Matryoshka Nesting Dolls

Ive always loved Russian Nesting Dolls but lately Ive been looking online for some art work to put in our house and found this.

I LOVE IT!! Hazel Nicholls, be still my soul.

I also love the above picture. I think Im going to put it up in Presleys room.

If you come over and see my house covered in nesting dolls. Take me to therapy.

Que que na-to-ra

My cousin Jami and I took our girls to the zoo on Monday. We couldnt have picked a better day. We had rain and cooler weather this past weekend so we thought before we hit 90's again we would zoo it up. I was surprised that there wasnt more people there. Althought Im really glad they werent there. The night before at family dinner Jami and I discussed the next days adventure. All Presley could talk about that night on the way home was she wanted to go to the zoo and she wanted to Pet a Giraffe. It was definitely a successful trip. Because the weather was so wonderful we just took our time. We would stop and play at all the play areas and then we would go see another animal. Jami and I both said that if we didnt have other things scheduled for the day we would totally have stayed all day.

Presley and Grace have good and bad days. Im so happy this was a good day. The Peacock below seriously came so close to us. Grace was freaking out because she thought it was going to attack. Presley was too busy immitating the sounds it was making to even care how close it was. She loved the Peacock and kept asking to see it. Sher Khan!!! Presley is slightly obsessed with Jungle Book right now. I keep trying to explain to her that Sher Khan is not nice but she kept asking to hold Sher Khan and pet him. She loved it!

For only an arm and leg, you can feed the Giraffes! The girls loved this the most. I was not really happy with the photographers skills in capturing Presleys face. Imagine the biggest grin on this little girls face. She kept laughing hysterically. It was so cute.

Presley had her first run in with the movie Pocahontas on Tuesday. Shes obsessed. Luckily for me we dont have it on DVD or a VHS player. So we only watch it at Mimi's house. Tuesday night I was chanting Pocahontas throughout my dreams. Thanks to Grandmother Willow Que Que Na-to ra, you will understand is still in my head. Zach and I like to make up our own Lyrics for the song "Steady as the beating drum." We arent even close to the original words.

Baby Mine

Two years ago today I went in for my weekly check up with my OBGYN. I was 37 weeks along with Zach and my first baby, a girl, which I could not wait to meet. Through the last couple weeks leading up to this weekly checkup I had been placed on bed rest with outrageously high blood pressure. I had tested negative each time for Toxemia and Preeclampsia so Dr. Beck placed me on bedrest to keep my blood pressure down. While I laid in bed, which was so difficult for me to do, I wondered if I should pack a bag before I went to this checkup, you know just in case the heavens opened and Dr. Beck said I could be induced. I decided I not packing a bag because I had just hit the 37 week mark. I drove myself to my check up but had my mom meet me down there for moral support because Zach had just started a new job and had to work. My doctors appointment start off like the "Norm". I got my weight taken( horrible) and headed to my exam room for the Nurse to take my blood pressure. Immediately after she took my blood pressure, she looked up and stated that I needed to lay on my left side for a few minutes and she would be back to take my blood pressure again. She informed me that my blood pressure had increased dramatically from my previous visit and that it was now at 160/114. A normal blood pressure was 120/80. Anything over a 90 was pretty bad and anything over 100 was Really bad.
Dr. Beck came in and I just burst into tears. I was tired of worrying whether or not I was going to stroke at any moment and I was really concerned for my health and safety and for my Baby's heath and safety. Dr. Beck understood my concerns and left the room and came back within a few minutes to ask if I was ready to have a baby. A little puzzled I reassured him I was definitely ready to have this baby and he sent me on my way to Banner Gateway to check in and start a dose of Pitocin. It was a 2 minute drive and the whole time I giggled. I was giddy to be having this baby. I called Zach and informed him of our "news". He frantically called EVERYONE he knew to tell them and rushed home to pack me a bag, which ended up being completely useless because of all of his Emotions he forgot almost everything I asked him to get. I was started on the Pitocin at 4pm, Asked for the epideral at 7pm not because I was in complete discomfort but just for kicks, Dr. Beck came to break my water around 8pm and by 11pm I was pushing. After 1 1/2 hours of pushing at 12:29 am march 24, 2009, Presley Denise was born weighing 7 lbs 5 ounces, 20.5 inches long.
I was completely exhausted,I Could hardly keep my head up and my eyes open to see her but she was perfect. Absolutely perfect. And she was mine. I helped create this wonderful being who was so fresh and new. I have never felt so close to my Heavenly Father and I had never loved Zach more than that very moment.

