20-11 Resolutions Wrap-Up

I started off well... but when I started these we weren't planning on moving back to Texas. And then I wasn't planning on planning a 5K or really putting effort into my photography business. So some resolutions changed, and some were crossed off the list completely... here's a wrap up.

MY TWENTY GOALS

I crossed 6 out of 20 goals off of the list, leaving 14 goals.

I completely finished 4 out of 14 goals.

I partially finished 7 out of 14 goals.

I didn't begin/finish 3 out of 14 goals.

THE GIRLS' ELEVEN GOALS

We completely finished 7 out of 11 goals.

We partially finished 2 out of 11 goals.

We didn't begin/finish 2 out of 11 goals.

BOLD = I worked on
Plain = Not done
Strikethrough = Crossed off the listRed, Bold, Italics= FINISHED

My Twenty
1. Go on three dates (3/3)
2. Complete three 5Ks (1/3) - I'm 5Ked out
3. Get down to goal weight by losing 18lbs (18/18) - Ten more pounds for 2012 :)
4. Refinish my antique dresser - It's in the garage, still untouched
5. Read 24 books (10ish/24) - I have no idea how many books I read. But I feel like I got some good reading in this year.
6. Read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover - I read some, but not all of it. Priority for 2012
7. Make a Christmas activity advent calendar - Didn't do it. I regret it too. But I have different advent plans for Christmas 2012.
8. Improve photography skills by learning from 20 sources (20/20) - I've learned so much this year, from at least 20 sources and lots from trial and error and wonderful friends :) 
9. Go to the temple once-a-month - Next year I'm 
10. Find my father - As of right now it's just not a priority, my life is really full as it is and I am really blessed.
11. Cook a healthy dinner at least 100 nights this year - I did some. I have no idea how many, but I plan to rock this goal out for 2012.
12. Start and catch up on Addi's baby book - I worked on it but still have a ton to do.
13. Start Hannah's baby book - Started it, but still have a ton to do.
14. Make a book out of my old blog - This just didn't happen
15. Make a quilt - Don't care
16. Sand and paint kitchen stools and chairs - We don't need stools in our new house and the chairs are fine as is.
17. Learn to grill and grill during every Longhorn Football Game - I can make some mean hamburgers, and we grilled during most of the games :)
18. Make a monthly budget - This is a huge goal in 2012
19. Take some classes online  - 2012 will be the time for getting pre-reqs done for physical therapy school... it's back to school I go!
20. Get engaged (Hey, I can be ambitious) - Not even ready for this. MAYBE by the end of next year. MAYBE.

The Girls' Eleven
1. Go to a parade - We went to one for the Fourth of July in Corpus Christi!
2. Go out-of-state - We moved to Texas! Check.
3. Do a craft at least once a month (9/12) - We definitely colored every month, but as far as a distinct crafting experience... we did that more months than not :)
4. Go to Pioneer Farms - We have a season pass, but have still never been. We'll definitely go in 2012
5. Go to a dinosaur museum - We did with my mom and grandma right before we moved! And Addi loved it
6. Go for a walk on temple grounds once a month (3/12) - We did this before we moved, but drove past the temple twice since being back in Texas.
7. Go to the library once a month (12/12) - This is something we do almost every week. So glad that I made this a goal because it's become one of our favorite things to do. Followed by Round Rock Donuts of course!
8. Go to the aquarium - We did at Sea World, so I'm counting that.
9. Ride on the Hill Country Flyer - Just didn't happen this year.
10. Go to the beach - We went for the Fourth of July in Corpus Christi!
11. Go to Sea World. - We have season passes and went right before Thanksgiving as well as this week!

a lot of cookie jars.

The times there are a million things to do are the times to be the most productive.

Productivity in my life skyrockets when I have my hands in a lot of cookie jars.

Between...

- Being a mom

- Running a business

- Keeping up a house

- Applying for law school

- Preparing to apply for physical therapy school

- Figuring out what classes I need to take

- Spending time with friends

- Meeting new friends

- Church meetings

- Exercising

etc.... I am busy. And I love it.

going caroling.

People were invited, treats ready, hot chocolate warming... and then people arrived.

Copies of music were made, we practiced around the piano, piano app for the iPhone downloaded so we could play our notes before we sang.

