Spring Fever

Spring fever anyone?! I am so excited for spring! I am ready to go on walks and play outside with Hannah. I've been shoveling the snow from our front yard into the street so it will melt... that's how ready I am for spring! I'm ready to do some planting and for my flowers to start blooming. I got so excited to see some of my bulbs popping up already! Two years ago we planted literally hundreds and hundreds of bulbs. It was wonderful to see them all come up last year. I would go out each day and count the number of little buds I could see. It seemed like each morning there were one or two more making their way up. It's starting again! Today I counted 22.

I've compiled a massive spring cleaning list. Which I'm sure is over ambitious. But hey, its a good goal to reach for. Everything really needs to be done. I have started... I cleaned a couple blinds and windows, swept and mopped the kitchen... but of course, with all the dust (it seems like we are living in a construction zone) from the basement, it will all need to be done again. I would love any spring cleaning tips or suggestions!

Happy Spring and Flower Budding to you all!

How many apples are in a seed?

You can count the number of seeds in an apple but you can't count the number of apples in a seed.

On Sunday I taught the Beehive class about "A Woman's Responsibility to Teach." We cut open an apple and counted the seeds inside then talked about how we couldn't count the number of apples one little seed would produce. In our lives we have many opportunites to teach: in our homes, as mothers, to our friends and neighbors, in the work place or school, in our church callings, as missionaries, etc. We may never know the results from the "seeds" we plant, but one little seed can do so much.

Lately I have felt like I have a ba-jillion things going on! My church callings, as YW second counselor and youth conference coordinator, have taken so much time and energy, along with being a mother and trying to keep my house somewhat under control. At the same time I am so grateful for the opportunity to "teach" in all these different aspects. I just hope that some of the seeds that I am planting will take root.

There were several acticles in this months Ensign that caught my attention and benifited me about leadership, balance, and family. This life is full of challenges and opportunites to learn and grow. I hope that I can take advantage of each of these opportunities and somehow not only help myself but my family and those around me.

Tidbits about Bean

Hannah won't say "love." I know she can, because she used to. Her way of saying "I love you" is kissing into the air. If you say it to her, she'll kiss, if you tell her to say "love," she'll kiss.

Hannah always wants me to get down on the floor and play with her. She has the same little jibberish she uses everytime (Ahdeeahdeeahdeah) while she pats the floor next to her.

Whenever I'm cooking, Hannah always has to get a chair and push it over to the counter so she can "help."

We always know when Hannah is playing peek-a-boo even if we can't see her, because she says in a high voice, "Hannah" or "Nannie" while covering her eyes.

Nowadays, we have dancing time everyday. Hannah will say "dance" and run to where we have the sterio.

Hannah has been singing to her babies, and singing in the bathtub, etc. Often she'll say "Aiiii.... " and hold it out. I recently figured out she's singing "I Am a Child of God (because she's now done that a couple times when I've sung that specific song.)

This and That

Hannah thinks it is so funny to put food in her hair! Ug! On this day she was putting grapes in her hair and saying "hat!", like she was so proud of herself. I couldn't help but laugh. Nic has had lots of great help with drywalling the basement. Thanks! We only have part of the bathroom and office area left to do. Wahoo! Nic has been working so hard. It's been fun to actually see rooms. We have some people scheduled to come tape and texture on Saturday so the rest has to be done by then.
Yes Nic is in there somewhere...
Hannah had her first ponytail yesterday. I thought it was so cute... Nic thought it was cruel and unusual punishment. Doesn't it make her look big, like she's a toddler?!

We had "Fiesta Night" (our camp kick off) last night with the Young Women. It was quite the event. This year the theme for camp is "Hold your torches high" centered around the Olympics. Our ward is representing Spain. Here's all the leaders trying to say the YW theme in Spanish and all of us lighting each other's light by saying something nice about each other. PS. This was a long post... but make sure you look at the cute pictures of Hannah and Nic below!

Hannah and Daddy

Hannah is going to be so sad when summer comes and her daddy isn't home as often. Lately the first thing Hannah will say when she wakes up from her nap is "Daddy home."

Nic was sitting up against our entertainment center and Hannah backed right up to it and sat down, so she could be like him!Helping Daddy hammer in the basement.

Hugging and playing with Daddy.

Happy Valentines Day!

We had a fun Valentines evening. Nic had to work 3 am to 4 pm, so he was exhausted. What a good sport... no time to nap! My mom watched Hannah. (Big thanks to Mom! Dad had Tabernacle Choir practice, so they are going out tonight.) Nic and I went to Olive Garden. There was an hour and a half wait but we ran some "errands" during the wait, and of course gazed into each others' eyes and whispered sweet nothings (ha, ha!) I am so lucky to be married to Nic!

