Borrowed Baby Gear

Okay, so traveling with a baby means you bring a lot of stuff.  You need to pack enough outfits.  You need to pack enough burp rags.  You need to pack enough toys... 

And then there's the stuff you just decide to leave at home, because it's cost-inhibitive (or space-inhibitive) to take them.  You know, like the stroller.  Or the jumper chair.  Or the changing table.  Or the crib. 

If you drive, perhaps you have fewer space restraints.  We flew, though...  So we had to be choosy.  Even then, my husband, upon seeing the 10+ outfits I'd packed for the baby, said, "10 outfits!?!  Wow.  That's an awful lot." 

I think he was willing to take back that statement when we changed her out of her first outfit at the airport on the way out.... since she pooped before we even boarded the airporter (but we didn't know it until we were already on it and driving...). 

But anyway...  You end up traveling not-so-light.  Even without the pack and play or stroller.  And those are seriously important items when you're already out of your own element (and the baby is out of hers as well). 

But I happen to have some seriously awesome friends in Alabama.  And they have come to my rescue.  We have been loaned a pack & play as well as a stroller by two of the most amazing women I know.  They are so good to us. 

I am so grateful for the borrowed baby gear.  Because my girl needs her own space (she's used to it!  And she doesn't do well without it!).  And it's so nice not to have to pack her around everywhere in the front pack!  A back needs a break every now and again :).  The stroller is awesome -- and even better is that she is thrilled with it!  She is able to enjoy some strolls around the neighborhood (and possibly the UA campus).  This awesomeness -- and the women who made it happen -- have made our trip all the more pleasant.  And I really am grateful :).

What are you grateful for today?

A Good-Flying Baby

So I have to be brief today.  Because it's been a long couple of days.  And I'm running on maybe 3 hours of sleep I got this afternoon, after we reached my dad's.  And 3 hours may be a generous guesstimate. 

But my grateful for the day is a good-flying baby :)...  What is that?  Well, a baby who does way better than we could have hoped on her first flight (and 2nd).  And when the first flight is when she should be well on her way to dreamland (and she hasn't had a wink of sleep before boarding!), it's even more impressive.  I was seriously worried we would be the most hated passengers on the red-eye last night; but thankfully, our sweet girl was very quiety and nobody's sleep was interrupted much -- if at all.  Well, except maybe mine and Daddy's...  But, still.  Awesome that we aren't hated ;).

What are you grateful for today?

Vacation

 

Life is great.  But even a great life needs something a little out of the ordinary every once in a while :).  Something to look forward to (yes, I know I ended that sentence with a preposition...  And the next one too.).  And that's where vacations come in!  Sometimes you just need time away from the hustle and bustle (or the hum-drum) of every day life.  Time to get out of the routine.  Time to go away and do something fun.  See fun people.  Eat yummy food you can't get every day.

And we are going to do just that!  Tonight we fly to Alabama.  And let me tell you, if there are to be days where I struggle to pick just one grateful item, it will be the next 8 days...  And so they may have to spill over to our return to reality ;).  And that's okay.

But today, I'm grateful for vacations.  Grateful that we have the opportunity to go.  Grateful for the excitement.  Nervous about flying with a baby overnight (maybe I should offer an apology before take-off??).  But oh-so-excited to be going.

One thing I know for sure:  this vacation is going to rock the Nilla Life :).

What are you grateful for today?

Throwback 80's Cereals!

Yes, I am completely serious.  These are "grateful-worthy" :).  Because they totally made my day!! 

I don't know what it is about me and sugary, bad-for-you cereals; but I love them.  I know I shouldn't.  But I do.  They are on the expensive side, though.  And I've become miserly.  So I rarely buy anything but Raisin Bran (from Costco) these days, unless I get a phenomenal sale. 

And I don't know what it is about me and the 80s.  But I love that decade.  The music, the movies, the fads, the TV shows.  The cereals.  Pretty much every year since we started doing the Halloween party (except this year), I have bought Boo Berry cereal to make Boo Berry treats (a la rice krispie treats).  And the box of the cereal was a new design.  So when I went to Target the other day and saw these, I about died.  (Okay, that's a little exaggerated.)  But seriously!  The throwback box!?!  It was all I could do to tear myself away without making a purchase.  I admit, I was a little heart-broken.

So imagine my surprise when the mail lady rang my doorbell today and I got a package.  And inside was a box of every single one.  It was like Christmas, I kid you not.  I've never tried the mummy one or the frute brute, but I'm looking forward to the experience :)...

Yep, they are a guilty pleasure, but they made my day.  And I'm grateful for them.  And for the awesome 80s-loving friend who sent them for my birthday :)...  But she's getting her own grateful post one of these days.  Because she's just that awesome :).

What are you grateful for today?

My Savior and His Atonement

I guess that seems like two things for which to be grateful today, but I don't think I could separate them.  He is who He is because of what He did for me.  For you.  For everyone.

So to not make this "grateful" among my first was a conscious decision.  Not because I am not grateful beyond words for both my Savior and His Atonement, but because it is an obvious one to me, and one I planned to set aside for those days where I may feel blah and have a hard time thinking of something.

