Song of the Righteous

Can I just say that I love church?

I'm pretty sure that I have the best calling in the entire Ward!  I get to sing with Primary kids all day!  Who wouldn't LOVE that??  Ok, so those of you who aren't musically inclined might not love that... but I love it!  I have so much fun with those kids (maybe too much fun, hehe), and it is always so humbling to me when parents come up and thank me for the great job I'm doing with their kids.  Or when teachers and leaders come up and compliment me on how much they enjoyed Singing Time.

I know that I have been so blessed with the talents that I have which help me in this calling.  I know that my Father in Heaven is mindful of me, because I somehow have enough energy to get these kids excited about singing.  I don't know how much you read this blog, but I'm 11 weeks pregnant, and I really don't have the energy for very much these days.  So I know that it is Heavenly Father helping me out.  He also blessed me with the ability to think like a child.  There are some moments, as I am trying to figure out what crazy thing I'll do for the next week, that ideas I read about or heard about pop into my head, or I come across them again on the internet, and I think, "that would be SO much fun! We're totally doing that!"  And I have to confess, most of the games and things we do in Singing Time are because my inner-child screams out, "Pick me, pick me!  Lemme do it, I wanna do it!!"  Haha.

Really though, what I love the most is being able to teach these kids the messages behind the songs.  So they can wrap their little minds around why we're singing it in the first place.  Seeing their eyes light up when they realize what we're singing about, hearing in their voices that they know the words are true... THAT is the BEST part about my calling.  I can always feel the spirit so strong, and I love that feeling.

I am seriously in love with my calling, and I love each of those precious kids so much (yes, even the rowdy ones).  I love passing them in the hall after church is over and hearing, "Hi, Teacher!" or "That's my Music Teacher!" or "Hey, Sister Thornton!"

Yea... I love church.  :)


Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

Everyone needs to READ and SHARE

I know this is going to be a VERY long post... but while searching Pinterest for cute crafts, I came across a blogger (who is super talented by the way! check her out!) and read a post in which she copied the text of an article that she found on Pinterest (it really is an amazing place!).  I read through the whole article, and while most of the things I already knew, I did learn some knew things, and was reminded of things that I should never forget.

With the holiday season upon us, and many of us preoccupied with our shopping lists and getting from one place to the next... PLEASE do not forget to be aware of your surroundings.  We always think that things like this will never happen to us, but the truth is... it could.  And I would rather be SAFE than IGNORANT.

Below is a copy of the text in the article... you can find the original post here.

"THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES" (PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. It may save a life.)

"It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG… FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts: 1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets. 2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing. 3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered. 4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots. 5] Number two is office parking lots/garages. 6] Number three is public restrooms. 7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught. 8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming. 9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. 10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

—————————————————————————————

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER: 1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target. 2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target. 3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent. 4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts. 5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there. 6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly. 7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

—————————————————————————————

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL: I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in. 1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it. 2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! 3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) . b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot). 7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! 8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry. If u have a heart or compassion reblog this post. ‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand. LET EVERY GIRL KNOW. Your one reblog can help to spread this information. Usually we don’t do this, but we care a LOT for our followers and don’t want to see them hurt in any way. Normally I don’t reblog this, but this is important."

Please share with your loved ones...  Be safe and be smart.  Much love to all!

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

We have a DUE DATE!!

Yay!  Ok, so this morning's ultrasound went great!

It has been confirmed, only one!  :)  I got to listen to the heartbeat again (167), and they even did that cool new 3D thing!  The ultrasound tech said that we are 11 weeks and 1 day, which means...

We're due on June 19th!!!

Little Peanut

I am so stinkin' excited!!  My next appointment is Friday, December 30th and I'll get to meet with my Primary Dr.  They let me know that I'll be meeting with her for the next few appointments, but that they'll schedule some appointments with the other doctors in the practice so that I can meet them and get to know them a little just in case they happen to be the on-call doctor when I deliver.  I thought that was really cool, since Dru was delivered by a doctor I'd never met before.  Once you're in that moment you just want the baby out, so it didn't really matter.  I just think it's nice that they do this so it isn't some stranger walking in to deliver your kid.  :)

Whelp, it's time for lunch, and if there's one thing I learned from my first pregnancy, it is that you DO NOT wait to eat once you get hungry... you just eat!  Now I have to decide what I want... that always seems to be the hard part.