Fast forward 2 years and my little baby isnt really a baby anymore. She talks, walks, and giggles like a little girl. She certainly has Zach and I completely wrapped around her little finger. I love this little angel and I am so grateful for the blessings she has brought into my life. Zach and I were so fortunate to have had a fairly easy time getting her.

Happy birthday Miss P! Mommy and Daddy love you so much and thank Heavenly Father everyday for sending you to us.

So this is Love...

I had this bright idea that I would send out Valentines Day cards with Presley and her future husband. Presley was WAY more into it then Mack. Hes going to need a little more convincing. I think if I continue to bribe him with chocolate he might warm up to the situation

Bubbles Bubbles on my nose, Bubbles Bubbles on my toes

I fail as a mother. It has taken me almost 2 years to introduce my child to bubbles in the bathtub. What kind of cruel woman am I? You see, my mom practically scared me into it. She has once said that too many bubble experiences can cause Urinary Tract Infections and since I was so proned to having those at her age I just stayed away from bubbles completely. I had seen a friends Blog where she had taken the cutest pictures of her daughter in the tub with bubbles and I just knew Presley needed that happiness in her life. Her reaction was a little surprising.....

She hates them. She doesnt like that her skin isnt cleaned off and there are bubbles still on. She HATES having them on her face. The Princess bubbles bottle has to be hidden or little lady freaks out.

On the other hand, bubbles you can blow out of a huge pink wand are way better. Ive been trying to teach Presley to blow really hard so she can get bubbles by herself and she is pretty much amazing at it. I was actually surprised once when she got more bubbles out of the wand then I did. Weve been playing with this type of bubble for a long time and they never get old to her.

After our bubble extravaganza I followed Presley around. She is so stinking cute. I cant believe she is going to be 2 in a month. Ridiculous!

In 6 years...

This will be my hair...

And probably not even that glamorous. I just pulled 7 gray hairs from my 24 year old head. S.E.V.E.N!!!!!! Those 7 gray hairs arent even my first 7 gray hairs. No they just added my previous 6 gray hairs to now 13 gray hairs I have plucked from my 24 year old head. IM 24,Not 64!! Come on! Thanks a lot Grandpa Ron. My grandpa Ron was completely gray by the time he was 35. My dad knew him as gray and I knew him as almost completely white. Though he may have past on 10 years ago I sure wish he could be here so I could give him a hard time about bestowing such a wonderful family gene into me. I just know I wont even make it to 35. Im sure by next year Ill be coloring my hair to hide my specks. If you see me and Ive gained weight its because Im eating lots of ice cream to get myself through this. Anyone selling Girl scout cookies? I could really use a few boxes of Samoas.

Goals

In 2010 I set one goal. Get fit. I was hoping Zach would follow along and we could do it together. Well, its taken Zach a year to catch on but he is doing it. After only a few weeks of 2011 Zach is ripped. He is eating healthier and working out routinely and is really happy. This year when I was thinking about my goals for the year I came up with a few. In the year 2011 I want to Load the dishwasher every night before I go to bed, Continue with my fitness, and Save enough money to go to Disneyland this summer and Berlin next October. Initially I said save more, spend less which was one of Zachs goal as well but with more thought we came up with having an end goal to our saving. Zach and I are not good savers which is HORRIBLE!!! With a strict budget set and in motion we are learning so much! My grandparents are about to serve their third mission together and this time they are headed to Berlin. When they got called Zach said he would really like to go pick them up when they are released. How could I pass up a trip to Germany? After all thats where I come from.

In other news, The heavens have parted and Presley is now obsessed with "beast". She is so into movies right now and I really dont want her to watch movie after movie. Its the first thing she says to me in the morning, "Mommy beast wake up"," I watch Beast" folllowed but "I eat." At least right now its MY favorite Disney Princess.

P.s ONLY 4 MORE MONTHS TILL THIS HANDSOME BROTHER OF MINE COMES HOME!!

Longest 2 years of my life.