i pick.....

so there are a million things i could blog about: disney on ice, dr. suess's birthday, dan's birthday, a bashed eye and a sliced open head, st. patricks day, easter, snow storms, family visits, get-a-ways, the fact that i found a dead mouse TODAY and nearly had a heart attack.....but i choose to blog about one of my 3 favorite things EVER:


this is how she insisted going out to get the mail today. to bad i didn't look that cool. i gotta love that kid, and i really love being her mom.

a few tricks

so this video doesn't do any of this justice, the camera is too distracting. BUT, we tried. this video shows some scripture stories that we have been working on with nova as well as some songs that she likes. and yes, she is wearing a princess nightgown....can't get the thing off her.

happy v-day!

happy valentines day!

there is no easy way to say something like this, but i suppose it is more awkward to avoid it. this past week has been eventful to say the least. after a trip to the ER on thursday we ended up miscarrying after 13 weeks. the little face above gives us comfort and fills our home and hearts with so much love. we know that our loving Father in Heaven has a plan for us and that we will be stronger because of this trial.

i'm just sayin

so pictured above is nova's first snowman. she loved it.
here is dan and nova doing......i have no idea. but its a funny pic!
nova her first day of nursery
and these 2 are pics i took at christmas time that i am pretty proud of.

i'm just sayin....my kid is adorable.

and to get this off my chest: perhaps one day when i have the chance to hopefully create a world, i think i will do winters a little differently. all the snow that normally falls within the months of dec-feb (or october-april if you live in idaho/utah) will drop in the month of december. then you have buckets upon buckets, you shovel, stay indoors for a while and then it melts and its done. i hate this, here a little, there a little, oh wait, lets dump a butt-load, now it melts a little....and on and on and on.
like i said,

i'm just sayin.

but beyond the snow, and since i have neglected my blog like i neglect cleaning the toilet, i will mention that christmas was fantastic. (i. loved. being. santa.) family was great, i ate WAY TOO much food and am a little relieved that the holidays are over.

we started the new year out being absolutely ill....ALL of us. i am hoping its not an omen of what 2010 will be like. and now january is almost over. only 3 more months of cold.....BLAH!!

the second annual hope christmas video

remember last year? if you need your brain refreshed click here.
if you do remember last year and you have been waiting for your christmas wishes to come true, the moment has finally arrived. sorry to have kept you waiting. merry christmas! and happy sleigh riding!



note: dan is amazing. seriously, he rocks! he is why we have a video.

the culprit

"nova, who put my rugs on the couch?"


"i don't know."

"ok.....i forgive you...."

seriously....i can't keep the rugs ON THE FLOOR.....nova is constantly dragging them around...weird...and dirty...good thing we vacuum them everyday too.


in other news, i have been working on 'christmas-a-fying' our home....and yeah, that's a word. it means, to make your home feel warm, cozy, happy and christmas-y and/or to make your home TOTALLY AWESOME!!! seriously, go ask webster.....

anyway, i made a couple of wreaths that i found online here:

mine looks better than i anticipated....my bow could use a little help....but it was pretty fun.

then also i did this one which is pretty psycho, but i like it oddly.....i found the tutorial here. super easy and cheap... anyway.....so to sum up:
i love christmas
i love rugs on my couch and the little girl that puts them there.
i love dan for being excited with me when i take on projects like wreaths made out of cheap materials.

here is also a video of nova watching her favorite thing of all time these days: cinderella.....particularly bibbity bobbity boo. all she wants to do is sing and dance to this show.

don't you judge me.....

so apparently it has come down to this: i only blog on holidays. don't you judge me.

we had a great thanksgiving. we spent it with dan's family in j-town. we ate a TON of delicious food, went to a movie, dan and i hit the black friday sales together, played some games, watched some football, went to the temple and took a few good naps. all in all, a great holiday. today we all have been hit too hard by the reality that the regular mundane must return and nova is wondering where all the people are to dote on her. what....am i not good enough anymore? apparently not.

previous to the thanksgiving holiday, we have enjoyed relatively good weather. we went on some drives, went to the park, dan's parents came for a visit, my parents came for a visit, my brother and sister-in-law and nephew came for a visit, canned some potato stew, diligently attended story time. amongst other thngs and have just really been busy apparently.

one highlight of the month is that we took nova to the discovery museum. that is a really fun place and nova had a complete blast. we went their and were able to have a PKU friendly breakfast, get current info on PKU, and then mingle with other families and adults who have children with PKU. it is always reassuring for me to go to events like this and see other people dealing with the things that i am. i leave feeling uplifted and encouraged every time they have a function like that.

and we'll end it there for now. here are some pics to share. tis the season right?

nova at the discovery museum. they have a little kids sized grocery store and nova filled her cart with bananas. ----side note: they have this section in the museum where everything is 'kid sized'. as nova was playing in the grocery store area, i thought to myself. 'self, i wish i was little, so i could do this (grocery shopping) too.' and then i thought to myself, 'self, you do get to do this (grocery shopping), and it isn't THAT fun.'......i guess everything seems more fun when it is fun-sized........

black friday: mission: hard drive---success!
ok, i know this is insanely late, but i was proud of my costume this year......
dan made a robot out of a diaper box for nova
bundled up for a brisk walk......dare we leave the baby and bear behind.....nay i say.nova and dan's favorite spot: up in the tree reading books.

do i even need a caption for this pic? i love this girl!