Until next time...

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

First Appointment

Alright everyone, I know there are several people waiting anxiously for news on my Dr appointment this morning... so here's what we know so far!

They guess that I'm about 12 weeks along, and have scheduled an ultrasound for tomorrow morning (so you'll be getting the official due date tomorrow).  I got to listen to the heartbeat and it sounds like only one, so those hoping for twins, sorry to disappoint!  Haha.  I also got my flu shot (yay!) and had to give 4 vials of blood.  I was pretty exhausted since I didn't prepare for having blood drawn (good thing I grabbed a water bottle before heading out the door!).

All the nurses LOVED little Dru, and she had so much fun playing with them.  They gave her stickers, and horsey rides, and pretty much spoiled her the whole time we were there.

Tomorrow's appointment will call for a babysitter though, so I'm sure several of the nurses will be sad.  Haha.  Until tomorrow!

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

F is for FOOD!

If you've been following along, you'll know that one of my recent obsessions is food.  Now, I have been horrible and not done our grocery shopping yet, so tonight's dinner I had to get creative because I didn't have time to go to the store.  I thought about the canned tuna in the pantry for Tuna Casserole, but we didn't have any Cream of Mushroom soup... Then I saw the canned chicken!  I had bought it to make homemade Chicken Noodle soup, but I knew that this evening was not a soup evening.  Then I saw the Refried Beans and remembered the Crescent Rolls in the fridge and BAM!  I knew what I was gonna make!

Grab the following list of ingredients and come with me as I walk you through my version of TJ's mom's Taco Ring.

Cookie Sheet          Crescent Rolls              Refried Beans
Foil                         Canned Chicken           Cheese
PAM                       Taco Seasoning            Your favorite taco toppings

1.  First I put some foil on a cookie sheet and sprayed it with good ol' PAM.  This makes it so much easier to remove sections of your finished taco ring for eating.

2. Next I preheated the oven up to 375 degrees.  Just like the tube of Crescent Rolls calls for...

3.  I opened and drained 2 cans of chunk chicken and mixed in about half a packet of Taco Seasoning.  Honestly though, I only needed one of the cans of chicken.  I had a TON left over... I'll have to come up with something yummy to use it in.

4.  I opened and whipped up a can of refried beans.  I had a lot of this leftover too, I'm thinkin' quesadillas... if only we had tortillas...  haha :)

5.  Next I made this cool looking sun shape with the rolls and smooshed the middle together.  Most of the online videos or recipes call for 2 cans of crescents, but I only had one, so I made a smaller "sun".  Don't worry if the points hang over the edge of the pan, you're going to be rolling them into the middle.

6. I spread out a layer of the beans onto the smooshed part of the rolls.  I made sure to keep the middle of the center circle uncovered so that when I roll the points over I have something to smoosh them into.

7.  Top the beans with the taco chicken.

8.  Top the chicken with cheese.

9.  And then you take each of the sun points and roll it up and over your layers, and smoosh each of them into the middle of the center circle.  I just love how there are gaps between them all.  I think it looks so cool!

10.  Pop that baby in your 375 oven for about 11-13 minutes (like the crescent rolls call for) or until golden brown.  Mine was done at 11 minutes.

11.  Voila!  Now you can use a knife (or a pizza cutter like me!) to slice a section of the ring to enjoy with your favorite taco toppings.  You could make it look real fancy and put a bunch of toppings in the middle like a bowl, but I knew we weren't going to eat the whole thing in one sitting, so... no fancy bowl.

12.  Now, like I said when I started, I had to get creative, and since we only had enough salsa for one serving (how can this house be out of salsa already?) I saved it for TJ and used a hot sauce packet from a previous Fast Food run on the top of my dollop of sour cream.  I put some leftover salad on the side and topped that with cheese. If I had had some preparation for this one, I would have loved to add some olives, more tomatoes, maybe some green chili... yum!

13.  TJ just had plain salad (he did add ranch after the photo) and topped his taco ring section with more cheese (Thorntons LOVE cheese), the salsa and his own dollop of sour cream.


