Parental Bragging rights

I don't really know the etiquette for a parents' bragging so without tact - I just have to brag about Miss Peanut. I have had so many friend that struggle with potty training - I laugh usually with them about their potty training mishaps, so I decided that we would start early mostly with the idea that that way she won't freak out about it. Now I think, my daughter is exceptional in all things of course, what parent doesn't, inlcuding her temper, determination, stubborness call it what you want - she knows what she wants. Anyway, she totally wakes up dry most mornings. So...about two weeks ago I bought a little potty and when she wakes up we set her on the potty with a couple toys and she does her thing. AMAZING!!!! Every morning for 2 weeks!!!!! Since the first few days went well we have been adding after naps and before bathtime. HELLO - #1 and #2 everyday for almost 2 weeks. This could of course totally backfire at some point, but for now it's nice to only change a handful of dirty diapers. Okay less of the potty talk. She also folds her arms now when we say prayers. I don't care who you are - that's cute, and sweet! These little ones are so intelligent and so precious. She also discovered belly buttons and just took her first official steps last night - and she is so much more brave today about letting go. I was unloading the dishwasher and suddenly I see these little pink ruffle-bum jammies wobbling towards me. She's growing up way too fast. I love being a mommy!

Trunk or Treat

We kind of decided last minute to go to our Ward's Trunk or treat last weekend. I kind of thought it would be closer to Halloween - eh, that and Miss Peanut decided to get some serious snottage from her nose from teething. TANGENT Poor thing - I 'm ridiculous I know, but I totally only use kleenex with lotion because that way her nose isn't all raw, yep that is one thing I splurge on. Hello - I always use Kleenex with lotion cause I hate that too! - END TANGENT. We had talked about Peanut being a martian and here's what we came up with last minute. We covered her helmet in foil and put those glow in the dark necklaces looped through the venting holes in the back. She jammies worked for a space suit and she was perfectly content playing in the back of the xterra. Officer says he's dressed as an undercover officer - very clever and I just grabbed some scrubs - people just asked if I got off work rather than a sad attempt at a costume for the night (I'm the one behind the camera so hence I am absent from these photos).

Hopefully we'll get it together better the second time around - but pretty cute for a rush costume.

Catching up

It's been a little busy around our house. My sister took pictures for us the 2nd, Officer's parents came to visit on the 3rd - deer hunting season opened the 10th and Officer and his dad spent most of last week out in search of their deer, no luck yet. I think it's been way too cold, but what do I know about hunting. Anyway, so Officer left again today after working this weekend to join forces with his dad in search of anything before his parents have to head back home by the 22nd. With our fearless hunters out my mother-in-law and I went shopping. She is the queen of bargin shopping. I can usually refrain from making too many purchases, but we found some really great deals and kids are always growing so I gave in. We've also been working around the house/yard all that good stuff. Besides hunting Officer and his dad are also going to be pouring concrete to extend our patio, so Officer has been getting the ground all ready. I planted my tomatoes too late in the year and most of them were green when we had a couple of super cold days last week. Lucky for me the young men in our ward came by on a service scavenger hunt and I sent them out to pick them all. Most ended up being green - but if you didn't know, they will ripen in a window sill. The last couple weeks I feel like I've spent most of it in the kitchen. One meal seems to lead right into the next and with company here and doing something with all of the food from my garden it seems like I don't leave the kitchen. I love having yummy food on the table and treats and stuff, but I feel like I'm eating all day and the holidays haven't even started quite yet. Totally defeats the purpose of my running - which I have finally been getting back to. I've been running about 9 miles a week -Yeah me! The weather has been great for running here. I had hoped to do a half marathon or at least a 10K again this fall, but I got started a little too late, eh maybe in the spring. Miss Peanut has been hilarious the past few weeks, except for the whole getting up 3-4 times a night for the last week. She's getting more teeth and the poor thing is miserable. One tooth broke through a few days ago, but two or three more are right behind that one. She won't normally fall asleep with me anymore, but after a long night - we both needed a nap. It makes me miss when she was little. I can't believe how fast they grow!She started signing please and more - I love watching her get her little fingers to work like she wants them too. So fun to see her learn new things. Like playing peek- a-boo She just started to really love it, we just have to teach her that we don't play it with our dresses. She loves helping me with laundry too. I fold everyting while she plays with all of the socks. It works great! We had to get a new dryer last month and now that we have a super capacity dryer I couldn't resist putting her in it - She loved it of course. With grandma and grandpa visiting she keeps trying on Grandpa's shoes and taking them in and out of the "shoe" basket. Her facial expressions crack me up!
Like these faces too!
Her culinary skills are amazing! Her new favorite cupboard is my pots an pans now that we've Peanut Proofed the ones we don't want her getting into. She was so frustrated because the pot kept sliding as she was trying to get out and this is how I found her. She loves to be outside and help Officer in the yard. While we were hauling dirt in the wheelbarrow she thought she was pretty tough stuff. Again with the faces - what a stinker!

I keep blankets in this little "cubby" of our entertainment center and after she cleaned out the shelf she climbed in and when she couldn't sit up because it was so small she settled for this position - comfy huh!

Anywho! That's been our month so far. If our weary hunters return with a kill I'm sure I'll have pictures to tell the tale. Until then...

My sister took our family pictures a couple weeks back. They turned out awesome - Here are some of our favorites.