Snow Day

Before we moved to Boise everyone told us that it never snows here. That winter it snowed every day for two months. So much for listening to people. Today we awoke to a winter wonderland. Even though it has snowed normally each winter we've been here, we haven't seen this much snow. And it's the good kind! I was so excited to play in it with Morgan. I had to shovel some pathways for her or else she would just fall over. She liked it okay but was more excited to go inside and watch "Bike" (or Barney, the one about wheels).

More Morgan

We don't feed her on the floor (usually). This is after she decided to pour herself some cereal.I know I've said it before, but this is my favorite "Morgan" stage. She has started nodding, which is more of a bow with her torso than just a head nod. The nod is always accompanied by a "yeah." She jabbers to everyone like she is telling the most important thing in the world. When people reply with the usual, "oh really?" or "are you serious?" she answers with her nod and "yeah." Today we were at church and she said "hi" to this little boy in the foyer and he asked her what she was eating. She nodded and said, "yeah."

Since Tom has been working from home she has really grown more comfortable with him and wants daddy as much or more than she wants mama. It's nice for me but I have to admit that I like when she wants me.

We're not sure how it happened but Morgan can count to 10. We didn't try to teach her and have narrowed it down to a book she has or a Barney song. The way it works is that one of us will say "one," then she will say "two," then we say "three," then she'll either say "go" or "four." If it's "four," we continue all the way to ten.

She has started throwing tantrums. They aren't bad, but she's pretty sassy once in a while. She pulled my hair one day while we were shopping and I couldn't help but laugh. She doesn't hit very often but she is a pincher and her pinches hurt!

Even though she can be a stinker sometimes, she is usually a sweetheart. She is gentle with babies, loves dogs, and she gives us hugs and kisses. And when I'm pretending to cry, she shares her Binky. She melts my heart.

Red Hat Day Photos

I made this red hat for Morgan yesterday so today we woke up and decided to take pictures in the snow with it on. I saw the cutest skirt at Baby Gap and realized it wouldn't be hard at all to make so I made the skirt she has on too.

House Pictures

Since our house has been for sale (it's not exactly listed, just been email blasted from one realtor) it has been shown to about five families. Two have made verbal offers and one has made an official offer. We have not accepted any of them.

I have such mixed feelings. I LOVE my house and would love to take it with me wherever I go (not that we know where we are going yet, but we assume we will be going somewhere within the next year or so). Since a professional photographer came to take pictures, I figured I'd post them so I will always have the memory of my house (so I can take the good aspects and apply them to my dream home when it is built one day when we're millionaires).

Letter To Morgan

Dear Morgan,


Daddy and I just put you to bed. You are so cute. You like to lay your head on our shoulders to get ready to go to sleep. You used to sleep through the night but lately you have been waking up in the middle of the night. We are not sure why. You are getting your bottom molars so maybe that is the reason. The othe night you woke up saying "doggy bye, doggy bye." We think you are sad that our neighbors have moved and took their dogs with them. You loved to watch them from your bedroom window and would knock on the window to get their attention.


You can say so many words now. You mimic almost anything we ask you to say. You know lots of onomonopias, like a cow says "moo," except you still say "boo." You repeat colors. You can say "red, white, blue, green, and purple" but when we ask you to say "yellow," you say either "red" or "white." Also, you have called mints "bees" for a long time. Today you finally called it a mint and it made me a little sad that you are growing up so quickly (but proud that you are so smart).


I love to make skirts, hats, and hair bows for you then take pictures of you in them. You're not such a fan of the hats or the photo shoots. You would rather be looking at the pictures on the camera.


You started nursery almost a month ago and you do very well in there if one of us is with you. Most of the kids are three years old so you are at a disadvantage on size and ability to talk, but you look up to them and like to do what they do. They like you too.


You love to say "ready, set, go" and run or jump off the couch or slide in the tub. You also say it when you are working up to something, like sliding off of mommy and daddy's big bed.


You have met all of your grandmas and grandpas at least a couple of times and they love you. Grandpa Ralph gave you some blocks that you play with every day. Grandma Jodi and Grandpa Doug gave you a fish light that helps you to not be scared at night and some Nemo bath toys that you love to play with in the tub. Nana and Papa have given you books that you love to read. We read every day. You love books.


Another big thing for you right now are bubbles. You want us to blow bubbles for you as soon as you get up in the morning. You also love bubble baths and can play in there for about thirty minutes.


We probably shouldn't let you watch TV but you really love to watch this documentary on babies (called "Babies"). There isn't much talking but you like to watch the babies and dogs.


You get so excited when we go to your friend, Brinklee's, house to play and you didn't cry at all for the first time this week when we left you there to go on a date. Her mommy, Sarah, was very excited about that and so was I when she told me.


I am so proud of you and I love to watch you grow up. If you could tone down the whining a little I would appreciate it but I love you the same either way. You are wonderful and I know you will grow up to be a good and nice girl, as well as a beautiful one.


Thank you for coming to our family. I love you,


Mommy

Birthday Girls

Happy Birthday Mom and Shyanne! We love you!

Suze's Challenge

I am a goal and challenge oriented person. I love setting my mind to something and then accomplishing it. A while ago I saw something on the news and decided to go for it if Tom was in. We had to wait until the right time, but he agreed.

Suze Orman has a specific challenge to go one day without spending money, one week without using a credit card, and one month without going out to eat. The first two are pretty easy and we do them all the time so we decided to take on the rest of the challenge and not eat out for a month. We started the first Sunday in October and went for one month without going out to eat. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be (since we love to go out to eat once a week) and we completed the challenge a couple of weeks ago.

I'm not extending that challenge to anyone who reads this unless you want to. I just wanted to document it for myself.