Sweet, Spectacular and Six Months!

Our angel is now 6 Months Old. Wow! It's hard to think that six months ago, I didn't understand how her laugh would make me forget about my worries in an instant - and I didn't comprehend that I could love someone so much the minute they were put into my arms.

There's never a dull moment when Gracie Jo is around. She loves to sit on my lap when we are eating dinner so she can try and put her little hands in all the food. At six months - Gracie is trying to master sitting up by herself, she still just eats breast milk and some formula, and she found her tongue last week. So now, in addition to her gummy grin - she sticks her tongue out at you too! Adorable! We'll be giving her Rice Cereal for the first time this upcoming week. Delicious...and such flavor - I'm sure she'll be excited for that!

Where in the World Have we Been?

You may have noticed...we haven't updated the blog in awhile. That was partly because of a wonderful trip down to Utah to visit family. While we were in the Beehive State, my sister-in-law got married to her adorable fiancé, my brother Michael got baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we shared many memories with friends and family. Our extended family hadn't seen Gracie since she was only 5-weeks old...so this was certainly a special trip!

On our way home from Utah, Jody got terribly sick. He threw up more than a dozen times on the plane, and we ended up taking him to the Emergency Room once back in Montana. Nurses got an IV in him to overcome his dehydration. (For a visual...in a matter of hours he turned into “Skeletor” from He-Man...Yes...it was bad!) It was a long night...but a longer recovery time. I also got this miserable stomach bug. Jody and I were supposed to work the entire week once we arrived home...but we took a few days to get back onto our feet. We are now feeling better, and we’re excited to share the memories from our trip to Utah with all of you. Scroll down to see our adventures…and keep checking back as it may take me awhile to post them all! :)

MICHAEL'S BAPTISM!

Today was an extraordinary day! Michael was baptized and confirmed a member of the church today. Many of you know Michael as my younger brother who has always given me the courage and strength I've needed when I have been going through a difficult experience. Michael is my hero - Michael has cerebral palsy and has lived a life full of physical challenges. However, this in no way has ever held him back from teaching people the greatest lessons in life. Michael has taught me that life is about living it to the fullest, appreciating the abilities you have and looking for opportunities to serve others.


It was so moving to see Jody, my father and my Uncle Reed supporting and holding Michael up in the font as Jody baptized him.


Michael was so excited the night before his Baptism that he didn't sleep a wink! He has been telling my parents and everyone who would listen for a long time now that he was ready to be baptized. He would raise his eyes to the sky, as if to look at the heavens to let us know he was prepared to make this special commitment. Michael looked so perfect all dressed in white. We are excited that Michael will now have the Holy Ghost as his Constant Companion to guide him through troubling times when he is feeling weak or sick. This will also help him to be an even better missionary than he already is now!! Michael - We are So Proud of You!


Thanks Jody for acting like Craig Ferguson right before this above picture was taken...we are all laughing really hard!

KYLENE AND GREG'S WEDDING!

Today my beautiful sister-in-law Kylene and her sweetheart Greg got married! They were sealed for Time and All Eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. The sealing was so uplifting and spiritual. Kylene and Greg looked so very in love and extremely happy. We were thrilled to be there to share in their bliss!

As many of you know, I love video editing. It is a passion of mine. I made this little wedding video to recap all of the joyful wedding festivities. Of course because it's on the blog, the video quality doesn't look as good as the original; however you can see the beautiful time we shared together as a family. Make sure and pause the music at the bottom of the blog so that you can enjoy the "Wedding Tunes" on the video.




Families are Forever!

First Mother's Day!

Today is a special day - It's my very FIRST Mother's Day! I had a great present because we were able to fly to Utah on this day and share sweet moments with both my mother and my mother-in-law. Now that I'm a mom - I see the world so differently. I want Gracie to grow up knowing she is loved more than words. She has brought so much joy into my life. I'm so thankful to be a mom!


"A mother has far greater influence on her children than anyone else, and she must realize that every word she speaks, every act, every response, her attitude, even her appearance and manner of dress affect the lives of her children and the whole family. It is while the child is in the home that he gains from his mother the attitudes, hopes, and beliefs that will determine the kind of life he will live, and the contribution he will make to society."
N. Eldon Tanner, “No Greater Honor: The Woman’s Role,” Ensign.

