My Super Exciting News

In the summer of 2008, I was in an Advanced Media Writing class here at the university. It was an amazing class - you know, the ones where everyone automatically becomes friends and really cares about each other? We would come early, leave late, and we all became Facebook Friends so we could talk more often. Our teacher, Brother Bennett, was so amazing. You really felt like he cared about you and wanted you to become a better writer.

One of our assignments was to go to a local cemetary, pick out a person, research, and write about them. I spent hours and hours and hours on it. I had picked someone named Edwin and I found a few things about him, but never how he died...I also found his house here in town and it was so awesome to see where he had lived! I love genealogy!!! It was so exciting.

At the end of the semester I asked Brother Bennett if he would host a BBQ at his house for our class, if we all signed up to bring food. Everyone went for the idea and we had a great time! I just loved that class.

One day, Brother Bennett told us that for extra credit, we could write an article that could be submitted to the New Era. His daughter-in-law is (or was...I'm assuming she still is) the editor-in-chief of the magazine and his kids had written many articles for it. He taught us how to write an article that is appropriate and acceptable to the New Era and all church magazines (Basically just short and to the point).

I decided to take him up on the extra credit and I wrote an article about my sister, Catheryn, and myself. After I turned it in, Brother Bennett took my aside and told me I should really consider sending it in. He said he really enjoyed it and he thought it would do well going through the rigors of getting chosen.

Well, over a year and half later, I decided to take him up on it.

About a month ago, I sent in my article to the New Era! I was excited and apprehensive. They sent me an e-mail that said because so many people send in articles, you won't be notified if you've been rejected. You only will know if they want your article. It also said if they did want it, you wouldn't hear from them for 6-8 weeks.

Yesterday, only 33 days after I sent in my article, I went to get the mail. I saw a thick envelope with my name on it, and with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the top left corner.

I felt like I was getting my mission call! I was SO excited. I quickly tore it open and read the first few lines:

"Dear Stacey:
Thank you for submitting your material to the New Era. We would like to purchase your article entitled "A Second Chance and Just in Time" for possible publication in the magazine. If this is acceptable, please return the agreement within 30 days. A check for $25.00 will be mailed to you upon return of the attached agreement."

It continues to talk about the contract that was also enclosed. But I didn't read that part until much, much later. I just wanted to read the first part over and over! I didn't care that they were paying me, I was just SO excited (and still am) that they wanted my article!!!

I know it says "possible publication," and I know they might buy it and I won't ever see it in the magazine. But for now, they want it! I'm so so excited. As soon as I read it, I just started screaming and jumping up and down.

Great thing I live in a cul-de-sac with apartments all around so plenty of people could witness my excitement. Oh well, I definitely didn't care! I was (and still am) thrilled.

When I first send in my article, there was a place to mark if you wanted payment or not for your article. I was worried, when I clicked the payment option, that they wouldn't want my article because of that. But I decided if they were willing to pay me, I'd know they really liked it and would be hopefully more willing to actually use it.

It worked!

I can't wait to see what happens with this. I can't really post anything about the article, and I definitely can't post it in it's entirety, because I've signed the contract now, and that's not allowed until they publish it first. However, I'd think they would tell me if they're publishing it; so if they do, I'll definitely let you all know!!!!!

Easter Egg Hunt and Visitors

Today Chloe had her very first Easter Egg hunt! The Primary Presidency invited her to join the primary, (which was SO nice!!! I was so grateful they'd think of us!) even though she's not even in nursery yet! All morning we were talking about it and I kept telling her, "Make sure you put all the eggs you find in your basket! Look all around for eggs, and if you see them, put them in your easter basket!"

I didn't think she was understanding, but she definitely was! All the primary kids walked into the relief society room at the same time, and just kind of wandered around...Except Chloe! She went after those eggs right away! She picked up the first one, shook it next to her ear (they all had some candy inside) and put it in her basket and went after the next! All the kids were allowed to get 11 eggs each so they'd all have the same amount, and she got her 11 so fast! She was a little sad the hunt was over for her, so she walked over to the window, took one of the eggs out of the basket and place it on the windowsill, then put it back into her basket.

Adorable.

Not so adorable.....When I opened one of the eggs and to let her eat a jellybean. She screamed for more until she went down for a nap an hour later.

