Time

I wish I was supermom.
I wish I could do everything that I imagine in my tiny little head.
If I actually had time for my inner creativity to take action I think it would be incredible.
I would learn to sew.
I would learn to paint.
I would bake more often.
I would scrapbook all of Lyla's pictures.
I would make toddler activity packs.

If I had more time I would workout more.
I would have abs and be super fit.
I would wear the latest fashions.
I can envision it all, I just can't do it.

I don't have the time and honestly can't make the time pop out of nowhere.
When I do have time I snuggle with Lyla.
We play with dolls and squinkies.
We do crafts and paint.
We bake together and eat plenty of chocolate chips while we're in the midst of madness.
We hug.
We laugh.
We tickle one another.
We sing silly songs.
We run around like "TIGERS".
We paint nails.
We wear princess dresses and twirl in the living room.
We go to cooking classes and gymnastics.
We talk.
We garden.
We LOVE.

So now that I write it all out I know what I want.

I want what I have.

I love what I have.
I have a husband who is loving, kind and pure.
He would never hurt a soul. He's truly genuine and sweet.
He ALWAYS puts me first.
I have a daughter that has a HUGE heart and soul full of kindness.
I also have love of my own, love for others, for my family, for God, for my work.

So, I love my life.

I hope you can love yours too!
xoxo

Simply Overdue

I haven't written for a while.

It's been way way way too long.Simply because my day is filled up with fun things, like making my daughter's breakfast look cute!

Life has been taken over by running around in princess dresses, going on vacation to Maui, new preschool adventures, gardening, and did I mention running around in dresses??

A few brief updates:

I've gone dairy free. So now my baking is VEGAN. Jason is getting used to this, very slowly. I went to my Doctor after multiple stomach issues for years of my life and they had me food allergy tested. No surprise, I'm severely allergic to Milk, Eggs and highly allergic too all other dairy products including whey protein. So I'm on the road to recovery and I can feel it. It feels nice not to have stomach pain on a daily basis.

Vegan strawberry cake for Lyla's Birthday

We went to Maui. ... I wanna go back, pretty please?!

Jason's pancreas is stable. His levels are still elevated but he feels great! He can have a beer or a glass of wine now.

Lyla is a toddler girl. She's no baby. She's in a full size bed, and started preschool.
I cried when we changed her bed. Such a little thing but a big impact on me.

First day of School

Life is taking over, we are living in the moment and I haven't had time to blog.
Now's my time to catch up! 

Conversations with Lyla

I've said it a million times over and I'll say it again.

Lyla amazes me.

Here are a few recent conversations that have touched me immensely.We have been so blessed with an intelligent, healthy, beautiful girl. I knew I wanted Lyla before I had her. She is our everything. God prepares wonderous things if you leave it in his loving hands. The conversations I have with Lyla touch my heart.

  

TREES

 It was a Monday afternoon as we drove down 405 to our weekly Gymnastics class. As always, Lyla sat anxiously awaiting her running, tumbling and jumping. I peered at her in the rear view mirror and she sat with an intelligent smirk as she gazed out the window.

Lyla: "Mom, let's talk..."
Me: Ok, what do you want to talk about?
Lyla: "Let's talk about TREES"
Me: Sure, what do you like about them?
Lyla: "There are a lot of trees, A LOT. I like the big ones, the ones with branches. They are short and tall. Mama, what do you like?"
Me: I like trees, but more so, I love you.
Lyla: "I love you much mom, sooooo much."
Me: Silent. Tearful. Thankful.  

SCHOOL

We have been preparing Lyla for preschool. She starts June 19th. It will be a big day, a scary day, a sad day, and a triumphant day. The scary and sad part are going to be my reactions. I can only hope that Lyla enters with her confident self, and leaves the same confident girl that we have raised. It is the outside world that can be scary, when a parent puts all their control and hope into another individual, it's scary.

Me: Lyla, pretty soon you will be going to school, it will be great! You will have friends, and play, and you'll love it!!!
Lyla: SILENT
Me: I'll pack you a lunch, you can eat with your friends and teachers, and learn, as well as play... you'll LOVE it!
Lyla: SILENT
Me: SILENT
Lyla: "Mom..... I can't go to school, I just can't."
Me: Why?
Lyla: "I'm not bigger yet." "I'm small."
Me: In thought:  (please stay small, I wish time would stand still),
BIG HUGS BETWEEN THE BOTH OF US.  

CONSTRUCTION

Another day on the road....
Lyla: "Mama... look at that crane! WOW! It's so big!!!!"
Me: It sure is!
Lyla: "What do you think they are building?"
Me: In thought: (What 2 1/2 year old thinks about future construction building??) "Lyla, they can build anything, that's the great thing, it may be a store, a house, a barn or even a fairy princess house."
Lyla: "Wow mom, that's beautiful"

POPA

If you know my husband Jason, or me, then you know how much love we have/had for his Popa.
He was a very influential part of Jason's upbringing and life. He was an amazing man. He made us stronger, he helped us become a powerful Christian couple, and I can't even begin to say enough positive things about him. He met Lyla twice, once in my belly, and once two months after she was born. He passed away soon after meeting her. We are lucky that he was able to meet her and guide us through so many milestones in our lives. With that said, we have always told Lyla about him. As we talk about all of our family members to Lyla.