TJ was so surprised to come home and have dinner ready.  He probably figured we'd either have to eat out or go to the store.  Haha.  He's not always a big fan of me experimenting, because let's face it, my experiments don't always work out.  BUT he really enjoyed this, I think because it reminded him a lot of his mom's.  And good thing too, 'cause she was my inspiration!

Let me know what you've done in a pinch.  Was it a success?  A complete failure? 

Until next time...

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

Scrappy Adventures!

Alright, for those of you waiting for my first ever scrapbook (digital or otherwise), here ya go!!

I had so much fun!  This was all created by me!  No templates, no quick pages, this is completely from scratch!!  I am so proud of myself... hahaha!  I may still end up going back and tweaking it... who knows!  I'm just proud and had to share!

((Used MyMemories digital scrapbook software and The Sweetness design pack))

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

Tender Mercies

Alright, I couldn't just ignore what has transpired today.  I have to write this down now before I forget.


Today during Fast and Testimony meeting a brother, who our family has gotten to know pretty well, got up and began his testimony taking about Chapter 20 of Mosiah, where the daughters of the Lamanites where taken by the priests of Noah.  The Lamanites thought it was the people of Limhi so they gathered to war against them.  He quoted verse 11:

"And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight."

He then commented about how, for a mythical creature that isn't supposed to exist, there sure were a lot of them at church today.  He bore testimony about how so many of the men in our ward were fighting for their families and how the Lord was with them.  He then talked about how at work he likes to listen to the Mormon Channel app on his phone because with how many hours most people work around here it is hard to really study the scriptures for a couple hours.  He told of an experience he had one morning where he learned that he wasn't the only member of the church at work.  How the missionary opportunities that he'd been praying for stumbled in his lap.  He was comforted to know that he wasn't alone anymore.  Then a talk came onto his Mormon Channel speaking about exactly what just happened to him, and reminded him of how the Lord knows us, He knows what we're going through, and He takes every opportunity that He can to show us how much He loves us.


The spirit was so strong and my testimony grew.


Church continued and I had a BLAST in Primary.  We were without a piano player, and I knew that I didn't want to start teaching our kids Christmas songs without someone to play for us.  So I literally threw together an idea.  I gave each child a quarter sheet of paper and had them write their name with a crayon.  They were all confused when I told them to crumple it up in a ball.  Senior Primary gave me the weirdest looks!  I wish I had had a camera...  Then I asked if anyone knew what was going on outside.  They all said, "Uh, it's snowing..."  I then opened my hands with my crumpled paper and asked what I had.  They all caught on and said, "A snowball!"  I then counted to 3 and let them all throw their "snowballs" at me!  They LOVED that!!  I then picked snowballs off the floor and we sang those children's favorite Primary songs.  I went great, and our Primary Secretary even grabbed a piece of paper during Senior Primary so that she could do it too.  Haha.


After all of our meetings were finished we arrived home and TJ asked if he could take a nap before going out with the missionaries because he had a headache.  I said sure, that Dru would be getting sleepy soon anyway, and I might be able to join him.  She didn't get sleepy as soon as I had hoped, but after almost finishing her bottle she was pretty drowsy.  I placed her in her crib and she immediately started crying.  Now, for all of you who may not know, Dru HATES sleeping in her crib.  And I've been crippling her by going and getting her and rocking her back to sleep.  Of course I'd have to sit there for about an hour (sometimes longer) because she'd have to be completely OUT before I could lay her in the crib.  She has some sixth sense and can tell when I'm laying her down in it.  She's just fine with being laid down on OUR bed, but not hers... go figure.  Anyway, last night I said NO MORE.  I vowed to myself that I needed to be strong and resist, for her sake.  So this afternoon, once she started crying, I told her I loved her, that she was a big girl and could go to sleep on her own, and left the room.  I hate hearing her cry, so I knew that I needed to actively distract myself and not lay down to try and take a nap myself.  So I turned on the computer and loaded Pandora to listen to church music while playing with my new digital scrapbook software (that's right, they were having a great deal and I couldn't pass it up! Future posts with finished projects to come!).  Anyway, guess what the first song was that Pandora decided to play for me?  The PERFECT song for my current situation.  Hilary Weeks - Who You Are.  I sat here at the computer and cried along with Dru, but for a totally different reason.  My Father in Heaven knows me!!  He loves me, and I was reminded of the brother's testimony this morning.


