My little prince is officially 6 months old..! Bah.

...Of course that calls for celebration! He had rice cereal and we had cake. I have to say, we deserve it.

However, it would not be a real milestone if we didn't take millions of pictures. Looking through them afterwards, I was dying laughing. My sweet, smiling boy can pull out a pokerface instantaneously when the camera comes out. Suddenly he is the most serious little thing I've ever seen, and I am pretty sure there isn't anything funnier.

So through the course of a few hundred pictures, we managed to find a few smirks.



The past 6 months have been pretty wild. I've learned a lot, but have never felt so keenly aware of how much more I need to learn. I am getting really good at changing the lyrics to any song to be about Liam- on the fly. (Another weird mom thing?) I'm learning when to throw the to-do list aside and enjoy the moment. Which is kinda a big deal, since I'm a to-do list enthusiast. And nothing melts you faster than seeing your hubs comforting or giggling with your little one. The bond they are already have is so sweet and special, but I suppose that shouldn't surprise me considering they are basically the same.

Out of the blue Alex said he can't imagine our lives without this boy, and I keep thinking about that. Sure there are some things that we miss (i.e. sleep?), and I would be lying if there weren't moments when I'm completely overwhelmed by this whole learning curve thing. But nothing holds a candle to the inexplainable happiness that comes with it all. AND it just keeps getting better! What did we possibly do before?!

A philosophy on birthdays

I'm just going to be blunt. Alex is such a strange duck. His ideal birthday (which is today) would be nobody saying happy birthday, no special treatment, and coming home to watch a movie. I guess ice cream would be nice. Basically, it is like every other day. Oh, and the birthday breakfast he always requests is oatmeal. OATMEAL!

So depressing.

However, to respect his wishes (somewhat), we are compromising. Even though I've offered to make crepes, stratas, overnight french toast, clafoutis, popovers, ANYTHING- I accepted his request on oatmeal. But to elevate oatmeal as much as it can, I found a rocking recipe. It basically tastes like a big oatmeal cookie for breakfast. Therefore, I have to share this recipe and it is below.

Next, his favorite people (Liam and I, duh) are meeting him for his lunch break at his favorite restaurant. And tonight when he gets home, we will get in sweats and watch a movie with ice cream.

Before you roll your eyes at how utterly lame I am, I am planning a dessert and game night with friends this weekend. All of his favorites- lots of cards and Settlers, lemon bars, ice cream, homemade peppermint patties, and chocolate cake with mousse filling. Okay, the last one is completely my idea. And it still sounds lame, but I have to remind myself this is not my birthday.

Notwithstanding, I absolutely adore that man.

But while we are chatting about it, here is my philosophy on birthdays.

First off, low expectations. What a downer to start with, right? But high expectations in this case usually lead to disappointment and attitude. If your expectations are low, then every little thing is wonderful! Win win.

That being said, birthdays should be thought out ahead of time. To me, birthdays (and any holiday for that matter) are the perfect excuse to break from the monotonous day-to-day. That's why I love them so much- they are something different and anticipated for. Celebrating is always a good idea.

Growing up in a family of nine kids, birthdays were that magical day of the year. We didn't really do presents, but a lot of "special treatment"- which actually meant a lot more. A homemade happy birthday banner, breakfast (usually pancakes or waffles, because why not start the day off on a huge sugar rush?), front seat in the car, and your choice of dinner that night. Magical indeed.

Which leads me to, birthdays should be full of good food. This doesn't require any further explanation.

And lastly, birthdays shouldn't be stressful. That's when you know you have gone too far and are completely missing the point.

Enough talk, back to the recipe. I'm serious, you gotttta try it.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal 

1/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup craisins (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1 apple, pealed and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix oil, sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl
3. Add oats, baking powder, salt, and milk. Stir in fruit.
4. Pour into greased 9" square dish.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm.

A little love story: part 2

Read part 1 here

It was eventually decided that the “payment” would be treating me to frozen yogurt sometime, one of my favorite things. I went down to the ranch that weekend and ended up staying another week, but we stayed in contact the entire time. Even though service was really patchy, whenever I found a couple bars there was always a text from that cute boy. I felt like I was starting to get to know him much better, which is weird to say because it was just texting after all.

For that reason, I was a little worried how this would translate to real life. We still had hardly said a word to each other in person. And the first time, it definitely was weird. The night I had originally planned to come home he called and left a voicemail saying he had some questions about American Heritage. I ended up staying another week. When I finally got back, he indirectly asked me three days in a row if I was free that day. But my cousin Tyler had driven up with me and nothing interrupts cousin time.

(Can I just say, it totally cracks me up how insistent Alex was? It wasn’t until I re-read my journal that I even remembered these details! For those of you that know him, that’s not his personality with this sort of thing.)

The night before the 4th of July parade in Provo, everyone camps out on University Avenue with blankets, music, TV’s, and of course food. It’s like a big party all night long. Way more fun than the actual parade. And since my apartment complex was right on University Avenue, we had the prime location. Around 2AM, someone managed to hook up a flat screen and a bunch of us were bundled up in blankets watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Including Alex and I, but not sitting even near each other. He came halfway through the movie and took an available spot in back. I was huddled up front and didn’t want to make an awkward scene getting up to talk to this kid I really only knew through text. Especially when everyone was quietly watching the movie. Eventually Alex left and I felt soo dumb and juvenile for not saying anything to him. As funny as it sounds, I was still nervous about stepping on my roommates’ toes.

The next morning at the parade, pretty much the same thing happened. He showed up, but I don’t think we said anything to each other. By this point I was completely convinced this would stay and end very soon in the texting world. But afterwards he came to our apartment, anddddd we spoke! In person! And decided to get yogurt when he got off work the next day.