We started walking. And then I fully regretted the decision of going caroling. I didn't really have anxiety for myself, but for the poor people who would have to stand at the door and awkwardly watch us sing to them.

We strategically picked houses that looked like they loved Christmas and baby Jesus, you know, lights outside, a Christmas tree, and some lights on inside to guarantee an audience. We made the guys knock because, well, they've been missionaries before and they're good at that kind of thing.

The first house was a teenaged girl and her dog, poor thing, she felt so awkward, so we only made her listen to one song.

Another house we knew REALLY loved baby Jesus because they had an entire lit-up nativity scene and the words "Happy Birthday Jesus" written out in lights on the side of their fence. They did in fact love baby Jesus as well as our singing.

At one house, people were home, but no one would open the door, so we sang "Silent Night" to a closed door. Then a little boy peeked out of a window above the door and waved to us. I like to think that he's trapped up there all of the time and we brought him Christmas joy. It's not true, but I like to think it.

One house none of us wanted to stop at, because they were lacking in the Christmas decorations... in fact they still had spiders up from Halloween. Derek insisted on stopping. So we did. It ended up being a lady and her 5 dogs, she came outside (it was FREEZING) and listened to us sing songs to her. She told us she's never had carolers before... so ten points for us! (fifteen points for Derek)

The last house we stopped at was a dad and his two young daughters. They loved it. Then I noticed a lady out of the corner of my eye holding up her iPhone and recording us. She must've been the mom... I seriously have NO idea where she came from. Maybe she hides in the bushes for unsuspecting carolers. Regardless, I'm sure we'll be YouTube famous shortly.

All in all, we rocked the caroling. We sung 4-part harmonies (very well I might add), and spread some Christmas cheer. Next time we're bringing pass-along cards because quite a few people asked us what group we were with. In fact, we're going to start a new trend of Fourth of July caroling, Easter caroling, and St Patrick's Day caroling (???)

We came back for some overly chocolately hot chocolate (my fault completely), which we followed with glasses of water to dilute the sugar rush. We then watched <slash> talked through Elf.

The end.

"Prepared"

Everything changed with one word yesterday...

Putting away a very important piece of paper, one word stood out from the many many words... "Prepared"

Telling me that this is right. A good choice. The right decision.

So "Play On" as Carrie Underwood would say. :)

the hunt for the perfect song

I've been listening to Christmas music since Halloween ended.

My philosophy is that there is SO much Christmas music that you're allowed to listen to it ASAP to get through all of it before Christmas.

Christmas decorating, however, must wait until after Thanksgiving.

But now... I find myself choosing to listen to other music besides Christmas music. It's one of those times in my life, where I'm on the hunt for the perfect song to explain exactly how I'm feeling. But the problem is that my feelings and emotions keep changing. 

So... I find a song to explain my feelings/emotions, listen to it over and over, and then my emotions change, so I have to find a new song. So the hunt continues. I found something close... but not quite.

Side note, Christmas music is playing in the background as I type... so I feel like I at least have my music priorities straight. :) (Even though part of me would really rather be listening to music to try to find the perfect song. Any perfect songs out there? Send them my way.)

Thanksgiving, bah-humbug

After this year, Thanksgiving had officially become my Official Least-Favorite Holiday.

For the past 3 years, Thanksgiving has been proceeded with or included some awful/not fun event, that was out of my control. In fact, I even wrote out a blog post venting out my frustrations with each of the past 3 Thanksgivings, explaining how not fun they were.

But at the same time, I found it totally ironic, that on the holiday of thankfulness I could not find anything to really be thankful for. I was basically the Scrooge of Thanksgiving. "Thanksgiving, bah, humbug!" I really wanted to get out of that funk.

And today, a week and a half after Thanksgiving, it hit me.

There really is opposition in ALL things, and even though the last 3 Thanksgivings have been rough, with each of these Thanksgivings there has come great clarity in relationships with those closest to me. It has brought forth changes in my life that have been extremely positive. And each year I've been able to have clarity and see the positive changes in my life more quickly.

2 years ago it took about 5 months to have clarity and see the positive changes.

Last year it took about 3 months to have clarity and see the positive changes.

And this year, I am already able to have clarity and see the positive changes.

