sucking, sucking, and more sucking

Last week Savannah started sucking her fingers.  It was so unusual because she has never done it before.  Sure, she has sucked on my fingers (mostly my pinkie followed by my pointer, she wouldn't take a pacifier) but never her own.  She favors her pointer finger followed by her thumb and then a combination of her middle and ring fingers.  She is no gentle sucker.  When she takes her pointer finger out of her mouth the top of it is all red and scrapped up from her teeth.  I sucked my thumb until I was eight.  I hope this phase ends quicker for her than it did for me.

Deceptively Delicious

Clarissa mentioned the book Deceptively Delicious to me a while back but yesterday I held the book in my hands.  I didn't have the chance to really look through the book but anything that gets kids AND adults to eat their veggies is worth purchasing.  I can't wait to get my own copy.  You can get it here.

Cup Cakes

I did a post on pie so why not cupcakes.  A friend of mine, Veeda, is blogging about cupcakes however, she is blogging about the cupcakes she is making everyday this week.  I am thoroughly amused by it.  I am taking a different approach.  I love to eat cupcakes.  Homemade is by far the best and store bought doesn't compare (way too much frosting).  My all time favorite cake in round, square, layered, or cupcake form is red velvet.  As long as they are fluffy and moist I could eat them all day long.  I thank my trip to New York (with my greatest friends) a few years back for introducing me to this amazing cupcake.   So, lets grab a cake-o-cup and start eating!

I don't think it should surprise me

Savannah has been alive long enough for me to know that she is very curious and extremely adventuresome.  Time and time again, I see her do things that just amaze me, I get surprised at what she is doing it.  She is like a 5 year old in a 1 year olds body.  Most recently she pushed a folding chair to the door, while I was blogging, because she wanted to go upstairs.  The next thing I see when I look over is her standing on the chair and messing with the door knob.  Oh you silly silly girl!  It is just a matter of time before she figures out how a door knob works.  I am going to need some of those door knob protectors.  She is growing up too fast!

Loving Grandpa

Savannah loves Grandpa Bill but she doesn't let him hold her much because of his facial hair.  When he shaves she is all about play time with him.  When he doesn't she will flirt, hide from him, and will not let him hold her.  Recently Grandpa Bill shaved and he and Savannah spent a wonderful time together on the couch.

Where's your head?

Where's your nose?

Where's your pretty face?

Jack's Birthday Party As Promised

Jack had a great birthday.  On his actual day of birth we celebrated at home and that Saturday he had a pool party.  We all had so much fun!  Because you weren't able to be there let me take you back in time...

Standing with his birthday banner, received six dollars for turning six years old, and loving his new Power Ranger toy.

NOW FOR THE POOL PARTY!!!!

All the party pictures we took have Savannah in them and none of Jack.  Oooppss!

I bought Savannah a new swimming suit so she could go in the pool with all the big kids.

Her favorite part was getting in and out by herself, sort of.  Once she found a little ledge she would not leave it alone.

Savannah and I had a great time in her little turtle going all over the pool and watching all the big kids splash and play.

Snuggling with Grandpa Bill while starring at Uncle Steven, she is scared of him.

Grandpa took Savannah on the diving board.  Grandma Kelly and Aunt Cassy come to the rescue.

Grandma and Savannah sharing some loves.

Jack had a great birthday day and birthday party.  Way to go turning SIX Dude!

Easter Fun!

Easter is one of my favorite times of year.  It means that Spring is here and the weather will warm up soon.  Oh, how I miss the warmth.  I love the Easter/Spring songs in Primary like "On A Golden Spring Time" and "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" and even the Mother's Day song "I Often Go Walking." Last year Savannah was too new to celebrate in the commercial Easter celebration.  We were dialed in this Easter!

We had an early morning egg hunt in the house because Savannah wouldn't stop finding Jack's eggs so we hid some empty eggs for her.  It worked out about half the time.

After church we got ready quick as lightening and went to Grandma Linda's for a family dinner and another Easter egg hunt.  We took Savannah out before all the other kids so that she could have somewhat of a chance to pick up an egg or two.

She saw the egg but instead of picking it up she was more interested in a dead leaf.

Savannah found an egg in the drain pipe.  She took it out, looked at it, then put it back in for someone else.  Guess this egg didn't strike her fancy.


It wasn't long before she discovered a great find...

...her little legs could get her there fast enough.

Perfect find for a wonderful Easter egg hunt!  No other eggs could compare to those she found, she was a happy camper!

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter!!

Happy Birthday Savannah Belle!!!

Saturday we celebrated Savannah's first birthday!  She woke up in the morning to me singing Happy Birthday to her.  She looked at me and gave me the biggest, sweetest smile!  We hope you enjoy these pictures as much as we enjoyed celebrating her special day!!!

