Busy Lately

Since my mind has been too busy lately with the many concerns of the world, I decided that it was time that my hands became more busy to keep myself from falling deeper into a slump. There is a lot going on in the world and there are a lot of people that I care about who are struggling with many different things. So, here is a feel good update post of what we've been doing to keep busy!

Eryn found a "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hat" that she's had lots of fun with. (It has mysteriously disappeared since an ear went missing. She seems to be distracted with other things and not really missing it.)

Cleaning out the basement during Brooke's nap time has been a great way to declutter and rediscover things that can be useful! I found a brand new box of Rubbermaid Tupperware in a box from when we moved. I'm sure it was a wedding present and couldn't have found it at a better time. The old ones we've been using really needed to go.

Brooke's as happy and as good as ever!

She loves sticking out her tongue and feeling her new tooth with her fingers.

Eryn's been expressing herself with coloring on EVERYTHING. She's also had fun cleaning the miscellaneous crayon marks off of the walls, floors, and table.

Her friend Daniel came over to play. They had lots of fun kicking the soccer ball back and forth, but were confused on what to do when it stopped in the middle of them both.

Eryn would run and give him hugs when he did a, "Nice Kick!"

He would just give her looks like, "Really?"

Brooke really has fun in the exersaucer. We call it her, "command center." She spins around in it and jumps up and down.

Eryn still tries to hog the attention from her sister, but mostly when Daddy's home or when the camera comes out.

Brooke is getting really good at playing Dr. Mario and Tetris!

She has also been embracing her inner diva! Like the ring?

Like I said before, Eryn really loves coloring.

While I was setting up to take some pictures of my friend's little girl Eryn helped me with test shots. I swear this is the look that will make her famous one day!

So there we have it. Our quick update with happy pictures of cute little ones! No more deep thoughts by Val that cause people to question if I'm stable or not, at least not for awhile. I just look at the world differently than most people do.

Where's the Magic Wand?

Have you ever had those days where you just wish that someone would know up and wave their magic wand and make everything better? Who hasn't, right? I know that I'm not alone in my feeling a little overwhelmed lately.

While watching Cinderella the other day I realized a very interesting detail in the movie. She'd worked hard everyday to go about her life and make do with the circumstances she had found herself in. After trying her hardest for so many years and in utter despair after being physically torn to shreds by her "family" she ran to the garden to be alone in her pain.

There is knelt crying as said, "It's no use. Nothing will help now... Nothing." At that moment the sparkling lights of her Fairy Godmother appeared. She came to offer her comfort and assistance in making her dreams come true.

How many of us find ourselves crying, knelt in prayer, and pleading that someone will be able to help us? I sure have been lately. My Fairy Godmother is yet to appear and wave her magic wand for me. Yet, I know that my pleading is not falling onto deaf ears. Perhaps I haven't worked hard enough with my daily chores or maybe it's the fact that we have no little animal friends in cute little matching hats and shirts running around that's holding back the Fairy Godmother.

"Perhaps some day... The dreams that I wish will come true." -Cinderella.

34 Years and Counting

No, Mike's waaaaaaaay younger than that! My parents are celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary.

Now, it's time to embarrass them by bragging about their perfect marriage and life. Oh right, like anyone really has that! I thought it was funny that the most recent picture of them that I have is at Balance Rock in Arches National Park. At first, I thought that marriage was all about balance. The perfect blend of his and hers was all that it took to be happily married. I have learned from my own experience that marriage is more like...

A juggling act!

An individual can only juggle so many things and keep everything flowing correctly. When you have a partner to help you, you can not only double the work load, but take on even more!

Things like yourselves, work, money, church, children, health and wellness, hobbies, and friends along with everything else are juggled back ad forth between the 2 partners. Each of you have to get your hands on the things being shuffled around. Each gets a turn to be the center of attention, sick, healthy, working, relaxing, the good cop and the bad cop. The roles shift back and forth and that's how it should be. Equal partners each having influence on the things that you both deal with seems to be the best way to sum up my parents' marriage and the example that they have set for me over the years.

Congrats to my parents on their 34 years of juggling!

Nesting?

I've been busy cleaning out the basement, the dinning room, and odd places like under the sinks and in drawers lately. I figured I've just not had enough to do with the normal day to day that it was time to give myself more to do. Nope, it's some strange cleaning bug that's bitten me hard. (Now thew normal things are being neglected.)

This "nesting" bug usually hits pregnant women. It missed me (probably because I was so over whelmed and miserable while pregnant) and it seems it has now found me!

I have been throwing out a lot of random stuff and condensing what's been hiding in the dungeon. I found about 6 wood 5 x 7 picture frames. I think those might be my next project. They could sure use some paint and a few smushy adorable pictures of my little girls!

Tooth and Nothin' But the Tooth

It's finally here!!!!!! Yesterday at church while Mike was holding Brooke she leaned over and bit his hand and IT HURT! Yep, there was official confirmation that our little baby has cut her first tooth. Her runny nose and other symptoms were just related to cutting the tooth.

Brooke went in for her 6 mo check up and she's doing great. She's right where she should be. Still a little on the small side, but she's healthy and adorable. Brooke had a hand full of scheduled shots and they had flu shots and H1N1 in also, so we added those to the list. Poor little girl was so tired that she slept for the rest of the day.

Eryn just thought she was going to see the fish and was surprised that she got 2 shots! She just made frowns each time and that was it. The nurse was so impressed that she didn't even scream or cry that they gave her a sticker and a big hug for being such a brave little girl. (Brooke cried and did not get any stickers.)

Just Because

I put a few more of these on my photography blog too, but I couldn't resist putting them up here! As difficult as it is to be a mother, there are moments when it is all worth it. Hanging this picture up on my wall knowing that I took it was one of the most rewarding moments in a long time.