I am blessed. I am thankful for Thanksgiving. So instead of Thanksgiving being my "Official Least-Favorite Holiday," I'm going to view Thanksgiving as a time for clarity and positive changes... and turkey.

Hannah turned ONE

Hannah turned ONE on Saturday, November 19th!

It's mind-boggling to think that a year has already gone by.

We had a small party with close friends.

For her party...

Presents: She didn't care about opening them, but was interested and loved on everything she got

Cake: Unsure at first, then liked the frosting, but never got to the actual cake. She had a frosting beard/mustache.

Other: She had Claritin before her party, and even though it was "non-drowsy," I highly doubt that claim. She was ready to zonk out, so she took a nap towards the end of her party.

Friends: Three little girls came to the party and the rest were adults. Hannah didn't care, cause well, she's one and doesn't have too many opinions.... yet.

Hannah:

- walks more than she crawls (and she's pretty fast)

- wears size 3 diapers

- wears size 12-18 month clothes

- is between sizes 3-4 shoes

- loves to sing "If You're Happy and You Know It" (the verse about clapping and shout "hooray")

- wakes up once at night

- is not a picky eater

- tattle tales on Addi by screaming and yelling (even if Addi did nothing wrong)

- takes one nap a day

- likes to bring things to you so you can say "thank you"

- likes to dance with Addi

- likes to play "Ring Around the Rosie"

- loves when her grandma tickles her face with her hair

- loves balloons

- loves to eat... and eat everything

- won't eat baby food anymore

- no longer drinks from a bottle (except for nighttime feeding)

- likes to have her teeth brushed

- likes to sneak into the bathroom and play in the toilet water

- likes to sneak up the stairs if we leave the baby gate open

- can go up and down the stairs

- loves "Popcorn Popping"

- will ask for "more" food (with sign language) and then will throw the food on the floor

- is a lot more interested in books

- will reach up to play the piano

11 months

On October 19th, Hannah turned 11 months old. The next blog about her will be about her 1st birthday!

I feel like she is still too much of a baby to have a birthday... she's too little... she's gotta stop it.

Hannah at 11 months, she:
- Wears size 12 month clothes
- wears size 3 shoes
- wears size 3 diapers
- eats strawberries, pears, peaches, grapes, cherrios, life, bread, toast, chicken, crackers soup, oatmeal, etc.
- will taste anything we're eating
- is a huge moocher when it comes to eating
- took 3 tiny steps (as I'm writing this blog though she can walk about 1/2 way across a room)
- she smiles when she walks
- tattle tales on her sister by screaming at her

- has started being interested in books (although she holds them upside-down sometimes, which Addi never did)
- can say "mamama", "bababa" "yayaya" "dadada"
- tries to mimic things we say... when I say "thank you" she says something that sounds like "thanks!"
- is super giggly
- can go up and down stairs
- squeals and crawls as fast as she can when I say "I'm going to get you!!"
- has 4 teeth on top, 4 on the bottom
- likes to put things into things, and take things out of things
- takes big girl baths with Addi
- likes to play with whatever Addi's playing with
- dances, dances, dances
- likes computers, computer mouses, phones, remote controls, and putting her handprints on the tv
- is going to be a ladybug for halloween (default because it was Addi's old costume)
- can have a little pony tail right at the top front of her head

While in Utah we...

While in Utah we....

Went to General Conference and Temple Square

Learned about the inside of the temple at the Visitor's Center

Went to the Children's Museum at the Church History Museum

Went to Petersen Farm's pumpkin patch!

Decorated pumpkins... one for Addi

and a baby one for Hannah.

Visited the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Addi calls it "my temple".

Played in Daybreak.

Saw all the witches at Gardner Village.

 Stayed in Park City. Gorgeous!

Went to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point.

Visited with great friends!

And went to CORNBELLY's!

A week in Utah was tons of fun, even if it was freezing for the last 4 days. AND we got to see snow! So fall/winter can officially begin...

The end.

hard work.

Law school.

I'm applying.

I've decided it's the route I need to go.

So I'll be a stay-at-home mom /slash/ law school student.

You're probably thinking... well wasn't that always the plan? I mean, you did take the LSAT...

