Cold Drinks...

JR always want's what mommy has. Usually I share, but I have a hard time when it comes to my diet coke! 

Plus what toddler needs that kind of caffeine? 

So I decided since this kid LOVES soda so much I would start buying him diet root beer, A&W of course. 

Now he is just like mommy.

Oldies but goodies!

Today I spent a LONG time organizing pictures on my computer. I also had a few phone pictures that I needed to make sure got saved. I ran across a couple in particular from 2010 that warmed my heart.

Chubby JR at Chuck'E'Cheese

These were taken July 17, 2010

I am grateful to be JR's mommy everyday, but finding old pictures like this reminds me to cherish every moment. He has grown so much since then. I can't believe he will be 3 in under two months!

Happy December!

I knew I should have trusted my instincts and said no but curiosity got the better of me and I watched this anyway. I think I might have nightmares tonight!

Happy December 1st peeps! 

I was just getting used to it being 2011 and now it's almost over!

Thankful for Day 24

Today I am thankful for THANKSGIVING!

I am thankful for the time I took this month to live in thanksgiving and how it has enriched my life.

Thankful for Day 23

Today I am thankful for hard days. They make you appreciate all the good things in your life and help you grow as an individual. Today was a hard day but I am thankful for it.

Thankful for Days 21 & 22

So I have to say yesterday I was thankful for the fact that I get to spend five out of seven days in the week at home with my little one. We have all day to snuggle, count, read, do chores, make good meals, take naps, plan the budget, and just to learn and grown from each other in general. It is so great.

And today I am thankful for unkind people who are rude to me on the phone (bad day at work) because it just further reminds me how NOT to act and when to admit my mistakes!

Thankful for Day 20

So going along with yesterday's post, today I would like to say I am thankful for technology, especially the internet.  I love how easy it is to stay connected with friends and family on such an intimate level through blogging and Facebook. The world is such a big place and I love that we have it all at our fingertips. 

Although some people like to see the world through one of these...

(Awesome car we saw at Hastings...had to post a picture. It's a Twinkie!)

Thankful for Day 19

Today I am thankful for... 

A friend sent me an invite at the beginning of the summer and then Jared's sister sent me one a few weeks ago so I finally caved and joined and I am so so glad I did.

I just love having a place to store and organize the ideas I come across online. I always used to see great ideas and would forget where the tutorials were or something and now I can sort out all the things I find which is nice, especially once you join the blogging world!

Nicely organized Pin boards!

My sister in law pinned this recipe for potato soup in the crock pot and said it was awesome.

I easily found it by looking on her recipe's pin board and we tried it out today. It was awesome topped with cheese, sour cream and cooked bacon that I cut into small pieces.

Here is the link to the recipe: http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2011/03/outback-aint-got-nothin-on-me.html

Or if you would like to join Pinterest (you need an invite from someone to do so) comment with your email and I will send you one!

Happy pinning!

Thankful for Day 18

Today I am thankful for questions. When I question things and others question me, I learn. I love that.

And really, I am looking forward to the day when JR questions EVERYTHING!

Thankful for Day 17

Today I am thankful for MIDNIGHT PREMIERES! 

Hey do you guys think that Robert Pattinson gets mad because Kristen Stewart has so much potential to look pretty be she makes bad choices all the time when it comes to styling herself?

I didn't think she looked very good at the Breaking Dawn premiere...

Or at The Runaways premiere...

My opinion? Wear your hair down and around your face Kristen, and SMILE! MUCH prettier!

But I digress from the topic. Tonight I am just thankful to go have some FUN!

Thankful for Day 16

Once again I am thankful for my job. I am thankful for great coworkers who make work enjoyable and fun. I am grateful for the modest raise I got this year. I am thankful that they give me opportunities to learn and be paid for it, like the excel class I am taking this week. I am thankful that every Thanksgiving they give me a small turkey and bag of potatoes.

Thanksgiving is one week from today!

