This Makes Me Smile

Conversation

Setting: Abigail crawling all over me and my growing belly.

Abigail: (pointing and patting at my belly) baby

Me: yep. our baby is growing inside mommy's tummy.

Abigail: OUT.

Time will tell how she feels about this baby being OUT come November. We're hoping for good things.

Outnumbered

If he wasn't outnumbered before, come baby #2, Tyler will definitely be outnumbered.

No worries about Tyler being outnumbered. He is super excited to have another little girl--as am I-- and we are pretty sure Abigail is happy about it too.

Something Shared, Something Learned

A long time ago, as in I was in high school, I was visiting with my Aunt Molly in her house on Bristol Court. I can't remember if this memory took place before she left to go somewhere and I was about to babysit, or, if it was after she returned from being somewhere and I had just babysat----or, if I was just over there hanging out. Whichever way, I remember we were in the kitchen and Molly was sharing with me the postive difference she noticed in her children when she, at bedtime, sat with them and told them all of the wonderful things about them that happened during the day. I remember her sharing that her children seemed to get along better, were more obedient and, happier.

Fast forward however many years since, to now, with me as a mother to Abigail. I remembered the lesson shared with me by my Aunt Molly and have begun each night, for about 3 or 4 months now, sharing with Abigail all of the wonderful things I loved about Abigail each day. "Abigail, I loved the way you sang in the car today. I loved the way you played peek-a-boo with the pharmacist at the store. I loved watching you jump into the pool. Thank you for saying please." I have noticed that she quiets down and listens intently. I know she understands my praise. I love taking a moment to consciously think of all of the good from our day. Our days can be perfect sometimes, but sometimes crazy and hectic, sometimes teary and stressful, but always, always, always, there are good parts about our day......and I like to think that Abigail takes what I share with her and dreams of all of those good things.



Lessons Shared. Lessons Gratefully Learned.

Green Glorious Green

Thanks to many, many, many, hours of hard work in the yard by Tyler our yard is full of green glorious green grass. Tyler spent last week getting the yard ready and Saturday morning the pallets of Sod were delivered. We hired a young man from our ward to come help and together, with the occassional help of Abigail, they got the yard completed by early afternoon. Our yard is small, but it makes all the difference to look out the windows and see such green green grass.

Oh Baby

We are thrilled to share the news that we are expecting a new addition to join our family come mid-November.

Indeed, we have much to be thankful for.

A Wish to Grow

April showers bring May (and June) flowers.....and vegetables. My #1 goal for the summer is to can tomatoes--hopefully from my garden. In this pursuit, we have planted 13 tomato plants of 3 varieties. Bring on the tomatoes I say! (I am happy to report that 7 tomatoes have already been spotted). We also planted 5 pepper plants, 1 cucumber plant, and 2 basil plants. Not too much variety overall in the vegetable department--but we have plans to expand next year.

Abigail helping her Daddy build the garden boxes.
We have two large pots filled with these Zinnias. I'm in love.

As crazy as it sounds, doing my dishes and looking out my window to these flower boxes---somehow makes doing dishes a bit easier (usually).

I love beginning my day by checking on our garden. Each morning Abigail and I go outside and take a look to see what has been happening while we were sleeping. Abigail loves to help water the vegetables, flower pots, and hanging baskets.

The first year we were here in Georgia we planted Petunias. Within a week they were all gone and the bunny we thought was so cute became our enemy. This year, we dare that bunny to get to these Petunias.

p.s. Ignore the dead grass. It is purposely dry, dead, and ugly--sod coming soon with pictures to follow.