But the answer is, I took the LSAT for fun-ish. Not really knowing if I'd go to law school or not. But now the decision's been made. :)

It's going to be hard work. But I'll work it out.

I'll apply sometime in November and may know as early as January the results.

If I get in... or if I don't. It's all no worries. It's just time to allow some doors to be opened.

Are your fingers crossed for me?

Yes?!

Fabulous! :)

"Tort"

While in Utah I visited the BYU Law School.

I must say it was pretty great. I felt at peace being there.

Is it bad that I don't even know what "Tort" is, and I'd be taking an entire class about it?

Hmmm....
I got a tour of the school from a nice guy who graduated from the law school in 2005.

I then met with a lady in admissions who was so friendly, helpful and positive. Out of no where she gave me a waiver to waive the application fee. Such. A. Blessing.

The kids walking around BYU campus seemed kind of sad/lonely. So if I go to school there, my first order of business will be to run around and give them all hugs.

Good idea... right?

First time flying... with children

First time flying in my life with children. It is definitely... Interesting. Especially the fact that when going through security we took up the entire conveyor belt with all of our stuff. Everyone else around us may have been frustrated... I on the other hand was in the zone. :)

Flight 1: Austin to Phoenix @ 6am
Addi: B+ (played/read stories/colored)
Hannah C- (FINALLY fell asleep for about 30 minutes after some hollering)

Flight 2: Phoenix to SLC @ 8am
Addi: A- (played and then napped)
Hannah: A- (played and ate snacks)

Flight 3: SLC to Phoenix @ 5pm
Addi: A (slept the entire time)
Hannah: B+ (slept for 30 seconds, then woke up and played peek-a-boo with the guys sitting behind us for most of the flight)

Layover between flights 3 and 4 gets a big "F"! Addi threw a fit from the second she woke up all through the airport. She was kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs. If she didn't look so much like me I'm sure people would have thought I was abducting her... Some people laughed, some people pitied me, others criticized me. It was AWESOME.

Flight 4: Phoenix to Austin (arrived in Austin at 11pm)
Addi: B+ (colored and then fell asleep)
Hannah: B- (had a hard time falling asleep... she finally did... woke up once, and then fell back asleep for the entire flight)

Flying was not as bad as I thought it'd be. Hannah was a little bit better than I expected and Addi was a little bit more difficult than I expected (kicking seats, throwing fits).

Advice from others:
1. Take car seats on the plane. I didn't do this. I think it would've been a huge hassle to carry them through the airport. I checked the car seats (which was free) and they came out just fine.
2. Snacks, lots of snacks. AMEN!
3. Umbrella stroller in the airport. Serious LIFESAVER!
4. Backpack for Addi with new treats and toys. She loved carrying her own backpack and discovering the things I put inside.

My Advice:
1. Drink caffeine. With kids on the flight you WILL NOT get to sleep/read/anything, so just prepare to be an entertainer/snack server 100% of the time. Caffeine is a must!
2. Don't pay attention to people being annoyed around you when walking through security or on the plane. It'll just stress you out, and it will not make your kids behave any better.
3. Remember to buy water on the other side of security, or bring empty water bottles and sippy cups and fill them up at drinking fountains. It may be a while before you can get water on the plane.
4. Pack blankets and pillows and carry them on. Totally worth having to carry that extra duffle bag! Hannah sat on my lap on a pillow for most of the flights and it was great to have that pillow.
5. Bring another adult... yay for grandma!

one of those days

Have you ever had one of those days that you feel like you were super productive, but also had tons of fun??

Today was one of those days for me.

Happy Fall

what next??

My dream would be a summer house in Utah and a winter house in Texas. (Except for I'd like to be in Utah for Christmas so there's snow).

I love Utah's four seasons, grass, crisp mornings, temples, things to do nearby, abundance of single guys to choose from... I don't like Utah's 6 months of snow, pollution, schools, huge numbers of Mormon people...

I love Texas's culture, people, clean air, schools. I don't like Texas's hot summers, no snow in winter, the temple's further away, poky grass, fire ants, less single guys to choose from (haha)...

I need to find out how to make this happen.

Or maybe I'll end up going to PT school in Utah like I had originally planned or law school at BYU like I was thinking, or law school at the University of Texas or PT school at Texas State and stay in Texas.

