Songs My Daughter Diggs

My daughter has an eclectic taste in music, and this week here are some of her favorites. 

• Moves Like Jagger, by Maroon 5
• Super Bass, by Nicki Minaj
• Twinkle Twinkle, by Mommie
• Itsy Bitsy Spider, by Mommie
• Jesus Loves Me, by Mommie
• Ragged Road, by Reckless Kelly

I just love to watch her dance.  She gets her shoulders moving and then her hips!  Too cute. 

Why I love to nurse my toddler

That's right Toddler!  I know I'm so UN-American but it is so wonderful I had to share some of the reasons why!

• Fussy - put her on the boob for a few minutes and then she is a happy, content child again.
• Hurts - nursing is a pain reliever
• Sucking - I don't have to mess with pacifiers, or her sucking her thumbs, she is able to fulfill that need during our nursing sessions.
• Food - I don't worry about how much she ate and when.  She eats often but I know everyday she is getting "good" food when she nurses.
• Sleep - So easy to put her to sleep!  No crying, going to be is a happy time at our house.
• Sick - When she is sick, nursing helps me keep her hydrated and feed when she wont eat anything else.
• Sick - We don't get sick that often and when we do it is very mild!  Thanks to all those immunities in breast milk.
• Calm - Nursing releases hormones, when I'm grumpy and she is too, a few minutes of nursing and all is right with the world again.

This list could go on and on!  SO many wonderful benefits!

Health New Years Resolutions

This year (as every year) I try to add some healthy things to our lifestyle.

• Run a 5K
• loose 5 pounds
• Increase cardio
• Exercise once more per week
• Eat more veggies!!

Family New Years Resolutions

I hope to do this with my family in 2012

• Eat dinner together 5 times a week
• Walk together at least twice per week
• Pray together daily

Spiritual New Years Resolutions

Growing in my faith and walk with my lord and savoir Jesus Christ is number one my New Years resolutions.

• Read a devotion daily
• Memorize a verse monthly
• Pray before each meal
• Tell my daughter often of Christ and his love for her

Small steps, on a long journey, but I hope to implement these in my life this year.

Christmas Traditions

There are some things that we do every year on Christmas Day, here is my list of favorites.

• Waking up 'early'
• Making Kringler
• Reading the Christmas Story
• Opening Stockings
• Having to play with the stocking toys before opening presents
• Going one at a time opening gifts
• Eating ham, and cookies

Are there things you and your family do every year on Christmas day?

Christmas Eve Traditions

Over the years some traditions have been added and changed, but here is a list of the most consistent and memorable.  I'm so glad to share these with my family every Christmas Eve

• Presents at Nana and Papa'
• Going to a different church every year
• Eating eggs Benedict for dinner
• Opening one gift 
• Stuffing the Stockings
• Wrapping any last minute presents

Do you have any tradition that happen on Christmas Eve?

Christmas Memories

I have so many happy Christmas memories, here are a few:

• Having a snoring 'contest' with Grandma Frances (she didn't know we were having a contest..opps!)
• Seeing A snowflake in Southern California
• Seeing bugs all over the Christmas tree
• Going to a church with an organ, it was an awesome Christmas Eve service
• Seeing a barbie under my full stocking
• Opening gifts at Nana and Papa's
• Making a ginger bread house at Grandma's
• Making chocolate covered raisins for Grandpa
• Playing Sets, and Wise and Otherwise
• Reading the Christmas story
• Making kringler in Grandma's kitchen

Okay, I had to stop...what are some of yours?

Christmas Firsts

Even with all the traditions every year seems to hold firsts, here are some of my memories.

• 1st in Missouri (cut down a real tree, it was a Cedar, it took up the whole living room and we all got sick)
• 1st Christmas with Hermes (in Columbia)
• 1st Christmas with Fiance
• 1st in Michigan (dad, mom and brother came to visit us in our 1st home)
• 1st without Grandma and Granny
• 1st with my beautiful daughter
• 1st in Indiana (everyone came to sister-in-law's house)
• 1st in Texas (was my 1st Christmas without my parents)

 What are some of your Christmas Firsts?

