Sometimes you just have to...

climb into your baby's bed when she's having a "Hard day" and cries and cries at bedtime. Sometimes this makes her feel better. Sometimes your husband finds it humourous and comes to take pictures of you...thus making the baby WIDE awake, instead of more settled. Sometimes it's nice to have a little girl wrap there arms around your neck and give you a kiss! Sometimes it's nice to know there is someone who will love you when you don't feel pretty, when you don't always do things right, when you aren't great at any one paticular thing you'd like to be good at, when you are lonely, when you miss someone, when you've had a "bad day", when the world seems so big. SOMETIMES it's nice to have someone cry because they want YOU to come and hold them. And sometimes, that someone gets to be me, and makes me smile.


Top 10 lessons I have learned from Aspen this week:
#1 - If Aspen gets a hold of an egg...she WILL crack it
#2 - When Aspen wants something...she will carry her training potty around to climb up to get it
#3 - When daddy comes home, Aspen runs as fast as she can to the door. Mommy should do the same thing to make him feel special.
#4 - If you give Aspen a cup of water...it will end up on the floor when you turn your back
#5 - If Aspen wants to watch her "Baby learning video" you are not allowed to watch what you want to...screaming will take place
#6 - Aspen can put her own clothes away in her own drawer...sometimes she puts mommy's clothes in her drawer too...
#7 - Nobody is as good at putting the soap in the dishwasher as Aspen is...I wouldn't even try if I were you
#8 - If you want her to, she won't if you don't she will
#9 - Don't leave your glasses down...they will look like a pretzel when you find them again
#10 -Aspen gives the best hugs and kisses and makes you smile!

Painted Nails & Girl Things

Today Aspen brought me the nail polish bottle and said "nails, i ant nails" (Which means she wants her nails done) I've never painted her fingernails before, but we always keep our toenails painted, so she knows the routine. But today she wanted her FINGERNAILS painted! She is just too smart. I haven't a clue where she learned painted fingernails from, because I never paint mine and don't care for painted fingernails, but oh well. She's a girl! What can I say? So I painted her fingernails, which was a little bit of a joke, because she kept trying to grab it from me saying "do it self" so we had a little fight about it, but afterwards, when we finally got them done, she started blowing on her little fingernails. It was SOOO cute. She blew on the wrong side, but at least she was trying. She's a fun little babe. WAY to smart for us! She now finds ANYTHING she can stand on, and carries the object from room to room climbing up on things and reaching any mischief she can. She keeps me on my feet.

Happy 66th Birthday Mom!

Today was my mom's 66th birthday. We had some family over tonight and had cake and icecream. It was a good day. Here are some pictures. Mom wanted pictures takes, but then decided after seeing them that she has too many wrinkles and doesn't want anymore pictures! Haha!

Goodbye my friend

Marion Haws passed away at 8 this morning. May he rest in peace! I asked him yesterday to say hello to my dad, so I am sure he did! We love you! What a year this has been...

The secret of life...

"Around the corner I have a friend , in this city that has no end. Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, and before I know it, a year is gone.
And I never see my old friends face, for life is a swift and terrible race
He knows I like him just as well
As in the day when I rang his bell, and he rang mine.
If, we were younger then, and now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game
Tired of trying to remember my name
Tomorrow I say, "I will call on Jim, Just to show that I'm thinking of him"
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes and distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner! yet miles away,
"Here's a telegram sir, Jim died today."
And that's what we get and deserve in the end
Around the corner, a vanished friend."

I've been thinking about this poem today, because, you see...the couple in the picture above there with my parents are some of our families very best friends. I grew up playing with there kids, spending New Years Eves, countless hours in the garden working with them...in the yard, doing service projects, caroling, picnics, hikes, so many different things. Well, our good friend in the picture above has been battling cancer for about 4 years. When my dad was alive, he would go and visit this friend. They were good friends. When my dad died, Marion's daughter said that he went home from the funeral and started crying and said that my dad was his best friend.

We don't make it out to our hometown much, so I don't see this family very often, since growing up, our families haven't done so much together. But I always remember them. Today, Marions wife called to say Marion wasn't doing very well, and that they were all gathered as a family, waiting for Marion to pass away. Mom and I took the day off and went and picked up groceries for them and went out and spent the day sitting by Marion's bed visiting. Marion didn't know we were there. He's not really "There" he didn't open his eyes, or anything like that, but I think he knew we were there. I had things I needed to do today, and almost didn't go, but this poem came to my mind, and I knew that more important than anything else, is to take the moments we have, because we won't get them back again. I don't know if I will see him in this life again or not, but I am glad we spent the day today. It was so good to be with the family today. I love them so much and wish them peace at this time!

Sorry for the long post. Lots on my mind. I felt closer to my dad today if only for a moment when I held Marions hand. It was a nice moment.