But as I sat in Relief Society today and heard the teacher say something like, "Even if you feel like you have nothing else to be grateful for in your prayers, be grateful for the Atonement," it actually hit me really hard: Why haven't I taken a day to express my gratitude for this?  Is this not one of the most important parts of my life -- if not THE most important?

I am not saying I don't have a lot for which to be grateful.  I've barely scratched the surface in the three weeks I've been doing this.  But my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Atonement He performed are of utmost importance to me.  They influence all other aspects of my life.

It is because of the Atonement that I can be forgiven.  That I have been forgiven.  I have made probably a million (or more) mistakes in my life.  Some small.  But some quite large.  And it is because of the Savior and His Atonement that I have been able to repent of those things and be forgiven.  I have been able to feel the weight of guilt lifted from my shoulders.  I know what it feels like to let go of a burden of sin.

It is because of the Atonement that I can be healed.  I have had heart-ache in my life.  I have had moments of extreme devastation.  Moments I felt so broken I didn't believe anything could heal me.  But as I learned to rely on my Savior and His Atonement, I felt the healing power of that sacred act.  I know what it feels like when broken things are mended.

It is because of the Atonement that I can do hard things.  I believe in the enabling power of the Atonement.  I believe that, when something feels like too much for me to bear, I can turn to my Savior for help.  That through His grace and through His Atonement, I will receive the help and strength I need to have.  I know what it feels like to have strength beyond my own to persevere when life is hard.

Through His Atonement, my Savior has offered me all of these things.  But He offers me so much more as well.  He offers me an example of what kind of person I want to be.  He offers me His love -- a love I don't completely comprehend.  He offers me hope.  

And, because I remembered something I wrote many years ago that seems so appropriate to this post, I will include it here:

And, because it is Easter, I feel like I should share something much deeper than the mundane details (and faux pas) of my daily life. So, as I was driving home from Brad's, a memory popped into my head about an insight I gained once. It had more to do with the Savior's Atonement than His Resurrection, but as those two things are kind of tightly intertwined, I feel that this is applicable. I can remember very vividly walking around FoodMaxx in Tuscaloosa the day before I was to head to Dothan for Thanksgiving in 2006. I'd been in Tuscaloosa for about 3 weeks at that point -- and I was so very alone. So, so very alone. It had been almost 6 months since my divorce -- a wound that was still very, very fresh. And I was in such emotional anguish. I can remember walking down the frozen aisle -- not even sure why I was there at this point -- and thinking, "I feel like I can barely hold up under the emotional pain and anguish I'm feeling right now. How did the Savior bear every single pain, sorrow, grief, sickness, and sin of not only me, but of the world? How could He stand it? I cannot even begin to fathom that, because I can barely hold up under this small bit of right now -- nevermind my past and my future." It remains one of the most poignant moments of my life -- that realization of just what my Savior did for me. "Surely He has borne [my] griefs and carried [my] sorrows." And though I cannot fully understand how He was able to do it -- nor need I understand -- I know that He did. And He did it, because He loved me. And because He loved every single person who ever has been and ever will be born. And He did it so that we could return to be with our Heavenly Father. And He was allowed to feel that anguish -- mine, as well as yours, so that he would "know... how to succor his people." Through His Atonement, He broke the bands of spiritual and physical death. And I have every reason to know I am forever blessed because of it.  

He is my Savior.  And yours.  And I am so grateful for Him and all He has done for me.

What are you grateful for today?

Theme Parties

Okay, so I love to plan stuff.  Event-type things.  And one of the things I have done almost every year since I moved to Washington is plan a Halloween Party for my family.  In the last couple of years, it's been more for the kids, so the focus has changed some and we've done things like candy-corn bingo.  Tonight we had our Halloween Party, and this is the first year we had nieces and nephews from both my side of the family and my husband's side.  And this year, I think I was most excited about the "touch boxes" I made (and found on Pinterest). 

A large part of my parties centers around food.  (Have I mentioned yet that I am a total foodie?).  So tonight we had jack-o-lantern grilled cheese, mummy hot dogs, green slime dip, jello worms, eyeball deviled eggs, candy-corn fruit cups, and ghost rice krispie treats with orange soda (decorated like a jack-o-lantern).  I don't know, there's just something fun about themed food in my world...

I've planned an 80's party where we had foods named after things of the 80s (like "oreo truffle shuffle" and "Pretty in Pink lemonade").  I planned a party with my friend April based on the sitcom "The Office" back in its heyday.  This included a Dwight pen in jello and a kitty litter cake, and bacon -- from an episode in which one of the characters grilled his own foot on his George Forman grill -- and a few other things. 

I don't know, I just think it's fun!  It's one of the areas I sometimes feel creative :).  And part of the fun is in the planning, at least for me. 

So I'm grateful for opportunities to plan and participate in theme parties.  They are one of the bright spots in my very blessed life :).

What are you grateful for today?

Cloth Diapers

Well, I'll be frank:  we are primarily disposable diaper people.  We have been since our little girl was born.  Fortunately, we received a lot of diapers as baby gifts, and so we still haven't had to buy diapers.  But that day is rapidly approaching when we will (and our vacation will necessitate it sooner, because I'm not packing an entire package that I can just buy there...). 