I forgot to take the camera, but I got some pics on my cell phone and another mom there took a lot of pictures and is going to give them out. When I get them, I'll post them! I can't wait!!

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Dan and his girlfriend, Brooke, came to visit us!! They are here now and we're having so much fun with them! Tonight we went to Craigo's for dinner (faaaaaabulous...and SO not on my Weight Watchers program! I'm pretty sure I used a bazillion points tonight...) and now are just hanging out! It's been way fun!!!

We haven't taken any pictures of them, either...But I"m sure we will before we leave and I'll post them with the Easter pics! Bet you can't wait to see!! :)

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It was a lot easier to say "I'll blog every day for a month" when I had things to blog about.

That lasted about a week.

I'm now wracking my brain, every day, to think of things to post. I'm sure you've noticed that the daily posts are no longer popping up at 7 am like they were last week...I would write them the night before and schedule them so then I wouldn't have to worry about it! When I started, I had 3 whole days scheduled! It was great!

Truth is...

Most of the time, Preslie, Chloe and I are just hanging out at home. Doing nothing. Playing, reading books, changing diapers is our life. Occasionally we go see Cody (I totally in my mind said Daddy instead of Cody...It felt weird to write Cody instead....is that weird?) and that's a HUGE excitement.

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We're moving soon. Cody is graduating, and we're leaving The Burg. I've got to be honest....I'm a little bit sad. I am excited, don't get me wrong. But I'm sad to leave and know we're probably never coming back...Until maybe one of our kids comes here to school. And then we'll be here for like, what? Two days? I'm excited to be somewhere that we can play outside everyday and go for walks and the beach, but I'm sad to say goodbye to "Student Married Wards." I know I'll never be in one again! While this does have it's pro's...it's just said to say it's really over.

Today I passed the temple, and thought, "I'll probably never again go into that temple. The last time I was there, did I realize it was the last?" It's so beautiful! I want to go in and say my goodbyes.

Also weird?

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I think I'm just weird like that...I watched Grey's tonight (My first time since October...Don't freak out everyone) and this woman had really bad cancer and wanted to die. She got her doctors to help her and she was euthanized. Her husband was so, so sad (understandably) and after she took her pills he said he was scared and laid down next to her. The whole time I (crying...of course...) kept thinking, that's the last time he's going to see her face alive. That's the last time she'll ever hug him in this life.

Ok, I know their just actors. (The wife was actually the horrible daughter from Rosanne...I never liked her) I know that isn't for real. But I just make it about me. How sad when that really happens to one of us!?

So glad to know it's not forever.

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I'm sorry I didn't have anything planned for today so you just got totally random thoughts.

Totally, totally random.

Our Day

It was a good day.

Cry It Out

When Chloe was 2 1/2 months old, Cody and I decided it was time she learned how to sleep on her own. We would put her in her crib for her naps -without her being asleep first- and let her cry herself to sleep. It took about a week, but she learned how to put herself to sleep and is still a great, great sleeper.

Preslie turned 3 months on Sunday and we still hadn't done this. She screams her head off when she's tired, and I'm the only one that can get her to calm down and go to sleep. It's pretty hard when I'm here alone, trying to take care of and entertain Chloe, and trying to get Preslie to calm down at the same time. Last night I really had some sewing I needed to do, and Preslie was freaking out, so I decided it was time to start letting her cry it out.

Last night she cried for LESS than 10 minutes! It was FABULOUS! She totally put herself to sleep and it was so awesome.

Today is not so awesome. I just put her down like 2 minutes ago...but she's totally freaking out. I want to just go in and hold her and lay by her....but I can't! I need her to learn. (I'm saying all these things to make myself feel better...)

Hopefully she stops crying soon! I feel so so sad for her.


.....it's been 7 minutes. she's starting to calm down.


Just kidding.

10 minutes. She just stopped crying...Just kidding again. Should I go in and calm her down? I think so.

K I went in, she was still wrapped up! So I rubbed her eyebrows for a few - like 2 or 3 minutes - and now she's quiet. She kinda fell asleep while I was rubbing her eyebrows. Is that cheating?

