Look ma....

No training wheels!

A few weeks ago we convinced Bode that he needed to learn to ride his bike without training wheels. Bad idea. He was not ready. That attempt ended in tears. Today Bode was riding bikes in the front and asked Jeremiah to take off his training wheels. It took a few tries, but he was in good hands. Jeremiah was with him peddle for peddle. Bode caught on quite quickly, although it is going to take a whole lot of practice to figure out how to start by himself and steer.This time there were no tears. And only one big crash. He rode straight into the side of the tahoe, even then he came up laughing.

He did so well, and is so very proud of his great accomplishment! You can tell by all the jumping around and huge smile across his face.

So are we. 

He is growing up so fast. He will be 5 in March! Wow!! He is doing very well in preschool. His counting is coming along. He as struggled with numbers and could barely count to 10. Last week he and Laine were playing and he was counting in his room. He got clear to 10! It may sound like a small thing but it is huge for him. He has some fun little friends that he likes a lot. They are all in the same preschool class and he talks about these 3 boys all the time. The other morning I got out his clothes so he could get dress for school. He came out a bit later with 2 shirts on. One long sleeve on the bottom and a short sleeved one over the top. I asked him why he did that and he told me it is cool to wear 2 shirts. When I drove the carpool that morning all the boys talked about how cool they were with their 2 shirts. One even proclaimed that he was going to wear 5 shirts the next day! The boys just laughed and cheered. I guess it is cool to wear 2 shirts. Oh dear, peer pressure starts early. 

The festivities...

Laine had a great little birthday. It started with a yummy breakfast with Grandma Rena and Grandpa Steve at Dunkin Donuts, then to play at the park before she came home to open her present.

What a pretty princess. She loves to dress up!

We were planning on taking Laine to a movie for her birthday. We wanted to go see Tangled. For Bode's second birthday we took him to his first movie. He just sat there, sipped a soda and watched the movie. Laine has no patents to sit though a movie or sit still for any length of time. So we decided to go to the Phoenix Zoo (along with everyone else in the valley).

The kids loved it. They ran from place to place. Bode's favorite animal was the giraffes.

 Laine loves birds. It didn't matter if the birds were in an actual exhibit or if they were hopping on the ground looking for scraps.

 Jer and I likened it unto Jer's latest hunting trips. Lots of walking, no animals. It was the afternoon so a lot of the animals were sleeping and there were a bunch of exhibits under construction. But the kids had a ton of fun so it was worth it.

After the zoo we can home to relax and do a little party for the birthday girl.

Laine didn't know it was all decorated but Bode did though. He was so excited to show her all the "pink stuff".

We sang happy birthday and she tried to blow out the candles. She leaned in to close and sniffed a bit of the flame up her nose. It made her pretty upset. Good thing Bode was there to blow out the candles.

Then it was on to presents. 

Happy Birthday Delaine Jo!

And she is...

2!

Can someone tell me when that happened? Actually, that's not true. Laine looks an feels every bit of her 2 years on this earth. Laine is full of spunk and we love her to death. She is really getting to be a lot of fun. 

• It looks as though one of her biggest accomplishments from the age of one to two was growing hair. She loves to get her hair blown dry and she won't let you forget to put in her "pruties".
• She almost always wakes up happy in the morning. She wakes up around seven but hangs out in her crib until about eight or so. She normally doesn't cry but just calls for Bode or me to get her out. Then before she gets out she must have her bear, "poo-pa" (pillow pet)  and "ganky" (pink blanky).
• She spends her days playing with Bode, raiding the fridge, running around outside and still takes one afternoon nap to keep her energy up.
• She would really like to sleep in her big girl bed, but mom is not on board with that yet. She is very mischievous and we are not ready to let her roam the house after hours yet.
• She loves people and isn't shy at getting attention. But once she gets it she calms up and won't say a word or smile. She just stares with her big blue eyes.
• She is learning new words everyday. This has really helped with her little tantrums. She likes that she can say something and I know what she wants.
• She loves babies. Both real and make believe. 
• After she gets up from her afternoon nap she again wants her bear, "poo-pa" and "ganky". Then she demands to know where Bode is and wants to be tucked in on the couch to watch a show.
• Laine is fast. She can pump her arms and get her feet going so fast I think she is going to fall. But she is quite coordinated and can keep up with Bode almost step for step. She figured out how to ride a trike very fast and loves her scooter. She also is very good at running around and kicking a soccer ball.
• Laine has just figured out that she can take on and off her clothes. It is not uncommon to get her up from her nap and find her buck naked, grinning ear to ear waiting for you to say something.
• and today she pooed in the potty today! What a big girl. I am not going to push the potty training on her until she is completely ready. Looks as though she might be ready...

