Monday, December 29, 2008

Happy 4th Birthday Rielly!!!


Well the day has come. My little girl is 4yrs old today! And every day she gets a little closer to being a teenager! 4yrs of Rielly.. how did I get so lucky? Seriously! This girl is a trip. She's moody and tough and so lovable and every bit as fiesty as I could imagine a girl to be! She's like her mama!!! She's turning into a beautiful little girl with long ringlets and bright blue eyes. We are very lucky to have her in our family (although I may not admit that everyday).


I still remember the day she was born. She was a scheduled c-section so there really was nothing eventful about her delivery other than when they took her out, they couldn't put my uterus back in! That was a little nutty!!! And because it wasn't an emergency, it took a long time for the surgery unlike her brother who was like 2 minutes and he was out. But she was worth the wait for sure!


Rielly ended up very moody at a very early age! She was a bit colic and the only thing that could soothe her was daddy. Which didn't make for a very happy mommy during the day that's for sure! And she was lactose intolerant-- again not a happy cheeseless momma! But we survived!! And we will continue to survive!!


Happy Birthday our little Riellykins, Rooder Roo, Pumpkin Head, Shirley Temple...

Monday

So this morning I awoke to my eye stuck together. Yup.. PINK EYE!!! Adults get pink eye? gross! And then last night my filling fell out that just got put in 3weeks ago. And Jons car wouldn't start so I'm carless today because he has my van. Man oh Man my friends- it's going to be one of those days!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

How did this happen???


My BABY turns 4 next week. 4yrs old!!! Where did time go?? And am I really old enough to have kids?!?!? I am just having issues right now- I always just assumed I would have another little one by this time. And yet here we are and my teeny little girl isn't so teeny anymore.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Not the greatest pics but these are kinda fun




I decided to stay simple for teachers gifts this yr. I made clipboards but decided to use those as teacher appreciation and made these for Christmas instead. The pictures aren't great cuz they're with my camera phone but I am excited how these turned out. I got some cup holders at QT, covered them in stampin up designer paper and used my cricut for the letters. It's a Smores kit! I stamped the bags for the marshmellow, put a tag around the graham crackers and dressed up the candy bar. Super easy and I hope it's well received!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sad Day

I found out early this morning that my Grandpa Les Harper passed away last night around 11:45pm. He's been sick for awhile and has beat all the odds.. until now.
He would have turned 91 on Dec 24th. It's bitter/sweet. Bitter because it's my grandpa- we grew up living so close to them and they were a large part of my childhood.
Sweet because he's not sick anymore and he's hanging out with my dad.
Bitter because it's almost Christmas and his birthday.
Sweet because well... he had no quality of life there at end.
I will miss him.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Dear Santa...

Wish lists for Christmas are about things that we would LIKE to have... but not that we are guaranteed to get right? I'm afraid the things on my list aren't in Santas big red bag.

I wish.....(and these aren't in the order of priority)

for the motivation to keep a nice and neat house
for the urge to get to the gym and get some much needed exercize
for the knowledge and motivation to eat better and get healthy and get rid of some excess unnecessary weight (because I really do hate being overweight!)
for the energy to go out and run around with my kids outside
to be able to look in the mirror and say "I'm beautiful"
to be a better friend and be able to see everyone the way the Lord sees them
to be stronger in the gospel
to be able to be more frugal with what little money we have

I guess what I'm saying is that I wish to change myself to become a better person. But most importantly I wish I knew how to do it!!! I wish Santa did exist and could fill my stocking with the desires of my heart.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Here it is my friends....







So as most of my readers know, I am an OBSESSED Twilight fanatic!!!! So imagine how elated I was when the day finally came and the movie was released! I bought tickets ahead of time so my friend and I could go Friday night. But a few other gals were planning on going to the midnight showing and after some convincing, I decided I HAD to go! How could I now when I knew others were seeing it before me!