I think this next year I'll start applying all over the place and see where I'm led. I know I'm not done with schooling because I feel like I need more, so now it's time to start figuring out... what next??

unsuccessful

I feel pretty unsuccessful as far as being a single mom goes. I feel like I should have my own place, work full-time, and be "making it" on my own.

If I was married I'd feel very successful in the life I'm living... stay-at-home mom, make meals, clean the house, be strong in the gospel, teach my children, work part-time to supplement income...

I was reading my scriptures the other day and I was reprimanded. I don't know if that's happened very often to me... but for sure, it lit a fire under me to become better and be less complacent.

superstardom...

Holy smokes!

I love playing my guitar!

Why did I ever stop?!

No worries now, I'm on the fast track to guitar superstardom...

haha... not really... but I still <3 my guitar.


Songs currently working on:
"I Won't" - Colbie Caillat
"Realize" - Colbie Caillat
"Never Told You" - Colbie Caillat

You have to be enough on your own.

The basic truth is that I. Love. My. Girls.

So everything I'm about to say is with the background fact that my girls are my everything, and it's not said in anger... it just... is.

I just learned that there's definitely a screwed up perception of dating by single Mormons...

Apparently if you go on one date with someone that takes you off the market for everyone else. This causes guys to not ask girls out because they don't want to sacrifice their chances with every other girl by going on a date with one girl.

So basically, guys don't ask girls on dates because then they can't date.

Confusing? Yes.

A waste of my time? Definitely yes.

I've been thinking a lot about if my "single life" is worth the time, and if maybe I should cut back on the time I spend in my "single life". And now that I know how dating goes in this Texas Mormon world, I'm definitely pushed me in the direction to cut back on the time spent in my "single life".

I love my single friends and I'd do anything for them, but I think I may have to wait out this single-mom-ness alone at home.

My girls will be mine forever. That's the only constant.

So I'm going to slow down this feverish pace I've been keeping to try to go to all the singles things.

I'll still go. But less.

I'm just grateful to have an answer as of where I should be placing my time. It's definitely a relief.

Will I never remarry? Maybe. And if not, I know that I can be happy single.

If you can't be completely happy in your single life, you'll never be completely happy in a married life. You have to be enough on your own.

10 months.

10 months. That's all I really have to say about that because I can't even deal with the fact she's going to be a year old soon.

You:
- Wear size 9 month/12 month clothes
- Wear size 3 diapers
- Wear size 3 shoes
- Took 2 tiny steps on your 10 month birthday
- Can stand up alone for a long time
- Cruise and crawl like crazy
- Get really excited when you see the cat we're babysitting
- Like to dance
- Smile like crazy
- Wake up 1 time a night (if you wake up a 2nd time I let you fuss it out)
- Drink 6 oz bottles and eat real food
- Don't really eat baby food
- Bananas, strawberries, peaches, pears, cherrios, bread, toast, hotdogs
- Can drink out of a sippy cup (you took to this so easily)
- Like to crawl up stairs (but can't get back down)
- Like to eat phones, computer mouses, remote controls
- Like to push the buttons on the DVR and turn off the TV
- Are very bouncy
- Love your sister
- Still squeal like a pterodactyl
- Smile when I take your picture
- Love the Longhorns (at least I'm pretty sure you do)
- Take big girl baths

15 journals

I've always been one to journal. In fact I have written in 15 journals over the 24 years of my life. It's so interesting to go back and see who I used to be, and how much I've grown.

When I go back I can see how much I've changed. Sometimes I'm embarrassed at the things I thought were important to write about (boys, flirting, girlfriends, etc), and other times I'm amazed at my spiritual strength at a young age.

I want to start randomly sharing some things I wrote back in the day... stay tuned :)

My two lives.

My two lives.

I have my "mommy life", which is the life I'm in most of the time. All day long, late at night, in the middle of the night, early mornings... I am a mommy. I clean, change diapers, wipe bottoms, make meals, clean up meals, do laundry, run errands, do activities, play, sing, dance....

I also have my "single life", which is the life I'm in here and there. In the evenings, once the girls are in bed, I'm free to go out and be a 24-year old single lady. <Thanks to my mother> :) I feel like I get to live the 20-something single life that I never had because I got married at 20.

