Big Girl Food.

Well at about 5 months old we decided to start Summer on big girl food. She was randomly starting to wake up in the middle of the night hungry so we figured it was time. At first she wasn't sure about it and would spit out most of it, but now she is chowing it down. I literally can't get the next bite in fast enough and she starts grabbing for it before I'm finished making it.. This is my new favorite thing to do with Summer. I just have so much fun feeding her. I think because it's new and she just looks so cute with the mess all over her face. Here are some pictures of Summer and her delicious rice cereal.
(and a couple others that I like of her and I, I was home alone with her so I took these with my arm... they turned out so cute though)

Thanksgiving 2010

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Well Thanksgiving is now behind us and it is hard to believe that it is officially Christmas season. so exciting! I love Christmas! who doesn't love Christmas! and we are excited to share our first Christmas with our daughter.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was the first year that we had to make room for two meals and I can proudly say I succeeded with no problems! (no surprise to many of you). Summer had so much fun playing with her cousins> They love her so much and it is so fun to watch them all together.
My sister Karyn hosted her first Thanksgiving in her beautiful newly remodeled home. (my grandma's old house)She pulled it all off without a blink. Food was delicious and the time with the family was fun as always.
We then went for an evening meal at my mother in laws and another amazing feast was ready! Billy and Encar were there with their little girl, Ollie who is only one month youger than Summer. They had fun staring and checking each other out. Summer likes to do this happy scream when she is excited and it kept scaring little Ollie. poor little baby was like, "Why is she screaming at me?" but the girls were both adorable.
I have to say I was so proud of Summer yesterday. She was a little angel and was soo happy and smiling all day long.
Well I want to end this Thanksgiving post with some things I am especially thankful for.
I am thankful for:
A God who loves me unconditionally and forgives me over and over again
A husband who loves and supports me so well. Who accepts me for who I am but encourages me to be a better person.
A daughter who is healthy, happy and aspires me to be a better, healthier person
A very close family that enjoys spending time together.
Sisters who are my best friends
Parents who are so generous and would literally do anything for me and my family.
Friends that I can be transparent with.
The financial freedom to be a stay at home mom.
In laws that are supportive and loving and that I enjoy spending time with.
A church that I love with a great community of friends
My new home, and my old home. just a nice place to call "home"
to spend time with my bestest friends in a couple weeks!

what are you most thankful for this year!?
love you all so much!

the laundry can wait.

Tonight I had one of those moments that just imprints on your heart. That made me realize that sometimes I am too concerned with all the things " I need to get done." instead of stopping to embrace and savor the beautiful moment I am experiencing.....
Here was that moment.
Summer fell asleep on my shoulder while I was burping her. This doesn't happen too often anymore but when it does I often put her down shortly after as i want to get going on chores or what not. This is not necessarily a bad thing as things do need to get done, but I love the times the things can wait. Tonight was one of those times. Summer was snuggled up on my shoulder in the rocker in her room, bedtime lullabies in the background and I was singing my favorite " I love you" song (that I made up when she was a newborn.) A couple times she started to squirm so I softly started to sing "our song" and she comfortably snuggled back up in my arms. We just sat. sang. snuggled. prayed and reminisced over the past 5 months.
All of the sudden emotion just filled my heart. Tears started streaming down my face as i was overwhelmed with the love and adoration I have for sweet Summer. The love of a mother is uncomprehendable. It is a small glimpse of how our heavenly father loves us as His children. With thanksgiving tomorrow, all I could think of was how grateful and forever thankful I am for the gift of my beautiful, precious, happy. amazing daughter. Summer Nicole.
And thankful that I was able to remember that the laundry can wait.

Halloween

We had a lot of fun on halloween this year. The day before we dressed up Summer in her costume to go to a party with all our friends from Sunday school. All the kiddos were so stinking cute. Then on actual halloween we made a quick stop by Nana and Papa's house and then Grammy's house to show off our little pumpkin. They just wanted to eat her up! Billy and Encar stopped by with their little baby girl Solaida who was also the same pumpkin. The little cousins checked each other out. It was adorable. We then went to our good friends The Kidders for dinner with some other great families. All and all it was a really fun weekend.

just some pics..

Summer getting lots of love from Grandpa and Papa. They love her so much!


Summer playing on Daddy's rocking horse



Summer in the first outfit Mommy and Daddy ever bought her the day we found out we were having a little girl.

Our new house.

Our New House!
We are so very excited! Dave has been working so hard over there ripping out the kitchen, tearing down walls, putting in new electrical you name it! He really impresses me and I am so proud of him! We feel so blessed and thankful to have this house in an area we absolutely love and to have the privledge to design our own kitchen. We do not take this blessing for granted and are so thankful! Its exciting to think that this is where we will be raising our family. Here are a few pictures of us hanging out at the house the first day we got the keys. I will also be posting before and after pictures soon.




We love our new backyard!




showing Summer her new room!

Life's little joys....

I want to be one of those people that naturally sees the positive, good and beauty in life. My husband is one of those people. I truly admire that about him. I remember when we first were married he would ask me things like: did you sleep good? Did your shower feel good? Isn't it pretty outside? He would point out pretty clouds or trees.... Things That I would never really notice before to be pleasant or beautiful, or everyday pleasures that to me were more like tasks. He still points out these types of things. Through the years I have started to notice these things as well. Life's small, simple pleasures. I think I have to work at it more them him. Make more of an effort to appreciate certain things but that's okay. So that is what todays blog is about. I want to make the effort to acknowledge the beautiful and maybe even small pleasures of my week. I'm hoping this is the first of many blogs like this.
So these are some of the little things that brought me joy this week :
1. Sitting watching Summer sleep as I sip on warm coffee and eat chocolate
2. The ladies in my Wednesday morning bible study. They are so fun and wise!
3. Walking to corner bakery with Summer with the beautiful sunset in the background
4. Seeing my baby literally light up when Dave or I play with her.
5. Seeing some of my amazing old students at homecoming and praying my daughter grows up like them.
6. Watching my husband put so much into a place we will soon call home.
7. Thankful for the opportunity to design a new kitchen.
8. My dad driving to Long Beach without me asking him to, to pick something up for me so I didn't have to worry about it.
9. Seeing one of my best friends get to experience the blessing of pregnancy.

So what is bringing you Joy this week? Please share!