17 and Blonde

Well i found my camera. Ben hid it in the car when we went to Sacramento. THANK HEAVENS!!!
Olivia is getting bigger by the minute! She can now climb onto the piano bench, open the lid and start playing. Yet, she is still taken into another room when i put music away. She is not allowed to know that the bench opens....not yet at least.

I went back blonde. This is about 3 weeks ago. The most recent picture. We have been busy.

Did i mention that i lost 17 lbs. Yes....that is right. 17! I am stoked about this. I have been doing weight watchers and working out 2 hours a day. i am dedicated. Only 40 more to go, and i have hit my goal. This summer. I am loosing about an average of 2 lbs per week. LOVE IT!

Olivia now knows how to take her clothing off. It is really annoying. but she sure is cute.

Playing at the park. She seemed a little scared of the slide. when ben let go, she just clenched on and hung there for a little while. we finally peeled her fingers off, and she didnt seem excited.

Other news:

Ben got into the credential program. It is going to be tough. BUT they are totally willing to work with him. His supervisor was really impressed that he has all A's and B's at Chico State with a wife and child at home, while working full time. He told him that and pretty much asked him where he wanted to student teach. AWESOME!!! the un-awesome part is that he still needs a few classes before he gets in, which means summer school. They decided not to tell him until after it was too late. So this summer he will be taking an aquatics class, tennis, health, and Magic, witchcraft and religion. It is going to be a tough year for me and Olivia. BUT i can't wait. i am SO happy that there is only one year of school left, i could almost cry. I am just tired of being in school(well ben being in school). it has been a Large stress on our marraige. He is never home, and when he is, he is usually doing homework. He works so hard. i am excited for him to finally do something he wants to do.

She is not a huge fan of the camera but she will stare at you until you take the picture.

We went to the mall and let her have a ride. she DIDNT like it. but loved climbing.

carmera, camera, anyone seen it??

i can't seem to find my camera...i think we left it in sacramento at the hotel....THIS SUCKS!!!

silly girl.

some days i get really sad thinking about how much Olivia...now calling her Lily, has grown up. she really is turning into a little girl. she is fun! SHE LOVES RUNNING!!! I mean, running. she doesn't walk too much. she is usually running.

She is being silly here, she likes wearing my beanie.
Being silly here again.

And even though we are REALLY busy, we found time to go to the park on Tuesday in between rain storms. She had a ton of fun on the swing. She really didn't want to leave.

She also loves saying... Daw Daw.....rrrroooooorrrroooo

loves those dogs....now just have to work on getting ben to let us get one!

what a baby!!

Olivia sure has been a handful lately...she has been teething like crazy....and then she got sick...and then she got me sick, and now i think that ben is sick.... it has been a crazy last month or so. BUT, ben starts school on monday, his new schedule started today. tomorrow is the first time he has come to church since june. We are happy he gets to come to church again, his work permitting! I am super excited to get to a SET schedule as well... i can't wait to start running again. This weather here has been crazy. it was in the 70's today! i sure can't wait for spring and summer to start running in the park again. but above all that and even though Lily has been quite a challenge, i sure do love her!! what can you expect when her K-9s came in, and her molers are sure trying to cut through the skin. she sure is a trooper!

The New Year!!

With the new year, Ben and I set up some resolutions. Ben's being weight management, have FHE every week, and daily scripture study. Mine, LOSE WEIGHT, Daily Scripture study and read 4 books within this year(1every 3 months. Non church, and Non Baby). Well i have chosen them. I am actually pretty excited. Let the games begin.

I purchased this when it came out, i think it might have been last year at this time. Have yet to read it. this will be the first i tackel.

Purchased this last year as well....have not made time to read it. can't wait to get to this one. Right around spring time...the time for love.

This is the #1 best selling book for non fiction. that is why i chose it.

this just sounded good.....

Wish me luck! and good resolution-ing to you all! ;)

to quote the king of siam...."a snow"

Olivia had never been to the snow....so on sat we went up to paradise and played a little...it was fun!