It's been 3 minutes! She hasn't cried at all yet!!! ......I hope she sleeps for awhile in there. She usually only naps for like 30 minutes unless I'm holding her the whole time. We'll see!!!

I'm so glad she's sleeping her in crib!! Woohoo, Preslie!!!!!!

Life

Last night, Cody and I watched "Life" on the Discovery Channel. Besides being distracted by Oprah mispronouncing things, it was awesome!!! I loved watching all the different animals (so did Chloe) and the ways they do things.

The whole time while we were watching I just kept thinking about how amazing Heavenly Father is. All of these animals know exactly what to do to take care of their babies, protect their lives, and find food. It's incredible!

There was an octopus that would lay hundreds of thousands of eggs, not eat for 6 months so she could stay by them, blow water towards the eggs when they're hatching so the babies can come out easier, and then after they hatch, she dies. How insane is that?! She's just an octopus-but she selflessly gives her life to protect her eggs! She just hangs out for SIX months without eating, to make sure they're protected. Heavenly Father is amazing.

They said most lizards abandon their eggs once they lay them, but not horned toad lizards. They stay with them to protect them from snakes. And there's one snake that eats the lizards-not the eggs. But when it comes around the lizards, they puff themselves up to make themselves look to scaly and rough to swallow. And then they go completely limp and go belly up! The snakes don't know what to do and they just leave.

There are frogs that are an inch long that carry their tadpoles up trees 100 ft tall and place the tadpoles, one by one, in pools of water that collect in leaves.
The tadpoles eat the alge and mosquito bugs that are in the water. But the frogs know they can't just eat that, so she lays an unfertilized egg in the water for the tadpole to eat. And she comes back every few days to lay another one! In EACH of the pools of water for EACH of her tadpoles.

How do they know to do this?!?! It's just so incredible! Heavenly Father is SO amazing and SO smart. Seriously. So, so, so amazing.

Handprints for Daddy

I bet you thought I wasn't going to blog today!!! Didn't ya??? Well....I didn't forget! I'm still going strong with my blogging goal!!!!!

For Valentine's Day this year, Cody and I decided to save money and not get each other anything. I decided that since we weren't going to buy anything, I'd make him something instead.

A few days before Valentine's I traced the girls hands (Preslie did NOT like it) onto some plain paper, then cut it out and traced it onto cute scrapbook paper. I attached the hands to green pipe cleaners as the "stems" and made a card that said,

"For the most 'HANDsome' Daddy, here are a 'HANDful' of flowers!"

I thought he might need some help figuring it out...cause they really didn't look like flowers!

(See Chloe's curvy pinky? I think it's A.DOR.ABLE. I love it. And I promise Preslie really has long fingers....she wouldn't really unclench her hand. And I added the chapstick so you could tell how tiny they are.)

I cut out 12 handprints, let Chloe draw on the card, and then had her "deliver" the card and the flowers to her Daddy! She was so excited and proud. It was adorable!! I've thrown them all away by now...Except for two handprints for each girl so we can always remember how little and adorable their hands are.

Cody also did something super sweet for me! After I fell asleep the night before Valentines, he put little notes EVERYWHERE around the house that said things pertaining to where he put them. Ex: Your eyes are so pretty -in my glasses case. I love that you don't stink -in my deodorant lid. (could not stop laughing about that one!) I love when you cook for us - in the big silverware drawer...you know, the one with the spatulas? :)

I felt SO loved and giddy. It was so fun going around and finding notes ALL day! I even found one in the middle of the night in Preslie's formula can. So cute! (And I kept them all in my journal. I love stuff like this and never get rid of it. I still have some hearts from when he heart attacked my car when we were dating. Precious)

Love Valentine's Day!

Green Jello with Carrots Giveaway!

The amazingly fabulous girls over at Green Jello with Carrots are doing a FABULOUS Easter giveaway! But you have to get over there and participate before 11:30 pm MST! So hurry!! Time is running out!!

PS The things they're giving away would give your little ones plenty to do during Conference! Check it out!!!

The BEST cookies EVER!

A few days ago I recieved an e-mail from my sister-in-law, Katie. The subject was Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies. The e-mail said

"Hey Girls!

Attached is the Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I also added the techniques that we have found over the years that make the cookies perfect! Enjoy!

Katie"

I looked over the recipe and instantly fell in love. I don't know why, but I knew I had to make them.

