A post because I'm feeling conversational and Eliza is napping...

Hey friends,

Have I mentioned on this blog that I'm pregnant??  I know... I'm a great one for secrets. I'm actually quite pregnant, as in I'm dilated 2 centimeters, 75% effaced, and I'm 36 weeks today. I can hardly believe it! You'd think 9 months would give you enough time to wrap your mind around it, but sometimes it doesn't feel like I've had any mental prep time at all. But ready or not, Baby Girl #2 will be making her debut sometime soon. And we'll be ready. :)

My Texas family threw a baby 'sprinkle' for me this week, because "every baby deserves a party and every baby should be celebrated." I felt a little funny about it, especially since she and Eliza will have been born a month apart so all of the clothes should fit seasonally, but it was a wonderful opportunity to get together with a bunch of women in the ward that I love and just have a fun girl's night. I also co-celebrated with my friend and neighbor, Meghan, who just had her own little girl Margot a few weeks ago, so it was nice to share the spotlight with a dear friend and cute baby. :)

This week has been full of music practice. I mentioned I was put in charge of the Christmas program. Well, pianists are scarce so I'm also accompanying most of the meeting. This has been a challenge since I don't have my own piano to practice the difficult pieces. But I have really great friends who have welcomed me (and Eliza) into their homes on many mornings and afternoons this month to practice and get the music solidified before the program on Sunday. This week has been a lot of practicing with those I am accompanying and it's so comforting to see how Heavenly Father just helps things come together. As long as the meeting is rich in the Spirit, we will have been successful.

Have a happy Thursday!

My Joy and My Song

I've been working on a project this month, but between orchestrating the Christmas program and practicing the piano for the pieces I'm accompanying, my time hasn't quite been my own. But over the weekend, Blake helped me finish my project, and it has completely changed my December.


We decided to decorate our Christmas tree with several names of the Savior this year. We finished late last night, and it has been such a blessing to me in the hours I've been awake to see the tree. We think and talk of Jesus Christ so much at this time of year, but generally we think of Him in the context of the baby in a manger, or even some of the names from wonderful Christmas songs:  Wonderful, Counselor, King of Kings, or Lord of Lords.  But every time I pass the Christmas tree, an ornament catches my eye that makes me think of and appreciate my Savior in a fresh way that feels very real and very powerful.

The Mighty one of Jacob...

Advocate...

Founder of Peace...

Lord of the Vineyard...

Redeemer of Israel...

Bread of Life...

I want to share my testimony that The Way, The Truth, and the Life was born in a humble stable and came to redeem all mankind. I testify that the Only Begotten of the Father will return to the earth in glory to reign as King of Kings, and that in that day, just as the shepherds knelt to worship him at his birth, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ.

Share the Gift

So I've been failing miserably as a blogger. That's okay; there are more important things to be successful in. But recording our little family's history and keeping in touch with my family is important to me, and I figure that maybe I ought to try a different approach to this blogging business and see if I can be any more successful.

Enter the Moment of the Day. I'll attempt to share something random from our life on a multiple-times-a-week basis (see how I didn't say 'daily'?... Realistic goals for the win.). Even if it's a bunch of trivial stuff, you'll still be getting more from me than you have thus far!


Here was a really happy moment today:

I've been feeling pretty stressed this Christmas season. In mid-November I was given the assignment to coordinate the Christmas Program by December 21st. It has proven to be a challenge and an extreme test of my patience and "good will towards men." (A test which some days I pass and some days I fail...) I feel that as I've been channeling so much of myself, my time, my patience, and my stamina into the task at hand, the things that are most important to me have been neglected. Namely, Blake and Eliza. [May I just interject and say that Blake has been an absolute CHAMP. All. Month. Long. With him on my team, nothing's impossible.] I think that is what has been the most difficult thing for me:  feeling a severe imbalance in my life at a time when, if anything, the balance scales should tip towards family, not away from it.

All of that is the long way of saying that I've been a little bit of an on-edge, stressed mess sporting sassafrass cranky pants. Not exactly the picture of "Christmas cheer," you might say. But today, this video was able to cut through all of the frustration and stress and pierce my heart. It felt so good to feel myself soften as the Holy Ghost testified of the reality and divinity of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

What a truly priceless gift. And how wonderful that we have the opportunity to share that gift with others. #ShareTheGift

Trip to Utah - the belated update

Oops. This post got started and left in draft form, so you're just now getting it off the press.

~written August 15, 2014~

My goodness. What a glorious, mixed-emotions, why-in-the-world-isn't-my-husband-here, can-we-take-Grandma-home-with-us-please-mommy last two weeks it has been. Every penny of that plane ticket was well-spent and has paid in rich dividends in family relationships and a strengthened marital relationship. Seriously, I got home yesterday and Blake and I have practically been transported back to the newlywed stage, which is completely delightful.

Me saying that sounds a little funny (and perhaps borderline TMI) because as of Monday, we've been married for 3 years. I think some of the 60-years-married folks out there might still consider us newlyweds, but whatever.

Because I'm feeling scatter-brained, out come the plus sign bullets:

+Happy Anniversary to us! Let's give a shout out to the saintly husband who let me buy a plane ticket that was going to get me home the day after our anniversary (but consequently save us 200ish dollars). Being apart on our anniversary actually had some benefits. I'm reminded of the 17-day internship Blake took in Mexico while we were dating. Gushy, desperate lovey-dovey texts galore. This time, we also had the benefit of being able to call and skype at will. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. :)  We're actually going to have a belated anniversary day this weekend so we can celebrate our marriage together. Because marriage--even the normal, growing, sometimes--really-challenging, kind--is worth celebrating.

+Eliza slept in a portacrib for 2 weeks and apparently got used to sleeping back in a cage because she just fell out of her bed during her nap. Oops. Hopefully that'll be a one-time deal and her subconscious edge-of-the-bed boundaries are now revitalized and up and running.

+North and South. My goodness, what a gripping chick flick. I've only seen it once and I hadn't remembered that pretty much it's a heart-breaker 99% of the way through and the last 1% is glorious because of the previous 99%. I love it. I could watch that final scene five times in a row and still be breathless. Side note- what are the chances that Blake and I look like that when we kiss?... Hmmm...

+I was shocked to have the sliding doors open at the SLC airport and not be assaulted by humidity. It was wonderful! It was rainy and quite chilly for what we've been used to and I wore a hoody on most mornings and a jacket almost the whole trip. :) Silly Texas heat...

