A Fun Day with Daddy

This is what Daddy and Zoey do while Mommy is at work...

Zoey sure enjoyed her chocolate frosting filled graham crackers! It's a good thing Daddy gave her a bath after this too! Boy was she messy!

What will they do next!

Help, I Can't Decide!

Ok, so I really want to make a quiet/activity book for Zoey. She's really starting to develop her fine motor skills and I think this would be fun for her and hopefully help with Sundays! I've been searching online and have found TONS of sites with ideas and patters and I think I've narrowed it down to two choices. I just need your help deciding...

This one is found here, it seems to have the pages I want, the page it has that I haven't found on others is the mirror page.
This is the other one I have found, it's here on Etsy. I like that it has a page for each ABC. It would take me longer to do each page but I'd probably do it in like 4 smaller books. I like that it has tons of ideas.
I have no idea how I'm going to decide. Please vote in the comments. If you do you'll be entered to win something fun made by me!

Oh, and just for your enjoyment here are two more patterns that I will probably be getting because I like them so much!

Nativity Book

Holiday Book Kit

Guess What Today Is?

One year ago today Clay left for work like normal. He came home early and it turned our world upside down. He has lost his job. This was his first job after college, we had a 10 week old baby and I wasn't working (or planning on going back to work). I could never have imagined what blessings would come into our life because of that day.

I am so grateful that I had a good job before the baby came where we were able to save a little so that we could get through the first couple of weeks. I'm grateful to friends and family who helped us out as we figured things out to get us back on our feet.

I was able to start babysitting during the day and Clay went looking for a job. We ended up moving in with our friends the Sampson's because Clay hadn't really found anything yet and we couldn't keep up the bills at the apartment. We weren't sure how long we would be there for or where we would go after but they were so nice to let us crash for a few months. Clay did get a job working the night shift at Maveric Color and has really enjoyed it there. We realized that even with his job we still wouldn't be able to make it on our own without some more income so I even found a job. This was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I know that probably sounds silly but my whole life all I've ever wanted was t be an at home mom. We even waited till Clay was almost done with school to have our first baby so I could be home. But, I did find a job and I am grateful that everything has turned out ok.

Clay is able to be home during most of the day with Zoey and we have a great friend who takes care of her the few hours that our jobs overlap. I'm glad that Clay gets to spend that extra time with Zoey that most dads don't get. I enjoy my evenings with her (even though they're short) and love to see her smiling face when I pick her up everyday!

Because of the job loss and then job finds we are in a better apartment then I ever would have imagined. I have no problems staying here until we're ready for a house, even if that's 5 years from now! Together we make more money then ever before and we are well on our way to being debt free and building up a savings. Things are still tight but we're at least able to enjoy life. We even have a DVR now! I know, we should be good and save that money, but it's our favorite (and probably only) real splurge right now. No more setting the VCR timer and hoping the reception is good enough for our shows!

I am so grateful for all the blessings, big and small, that I have received over this last year. I'm grateful for the Church welfare system and for my Savior who helped me through each day, good and bad, to get me to where I am now, and where I'm headed. I'm enjoying life and am grateful for all that I have learned this last year. If you'd asked me a year ago if I thought I'd ever be where I am now I would have laughed at you! Thank you to all our friends and family who have helped us along the way. If we can ever repay the favor, please let us know.

More Zoey...

Ok, so as my sister pointed out to me it's been awhile since I've blogged. I know, I've been busy! I don't have much time even right this moment but here's a few quick pictures of Zoey for your enjoyment...Zoey LOVES books. She goes from book to book to book all night long once we get home. She usually only looks at a book for all of five seconds before going on to another except she does have a few favorites, like this one, it's Noah's ABC's, it's a cute little board book with flaps (she LOVES flap books). Her other favorite is a farm animal book, she even knows what sound the doggies makes! It's so cute when she goes 'woof woof.'

Here is an adorable picture of Zoey in her Great Wall of China Pj's. Yes these Pj's are actually from China. Grandma and Grandpa Irving went to visit China and brought these back for her. They are one of her (and mommy and daddy's) favorite pair of Pj's. We don't have many short ones so she wears these on especially hot nights.

Well Amy, there you go! I hope you enjoyed my little post and maybe I'll be better at posting again one day! We love ya'll!