Here she is, two years old ready to take on her little world. We love this girl so, so much. I am exited for her to grow and develop even more of her sweet personality this up coming year.

Around the house...

Bode has decided that saying Laine is to long. He has shortened her name to make calling, yelling and bossing  her around easier. He now calls her "Lane". He calls "Lane, come down the stairs". I know this isn't funny but you have to hear it. It sounds more like "Tina, come get your food" from Napoleon Dynamite. It sure adds a little comic relief for me throughout the day.

Laine and Bode both got Pillow Pets for Christmas. Why the heck didn't I think of Pillow pets? We would be millionaires by now. Anyway... they love them. Bode begged for one forever! We didn't actually get them for them though. Bode was disappointed that after all the presents were open there was no pillow pet under the tree.  Luckily these 2 kids are throughly spoiled by all of their many grandparents because sitting under the tree at Grandma Rena and Steve's house there were 2 pillow pets. Bode was SO excited to open it up. I thought he would be the one that couldn't live with out the pillow pet everyday. Bode loves little stuffed animals. I was wrong though. Laine is the one that has latched on to her Lady Bug pillow pet. She calls is her "Pooo-Pa" and has to sleep with it every night. She loves that "Pooo-Pa".

While my mom was here during Thanksgiving and after Lee had her baby, we happened to go to Hobby Lobby. At the front of the store by the check out counters they have all the little displays that they put there to annoy mommies with rowdy kids. You know little knick knacks, candy, cute pencils, candy, stuffed animals and anything else that little hands, not so patently waiting like to grab. Well every time we go to Hobby Lobby Bode wants one of these little stuffed dogs. I always say no. What a mean mommy I am. This time Bode was walking around with Grandma Trish. If it weren't for Grandparents my kids would have no toys :) Bode got to pick out one of the little stuffed dogs. He pick out a "foxer" aka a little boxer. He calls it "Little Stat". It breaks my heart! He misses our our dog Stat. I asked him why he named him Little Stat and he said because he wants "his Stat to be with him all the time". And let me tell you that Little Stat is with him constantly. 

What is it about January....

Every year after I take down all the Christmas decorations the house feels so bare. Although I am glad to not have the tree up anymore, it took up so much space, but it makes the room feel so full and welcoming. Once it is gone it feels to naked. To fill the empty space that the tree left I decided to make a couple of these...

With the help of my sisters and the quick sawing skills of my husband we made these...

 (from this tutorial)

I didn't want the corbels to stick out as much as the ones in the original picture and I wanted much thicker decorative molding. So with a few tweaks, figuring out how to use a miter box, a nail gun and the wonderful forgiveness of wood filler, I think they came out beautifully. After buying all the supplies for the shelves, about $60, there wasn't much  left over for the decorating of the shelves. A quick trip to Beals Outlet and a bit of digging through their clearance bin, I found all the frames, the key, bike, and family blocks all for a whooping $22.00. Plus just an fyi it is an extra 15% off for 49 and younger on Fridays. That store is pretty hit or miss but if you look hard enough you can find some fun stuff.

After putting up the shelves on one side, the opposite side of the wall looked pretty bare. So I repainted this shelf I already had and added some decor. I still think it needs some color and a bit of tweaking but for now it works.

For Christmas my older sister Jill made me this shelf. It is beautiful. I had seen the tutorial online and had wanted to attempt to make it myself. But I was too chicken to try it. It is perfect for my entryway. I love it!

A

The whole view of the room. I love the look on both sides of the window but, you knew that was coming right, now the window is huge bare and needs a window treatment. I think I have just enough material left over from the kitchen windows to make these roman blinds. My projects never end...

*gold star to whoever can guess what movie I am watching :)

Reflection Questions for 2010...

 I did this last year and decided to do it again.

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
It is hard to choose the single best thing. I don't think I can think of one thing from last year. So to choose one of the many it would be Jeremiah's job. At the beginning of last year the city was facing some budget concerns (when are they not!) and were planning on laying off up to 500 officers. We would have been one of them. I am so grateful that Jeremiah kept his job.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

I know it is didn't happen, thank goodness, but the prospect of Jeremiah loosing his job was very scary. I know Jeremiah would have worked hard to keep us going but it would have been very difficult. It made me realize how much we have and how much I take for granted.