I should also mention that, before the baby was born, I had told my husband that I would consider cloth diapers... eventually.  I never gave a specific time-frame, but was clear that it would be considered only after I had figured out how to be a mom.  I didn't need one more thing I had to figure out thrown in there.  (Kudos to our moms for using cloth diapers from day one, back when disposable diapers were too expensive for their budget -- seriously, my hat is off to them.)  (Also, I should say that I am not saying I've figured out how to be a mom, necessarily.  Just that I at least have gotten to know our munchkin enough to anticipate things :)).  So my husband had brought up the subject a while back, and I still wasn't really willing to commit to anything. 

But then the whole government shut-down scare happened.  And my little family was affected.  Or at least we thought we would be.  And I may be a touch on the alarmist/dramatic side; because upon hearing my husband was working with a promise of payment eventually, but not at the expected time, I immediately started thinking about ways we could cut back on our spending, or use the money to stock up on essentials.  Cloth diapers weren't exactly at the top of my list of ways to save money (but less expensive meals were, and if I'm going that route, you know I'm concerned...  I like food).  But then I got a call from a friend whose husband was in the same boat, and whose kids are all now potty trained.  Would I like to use her cloth diapers to save a bit of money?  And so I figured: why not give it a try?  So she gave me her diapers along with her extra money-saving tips, and I determined to try it out. 

Funny enough, my husband is not sold on them.  And it's true, they are way less convenient.  (Especially when she poops in the cloth diapers).  But they are saving us some money.  Because even though my husband's paycheck was never interrupted, thankfully, I do still have a budget we set up and agreed to use.  And so this is letting my grocery budget (where I budgeted the diapers) stretch further.  Now, I have chosen to cloth diaper only when we are home (and we're not taking them on vacation), but most days that means we use a maximum of 3 disposable diapers.  And I figured it out... If we use 3 disposables every day and cloth diapers the rest of the time, we would only use a box of Costco diapers every 2 months.  And that's not bad.

So yeah, even though they aren't my favorite thing in the world, I am grateful for the cloth diapers.  And for my friend Christina who lent them to me.

And it really doesn't hurt that tonight, while our munchkin was sporting her bulky cloth diaper (made bulkier by the extra money saving tips), I was reminded of a certain Sir Mix-A-Lot song.  Because this baby [had] back.  Hahaha.

What are you grateful for today?

Baby Snuggles

For about the first two and a half months of her life, our baby girl wanted to be held constantly.  She would not sleep during the day unless she was sleeping on me.  And at night...  At night, I had to hold her for about 30 minutes after she fell asleep -- until she was in a deep sleep -- before I could put her down and have a hope that she wouldn't awaken the minute her body touched her mattress.  And this happened every time she woke up to eat.

Those were hard days.  Not because I didn't enjoy holding that sweet baby.  But because I got so little sleep, and I felt like a walking zombie most of the time.  Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I needed to cherish those moments, even in spite of my desire to be able to crawl into bed as soon as possible and get some sleep.  But I knew those moments would be fleeting.  And I knew I would miss them.

And I do.  Because our little angel puts herself to sleep now.  She just started doing it on her own one night.  And while the sleep has been a wonderful thing, I do miss the feeling of my sweet baby sleeping on me. 

But when she's really tired, at the end of the day, I still get my baby snuggles.  We finish her bottle in the glider in her room, and I put her up on my shoulder and she snuggles into the crook of my neck and dozes with her little arms splayed out across my neck and arm.  And I whisper to her how much I love her as I sit there gliding.  I thank her for being my sweet little girl.  I tell her how thankful I am she is mine.  Sometimes I sing to her.  I tell her what a blessing she is in my life.  I tell her that I know she'll grow up and we'll have our moments -- like all mothers and daughters do, but that I will always love her.  No matter what. 

And while I want so much to sit there and hold her all night now -- even if it means no sleep for me -- I know there are still "mommy chores" to do.  Dishes to wash.  Bottles to wash.  Laundry to fold.  And so I put her in her crib and let her sleep.

But for those few minutes each night, I hold my baby and cherish her snuggles.  For those few moments, it's just her and me.  In those few moments, my day becomes complete.

What are you grateful for today?

Lea (and Chuck and Morgan and Xavier)

Today I ate a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash brown patties, and biscuits.  And orange juice.  It was all cooked by Lea (well, not the orange juice).  And it was delicious. 

Lea is one awesome friend.  And she just might kick my tail for making her my "grateful" for today.  But I really am grateful for her and for her friendship. 

We met in 2010 while I was working at a library.  It was within my first week of work that she came over to me and said, "Okay, so when do we get to ask you personal questions?"  I think those were almost the first words she ever spoke to me.  And from that, a beautiful friendship blossomed. 

We've walked together (both outdoors as well as to Walk Away the Pounds).  Laughed together.  Driven to work functions together (and gotten lost en route together).  We've seen plays together.  The Harry Potter exhibit together.  Done Seattle together (and she knows what I look like when I chew gum).  We've bought ridiculously expensive nachos together (seriously -- $12 each... at the movie theatre).  We've watched softball games together.  We've done Monday Meals together.  We've sung, I always feel like somebody's watching me together.  And we've learned CPR together.  We've watched Scrubs together.  Enjoyed the great 2010 power-outage in November together.  Survived the "Tundra" together.  And then survived a drive in The Beast together.  We've eaten gray hot dogs together (but not the ones with garbage can germs... Chuck).