Lyla before bed one night: "Popa... what him like, what him like?"
Me: Well, Popa was loving, kind and your great grandfather.
Lyla: "Him's dead?"
Me: Yes
Lyla: Oh. Him's my popa.

Nana/Pa

My parents are deaf. I was raised in a deaf household. That has made me the person that I am today.
Take it or leave it. :) I have many qualities that I attribute to this upbringing.
Lyla has been raised to sign. She can sign quite well (yes, I'm bragging).
She has a book that she can sign all the words in and she's proud of that.
We also occasionally go out in public and use only sign language. It's fun!

Lyla: "I love Na Na and Pa."
Me: Yes I know, they love you!
Lyla: "Nana and Pa, why's them deaft?"
Me: DEAFT?
Lyla: "Yes mama, why's them deaft?"
Me: God made them that way.
Lyla: "Oh."

The Little Things

Here are a few little things she says that I love.

Mommy, I'm sorry if you don't feel good.
Mommy, Mommy, This is the best day ever!
Mommy, I love you much, soooooo much.
Mommy, da da go to work and we play all day!
Let's just rest, relax and watch a movie.
Are Deeee and Doug coming?
Mama... you so beautiful.
You look just beautiful.
Mama, it will be okay.
Mom... wait, listen, let me touchamilk, just one second.
I hafeta poop! I hafeta poop!

The joys, the simple pure joys... I love being a mom!

xoxo



 

Babies and Buddies

Laura has been my friend since I met her.
What I mean by that is when I met her I knew we would always be friends. We always have. We don't fight, we don't argue, we don't back stab. We could go weeks without speaking due to our busy lives but when it comes down to it, she would be by my side if I needed her. I could only hope that she feels the same. We did the typical High School things together, dances, parties, etc. Then we moved on and eventually found our way to living with one another. We went through times of laughter and difficulties, but we always had fun. We always laugh.....we laugh so hard we cry.

My point of this  is to tell you that no matter how much time or distance comes, babies or no babies, friends are a must have. Laura now has a little blessing named Jakson. He was brought into this world by the most amazing parents, and I am so happy for them. Now, Lyla has a buddy....little Jakson. I can only hope one day they laugh and cry together (and not just a tantrum cry).
She lives an hour away, and we don't have time to talk much, but when I see her I feel like it was yesterday all over again. God blesses us in many ways and for that I'm grateful.

Snow Days

Snow has always brought me a sense of calm.
 The roads are quiet, the flakes are falling and all is calm and white (at that moment).
This winter we were blessed with some magnificent snow days.
 Unfortunately this meant some missed work and a decreased paycheck, but hey, I got to sled around with my little one! To me, that's priceless!

What is your favorite part about a snow day? 

Here are a few of mine:
Sledding
Hot Chocolate
Snowmen
Snow Angels
Laughter
Snow days
Fuzzy boots

Lyla enjoyed sitting in the snow with her mouth wide open to catch the snowflakes. She loves eating snow (beware of the yellow/brown snow, she knows this...). Jason loved building the biggest snowman on the block (he didn't melt for days!)

Here are a few of our pictures, a little late, but better than never!

Oh and by the way.. it's March and it's still snowing!!!

Caring

I dropped my daughter off at my sister in law's house so I could run some errands.
Rarely do I do this.
Rarely is Lyla apart from me besides when I work.
I love being with Lyla no matter how hard some days can be.
When I dropped her off she was squeezing me tight.
She looked at me and said...

Be careful mommy. Drive careful.

It's really wet out there.

Oh, my little two year old is so loving and kind. I am so glad she has such a HUGE HUGE heart.
She loves with all of it.
She will hug you, rub you, and tell you that everything will be allright.
She will call you sweetheart, honey and beautiful.
She will make you feel loved ALL OF THE TIME.

So once again, have a little bit of Lyla and your day will be brighter!
It's those small things that count.
On these dark dreary days, that's what keeps me going.
XOXO

 

Two and a half

The little curl always tugs at my heart.

Simply sweet.

She is...
Breathtaking
Loving
Sweet
Intelligent
Happy
Caring
Athletic

She loves....
Rest
Relaxing
Movies
Gymnastics
Cooking Class
Tinkerbell
Toy Story
Buzz
Woody
Squinkies
Small toys that she can collect
Painting
Running
Flying high in the sky in Jason's arms with "pixie dust"
Disney princess dolls
Baking with mom
Putting her step stool up to the counter and being a "big girl"

She says a lot now but here are my favorites....
Let's rest relax and watch a movie
I wuv you
Sweetheart
No it's not
That's my home
That's my cat
Are Deee and Doug coming?
Rico, that's my dog
That's mine
Thank You

Lyla my dear is always full of surprises. She makes life grand.
She is grand.
I'm the luckiest gal around.

Just a little bit of popcorn in da-da's shoes from Lyla. Didn't I say she was sweet?

She absolutely loves to bake and cook.

She loves sweet treats too!

Always having fun!

Loving me some FINLEY! (Nana's dog)

This is my cat!

What? Am I too dressed up for dinner at home?