We're pretty Thankful!

Well, Thanksgiving is here, and like most bloggers out there, I decided to write a post of things I'm thankful for. It's funny how with each passing day the list gets longer, it changes, things are added, but not usually removed. With the exception of the time that I was grateful for some cool new shoes we bought for McKinley and then they broke the next day. That item was removed from the list, but the Nordstrom Rack return policy was added, so I guess it evened itself out.
Each night I'm lucky enough to be able to put my girls to bed. Robbie and I rotate who does what and which one of us puts which one of them to bed. But, every night I get to put one of them to bed. There is nothing that makes me feel more grateful than bedtime with me girls. I remember how grateful I am for little hugs, giggles and cuddles as Molly and I read books and rock before bed time. And the things McKinley is thankful for each night really put things in perspective for me as well. As a matter of fact, just last night she and Robbie watched the end of a nature show that was talking about snakes. As I took her to bed, she looked at me with very BIG, very serious eyes and said in a whisper, "Mom, are the snakes going to get me?".  I answered with a reassuring "No, snakes can't get you, there are no snakes in our house." As she got into bed and prayed she said "Thank you that no snakes can climb in my bed." I can't remember the last time I was thankful for that, but as she said I wholeheartedly agreed.
So, today as I reflect on what I'm thankful for I'm just going to give you a few things that maybe you have and maybe you haven't also thought of this year (these are in no particular order).

• I would be a bad person if, even with a very abbreviated list,I didn't list Robbie, Molly and McKinley. They are, after all, three of the most important people to me in the entire world.
• How about Jillian Michael's....her 30 day Shred and Ripped in 30 were fun and effective, thank you Jillian.
• Friends...near and far.
• Nebulizers and steroids to keep my baby breathing freely.
• My space heater, it has changed my work life and the after math of walking down the stairs for the better.
• The auto start on my car. I totally thought this was a lame-ish novelty item when it came with my car, but my babies get in warm cars and my legs get a lot of reprieve on those cold winter days when I get in and the car is warm.
• Rock climbing with my family for the first time in 4 years and I made it to the top! Holla! (yes, I just said holla and I'm not ashamed :) )
• My calling in Primary, even thought it just ended.
• The way McKinley says "lub" instead of love.
• Not being attacked by snakes in my house.
• How Molly claps each time she accomplishes something she's trying to do.
• Chocolate cake donuts covered in chocolate frosting.

There are easily a gazillion more things that I'm thankful for and many more that are more important to me than Jillian Michael's, but I'm going to save those to tell them to my family! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Molly's Birthday Fun

Molly's Birthday was last week. I was so excited for her big first birthday! On her birthday we had brownies and sung to her and let her open a present. She was so much better at opening the present than I thought she would be.

We had her big birthday party a few days later and invited family over to celebrate with us. I made little stuffed animal owl and gift bags for the kids and we had a ball pit for them to play in.

(this was the best shot Robbie got, but I promise they were really cute! Each little kid went home with one)

I wanted lunch to be something Molly would thoroughly enjoy, it is her party after all, so we had sloppy joes, tater tots, salad and juice. I was pleasantly surprised that the adults liked it as well.

After lunch we opened presents and I have to say that our family was far to generous to this little girl. As she opened her presents she wanted to play with every single one. I had to start hiding them to get her to go onto the next gift!

It was really cute when we sang happy birthday, she got kind of shy and cuddled her head on my shoulder, I've never really seen that side of her before, so it was a cute little surprise. She enjoyed her cake and gobbled up some ice cream. I was pretty happy with how he cake turned out.

It was such a fun day and we look forward to a lot more birthdays to come!

Molly Turned One!

My sweet little Molly has turned one, can you beleive it? It seems like I blinked and now it's been a year. I'm never very sentimental, but Molly turning one has me reminiscing a lot about my sweet little baby over the last year! She was such an easy baby; cuddly and happy with a head of dark brown hair. Now her hair has lightened, she talks all the time but she still loves to cuddle with her Mom. I hope she never stops wanting to cuddle her Mom!

With one whopping year behind her are her stats:

Weight: 20 lbs 3 oz. (36.64%)

Height: 28 1/2 inches (59.85%)

Molly has been doing a lot lately. She got her first tooth when she was 11 months old and it was followed quickly by two more. She started walking at about 10 months and is now totally proficient. She loves to play with McKinley and they can get rough housing pretty good. She loves to hold/cuddle anything soft from stuffed animals to clothes to blankets. She is passionate about the things she wants and doesn't mind making a fuss if she doesn't get what she wants. She says "Mama" all the time and the occasional "Dada". Her favorite book is Galoshes. She is very adventurous; climbing on everything and getting into all of the cupboards. She refuses to come down the stairs backwards. If it's a lot of stairs, she'll sit at the top and yell until we come get her; if it's 3 or less stairs, she tries to walk down them which usually ends up in a fall, but never crying. She loves to play chase and also loves puzzles. She often wonders around carrying something, the item doesn't matter, she just loves to carry things. She's a ball of energy, that doesn't often stop moving unless she's asleep. She laughs all the time and it is the cutest little giggle I've ever heard!

