with dress up, polly pockets, and have afternoon tea parties with us.  For now, I just love all these girly things.

I am so glad they have each other.  When I get Sami up in the morning, I ask her what she wants to do fun that day.  Sometimes I get "yard sales," or "church," or "make brownies with Daddy," (she has extremely good taste, if I do say so myself) but when I have to tell her it's not the day to yard sale, go to church, or Daddy can't make brownies today, she usually settles for "dress up, with Sissy."  I love that they are friends.

Gaining Balance

We have found a new balance for our family.  Jonathan has found that in order for him to have balance in his very unbalanced schedule, he has to give things up.  He has given up running, for now. When he's home, he's playing with the girls or sleeping. Or talking to me ☺.  

And I have found that I need to do more things around the house. I find myself taking the trash and recycling to the curb, pulling weeds, and hanging up pictures-things I always took for granted that J would do. But I am okay with it, mostly because I know that Jonathan wants to do those things but if I do them, it helps him out. He feels bad that a lot of times he has to sleep when he wants to stay up and play, but that is a reality.  So we do the best we can, get through the hard days, and look forward to the good days.  I love it when the girls hear the garage door open and they run to Jonathan yelling "Daddy, Daddy! Oh, hi Daddy!"  He loves it too.  

Piano Dancing

We are still listening to Jon Schmidt's love story.  Only now we want to be Jon.  And how can I blame them-he's amazing on the piano!  I just love the little body shake the girls throw in the middle of their concert.

Happy Labor Day!