OH goodness I'm so glad I did.

Background knowledge: I LOVE cookies. I've loved cookies my whole life. Even when we have other super yummy desserts, I would rather have a cookie. I am kinda weird in that I like to eat hard things. Example: I only like donuts if they're like a day old in a gas station. I hate Krispy Kreme and even thinking about eating them makes me sick to my stomach. I don't really like eating sandwiches on regular, soft, fluffy bread-I'd rather it be the harder hoagie style or some kind of more chewy roll. So when it comes to picking between things like cookies or cake, I'll usually take the cookie. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and so soft in the middle. SO perfect! (And frankly, I've eaten most of them...We gave away 3 dozen --oh yeah, this recipe makes a TON!-- and I've eaten like half a dozen a day. Yeah......I'm a little ashamed. But I just can't stop. They're oh, oh so good)

I also have never been able to make a pretty chocolate chip cookie. You know, the kind that are fluffy and big and beautiful? Yeah, can't do it. I've been making chocolate chip cookies by myself since I was about 5 (honestly) and I think they've maybe been pretty twice. These cookies are SO pretty! They don't go flat and are so pretty!

I want ya'll to be able to make these fabulous things. So.....Here's the recipe!!!

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 pound softened butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 ½ cups sugar

2 T. vanilla

3 eggs

6 cups Flour

1 ½ t. salt

1 ½ t. baking soda

1 bag chocolate chips
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Next, add in vanilla and eggs and beat on high for 4 minutes. This will feel like a long time while you wait but it’s totally worth it! The mixture will be really nice and fluffy. This is a good time to taste test…it’s my favorite part!

Mix in salt and baking soda to mixture. Then mix the flour in but Mix as little as possible just until flour is incorporated. Hand mix in the chocolate chips.
Place medium sized balls on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes. The cookies won’t look done and will probably have little if any golden color. Take them out anyways. Leave on baking sheet for at least 2 minutes so they cook a little longer. If you do this correctly, your cookies will be crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

PLEASE, PLEASE listen to what Katie says in the directions. REALLY do take them out after 9 minutes! I was a little scared because they really didn't look done enough-especially the first batch-but they are!!! Take them out and eat them up. Yum.

Another tip I found-I used 4 cookie sheets when making these and only cooked one at a time. After the first batch came out I left them on the cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes and then took them off. Then I put the cookie sheet infront of an open window (I know! My window was OPEN!!! It was AMAZING!) and it cooled down really fast. I was worried about the dough melting before getting in the oven, but that didn't happen at all because by the time the first cookie sheet needed to be reused, it was totally cooled. (I'm sure the open window helped with that, but if you use that many cookie sheets, I'm sure it'll cool down by the time you reuse it.) I also used milk chocolate chips (because I dont' like dark chocolate) but you can use whatever.



Enjoy!!!!!


And...a few pictures of my adorable babies :)

A Blanket for Mom

When my sister, Catheryn, died, I got most of her clothes. She had a lot of t-shirts that I recieved.

When Cody and I were dating, I basically only wore t-shirts. I loved them and thought they looked so cute. Apparently, he didn't think the same thing! He told me that he didn't know any girls that only wore t-shirts and I should dress up more. Too bad I didn't have anything to wear! I went and spent a LOT of money (remember, we were dating, so I was really trying to impress him.) So by the time I got all of Catheryn's shirts, I didn't wear t-shirts that often anymore. I still wore them occasionally, and to sleep in or work out in, but not very often. They took up permanent residence under my bed.

Early in 2009, I talked to my sister, Amy, about making a quilt for my mom for Christmas, using Catheryn's shirts. My mom is the Quilting Queen-seriously, A.MAZ.ING. at quilting. She's won like a bajillion first places.- and has made lots of t-shirt quilts for people. We wanted to make one for her out of the shirts. We really didn't want to get rid of them, and their home under my bed was just sad. We thought this was the perfect choice.

I gave Amy the job of making the quilt since I was in Idaho and had no idea how to even begin a job like this. She had more friends that could help her and I would be great at giving support. However, Amy is a very busy lady!!! By October, we hadn't made any progress. However I really needed a new project, so it was perfect! Also very luckily, by then I was living with Cody's mom (Who is a sewing machine! Also seriously amazing) and asked her if she'd help me. I was so grateful she said yes!