Her new track suit from aunt lanell...

Her modeling pose.

she is so cute!

happy happy.

sorry it is sideways..

Christmas came and went this year. It seems like it came faster than normal, but i think that is what happens when you have children. Olivia had fun. She got TOO many things. My sister Brooke came to visit this year with her family. That was fun. Olivia's hair is now long enough that we put it in pig tails, but as you can see, she was having a melt down and ripped them out.

Her upset look.... she was READY for bed!

and after all her toys, she still wanted to play with the place mats in the office.

Smile on command. (it took a while to learn this one)

Daddy trying to make her laugh.

I made sugar cookies this year....TOO MUCH WORK!!! i think i will stick to other goodies.

they sure were good though. fluffy, soft and cream cheese frosting.


All in all it was a good year. i am excited for the new year to start though. i feel like there were too many things going wrong this year. Ben and i had our talk last night ( we have weekly companionship inventory) and we set our 2011 goals. i am pretty stoked about them. one of my goals is to ready a non church non baby book every 3 months. 4 total for the year. First on the list is Mitt Romney's No Apologies. I am going to be looking around for the next ones. any suggestions??

colors

We have been working on changing our house around for the last few months. yesterday we painted half of our cupboards...we have to work in stages with Olivia...now that she is walking...(YEAH!!) but as you can see, they look WONDERFUL compaired to the ugly color they were...we are just trying to decide what color to pain the kitchen...any suggestions?

Did i say busy???

This would be Olivia trying to feed herself. She usually gets beside herself and starts rubbing it in her hair!

Her 12month check up...the dr said she is VERY healthy. She is 31inches, 22 lbs, and in the 75th% for both!

She was VERY over me taking her picture. We have been trying to teach her to feed herself.

This would be Ben and the Mover moving our new piano up our stairs...and Aaron watching.


We got a new piano. This is my christmas present from Ben. We got it early, because we found a REALLY good deal on craistlist that we couldn't pass up. The new piano becoming Olivia's playstation... She loved playing with that roll of film. I found it in our luggage. It was left over from Ben's mission...hahaha.... not used....so she loves chewing on it and throwing it around the house.

We painted....Neverminds the mess. Olivia will find any pile of clean clothing and make sure she throws every piece on the floor.

I love our living room now. I love this color. it makes a WORLD of a difference.

Our new "ride". As from the last post, we have been very busy. We had Olivia's First Birthday, Ben's Birthday, Halloween, My car accident, our wedding anniversary, and looking for a new car all in about 3 weeks time. This is what we found. IT IS WONDERFUL!!!!! it is a 2007 Jeep Commander. Leather, 4x4, Hemi engine, Navigation, DVD system, power everything, back up camera, sun roofs...yes i said sun roofs. there is one at the front of the car, just like others that opens, and there are 2 smaller ones in the back seat. they don't open but they do make the backseat a lot roomier.... there is even a 3rd row seat as well. it is a great car for us right now. we love it and it is the nicest car we have ever had. i love the auto start on the key chain. now the car is heated up by the time i get in it and they have heated seats too!!! needless to say, we have been busy this last month and are DEFINATELY looking forward to the holidays...

Busy Busy...

This happened on Monday on the way to the Gym.... we are ok...but the car is a total loss. That is why we have been looking for a new car.
Olivia getting ready for church. she is playing with my hair clips already.

She LOVED the cake!!

She is good at hugs.

My little girl turned one this month!! she is getting so big. not walking just yet, but standing up and thinking about it.

She is so much fun at work. she loves hanging on me.

at the pumpkin patch....daddy thought this would be a good pic...and it was!

just hanging out in the stroller at the patch.

Our latest family pic. we have been meaning to get to the studio...but ben has been gone in fresno for the last 4 weeks. he is finally home and it is nice. this month for sure! We have been on the hunt for a car. we didn't even have time to celebrate our anniversary. we have been married for 3 years now! It is great to share everything with my best friend, lover and husband! i love you benjamin!