Birth Centers in Trouble

Hey friends -




Ok, I'm not usually one who'd big into politics or bills or anything that has to do with government. BUT...my birthcenter and others are in trouble. I don't know how to explain exactly what's happening but basically Congress is trying to pass something so that Birthcenters cannot be paid for by ladies who have Medicaid. Now, this might not concern you if you're one of the lucky ones who has medical insurance but this does effect other women and could affect the birthing center you might want to go to later. I know my birthing center I used for Zoey, over half her business is Medicaid women and if this passes it will shut her down and then I would be really sad (and you don't want to see me sad).



So, what I'm asking is that you go to this website and follow the 7 steps that are listed to let your voice be heard regarding this issue. Now those of you who really know me know this isn't something I would normally do because it's WAY out of my comfort zone, but I really feel strongly about this issue. We, as women, have the right to choose where and how we give birth. I don't judge other ladies who choose to give birth in a hospital because it's their choice, and I should get to choose too!

**Now the bribe in this is that EVERYONE who posts a link to the above site or my blog post will get something specially made by me for them (you just have to comment back here so I know). You all know how crafty I am and so I know you're all excited about that! The trick is this needs to be done in the next week or two because I guess the bill is going up for vote pretty soon.



Thank you thank you in advance for helping!



Here's a cute face of a birthcenter baby and her mommy to inspire you...

(Look I even posted a picuter of me on here, you know I must feel strongly about this issue to post a picture of me!!!!)

What a Weekend!!!

Wow, what a weekend I've had! Friday morning I woke up to Zoey having a fever of 101.3. I was just a little concerned because she was on antibiotics so I called the Dr on my way into work to see what I needed to do. We set up an appointment for that afternoon! So I went on my marry way at work knowing that Zoey was in good hands with Daddy at home! When I got home at 2:30 to take her to the Dr her temp was a whopping 104.3!!!! I shoved Tylenol down her throat and threw her in the car and rushed to the Dr (I was glad I already had an appointment!). When the Dr finally got in to see us he checked her ears. "Wow, that's bad!" He said that she had a bad double ear infection. She had been in to see him 10 days earlier because her eyes were all swollen and he said she had a minor ear infection. We put her on antibiotics (the pink stuff). Well, I guess after 10 days the antibiotics didn't touch her ear infection and it just kept getting worse. Of course because she's such a good baby I had no idea! Even with the fever I would have never guessed she was sick because she didn't stop playing and being as happy as always! Anyways, so now we're on another round of antibiotics (the white stuff now)! Saturday she continued to run high fevers but by Sunday night they tapered back down to normal, thank goodness!!! Hopefully these antibiotics will do the trick! The only rough part with the bad ear infection (that started Thursday night) is that the drainage causes Zoey to cough at nights. This then wakes her up sometimes and I have to go in and rock her back to sleep. I can't really complain though because these are such precious moments to me. Zoey doesn't snuggle hardly at all (even at nights) so I totally take advantage of when she will snuggle with me even if it's 3am!

Well, since it's been awhile since I've blogged here are just a few things about Zoey growing that I think is so fun!

1. She has 2 of her molar teeth just starting to show through!
2. She knows where her Nose and Ears are (I'll try and get a video of this), we're now working on eyes!
3. She LOVES Noggin' especially Jack's Big Music Show, when she's hears it come on (I love Free Video on Demand) She stops whatever she's doing and comes running!
4. She is totally into her routines, especially at night. Bath, teeth, book, prayer, bed! She even knows what's coming and gets ready by that door or gets the book or will fold her arms before I'm even down on the floor! Also in the mornings she knows that I leave right after prayer so as soon as it's over she goes to the front door and starts waving bye bye even if I'm not over there just yet!
5. She likes to give 5! It's so cute!
6. Her hair is really starting to grow! I can still only put it in a little pony tail on the top of her head but it's getting longer in the back!
7. She LOVES grapes!!! This is probably her favorite food!
8. She likes to do Patty Cake.
9. She LOVES her babysitter! I'm glad about this one because I know she has fun over there.
10. Um,.... I'm sure there is tons more but that's all I can think of for now!

Hopefully I'll get some pictures of her to put up soon for ya'll.

Enjoy -

Zoey's New Skill...

Ok everyone, Zoey has an awesome new skill! Ok, so it is really awesome but it totally scared mommy the first time she did it! Towards the end you can also see her say Bye Bye and blow a kiss! Yeah, I think she's the cutest kid ever!