Playing With Our Love Bug!

Love Makes a House a Home...and we're lucky enough to have a great deal of love! Gracie is Daddy's Little Girl. She just beams when she sees him! Last night, when I was at work; Jody put Gracie to bed. She was fast asleep, but when he put her down in her crib - she woke up and was ready to play. He told me he could hear her just giggling in her crib for about 30 minutes until she fell asleep again. She's such a happy little girl!


Gracie now cries when I leave the room - partly because she is already a very social person, and she doesn't want to miss out on anything. However, there's another part where I feel she is saying, "I need you, Mom." I need you too Gracie! When she wraps her little hand around my finger and smiles at me, I think, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

Here Comes the Sun!

We took Gracie to the playground for the first time earlier this week. She was even brave enough to go down the slide...(With Mom and Dad holding onto her for dear life!) At the end of the video, Gracie shares her giggles. (You know the drill - pause the music at the bottom of the blog!)

"The more you Celebrate your life, the more there is in life to Celebrate."

Gracie Has a Message for Everyone!

So...it has come to this! Ever since Gracie was born, I have had people ask me, "How old is HE?" and "What is HIS name?" However, earlier this week in an attempt to check out of the grocery store, the older gentleman behind us in line told me, "You Sure Have a Fine Looking Boy There!" Smiling and mumbling under my breath, "Can't you see she is wearing a pink onesie and pink sweatpants sir?"....Gracie and I headed out the door; but not before picking up one last purchase - This Onesie!

Making Lemonade out of Lemons!

I couldn't resist posting this picture because the way Gracie looks is exactly how I feel! It's been a tough couple of days...err...weeks. Let's just say our garage has a nice fender mark to match the one on the truck. (Again, I'm so sorry Jody!) In addition to my reckless driving, Jody locked himself out of our house, the cell phone bill was atrocious and I can't get over a terrible flu-like cold. However, those all seem trifling compared to our most disheartening news...someone stole my wedding ring! We're praying that whoever took it may have a change of heart and that this sentimental treasure will return.


Yesterday was certainly an eye-opener. It occurred to me that when "Mom" is sick...she doesn't really get to rest. Poor Gracie suffered through the day with me trying to read her stories without coughing and holding her without falling asleep standing up. She wasn't feeling so great herself. After the fourth messy diaper and second bath - I had been thrown up on three times. After getting all that out of her system, Gracie felt much better. :) I, however, was still not quite up to par. Jody has helped out where he can - changing diapers in the middle of the night - so that I wouldn't have to get out of bed.

Being a Mom is the Greatest job a woman will ever hold - it also can be very overwhelming. It's hard to find time to do everything on your list. (And if you're like me, you love checking things off of your list.) For instance - a week or two ago, I asked Jody to help me come up with some exercises I could do to work on my legs. He suggested lunges and then said, "You could try doing some sit-ups too." (Now this is a legitimate suggestion - especially taking into account all of the Chips Ahoy Cookies I have eaten in the last five months.) Alright sit-ups...add them to the list. :)


I just want to say a big Thank-You to my Mom and all the many amazing Moms out there!
What an inspiration you all are to me!


So I was thinking, "Who takes care of Moms when they are not feeling well?" I feel so blessed because I know that our Loving Heavenly Father knows our thoughts, our intentions, and our hearts. And HE takes care of Moms when they feel like the world just might be too overwhelming for the moment. When bad things happen...and they happen to all of us - it's not because the Lord doesn't LOVE us. It's because He wants to see how we'll react. Will we make Lemonade out of Lemons...or let the sour taste in our mouth get the best of us? Our little family is so blessed. We're thankful for each day we have as a family...the sweet days and the sour ones too - because the bitter ones help us appreciate the sweet days even more.

Cute as a Button at 5 Months!

Wow! Where does the time go? Our sweet Gracie Girl is five-months-old TODAY! Her accomplishments this past month include: rolling from her back onto her tummy, saying "da da", arching her back to let us know she doesn't like being put in her car seat, and laughing and smiling more and more each day. She hasn't been introduced to any solid foods yet. She continues to grow bigger and stronger each day. Everyday I look at her and feel so blessed that the Lord trusts us to watch over this precious angel. She makes life so sweet. We love our Baby Gracie!