It is because of her and her awesome family that I understand some people's love of heat-lamp food and taco trucks on the side of the road.  It's why I can imagine a variety of foods shaped like a log.  And why I know Tucker is always second.  Or that it's okay to walk around the grocery store like an ape.

The list of memories goes on.  I am just eternally grateful that I met Lea while working at the library  And I'm so glad we've continued our friendship past my employment there.  She and her family are near and dear to my heart.  She invited me into her life and allowed me to share in some special times with her family, such as Duke and Duchess crownings, and high school graduations.  Going to her house is always so fun and her home just feels homey.  It is one of my favorite places to be.  Probably partially because I know I'll laugh a lot there and have a great time making memories.

Yep, I'm grateful for Lea -- and not just because she cooked me a wonderful breakfast today ;). 

And oops!  I forgot one:  We've danced crazily to Jessie's Girl together.  Because, after all... It's only fun when it's fun.

What are you grateful for today?

Being a Stay-At-Home Mom

This particular "grateful" item encompasses so many others...  

Ever since I was young, I imagined I would be a stay-at-home mom.  Perhaps this is because it's what my mom did (until we were all in school, at which point she started working with the school system); and it was just what moms did, in my mind.  I know I used to plan to go to college.  To get a degree.  To become a teacher and maybe even teach for a couple of years.  But I always figured I would marry and have children and be home with them.

But life doesn't always happen the way you plan it when you're a little girl.  With age comes experience, knowledge, and hopefully wisdom.  And as I grew into adulthood, I didn't just want to be a stay-at-home mom because I just imagined that as my life.  I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom because I felt somewhere inside of me that it was what I really wanted.  What would be best for my children.  But for many years, it looked like it may not happen for me.  And I yearned for it.

Thankfully, after years of waiting, Heavenly Father helped me find my husband.  And one of our earliest discussions was about the importance of our children having their mom at home. I'm so grateful that my husband not only supports, but encourages, this desire of mine.  I'm so thankful it was as important to him as it was to me. 

And I'm so grateful we have the financial means to allow it to be.  Because I know that there are many women who would love to be home with their children, but can't for a variety of reasons. And I applaud those women, because there are days I can't imagine having to juggle a job with being a mom.  Those women possess a strength I don't know if I have.

What I've discovered in my almost five months of being a stay-at-home mom is that it is work.  I always knew it would be.  But, just like I didn't understand how intense motherhood would be before I got here, I also didn't fully understand the magnitude of work that comes with being a stay-at-home mom.  It is more than a full-time job.  It doesn't end at 5 p.m.  It doesn't have weekends off. 

But it is the best "job" I've ever had. 

Because when I look over at my baby girl playing with her toys after her morning feeding, and she looks at me and smiles...  When I am changing her diaper and I giver her tummy a raspberry and she giggles...  When I rock her before her naps and she snuggles me for a few minutes before I put her into her crib...  I melt.  And that's worth more than any paycheck I could ever receive. How grateful I am I get to experience it all.

What are you grateful for today?

Free Icing Buckets

Yes, empty ones.  (Although I'm sure the icing is plenty yummy ;)). 

So we have been counseled by prophets and apostles to have a supply of long-term food storage.  This supply would be useful in many different circumstances from wide-spread events such as serious natural disasters (think about Hurricane Katrina or the tsunami and earthquake in Japan in 2011) to individual personal tragedies, such as job loss or government shut-downs.  Having a supply of food can be a financial help as well as something for peace of mind. 

And my husband and I want to follow the counsel and become prepared.

To become prepared, we are working on storing many staples like rice, wheat, oats, milk, flour, sugar...  You get the idea.  And for convenience, we want to put them in buckets.  Do you know how expensive food-grade buckets are if you buy them brand new?  They are pretty pricey, when you start adding it all up.  We know, because we've checked.  But my mother-in-law told us that we can get icing buckets at bakeries!  So I have been going to the grocery store bakeries and asking if they have any empty icing buckets.  And I have been hitting the jack-pot!  What a blessing to not have to buy them!  Sure, it takes some effort to clean out the buttery icing residue...  But they are still free!  And we can store our long-term food items and become better prepared. 

What a weight to have lifted off our shoulders, knowing that, in the event of another government shutdown and the possibility of my husband not getting a paycheck on time (or at all), we will still have what we need.  And how grateful I am to have tools to help us, such as empty icing buckets we got for free :).

What are you grateful for today?

Freedom of Religion

Sunday.  Almost every Sunday for as long as I can remember, I have attended church.  And it has always been the church of my (or my parent's) choice.  And the truth is this:  I have taken that for granted -- the ability to attend church wherever I want to.  The ability to worship however I desire.

And if I'm being completely honest,sometimes I am guilty of feeling like Sundays are just a big hassle.  Afternoon church means a grumpy baby who misses naps.  Church sometimes means rushing to make sure we're ready on time. 

And I completely ignore the fact that just being able to go to church is a blessing, a privelege.  A thing not everyone gets to enjoy.  Something that others might wish they had the freedom to do.  And I realize that I am blessed to live in a country -- to have always lived in a country -- where I can worship according to my heart's desire.  Publicly.  Without fear of government punishment.  And then I realize I have never really appreciated this privilege at all.  Because it's always been there. 