Also, one of my mom's best friends, Carol, is an amazing quilter. I e-mailed her and told her about our secret gift. She was amazing and so supportive. She gave us great advice and told us all the things we needed to buy and told us that if we couldn't finish it, to mail it to her and she'd help!!

How am I so blessed to know so many amazing women?? Carol also said it would be more like a comforter than a quilt, which is perfect because it "Comforts your mother.......I love that word." She's so cute.

So with Tami's help, I set out to make this comforter. She helped me SO much (sometimes even just doing it herself...which was SO nice and made it look SO much better!!!) and was honestly the reason it was completed. I don't think I ever would've been able to do it without her. I KNOW I wouldn't have. I even broke TWO of her sewing machine needles. Not one. Two. She didn't even get mad. She just got out another one and let me break it. I let her finish the comforter after I had broken two....She only had one left.

Finally, it was finshed.






Catheryn had a favorite blanket that we used as the back (I'm so glad Amy remembered this blanket, because I never would've thought of it! It was a great idea) and then we sewed the shirts onto fleece squares, and then sewed the squares onto the flannel fabric.

I was pretty proud of the final product. I folded it up with one of Catheryn's Paris scarves, and mailed it to my mom for Christmas. She thought I had it professionally done (isn't that so nice?) :). Thank you so much Tami, Amy, and Carol for all your help! I NEVER could've done it without you all!



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My Hubbs, the Photographer

Last year when I was pregnant with Chloe, Cody always talked about wanting a really good camera. He said he would use it more than ever because 1. He loves photography, and 2. We were having a baby and he'd take loads of pictures of her. So for Father's Day, I bought him a Nikon d60 after much research (which really means just talking to my sister-in-law, April about it. She knows all things camera). He has been using it and loving it ever since.

Lately he's been talking more about starting to take pictures for other people and make it more than a hobby. He was always too busy to really find people, and we felt like he couldn't just start a website without having a good variety of pictures-he mostly only had pictures of the girls- so, without his knowledge, I got onto the bulletin board at BYU-Idaho and posted an ad for him! It went something like this-FREE PHOTOGRAPHER! I want to expand my portfolio and will take all your pictures for free!!

After less than an hour, we had emails from people wanting their pictures taken. Moms wanted their kids pictures, friends wanted roommate pictures, and lovers wanted engagements. So on March 5, Cody had his first photoshoot! It was amazing and he did faaaabulous! I get to go with him and fix hair, clothes, tell people they look stupid if they're standing a stupid way, and come up with some pose ideas. It's so fun! Cody had one shoot that day, two shoots on March 6, and one shoot last Saturday, the 13. He was supposed to have 2, but one family had to cancel. They asked if they could reschedule, but he is TOTALLY booked for the rest of the month! And the second week of April, he graduates, so we're not doing any that month.

Here's some of his work!!



















Pretty awesome, eh??

The Cruise Fund

In 2007, Cody and I went on a cruise to Jamaica and Grand Cayman.
It was A.MAZ.ING. Ever since then, anytime anyone talks about cruises (or we have bacon...I ate so much bacon on that trip. Oh goodness I love bacon.), or goes on one (like my parents just did!) I get super jealous and just want to go again! I don't care where it goes, I just want to be on that boat and sailing off into the sunset.

I decided to start a cruise fund. I took one of these and decorated it with scrapbook paper and ribbon. I cut a hole into the top and with my faaaabulous Wishblade, cut out some vinyl that says "Cruise Fund." Then I made a little flower out of leftover paper and a button...that I cut off one of Cody's white shirts...Promise he said it was ok! (After cutting it off I found a TON of yellow buttons that I bought last year...Oh well. I like the white one)Then I took all our extra change and put it in there! (Actually, Chloe did that part. She LOVED it! It took quite some time....She did one coin at a time, but she had so much fun and I loved watching her improve her hand-eye-coordination!) I am so excited to use it someday!!!

*Note. Do not let said child play with said fund unsupervised, even if you think it's fine because all the money is put away so said child cannot choke. She will pull off vinyl and change it from Cruise Fund to C-random lines-uise Fund.

