1/2 Year Birthday

Miss Ava is 6 months old today.

She's a roller and has no interest in sitting up.

The Bumbo works just fine for her.

No teeth.

Her gums get all the work done just fine.

She is happy and healthy and we are in love.

Words To Live By

At the bottom of my computer screen is an open text document. I like to always keep it open and whenever I am on the computer and come across quotes, I copy them onto the open document. I was just reading over all of the quotes this morning and wanted to post them here so that I would always have them.

I am not great with words and so I love when I find words that others have said that either inspire me or cause me to think. I hope to live by all of these...

“Love yourself, accept yourself,

forgive yourself, and be good to yourself,

because without you the rest of us are without

a source of many wonderful things.” -Leo F. Buscaglia

“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life”

Einstein

"Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable." -Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain"

"Sin... brings sameness; it shrinks us to addictive appetites and insubordinate impulses. For a brief surging, selfish moment, sin may create the illusion of individuality, but only as in the grunting, galloping Gadarene swine!" (See Matt. 8:28–32.)

Neil A. Maxwell

"Be a woman of Christ. Cherish your esteemed place in the sight of God. He needs you. A woman's abiding trust in God and unfailing devotion to things of the Spirit have always been an anchor when the wind and the waves of life were fiercest" - Jeffrey R. Holland; Ensign Nov. 2005

"Home is the definition of God; a place of infinite power"

Emily Dickinson

"In 3 words I can sum up everything I've learned in life--it goes on." -Robert Frost

"Opportunities are never lost; Someone will take the ones you miss."

"Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not that one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk- and to act" - Andre Malraux

Make sure the fortune that you seek is the fortune that you need.

- Ben Harper

Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." -Margaret D. Nadauld

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!" - Robert Browning

‎"The years teach us much the days never knew." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

"to do a common thing, in an uncommon way, brings success." henry heinz

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power,and magic in it." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

‎"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." William Shakespeare

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.

C. S. Lewis

Curly Sue

This is a little piece of the damage

I thought we were past this stage. Chloe is 4 and has NEVER cut her own hair...until last week. She dressed up as a gymnast and asked me to put her hair in a bun. After a few somersaults, she walked in to my bathroom. I was feeding Ava. Beckham emerged from the bathroom saying that Chloe was using my scissors. I assumed it was for paper. I yelled to her to put them away and didn't think more of it. It wasn't until later that day that I found a pile of curls. I asked her where she cut her hair and she pointed. She said that the curls kept coming out of the pony and getting into her eyes, ruining her performance, so she cut them off.

Gotta do what you gotta do, I guess.

I didn't yell. Maybe it's because with all of the curls, I honestly didn't notice where the clump came from. It is still hard to tell.

I love curly hair.

I Don't Like Camping

...but they do.

So, we went.

Don't get me wrong, I love nature...I just don't like to sleep in it. My Mom assured me that we wouldn't really be "camping" per say. She rented a cabin so I agreed to go.

My Grandpa's side of the family has a family reunion every year. This year it was at Moon Lake. Sounds pretty, huh? It was. Here was the view from our cabin:

It is nice to catch up with relatives and also get away. This get away was so far up into the mountains that I didn't get cell phone coverage...which meant no phone or internet (gasp!). I was really roughing it.

Jon was not able to come because of work and because of a certain game (which we don't like to mention around our home these days) that would be on t.v. And, well, with the no reception thing, that also included t.v., so he was out.

So, the kids and I set out with my parents and the girls for the 10 hour car drive.

Me and Beck going crazy in the car

It was not pleasant. The kids (and I) were a little bit too close for too long. And I had mistakenly told the kids that we were going camping at the very beginning of the trip. Pretty much for 9 1/2 hours the kids took turns asking if we were there yet. We let them all loose as soon as we arrived.

We checked in to our cabin...oh...that was built in the 1930's. One quick look at the place and I actually considered pitching a tent. I sprayed our room down with bug spray.

We settled in and met with everyone for a hoe down.

We had dutch oven for dinner and listened to a live blue grass band. I left early to feed Miss Ava, but they passed out little flashlights to everyone and when the sun went down, the band sang "Little Joe the Wrangler" and "You Are My Sunshine" which were my great-grandparent's favorite songs.