Dru just woke up, but I wanted to post the lyrics to the song.  I couldn't find them anywhere online except for another blogger's site, so thank you for taking the time to share these lyrics!

I know you wonder if you'll ever have a day
When the kids stay calm, the laundry's done, and the dishes are put away.
And sometimes you feel like your days are spent and gone
And the question running through your mind is what have I gotten done?
And when you finally have a moment to slow down at the end of you day
I know Father would say:

Believe in what you're doing
Believe in who you are
Hold tight to the truth that you're a daughter of God
Believe in who you're becoming
Believe in who you are

It may seem simple - all the little things you do
But the lives you touch matter so much. And there's no one else like you.
And Father needs you to stand tall and faithful to be all you can be.
Oh, if you could see what he sees.
When it's hard to believe in yourself and you feel like you're beginning to doubt
Remember:

He believes in what you're doing
He believes in who you are
Don't lose sight of the truth that you're a daughter of God
That he believes in who you're becoming
He believes in who you are

I believe in what I'm doing.  I believe in who I am.  I believe in who I'm becoming.  I know that I am a daughter of God.


I know that we are ALL sons and daughters of a Father in Heaven who loves us, and if we're paying attention, He will tell us so.

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

New Obsessions

Ok, so I know it's been a while... and every day I honestly think, "hey, I should blog about this!"... but do I?  Of course not!  Haha.  So here's me trying to be a better blogger.

Anywhoos, I have become completely obsessed with a few new things that I thought I should share:

1.  Pinterest.  People "pin" pictures and short descriptions of cool things they find on the web and you can follow your friends' boards, "re-pin" things you like to your own boards, or you can search for stuff and pin it, SO much fun.  It's like your own personal dream board of sorts.  It is seriously addicting!!  It is invitation only so if you don't already have an account and would like one, just let me know your email and I'll send you an invite... if you're already on Pinterest, then come follow me and we can be addicts together!





2.  MyMemories.  I have always wanted to be a "scrapbooker" but traditional scrapbooking is so time consuming and expensive!  When I discovered DIGITAL scrapbooking, I said to myself I said, "Tiffany, this is SO up your alley.  You need this for Christmas!"  Haha.  I am so getting this for Christmas, whether I have to buy it for myself or not, I don't yet know, but I AM getting this for Christmas!  I've even already downloaded all the free kits and made a huge wish list of other packs and things that I want to buy.  I'm a nut, I know.

3.  Crafting.  Ok, so I've always had a bit of a creative side and it seems like lately I've wanted to really let loose and have some fun.  But this little apartment, and lack of resources, has really got me down... I will eventually own a sewing machine and when that day comes: WATCH OUT!!  For now though, I'm trying to curb my crafting appetite with no-sew projects.  Like these adorable fabric flowers!  The first time I ever saw these amazing creations was from TJ's Aunt Becky (who is one of my creative IDOLS!).  When I saw them on a bunch of her stuff I knew that I had to learn how to make them one day.  Then while surfing Pinterest (of course) for craft ideas I found these super easy instructions (here).  And here is my FIRST ever fabric flower!  I've got a ton of strips of fabric from cutting up old tops which I am saving for these quick and easy little babies.  I'm pretty sure that I will be attaching them to anything that I can.  Haha!

I've also gotten into making jewelry!  It is so fun, and feeds my creativity.  Here's a pair of earrings that I made out of FISHING supplies!  Super easy and really inexpensive!  I've got a big ball of hemp and a ton of beads that I've acquired, and have already made a bunch of fun stuff (sorry no pictures yet), so stay tuned for other jewelry adventures.  I have a bunch of other ideas of pretty things I want to make too, but have yet to get the supplies... they will be mine... eventually.  Haha.



4.  FOOD!  Mmmmm.  So I've been trying to branch out from the hum-drum dinners that we keep recycling.  TJ isn't a huge fan of experimenting with food, so I usually stick to a recipe when trying anything new, but sometimes I do a little tweaking... *wink*  I've also been trying to finally lose this darn baby weight and all the weight I gained before the baby.  So I've been trying to eat more healthy and get in more exercise.  This health kick helped me to finally brave using my food processor (which I've been having an irrational fear of ever since my dad sliced his hand open on my birthday several years ago, crazy story, if you want to know just ask)... and made homemade HUMMUS!!  It is so yummy and I've been using it a lot!  Instead of mayo on my sandwich, instead of ranch for my carrot sticks.  TJ even said it wasn't that bad... and for someone who's not a health-nut, that's sayin' somethin'!  Haha.  This was my lunch the other day, and I felt so good eating it!