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Ready for a Change

K, how adorable are these hairstyles? When I stopped straightening my hair last fall, it started growing like CRAZY and is now longer than it's been since my sophomore year in high school.
I love having it like this, but I'm ready for a change. A lot of days I feel like it weighs me down and makes me look so blah, so I want a change! I love the Jessica Simpson look, but I think if I cut it that short, I'd be so sad....so I'm thinking...Body wave. Just like Kate Hudson. What do you think? I think her hair is totally gorgeous (PS I'm also thinking going blonde...again..but SO not like how it was before. Oh my gosh, I'd let Chloe lick the toilet before going that blonde again. PPS she tries to do that....But we do stop her. I promise. And not the actual toilet bowl, but the back of the toilet where there's condensation. Still just as disgusting. Sick, sick, sick.)

Anyway, I have a lady here that does my hair for really cheap, but she owns her own salon and is amazing. She's the one that fixed my hair when it was insanely blond. She told me she'd do the body wave for only $20! Too bad we don't have $20 to spend on hair! Oh well, I can wait! I wish I could do it with her because I trust her and it's so inexpensive (I called the Paul Mitchell Hair School and they said they started at $35...and that's a hair SCHOOL!!!) but I dont' mind waiting and paying more when we can actually afford me getting my hair did! :)

Until then, I'll have to deal with my long, straight, going-grey hair. It's not so bad.

*I'd like to note that after seeing these pictures
1. I resolve to not eat so many girl scout cookies.......once they're gone and I can actually do that... until they deliver more of them next year
2. My hair looks so unhealthy-especially the part in the ponytail. I NEED to cut it all off!!! Ideas???

My New Goal

Awhile ago, my friend, Amy Jo made a goal to blog everyday. I told her, and myself, that I'd NEVER be able to do it.

Good thing we all can set goals.

My new goal is to blog EVERY day for a month. So from now until April 14, I will have one blog post a day. (Notice I didn't say HOPEFULLY have; I WILL have. I believe in myself!) I'm hoping that after blogging every day for a month, it'll be habit and I'll just keep going with it.


I love making goals. I love having a plan for everything and making lists-which often comes with making goals. I was going through my journal and found my New Years Resolutions for last year. I had a LOT!
- Read at least 1 chapter of scriptures a day
-Go to the temple at least once a month, even if I have to go alone (because we can't find a babysitter, Cody's working or has tons of school, etc.)
-Practice the guitar at least 30 minutes everyday
-Do at least 20 minutes of pilates everyday
-Clean the house early in the day
-Try to keep the house cleaner
-Shave every other day (mom, I know you're SO excited about that one!)
-Make menu's and cook healthier meals
-Have FHE once a week
-Pray more often in the AM (It's hard to remember when you have a screaming (or now 2) baby and you just want the noise to stop!)
-Learn to sew and use my sewing machine.


This year I didn't formally set any resolutions. Until now! And I'm proud to say I have learned to use my sewing machine and LOVE it (just wish I was better at it!) and I am bummed I didn't practice my guitar 30 minutes a day last year, but it gets hard when you have such a big belly!!! (PS does anyone realize I've now been pregnant for a year and a half? In a period of 2 years?! K, seriously insane.)

I hope you enjoy my new goal! I know I will!!! :)

Ok, I'm back!!!!!

Well, kinda... :)

I know I've been a totally loser on my blog lately. I haven't posted pictures because they never work- they're all too big and I don't know how to resize them. Cody said I have to do it in photoshop and the one time I tried, it didn't work. So sorry.

I've also been working on a ton of projects to send to my sister-in-law, who is having a baby girl any day now! (Hopefully not until Friday, though!) My goal was to send the package no later than last Wednesday..........and it's definitely not done yet. I wish I was more crafty and knew how to do stuff...But I'm not and I'm a little embarrassed about the things I've made for her and the baby. So then I get discouraged and just stop working on them instead of finshing it. I've finished one thing that's going in the pacakge...only about 6 more to go. (I actually made something else random for her, but when I showed Cody he looked at it like it looked retarded...which didn't surprise me because I think it kinda is too...Which also made me sad because I wanted it to be really cool. But it's not.)I do love looking at craft blogs, and pretending I can do all the things all the other amazing women do..I guess I just need more practice! I spend a lot of time thinking about how I want to decorate my someday house and all the beautiful things that will be in it-courtesy of me making them, of course. I guess I have a while to practice before that dream becomes a reality!

