What a Crazy Month!

I am going to be so glad for February to be over! It just seemed to be a stressful, snowy month. I love the mornings when I wake up to the sun shining and snow melting! But of course Idaho wouldn't be Idaho without snow storms all through Spring!:) This month had an Oregon trip to see my new neice, mid-terms for Chris, his job cutting people's hours, he had bronchitis most of the month and I now have it, Addison getting her first cold, family/friends going through big trials, etc. On the brighter side, Addison is growing like crazy and learning new things each day. It's so fun to watch her try and feed herself, and we can't get enough of her adorable vocabulary! We'll be packing up this next month to move to Illinois for the summer, which we're soooo excited for! So we'll be plenty busy with packing and finals this next month. Here's some cute pics of Addy lately. I need to get some video of her talking on here soon!

Good Morning!

My little laundry helper

Hangin' out in the kitchen

Sick little girl, so sad:(

12 things by Chris (25 is silly)

I read a couple of these and after reading Mindy's I decided I would do one. Maybe I'll learn something about myself.(lol)

1. I have black speckles in my eyes.
2. I used to think of an animal look alike for everyone in my classes growing up. It's a great way to pass the time when you don't like school.
3. If I could snap my fingers and have the career I want it would be something working with animals.
4. I don't have a favorite NBA team. Ever since Jordan left the Bulls I've been searching. The closest I can come is the Jazz.
5. I get extremely motion sick in cars, planes, etc. As a result, Mindy rarely drives when I am with her. Sometimes I even get car sick when I am driving.
6. My nervous habit is picking my fingernails. Needless to say I don't have much of a fingernail on some of my fingers.
7. 5 out of the 7 people in my family are teachers.
8. I was part of a band in college. We opened a concert for De La Vega at Craigo's in Rexburg.
9. Mindy and I have two cats, a black and white male named Batman and a pure white female named Persia.
10. My two favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon are 2nd Nephi chapter 4 and Mosiah chapter 4.
11. My wife is a dream come true for me. I find more about her that amazes me all the time.
12. My life has never had more meaning than it does now with the addition of sweet Addison. This kind of love can't be explained, only experienced.

So excited to be moving to........

As most of you know Chris installs security systems for Apx Alarm. Last summer was our first time doing it and the money was worth it to head out again this summer. Plus, Chris has started school again so it works perfectly! Last summer was the loooong drive to Connecticut...thankfully this summer isn't quite as long....CHICAGO, ILLINOIS!! It's so funny, we had no idea our sales manager was thinking of there - and last night Chris and I were talking about Chicago and how Oprah is there and it would be cool to go on the show:) etc...so when we found out today that that's where we're going, we thought it was pretty sweet.
Here's a few stats:
~3rd most populous city in America with over 2.8 million residents.
~O'Hare International is the second busiest airport in the world.
~38.9% White (30.9% non-Hispanic-White)
35.6% Black or African American
0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
5.3% Asian
0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
21.3% some other race
~ Summers are their rainiest season, making it warm and humid.

28 Things

Okay, I love reading these on Facebook and blogs..so I'm going to break down and do one.
1. I'm the youngest and only girl in my family..3 older brothers...LOVE IT!
2. My first job was mowing lawns when I was 8..had a job ever since.
3. I get bored being in one place quickly (jobs, where we live, etc.)
4. I've never had just one best friend..there's always been 4.
5. I hate being in front of people.
6. Especially if I have to give a talk..I always offer to play the piano instead.
7. I started piano lessons when I was 6.
8. I was on the Volleyball and Track team in school.
9. I never went on dates with lots of different people, I was more of a relationship person.
10. I've only had 4 boyfriends since I was 15..not really any breaks in between.
11. I've sent 2 missionaries off..dated them both when they came back.
12. Chris and I dated off and on for 2 years..we were actually completely broken up when he proposed:)
13. I am not a morning person at all..never have been.
14. I'm the worst at doing laundry..it takes me days, because I forget I'm doing it.
15. I think reality shows are ridiculous, but I love them for some reason.
16. We've moved 6 times since being married..my favorite was Provo/Orem.
17. I love animals with a passion.
18. If we ever get house:)..we want a ranch set-up with horses and everything.
19. My two favorite foods are toast, and loaded chef salads.
20. I love to read.
21. I love to exercise..but it's so much easier when you're doing it to stay in shape than when you have to lose baby weight.
22. I hate winter
23. I love crafts, sewing and cooking.
24. I was sick for 7 1/2 months of my pregnancy with Addison..and for some reason you forget how bad it was and want to do it again:)
25. My 2 biggest fears: water and snakes
26. I love amusement park rides, and want to go skydiving so bad!
27. My husband is my dream come true
28. Being a mom is more than I ever dreamed of.