For me, being single the second time is WAY better than being single the first time! I have a clearer view of who I am, what I want, and what's important. I am able to be completely, fully, 100% me.

But sometimes I'm worried that it might be a waste. Like I could be at home and reading something to better myself, cleaning, working out, or building my business instead of living a "single life"

I hope someday I wake up and KNOW that this "single life" was worth it, because I know the "mommy life" definitely is. :)

In my "single life" I don't escape being a "mom," and I would never want to. My single friends know that I'm a mom, and I think about my girls a lot when I'm away from them.

I'm a "single mom" to the fullest... and I'm blessed to be "single" and to be a "mom" and to fully fill both of those roles.

Winning season ahead?

UT 17; BYU 16

McCoy will now be the starting quarterback.

Sweetness.

Winning season ahead?

Yes, please.

I also don't mind BYU football players. We can hang out anytime.

<3 Heather

I'm going to

I'm going to write a book.

There... I said it. Now I can't back out.

<3 Heather

--then peace comes.

2 Samuel 22:31-33
"31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect"

"Set clear and specific goals. When you set a goal and when you commit yourself to... reach that goal, you will eliminate most of the problems in your life. Spend your energies doing those things that will make a difference. Then you can become what you think about... If you just have the simple faith that God is in his heaven and he is your Heavenly Father an he does know that you are here and he does love you--and that Jesus is the Christ, that he is your Savior, that he is your Redeemer, and that you love him with all your heart and are going to do all you can to keep his commandments--then peace comes."

- Elder M. Russell Ballard

20-11 Resolutions Update

I had a friend request that I do an update on my New Year's Resolutions... so... let's see... Lots of these were completely thrown off when we moved. As of January 1st, 2011 we weren't planning on moving from Utah. But by the end of March we were living in Texas. Life changes quickly, and goals do too... but here's an update :)


BOLD = I worked on
Italics = My thoughts on
Red, Bold, Italics= FINISHED

My Twenty
1. Go on three dates (3/3) - I moved to Texas and wham-bam... my 3+ dates are done. I'm happy to report that I survived. Being single isn't SO terrible.
2. Complete three 5Ks (1/3) - I did one on April 9th. I organized one on August 13th?? Does that count??? Nah.
3. Get down to goal weight by losing 18lbs (13/18)
4. Refinish my antique dresser
5. Read 24 books (5/24) - I have had ZERO time to read (between moving and planning a 5K). I'm currently reading one book and plan on reading another one. Right now I have other priorities besides reading for fun. I hope that I'll have read 10 books by the end of the year. That would be fabulous!
6. Read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover - Still working on this, got behind because of the move and the 5K, but I'm definitely going to finish by the end of the year.
7. Make a Christmas activity advent calendar - I'm going to need to start on this soon... I'm so excited!
8. Improve photography skills by learning from 20 sources (10/20)
9. Go to the temple once-a-month - Of course, the temple is further away now, but I really think I'll hit this goal. I went once this month and will definitely go next month.
10. Find my father - Ehh... I could take it or leave it. Maybe it'll be on the list for 2012.
11. Cook a healthy dinner at least 100 nights this year - I haven't kept track of how many I've cooked, but it's definitely up there. 
12. Start and catch up on Addi's baby book - I've worked on it!
13. Start Hannah's baby book - I've started it!
14. Make a book out of my old blog (0/1)
15. Make a quilt (0/1)
16. Sand and paint kitchen stools and chairs (0/12)
17. Learn to grill and grill during every Longhorn Football Game (0/total games)
18. Make a monthly budget - My budget is to spend as little as possible. So check :)
19. Take some classes online (0/Total Classes) - Probably won't happen this year, my focus has been my business, but don't be surprised if I'm applying for a master's program sometime soon :)
20. Get engaged (Hey, I can be ambitious) - Ugh... question I should be asking myself is... Am I even ready to be engaged??