My friends... I am in LOVE!!! Not just with Edward Cullen but with the whole darn concept of Twilight. I know there were mixed feelings about the movie just like every other movie in the world. But here's my take. If you have read the book, you know how much emotion and internal dialog there is and seriously how were they going to portray that in a movie without making it 6hrs long?? (I wouldn't have minded though...). And just like any other movie based from a book, it's going to be a little different. So with that in mind, I thought it was wonderfully done. And yes Edward Cullen is a beautiful beautiful vampire. They casted him perfectly!!! I've seen it twice now and plan to see it a few more times before it leaves theaters. It's officially my favorite movie. If you haven't seen it, go in with the expectation that it's not going to be exact as the book and knowing that there's only so much that can be put into 2 hrs and that it is indeed a love story. Read the book first!




Believe it or not, we weren't the only adults in the room.. but certainly a minority:)

My Birthday Party




I have some great friends!!! My friends and I like to get together for lunch for each others birthday and I wanted to include everyone in mine. I love spending time with people so why not! I just don't like being the center of attention but well.. it's once a yr right?


So Jenn sent out an email and set it up for everyone to meet at my favorite mexican resturant La Parilla. And wow did we have a turn out! It was so special and meant so much to me! And guess what?!?!?! Brenda, Jenn and Sarah pitched in a bought me a SHARK!! Ever since I saw it at Rebeccas house, I had to have one! It's the coolest convienant vacuum ever! So that was awesome and it just surprised the heck out of me that other people brought gifts also! So to those of my friends that read this and helped celebrate my birthday with me, I love you guys!!




Okay super late.. but here's Halloween

I love Halloween! We actually celebrate it several times during the season. We kick it off by going to Etowah HS's trunk or treat... and do they know how to load my kids up on candy!! Then our ward does a trunk or treat and dinner that is always fun! This yr was no exception.

But we did have a downer. The kids waited and waited to be able to go real trick or treating. They went back and forth on their costumes too. So Halloween night they were all dressed ready to go to the trunk or treat that New Victoria Baptist church puts on every yr and then trick or treating down our street... all the sudden Reese starts feeling sick. He tells me "Mom- I'm ill!". But he insists on going and we get to the church and start walking around and he looks sick.. I mean gonna barf all over everything sick. So we go home and he just crashes on the floor. Poor kid- we knew he was sick when he said he was too "ill" to go beg for candy! So it was just Rielly and I but let me tell you- she got enough candy for all of us!!


Our wards trunk or treat..
Super Shans and the bunny (my friend Melanie)

He doesn't look too happy-- right before he started begging to go home


Sick Zorro



Zorro and the carebear!


Saturday, November 22, 2008

Ummmm Whats wrong with this product???

Does this creep you out too???


Funtastic Boy By Benetton For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray

More family photos... bear with me

Okay I got my proofs back and so I'm putting them here as kind of a backup....

Sibling rivalry
Just me

Ahh my babies

Me and Rielly

Look at those curls!!



this is how she gets away with everything!

I love this picture!!

hand in hand


Reese and daddy

3 generations

My big guy


He wanted a picture by the water


Say cheese!!!


Grandma and Grandpa Harris



This is us in our element!



Harris family


Reese and Rielly with grandma and grandpa Harris



***stay tuned for my TWILIGHT night!!*** (my new favorite movie ever!!!)





Friday, November 21, 2008

Congratulations Officer Lutz


My baby brother graduated from the police academy today in Az. I didn't get to attend the graduation unfortunately but I am real proud of him. I know our dad is very proud of him today too! Congratulations Chadwick!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

More family pics!

Here's a few more photos from our little photo shoot.. She took a ton!


Me and my honey.. he looks great. Me- not so much! Too much cheese! lol Contimplating something

A family shot- they look great. Me again- not so much.

I love this picture of Reese!


Ahhh! We still like each other!


Fall!!!
My adorable babies!!!


And my favorite family picture!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Oppppppssssss....

I get a call yesterday from my husband while Anna and I are at NorthPoint enjoying our shopping day. He says "I should never try to fix anything".

Our furnace wasn't lighting so Jon went up into the attic to try to see what's going on. Course like every other light in our house, the bulb was out so he went to fix that and as he was going to go down the attic stairs (I think this is what happened) he FELL THROUGH THE CEILING!!!!!



He was able to catch himself but in the process, bruised his back and pulled a fat chunk out of his arm.