After breakfast, Savannah decided she wanted to play with her cup on top of her empty diaper box.  It was her day, she could do just about anything she wanted.

While Savannah napped, I went to my ward's Relief Society Birthday Brunch.  After she woke up and had something to eat I came home and we ran our birthday present errands.  Here we are picking up Savannah's new car seat:

She couldn't twist her arm back to reach the gigantic box so she wised up and twisted her torso.  Wow!  What a cool car seat!!  She gets to graduate from that blasted rear-facing car seat!  Graduating is so much fun!  Savannah is moments away from forward facing.  Josh and I are very excited because now we will return to both sitting in the front instead of taking turns sitting with Savannah in the back seat.

On the way to the store I called my mom and she sang to Savannah.  Savannah sure was a happy one year old!!

After we got home Savannah had her second nap.  Following that nap she ate a late lunch and we colored Easter eggs.  She was so fascinated by it!  We had a lot of fun with it.

After a while Savannah lost interest and occupied herself with playing on the floor.  One of her favorite items of the afternoon was the Minnie Mouse doll that Grandma Great and Cowboy Bob sent her.

When Grandma Kelly got back from picking up Grandpa Bill we opened presents.  You know she got a forward facing car seat but what you didn't know is that she got some clothes, a booster seat for eating, and a ball.  She thoroughly enjoyed climbing all over her booster seat and car seat.

Jack was more into the ball than she was, so much so that the Easter bunny received a last minute memo.

I wanted to make her a cute cake and finally settled on making a fish bowl.  I think I did a pretty good job with it and it tasted supper yummy!

Cake time!!!  Savannah was more into the candle than all the singing and the cake itself.

Digging in!

She was hesitant at first but soon got the hang of it.  She doesn't have time to make a mess, she only has time to eat.  Yum!  Here she is sucking the sugary goodness off her fingers:

Washing it down with cow's milk.  This was her first taste.

Savannah finally stopped being dainty about it and dug in.  Her version of digging in only involved her hands...

LAME!  We needed a bigger mess.  I stepped in to lend a finger across her forehead.  What a lucky girl, she had dessert before her dinner.

And now, for the day's finale, Savannah's birthday bath...

The biggest fall of her life

Yesterday Savannah had the biggest fall of her life.  Every night Savannah eats dinner, has a bath, and goes to bed.  It was approaching dinner so I took her down stairs to get her towel and washcloth so we were ready for the plunge.  Then, holding her, I got her dinner ready, put her in her high chair and fed her.  She enjoyed every bite.  She ate Chicken with sweet potato and carrots with her cereal and yogurt.  Around the same time as all of this Grandma Kelly was doing laundry so that Grandpa Bill had clothes to wear to work today.  When Savannah was all finished eating I put her on the floor while I cleaned up her dinner.  We do it all the time and she loves the freedom.  All of a sudden, as I am walking back to where I put Savannah after putting some garbage in the trash, we hear...

{www.tothegame.com}

I run quick as lightening only to find the gate blocking the stairs was left open and Savannah was laying at the foot of them and started to cry.  Thankfully she landed so that her feet were towards the tile floor saving her head from serious injury.

{www.cityofsound.com}

We don't know if it was Kelly or me who left the gate open and it doesn't matter.  Savannah survived with not even a scratch on her.  We have been BLESSED!  I held her while she cried which didn't even last five minutes.  She bounces back really fast!  The rest of the night when she would fall, or even plop on her bottom, she would whine a little; that is the extent of the damage.  Thank heaven Savannah is okay and always remember to CLOSE THE GATE!!!

Jenni Frisby

Today is a wonderful day!  It is the day that my friend Jenni Jespersen becomes Jenni Frisby.  I wish I could be in California for this momentous occasion.  Because I cannot, I give tribute to her.

{Jenni is the snazzy gal on the right.  The other two snazzy gals are Kristen (left) and Kristy (center)}

I met Jenni while attending the singles ward in California.  She was friends with Kristen, Kristy, and Lenessa when I came around.  Some of my favorite memories are at Jenni's house.  She hosted a weekly Survivor night and The Benning Group which followed.  (The Benning Group is a group of those who attended Survivor night that would talk about random things and ask random questions to which everyone had to answer.)  Jenni is smart, witty, funny, kind, and genuine.  I have never met anyone like Jenni and I never will.  She is getting married to a Mr. Jared Frisby who joined the singles ward shortly before I got married.  I don't know him well but from what I do know, he is amazing and a perfect companion for Jenni.  They are a match made in heaven!!  Literally!
Here is to my friend and to many years of love and growth for her and Jared.  Marriage is hard and fun and exciting and everything up and down and all around.  It is the best thing in the world!  It is no wonder why marriage is for eternity.

{NOT Jenni's actual ring.  www.natalia-diamonds.com}