Hopefully I am learning to be more grateful for the things I've always had and for which I've never had to yearn.  And hopefully I will remember to teach my children that freedom of religion is a blessing -- a thing to cherish and recognize.  Hopefully they will learn early what it has taken me all my life to learn.

One of the things we believe in my faith is this:  "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith 11) (emphasis mine).

How grateful I am that we can make such a statement, because we live in a land that allows it.  How grateful I am that I can live it.

What are you grateful for today?

A Good Harvest

Lame picture for a good harvest, I know... 

Except that this is shredded zucchini I was "forced" to shred and freeze because I couldn't use the stuff fast enough!  We had zucchini aplenty this year.  We shared some, ate some, and shredded and froze a lot.  And it's nice, because anytime I want to make some zucchini bread (like today), I jut dig out one of the 20 or so bags of frozen zucchini we have stashed in our deep freezer and, voila!  I have the makings of a delicious couple of loaves of zucchini bread :).  (Well, plus a few other ingredients ;))...  I also use it to make zucchini brownies (which are really more like chocolate cake). 

In addition to our prolific zucchini, we also got quite the harvest of oblong tomatoes (bigger than grape tomatoes, but the same shape).  And several pumpkins...  Unfortunately, in all my genius, I managed to get ornamental ones...  So not a whole lot of use to me for pumpkin pie.  But still...  They did grow! 

Anyway, I am particularly thankful that we got so much out of our garden this year, because we were really horrible at tending it.  This is because we live in an apartment, so the garden was actually at my grandmother's house.  And I wasn't so great at getting over there with a newborn...  But what we got, we've either used or frozen.  So to me, it is saving us a little bit of money.  My tomatoes were scalded, peeled, chopped and frozen -- and now replace canned diced tomatoes in soups and such (thereby also cutting back on the sodium).  My zucchini that is shredded and frozen awaits being turned into yummy delicacies (possibly some of which will be part of Christmas presents...).  I really am grateful for having the opportunity to have a garden and reap the harvest.  Every year, it's a blessing to our little family.

What are you grateful for today?

Fall

I love Fall.  For so many reasons. 

The beauty of it is amazing.  The yellows and oranges and reds where once there were greens.  And, especially here in Washington -- the evergreen state -- those beautiful colors are contrasted against the greens that remain.  It's absolutely breath-taking, in  my opinion.  This is a small tree outside of our apartment complex.  I noticed its vibrancy the other day and my eyes are drawn to it every time I pass by now. 

The feel of Fall is another cherished thing in the Nilla Life.  I love the weather as it changes.  The crisp coolness in the air.  The sure indication that the Christmas season is coming (and isn't there just something magical about that time of year?). 

I love the promise of all the other Fall goodness to come.  The family get-togethers.  The apple cider.  The egg nog.  The pumpkin pie.  The hot chocolate.  (Yes, I am aware most of these things are foodie items...  No, I'm not ashamed of that ;)). 

I'm grateful for such a wonderful time of year.  And I'm grateful I can enjoy it in so many ways!

What are you grateful for today?

The Jumper Chair

I know it's a small thing, but this jumper chair makes life grand.  For me because I have a place to put my munchkin that she loves.  For my munchkin, because she loves it!  Seriously.  She's always liked it and been content.  But lately she figured out just how to jump in it, and she has just gone to town!  It is so much fun to listen to her squeal in delight as she jumps up and down again and again and again and again.  I think she gets her exercise.

And so, while she's entertained getting her exercise, I can get mine too (by walking to an exercise DVD on those days I just don't feel like going through the production of getting everything ready to go outside...).

This also is great for hanging in the bathroom doorway so Mommy can get a shower.  I used to put her in her vibrating chair in the bathroom, but she never lasted long...  She always got fussy within minutes of my shower beginning.  The jumper chair, though, is something that always keeps her happy for the duration of my shower.  In fact, the only time she gets tired of it is when she's tired in general and ready for a nap. 

So yeah, I love the jumper chair.  I'm grateful for it.  (Vapid as that may sound.)  It has made mommy-hood a whole lot easier :)!

What are you grateful for today?

The Sisterhood of Relief Society

Tonight was a Relief Society activity.  And though my day was hectic and going tonight wreaked a bit of havoc on our little miss's bedtime routine, I'm really glad I went :).

You see, the great thing is that all these sisters have so much to offer me.  I learned a lot tonight, in addition to just being out and enjoying the company of other women.  We are a sisterhood, and we are able to lift and educate one another with our various abilities and knowledge.  It's amazing.

Tonight I tasted a new recipe that is delicious and exotic tasting and vegan (and probably more healthy than many things I make) and I got the recipe and plan to make it again!  (I even brought a little sample home for the husband and he liked it too, so definitely going to try it!).

I learned how to cut an onion so that it's not so annoying (I have actually gone to dehydrated onion about 85% of the time, because I loathe cutting onions.

I got to eat some very yummy home-made bread (and who doesn't love that!?!).

I got some great tips on ways to encourage my children to eat their veggies (I loved these ideas!  I'm so not a creative mom, and I am glad there are women out there who are and who are really great at finding fun ways for kids to do not-so-fun things!!!)

