Thankful Thursday

Thursday (11/3):  I am thankful for warmer weather and walks outside; and Addie's (sometimes frustrating) independence--she insisted on pushing Grace in the stroller, by herself, and provided me with lots of entertainment.

Friday (11/4):  I am thankful for the opportunity to run Chris' grandmother on a couple of errands.

Saturday (11/5):  I am thankful for a much needed haircut.

Sunday (11/6):  I am thankful for an invitation to dinner with another family in our ward/neighborhood.

Monday (11/7):  I am thankful for a call in the morning suggesting a play date, the girls and I both enjoyed spending a few hours at a friend's house.

Tuesday (11/8):  I am thankful for the time I was able to spend putting closets in order, rotating the girls clothes, and straightening up our home.

Wednesday (11/9):  I am thankful for washing machines and dryers and the quickness with which they do their work (especially on Grace's vomit-soaked linens and clothes).

A Summer-y Summary

Our Summer was rather jam-packed with lots of fun, yet random, activities.  Although I didn't capture most of our adventures on camera, I've gotten a few recorded, so I thought I'd show some of what we were up to the last few months.

Towards the end of the school year (did I mention Chris started teaching after his job on the Hill ended in December?), we hosted a good ol' Kazakh dinner, also known as a feast, with one of Chris' coworkers--who spent two years teaching in Almaty! One of her dear friends from Almaty is studying in the DC area, and we were pleased to have them both join us for dinner.  They brought a greek inspired salad, oliviya, bread, and homemade pelmini.  I made plov and manti.  It was an awesome meal!!

In June, Chris had some long days of teaching and helping box up the classrooms; I had to laugh when I found him asleep on the floor while the girls played.  Addie is a great "mommy" and covered him up with some of her blankets.

Addie and Grace each received a fluffy skirt for their birthday (from one of their aunts).  Addie loves her princess skirt and will hardly take it off each time she finds it.  Grace wasn't initially a fan--she fought the skirt and pulled it off as soon as she could--but she has since turned into a crazed fluffy skirt girl and freaks out each time she sees hers

Addie enjoys drawing on the sidewalk with her chunky chalk... Grace prefers to eat it.

With all our birthdays being in June, we had a lot of fun.  And sweets.  One of the best things about "birthday-palooza" is not having to cook.  We enjoyed a couple of free and extremely cheap dinners (To Go) which we naturally used as excuses for picnics in the park.

We finally enjoyed a family trip to a couple of nearby museums:

We had a grand time seeing a little bit of ourselves amongst the art:

As you can see above, on this particular day, there were two of these "pieces" present for observation.

My brother Josh has strong feelings about modern art.  This piece made me think of him...

We're always grateful for the opportunity to show friends around, it was fun visiting the museum and spending a little time with one of our friends.  If you didn't make it out to DC while we were there, I'm sorry, you definitely missed out. =D  The good news is that we hope to return in a few years, so make sure to book your trip then!

I finally got a picture of it... when I use my KitchenAid mixer the pin likes to slide out (I always push it back in).  Does anyone else have this problem???  Is there a solution??

In preparation for the possibility of our departure we had one last trip to Virginia Beach.  Among other things, we enjoyed a visit with Melinda:

A stop-in at my friend Susan's house:

At Susan's we enjoyed great fun, good food, and an awesome tutorial from her mother so that I can duplicate these dishes in the future:

My three favorite Indian women!

Before our departure we stopping in on our friends Dana and Jesse.  It was great fun catching up with them and getting yet another 3G comparison.  It's safe to say that these boys have passed Grace up.

Addie and Grace loved visiting with their Mimi and playing with their cousins Kirsten and Braelynn.

And we finally made it to the beach!!  This may be hard to believe, but with all our visits to Virginia Beach, this was our first to the actual beach.  It was a lot of fun!

We enjoyed a lot of these delicious cupcakes in June and then again at the end of July when I made a batch for someone who had done a lot to help us out.  I'm pretty sure we ate more than we should have, but we enjoyed every bite. ;)

As much as I love fresh berries, our frugal mindset hasn't allowed the justification to purchase them. Luckily we happened upon a small, wild, blackberry bramble that provided a nice taste of these sweet darlings every other day or so.  It was a small piece of heaven.