The Girls' Eleven
1. Go to a parade - We went to one for the Fourth of July in Corpus Christi!
2. Go out-of-state - We moved to Texas! Check.
3. Do a craft at least once a month (6/12) + 1 - I'm sure we've done something almost every month. But with the holidays coming up we'll rock it out!
4. Go to Wheeler Farm - We moved before we could do this, so we'll switch this to "Go to Pioneer Farms"
5. Go to a dinosaur museum 
6. Go for a walk on temple grounds once a month (3/12) - The move through this off, but we went while we lived in Utah. I still haven't taken them to a Texas temple since we've been back. San Antonio here we come!
7. Go to the library once a month (8/12) + A bunch - Going to the library has become something we do every week. I love it and the girls love it!
8. Go to the aquarium
9. Ride on the Heber Creeper - We moved. BUT, we can ride on the Hill Country Flyer!
10. Go to the beach - We went for the Fourth of July in Corpus Christi!
11. Go to Sea World. - It's on our list to do for this fall

my greatest (and most exhausting) blessings

I went to bed around 11:30pm.

Hannah woke up to eat around 11:50pm.

I fell back asleep around 12:00am.

Hannah woke up at 3:30am.

Hannah is still awake as of 5:37am.

This is one of those day's it would be good to have backup.

Thank goodness for nap time! Cause this mommy's going to need it!

And another thing... Why is it that when you're awake in the middle of the night for multiple hours that you feel like you're starving?? I could seriously eat half of a large pizza right now. Maybe even more than half. And some breadsticks. And salad. And...

Ok, I think she's asleep. Good night again for 45 minutes until Addi wakes up.

At least I love these girls. They are my greatest (and most exhausting) blessings :)

I was mowing the lawn yesterday and this just came to my mind. I HAD to create it. With a little bit of photoshop and a lot of laughs I present...

Now, if you're not Mormon you might not get it, but in 1988 a "MormonAd" was released called "Rise Above the Blues". MormonAds are just little scripture quotes with a picture that are meant for the youth in the church. This is probably one of the best-known MormonAds...

Since BYU is a Mormon school, it was just too perfect. I saw my opportunity and took it.

Hook 'Em Horns

sleep

It's been more than 9 months since I got more than 4 hours of sleep in a row. That's got to stop, and today is the beginning of that. Hannah wakes up at least twice a night and I need to reduce that to once a night. I've just spoiled her and I'm now paying the price.

For so long I was just in "survival mode" where I would do anything to get her back to sleep as quickly as possible, and that usually meant feeding her. But now she needs to get to the point where she just sleeps through the night and soothes herself back to sleep. So basically since 4am (it's now 5am) Hannah's been off-and-on crying. It's awesome. Actually, I hate it, but she has to sleep on her own. So I'm blogging. Just so the sound of me typing on the keys, overrides her crying.

The best part of this whole thing is that now my day has started at 4am and I didn't go to sleep until 11pm, with Hannah waking up once at midnight. That gives me about 5ish hours of sleep tonight. Which means... today is going to rock. Hardcore.

If anyone else is bored, there's a party at my house. My mom and I are both awake due to Hannah's crying and are playing "Words with Friends" and "Hanging with Friends" while she falls back asleep.

In other news... I'm totally in love...

with Round Rock donut holes. Have you tried them? They're fantastic. Although the thought of them right now makes me want to barf cause I'm still so full from dinner last night.

Don't you just love my early-morning ramblings, when I feel like a Zombie? Ya, hopefully I'll never write anything like this again.

And... silence. OK, I'm going back to bed for an hour until Addi wakes up.

Love,
Heather

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Me: "I've lost my mind. I don't know where it is!"

Addi: "Umm... I think it's behind the trash can."

Dear Hannah,

Dear Hannah,

You're 9 months old today!

You:
- wear size 9 month + clothes
- wear size 3 diapers (almost too small)
- wear size 2-3 shoes
- crawl
- pull yourself to a stand
- cruise
- squat
- can briefly stand with no support
- tattle tale on your sister by screeching
- wake up 2 times a night
- eat strawberries and grapes
- eat baby food
- eat baby snacks
- eat any crumbs left on the floor
- have 7 teeth
- are super silly
- love to smile
- love "Popcorn Popping"
- have crawled up 1 step
- put everything in your mouth
- love Mommy the most, then Addi, then Grandma
- get confused when guys hold you

Dear Addi,

Dear Addi,

I REALLY did not want to go swimming last night. But I promised you, if you finished your dinner that we would go swimming.

I didn't think you'd finish it because you never do, but you must have REALLY wanted to go swimming because you ate the rest of the turkey from your turkey burger and you were ready to go.

