Sweet Bella and Bullseye

Bella loves the cat! He is so sweet with her and will be still and let her pet him til her heart's content. She was trying to pick him up yesterday. Considering they probably weigh close to the same weight, it was funny to watch!

We've had a pretty laid back week here this week. Michael has taken 3 sick days and skipped doing school work. It's the first sick days he's taken off this year, so I've tried to be laid back and not uptight about it. If he was going to school, I'm sure he would've missed much more than that from being sick. We took a break from co-op this week. The doctor told him to stay in and rest all week this week, so that's most of what we've been doing. Bella is walking all over the house this week. It is so fun to sit and watch her! I do think we are going to have to baby proof even more, though. The house has been baby proofed for a couple of years since I kept kids in the house, but I've never put latches on kitchen drawers. The cabinets are all latched, but she's trying to open drawers! Fun times! We are really enjoying her exploring.

What I learned this week...

1.) Three doctor's visits in two weeks is NOT a good thing!

2.) It is miserable to have the flu and mono at the same time... ask Michael.

3.) It is hard to try to keep the other kids away from the sick one all of the time!

4.) Family is amazing, loving, kind, eager to help if I would just simply ask for what I need.

5.) Ernie is my rock when I am weary, anxious and even downright mean.

6.) I'm thinking I might need to research or find a book or cd or transcript or something where Joyce Meyer talks about approval addiction that Michele mentioned in a comment. I am thinking that fits me to a T.

7.) Midnight to 2AM when up with a wide awake, but happy baby, is a great time to do some deep thinking and self examination.

8.) It is possible to only sleep for 3 hours and get up and make it to Body Combat, even though I stumbled in 20 minutes late this morning!

9.) It doesn't kill me to go to the front of the room for Body Combat when all of the back spots are taken. Not too long ago, I would have looked in the window and settled for the treadmill instead of going into the class and working out in the front.

10.) Ernie mentioned I'm more self confident after I've been to the gym, so I guess it's not just the way I feel, he can see it. That alone is worth going whether I'm dropping weight quickly or not!

11.) Somethings(people) simply are not the way they appear.

This month has been packed full of lessons in my life. I'm praying March will be some easier, less serious lessons! To see what others have learned this week, check out the carnival at Musings of a Housewife!

Look Who's Walking!!!!

Bella's been taking 2,3 or 4 steps here and there for several weeks now, but the past day or two she has been walking all over the place! She was just a little proud of herself here.




Look at those beautiful blue eyes!

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see these happy smiles today! After 9 very long days being sick & lots of tears, I missed this beautiful smile!

I'd love to know what she was thinking here.

"Hold me, Daddy!"

What I learned this week

I learned that I am starting to crave exercise! That is a big one for me! I love the high afterwards, but I am really starting to want to go to the gym instead of dreading going until after I get there.

I learned that I really need to get the people pleaser need in me under control. I realized that I am doing a lot of things NOT because I want to, but because I feel like others want me to do them. I think maybe the reason I am so indecisive on a lot of things is because I try to think about what would make others happy instead of me. I know it's not supposed to be all about me, either, but surely there is some way to balance the two!

I learned that I can hang in Body Combat! I don't know why I was so scared of that class! I LOVE it!

I learned that my legs are much stronger than I realized. After a training session last week at the gym I was not sore at all. My upper body, on the other hand, is totally weak!

I learned that I NEED a new sports bra! I'm alright until we start doing jumping jacks or knee ups in class, but then I realized this new one is not confining enough! I don't know where to find one good enough!

I am learning that committing to a small group is really hard this session for some reason. I need and crave the socialization that comes with it, but after getting out of the habit while there was a break, I really don't want to get back into it. I felt the same way with our homeschool co-op after the fall break and have really been struggling to go every week. I don't want to be there and I'm afraid it shows! I don't want to go to a small group and have that mentality.

There are many more posts on what was learned this week over at Musings of a Housewife.

Bella boo's birthday party was a blast!

Saturday we had some family and friends over for Bella's 1st birthday party. It was the first time I've had one of the kids parties at home. It was so much more work than I could have imagined! After it was said and done, I was thankful I didn't plan it around a mealtime and serve a meal! We only had snacks and cake and we were beat! Bella and the kids loved it, though, so it was worth it!

Annalee and Bailey were playing with her.

Chloe Grace playing with the ball popper. Isn't she beautiful? :)

My awesome little sister who is way taller than I am.

Mr. French Toast, Malcolm and Ethan chilling out.

The kids were in a trance watching Prince Caspian.

Chloe Grace enjoying a cracker.

Bella's birthday cake. It was the moistest and most delicious chocolate cake I have ever tasted. We definitely have a keeper with this recipe!

Bella took a minute to rest before eating her cake. She needed all of the energy she could muster!

Bella thought it was hilarious that everyone was singing Happy Birthday to her.

I think this picture speaks for itself. She was having a ball!

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM... yummy cake!









She looked like she was about to pass out after eating so much cake!

Amy and Chloe Grace. Chloe Grace is only 3 weeks younger than Bella and is such a sweet baby! We love spending time with her.

Bella loved opening her presents! She loved the bags and the tissue paper the most, I think! She even loved the cards.

Books are one of the best gifts ever! I hope Bella loves reading as much as the rest of us do.


Michael, Chloe Grace and Aunt Cheryle. Michael loves holding Chloe Grace. He says she's easier to hold onto than Bella!


The girls play really well together until they notice each other's pacifiers!

A sleepy Brody came to play, also! He is the sweetest and most laid back baby boy I know.

We were cleaning icing off of Bella's neck and behind her ears for the rest of the afternoon!
She had a great birthday party! We are so thankful for our family and friends that celebrated her first year with us!

Mrs. Amy is the awesomest!!!

Look at my beautiful Princess! Mrs. Amy surprised us tonight with the perfect outfit for Bella to wear at her birthday party this weekend. She is so talented and has an eye for such cute outfits! I was worried the body suit wouldn't fit, but it did! It's a little snug, but Bella can wear it.

I didn't puff out the tutu yet, but you can get an idea of how precious it is!



Bella had a blast playing with the tutu!


I love the crown on the onesie!


The name on the booty is so sweet! There are cute little bows with rinestones on the sides, also. It is the sweetest onesie I've ever seen!

Amy, thank you!!! You are so talented!