The crew walking to the blackberries:

This picture doesn't do my parking job justice, but I successfully managed a tight parallel parking job on a rather steep incline:

We had friends for dinner and I duplicated some of my newly learned Indian foods:

Grace discovered the dish rack and gave it a new purpose (consistently):

We made some big decisions and hit the road for Utah:

Note to Self:
It is better to be occupied than bored, so get out and do things!  At times it's the getting out that's fun, while other times it's the doing things that is fun... either way, it's fun!

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (10/27):  I am thankful for the opportunity to get out and bring the girls to a Halloween "parade" and trick-or-treat event at the law school.  I am also really thankful for all the help we had getting out the door so we could go!

Friday (10/28):  I am thankful for errands run without children!

Saturday (10/29):  I am thankful for sweet little Addie:  when it became clear that she needed a nap I took her downstairs and then endured one of the worst half-hours of my life as she threw her worst fit ever; as she finally made attempts to calm down she asked me to say a prayer to Heavenly Father for her--to ask Him to help her be happy.

Sunday (10/30):  I am thankful for a substantial (and much needed) nap.

Monday (10/31):  I am thankful that I was able to accompany the girls and go trick-or-treating with them--it was so much fun watching them throughout the process.

Tuesday (11/1):  I am thankful for the opportunity to get Addie together with our neighbor's daughter and that they live near enough that I could run back and forth during the playdate to check on Grace during her nap.

Wednesday (11/2):  I am thankful for clean laundry!

Sew Princess-y

When talk of Halloween costumes commenced, Addie was sure her costume was going to be a pink princess dress.  After the discovery of the costume box at Grandma's, Addie was quick to tell all inquirers that she was going to be a cat, witch, and a princess.  With ready access to a cat or witch costume I knew that when it came down to it, Murphy's law would come through and she would become fixated on being a princess.  So, I set about to please my three-year-old.

I took this cast-off in Aunt Kaitlyn's D.I. bag:

And sewed all day (and into the night) to turn it into this:

So that we could have one of these:

Not bad.

Note to Self:  Take lots of pictures on Halloween night so that when the three year old is old enough to appreciate your handiwork you will have lots of pictures for her to "Oohhh" and "Ahhh" over.


Note to Addie:  I'm giving you twenty five years, max, and then you better "Oohhh" and "Ahhh." ;)

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (10/20):  I am thankful for the ease with which dinner was pulled together--and I'm also grateful for some help thinking it up (and making it).

Friday (10/21):  I am thankful that the girls and I were able to join my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, Dora, and grandmother-in-law for errands and lunch at GranMarne`'s.

Saturday (10/22):  I am thankful that the girls were able to spend a time with their dad in the morning, and that he stayed with them and Dora in the evening, allowing me to accompany his mother to an enriching session of Stake Conference.

Sunday (10/23):  I am thankful for a *long* conversation with my mom getting lots of information about my ancestors so I can input names in the familysearch.org website.

Monday (10/24):  I am thankful for the suggestion that we take a trip to a nearby farm (free!) and that my mother-in-law was able to accompany us and that a new friend was able to meet us there too.

Tuesday (10/25):  I am thankful for trips to the library and that the girls are so happy to sit down and read (with and without me).

Wednesday (10/26):  I am thankful for all the time I was able to spend on the sewing machine when the ideas finally came for Addie's "princess" dress.

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (10/13):  I'm thankful that I was finally able to find a pair of tennis shoes for Addie, they are used, but hardly worn, and were super cheap--wahoo!

Friday (10/14):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to trek down to a law spouse activity (a playgroup outing) with another spouse.  It was fun getting to know her as we drove and walked the trail.

Saturday (10/15):  I'm thankful that I was able to get some cleaning done along with meal prep and various other "mom/housewife" tasks while keeping the three girls happy--by myself.  I'm also really thankful for the opportunity to stretch myself and overcome little "fears" about taking care of others.

Sunday (10/16):  I'm thankful for an abundance of fresh tomatoes that needed to be used.  Instead of making soup we had tomato sandwiches, and I was really happy about/grateful for the ease with which the meal came together. =)

Monday (10/17):  I'm thankful for a stop at the grocery store which enabled a visit to a nearby playground.

Tuesday (10/18):  I'm thankful for crock pots and foresight--when something came up around dinner time I wasn't worried.

Wednesday (10/19):  I'm thankful for the interaction between Dora, Addie, and Grace; their antics often inspire laughter and remind me to "lighten up" and play a little more.

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (10/6): I'm thankful for the "return" of my husband (after his being away since Monday morning) and a productive day clearing out boxes and organizing things a little better.