Molly is such a special girl that brings so much fun to our house! We love you Molly!

Halloween

This is a post I wrote a while ago and forgot to publish!

Halloween was so much fun this year. We've been very busy enjoying some fun Halloween activities. A couple of weeks before Halloween we went to the local pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins. It was a lot of fun. The patch has a little corn maze, lots of tractors and of course pumpkins. We had a good time going up and down the rows of pumpkins trying to find just the right one. Molly was more than happy to smile and pose for the camera, but McKinley was less willing. It was an oddly warm day for October which was really nice too!

My brother and his family were in town about a week before Halloween and we went to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point. It was a lot of fun. I had never been before and even though it was a windy and cold day, the kids had a blast!

Grandma and Grandpa were nice enough to end the day with churros and hot chocolate for all of us, so we could warm up on the way home!

The day before Halloween, we drove up to have dinner with Nana and Papa. Papa had to leave town, but we stayed to carve pumpkins with Nana and had a great time carving and then showing her the girls costumes. Apparently we didn't take one picture of the actual carving, or one with Nana, but we did get shot of the pumpkins.

Then came Halloween. McKinley had a program at school and was SOOOO excited that Nana could come with Robbie and I to see her. They dressed up in their costumes, paraded in and did a program of a bunch of Halloween songs. It was really cute and McKinley did a a great job.

I brough the girls to trick or treat at my work and then there was trick or treating that night. It was such a fun day. McKinley enjoys giving out the candy as much as getting it! Here are our cute little black cat and witch:

Molly's "First" Haircut

Molly's hair was so out of control. The top of her hair is growing in so much quicker than the sides...McKinley did the same thing, but not quite as drastically. Here are some really awesome pictures of her super cool hair. These are what lead me to getting her hair cut!

I've cut it a few times when it started to look particularly homeless, but decided it was time to have a professional fix it up for her. Ruthie was kind enough to cut Molly's hair on the last Friday in September and it turned out so cute! It was fast, Ruthie was awesome...maybe 7 minutes and she looked like new little girl. She was so good too, she just quietly sat there trying to figure out what was going on.She looks so much better. Her hair is starting to get long again, but looks great!

Conversations With a 3 Year Old

I was driving to work today and McKinley and I had some funny conversations, they went something like this:

McKinley: Mom, you are my special girl.
Me: You are my special girl! Did you know that I have two special ladies? You and Molly.
McKinley: I have two special ladies!
Me: Who?
McKinley: Mommy and Daddy!
Me: (giggling under my breath) Daddy is your special lady?
McKinley: Well, no he is a boy.

Then I missed my turn because I couldn't merge over in time.

McKinley: This isn't the way to school.
Me: I know, I missed my turn, so I have to turn here and then flip a U-ey and go that way.
McKinley: This is not a U-ey Mom, this is the store.

Then I accidentally got in the turn lane instead of the straight lane (I know, not my best driving day).
Me: Darnit, we have to go the long way, I got into the wrong lane.
McKinley: Dad doesn't have to turn around because he doesn't miss his turn or go in a U-ey. Because Dad is a grown man.

Oh how I love talking with my 3 year-old!

Soccer Anyone?

McKinley joined a soccer team this year of 3 and 4 year-olds. It has been an interesting ride so far. We've had several practices and now a few games. The first game, McKinley basically refused to go in. She sat on the side enjoying her comfy chair and snacks. She did go in a couple of times and there was a fleeting moment of joy, but when she didn't get to kick the ball, she got sad and came out.

The second game brought Robbie and I to our game plan....bribery! We told her every time she went in she would get a Pringle, every time she chased after the ball she would get a Pringle, if she kicked the ball she got 2 Pringles and a goal would get her 3 Pringles. It worked like a charm! She went in the game and even kicked the ball a lot, we just need to work on turning it.

Now we don't even have to bribe her to go in, it's awesome! She loves to go in and last week she even scored a goal! Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Jon and Uncle Ty came to one game and Nana and Papa came to another, McKinley LOVED having them there! But this person right here is her #1 fan, for sure! (yes, this is Molly's hair before her first haircut, another post on that is coming)

The funniest thing about soccer so far is 1-how HUGE their jerseys are and 2-that parents run on the field with their kids to get them used to it....yes, we do this with McKinley. I think by the end of the 8 game season she may be willing to do it on her own!