And I laughed a lot about the cookies that tasted.... healthy.  (Because they were -- apparently no butter or sugar).  And for the record, I liked the chocolate ones quite a bit (made with avocado!).

And all of these things are because of the sisterhood of Relief Society.  And I am grateful to be a member of such a great Society of women.

What are you grateful for today?

The Baby We Lost

 

Today is pregnancy and infant loss awareness day.  And the picture above is the only picture I have that serves as "proof" that I was pregnant for a short time in May and June of 2012.  The baby stopped growing at 6 weeks, but we didn't find out until about 6 weeks later.  And it was heart-breaking.  But in those short 6 weeks, the baby we lost gave me many things; and I am grateful.

 

This baby gave me knowledge that my body could conceive a baby.  Prior to this baby, due to a hormonal imbalance, I was not sure if I would ever be able to.  And it was something over which I agonized for many years.  But this baby showed me I could.  This baby gave me hope.

 

This baby made me a mommy in many ways.  Our precious baby girl that we are blessed to have now has made me a mommy in many other ways, of course.  But this baby made me a mommy too.  This baby changed my body.  I knew I was pregnant, even before I took the pregnancy test to verify.  This baby changed me.

 

And because of the loss of the baby, I became more compassionate.  More empathetic to others who have suffered a loss.

 

This baby was, and is, a blessing.  And though I don't have all the answers to everything, I do believe this baby is waiting for us -- and that I am actually a mother of two right now.  We don't know if the baby was a boy or a girl, but I believe the baby is ours -- should we do all we need to to have him (or her) in the eternities.  (Truthfully, I'm leaning toward the possibility the baby was a boy because of a dream my husband had recently).  And as I watch our little girl grow and develop, I think more often of the baby we lost.  Not in sadness, but in hope.

 

Today and always I am grateful for the baby we lost.  Grateful that Heavenly Father would give us the gift of this baby.  I couldn't agree more with this quote:  "Each new life, no matter how brief, forever changes the world."  (Thank you Stacy, for finding such a beautiful thought... I borrowed it from you.)

 

What are you grateful for today?

Warm Showers

I often joke, saying I was born in the right century; because I like my indoor plumbing.  It's not really a joke.  Aside from a few experiences at Girls' Camp or family camping -- or one really cold night in December in Alabama in 2000 when our water heater was broken (but I still had to have my shower), I have always been blessed to have warm showers. 

And maybe it did occur to me, during that frigid shower in Alabama, that I am grateful for warm showers.  But, even if it didn't then, it occurred to me recently while I was in one of those warm showers, enjoying a few minutes of quiet time while the steam rose around me and the water poured over me.  Do you ever feel so nice in a warm shower that you wish you could just stand there forever (and it wouldn't use up all the hot water -- or turn your skin sort of lobster-looking?)?  It occurred to me that this seemingly small thing, one I have enjoyed my entire life, is something for which to be grateful.  Because, even today, there are people in this world who do not have the blessing of indoor plumbing; so they don't get daily showers period, much less warm ones. 

I'm not sure what made me think about how grateful I am for warm showers that day.  I think it was just feeling the warmth on a particularly chilly day.  And thinking about someone I know who still stands under a cold shower at the end of his warm shower to remind him of a time when he didn't have warm showers -- to help him remember that a warm shower is something for which to be grateful.  Would I be willing to do this? 

Warm showers make me happy.  It's what I consider the end to my day (even though it rarely ever is).  I feel like the warm shower washes away the stresses of the day, big or small, and gives me time to unwind.  And so today, like every day now, I am grateful for warm showers.

What are you grateful for today?

Sunny Days

Now, please don't mistake my appreciation for sunny days with an appreciation for hot ones.  The two do not mix well, in my book :)...  (The heat of the summertime South is probably the only item I have to put on my list of why I wouldn't want to move back there...).  But a beautiful sunny day in the Fall or Spring...  Now there's something to be grateful for!  Especially in Washington State.

I think I started to really appreciate sunny days more after moving here.  Because, let's be honest:  most of the year, it's pretty overcast and drizzly in these parts.  I didn't realize how wonderful and beautiful the sunshine is until I didn't have it all the time.  And it's not that Alabama and Panama never have their cloud-cover.  I mean, they get some fierce thunderstorms with some of the darkest skies I've ever seen.  But those storms are fleeting, and rarely (if ever) last more than a day at a time.  So I saw a lot of sunshine, and I admit that I took it for granted.  It was only after I was living here and beautiful, cooler sunny days were harder to come by that I started to appreciate the beauty of them.

Today was one such beautiful sunny day, from start to finish.  And it felt really good :).

What are you grateful for today?

Family Gatherings

It's been a long day.  But it's been a great day :).  And it brings us the reason I'm grateful today!  Briefly.  Because I need to hit the hay. 

Every year, my father-in-law's side of the family gathers on the second Saturday of October.  This is my third year joining the fun, and I love it (my first year, I was the girlfriend; second year I was the pregnant wife (but nobody knew!); and this year we had the youngest member of the clan).  It sort of feels like the start of the holidays for me.  I spent all week (and maybe a few of the preceding ones...) looking forward to it :).  There is just something awesome about being surrounded by family -- those closer related and those more distantly so.  It is all kinds of fun to be in the midst of the five brothers and listening to them all joke and tease each other.  I love that our sweet girl is loved on by all her aunts and great-aunts and cousins.  I love making memories.  And let's not kid ourselves... I love the food too :)!!!  It's always plentiful.  And always yummy.  I'm grateful that so many of my husband's family members live close enough that so many of us can gather on these occasions.  (Christmas Eve is coming -- and that's when my mother-in-law's family gets together!).