Why My Husband is Super Great

Let me just put this out there; I love my husband.  God sure knew what he was doing when he brought us together.  Here are just some of the reasons I think he is super great!

• He gets up early and comes home late to provide for our family
• He makes me laugh
• He is all man, outdoors man, hunter, sports fanatic (completely opposite from me!)
• He is kind and gentle
• He helps around the house, all I have to do is ask and he makes it a priority to get done
• We like a lot of the same things (that could be a whole other list)
• He is crazy in love with our daughter (me too btw)
• He lets the in-laws visit us almost every weekend!

Friends Pages

Here are some links to sites of people I know and love.

• Discovering Jubilee
• Marathoning for Marriage
• Kitty's Vintage
• Red Step Studio
• Plain Great Women

Car Trips - The Funny Times

With family car tips there are always some suprises, some good and some not so good.  I've complied some of the more funny events from family car tips.

• Driving from Kansas City to Lincoln with the whole family, fishing poles and all.
• Having "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" blaring, windows down, 20 degrees out side, going 0.002 mph; all of that to arrive right back where we started from.
• Taking a night 'tour' of DC
• Feeding my husband non-boneless wings in the car after he said "This is the best idea ever!"
• Sounds of the car - mom swallowing, and dad narrating the scenery "There's a stick out over there."
• Playing Wise and Otherwise
• Watching a guy try to pick up a pallet backwards at a gas station.

We have all laughed so hard we could cry, do you have any memories of those times in a car?

Generations of List Makers

This compulsion to make lists must be a genetic thing. My sister, Paula describes it as a family habit! She calls herself an inveterate lister who couldn’t get through a day or a week without one (some?) My list memories of my mother, Gerry, are of her sitting at her little roll top desk making a grocery list on the back of a scrap paper pad. She was green and recycling before it was in. She made lists of groceries, menus, and party planning details. The classic example is each serving dish on my wedding supper table had a hand printed note describing what food it should contain. Mom said that was so the aunts would know how to help!

*Aislie Frances. The newest daughter
*Leslie Frances. The mommy
*Karen Frances. The grandma
*Paula Gerry. The aunt. Her middle name is from our mother, Gerry
*Geraldine "Gerry" Frances. The great grandma
*Fannie "Frances." The great great grandma. Her given name was Fannie, but she didn’t like it!.
*Hattie ? The great great great grandma

Thanksgiving Memories

I thought I'd look back and list some of my Thanksgiving Memories.

• Eating spinach at Granny's - almost couldn't get it down
• Walking on a beach  - watching surfers
• Aunt spilling a whole pumpkin pie in the oven
• Pecan Pie - Papa Al eating it by himself, making it for the first time by myself
• Crowded around the table at our house on Dennie Court
• Mom making a list of what we had at the meal
• Visiting my in-laws finding out they don't always have turkey!
• Watching football
• Playing video games and eating turkey dinner for 3 days straight (yes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!)
• Eating dinner at Spanish Moss

What are some of your memories for this wonderful holiday?

What I'm Thankful For

With Thanksgiving approaching it is only appropriate to list a few things I am thankful for!

1. Jesus Christ - my Savior
2. Family - so blessed by all the loved ones in my life
3. Friends - there friendships are so precious to me
4. My Home - Such a happy place to be
5. Freedom - it is not free and I am grateful to everyone to helps protect it

Okay those were the big things, but here are some smaller things that make everyday wonderful!

1. My Daughter's laugh - nothing much better on this earth
2. Kissing my husband every morning and every night - we have done this for 8 years
3. Seeing my parents several times a month - easy to say goodbye when I know I'll get to see you again soon
4. Chocolate - dark 70% or more so good 
5. Survivor - I just love watching people who are forced to co-exist
6. Discovering a new author - Charliane Harris is my new favorite

What are you thankful for this year?