+So pretty much the only parenting I have to do when I'm at the Hulls is diaper-changing and making sure Eliza gets a nap and goes to bed at a decent hour. There would be hours at a time where she'd be off having the time of her life with the kids--and she'd come toddling in with a huge smile on her face. She had so much fun! She also loved the Utah grass. It's like lush carpet compared to the stuff we have in Texas. I almost wanted to get down and rub my face on it, it was so soft.

+Courtney is home!! We really missed Blake, but I'm so grateful Eliza and I were able to be there at the airport. I know missions are wonderful, but families are just plain meant to be together and it's so nice to have that together-feeling when someone's been gone for so long! The night she got home, Mom, Courtney and I stayed up girl-chatting for several hours. We just couldn't help ourselves! The lack of sleep landed me with a cold for the rest of the trip, but it was so worth it. It was the first chat-fest of many while I was in Utah. There are very few things I love more than that.

+This was outrageous: how was it that BETH was the last family member that I got to see once we got to Utah?!? Seriously. Not even funny. But we had some grand old times together! We did some much-needed shopping (mostly for Eliza), enjoyed being in the garden, girl-chatting, going to the temple, gushing on Eliza, and just being together. I was so grateful that Beth took a few days off work so we could all be home together. Thanks for a glorious weekend, Hun!

+While we were home, we got to meet sweet little Miss Abigail, Jake and Christy's daughter and Eliza's newest cousin! She is tender and beautiful--I forgot just how little they come. She was just about Eliza's size when we brought Eliza home... I could scarcely believe it. It was fun hearing Jake and Christy's perspectives on making the parenting switch from one to two. It definitely sounds a little bit daunting, but Jake and Christy do such a good job at incorporating humor and a take-it-one-day-at-a-time attitude to tough things. They're such great examples to me and I'm so grateful they're making this transition first so I can call Christy for advice when our #2 arrives!

+We had an awesome Briggs BBQ at Dan and Karen's while we were home. The whole family together (minus Blake who we missed!) with great food, balloon launching, karaoke (yesss!), and even a home improvement project for the boys. It felt so, so good to be together. Aside from the little things like home-grown peaches and corn-on-the-cob, that feeling of being together is what I crave most when I'm home in Texas.

+Notice how I said 'home' in Texas? I haven't doubted that Texas is home, but it was interesting to be sitting at the DFW airport and feeling like I was leaving home. But at the same time, going home in a way, too? That house on 2500 will always be home to me, but 'home' is really being with the ones you love... Although I was surrounded by family that I love dearly, I felt very incomplete to not have Blake there as well. I guess this is just evidence of the Blake and Annie Hull family really blossoming into its own entity.


Well, there's definitely more where that came from, but this post is approaching novel-length so I'll wrap it up. We were so glad to go, so glad to be with family, and so glad to come home and be with Daddy again. Family is seriously the best. I'm already looking forward to Thanksgiving! :)

A Normal Saturday

Oh my word. Where in the world did the summer go??  Honestly, my lifestyle right now makes it feel like it's always summer, but I've seen a major change in a few things that let me know that summer is over and fall is politely knocking on my door:

#1:  Scheduling with the other women in the primary presidency has become 500% less insane. And that number might actually be conservative. Most of the summer, we were having to do "virtual" presidency meetings via massive email threads. There was a counselor that I went over a month without seeing face to face! Busy, busy moms with busy, busy kids! It makes me grateful for the more simple phase of life that Eliza and I are in, where 'busyness' for generally constitutes some sort of adventure of our own making--going to the park, going swimming, going to the library... Sometimes it doesn't feel all that magical, but when I slow down and really take a look at small moments in our day, there is so much magic to be seen and treasured.

#2:  Texas is finally cooling down a little! This last week, there were a few days that I would go so far as to say that it was actually cold. Although, my "cold" threshold has changed dramatically this year. After 100 degree weather and 90+ degree nights for several weeks, it dips down into the 60's and 70's and I pull out the hoodies and storm Walmart for emergency generators. Just kidding on that last part, but still, since when did 70 degrees become "cold"?? I am so, SO excited for the Texas autumn. Spring was amazing and I've heard fall is equally wonderful. I'm so grateful to live in a place that has seasons!

There are some fantastic summer adventures I ought to update you on, but I'm just going to talk about normal life as of late for a little while.

Saturday was such a fun, normal day. We slept in, (which was divine because Eliza has been a bit excessive on the early-rising lately) and once Eliza did wake up, we brought her into our room for some family snuggle time. She doesn't usually put up with such shenanigans, but the house got pretty cold that night (see previous definition of cold) and she was excited to come snuggle under all the blankets in between Mom and Dad. I love moments like that.

[insert picture when I can figure out what I'm doing]

We finally got up and ate breakfast, and even though it was late morning, it was in the 70s so Eliza and I were able to bundle up and go on a walk while Dad mowed the lawn. It's amazing how much easier it is to walk briskly when it isn't 95 degrees outside! Blake had just finished the lawn when we returned from our walk, and we decided to clean out the garage. Eliza thought it was great fun. Blake organized as I swept, and Eliza took great pride in helping with the dustpan. (I really want to find some Eliza-sized cleaning supplies. She loves sweeping and feeling like Mommy's domestic helper.)

We pulled the cars back in once the garage was pristine, and Eliza and I went into the house while Blake trimmed our hedges back. (Turns out the hedge-trimmer is a little too much excitement for her liking.) Lunch, an afternoon of church-prep, and a hotdog BBQ that night made for a great day for everyone. Blake and I wrapped up the evening with a few episodes of Psych and some full-belly laughs. Happy normal-Saturday to us!

Welcome to Texas

Guys... I just killed a scorpion. In my house. Granted it was only about 1/4" long, but still. A scorpion. I've heard of much bigger from some of the people in our ward, so maybe this was just a young buck. (Which I hope doesn't mean there is a mommy and more young bucks sneaking around inside somewhere.)

We also saw this doozy in the bush outside our front door last week:

Somewhat concerned and wondering if we should kill it--(my initial thought was, "Of course we should kill it!! No spider that big deserves to be on this earth!")--we did some research to find out what it was. Apparently, the argiope aurantia does deserve to be on this earth. Although it's pretty intimidating, it's completely harmless to humans and eats all manner of other awful things, like wasps, bees, and small vertebrates. (What?! A spider capturing and eating a gecko?? True story. Don't mess with the argiopes.) As we were reading it says males and females look about the same, but males are smaller (about 1/4" for the males; 3/4-over an inch for the females). We were sure we were looking at a female last week.

