one and under crowd

This is what happens when you try to take a picture of cousins who fit the 'one and under' category. I really wanted cute pictures of Ruthie and her brand-new adorable little cousin Natalie...better luck next time?!?

Smiles

The noblest calling in all the world is motherhood. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece, or who can write a book that will influence millions, deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will exert an influence throughout the ages long after paintings shall have faded, and books and statues shall have decayed or been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God. -David O. McKay

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life. -Sophocles

Food Storage

Sterling and I have been talking about buying a utility shelf for a LONG time...and I convinced him to get it for our anniversary. Then I convinced him to get it early. And I LOVE it! And he loves it too. Really, he does. I almost think he likes it more than I do. He loved setting it up and then spent an entire Saturday morning helping me go through all our kitchen cupboards, closets, and underneath Ruth's crib to get everything organized, throw away our super-outdated stuff, and figure out what we need to really have some sort of a food supply for our little family. It was very interesting to pull everything out from underneath Ruth's crib, we had a LOT stashed under there, but some of our more useful items were more depleted than we had realized.

Here is our wonderful shelf! Beside it on the left is a fire-proof, water-proof safe that Sterling's brother gave us for Christmas. Also an exciting new thing to have! See that tobasco sauce on the top shelf? Sterling considers that our most important food storage investment.

Eventually I want to invest in a couple more of these, but for right now, I use flour, rice, and beans the most (well, kinda beans, we're working on that) so that is what I have stored. I'd like one for white sugar, so I could move my brown sugar into the bigger white sugar canister.

Look at all that wonderful applesauce and peaches and pears that my wonderful mother helped me can! I  thought I had more applesauce, but when we pulled it out of our closet I realized I need to make some more this fall!

This is the opposite side of the room. So our teeny, tiny second bedroom can hold a beautiful little baby girl side, and a fully functioning food storage side. Haahaa, gotta love it!

To-Do

I have a to-do list. It's been waiting for me all week long. All week long while I partied with Sterling on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day instead of doing my list. All week long while I went to Ikea with my sisters and got a new pillow (to match my other pillow) for my couch and went visiting teaching that night. All week long while I worked all day Wednesday and came home and did a couple batches of laundry. All week long while I babysat on Thursday and then went to Married's class. All week long while I babysat on Friday and then came back to the babysitting residence to party more that night (and see my adorable 2-week old niece). All week long while I spent the morning looking at Carter's instead of running errands. And now my husband went off to work. And my baby is sleeping soundly (hopefully for a while, I think she's teething....she has been SO fussy the last two days!!!). And I have absolutely NO desire to do my to-do's. I'm going to blame it on the rain. Who wants to run outside with loads of laundry up and down stairs while its raining outside? And rain is not rejuvenating. Not in January. I wish it was snow. And I want to curl up in a ball and take a nap. If next week didn't look so chock-full, I would feel less anxious about getting all this stuff accomplished. One happy note, Sterling is buying me RED merrell's for my birthday!!!!! If you've never worn merrell's, you have never lived. If you didn't know how much I absolutely adore and worship the color red, well, you've never lived with me. He told me they were for hiking this summer. I'm already positive I am going to wear them every single day. Every. Single. Day.

More Christmas Catch-Up

These first few pics are from opening sibling gifts on Christmas Eve at Sterling's fam's.

This is Bridget's new man, Cade. (I never remember if its a K or a C...hmmm) We all really like him. A lot. 

I love this picture of Marlowe!

Christmas PJs

Sisters

Isn't she just the cutest roly-poliest baby ever?!!!

Ahaaahaa! Thats all I have to say. I LOVE that I caught that expression on camera! Or Jenny did. I think she had my camera right then.

Eating the wrapping paper. Good stuff.

Opening presents.

Grandma Cindy's present to Ruth. She loved it. Still does. It is by far her favorite toy ALWAYS.

Love that I caught that expression on camera.

And that expression. I love you Jenny.

Cindy made us a quilt...and its red...and awesome...and I love it!

Arizona

All of my sisters named their last post 'Arizona' so I figured I'd follow the trend. Here's some of my pictures from the trip/wedding in Arizona: 

I don't know if Wyatt and Lindsay Ann and my parents (our travel partners) would agree..but I think Ruth did a fabulous job! She had a few moments, but generally was really happy!

The first night we were there we went to see the temple lights! I wish seeing the temple lights in SLC was as warm as Mesa!

Amy, being the amazing person that she is, gave us all presents for Christmas, even though we were all there for her WEDDING, she was still on top of everything. So here is Kayli and my mother.

We got new swimsuits. Grandpa helped Ruthie model hers.

No idea what I was laughing about. Who had the camera???

Megan, Jared, Dad, Kayli

Ethan, Amy and Kam(the newlyweds!)

Wyatt and Lindsay Ann---who has now had her baby, they named her Natalie Rae, and she is SO CUTE!!! AH!!

While there, Ruth had her first playdate at the park. Dad that I was ridiculous for wanting to get her "firsts" on camera, and told me I'd do it for my first and it will never happen again...maybe....but it was so dang cute!!!! She LOVED the swing! Yay for Arizona in December!

Wedding

This picture is amazing. I am in love. Thank you Kayli for coming all the way from Switzerland to take this wonderful picture of my little family! 

On the left is Kali, she's one of our newest additions (not for long, are you in labor yet Lindsay Ann????) from this wedding, and we love her already!

A wedding in Arizona in December is GORGEOUS outside.

Lindsay Ann liked the dress-up clothes from the photo booth!

My long-lost sister from Switzerland! Come back we miss you already!