Hope you all had a happy Valentines day too! We sure love you all and are lucky to have you as part of our lives!

Oh what a joy!

I love being a mom! I personally can not fathom those who do not want this for themselves. I know there are a lot of things you have to give up to be a mom, especially a stay-at-home mom, but the blessings and benefits certainly out number the draw backs (like 110 to 1... or more). And yes, it can be hard, (in fact I was going to write this blog last week and I had a really hard mom day!) and yes, I only have one kid (I know it gets harder with more... but so do the blessings, right?!), and yes, Hannah is a very good and happy little girl... But again, I can't imagine not wanting to be or love being a mother. And for those of you who have to work so, so hard for this blessing, I'm sorry and I really do ache for you. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for Hannah and pray that I can be a good mother to her.

The little daily things with Hannah bring me so much joy. She is so much fun. I love getting down on the floor with her and playing, doing puzzles and blocks, watching her and Nic chase each other as she screams and giggles, reading book and singing songs and dancing around. Here are just a few fun things

• I was watching my niece several months ago and she kept asking (regarding Hannah) "Why is her laughing?", "Why her smiling?", "What her think funny?" I hadn't really thought about it. Hannah was just being her happy little self.
• At the beginning of Family Home Evening, we usually bring the Primary Songbook into the family room, sit on the couch all together and sing a song. About a week ago, during the day, Hannah was saying something to me and I didn't understand so I told her to show me. She took me by the hand and brought me into the living room where she pointed to the Songbook. She didn't want to play the piano or sing in there; she wanted me to bring it into the family room and sit with her on the couch like we do for FHE. This might seem insignificant to you, but to me it showed that she likes doing this and the time we spend in Family Home Evening is significant to her.
• Hannah loves ranch dressing!
  
• Before Hannah goes to bed at night we kneel down for family prayer. Lately Hannah will plop down, fold her arms and start saying the prayer herself. It sounds like a bunch of jibberish, but then we'll hear daddy, mommy, Nannie (that's her), and food. Nic and I always get a kick out of her doing it. We have to get her to stop and tell her its now one of our turns but when we start up she usually does too! She'll even pray when we are driving sometimes. I'll look back and she'd got her arms folded saying a prayer.
  
• Hannah will just randomly say people's names like she's doing roll call, "Mama (grandma), Papa (grandpa), Ash, Deedis (Graysen), Tawdew (Carter), Hallie, Addy... " Lately she's been saying "Hallie, nice." and "Deedis (Graysen), play."
  
• When asked how old Hannah is, she says, "two." Where did that come from?! I tried to teach her to say "one." But she's always said "two." How funny is that?! Even at one she wants to be older than she is!
  
• Hannah has cried when I drop her off in nursery on Sundays. In fact two weeks ago I had been prepping her, as we walked down the hall I was telling her she was going to nursery... and she kept saying, "NO!" Then someone asked her, "Hannah, are you going to nursery?" and she just started crying. Well this week we were in charge of bringing the treat bucket. Hannah loved seeing it at our house through the week and on Sunday she proudly walked into nursery showing everyone the bucket! No tears at all when I left.
  
• Hannah will tell me she wants to watch a movie, "Meme." But the cute thing is, while she's saying "meme" she's always moving her hands around and around really quickly... the reason being, usually the only movies/TV Hannah watches is "Signing Time."
  
• Hannah has recently grasped possessives, so she goes around the house all day long pointing to things and saying, "Daddy's" "Mommy's" and "Nannie's."
  
• It is so cute to listen to Hannah reading books. Her little language is adorable... just like she really is telling a story.

Basement update

The basement was at a stand still last week, since Nic was constantly plowing all the snow we got! But we are now back in business! The electrical, cable, telephone... are nearly finished, the heating ducts are finished and Nic is working on insulating the ceiling now (Yuck!) Drywall here we come! Go Nic!

River Dance

Marj, my mother-in-law, took all us girls (we missed you Daishan) to River Dance up at Kingsburg Hall. It was spectacular! I really, really loved the entire experience. It was like ballet, clogging, and folk dance all in one... and yet so unlike any of those dances. There were even some flamenco-type dances, which I wasn't expecting at all. Then the instrumentalists (with some very unique instruments) and choir/soloists... All superb! Of course the unique Celtic music was a part of each. Again, I LOVED it! Thanks Marj!