WRONG. Turns out those measurements are for the spiders' bodies only. Not their legs. Ew.

So we left last week's spider to go about eating wasps and gross things. But in the web today, there is a truly. massive. spider.--next to a smaller, shriveled, dead one. Looks like Mr. Man made his genetic contribution and kicked the bucket, as per usual. We'll see if Ladyfriend eats him...

Friends, this spider is ginormous. Like multiple inches including legs. And although it's kind of pathetic that I'm going on and on about this (especially because apparently they're all over the United States? A common garden spider.), I just have to say that when in Rome, you get used to what the Romans are used to. I hope. I wasn't a pansy about the scorpion, (although the thought creeps me to the core) and I'm allowing a giant spider to live and let live two steps outside my front door. But if it comes in my house, it's going to die. (Somehow. With loads of courage and fierce battle cries.) So you just keep your orb web with the crazy zigzag down the middle outside, okay dearie? And when your babies come, they better blow AWAY from my front door.

P.S. I am apparently addicted to parenthetical statements. This post has seven.

Crazy Crust Pizza

Remember that bookstore date I told you Blake and I went on? Well on that date, we both found a recipe that we wanted to give a shot. And the first one was a definite keeper.

The trial run for this recipe wasn't perfect--there is some tweaking I want to do--but it was so tasty that we wanted to share it with you. The crust is a batter that you pour into a cookie sheet. Very fun! It also means no waiting for dough to rise (or rise twice, for some recipes). What you save in rise time, you spend a little in baking time, so I guess it's about sixes, but give this pizza a shot sometime.

Crazy Crust Pizza

Batter:

1 c. flour (I used wheat with great results)
1 t. salt
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/8 t. pepper
2 eggs
2/3 c. milk

Topping:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef OR 1 cup pepperoni
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
1 c. pizza sauce
1 c. mozzarella cheese

Make batter--mix until smooth. Pour into lightly greased 15x10 cookie sheet, covering the bottom of the pan. Arrange meat, onions, and mushrooms on crust. Bake on the low rack at 425 for 25-30 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown. Drizzle sauce and sprinkle cheese on the pizza and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. Serves 3-4.

My notes:

• I measured my cookie sheets (you know, the normal beloved jelly roll pans we all have) and they are actually 11x16. This meant that the already-thin pizza crust became very, very thin in my cookie sheet. I think next time I will try doing 1 1/2 times the batter recipe. I think if you doubled the batter it might be too thick to cook well underneath a mountain of toppings (see subsequent note), but I'll play with it and alter this post as needed.
• Also, with the crust, it says to lightly grease the cookie sheet... This could have been a problem due strictly to the thinness of my crust, but if I did the recipe again as is, I would grease the heck out of the cookie sheet!! I was able to get the pieces off, but it certainly wasn't an easy, convenient scoop onto the plate. I'm hoping that a thicker crust next time will solve that problem.
• Toppings. The recipe seemed a little light on the toppings to us. We were also feeling adventurous that night so we piled toppings on with reckless abandon. Half of the pizza was pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, and roma tomatoes; the other half was ham, pineapple, and slivered almonds. Both were seriously divine. (And I don't even like mushrooms!) I was worried that the crust wouldn't cook underneath all those toppings, but the thinness may have compensated for that. I'll try a loaded-toppings pizza with a thicker crust and let you know how it goes.
• Although it made a full cookie sheet, I thought the serving estimate was pretty fair. Mom Hull, if you wanted to do this for dinner I'd do at least two pans, maybe three depending on how ravenous Jace was that night. ;) Next time I'll also serve it with a green salad to round out the meal a little bit.
• I'm a sauce-lover and there were several bites on my pizza that I wished had more of the pizza sauce flavor. Next time I'll be a little more liberal with the sauce. Or you could just have sauce on the table as a dipping option for those who wanted extra.

Like I said, I'll update the recipe on this post as I get things figured out. Blake requested it on the meal plan this week so I'll give it another shot. (I'll try to remember to take pictures!)

Because you were dying to know...

I've been a little more emotional than normal lately. (Yes, Aaron... please put Blake's name on the prayer roll.) Today before Eliza's nap we snuggled for a while, just because I needed it. She doesn't generally love to snuggle, but she's a pretty good sport about it.

As I put her down in her bed and I was picking a song to sing for her, every one the was coming to mind was also putting a lump in my throat. One of the regular "Momma Love Songs" just wasn't going to cut it today. So in an effort to keep my composure, I pulled out all the stops and sang very slowly and very softly:

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts *deedly dee*

There they are a'standing in a row.

Big ones, small ones, some are as big as your head.

I picked one up and this is what it said -- Oh,

...(repeat)...

True story. I actually sang that for her nap song. I ad-libbed an ending to the loop and Eliza smiled and sighed her usual nigh' nigh'. Apparently she liked it. 

You know, being a stay-at-home mom of children who aren't old enough to judge bizarreness from normalcy certainly has its perks; it can be quite fun. I have to remind myself to turn on my social norm radar whenever I'm in public or around adults, though. I can't let the whole world know I'm certifiably nuts, now can I? No. I'll just post it to my blog instead. :)

Happy Monday!

T minus 13 Days

It's official:

Ticket purchased.

July 29th - August 12th.

Take me home, Delta!

A few parenthetical bits of information:

• It'll just be me and Eliza. It's my first time flying by myself, but I guess I won't be flying alone because I'll have Lizie with me. :) Let's hope she does well!
• Hoping that the person next to us is some nice, petite grandma.

Long Live the Binky

Sorry, Babywise--I'm afraid I will be pro-binky until the day I die. Let me tell you about a funny little situation that happened last night...

Uncle Quinton (FYI Briggs Family, Quinton is out here in Texas on a summer internship at BNSF. With any luck he'll get a job offer and join us out here after graduation!) needed to study for finals for an online class he's taking and so he offered us a chance at a date night with some free babysitting. We took Eliza over to his place, chatted for a while, then headed off. On the date, it occurred to me that I hadn't really given him a full run-down of the routine. He's done it before though, so I figured if he ran into any questions he'd give us a call.

We get back from our bookstore date at Barnes and Noble (jolly fun) and I walk in the front door to see Eliza's pillow--which also has her blanket, doggie dog, and binky inside the pillow case--sitting on the floor. Assuming all heck had broken loose, I listened for some wailing or something. Nothin'.