3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
Jeremiah's new work schedule. Since he was hired he has been working Sunday's. We were doing our best to all go to sacrament meeting together. Even though that meant that we were going to a diffident ward, going home for an hour, Jer going to work, then the kids and  I going back to church for the last 2 blocks. Since Jer is a low serial number and there haven't been many new hires since her was hired, we pretty much figured that this was how it was going to be for a few years. No weekends off. But we were so lucky that when they rezoned all the precincts Jeremiah managed to get put on a squad with the weekends off. Through prayer and Jeremiah's hard work he got placed on a great squad. I am so grateful that we can all go to church together!

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
A very unexpected obstacle was dealing with the differences between my children. I will try to make this make sense. Bode was such an easy baby and toddler. He was very easy going, a great sleeper and eater. Laine however had been tough. She has been a terrible 2 since she was 1. I have had a difficult year learning how to deal with her and all her little quirks. 


Since Bode was such an easy baby/toddler I didn't expect things to be much different this past year. He has grown and I neglected to treat him like a 4 year old and continued to treat him like a toddler. We both have learned that we need to have special time together, that he needs to be challenged, and that I need to follow through on the disciplining. 


Don't get me wrong it has been a great year and I love my kids. We are learning and growing together.

5. What were the best books you read this year?
The Help, Covenant Hearts, The 5 Love Languages of Children


6. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
I will always feel my most valuable  relationships are with my families.

7. What was your biggest physical change from January to December of this past year?
Physically we moved from one house to another. Even though circumstances make it impossible for us to buy a house right now, I am very happy with were we are. The house feels like a home not a rental.

8. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
Ok, I have no idea. I am not to sure I did change. Am I supposed to change every year?  Maybe I should make this a goal this year? Any suggestions?

9. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
I have learned that if I want to feel the spirit in our home and personally I have to invite it in. This isn't a new concept but this year I learned that when I am inviting the spirit into our home through prayer, scripture study and positive activities, we are happier as a whole.


10. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
This year I actually lost the weight. With the help of the HCG diet I lost 16 pounds and I have managed to keep 14 of it off, which is still under my original goal of 155 pounds. 

11. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?
We moved from one home to another this past year. I love putting together a new space and making it feel like home for my family. I love decorating new spaces.


12. What was your most challenging area of home management?
Laundry! Gosh, one of these years I will get my self into gear and figure out how to stay on top of the laundry.

13. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
The computer. One of my goals this year is to not be on here so much. To not let a 5 minute email check turn into a 30 minute blog session. 

14. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
Time spent with family. One of the best things we have done with our time is really make the effort to do the bedtime routine. My kids love getting books read to them and family prayer. This small use of time has make a big difference.

15. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?
If I want to be happy then it is up to me. No one can change things for me. I am in control of my life. 

The end of the party...

I feel like our life has been stuck on fast forward mode for the whole month of December and the end of November. I feel like I haven't slept since Thanksgiving! Between having Thanksgiving at my house, preschool, Christmas parties, New Years, family and a baby blessing I am exhausted.  I really loved every thing we have done the last few months. But it is kind of like Christmas decorations and Christmas music. I can't wait to get it all out and fill the house with holiday sounds, but come January 1st, get it all out of here! The last we has been especially busy. Here is what we have been up to...

My sister Jill and her kids came in the last week of December. They moved out of state a few months ago and it was so fun to have them here. The kids played and played and played!! Here they are "water skiing" along with the Wii. 

Saturday morning my mom, Jill and I went to Goodwill. Got to love a trip to Goodwill on 50% off Saturday. 

Saturday afternoon the rest of my family showed up to have the annual Merrill family White Elephant Party.
Before the actual eating and present exchanger the 2 brave men took all the kids to the park. Only one casualty  though, my little nephew Jett, who is Laine's age, decided to swim in a huge puddle.

In the evening we did a cousin gift exchange and the White Elephant exchange.

The only cousin too young to play was little Daisy.

We were trying to put a tiny clip in all that hair.

All the sisters and sister in laws.

Brittany, Me, Lee, Jill, Connie.

Everyone stayed at my house that night because the next morning Aaron and Lee blessed their sweet little Daisy at church. Arron did a great job or at least I think he did... Laine was getting madder and madder that her dad was in the blessing circle and not holding her.  

After the blessing and lunch Tim and Connie came back to my house along with Jill and all the kids. The competitive ones play Settlers. Tim won for the official record :)

The last family to leave on this past Wednesday morning was Jill and her kids. They we making their way around Arizona to visit the rest of their family. I loved everyone being here. Bode had so much fun playing and staying up late. But all thing come to an end. Preschool started up again, Christmas decorations are down and we are getting back on our routine.

Here is a shot of my whole family,

minus John, who didn't get to come back to AZ with the rest of his family.

Missed you John. If you look closely behind Parker (white sweater, purple dress) you can see Boo. I guess she wanted to be in the Merrill Family picture too.