Friday (10/7):  I'm thankful for a date with my husband!!

Saturday (10/8):  I'm thankful for an invitation to join the birthday party of neighbors--Addie and Grace had a great time playing with the birthday kids (and their other guests) and Chris and I had a fun time too.

Sunday (10/9):  I'm thankful for a calling!  (Teaching in Relief Society!)

Monday (10/10):  I'm thankful for an early wakeup and a productive day.

Tuesday (10/11):  I'm thankful for a couple of fun finds at the thrift store and especially for the affordable price.

Wednesday (10/12):  I'm thankful for help from Chris' paternal Grandmother while I care for Chris' sister Dora and our two girls.

Thankful Thursday Returns

At the beginning of August we made the decision to move forward with going to law school in Utah.  Despite receiving admittance many months before, and having paid the seat deposit a few months prior, we weren't decided until 16 days before we needed to be there.  Various obligations, coupled with the start of orientation and classes, left us little time for packing, driving, and getting out west.  However, we did do it, and throughout the process I felt humbled by, and thankful for, all that others did to help us.  This is not a comprehensive list, but these are just some of the things we have felt grateful for these last weeks:

• Early help packing from one of my visiting teachers.
• Help from friends with the girls so that I could pack (on multiple occasions, from multiple friends).
• Bubble wrap.  I still have no idea who it was, but someone dropped bubble wrap by our house while we were out.  It was so nice to well protect some of our things while packing them away.
• A call from a friend one morning letting me know she was free for the day and asking if she could help with the girls or packing; her help was priceless!!!
• More offers for help than we could use!  So many friends approached us to offer help with the girls, packing, food, etc.
• Dinners with/from friends.  Monday through Thursday of our last week we were fed by the generosity of friends.  It was such a blessing to be able to focus on packing and not worry about food!
• My mom dropping everything to come up and help with the girls and packing for the last few days before we left.
• The willingness of friends and neighbors to come and help us pack the moving truck.
• Final goodbyes from our neighbors... we have been so blessed by friendships made with neighbors Chris met riding the bus.
• The generosity of our neighbors!  As we were getting ready to leave we realized we needed a jump start (the minivan battery died!), and two of our dear neighbor friends were present and offered to help.  Both went running back to their homes (even though we told one the other would help us) and returned with a set of jumper cables (which he insisted we take) and an arm full of road snacks.
• Kaitlyn!!!  Chris' family arranged to send someone out to help with the drive (driving a moving truck, a minivan, and keeping 2 girls happy on a 2,000 mile drive done in two stretches would've been impossible/overwhelmingly miserable without another adult!).  Kaitlyn's help was priceless.
• Books on tape (ok, cd).  Since returning to the DC area won't be in the cards for months (at the very least) we couldn't check out listening material from our local library...  So Chris' mom went to her local library and picked out a number of books on cd for us.  She let Kaitlyn pick out what she thought would be most interesting (while making a few suggestions).  Good listening materials are paramount when driving long distances... especially when one driver drives solo.
• The generosity of one of my former young women leaders; she and her family hosted us for a night on our journey across the States.  They fed us a great dinner and breakfast, entertained us with some great conversation, let us sleep in their comfortable beds, and sent us off with some delicious snacks.
• Lisa, Chris' mom, also sent along a set of walkie-talkies.  Unearthed some time ago, the walkie-talkies were really helpful to have so that we could communicate between vehicles while not using our cell phone minutes.
• Great road food!  Kaitlyn is a great traveler and she does things the way we like to:  cheap and tasty.  She contributed the food and we were all pretty grateful that it was the kind that kept us feeling good throughout our drive.
• After departing at 9pm on a Friday, we arrived safely in Utah at about 5 am the following Monday.  We were so glad to be finished driving and it was so nice to be welcomed so warmly by Chris' parents and youngest sister despite the early hour.  It was also really great to have beds ready for us so that we could get some real sleep!
• Bunking with the inlaws...  We are living with Chris' parents for this first year of law school.  I won't expound on every singled reason I am thankful to be living with them, but a significant one is that I have more support from family than I ever could have if it was just me, Chris, and the kids--I'm not a true "law school widow" and I'm grateful for that every day.
• The closeness of extended family.  I'm a Navy brat, so I've never really lived near any of my extended family.  It has been so nice to be close to the girls' grandparents and aunts (all even in the same house!), as well as Chris' extended family.
• Fruits and vegetables fresh from a family garden (or orchard).
• The opportunity to learn how to can fruits, jams, salsas, etc.
• A warm welcome from our new ward.
• An invitation to join some mothers at a park and get Addie acquainted with children her age.
• A neighbor across the street from us with children the same age as ours!!!
• Visits with friends from our past (recent & more distant).
• Chris is enjoying his studies!  (He kinda thought he wouldn't.)

