A THRIVEing Nilla

I've been busy.  With a capital B.

I started a new blog having to do with being a THRIVE Life Consultant.  Jeremy asked why I don't have just one blog rather than 5...  Well, my THRIVE blog is separate, because I don't want to annoy everyone with THRIVE stuff.  I figure I can tell people about it, and if they're interested, they'll go there.  My other blogs...  Well, those are all specific in nature.  Books, food, gratitude...  I wanted them to have their own space. 

Or maybe I just have a blog addiction.  That's always possible. 

The problem with having so many blogs, I'm finding, is that I can't keep up with all of them as much as I'd like.  So tonight I'm trying to do a blogging marathon!  Even if I just give a brief update on everything that's been going on in the Nilla Life.  Other than THRIVE.

So early Monday morning -- around 4 a.m. -- there was a little earthquake about 15 miles from here.  I happened to be awake, because Jeremy has been sick with Lynnaea's cold (consequences of sharing other kids' sippy cups) and he had just been up dealing with that.  I suddenly felt a shaking and heard our light fixture shaking.  At first I was unsure if it had been shaking from Jeremy rolling over.  But it just seemed different.  And sure enough... I found out later (through facebook, of course) that there had been a 3.5 magnitude earthquake.  As I pondered that possibility at 4-something a.m. -- before knowing it was an earthquake... I wondered if there would be another bigger one.  Kinda freaked me out.  Would we be able to get to our 72-kits if there was?  So it took me a bit to go back to sleep.  So yeah... survived my first earthquake ;).  I don't need to have another experience, if it's all the same.  I'm pretty content with the ground being firm beneath me :).

It's been hot here again.  Probably adding to my inability to sleep well.  I run the a/c until about an hour before I go to bed.  But still, I am not sleeping well.  Of course, it could just be my inability to shut off my brain.  Probably that.

Lynnaea is continuing to grow and learn and be the sweetest cutest toddler in the history of ever.  So says her mommy :).  I just bought her shoes on Monday.  We've cut the elastic band on the top to help them fit better and go on easier.  She has the chubbiest feet.  I couldn't even fit her into the cute sparkly ones :(. 

She is a total ham, by the way.  Did I mention that before?  I whip out the camera and she stops and smiles.  And throws a fit if I don't then give the camera to her.  Which I often don't.  Especially after said fit.  She does have her opinions...  And we're definitely getting to experience the whole "how do you handle a toddler tantrum" aspect of parenting.  Yippee Skippy.

She was so happy at Monday Meals.  She has her own seat, and this time she didn't have to use the tray!  She got her own bowl and ate from the table like the rest of us.  I think she really enjoyed herself.  And maybe mostly because she ate a lot of strawberries with her dinner.

She's growing so fast.  It's crazy.  I look at these pictures of her and see how big she has gotten -- even though I see her every day.  She's slimming out a bit too.  You can tell in her arms.  My baby is growing up.  How does that happen?

I've finished one of the quilts.  I'm this close to finishing the other.  Just hand-sewing the binding.  Hoped to be done by Friday, but that's not looking promising.  Maybe Saturday or Monday though...  Jeremy is about to get killed with work.  Blah.  He literally has no days off in August.  None.  It's going to be a tough month.

Maybe I'll have to have an 80s party to help me survive... 

Crazy Memory...

So Lynnaea and I made our almost-weekly trip to the library today.  And I had to fork out about $7.  Why?  Because my sweet munchkin decided she liked the Llama Llama book so much, she wanted to chew on it.  And gnaw on it she did.  It was beyond help.  So I paid for it.  And we now own said Llama Llama book.  Ah well...  At least she really likes that series.

So I picked out several other books for her (which I won't be giving her in the car as entertainment, since that's how the aforementioned book got gnawed on).  One of them is this:

I pulled it out to read to her at home.  And as I read the title (including the author's name), I almost did a double-take.  Because a certain SNL skit from yesteryear popped into my head.  And I just started laughing.  Unfortunately, I can't get the link on youtube (you know... copyright laws and all...).  But all evening I've had this in my head:  Brian Fellows Safari Planet...  (The tune.)  And the memory of the one with the parrot.  And I just keep chuckling to myself.  Ah...  Those were some funny skits.

Anyway, on to other things.  Mostly pictures.

I think this was Saturday.  I love that baby...  She's actually learned to smile when I'm taking a picture.  The little ham!  What a stinkin' cutie, though.

Ready for church on Sunday.  It was a chilly day, hence the long sleeves.  In July.  Pure awesome.  Anyway, there she is cheesin' for me again :).

On the computer with Daddy.  I just think it's cute.  Except for when she's on the computer with me!  Because then she presses the power button.  She likes that button... She thinks it's funny.

This was after our walk this evening.  We found some ripe, sweet, plump, and juicy blackberries on our walk.  Let's just say she's a fan.

Another post-walk picture.  Again with the smiling.  She gets so excited when I point the camera at her.  It's adorable. 