Annie:  "Uhh, did she go down okay?"
Quint:  "Yeah! She didn't cry or anything! I went up to check on her and she was just doing the happy little babble thing and went to sleep a little while later."

Total amazement. Utter astonishment. Dumbfounded in the extreme.

I went upstairs to get her out, wondering if she was just laying in there still and quiet wondering where the heck all of her stuff was. But I open the door, and sure enough, she's snoozing away in a completely empty portacrib.

...  WHAT???? ...

We picked her up, she was in the usual dazed-coma state when she gets woken up, and we took her home. On the way home, Blake and I were talking about how shocked we were at the whole situation and decided to try putting her down in her bed without the binky when we got home. "Maybe she's not as attached [cough... addicted] as we thought she was."  WRONG.

She didn't drift right off to sleep like normal, but she did ultimately go to sleep. Score! Just when we thought we were out of the binky-woods with no scars or lacerations, 4:00 rolls around. Eliza stirs and decides: "Okay. I've put up with these shenanigans for long enough, you sneaky parents, you. Where in tarnation is my binky!!" We let her work things out on her own--over. and over. and over. until morning. But my goodness, I think we all "woke up" a little tired!

We went to church, everything was fine there, and as per usual, Eliza zonked out in the car. (Roasting car, one or two hours past nap-time, 20 minute drive, pretty church music. It's inevitable. I try to shout at her to keep her awake and make her say 'moo' at the cows we pass and look at all of the cars, but she's just too pooped.) I generally come home and put her straight in bed--I tried the same stunt today, still sans binky. Yeah. That didn't go over well. It's not like she throws a violent tantrum or anything, but sleep just was not happening.

She was tired, I was tired, and I was getting to the point that I was almost ready to suck the binky to help myself go to sleep. Honestly. I have no idea how we aren't in a world full of adults walking around sucking on pacifiers. (Maybe we are, and those pacifiers are just the straws of a Big Gulp. But that's for another blog post.)

I'm not sure when I'm going to have the fortitude to make her quit, but I'm just not ready for this reform yet. Long live the binky.

Nursery on the Radar

You know, it's when I take Eliza out in public or have her in settings with other children that I realize how great of a girl she is. I'm not saying that she's perfect, nor am I saying that my parent-friends have a bunch of hellians. I just love to see how pleasant she is socially. She does a good job in restaurants, generally does well at church (she for sure does well if we pass her off to someone else--she behaves extremely well for the ladies in the ward), and she's happy and content in social situations with other children. It gives me high hopes for nursery. Which, by the way, 5 more Sundays! Yikes! I thought I'd be excited, but it makes me panic a little as a mom--I just feel like she's so little! Even though she's not. I suppose if I were having to wrestle with her during second and third hour, I'd be really excited, but I go straight to the craziness of primary and one of the ladies in the ward pounces on her for second hour before another lady in relief society complains that it's 'her turn' to hold Eliza. :) We have a wonderful ward.

Our Stake President said something insightful in our Stake Conference about what you might consider "prestigious" callings... "Consider two young parents with their first child. They couldn't care less who the young women's president is, or the first counselor in the bishopric, or the highcouncilman. What's the calling they care most about?:  the nursery leader. They're hoping and praying that he or she is fulfilling and magnifying their calling."  True words! I'm grateful that I know the nursery leader a little--it makes me less apprehensive.

Bottom line, as per usual, I love my little girl. Nothing new, no headlines or breaking news, just the same old wonderful story:  I love my little girl.

Feeling Juvenile

This is the most outrageous thought I've had today:

I, Annie Hull, am teething.

You know how you all thought I was an adult? Joke's on you... turns out I'm still cutting teeth like a child. My back molars have been hurting so I stuck my finger back there today to check things out and found the sharp edge of a wisdom tooth poking through my gums. The fact that I haven't had my wisdom teeth removed is only additional incriminating evidence that I'm still practically a minor. I'll be calling around this week to find a dentist/oral surgeon to see if we can pop these betsies out so I can actually graduate to adulthood. It's about time, wouldn't you say?

Our fourth 4th

Yesterday, Blake and I were reminiscing on the July 4th's we've spent together:

2011 - We drove home together from Washington after the Packard Family Reunion--one of the best weeks of my life and the trip that 'sealed the deal.' Little did we know that we'd be married just one month later! We stopped in at Syracuse on our drive home to spend time with Mom and Dad Briggs before continuing on to Provo.

2012 - That was the summer we spent a lot of time in Syracuse with Blake helping on the farm. On the 4th of July, we climbed up on top of my parents' roof and watched the city firework displays from a few different directions. And then I'm sure we made a few fireworks of our own. (Yes, Dad Briggs... that was for you.)

2013 - By this point we were in our apartment in Bluffdale. The Hull Family was gone (Packard Reunion?), but we invited our good friends Justin and Shelly to meet us in Highland so we could enjoy being out of a tiny apartment and in a home. (The little things that can give you a thrill when you're poor college students!) We met at Five Guys for lunch (on coupons, of course), then played games to our hearts' content in Highland. Poor Eliza wasn't exactly on board with the festivities though--it must have been a bad milk day or something. We were going to try to catch some fireworks that night, but decided to get Eliza home in her own bed instead.

2014 - The Fourth in Texas! On July 3rd, we kept Eliza up way past her bedtime to introduce her to fireworks, which she thoroughly enjoyed. We just happened to see some people congregating on a remote grassy lawn (far removed from the real park where the fireworks were launched) on our way back from the library, so we decided to join them. The atmosphere was perfect--we didn't have to fight crowds of people and we were far enough from the fireworks that the booms weren't overwhelming to Eliza. It was so cute to watch her experience it for the first time. Her little oo's and ah's and wow's just made me melt. She didn't quite have the attention span to be riveted clear through the entire show, but I think she enjoyed it. Blake and I sure did. Why are some things so much more fun with kids?

Yesterday, we did Belgian Waffles for breakfast than did some work at home. For me that meant tackling a mountain of laundry... I'm getting back into the swing of homemaking after being sick sick sick for several weeks. For Blake that meant changing the oil in the car--a job he has learned he will never do again after 8:00 AM in a Texas summer. Hot, hot, hot! 