Thankful for Day 15

Today I am thankful for modern medicine. My family would be SO SCREWED without it! Haha. But really, with a prick of a finger I can test my blood sugar  and Jared can eliminate his seizures with a few pills at night! Amazing!

Of course I will always be most grateful for skilled doctors who cared for JR when he had to have some nee-nu surgery when he was little.

So sad at the hospital after hours of patiently waiting...

Thankful for Days 13 &14

So yesterday I was going to post about how I am thankful for my mind, and then I forgot to post! Haha! Typical. But really, even though I often feel like I am losing it, I am thankful for my mind. For my imagination and my creativity. For the ability to think, to store memories, and to create new solutions. 

And along the same lines today I am thankful that I am always learning something new. I learn a lot of things at my job. I learn a lot of things from blogging and the internet. I learn a lot of things from reading and exploring and trying new things. Today I was able to go to my friend's house and learn a new recipe - mini pumpkin pie tarts! Talk about YUMMY! I know what I'm bringing for Thanksgiving dessert!

Thankful for Day 12

Today I am thankful for warm blankeys and snuggles on cold days!

Thankful for Day 11

I think it is pretty obvious what we all have to be thankful for today. I have several friends and family members who chose to serve in our military both past and presently. I would name them all but I don't want to forget anyone. 

I am also thankful for those who serve us here in our local capacity. I am thankful for our policemen, firefighters and of course for correctional officers like my husband who keep the bad guys locked away. Their jobs are equally important on always overlooked.

Today, if you live in a free country, thank a veteran!

Thankful for Day 10

Today I am thankful for JR's sweet singing. This kid loves to sing! Every single time he struggles to keep up with a song it warms my heart like sunshine. Sometimes the words don't quite come out right and sometimes he only hits the first and last note with a bunch of mumbles in between but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We discovered that he sings along really well to the chorus of Cheryl Crow's "If it makes you happy" song. He belts his little heart out too the long notes and does it with confidence because he know she holds them a long time and so he can sing a long time. It just kills me. Nothing else could brighten up my day more.

Thankful for Day 9

Today I am thankful for GREAT FRIENDS! We have a lots of them...you know who you are! Family, co-workers, ward members, all ya'll! I was thinking about friends especially today when I was at work with some great, fun people. It makes my day so fun when I am with those guys. And then when I got home tonight I was thinking about how every Wednesday since Jared joined the gym our friends watch JR when I am still at work and he goes to a sparring class in the evening. I am pretty sure they have had to change a stinky diaper every time too! Those are TRUE friends!

Sorry, no picture of my friends today! I am simply too popular and have to many to post pictures of all you! JUST KIDDING!

Thankful for Day 7 & 8

So I guess I forgot to post yesterday. I was busy snuggling up to Jared in a stolen moment of peace and quiet before bed. I am defiantly grateful for those moments. We have been really busy as of late and I feel like we don't always get quality time together so I was happy happy happy when Jared came home early from the gym so we could have that time.

And today I am thankful for modern conveniences. Yesterday when I went to make dinner the stove wouldn't turn on. I was panicked for a moment. I quickly realized however that the circuit had flipped and the problem was fixed with the flip of a switch! Whew! Thank goodness for stoves and refrigerators and microwaves. I actually had a scare with the freezer in the garage last week because unbeknownst to me JR had shut off the power strip it was plugged into. Thankfully I noticed the next day and everything was still frozen (thank you cold weather) and nothing was lost. So glad I wasn't born in the stone age!

Thankful for Day 6

Today I am thankful for my soul mate, my best friend, my other half, the father of my child and my husband, Jared. I found out that a girl I used to work with lost her fiance yesterday. I feel for her so badly. It is one of those times when I don't know what to say because I can't even image how I would live on if I were in her shoes.

I love you Jared. 

You are the light in my life.

You know just when to make me laugh or to leave me alone.

You are the greatest father to our son.

You always provide.

You have never stopped opening my door for me since day one.

You always make me feel special.

You make my life sweet.

I love you!