It is totally cheesy, but that first date was the best first date I had ever been on. And being at BYU, I definitely had my fair share of first dates. The key to success: it was simple. We went to Farr’s, sat outside with our yogurts and talked. Conversation flowed so effortlessly and afterwards, Alex insisted that he teach me how to drive stick shift. I had tried a couple times before, but honestly it still terrifies me to this day.

We went to a big, empty parking lot outside BYU’s football stadium. FYI, my mom has this hideous story about totaling her high school boyfriend’s car when he was teaching her stick shift, and I couldn’t get that image out of my head. So when he told me to slowly release the clutch, it took me at least 30 seconds I did it so dang slow! Literally millimeter by millimeter. We were both just dying laughing the entire time, and I’m sure I impressed him with my mad skills. Nawwwt. I haven't attempted to drive stick since.

Funny note: when I was writing about this in my journal, the entry started like this, “Just going to write a quick note. I went on a date with a guy named Alex Hill last night.” 

5 pages later... 

“Yikes. So much for a ‘quick note’. This is kinda embarrassing how much I’m writing about this kid. If it doesn’t turn into anything (very likely), this page better be ripped out!”

When he dropped me off at the door he said, “we’ll have to do this again sometime!” I was a giddy mess, but of course didn’t want to show that. My sisters had groomed me well when it comes to the hard-to-get game. My response came out a little hesitant (not fully intended) “...yeahhh...sure!” Apparently when he got back to his apartment, he told his roommates we had a great time but from my response he didn’t think we would go out again. 

Welllll, it didn’t take long.

I suppose you can say that date went pretty well, because I saw Alex everyday after that. Let the record show that this was super strange for me. As I said, my sisters had taught me well. And this everyday thing was so incredibly against the rules. But I couldn’t help it, he was the most genuine guy I’d ever met. When it came to him, I didn’t want to risk games. And he didn’t either, but he was never a game type of guy.

My grandpa always talks about "the law of love's crying shame" -essentially that it is so rare to have two people that like each other the same. Someone wants you, but you just aren't that interested. Or you're really into someone special, who doesn't quite see it the same way. I'd seen my fair share of that from both sides. But this infatuation, for lack of a better word, was equally matched from the get-go. The difference was obvious from the beginning.

Part 3 here

Gratitude

This past week marks a year since we moved to Brazil. Something I have learned a lot about (and of course still learning) is gratitude. I remember hearing somewhere that it isn’t happy people that are thankful, but thankful people that are happy.

In high school I had the incredible opportunity to spend a month in India where we worked in leprosy colonies. I expected to find a lot of poverty, sickness, and sadness- and I did. But what I didn’t expect at all, is that I would also find the happiest people I have ever met. They were living in flea infested huts, many had been cast out of their families, had little to nothing, and were in chronic pain. It reminded me a lot of Job in the Bible. Yet there they were smiling their radiant toothless smiles, and excitedly showing us their humble homes. It was an experience that I will never forget, and think about often. But it still puzzles (and even frustrates) me to this day.

How is it that I find myself mumbling and grumbling about my silly problems, that pale pathetically in comparison? What is missing here?

I want to be happy like that.

I realize everyone has great and not-so-great days, but I’m not talking about just the day to day. Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave an amazing speech on this topic in the last conference. He explained that gratitude is a disposition, a way of life. And independent of our circumstances. This true gratitude “transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer.”

He goes on to talk about why and how that is even possible.

“Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God… By being grateful, we follow the example of our beloved Savior, who said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will.

In any circumstance, our sense of gratitude is nourished by the many and sacred truths we do know: that our Father has given His children the great plan of happiness; that through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ, we can live forever with our loved ones; that in the end, we will have glorious, perfect, and immortal bodies, unburdened by sickness or disability; and that our tears of sadness and loss will be replaced with an abundance of happiness and joy.”

I love those words, because it reminds of a greater perspective. A greater meaning in life. So basically, read the rest. It will knock your socks off.

Fernando

I have been hearing about Fernando de Noronha (a tiny island off of Recife, Brazil) for forever and insisted we finally try it out. 

Would you be jealous if I told you we found paradise on earth? I hate to brag, but we totally did. 

Everything was so beyond anywhere I have ever been- the weather, practically empty beaches, warm and perfectly clear water, dolphins (because what girl doesn't love dolphins?) I'll just stop now and let the pictures speak for themselves. 

 

and so it begins

It happened. Liam rolled. Something that I've always said I will never, ever encourage. Selfishly because I treasure being able to walk out of the room, knowing he will stay just the way I left him. Plus it is a part of getting older, which is totally not cool over here.

But here it is, happening. And I find myself putting him back on his stomach to see the best part of my day happen yet again. Not to mention squealing like a moron each and every time! Because moms are the weirdest.

birthday

I have been really bad at the blog lately, but yesterday was my BIRTHDAY. Anddd naturally, the celebration continues!

I remember as a kid, if your birthday happened to land on a Sunday it was like a blow to the soul. (FYI because I'm Mormon- and recognizing the Sabbath day is something we try to take seriously.) It sounds bad, but I would be lying if I didn't say aloud "buzz kill!!" when I found out this was my year.

Gente, I've changed my mind. Guess what, Sunday's are actually the best day for birthdays! Because there is none of that go-to-work business, no guilt about the errands that need to be done, and after church- lazy days are a check plus. And we embraced it! I told Alex for my birthday I wanted a computer/TV free day. So we played cards. Made dinner together. And did a whole lot of laughing and cuddling. Oh my goodness, seriously though...

Then we got together with great friends for ice cream sandwiches and basketball. Of course, there was lots of singing in English and Portuguese involved, just the way we like it.