Potty Training pic

Here is Aspen "Potty Training" herself. Though as of late, she has been sick and hasn't wanted to use the potty, other than to try to throw up in it. But I thought I'd give you a glimpse of her learning to undress herself.

Sushi Anniversary Anyone?

So I know what a lot of you are probably thinking...the exact same thing I used to think. Sushi? Absolutely NOT! No thank you, don't even bring it close....ahhhh but lo and behold...I tried it...and...I LIKE it! I even CRAVE it as of late. (Wish it was due to pregnancy...but sadly it is NOT) The first time my sushi loving husband tried to get me to eat sushi, I seriously almost lost it. The second time, I tried a tiny nibble...and almost lost it. (I stuck with Teriyaki Chicken...the good stuff!) The THIRD time, he got me to start eating California rolls. I didnt think I liked them, but found myself craving them out of the middle of nowhere! WEIRD! Then all of a sudden, I WANTED sushi. The real stuff. Not just the yummy California rolls, but the RAW TUNAFISH! What was I thinking!!!??? But...I LIKED IT! Who would have guessed. It only took us a dozen times going and a dozen times gagging, before I actually wanted it. Not bad. It's always an adventure with my husband. He always gets me liking things I never think I will. So that was my lovely day today! I craved Sushi, and I ate sushi.

It's our anniversary today, which is why I choose sushi in the first place. I knew it was my husbands favorite, and I thought it would be nice to go to a place he liked, and since I was in the mood for it, it worked out perfect. We really didn't do much at all. He worked. I worked. We sold my car, and went to eat. That was our day. It's the first we've spent together in the 3 years we've been married. How fun is that!! Now I am going to bed! I love Ashton very much, and I'm thankful to have him and Aspen in my life. And although it's not always sunshine and roses, it's a pretty good life I suppose. Love you Ashton! Thanks for the Sunshine you bring to my life!

Mommy is BEEEESSSSYYYY!!!

Okay, so I haven't had ANY time to blog. I have been so busy with deadlines for work and staying up until 2 in the morning all week. I'm very tired, and glad the week is almost done and that I'm almost caught up. It will be nice when I can work again because I WANT to work, and not because I HAVE to work. I can take on a lot less jobs when I don't HAVE to have the money, and I like it. (Note to Heavenly Father...my complaining doesn't mean I want Ashton deployed again so that we have money...last time I prayed for our financial situation, Ashton got deployed, and though we had plenty money, it wasn't worth it! So this time I'm not praying for it! Just working for it! HA HA!!)

Anyway, Aspen has learned to say "Mom is beesssyyy (Busy)" and the other day my mom got a call from a telemarketer and handed the phone to Aspen, and she got on and said "Mom is Beesssyyy, Mom is Beessyy..." it was very cute and made us all burst out laughing. Now that I am sharing this, I'm thinking maybe I shared it in another post...maybe not. My thinking isn't so clear this week, so who knows. Ah well. There you have it. When I'm not so frazzled, I'll come up with something better to blog about!

The Self Potty Trainer

Honestly, I'm not an overzealous mother. I haven't the time to be one. So my child has learned if she wants something, she figures it out. She recently learned to undress herself. Something that I was finding rather stinkerish about her. But last night before going to bed, I found out the reason she is undressing herself, and I was one proud mama! She had gotten her little Trainer potty and went peepee in it! I didn't even know until after I had put her to bed! I haven't tried to potty train her really, other than when she follows me into the bathroom, I sit her on her own potty. So, anyway, I thought that would be the end of it, because we woke up this morning and I asked if she wanted to go, and all day today, she kept telling me no when I asked if she wanted to, so I stopped asking, and tonight while we were watching a movie, she took her clothes off, and went and sat on her potty and went pee again! Then she ran to grandma and said "Big girl, Big girl!!"

Yay!! I am sooo proud of the little imp. She is a smarty and I am lucky to have her. Looks like she knows how to take care of herself very well...on her own terms. So now I know better than to ask if she needs to go to the bathroom if I want her potty trained...she has taught me well..."I'll do it myself"

Jammin to the music

This might be a little long, so just know I don't feel bad if you just watch a little of it. It was just so funny, and sorry about the wobbly camera...I was laughing too hard. She's our funny girl. Keeps us on our toes. She's very talented, and has such a great personality. Anyway, watch a little just to get a chuckle from the "bobble head"

Mommy's BIG helper!

Here's my little helper. Of course, she's getting good at throwing fits you'll see at the end. I didn't know she knew how to do this, but one day I was unloading the dishwasher, and the next thing I knew, she was grabbing the soap and pouring it in. What was even more amazing is that she knew WHERE the soap went, and tried her hardest to get it in the right place. I think she's been watching grandma do this a lot. Now she thinks this is her "job" if ever we are doing the dishes, and gets really upset if the cupboard is locked that holds the soap when she's ready to do that part...she's a funny girl. We sure love her and the sweet spirit she brings to our family.