After we'd finished up the chores, we went over to Kevin and Alene's house to hang out with Quinton. (K&A are out of town again so we had the house to ourselves.) We went out to lunch together (still on coupons - ha!), played Acquire, watched the last part of the Brazil-Columbia World Cup game, and went swimming with Eliza. After dinner and Eliza was down for bed, we watched a movie in the theater room (hello, bluray and the most HD HDTV known to man). A fun, chill day with fun, chill people.

Happy Birthday, America. We sure love you!

A Little Bit of Life

Hi again, family. I'm back once again from the dearth.

So, we moved! We're in our house, we're unpacked, and things are starting to feel like home. (Although Blake felt immediately at home the second he drove both cars into the garage. Hooray for cars no longer taking on hail damage!) The walls are so big and our picture frames so little that decorating is proving to be a bit of a challenge. All of that will come in time, and when the budget is ready for it. :)

We had the extreme pleasure of having Mom Hull and Brynn come out to visit. Mom and I talked each other's ears off for 4 days straight to make up for all of the kitchen chats we've been missing out on for the last 6 months. (Yes, friends! We've been in Texas for half a year!) Brynn was the absolute best baby charmer of the world. Seriously, she and Eliza were two peas in a pod and even me, Blake, and Grandma would get the cold shoulder from Eliza--she just wanted Brynn! I tell you what, Utah people... Keep Brynn on your sights for potential babysitters. I seriously did almost nothing by means of baby care while Brynn was here--diapers, baths, dressing, nighttime routines, putting down for naps, feeding... Brynn is seriously one impressive babysitter! During naps, we took it easy watching chick flicks, making cookies and popcorn, and we enjoyed one heck of a party over at Uncle Kevin and Aunt Alene's. You guys were WONDERFUL company, Mom and Brynn! Honestly, come back ANY time!

Right when I got home from taking Mom and Brynn to the airport, I got hit with pinkeye and a pretty severe cold. The pinkeye cleared up with antibiotic eyedrops. The cold still has not, and has grown in intensity. I finally got on an antibiotic hoping that it's a sinus or respiratory infection that will clear up with some meds, but if not, I guess I'll just have to tough it out.  I'm on Day 12 so far, and if the cold doesn't kill me, the cabin fever might. :) Blake and Liza picked up the cold, too, but haven't been hit as hard as I have been. Eliza knows how to handle illness: sleep 16-17 hours a day. (She's been sleeping in an hour or two and consistently taking 3-hour naps, only to sign to me a few hours later that she's tired and ready for bed. Incredible!)

Blake got a new calling:  Ward Executive Secretary. Just a few days in and I can already tell this will be an incredibly busy and rewarding experience for him. I'm grateful for the opportunities we have to learn and grow in the church. And it's a wonderful thing to be needed here in Texas.

Miss Eliza is doing quite well. She sprouted some molars in the back so she can now shovel her food in at even greater speeds, which she enjoys. :) Her particular favorites right now are banana bread, cheerios (always!), pizza, and crackers. That list was tough to make because she just sort of eats everything without question. (I know that's not fair, Mom and Dad. I suppose I'll have to endure karma with one of my other children.) She also loves brushing her teeth--months into it and it's still a thrill every morning.

Eliza loves swimming which is convenient because that's about all that's remotely fun to do outside in Texas summer heat, or so we've heard. June has actually been incredibly mild--we think it's hot, but compared to what it normally is, we've gotten lucky! July is right around the corner though, so we'll see what it and August have to offer. I have a feeling swimming will become a daily ritual for me and Eliza.

Eliza is also loving her books - her current favorite is Over in the Meadow. She also loves expressing herself verbally and through sign language. It's amazing to me how much she knows! She loves to communicate, which is a total thrill to me because I'm the same way. Someday sooner than I know the little babbles with recognizable words will turn into full run-on sentences that never stop. I'm loving every stage.

Some recent pictures:

"Organizing" the tupperware. One of her favorite pastimes. She's been sad that I won't let her help with unloading the dishwasher/organizing tupperware since she's been sick.

This face is in response to one of the following directives:
"Eliza, can you show me the happy face?"
"Say cheese!"
"Show me your teeth."
She cracks us up and keeps us smiling.

Helping Daddy wash the car.

Swimming - this was her first swim back at our old apartment.

We've got more pictures on Blake's phone--I'll see if I can figure out how to get them on here. Until then, stay healthy, be happy, and embrace your own daily enterprise!

Brief Update

I have been neglecting the blog, which has been a pity because our life has been fraught with adventure and enterprise over the last little bit. Without further adieu, a much needed update:   [Sorry no pictures... they'll come later!]

We are the proud owners of a 2009 Toyota Sienna! Minivan for the win! I never imagined I could like a minivan so much and enjoy driving it, but I do. She's a great little machine and we're glad she's joined our family. Now all we need to do is fill 'er up with 5 more kids...

More visitors. Beth and Mom Briggs came to visit as soon as tax season was over, which means Eliza had possibly the best week of her entire life. During tax season, I worked hard on brainwashing Eliza into knowing Beth's name and recognizing her picture, because Eliza proved to be such a balm to Beth's poor over-worked soul. We'd call her up and I'd say, "Liza, can you say 'Beth'?"  "Beh. BEH! BEH!!" It's the cutest thing ever. Anyway, Eliza's wildest dreams came true when she woke up one morning and sitting on a queen mattress in the living room next to her toys were two of her favorite people ever: Aunt 'Beh' and Grandma.

Last Friday, I got a call from Blake at work: "Do we have any plans tonight?" Not particularly. Why? "Good! Dad Hull is passing through DFW on the way home from a business trip and his connecting flight to Utah got cancelled." Woohoo! Spontaneous visitors! I felt bad that Dad didn't get to be home in his own bed after a long business trip, but as he said, "If you have to be stranded somewhere, it's pretty great to get stranded where your kids are." We called the Taylors (our Texas family) to be our last-minute babysitters for Eliza, and we picked up Dad and went out to eat together. It was so fun! And I didn't even cry when Blake took him back to his hotel, which I feel like is a sign of progress for me. :)

And now, drum roll please.......

WE'RE CLOSING ON A HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON. It's official, friends! We're in our last few days of apartment living! We found a house we love that's in our ward boundaries and close to Blake's work and we're actually going to do it! Home-buying has been an interesting, foreign, and sometimes stressful experience, but it has certainly been a wild ride worth taking. Hooray for equity instead of torching a rent check every month!

