Home Improvements

So I attempted my first, HUGE, re-improvement project while I was in AZ the other week! My parent's got a new table (which was much needed as you can see from their old one...) and so I called "dibs" on it and made it new & improved! Or so I think:) I have never done anything like this before and BOY was it a lot of work...I really don't know if I will do it ever again. However, it is very fun & rewarding recreating something nice out of something old.

I'm just so excited to be able to fit more than 4 people at a table! I just have to find cheap black chairs though... there's no way I'm going to refinish the old ones. I'm sure I'll find something good on Craigslist or I'll just save up for some at Ikea. I just have to wait until someone can bring it over here:) I'm so excited to put it to use!

Before:
(pay no attention to my dad's tidy "man" garage)

After:

My Little Lady

I just have to share how much I love this little girlie. Craig has been gone a lot lately with night shifts at the hospital and I though I miss him TERRIBLY:( & can't wait for it to be over... I was just thinking how I love my time with my best little friend Ruthie! She is quite the sassy pants at times but is also a total sweetie. She will run up and give me kisses & hugs. We laugh and giggle together, run errands, enjoy meals and I just love holding her little hand! I just don't know what I would do without her & that beautiful smile of hers:)

And she's 19 months! Can't believe it.

Ruthie loves to:
-read stories in gibberish
-sing gibberish songs
-point out body parts & clothing (ie. putting shirts on her head & calling them hats & then burst out laughing...so silly)
-dance & clap to nursery songs
-play with balls
-make all the animal sounds & car, airplane & train
-not eat fruits & vegetables (it's driving her mom crazy...although she did ask for a banana today!)
-ask for a "ink" (drink)
-eat fruit snacks
-watch Tangled, Arthur (yes the little ardvark you grew up watching!), Leap Frog Letter Factory
-try on shoes (see earlier post)
-play with all the little boy friends around us (there are 4 of them:)
-go on walks & go up the stairs
-open things with keys
-push things around in her stroller, including dollies, shoes, you name it!
-tickle!
-play with her cousins (who we also miss terribly)

I"m a model

Funny story: So I am at church the other week and this lady from my ward came up to me and said with a smirk on her face, "I didn't know that you modeled?" and handed me this ripped out page of a magazine. She said she thought it looked just like me. I had to chuckle because I see where she could think that but then not at all because my face is definitly not that slender, nor am I model size!! ha Well it made for an awkward/funny experience. It is kind of funny to think though that there might be someone out there that kind of looks similar to you though:)

If the shoe fits

So Ruthie has a slight obsession with shoes as of late! These are just a few of the several occasions we find her trying to put on our shoes:) My favorite is the last picture of her actually posing for me, she was saying "cheese" as she gave me that darling little grin. ha!

Summary of June

My sister recently reminded me that I really needed to catch up on my life on the ol' blog...it is something that I sure have been ignoring! For some reason it isn't as fun or there are other things that take priority, like tending to a busy little Ruthie!? Who knows:)

Anyways, here is a QUICK summary of the HECTIC/BUSY month of June: So I'm not going to sugar coat anything, June was a very bittersweet month - I loved being with all my family and friends in AZ but HATED working 3 days a week & being without Craig for 30 days+ & getting really sick with some kind of bronchitis sickness...I was miserable...
I never want to do it again.

Some of the happier :) highlights:

Playing with cousins Grandma Udall's pool

Swimming with silly Grandpa or "Bampa"

Meeting up with old college friends

And high school besties

Playing with Grammie's toys

Playing in Grammy's backyard in our PJs:)

Attempting Grandchild pictures (don't you just love the matching dresses!?)

Celebrating Father's Day "Construction theme" - My mother in law is the most AMAZING party planner ever!

Playing in splash pads with cousins

Wearing mommy's shoes

Throwing a baby shower for my sweet SIL Laura

Seeing my new sweet niece Adrianna!

Highlights not pictured: Playing with Grandma Udall & Grammy every week while I worked (I am so grateful for such wonderful mothers!), watching the full length Pride & Prejudice with my mom & sisters, late night shopping with Jen, play dates with my sister in laws & their darling kids, chats with my mom, crafts with my sister, family parties, Dad's birthday, etc!

Daddy Daughter Time

I just have to spotlight Craig right now, even though it's Mother's day:) because he is just the best daddy to Ruthie. He always tries to play with both of us in his spare moments but most of all, I just love seeing Ruthie & him have fun together. He had a couple days that weren't as busy last week where Ruthie and him had a lot of fun just playing together and I had to snap a couple pics! We sure love this guy!

Them just laying & playing on the bed in her room, it's one of her fav spots:)

Playing with the outside sand/water station Grammie & Grandpa Freeman bought for her!

And best of all, playing doctor!