I remember the family reunion we did for my mom's side of the family in 2008.  That was a great time.  The planning of it was fun.  The execution of it was fun :).  (We held it in a funeral home, so the word execution may be in slightly poor taste ;)...).  It was awesome seeing cousins I hadn't seen in years.  It was a special time.  And we made great memories.  I'm so glad we had the opportunity to do it, and that so many traveled so far to be here.  And while I am so grateful for my family members who live nearby, I do wish more of us were clumped together so we could do this more often (and at less expense!). 

So here's to next October...  When this group will gather once more :).  And make more memories!  (And eat more food ;)).

What are you grateful for today?

Shopping With My Hubby

If your husband is anything like my husband, he probably doesn't savor the opportunity to go shopping.  When we got married, I took over all shopping duties, and my sweetie was only too happy to let it be so.  I enjoyed the shopping and had no problem with this set-up.  I still don't mind it.  But it is a little more difficult with a little munchkin in tow!  So, since my husband had the day off today, he asked if I would like him to join me.  (Originally he was going to stay home on baby duty while I shopped baby-free!  But we decided to go out as a family instead ;)).  So we loaded up and went to four stores!  Woohoo!  Including Costco.  On a Friday afternoon.  Of payday.  Not the best time for Costco-ing, trust me. 

But it was actually quite enjoyable.  I had someone there to entertain the baby (and she loved her daddy playing with her and giving her his undivided attention during the shopping trip) while I crunched numbers and crossed-off items on the grocery list.  And we spent time as a family.  It made for a really enjoyable afternoon. 

And the bonus was when, upon arriving home, my husband said, "This was actually really good.  It helps me to see what you deal with when you go shopping and how you are working so hard to save money."  It's just nice when they have that opportunity to understand those things :).

So this pretty much made my day :).

What are you grateful for today?

Friends

I have to say, I'm only 4 days into this project, and I'm already realizing that my life is full of blessings.  It is hard to pick just one thing about which to write each day, because as I'm pondering my day and trying to decide, it's a really hard choice!  And that's a great thing :). 

But today I'm grateful for friends.  There will be days ahead when I will be more specific and actually name them.  But today I will be general.  Because I'm grateful for all my friends.  They truly do make my life grand.  Because it's so nice to get an unexpected text from a friend who wants to get together and visit.  And it's so nice to be invited to eat dinner with other friends and to sit and visit afterward.  It's nice to have food-theme parties with friends.  Or walk with friends.  Or cry with friends when you just need to cry.  Or be a listening ear when they need to vent.  It's fun to watch chick-flicks with them; laugh with them; road-trip with them.  It's wonderful to make memories with them.  And I have some amazing friends.  In the days ahead, you'll get a glimpse of many of my awesome friends.  The people who have touched my life and changed me for the better.  There's a quote that says something along the lines of how friends are the family you choose for yourself.  And I have to agree.  My friends feel like family to me.  I am so blessed to have them :).

Yes, today, I'm grateful for my friends. 

And fish made with crustacea ;)...

What are you grateful for today?

Home-Made Cheesy Potato Soup

Well, I guess I should tell you:  I'm a foodie.  I love food.  For me, food is one of those things that makes life grand.  I am not an adventurous food person, mind you.  I don't eat the tentacles at Chinese Buffets.  I don't delve into the land of sushi (yes, I consider that adventurous ;)).  But I love food.

And cheesy potato soup is definitely on my list of things that rock the Nilla Life.  I love cheese in general.  I am of the opinion that cheddar does, in fact, make everything better :).  I'm also a fan of what my mom dubs "fake cheese" (Kraft American Singles).  I think they are wonderful on a good grilled cheese sandwich.  My husband agrees with my mom on that topic...  But I digress. 

Now that the weather has gotten chilly, I decided it was time for some of this cheesy goodness.  And the extra bonus is that it's so easy!!!  And pretty fast too.  And I've found, as a new mom, that these recipes are the best kind :).  And I have to give my mother-in-law a shout-out for this delicious recipe.  Because it is definitely making my grateful list today!!!

And because I don't want to be cruel by talking up this soup (and including a mouth-watering picture) without offering up the recipe...  here it is :) :

3 cups water
8 cups potato, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced (can use 1/4 cup dehydrated onion as well)

Boil potatoes and onion in water for 10 to 15 minutes (check potatoes for doneness).

3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Whisk flour into milk.  Add to potatoes and mix well.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Add seasonings.  When everything is well combined, eat! And enjoy!

Optional toppings:  sour cream, bacon bits, chives/green onions

Yep, this just makes my day :)!  This is cold weather comfort food :).

What are you grateful for today?