The Perfect Stage

My mom has always said that I was "born with everything but the stage." (Which I'm sure sometimes drove my parents nuts growing up. But I haven't turned out too bad, right?)  Well, some might assume that I threw away my theatrical potential by becoming a stay-at-home mom. Little do they know that I have the best stage and best audience I could ever possibly hope for.

The stage? My kitchen floor.  The audience? Eliza.

That's right, folks. This is a public confession that I sing and dance and perform like a complete goon on a regular basis with zero inhibitions and zero adherence to socially accepted norms. (Is there group therapy for this sort of thing?) Eliza is the recipient of my spontaneous productions daily, and honestly, she gets to witness some of my finest work.

I didn't realize how extreme I was until today, when I saw Eliza's face during one of my folk dance performances to this song from Tangled. I tell you, it was a look of stunned amazement. As if to say, "Wow, Mom! That's really... unique. I've lived here for a whole year and I haven't seen anyone act the way you're acting right now. [Wait for it... here's my favorite part.] How should I feel about it?" 

Isn't that great! No preconceived notions of what a talented performance is. It is absolutely the best! And I use that blank slate quality to my advantage...

So I finish my Kingdom Dance with my hands up thrown up in the air on the final note and a beaming smile. Eliza, completely flabbergasted, is looking at me like, "Uhh... What is the cause of this behavior. Am I in trouble? How should I react to this?"

Well, Lizie... Let me tell you how to react. I clapped my hands twice and excitedly said, "Clap, clap!" 

Just that fast and she erupts into enthusiastic applause and an ear-to-ear cheesy grin. No judgment. Just 100% emphatic and genuine support. How could I possibly ask for a better audience??

Bottom line:   we have fun together. I see wonderful theatrical productions in our future together. 

Best Man Ever

Blake had an overnight training for scouts last night. Can I just say, I hate going to bed when he's not home. It's no fun...

I know what you're thinking. (I'm looking at YOU, Dad Briggs.) And that's not what I was referring to. Although, what you were thinking also happens to be true. Moving on.

As we were saying goodnight via text, I said, "Sleep well, Blake! No baby to keep you up tonight." Here was his response:

"I'd rather be home with my family and get up with a baby at night than be away from the family and sleep with no interruptions."

The cool thing is, Blake doesn't say stuff like that just to make his wife swoon. He's a man of no pretense; he says that because he means it. 

Which means I'm a very, very lucky woman.

A moment from the dating days - July 2011

~Breaking News~

This just in! So proud of our little girl!

Visitors

Our laptop was out for the count for several weeks so I was functioning solely on the tablet. Now that the laptop is back in working order, I hope to get back into posting more regularly.

Headline in the news:  Visitors! Mom and Dad Briggs came out the last week of March and Kyndal came the first week of April. GLOR-I-OUS. Both weeks have been so much fun! I still need to work on being better at taking pictures, but we've just had a grand old time having people out here to Texas. If you'd like to come, let us know and we'll find a date on the calendar!

Highlights from Mom and Dad being here:

• Texas Motor Speedway. Dad will be back later to capitalize on the opportunity to drive a race car at speeds well over 120. You too, can experience the thrill for a mere $100. Or, if you'd rather, you can have a veteran race car driver drive you around the track at speeds over $150. Now there's something I could go for. Save your pennies, folks.
• Touring BNSF. We met up with Blake for lunch and then took a tour of BNSF. We got to go inside a fancy-pants rail car that they've turned into conference rooms for VIPs. Pretty neat!
• A photo shoot for Eliza at Target. Still didn't capture the essence of Eliza, but there were definitely some cute ones! Pictures coming soon.
• Simply coexisting. Just being together is priceless. That was certainly my favorite part and Eliza's favorite part. Eliza started crying as we dropped them off at the airport and it about ripped my heart out. It took her several days to get over it, and I told Mom that the next time they come, they need to overstay their welcome so I can cope with them leaving. :)

Highlights of Kyndal being here:

• I have two words for you:  GIRL. CHAT. Seriously, guys don't know what they're missing! That's got to be one of my top 10 favorite things of being a girl, made even more so by chatting with sisters. :)
• Conference in Sherman with Aunt Shirlene, Uncle Alan, and Reese. Getting together with family is the best. Delicious lunch, games, and words from the prophets. Makes for a great Sunday.
• Trying new recipes together. Overnight Baked Strawberry and Cream French Toast with Strawberry Syrup. Tasty, but the better part was making it together while Blake was at priesthood session. 
• Venturing to Wat Buddharatanaram, a big Buddhist temple in our area. We didn't get to see any ceremonies or rituals and have a chance to practice all of the Buddhist etiquette that we researched, but we saw some monks and the buildings were really neat.
• Playing with Eliza. Eliza pretty much adores Kyndal now. It made me so happy that Kyndal got to see the magic that I witness (and try to capture and share) all the time. Eliza's cute little babble, the way she reacts to an offer to read stories or go on adventures or put on her shoes... So much fun.
• Meeting up with Blake for lunch. Kyndal will probably get me in trouble for posting this to the world, but the cashier at Five Guys was totally hitting on her. Time to start cleaning the shotgun, Dad...
• The Hobbit 1 and 2. Waiting for #3 is going to be a killer!

Thanks for coming, guys. "Let's not wait till the next family reunion!"

Maintenance: Zero Fun Sir

I love where we live. We've really been impressed with our apartment complex and management and I would recommend them to anyone. The only thing I might change is I might have the maintenance guys take some people skills classes. Their maintenance skills are top notch, but they're just a little... gruff. They aren't creepers, but I feel the same kind of uncomfortable that I might feel in the presence of a drill sergeant. "Zero fun sir."

Anyhow,  the maintenance guys came today to fix our toilet. I made sure the apartment looked respectable to avoid any feelings of, "Shoot! Should have picked up before the drill sergeants arrived for inspection." They came,  took care of the problem with impressive speed and efficiency,  and went on their less-than-merry way.

I go into the bathroom to see the new and improved toilet, only to find pads strewn across the floor along with curlers and some other post-pregnancy unmentionables.

The poor maintenance guys. Guess I should have done a second sweep of the apartment once Eliza was down for a nap.

Church Callings

Have I told you yet that I got called as the primary teacher for the CTR 5 class? If not, forget I said anything because I just got put into the primary presidency instead as the first counselor. I'm really going to miss the one-on-one with my class (easily the best and most well-behaved class in the junior primary!) but I'm so excited for the opportunity to learn and grow in this new calling. And I couldn't be more excited about the women I'll be working with! Seriously... some of my favorite people all smooshed into one presidency. I'm beyond thrilled!