Chloe and Preslie are doing well. Chloe has a really bad cold and constantly has snot all over her face...Courtesy of her new, so adorable (note sarcasm here) habit of picking her nose, as well as taking her hand, rubbing under her nose and all over her face. It's fabulous. She got her cold on Thursday, and I've heard they only last a week...So here's to hoping it's gone in a couple days! Luckily Preslie hasn't gotten sick yet. She did have a little runny nose, but not bad at all and I haven't noticed it lately. Today we went to our friends, the Marshall's house and Chloe got to play with their girls, Belle and Sophie. Chloe had a BLAST and loved having a big house to run around in and new toys and playmates to play with. Preslie slept the whole time! It was so nice having another adult to talk to, and when Chloe was past the point of tired and needing to take a nap I told Christine that I wasn't ready to go...but we just had to. It was a bummer for me. Chloe started whining as soon as we got in the car, but a few minutes later was fast asleep. That made for a pretty easy nap time.

Cody is busy busy busy in school and constantly looking for a job for after graduation. He graduates April 9, so exactly a month away! I'm so excited for him and so proud of him. He works SO hard at school and then comes home and looks for a job all night! (After playing with the girls, of course) So far he's applied to jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and New Hampshire. We don't really want to live anywhere that is cold...But I think we're at the point that it doesn't matter where we live, we just want a job! Keep us in your prayers that we find something soon!

Cody is such a hard worker and is often at school late. Tonight he'll be there until probably 8:30 at least. That might not seem like too late to anyone else, but normally he's home at 6, and when he only has one class today (at 3:15) and goes to school at 8:30 am and doesn't come until 8:30 pm, it makes for a long day! He's such a great husband and dad and I know that all his hard work at school will really pay off. We love him so much!

Tonight before Chloe went to sleep I said a prayer with her (which we always do). But tonight, for the first time, I would say something and have her repeat it...The prayer went like this-
me: Heavenly Father,
Chloe: Daddy
Me: We're grateful
Chloe: Daddy
Me: For daddy.
Chloe: daddy!
Me: And mommy.
Chloe: Momma!
me: And Preslie.
Chloe: Daddy
Me: And Chloe.
Chloe: Menga!

There was a lot more to the prayer...but you can see how it went. Chloe looooves her daddy!
Right now she can say
Daddy
Jesus
Momma
Preslie (sometimes...if she's really trying it sounds really good!)
Ball (ba)
night-night (nigh-nigh)
pop
papa
nana (banana)
binky (dinky)
doggy
bath (bap)
hockey
no
yeah (not yes! only yeah. For yes she just nods her head)
I'm thinking there's more but I can't think of any.

Preslie is also doing fabulous. Last night Cody tried to feed her before we went to bed (I was already sleeping on the couch, surprise, surprise) at 11 pm. He said she only ate 1 ounce and she slept until 4 am! I gave her her pacifier and she went back to sleep until 6! It was so exciting. I was so proud of her. She's always been a good sleeper and is just becoming better and better. When Chloe was little she'd wake up 2 or 3 times a night, but Preslie has always only woken up once and now is waking up less! I'm so happy! She is SO smily and is already laughing! She started laughing last week and it's A.DOR.ABLE. I was so excited to have her be laughing already because it seems like Chloe didn't laugh until she was like 7 months old. It was a long time! She's such a joy to have and we love her SO much! Anytime you're holding her and she's awake she just stares at you the whole time, and if you look away for a minute, as soon as you look back at her she smiles so big. Seriously makes my heart melt every time! She's so so so sweet!

Well I hope this was a good update for you, Mom :) I'm sure no one else looks anymore since I never blog and it's private! So hard to remember to check those private blogs!! I know I have a hard time with it!

AND....ANOTHER giveaway!!!

Craft Rookie is doing an AWESOME giveaway!! She's giving away this SUPER adorable Little Tikes Bumble Bee Buggy Ride-On from CSN Stores. It's SO cute and I KNOW Preslie and Chloe would just DIE to have it!!! Go here to check it out!