Sorry, I can't hear a heartbeat Ruthie! ha

Notice the lovely snarl in the back of her hair, that is quite the daily look after we have a long ride in the car. I guess that's one of the only bad things about having amazingly long hair as a baby, it turns into a snarly mess after sitting in the car seat! Thank goodness for detangle spray:)

Ruthie - 14 months

Ruthie just looked to cute the other week not to take pictures of before church!
I just love this stage - she is so silly, fun, sweet & BUSY! We have had to start experiencing small "time-outs" here and there but overall, she is such a sweetheart. She is always running up and giving me hugs, giggling and talking to me in a language I can't understand:) I completely love being her mom & seeing what she learns and does everyday. I also just love this dress that we got at her baby shower that finally fits her!
One thing I don't like, it is so hard to take pictures of walking children!! Arg. And of course I am just trying to take them so quick that I get shadows. Good think I'm asking for photoshop for my birthday, then I might be able to fix these pictures, so hopefully I will get it! :)

What a funny little look she is giving me with her baby in hand:)

Baptism Towel

Craig is the proud teacher of 5 cute & energetic 7-8 year olds in Primary at church! He just has so much fun teaching them and they just adore him, it's sure fun to see. Well his first little boy just turned 8 and we were kindly invited to come see him get baptized. With only 2 days until the baptism and no Derert Book nearby, I quickly tried to think of an idea of what to give him! I came upon this blog that gave me the great idea to make him a Baptism towel. Thank you crafty people who think of things for me to copy! ha I think it turned out really cute and I am going to make one for each of his boys when they get baptized. Just go to the link to print off the CTR image & poem, I just adjusted the sizes that I liked! I think it will be a fun way to always remember Craig as their teacher:)

Walking

Ruthie officially started walking March 18, 2011! I should say FINALLY started walking because this little lady has had 0 desire to walk...or crawl for that matter. Her favorite mode of transportation is her bum scoot actually! haha It's quite hilarious and always gets people laughing and talking - my dad calls her "scooter" but we usually call her our little "hunchback" or "mop". I have been wanting her to walk now because bum scooting as her only mode of transportation is getting old. I want her to be able to play at parks and walk by me, etc instead of getting her pants filthy and having to hold her everywhere we go - so we are excited for her. She is still a little shaky but can take more that 10 steps at a time so that's fun!
The best part is that my in-laws were visiting to see it all:) I was glad we could share the fun new step in Ruthie's life with them! It is so much fun to see this little cutie grow up, she is just such a joy to have around.

And she looks darling in pig tails!

We also celebrated Craig's 27th birthday...all week! It was so much fun:) We celebrated it with Jonny & Laura, by going to Disneyland (for free thanks to J & L...), partied with Craig's parents and had multiple dessert nights - Craig deserved every bit of the celebrating, I sure love him!

Here's to 5 years!

It's been 5 years since our wedding, March 10, 2006 - so hard to believe! I am so happy to be married to Craig because he is such a fun & loving dad, wonderful husband and loving friend. I'm so grateful to be going through life's adventures with him:)


Oh and I still love my dress!

1 Year Old

This is a little late but it is important....

Ruthie turned 1 on the 17th of January! We definitely spent several wonderful days celebrating this darling girl of ours! I knew this day would come up so fast but as I look back, we have really enjoyed having our sweet Ruthie & just don't know where we would do without her. She brings so much joy & laughter and we are just so grateful to be her parents.

Since we were not able to celebrate with all our family before we had to head back to Cali after Winter Break, we celebrated here with all our wonderful friends & ward members who we feel are our family! Lori Mautz, aka Grandma Mautz, offered to have the party at her house and we had such a good time. I worked on everything all week and it was a mad rush to get everything done but out "cupcake" themed party all came together in the end thanks to many friends who helped me with projects and watching Ruthie!

So things didn't really go according to plans when we got to the "Ruthie eating her 1st cake" thing. As you can see, she wasn't into it at all! It didn't help that she was fed a whole roll right before...but it is ok, Grandma Mautz was just trying to spoil her on her bday.
Note to self: Make sure the next one is super hungry when you show them their cake so they have some motivation.

Yeah I just ended up throwing the whole cake away. OH well! It made for a funny memory.

The table spread: 3 types of soups, homemade rolls, 4 types of mini cupcakes, homemade strawberry lemonade, salad - it was so yummy! Too bad Ruthie had no idea really:)
I was talking to my SIL the other day who just threw a party for her little 2 year old and we decided that you do so much work & detail in a party but then when you set it all up, it doesn't look like you did very much! ha So true but it is still fun to put together:)



The Birthday Banner: Pictures of Ruthie at every month - love how it turned out!

It was all so fun & it was great having a lot of wonderful people who love Ruthie around to celebrate! We're a little bit happier here:) She's sporting the darling skirt Aunt Emily gave her for her bday - Thanks Auntie Em!