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (7/28):  I'm thankful that Addie was able to join the story time at the library (although I didn't have her signed up until the day-of) and that she enjoys it so much!

Friday (7/29):  I'm thankful that Chris was able to get both our vacuum cleaners working again!  It sure is nice to not have to sweep our burbur carpet anymore... ;D

Saturday (7/30):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to return a favor and spend some time with a few children I don't know very well.

Sunday (7/31):  I'm thankful for the well prepared talks and lessons/presentations at church today.  And I'm also thankful for key lime cheesecake. Yummy.

Monday (8/1):  I'm thankful for some one-on-one time with Grace during Addie's nap... and that I didn't have to make dinner.

Tuesday (8/2):  I'm thankful for a nap of my own while the girls slept.

Wednesday (8/3):  I'm thankful that I was able to quickly locate boxes (thank you Pier 1!!).

If you are interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that specific post.

Thankful Thursday (x 3)

July 7th-13th
Thursday (7/7):  I'm thankful for all that I was able to accomplish throughout the day (in preparation for our drive to VB).  I am also incredibly grateful for Chris' help in the evening, he made our night-time departure possible and we enjoyed much talking, planning, and goal-setting on the drive down (the girls were asleep!!!).

Friday (7/8):  I'm thankful that we made it down to Virginia Beach and were able to enjoy a few activities and visits, including a little picnic in Mimi's sunflower garden and a visit to Melinda.

Saturday (7/9):  I'm thankful for friends who share their "prowess" in the kitchen so I can learn and grow as a cook (More Indian food!!!).

Sunday (7/10):  I'm thankful for our friends willingness to squeeze in a visit with us--we took leftovers to their home for lunch before heading to our (separate) 1 pm meetings.  It was a brief, but fun, visit.

Monday (7/11):  I'm thankful for a trip to the beach!  We *finally* managed to bring the girls to my hometown beach.  I'm also thankful for the free mini-slurpees we enjoyed afterward!

Tuesday (7/12):  I'm thankful for playgroup activities and Grace's "echo-locators" which helped me keep track of her at the busy sprayground.

Wednesday (7/13):  I'm thankful for a day to catch up and do a couple loads of laundry!


July 14th-20th
Thursday (7/14):  I'm thankful for the programs at our library; Addie went to the group for her age for the first time and it was fun peaking on her (it's sans-parents) and spending the time reading with Grace.

Friday (7/15):  I'm thankful for a friend's generous offer to treat the girls and I to lunch and Winnie-the-Pooh (in the theater!).  It was so much fun and Addie is STILL talking about the "BIG screen."

Saturday (7/16):  I'm thankful for a husband who is so willing to take over and help when I fall ill.

Sunday (7/17):  I'm thankful that I was well enough to teach my lesson in Relief Society.

Monday (7/18):  I'm thankful that Chris was able to help with the girls all morning long so I could work on recovering.

Tuesday (7/19):  I'm thankful for good reading material and continued recovery.

Wednesday (7/20):  I'm thankful for moments of sweetness and delight, courtesy of Addie and Grace.

July 21st-27th
Thursday (7/21):  I'm thankful for Chris' continued help, sacrifice, and service to help me recover.

Friday (7/22):  I'm thankful that when I woke up I was better!

Saturday (7/23):  I'm thankful that we were able to contribute to the baptism program of a new member to our ward.

Sunday (7/24):  I'm thankful for Chris and his increased ability to "just" be a compassionate listener (and not try and problem-solve--sometimes a girl just needs to be heard ;D).

Monday (7/25):  I'm thankful for errands run with ease!

Tuesday (7/26):  I'm thankful for four joy-filled years of marriage to someone that I respect, admire, and love.

Wednesday (7/27):  I'm thankful for time spent with Addie and Grace outside--at a park in the morning and with a friend at their pool in the evening.  It was so nice to be out of the house and enjoy a not-as-hot-as-it-has-been day.

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Thankful Thursday

Thursday (6/30):  I'm thankful for freshly baked bread (especially hot out of the oven!).