So Gregg North to the rescue!! This is one of the reasons I'm so grateful to be part of the church. The service that people give. Everyone is skilled in a different area. So where Jon lacks in any home improvement skills, he is amazing with a computer. But with just a phone call, we were able to get someone willing to come help us fix the ceiling. He was here from around 9ish until almost midnight! Not only did he patch our ceiling, he got our furnace working. We are truely grateful!



We still have some work to do but this is the after!!! No more gapping hole in my attic!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Just have to share


We got our family pictures done on Saturday and they're in the process of being edited but I just had to share this one of my little Rielly. She amazes me!!! I can't wait to post others! If you're reading this and live in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend Melanie North (Barefoot Photography) for your family pictures.


Sunday, November 9, 2008

Welcome to America Anna!!


My good friend Anna is here visiting me for a week from Sweden! I am looking forward to a fun filled week with a great friend!

Welcome to America Anna Banana!!

Friday, November 7, 2008

For the Beauty of the Earth


My friend Brenda and I went for a walk this morning because the weather was absolutely beautiful! A slight breeze, few clouds and the trees... oh my heavens THE TREES!! I love fall. It is my absolutely favorite time of yr. The smells, the colors, the air and just that wonderful feeling. It fills me with joy and with that joy, I think of all the other beauty I come across every day. The beauty of my friends, the beauty of family, the beauty of children and their perfect innocence. The beauty of church houses and the temples. I can go on and on. And today just made me think of the wonderful hymn:

1. For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,


[Chorus]
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.


2. For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light,


3. For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,


How could we not look at the beauty all around us and just wonder and praise the creator who created this place? There is so much trouble in the world *cough Obama cough* but just look out your window.. so much good also!

I found this from the wonderful prophet Gordon B Hinckley- he gave a talk at BYU once and talked of 10 of his own personal beliefs. This is what he wrote about being thankful for the earth and the beauty.

"Two: I believe in beauty.
The earth in its pristine beauty is an expression of the nature of its Creator. The language of the opening chapter of Genesis intrigues me. It states that “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” (Gen. 1:2.) I suppose it presented anything but a picture of beauty.

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3.) And so the creation continued until “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31.)

I interpret this to mean that it was beautiful, for “out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight.” (Gen. 2:9.)

I believe in the beauty of nature—the flowers, the fruit, the sky, the peaks, and the plains from which they rise. I see and believe in the beauty of animals.

I see and admire beauty in people. I am not so concerned with the look that comes of lotions and creams, of pastes and packs as seen in slick-paper magazines and on television. I am not concerned whether the skin be fair or dark. I have seen beautiful people in all of the scores of nations through which I have walked. Little children are beautiful everywhere. And so are the aged, whose wrinkled hands and faces speak of struggle and survival.

I believe in the beauty of personal virtue. There is so much of ugliness in the world in which we live. It is expressed in coarse language, in sloppy dress and manners, in immoral behavior which mocks the beauty of virtue and always leaves a scar. Each of us can and must stand above this sordid and destructive evil, this ugly stain of immorality."

Breathtaking isn't it???

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

I'm thankful for perfect moments... Tuesday

I'm thankful for a lot of things but this morning, I am thankful for the perfect moments in life. When Rielly was first born, I remember we all were walking around Target and just for a moment I looked at my family and I though wow.. this is truely perfect. I can't even express it.. such a feeling of contentment and pure joy and happiness and so much love. 3 yrs later, I still remember that feeling so vividly.
I had it again this morning.

Today is my 29th birthday and it started off.. well perfectly. Rielly climbed into bed with me followed by Reese. I had a kid on each side and they were snuggled up close to me and cuddling and QUIET. And Jon was on the end of the bed (poor guy he was getting slowly pushed off). I felt these kids pure love and comfort and adoration towards ME-- their mother. And all I could think about was this is absolutely perfect. These moments remind me of why I am here... why I have been given this devine calling as a women to be a mother. Not just any mother but THEIR mother. And I am truely lucky. What an awesome responsibility I have been given and much too often I take it for granted. But in that perfect moment, I was reminded of why I chose this calling and was given this right and for that, I am truely grateful.