Have I told you that Blake got called as the Priest Quorum Adviser? He has one active priest in the quorum who is going to college in a few months. He's got his work cut out for him, but he's already busy getting to know the young men and finding ways to reach out to them in ways they'll accept. I'm proud of the work he's doing.

The Park

There's a park not far from where we live, but right on our apartment grounds we have a little playground. Nothing too fancy, but it's still a fun diversion for Eliza in that half hour of time between dinner and bedtime that can sometimes feel really long. :)

She loves swings, but is very distrusting of slides. She doesn't even enjoy it when she goes down on our laps. We sent her down a few times on her own--she didn't flip a lid, but she certainly wasn't pleased. She'll get onto it with practice.

She also loves riding the duck. She gets a crazy ride when I'm a second passenger (and seat belt), but she also likes wiggling around on it solo.

"Um, guys? I'm stuck."

I thought Utah took the cake as far as bipolar weather was concerned, but Texas far, far surpasses it! ("Everything's bigger in Texas...") These facebook photos from Fox4 News and Weather kind of give you an idea:

These are actual numbers that actually happen! Crazy. One day it's balmy and we're all in shorts (like the pictures on the playground), and the next we're cranking the heat in the apartment and I'm makings soup and baking to generate additional heat. So we take advantage of our warm days when they come with lots of walks, trips to the park, and other adventures and outings. Pretty soon it'll be too hot for that sort of thing and swimming is the only outdoor option. (Or so we've heard. We'll see what these Texas humid summers are like!)

The Little Moments

I love capturing these little candid moments. They remind me just how valuable parenthood, motherhood, and that little baby girl are:  worth far above rubies. It is my whole life and my whole world.

Alice and Wonderland

Learning how to play Clash of Clans with Daddy
[Altogether now, Hull Family:  "Nerd... nerd... No friends... no friends..."]
[Briggs Family: I promise that's a phrase of endearment... Sort of.]

Sometimes I wish our days at home were on surveillance so I could have wonderful pictures of me and Eliza like the ones I take of her and Blake--visual proof to myself that I'm doing more than changing diapers and doing laundry... that I'm raising a child. I try to capture those pictures but generally have to settle for awkward 'selfies' and trust that the hours we spend together sometimes really do look idyllic and magical. But even without the pictures, I know that she is a marvelous blessing and miracle in my life. I hope to be the same in hers.

Playgroup

Our ward is very good at having a playgroup every Friday. I went today for the sake of being social and meeting new people. It was a good choice. It certainly beats being a hermit and holing up in the apartment. Especially since it's 76 degrees today after several days stuck in the 20's and 30's.

But the truth is, sometimes I'd rather hole up in the apartment and not shower or get dressed or put on makeup or show the world I exist. Today was one of those days. The unfortunate thing about the holing-up method is it's just plain not the Lord's way. You can only do so much to reach out, "hasten the work," and "lose your life" while staying in alone with your one-year-old.

And so, I go to playgroup.

Good things that came from playgroup:

• I showered, got dressed, did makeup, put in contacts, and got out of the house. Eliza and I were both dressed by 8:00--not sure the last time that happened. (Or if that has ever happened!) 
• Lots of sunshine. I'll definitely bring my sunglasses and a hat for Eliza next time. It was all I could do to keep her from getting sunburned.
• I met a nonmember and had a good chat with her. She's a neighbor of one of the women in the ward that is a playgroup regular. Sarah was a really fun, chill lady--I hope she comes again next week.
• I got to talk to Stephanie. I accompanied her in sacrament meeting on Sunday and she's the best candidate I've found to fill my 'bosom-friend' void. Certainly a potential kindred spirit. I hope that we can maybe get together tomorrow while Blake's studying for the GMAT. 

Well I hope you're all having a lovely Friday afternoon. The kids will be out of school in a few hours and then it's full steam ahead with weekend partying. (Except for poor Kyndal who got her wisdom teeth out. Hope you're healing up well!) Happy Friday.

President's Day Part 1 - My First Consignment Sale

Have you ever heard the word consignment? I hadn't until I left Utah. Apparently it's the non-Utah word for Kid to Kid, DI, Savers, or the like. I haven't been to any physical consignment stores yet, but Blake's cousin McKenna told me about Divine Consign--a travelling consignment sale for clothes, toys, and gear for moms and kids. It happens twice a year - once for spring/summer, and once for fall/winter. McKenna had good things to say about it so I went to check it out on President's Day.

Guys. I about started crying. Imagine Ross Dress for Less on 75% off. *angelic choruses* Beth, you're getting choked up as we speak. Don't deny it. :)

Divine Consign is very picky about the clothes they will resell--no holes, no stains, not too worn, etc. I was really impressed with the quality of the clothes and the prices were UNBELIEVABLE. For the benefit of the grandmas and aunts (particularly Brynn), here's a small glimpse at what came home with me.

Carter's Swimsuit

brand new with tags ($34.00) and hygienic liner

$8.00

Little Tots Shirt; Carters Legging

$2.00

Circo shirt and shorts

$3.00

Carters Shirt and Leggings

$0.75

From left to right - Circo, Gymboree, Skechers

$1.00; $2.00; $0.50

Carters Shirt and Garanimals Leggings

$1.13

I did "splurge" and buy a few things that weren't on 50% or 75% clearance

Baby Gap Dress

$9.00

(I'm not sure $9 for a Baby Gap dress qualifies as a splurge, but whatever.)

3 pack of Okie Dokie White Onesies

$1.25

All in all, I got 6 dresses, 10 shirts, 10 pants or shorts, 5 pairs of shoes, and a swimsuit for less than $80. Talk about the windows of heaven pouring out blessings! I don't mean this irreverently, but God sure is nice! I guess the better way to say it is that He absolutely delights to bless us. I'm sure it's one of His most fun and favorite jobs. I also love and appreciate that if little things matter to us, they matter to Him. For example, Heavenly Father knows me and knows how stressful shopping can be for me sometimes. So He inspires and motivates some awesome Christian women in Texas to spearhead this massive sale twice a year (that blesses the lives of countless moms here in the Dallas Fort-Worth area!). Then leads McKenna to the sale and inspires her to lead ME to it and then blesses me with ambition on the day of the sale to help me go check it out even though navigating is sometimes daunting. See what I mean? With all the things He has to do, it's amazing how much He goes about taking care of 'the one.' That 'one' is me, and it's you. I'm so grateful for a loving Father.

