MY FAVORITE - ADVENT

Once upon a time I witnessed a beautiful box at my sister-in-laws house. It was adorned with a darling little dainty Christmas tree. Tinsel strewn atop the tree and rows of numbered boxes below. I asked her where she found such a beloved advent. She replied, Rita got it for me. So when I requested an advent from Rita for Christmas, she replied "Oh I got one for all the families that have kids." So guess what I did last year? I got me a kid. Just so I could have this advent.
(I hope you're all smart enough to pick up on my sarcasm:))
And wouldn't you know it? Rita got me the advent. Rita is Kday's awesome mom.
So here's what we do each day to count down the to Christ's Birthday.

Lady picks the box with the date on it....

And can you believe what's inside!?....

A NOEL tree decoration!

And we dress the tree.

Wow what a difference a year makes! I think she thought Mom was a little crazy last year.

NINE.SEVEN

LUCK

Do you believe in it?

I 100% believe in luck - in numbers especially. Have I ever told you about my fetish with the numbers 9 and 7? Those number reoccur in my life and always precipitate good fortune. For example:

Current Address 542. 5+4 = 9, -2 = 7

My birthday 10/15/81. 1+0+1+5 = 7, 8+1= 9

Kday's birthday 12/9/79

# of months we were on the adoption list when we got our first email from Layla's birth-mom = 9

We adopted Layla in our 7th year of marriage and 9th year of being with Kday

First date with Kday 7/7/1999

Layla's birthday 7/6/09

# of letters in my first name = 7

Age when I got married= 19

Age when I became a mom = 27, 2+7=9

Anniversary = 9/7/01

There's more I'm sure... 

I know it sounds a lot like crazy talk - It's there though and you gotta love it. So.... here's the factual purpose of bringing this up?

I'm 29 today. And it's my 9th year of marriage. It's going to be a FABULOUS year. Good things are about to happen folks. Trust me. 

Oh ya - and I'm about to be a brunette. Like - REALLY BRUNETTE. Wow.

MY FAVORITE - Month

I love Halloween. Always have. I couldn't wait to bust out the decorations and add al little Boo to the house. After all... we do have a ghost around here. Don't worry, she's nice. Other than opening the front door, turning on the tv, and messing around with the kitchen cupboards... she's harmless. The ghost I am worried about- is this little number!

Boo!

KDAY - AS A DAD

Things have been a little "heavy" around here lately.... so this will illumine the funk a bit.

Last night Kday said he wanted to show me a cartoon of himself - as a dad of our two kids.
He said it's a sign of things to come.
For the sake of adding a little man to the family - lets HOPE SO.
For the danger our existent lady and our future posterity when I leave to get ice cream--- let's hope NOT!

Enjoy-

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Yaaaa baby, summer has arrived.
Last summer was a total absolute blurrrrrrurrrurr. The weeks of secretly planning for the possible arrival of Lady, then the time in Cali, and then adjusting to motherhood and avoiding the H1N1... before we knew it 2009 was over and we were finally planting our feet where we wanted to stand.
And here we are again. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this time of year. The band geeks start practicing for The Parade and the music rings out through the ghetto streets of one hundred south. Lady gets down and jiggy with it whenever she hears the music. Super cool.

IF YOU NEED A LITTLE INSPIRATION TODAY---

This is Becky. She is my daily inspiration. She is the definition of beauty and resilience. She is my friend first, therapist second. We are the leaders of the "Hope Group" she helped me jump right in with two feet and never look back at how nervous or scared I was at failing this journey. Now we have guided 8 wonderful women who are gaining their lives back through a sisterhood of support, love and learning.

Read about Becky Here. She has a visual impairment called RP which you can learn more about here, but it does not define her. Becky is awesome, with or without her vision... just awesome. In fact I knew her for 2 whole years before I ever learned of her limited vision. SHE is AMAZING. My favorite  and after reading her blog... she will be yours too. 

HE'S MY FAVORITE

First Fathers Days are the best. 

Kday rocks at fatherhood. 

He's way better at it than I am at motherhood. 

He would climb mountains for us.

And look fabulous doing it... in spandex. 

Not many dads can do that.

5.2.8 Kday

CO-OP OFFERINGS 6/5/10

2 Red Bell Peppers

7 Potato's 

10 Peaches

7 Apples

4 Tomato's

1 Head Romaine Lettuce

9 Mystery Mini Lettuce's (I forgot the name)

8 Corn Cobs

1 Carton Black Berries

1 Melon

7 Banana's

1 Bag Red Grapes

Yum - Yum - Yum

If you're participating in the Co-Op.... don't forget to volunteer and stay for the entire time including clean up! Your help is what keeps the cost low.

P.S. I've completely talked Bike Fix into providing me with my new Madsen to attend the Co-Op and Farmers Markets this summer.... I can't freaking wait!