Hand-Me-Downs

While expecting our baby (our first), we decided not to find out gender and let it be a delivery room surprise.  (I'd always wanted to do it this way, and happily, my husband was in agreement!).  The responses I would get from people when we would tell them ranged from, "Oh how exciting!  Nobody does that anymore!" to "Ugh!  I can't stand the suspense!" to "Well how do I know what to get you for a gift!?!"  Haha....  And I guess, until I started going to baby showers for the other women who were pregnant at the same time (and who were all having boys), I didn't realize how many clothes one gets for Baby at the baby shower when gender is known.  And that is awesome, because you pretty much end up with a wardrobe for Baby, just from baby shower gifts!

But it turns out, ladies generally steer clear of clothes when they don't know if Baby will be a boy or a girl.  The result is that we got a ton of really awesome baby gear -- much of which I didn't even know existed prior to receiving them!  And we did get a few outfits here and there that were neutral.  And I'd bought a few neutral things in small sizes to help us get through the first little bit.  But we didn't have a ton of clothes to dress our little munchkin. 

Until she was born...  Once word spread that we'd had a little girl, we received so many offers of hand-me-downs!  And I just love them!  Above are just a couple of things I have separated out by size (some of my new projects these days as this girl is growing so fast!).  As a result, I think we're pretty set on being able to dress our sweet girl in the cutest of outfits for the first year of her life.  What a blessing!  (We also received several new outfits from people who waited until we had the baby, and we love those too!).  Babies grow so quickly, and they go through outfits pretty fast with the spit up, the rice cereal they are learning to eat, and the explosive poopies (is it sad that I've now talked about baby poop for my first two 'gratitude posts' so far?  It's just that we actually just had one of those, and so the incredibly cute hand-me-down outfit I had her in earlier is now hanging wet after being Drefted in preparation for next laundry day... :)), and it has been wonderful to have a wardrobe for her, courtesy of these wonderful women who so generously gave us so much.  And one day, when we know we're 'done' having babies, I plan to do the same.  Because I know how grateful I have been for the kindness of these women, and I hope to be able to bless someone else's life in that way.

What are you thankful for today?

A Washer and Dryer In-House

I do not enjoy laundromats.

I have been, in my somewhat-distant and not-so-distant past, grateful that they, too, exist.  However, I do not enjoy them.

Having an in-house washer and dryer was one of our requirements when we were apartment hunting last year.  And while, being in a rental, our washer and dryer combo isn't the greatest in the world with it's squealing at the onset of a dry cycle or it's small load size, every Monday and Friday (laundry days in my little world), I'm ever so grateful that that lovely machine is sitting in the bathroom, awaiting my loads.  It keeps me from having to lug 2 to 3 loads of laundry out to the car, into the laundromat, back to the car, and back into the house twice a week.  It is a whole heck of a lot cheaper!  I don't have to chop off my finger to pay for laundry soap when I forget mine at home :-/...  And I don't have to wonder who is staring at my unmentionables ;)!  (Nor do I have to see some of theirs!). 

Yes, I am so grateful for our washer and dryer.  And I'm thankful for washers and dryers in general (especially with the addition of baby poop to our little world!)!  Because hand washing would not be fun.

What are you grateful for today?

The Why

So I’ve contemplated different starting points for this new blog, this project of mine.  Maybe the beginning of 2014.  Or my birthday.  But then I realized:  I should just start now!  Because every day that passes is another day I lose. 

So what’s this all about?  Well, I’ll tell you.

In recent weeks, I’ve felt stirrings in my heart as I’ve contemplated the blessings I have, the things for which I am grateful.  Some are big.  Some are quite little and seemingly insignificant.  Sometimes it’s a person, other times it’s a thing or a place or an event.  But they all serve to make life grand.  And even the smallest things that I so easily take for granted could possibly be a huge thing to someone else somewhere else.  And so I started thinking about writing a blog entry about some of those good things in life I tend not even to notice.  But little by little, I started thinking that I wanted to be consistent with this project.  I didn’t want to spend only one day recognizing the beauty and wonder in my life.  And then I realized that, if I chose to do this daily, and select one thing every day for which I am grateful, it would actually help me to accomplish something else I’ve wanted to do again:  write daily.  I love to write.  I love letting my feelings and thoughts spill out of my fingertips onto a keyboard, and, ultimately, onto a digital page.  In some ways, it’s been very therapeutic for me.  But I've let my writing slide in recent years, and I have been wanting to return to it. 

So I’d made up my mind to start this blog.  To document 365 days (or more) of the things that rock my world.  Things that make me glad I am alive.  Things that have blessed my life in one way or another.  And after listening to some of the talks at General Conference this weekend, I’ve decided there’s no need to delay.  I will start it now.  Because it’s always the right time to start recognizing and acknowledging the blessings of every day.  I am sure, as I do this, I will encounter days where I feel down and may struggle with finding something awesome to write about (not because they aren’t there, but because I will not want to acknowledge it in my gloom).  And there will be other days I encounter where those wonderful things will be so abundant and easy to spot, it’ll be hard to pick just one!  But in time, I think this will be a great thing to go back and read on the gloomy days.  It will also be great for me to require myself to find something good on those gloomy days.  Something for which to be grateful.  Because my Heavenly Father has been so good to me.  

And with that, I begin an acknowledgement of the things that rock the Nilla Life!  (Nilla is me, by the way ;)).

Oh, and p.s...  They aren't in any particular order :).