Oregon

Last week, Addison and I drove over to Oregon with my parents. My oldest brother and his wife were expecting their third child. She had to be induced 3 weeks early because she got preclampsya. Sadly she's still in the hospital almost a week later. "Halle Paige" is doing well..she was 6lbs 10oz..19.5in...and sooooo cute with the sweetest little cry. We're still praying for Carrie that her blood pressure can level out and they can get this fixed so she can come home! My parents and I took care of the older 2 kids while everyone was at the hospital. It was so much fun! Last time I had seen them was my wedding, and they hadn't met Addy yet..so I was really grateful for the opportunity to go over. I missed Chris like crazy! It was our first time apart, but he had to stay for work and school. Anyway, here's some cute pics from over there.

I really need to stop making so many...

So I finally got all Addison's hair bows organized and on hangers. It's funny how after awhile you come back to something and don't like it anymore..I threw away about 10 that I couldn't stand..and got all the ones I like for now on hangers in her room. I've been making duplicates for when she gets pigtails..and I've been needing to make smaller, simpler ones for right now since I can only get small ones in her hair. She doesn't do headbands with bows anymore, she pulls them off as soon as I get one on. The middle picture is of her bigger ones that went on headbands. I'm so excited that she has some hair to clip at least one in now! These are the finished products! The top picture is of extras that don't fit on.

7 Months!!

I can't believe how fast time flies! Addison turned 7 months yesterday! She is such a happy little girl..always laughing and smiling. She has quite the independent streak...not liking to be held like a baby anymore. She'll arch that back until you hold her up so she can see everything that's going on. She sleeps amazing now...she's like clock-work, every two hours she goes down for a nap, goes to bed at 9:30 - wakes up at 8-8:30, it's so nice! It took about 5 months of no sleeping to figure out she loves it, but now she's got it down! She loves to sit up and play..still hates being on her tummy, and rolls over the second you put her down. I doubt she'll ever crawl..but she gets around by rolling all over the place. My new favorite thing is when she feeds herself a bottle. She finally has enough hair on top to get a bow in it and make a little "pebbles" spike on top. She's learning and figuring out new things each day, which is so much fun to watch. I love her more than words can express!

Trials

Lately it has seemed that all around us, we see friends and family going through trial after trial. We see marriages crumbling, families going through financial difficulty, testimonies dwindling, family members passing away.. etc. It breaks our hearts to watch this, but more than anything it hurts to watch them not turn to the gospel for strength. This is the only source that can help us make it through these times. For FHE this week I read a story I found in the Feb 2009 Ensign. It's called, "The Blessing of the Blackberry Bush." This father tells a story about when he was watching his children play in the yard one summer. He notices that one of his sons was missing, so he calls out his name. He follows the cry to find his son tangled in a blackberry bush. It took him some time to untangle him and get all the thorns out. It hurt him to see his son suffer and in pain. He then remembered that behind that bush was a large pond..if that bush hadn't been there, his son could have fallen in the pond and risked drowning. He says, " I've sinced learned that God sometimes allows us to stumble into thorny places to protect us from more harmful situations. He loves us and does what is best for us, even when it hurts terribly, because sometimes the pain is necessary for our physical safety or spiritual growth. When we turn to Him in our trials, He carefully pulls out the thorns and comforts our hearts."
Elder George Q Cannon said, "The Saints should always remember that God sees not as man sees, that he does not willingly afflict his children, and that if he requires them to endure present privation and trial, it is that they may escape greater tribulations which would otherwise inevitably overtake them. If He deprives them of any present blessing, it is that he may bestow upon them greater and more glorious ones by and by."
I know that we are in tough times, and that Satan and his followers are working overtime to bring us down. He's hitting families more than ever and we have to be doing the little things each day; reading our scriptures, individual and couples prayer, FHE, attending all our church meetings, paying tithing etc...we HAVE to do these things to keep the spirit with us each day and to strengthen our testimonies. The second we stop doing these things we allow a crack in our barrier that allows satan in. We may feel like we've been doing everything we can and we don't see the blessings that we may want to have received..but we're here to prove we can live by faith..and there is NOTHING that we can't overcome with the Lord on our side. I am so grateful for all I have right now. I feel so blessed!!