NEW FAVORITE - GRASS

This is why I can't browse through the baby isles at Targ3t... I buy things I don't need. But LOVE. I'm less than 3-4 months away from Layla not drinking formula from bottles anymore but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring a little summer cheer into my kitchen. So I called Kday and asked "Do you care if I spend $ (even though we have no income this month!) on an item that we could absolutely live without but that I love so much and will love every single day until we don't need it anymore?" He said I deserved it. He's sweet. I got it. I love it.

Proud as a Peacock

Everywhere we go Layla's hair stops the show. Literally, as in people stop and talk to us about it, or repeatedly tell us how much they love it and then call all their friends over to see it. And these are people we don't know! Like people in the store, the gas station, restaurant... total strangers stop us to enjoy her hair. Layla's cousin said this about her hair; "G's Layla's hair sticks straight up... she really likes to show it off huh!?" Sometimes we wonder if it will every lay down, other times we hope it doesn't because it's so cute. We've tried hair gel, lotion, water, hairspray, and good old fashion lick the hand and slick it down... then if you watch it closely it slowly rises back up until it's in full salute! Not only do people say, "Oh my, what beautiful eyes," or "Wow, she is gorgeous," or "What a beautiful smile," but they say "Her hair is so fun! Look at it!" She really is a show stopper and we like to think that her eyes, her beauty, her smile and her hair are all just a reflection of what her incredible spirit has in store for us. She is strong, gentle, beautiful and full of life. Seriously, could that hair get any bigger?! Layla has a Halo of Hair.

We're talking inches of height here people! YAOWZA!!!! LOVE it love it love it!

MY ANGEL - MY SOUL

Dear Layla,
You are my strength, my miracle, my soul. You see the truth of my heart and I know that you understand me in a deep personal way. We connect, through those eyes... we see each other. God sent your strength to our family for a reason we'll someday understand. You allowed yourself to be so vulnerable in order to get to us, you relied on other's choices and free agency to get to me. Your spirit leaves people speechless... but those eyes say it all. Those eyes are my favorite. I love you with the entirety of my heart. 
Love,
Momma

FAVORITE.... GAME

"I see you!!!!" 

LOVE LOVE LOVE....

My new purse that Kday got me for Christmas. It finally came in the mail yesterday- all the way from Istanbul, Turkey!!!
I love it kday! Thank you :)

Later today... a post about KIT in the Kitchen!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Loving this newly release album that Kday did the art design for. Cori sang at our wedding and has the most angelic voice I've ever heard on this entire Earth. Purchase this and her other albums which are all as great as the next... HERE.

SOME MORE NEW FAVORITES...

My new favorite shirt for Lady is this one.

Kday picked it out. I love love love it.

It says, "P is for Pterodactyl" Did I say I LOVE IT!

We like flirting with that cute face in the mirror... Lady's of coarse!
All while wearing my favorite orange hat from World Market

Watching our feet dangle over the edge of the hammock while listening to the crunch of the leaves below
Sometimes Lady thinks I'm a little crazy :)

And that smile.... my most favorite of all!

FAVORITE VIEW

This is the view out my kitchen window... I love doing dishes, gazing at the horse and old tractor and day dreaming. Autumn is Awesome.

The beautiful falling leaves were prematurely swept off their branches last weekend after a wind storm and I'm missing their golden glow already.

Lady and I love to share her afternoon feeding while swinging away on the hammock with the cool crisp fall air on our cheeks.

AUTUMN IS AWESOME

ANOTHER FAVORITE

Spent Saturday morning in bed, finally rallied the troops out the door by 3:45 pm and headed to IK*EA. 

(my poor logistical planning since becoming a mother is NOT my new favorite) But the rocking chair we purchased for Layla's room IS my new favorite. Now during her 5am feeding I can just sit, rock, and snuggle my baby girl. Her nursery is starting to come together and now if I could just get Kday to start and finish the mural he promised.... 

LUCKY ISLE #7

LAYLA'S NEW BOOKSHELF

LAYLA'S FAVORITE... AWAKE TIME ACTIVITY

This is a cool DVD collection that Kday found online that Little Lady Layla happens to love! Check out the site at weeseeworld.com, it's a great visual stimulus for newborns and is so relaxing... even for mom and dad!
Here's a sneak peek!

wee see - collection one from Rolyn Barthelman on Vimeo.

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS episode#2

Love the music, love the simplicity, love it!

LOVE LOVE LOVE MY...

I figured if Oprah can do a "favorite things" show, then I can too. I don't demonstrate quite as much "stuff-itis" (the inflammation of the need for stuff) but I definitely have stuff that I love and wish not to do without.
It's used and has a dent in it, the battery only lasts about 20 min without being plugged in. So it's more of a desktop than a laptop but I love my PowerBook G4


My new fetish with the handmade jewelry on MD Sparks Etsy. (thanks to team firth) Kevin purchased this little number for me on Valentine's day. I can't wear them without getting endless compliments.


I have about 5% natural fashion sense. So I have to do research in an attempt to leave the house looking somewhat different than the stereotypical "mormon" in her late 20's. Key word in the previous sentence is "attempt." I love to read People Style Watch Magazine.


Last love for today's post is Veggie Crisps by Sensible Portions..... mmmmm good. And good for you!