30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 5

Day 5- With Election Day tomorrow, I realize how blessed I am to be able to vote.  I am so thankful that I live in the USA; where I have a voice and this great freedom! This is a right that I will never put to waste. 

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 4

Day 4:  I am thankful to God that I have such a loving, caring, and great relationship with my family.  I feel like that is rare in this day and age.  I have two younger sisters that I absolutely adore, sacrifical parents, and best best in-laws anyone could ever ask for.  My parents and in-laws have set a great example of a committed marriage (both just celebrated 31 years!).  On top of that my extended family is also a huge blessing.  I am grateful I get to talk frequently on the phone with my Grandma, just to catch up.  She is like a second mom to me:-)

My dad, mom, sister Katie, Anya, and Hubby

My in-laws

Katie and me with Grandma

My brother-in-law Tony

My sister Cindy

My sisters and me

Anya is 18 months old today!

Dear Anya Violet,  Let me start with your many faces.

 And you were sick when I took them.  I love you and your little expressions so much!!!

Today you turned 18 months old.  You are growing so quickly little miss.  Slow down, please!  This month you've been fighting an off and on again cough and cold.  It must be that time of year.  Here are some things about you that I want to remember:

-You love reading "Winnie the Pooh" books, and point to Owl and say "Owllll".  It's precious!
The other day I read it while you were holding your Piglet stuffed animal you got from Charlie last Christmas (hehe) and I pointed to Piglet on the page and then to your Piglet.  You were so happy you were actually holding Piglet. 
- You could still care less about TV.  I can't get you to sit still for the life of me.  Which I guess is a good thing.  You care much more about the world around you than zoning into a TV.  Although you did cuddle with me and watch "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" with me yesterday because we were both not feeling well.  Colds and fevers aren't fun!
-You are a little picky lately.  I made some yummy dinners with veggies and you find the veggies and pick them out.  You put them in a little pile in your drink spot on your high chair try.  I guess I need to be more sneaky with those veggies.  The other day you did eat zuccini but only because it was dipped in ranch. 
-You love bath time!  I have you sit on your potty before going in.  We just washed and put all of the water table toys in the tub since it's too cold now to play outside with it.  You love filling the stacking cups with water from the "waterfall" water table piece.
-We have a check up next week.  I can't wait to see your measurements!  You are wearing size 18 month-2T.  Size 5 disposable diapers (when use them)
-This month has been huge with cutting teeth!  You're constantly getting a new tooth!  Now you are working on your last two eye teeth...and then all you have left to get are your two year old molars.  I love seeing those teethers when you smile.  Melts my heart!
-Your favorite toys this month are playing and eating at your little kitchen table, shape ball (still working on matching where shapes go though) and Clifford.  You are getting more and more attached to "Bear" as well:-) 
-Every now when we play in the loft, you walk to your room and grab lovies from your crib.  It's so cute to see you bring out a blankie and three paci's.  (As soon as you are 100% healthy we are losing the paci's, so sad.)  Since you've been sick with a fever I hear how loud you suck on Paci I realize how much you need it now for comfort.  The last few nights have been rough for you!  The other night I responded to your cry and you were cuddling with Bear up to your face.  SO cute!!!

-You had a blast trick or treating!  You caught on really fast to putting the candy in your bucket.  When we went to Emma's house you walked right in.  We go over their a lot. 
-  It was (and always has been) such a challenge to get quick pictures of you because you don't hold still:-)


I love you Anya!!!
Mommy

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 3

Day 3-  I am so thankful to God for my little girl; Anya Violet.  She is such a miracle and a blessing to Josh and me.  And to think today she turns 18 months.  I can't believe it's already been half a year since she turned one!  Anya brings such a joy to my life.  Her words (that she tries so hard to say) and little mannerisms and personality are so adorable to see!  Like yesterday when she woke up, she said "shhh, shhh" holding her finger to her mouth...that's what we do when her "baby" is trying to sleep.  And when she shakes her fist saying "no no" to Charlie when he barks.  I love her.
(My photos are terrible quality!  I never claimed to be a perfect photographer.  But I think it's ok to not have perfect pictures all the time)

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 2

Day 2:  I am so thankful to God that I met and started dating my hubby at the age of 16.  Neither one of us had ever been in a serious relationship before.  Our years of dating were so lovey dovey; filled with creative dates, adorable notes, and filled with lots of laughter!  Five and a half years later we married (both still in college).  It was the day I had always dreamed it would be, and life has been so perfect with him.  I married my best friend.  Five years later we had our beautiful baby girl.  And now our life feels like it's just beginning now that she is in it. 

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 1

Happy November everyone!  Where has time gone?  Seriously, November already?!?  Being the month of Thanksgiving, I want to take time each day to say something I am thankful for.  I think it's good to count your blessings and not take them for granted.

 

Day 1- I am so thankful to God (and to Josh for supporting this decision) for the opportunity to be a stay at home mom.  It is such a blessing to be there for Anya every single day and every moment of the day. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to do what my mom did with us, and now I'm living that dream.  I am also grateful for Josh's teaching job and our DJ business for letting this be financially possible. 

Happy Halloween

This month Anya learned how to say "BOO"!  Conveniently timed!

This was Anya's second Halloween and first one Trick or Treating!  It's a true blessing to do the fun things in life with her, that I remember doing as a child. 

After finding her costume at a garage sale for $.50 I decided she'd be a lady bug for Halloween. 

A pretty cute one too, I might add.

We had Emma and Seylah come over from next door.  The girls played while Ari and I painted our nails.  Mummy-style!  This has become a tradition for us.  Last year we painted them with spider webs on them.  Too fun!  We munched on pumpkin dip and pigs in a blanket or "mummies".


One can of pumpkin and cool whip is all you need!
The girls loved watching the "trick or treaters" as they started to come.

Once Daddy got home from work we ate pizza and then went to a few houses on our street.  Definitely a perk to living in a townhome, you get more candy in less distance and since Anya doesn't eat candy...well, you know where I'm going with this:-)

Charlie was a cow.  Isn't that costume adorable?  Even Charlie went Trick or Treating. 

 

 

I hope you had as much fun as we did!  Happy Halloween!