Naomi and Chloe telling ghost stories with their new flashlights

The morning was filled with BINGO, pony races, a pinata and an auction.

Chloe and her game face

Beckham was the only kid who actually "galloped" for the race. Everyone else just ran with a stick between their legs.

My Dad. He's hardcore.

So is my Mom.

4 Generations apart

We had a really good time and the "camping" part wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I started to think that we should camp more with the kids because they love it so much. As we were packing up to leave, my Grandma reminded me to check the kid's heads for ticks when we got home.

Then I remembered why I don't like camping.

Red, White and Boom!!!

4th of July was awesome this year. It was one of those weekends that I will remember with very fond memories for a long time. We celebrated on July 3rd with swimming and a BBQ with friends and then on the 4th with our family and neighbors.

Hopefully not a picture of the future

Not too sure about the noise

Me with my American (green card holding) husband...

Sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect All-American Girl

(with spit up on her dress)

Super easy recipe here

Chloe's new favorite boots. Hand-me-downs from Naomi. They go with everything...

World Cup 2010

I think Jon wants to make a canvas of this family picture

I admit it. I am a fair weather fan. I like sports, but it usually isn't until the big games (i.e. World Series, Super Bowl, NBA Finals...) that I really take a big interest.

It is World Cup season. It is down to 4 teams. I am excited.

Jon, however, has a hard time sleeping at night. Seriously. Not just because of his obsession with soccer (aka futbol), but his native homeland of Holland is in the semifinals.

We are so excited. Even the kids. The last time the World Cup was going on, Chloe was Ava's age. It has been so fun watching Jon with the kids now that they are a little bit older. He has been in a permanent good mood for the past month.

For Mother's Day, Jon surprised me (yes, surprised me) and got me...

a Dutch soccer shirt.

...oh, and he didn't forget to get himself a matching one!

We are ready to go for the game today.

Set your clocks.

11:30 a.m.

You know what we will be doing.

Hup Holland!

God Bless the U.S.A...

...and my brother.

I am the oldest of 6 kids. I spent most of my childhood telling people that I was the oldest of 4 kids. My little sisters, Elizabeth and Naomi, didn't join our family until I was 19 and then when I was 24.

For 19 years, Weston was the baby of our 4 kids...the youngest of the "first batch" as we call it.

I was 7 when Weston was born. I remember the day my Dad told us that Weston was born and how weird Jason and I thought the name Weston was. I remember getting to dress up in a hospital gown and mask when I met my little brother for the first time. Weston had a lung that collapsed shortly after he was born and had to spend his first days in the NICU. I remember seeing him hooked up to needles and IVs, laying in an incubator. He was a big baby...9 pounds, 1 ounces. He looked out of place amongst all of the other premature babies in the NICU. I remember running all the way home from school the day my Dad said Weston was coming home from the hospital. I remember my Dad lifting me up above the side of Weston's crib and how happy I was that he was home and safe.

My baby brother decided last year to join the Air Force. Not that he asked for our votes in the matter, but I don't know that we really wanted our baby brother joining the military. Not that I don't LOVE our military. I do. But I also love that I am not directly emotionally vested.

Weston entered Basic Training last October. After 3 months of training, my parents traveled to Texas to attend his graduation. Not only did he graduate, but he earned countless awards for his stellar performance.

Yes, I am bragging.

He got to come home for a short leave for Christmas. We ate up all of our time with him. But just when we were getting used to him being around, he was off again for further training in his specialty.

It has been over 6 months. We miss him. I miss him.

But guess what?

I get to see him soon. A couple of weeks in fact.

I can't wait.

I just want my brother to be home and safe.

4th of July has new meaning to me this year. I am so grateful for this country. It has been blessed and we as a people have been blessed.

I want to thank my brother and all who have served in the armed forces for this country. They work everyday to preserve my freedoms and my way of life and sometimes I forget that while I am safe in my home, they are off fighting. For me.

Thank you.

Weston's Farewell Dinner

Saying goodbye