Friday (7/1):  I'm thankful for an evening invitation to join a couple of friends for a small barbecue/picnic at a "new" park.

Saturday (7/2):  I'm thankful for not-too-hot weather, good company, and lots of watermelon!

Sunday (7/3):  I'm thankful for the spirit felt at church--it helps me to feel uplifted and more prepared to be a better me as I begin a new week.

Monday (7/4):  I'm thankful for the country I live in and the many freedoms I enjoy, a few of which are:  free speech; the freedom to worship who, where, and how I please; the ability to vote and have a say in my community and government; the ability to have "the world at my fingertips"--to be as limited by birth, family, culture, religion, education, money, success, etc. as I believe I am/allow myself to be.

Tuesday (7/5):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve my friends in various ways (calling, friendship, travel, etc.) and to also be served by friends.

Wednesday (7/6):  I'm thankful for the longest nap I can recall Grace ever having (just over two and a half hours!!!)  I was able to get so much done and, afterwards, she was such a happy and contented baby!

For anyone who is interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that specific post.

It Began With A Stick

This evening we went on a short walk around our block and when Chris and Addie returned home they took a quick detour along the side of our house:

"Let's build a temple,"  Addie said, picking up a stick.  "We'll do it right here," then begins to poke the stick into the ground.

"Oh, we need a rock," she says and glances around looking until she finds a very small rock and begins to pound it on the stick.  Chris helps the stick stay firm and Addie says, proudly and decisively, "We will build a temple right here."

Then, wandering off,  "Let's find some big bricks..."

Yes, it's true.  While other children quote and re-enact Disney movies, my daughter chooses The Mountain of the Lord.

Note to Self:

• I apparently need to locate the nearest granite quarry...

Thankful Thursday

(The night flowers outside our door, they make me happy!)

Thursday (6/23):  I'm thankful for a day to catch up on things like laundry and cleaning.

Friday (6/24):  I'm thankful for a friend's expertise in dermatology (and that we had her over for dinner) when a burning rash suddenly broke out on my hand.

Saturday (6/25):  I'm thankful for our friends, we have been blessed with really awesome neighbors and great ward members who have all warmly welcomed and embraced us--and we're grateful for opportunities to spend time with them.

Sunday (6/26):  I'm thankful for bounteous leftovers which made it possible for me to do practically no meal preparations all day long.

Monday (6/27):  I'm thankful for an honestly great birthday and I am especially thankful for a husband that did so much to make that possible.

Tuesday (6/28):  I'm thankful for Chris!  I'm grateful that he was born and that he chose me to be his wife (and that I, in turn, chose him too) and I'm grateful that he's the father of my children!  I'm grateful that he was born and that he was born to the family he was, as they played a significant role in shaping him into the man he is today.

Wednesday (6/29):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to attend the temple and that I was able to help a friend get there too.

For anyone that is interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that specific post.  

Thankful Thursday, A Day Late

(This picture was taken while we were in Kazakhstan)

Thursday (6/16):  I'm thankful for a yard to play in when we have difficulty getting out early enough to go to a park or playground.

Friday (6/17):  I'm thankful for the sudden release of stress when our guests were unable to make it for dinner.

Saturday (6/18):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to help a friend visit DC and that we were able to have a really good experience there as a family (no chaos, and we visited more than one museum!).

Sunday (6/19):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to celebrate my awesome husband--and father of my two children--I am especially grateful for his good humor throughout his not-so-perfect day. =D  I am also really grateful for the opportunity to substitute for Addie's nursery class, I wasn't too enthusiastic about it, but it was really interesting/fun/amusing to see her in her "element."

Monday (6/20):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to go to a museum with a friend and her sons.  I'm especially grateful for all her extra preparations and willingness to be flexible.

Tuesday (6/21):  I'm thankful for an unexpected invitation to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform on Wednesday.

Wednesday (6/22):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to help one friend while visiting another, and that sharing some of my life experiences (negative and positive) was helpful to her.
 
For anyone that is interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that specific post.  

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (6/9):  I'm thankful for the opportunity to slow things down and take it easy when Grace started showing signs of sickness.

Friday (6/10):  I'm thankful for these girls of ours and all the joy they bring into our lives and family.  Although I was so hopeful for separate birthdays, I'm also grateful they share a birthday so that I can learn to make each feel special on their special day!