 
So that's just a little glimpse into what I've been obsessed with lately.  I am REALLY going to try and get on here more often with updates on our little family, what we've been up to, and just fun things that make me smile.  I promise!  Until next time...

Warmest Wishes,
Tiffany

Funny girl...

I find it so funny that she will fall asleep on her own in her highchair after breakfast, but puts up a royal fight at bedtime...

Playing Catch Up

Well... it's been a while since I've posted anything, and a lot has happened: 

Miss Sleepyhead



 At the beginning of March, Dru and I moved over to Williston, North Dakota to be with TJ.  And I want to say a HUGE thanks to Christine for helping take care of Dru while I packed, to my Mom for letting me order her around as she helped me pack, to all those who helped load the truck, to Kristin and Taylor and my MIL for cleaning and reorganizing Grandma and Grandpa's house after we left, and an extra HUGE thanks to my Dad and my uncle Ryan for driving us over.  It was a really long and tiring couple of weeks, but it was so worth it!!  I also want to mention that we drove straight through and Dru did much better than I expected.  She slept almost the whole way!



That first night in Williston, TJ and I went to Walmart (which is almost the only place to shop) to pick up some groceries and pantry items.  Now, TJ had warned me that this Walmart would sometimes run out of popular items, but first thing when I walk in I see the produce section... completely empty!  I was so shocked!  I just had to take a picture...



Walmart's Produce Section

Aside from the occasional low to no stock at Walmart and crazy weather (which I'll get to in a special post later), living here is actually really nice.  I absolutely love the people in our Ward, and I've made a few really good friends.  One of those friends is actually our neighbor, and the Primary President, Brynne Singh.  She lives in one of the downstairs apartments in our building with her husband, Roneil, and their three adorable kids (Aaron, Kamailee, and Kiana). Their youngest, Kiana, is only a month younger than Dru and they are already super cute together.  I have a feeling they'll be good friends as they grow up.  :)



Hangin' out



Speaking of growing up, Dru is getting SO big!!  I'm not sure how much she weighs, but she's already wearing 6 mo clothes!  She has learned how to sit on her own, she is super close to crawling (right now she's got the cutest "scoot" action going on), and she has started eating baby food!  So far she loves bananas, sweet potatoes, and squash.  Not a huge fan of peas or green beans, but she'll eat them.  She is contantly chewing on something, whether it is her fingers, a toy, or one of the baby carrots that I let her teethe on.  Because she is contantly chewing, she is also contantly drooling.  We've nicknamed her Dru the Drooler.  Haha.  It is not uncommon for her hands to be covered and her whole front to be wet... in a way it is kind of gross, but she's just so stinkin' cute that even covered in drool everyone still agrees that she's adorable.



Alrighty, it is now officially time to head to bed... Have a great night everyone!



((Be on the lookout for my tribute to the spring blizzard, coming up next...))

 

Warmest Wishes,



Note to self...

Start blogging again! If you don't, your friends and family will be sad about missing out on this cuteness... :)

If you keep making that face it will stick that way...

And boy do I hope it does!

Isn't this just the cutest picture ever?? I can't believe that I actually got it... I was snapping away with my camera phone and happened to capture this gem! I love it so much that it is currently serving as the background on my phone. Several times throughout the day I checked my phone to "see what time it was", but secretely it was just to see this picture. I can't help but smile and well up with love and happiness every time I see it. She has some of the best facial expressions and I'm so glad that I was able to get a picture of this one.

Getting things started...

I thought it was about time that I started writing in this family blog...

This blog will most likely be filled with the adventures of our precious little girl, Drusilla Jo. She joined our family on Wednesday December 15th at 1:09am and we are so excited to have her in our lives! She is so smart and strong, and she amazes us every day.

With TJ working in North Dakota right now, I take lots of pictures and videos to send him each day so that he doesn't miss out on how much she is growing. This is a video of one of her first "Tummy Time" experiences. I was pretty impressed since she was only 5 weeks old!



And this is only the beginning!