Have a great day!

Eliza's Mischief

Eliza is a hoot. She keeps us laughing and she certainly keeps us on our toes. Here are just a few of her latest shenanigans.

I call the first shenanigan the Bumbomobile. (Hey Jake... three letters away from a palindrome! Too bad bumbomobmub doesn't make any sense.) Wear the Bumbo on the go! Eliza is quite the chunk these days. I mean QUITE the chunk. While adorable, this can pose a few logistic problems in her life, including getting stuck in the Bumbo and getting clotheslined by the waistband of her pants. In this picture she was trying to shake the Bumbo off of her bum and thought it was hilarious. Not technically mischievous, but hilarious nonetheless.

The second shenanigan is due to her desire to be helpful in the kitchen. I appreciate the thought, but sometimes the execution is a little... drive-you-nuts-esque? The following baby proofing contraption has saved mine and Eliza's relationship. I can now make dinner without Eliza opening the fridge and rifling through whatever suits her fancy. It is truly wonderful.

The fridge safety belt (as I call it) came in a two pack and I thought, "Hallelujah! I can also secure the pantry!" But Blake's worried about the sticky stuff leaving bad residue on the wood, so I've resisted. I've tried to train Eliza to not get into the pantry, but I guess the temptation is just too much for her sometimes. Yesterday, enough was enough and in a moment of desperation, I rigged this solution:

Right as I was taking this picture, Eliza comes exploring into the kitchen and, as always, made her way to the pantry. I was able to switch it right to video and catch her first attempt at opening the pantry. I can't get the video to upload on the blog, so I'll just have to redirect you to the youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNQC0r_EKRQ&feature=youtu.be

Ever heard the phrase, "Necessity is the mother of invention"? Ingenuity for the win. Enjoy raiding the tupperware while you can, Lizie. I may just have another stroke of genius up my sleeve.

Valentine's Day

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”  - Jenkins Lloyd Jones, as quoted by President Gordon B. Hinckley

Mr. Jones is right; bliss isn't normal. But bliss does happen and sometimes you're just lucky enough to capture it with a camera:

For being a man who hates Valentine's Day, Blake sure planned something fun for his two valentines this year. A note I found in the morning informed me that we had dinner plans and asked that I have myself and Eliza ready to venture outside when Blake got home from work. It was fun to anticipate and be excited about it all day! Once he got home from work, we grabbed our BYU picnic blanket courtesy of Aunt Elaine and took a short stroller ride to the lake behind our apartment. We enjoyed an al fresco dinner, Costa Vida style. (Note:  there was MUCH rejoicing when we found out we have a Costa Vida out here! There are only two in Texas and we're close to both of them!)

Eliza evidently enjoyed herself.

We couldn't stay out very long because Eliza had to get to bed, but it was fun and chill and a break from the norm--nothing could be better. Once she was down for the night, we just spent time together playing games, laughing, chatting, snuggling--everything that I love. Thanks, Blake, for a fun and memorable day! Life with you just keeps getting better. I love you!

Quote Source:
*“Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, 12 June 1973, A4
*Hinckley, G.B. "A Conversation with Single Adults," Ensign, Mar 1997. http://www.lds.org/ensign/1997/03/a-conversation-with-single-adults?lang=eng

Missing the Fam

It has happened two nights in a row:  I got trunky for home. Last night, it was a song that came on in the radio--Roar, by Katy Perry. I used to hate it. Then I became converted as I watched my my brother and sister-in-law tear it up via karaoke over Christmas. Hearing it last night made me miss Dan and especially Karen (sorry Dan...) but I was able to smile, shake off the blues, and enjoy the song in the car. I'd received a package and email from Karen earlier in the day and the recent communication made her feel not too far away. (Thanks, Karen!)

Tonight, I don't even want to try to shake off the blues. Blake's gone to an activity for Young Mens (in a 'catch-up' post, I'll tell you that he got called as the Priest advisor) and so there's no reason to be reasonable and hold myself together. (Instead, I'll publish to my entire extended family that I broke down like a little girl... since that makes so much sense.) Eliza doesn't mind me crying--in fact, she cried a fair bit today herself so I don't feel bad. (Did I just compare my emotional fortitude to that of a one-year-old? Oh dear.) I was singing to her as she drank her bottle. There were all of the usuals--I love to see the temple, I am like a star shining brightly... But then I ventured to A Child's Prayer. And Beth wasn't there to sing the duet with me. And my voice stopped because I couldn't sing past the lump in my throat. And I lost it.

I cried for a little bit and talked softly with Eliza--she's a good listener--and then I put her down for bed. Hoping for a distraction, I went to the computer to check my email, only to find an email from Dad Hull with 15 pictures of Courtney.

Dang it.

And so I let myself cry for a little bit and miss my parents and brothers and sisters from both sides and think of them and yearn for them and wish I could hug them tight enough for it to hurt. Then I jumped on the blog because writing makes me feel better. ...Which brings us to this sentence--looks like you're up to speed.

In a conversation with Grandma Hull before we left, she said to me, "Things will be good. There will be hard days where you think, 'I just want my mommy!' and you want to sit down and cry. But other days will be so, so good."

My goodness, she's prophetic. (Seriously Hull Family... Is there any problem Grandma doesn't have a soft and kind piece of advice for? Such a wise woman. We ought to make a plaque:  When in doubt, ask Grandma.) I'm generally happy here in Texas. But in some days and moments, the distance between me and those I love doesn't feel around the corner--it feels across the globe. (An accurate estimate, in Courtney's case.) But I know that another day soon will be so good. And it will probably be tomorrow.

Here's a look at what I've been missing. I've enjoyed going back through my pictures tonight.

Aunt Beth and her Girlies
This past Christmas at the Condo

Aunt Brynn with The Cutest Christmas Present Ever

Being Goobers after venturing up to Bridal Veil Falls
while they were staying with us for a few days

Good grief. I love these people.

And these people. All 18 of them. (Gosh we're growing!)

Max's Baptism - what an amazing day!
(Crazy that Eliza is now almost as big as little Will on my lap...)

Arguably one of my favorite pictures of all time.

This would also go in the aforementioned category.

A dynamic duo

Farming at it's finest

The cutest couple on the cruise ship *snicker snicker*

Okay. So maybe Aaron and Beth are the second cutest couple...

Well Family, I love you. That is all. :)