Other things she's learned:  how to say "please" in sign language (or at least her version of it).  She knows what books are (when I ask her if she wants to read books or stories, she goes to her library bag and pulls out a book).  She understands when I say "want to go bye bye?" and she goes to the door.  She knows what a bath is -- and goes to the bathroom when I ask her if she wants a bath.  She can also retrieve things when asked -- if she feels like it.  Yeah, she's a stinker ;).  But she's an amazing little girl.  And I love her to pieces.

Oh, and you know that poem that says little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice?  And boys are made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails?  Well, I'm pretty sure, after Monday, that Lynnaea is a good mix of the two.  For some reason I will never understand...  My child ate a snail while we were at the garden on Monday.  Shell and all.  Nasty.  I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say I'm pretty sure the snail has been purged since then.  Shell and all.  It still makes me want to gag just thinking about it. 

She Knows She's Cool...

...And super cute.

You just can't help but love her :).

More Watermelon Shots

Well, we'll see how uploading pictures goes today :).  Mostly that's all this post is about.  I will try to do a more specific update later.

So, I know you already know how much she loves watermelon.  But I think these shots are priceless.

She actually just sat there contentedly eating that entire piece of watermelon.

Don't you love the red face?

And sometimes she gnaws on the wrong part.  But she doesn't seem to mind.

And she's very helpful in the garden...  We pick veggies and put them in the bucket...  She takes them out of the bucket and either hands them to us or throws them on the ground...  (We prefer the former, but sometimes get the latter ;)).  It's a good thing she's so stinkin' cute.

From the Fourth

Just a little update to keep myself on track...

We went to my in-laws' house for the 4th.  It's an annual tradition, and I love it.  We get to see the family that lives a bit further away -- and we always have a ton of fun.  And eat lots of good food, of course :).

I decided to introduce Lynnaea to the joys of eating watermelon from the rind.  I think it was a success -- what do you think?

Well, I may only be able to upload one.  I'm having some issues.  But one is better than none :).

Woohoo!  And two is better than one :)


Well, I tried for a third and it really didn't want to cooperate.  So I guess I'll be content with these two for now.  Maybe I'll figure out the mystery eventually.

Ooo!  Got another!  Lynnaea on the farm.  She got to see real cows and real chickens.  She was enthralled.

And I got to see (from this picture) just how gray my hair really is getting.  Yeesh.

Anyway, the 4th was a good day.  The night...  Annoying.  Lynnaea was actually so exhausted, she didn't stir at all in spite of all the obnoxious fireworks (they start going at 10 and last until after midnight... grrrr).  I, on the other hand...  I had not so good sleep that night.

I'm finding that if I type a little, then I can add another picture.  It's weird, but it's working.  So I'm doing it.  So excuse the piece-mealishness of this blog post.

I think Jeremy may have had chicken on his plate....  This brings cruelty to a whole new level.  Haha.  Maybe the chickens got the message:  start laying more eggs... or else.  UPDATE:  Actually, he does have chicken...  It's a chicken sandwich in his hand.  And mouth.  Chickens, beware!

Tah-dah!!  I actually managed to get all the pictures posted.  I consider that a miracle.

Because My Dad is Right...

... I haven't posted in a looooong time.  But time flies away from me.

So what have we been up to?

Well, Jeremy has spent a lot of time at work.  A lot.  Apparently it's the fun time on the project, so he has gotten over-time almost every day for the last (almost) 3 weeks.  And his schedule has had some fun twists to it.  Last weekend (and this one coming), he was scheduled to work swing shift for the weekend and then go back to day shift.  Which meant Sunday he got 4 hours of sleep.  And Lynnaea has missed him a lot.  We are looking forward to having him all day tomorrow, because (at least as of when he left for work this morning) he gets the day off :)!!

Lynnaea has been being her sweet, curious self.  She loves raspberries.  We pick them off our bushes and she "helps" (by eating the un-ripe ones).  She is still a happy little girl.  And she is so curious about her world.  It's wonderful to watch her.  We've been having a time of getting her onto whole milk, though.  We are still experimenting to see if she may have an allergy. 

And as for me...  I've decided to try something new.  I have decided to try being a consultant for THRIVE Life foods.  It's a new thing for me, so I'm not sure yet how it's all going to turn out.  But I am excited about it.  And, if nothing else, I'll end up with a lovely supply of long-term food storage -- in a huge variety!  And, since we are using them as we go, I've already discovered that it's been a great way for me and Lynnaea to get our vegetables.  The freeze dried peas are quite tasty -- and that's coming from someone who doesn't really like peas!  Anyway, I'm excited. 

So here are a few pictures from the last couple weeks.  To go along with the brief little update :).

She loves to look through her library books.  And she babbles while she does -- "reading."  It's so adorable.  She is talking a lot these days.

And yeah, my living room pretty much always looks like this during the day.  And then I put everything away after she goes to bed.  Including the strainer that she loves to take out of the cabinet... 

 My sweet happy girl.

I went on a hike last weekend with the Young Women.  Up a mountain.  5 miles.  I survived.  Unfortunately, the morning was ugly, so the view when we got to the top wasn't as magnificent as it could have been.  But...  We did it!  Yay for us!

Last night she gave me the stink eye when I was trying to take her picture at dinner...
But then Daddy got her to smile.  Look at all those teeth!