So we got ready. And you insisted on wearing your high-heeled, jelly, light-up Cinderella shoes.

We walked across the ditch to the swimming pool and got in the not-so-hot, not-so-cold water.

Every time we swim you pretend you are a hippo ballerina, and you tell me that I'm an alligator (like from Disney's Fantasia). Then we dance like ballerinas and I chase you like a mean alligator.

The past few times we've gone swimming you try getting your face wet. You've been very brave. But yesterday you went all of the way under the water. More than once. You went so far under there was water over the top of your head! I was so impressed! You just did it, I didn't even tell you to. You're awesome!

You love to play with kids at the pool, but yesterday all of the kids were already playing with other kids. And on top of that they either spoke Spanish or Chinese. You still don't understand what different languages are, and to you it just sounds like jibberish, so you started ba-ba-dee-dee-do-ing to the kids in hopes that they'd play with you. Of course they had no idea what you were saying.

There was a little boy at the pool who was collecting dead bugs from the pool and lining them up on the edge of the pool so that they would come back alive. Of course, the bugs were dead and wouldn't ever come back alive, but he was holding out hope. He told me to tell you not to touch them. I wasn't too worried about that, as there can't even be a piece of fuzz floating in your bath water without you yelling "bug!"

When we left, you put back on your high-heeled, jelly, light-up, Cinderella shoes and headed home. You weren't watching where you were going, mis-stepped and fell in the pool. Luckily it was by the stairs so you just got back out and I put your shoe back on.

Then we went down some stairs. You must have thought we had reached the bottom because you completely missed the last step and ended up on your knees on the ground. Good thing you had your big turtle floaty around you to soften the fall! You just got up and kept on walking.

Then we had to walk through the ditch again. Your shoe got stuck in the sand and fell off... like Cinderella losing her glass slipper, except your foot was now filthy and you had to balance while I put your shoe back on.

When we got home you told grandma that you "lost your balance". She asked you where it was and you said "at the swimming pool."

love, admiration and respect

A sweet man planned a surprise birthday party for his wife's birthday. He asked me to photograph it. He also asked me to create a slideshow of pictures through his wife's life.

He's known his wife since high school. In every picture they have together they are so in love. You can just feel the love and happiness coming from each moment captured in time.

He and his wife have been married for 31 years.

They spent most of the party apart from one another, mingling with friends. But when they got together you could just feel the love, admiration and respect they have for each other.

And while watching them dance, I totally started crying... I just could not hold back the tears. It was so shocking to me that they each found someone who loves them completely.

Then, it shocked me that it made me so emotional. It made me realize that maybe I didn't believe in love like that. Like I had never seen it before. It was just a love that people talk about, but that doesn't really exist.

After getting divorced I thought if I could just find a guy who is thoughtful, has a job, treats me well, treats my girls well, loves the gospel, then I would have it made.

But now, that's not enough. On top of all of those check-list items we must be completely madly in love. Because I don't want to have just a good marriage... I want a GREAT marriage. And anything less than that is not worth it to me.

Now accepting applications. I'm ready to get this ball rolling :)

family mission statement

While reading the Ensign on Sunday I came across this...

"May our families and homes be filled with love: love of each other, love of the gospel, love of our fellowman, and love of our Savior." - President Thomas S. Monson

I've wanted a family mission statement for a while and this just seems so perfect.

Love each other

Love the gospel

Love our fellowman

Love our Savior

laser tag

On this day in 2009 I wrote this on Facebook:

"I can't believe Elliott and I had the entire Laser Assault arena to ourselves last night. It was fun and freakin scary!"

I completely remember that night. It was a night when no matter what I did, I couldn't get the argument to end. So I drove up to a laser tag arena and said "we're playing." And we did.

But a BIG detail I didn't remember of that event (until I read that past status today) was that it happened on our 2-year anniversary. How on earth does an anniversary turn out like that?

every. day. was. a. battle.

It didn't matter the occasion.

So grateful that's not my life anymore.

New blog.

New blog.

New chapter.

Life back home.

Life in Texas.

The three things I value most in my life are:
Peace
Love
Blessings

So the title is fitting.

I have a lot to say; a lot on my mind.

Read it here.