Saturday (6/11):  I'm thankful for all the friends who were willing to take the time to come to the girls' birthday party and share in the fun, and I'm especially grateful for an awesome friend that helped me make it happen with the use of her home and kitchen.

Sunday (6/12):  I'm thankful for special blessings given when we accept new responsibilities at church (and that I remember to get mine, and be officially "set-apart" before giving my first lesson!).

Monday (6/13):  I'm thankful for leftover cupcakes and a newly discovered chocolate frosting "recipe"/combination.

Tuesday (6/14):  I'm thankful that Addie easily fell asleep when nap time came around--and I'm thankful for playgroup enabling that to happen!

Wednesday (6/15):  I'm thankful for sidewalk chalk we were gifted last year and silly games of hide-and-seek outside.

For anyone that is interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that post's page.  

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (6/2):  I'm grateful for the effectiveness of planning ahead--in less than two hours I was able to stop at four different places and complete my gift shopping, grocery shopping, and price checking for the week.

Friday (6/3):  I'm grateful for the opportunity to have friends over whom we do not visit with often or know really well--it was a lot of fun getting to know them better; I am also grateful for all that I was able to accomplish in preparation for a friend's baby shower. 

Saturday (6/4):  I'm grateful for all that I was able to do (throw a baby shower, attend another an hour later, return home and prepare for a Kazakh feast with new Kazakh-loving friends) despite some serious sleep deprivation

Sunday (6/5):  I'm grateful our brunch plans fell through (Hello, Fast Sunday!) and that Chris did so much to help me recover from a few days worth of sleep deprivation.

Monday (6/6):  I'm grateful for the visit of a dear friend who showers me (us) with gifts, love, and adult conversation.

Tuesday (6/7):  I'm grateful for a serendipitous arrival to the playgroup area which enabled me to help a friend find the hard-to-locate playground.

Wednesday (6/8):  I'm grateful for a barefoot walk around the block with my husband after the girls fell asleep for the night.

For anyone that is interested, share your own Thankful Thursday post; when entering the address please copy and paste the address of that post's page.  I'm trying a new linky/meme, so we'll see how it works! 

Here Comes Trouble!

Note to Self:  My baby is becoming less of a baby with each passing day...

Thankful Thursday

Thursday (5/26):  I'm grateful for naps "stolen" when I help Grace go to sleep.

Friday (5/27):  I'm grateful for the opportunity to do a kid swap and enjoy a few hours without children; I am also grateful for emails from two dear friends I don't speak to often enough.  It's amazing how just hearing from much-loved friends can brighten your day!

Saturday (5/28):  I'm grateful for time at the temple, and that I was able to plan my trip so I could be there with my parents and their stake (the stake I grew up in) and see so many people I love (who love me too!).  I am also grateful for time spent rolling, cuddling, and laughing on the floor with Grace and Addie after their naps.

Sunday (5/29):  I'm grateful that we have a minivan and were able to bring another family to church... and that doing so enabled us to get to church early (ten minutes!!).

Monday (5/30):  I'm grateful for our ward's Memorial Day breakfast, it was a nice way to be reminded of the reason for the holiday, and I'm also grateful that a neighbor family was able to join us.

Tuesday (5/31):  I'm grateful for "spraygrounds"  (playgrounds with a sprinkler/water system), especially on hot days!

Wednesday (6/1):  I'm grateful for the opportunity to prepare dinner and have it ready to cook by 3:30 pm (!).

For anyone that is interested, I have included a linky so that you can share your own Thankful Thursday post, just copy and paste the address to that specific page.  We'll see how this goes (and if I can find a free one after the 30-day trial ;D)! 

Our Favorite Hoover on the Market

We received this little Hoover about a year and a half ago, and it has since seen a lot of play by the girls and their friends.  The kids love its three yellow attachments and the purr of its motor. 

But over the last few months it has had increasing competition.  From this Hoover:

This model Hoover has been around for almost a year and doesn't come with any of her own attachments--but, as you can see , she's able to make good use of any attachment currently on the market:

This newer Hoover comes with a "peaches and cream" body which is customizable with various fabrics.  It should also be noted, that "it" does an impeccable job of removing tiny bits and crumbs from the floor, corners, and a variety of hard to reach places.

Have you seen a cuter vacuum?

Finally, it's true... this model is no longer available as a canister (crawling) model, but as an upright (walking) model:

Note to Self:  It's time to do some more baby-proofing.