the past week or so...

A little update on us...

1. Nate is really enjoying Amazon.  He feels challenged in his work and he thrives off of that feeling. However, he is busy and a little envious that I'm still asleep when he leaves the house. That will soon change come February.

2. We both got callings.  He is the Priest Quorum Advisor and I am a Relief Society teacher.  I'm pretty sure I got the "easy" calling because there are a total of 6 teachers so I'll probably teach once every other month. On the contrary, Nate will teach, attend mutual, and just about every other youth event there is.  Guess I'll be reading lots of books on those nights. :) 

3. Speaking of church... our ward is huge and very active.  We actually really love everything about it and the people we have met and we've been able to make some great friends already.  We feel very blessed to be a part of it. 

4.  Lyla started a dance class and she loves it.  I'll probably wait another year to put Ruby in.  

5.  After lots of thought, research, and prayer, I've decided to homeschool Lyla and Ruby this year for their preschool.  We "officially" start next week.  My friend told me of a homeschool store around the area and it was amazing. I was like a kid in a candy shop.  

6.  Project De-clutter is still effect but going much more slowly than I would have liked.  And it has resulted in us repurposing a couple of rooms.  A big part of our delay in de-cluttering is due to the fact that I can't pick up/move several of the items or my uterus will scream at me.  As a result, I must wait for evenings or weekends so Nate can help with a lot of it.  

7. I've been doing Zumba on Thursday mornings at our church.  I love it and it's a good workout and it's fun.  However, body rolls + baby belly don't really mix or look sexy... at all. 

8.  Every mother says that you get bigger with each pregnancy and I didn't really believe it because I was the same with my first two.  But it's true guys.  I started showing at around 10 weeks, and now that I'm a little over 20 weeks along, I look like I did when I was 30 weeks with my two previous pregnancies.  It's time to embrace it. 

9. Lyla has been calling us out on our parenting flaws lately.  Here are a couple of her latest zings...

• Backstory: Lyla has been really worried about having nightmares about this thing she has been nervous/scared about.  In my effort not to let her get too worried about it I said, "Lyla I promise you will not have a nightmare about ______." So, she went to sleep for her nap. When she woke up, she said: "Mom, you lied to me. You said I would not have a nightmare about it and I did.  So, you lied." and a few days later, "Sometimes you and dad tell lies.  Sometimes you say we won't have nightmares and we actually do."
• "Mom, how come you and dad sometimes forget to say prayers? You guys forget and then I have to get all the way out of bed and say, 'We forgot to say a prayer!'". 

Zing. Zing.

10. Tonight we started potty training Ruby.  The enthusiasm she has about this whole thing is awesome.  She was in the best mood all night about it and was loving every bit of it.  I hope it lasts. 

11  Lately, Ruby has been singing and dancing to her hearts desire.  She will twirl mindlessly and aimlessly while singing at the top of her lungs and without a care in the world.  You think she'd save this for when we are at home, but it's at store's too.  The other day at Nordstrom Rack she walked between the racks of clothes, arms stretched wide, twirling and singing at the top of her lungs to the song in Hercules "I won't say I'm in Love". On this occasion, Lyla was an equal participant, but I think she usually reserves that behavior for the car or home.  

12.  Several times a day, the girls will sing and dance in our little living room and watch themselves in the reflection of the fireplace.  They are diva's at heart.  

Nate and the girls heading to a Daddy/Daughter dance.

Craft project with Lyla that took way longer than it should but was still fun. 

Family game night.  Ruby was the first to finish, Nate was last. :)

These two looked adorable with this beanie on.

 Nate's friend John was in town for work from Chicago and so we got together for dinner downtown.  The girls and I stopped by Nate's work and then we headed to the waterfront for some fine dining. :)

this pic cracks me up.

The sunset was breathtaking and these salmon taco's are one of my favorite's, ever.

I woke up to Lyla snuggled in a bed of pillows on the floor right next to me. The girl loves comfort!

This was me this morning (20.5 weeks). Lyla took the pic on the left. :)

 We've figured out lately that sometimes Ruby doesn't actually nap during precious nap time and that sometimes she will actually play really quietly for an hour or two.  This was from today when I woke her up after she had only slept like 20 minutes.

sneaky girl

night #1 of potty training

And now I leave you with this little gem...