I love to see the temple

 We were in St. George this last weekend. When we are there on Sundays we like to catch Sacrament at a convenient hour then head up to the temple grounds for the rest of our Sabbath day worship hours. I actually love it and the experience always promises a rich spiritual learning experience for all of us.
It was a beautiful day and it was so nice to be outside. We also had the place to ourselves most of the time. I love that Molly can walk and move around at her leasure. She still likes to put things in her mouth, but mostly just sticks and dirt... which is less of a choking hazard than small rocks which used to be her favorite, so we give her her freedom and enjoy ours as we sit back and watch.
We also visit the visitor's center each time we come. I don't like to take a tour each time but I do like my kids to listen to the Christus presentation and feel the spirit and the love that comes from the words spoken. Both of them were very reverent this time as we listened. When it was over I leaned over and asked Lucy "Who is that?" She responded, "Jesus Christ" I then asked, "Do you know any songs about Jesus Christ?" She responded, "I am a child of God." I started to tier up immediately. The song of course does not have the words "Jesus Christ" in them but she was able to recognize that the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the same. And the words she sings in that song mean something similar to what Jesus Christ means to her. I am amazed at how much she takes in and how aware she is of the lessons we are trying to teach her daily. I am so thankful for the primary songs to help us teach her those principles. Lucy loves to sing and if there is one thing that she can catch on to, its a catchy tune.
Speaking of primary songs, we visited my mom's ward and it was their primary program. Lucy loved to stand up on the chair and sing right along with those primary kids, the songs that she knew. And the songs she didn't know are on our list to learn.
It was a lovely Sunday and fitting that it was Molly's birthday as well. I sure do love my family and I am so thankful for the covenants James and I made and the restored priesthood keys that sealed us all together for eternity. What a blessing and a comfort that is in our lives. Now the big job of teaching our kids to do the same and enduring to the end. Here's to forever!

Happy Birthday Molly Moo!

 I'm a day late on this post, but better late than never.
One year ago, we welcomed this fiery ball of joy into our family. Oh and we love her so. Molly has a spunky spitfire personality that is infectious and endearing. It's so hard not to laugh when she grabs a toy away from Lucy and then teases Lucy with a fake give back and then retracts just before she gets the toy. It's hard not to laugh when she throws a fit if she does not get everything she wants or is after. It's hard not to laugh when she is trying so hard to fit into some small nook or cranny that promises defeat only to be met with tears and often even more persistence. This is Molly. The most persistent being you have ever met. I don't worry about her one bit. She will decide what she wants and wants to be one day and she will not stop until she reaches that goal.
One year update:
Words: Ma, Da, Signs and mouths, all done, more
Babbles constantly and with purpose, often holding up objects and shaking her head as though we know exactly what she is talking about. She loves to laugh and will often fake laugh for no reason.
She's been walking since a week before her birthday. We never practiced with her, or enticed her to do it. She decided she want to walk and went for it. (This is why I don't worry about Molly)
She loves loves loves her big sister. She loves to tackle her whenever she is laying down for a diaper change or sitting in their reading chairs. If Lucy is sitting on the ground Molly will back up into her and sit between her legs.
Molly loves her Mama. She desires to always be near me. No matter the activity I am in the middle of, Molly will come and sit at my feet with her back resting against my legs while she continues to play with her toy.
Molly has two bottom teeth. We waited a long time for those and still waiting for others. She does a good job of eating just about anything with those two teeth however.
Molly's favorite food???? She likes avocados, bananas, and her bottle. That's the only thing that she will eat consistently otherwise, it's hit and miss.
Molly has become a GREAT napper and sleeper. She took a little longer to train than Lucy but she is great!
Molly has two kissable cheeks that are impossible to keep your lips off of. She is one happy girl and the best kind of addition to this family.

Molly is a walker!

72 hour kits.... DONE.

This felt like a HUGE project, and one that I have wanted to finish for a long time. But now it's done. Thank you James Stewart for sticking with me on this one and taking a sick day to fill your wife's dreams. You are looking at 72 hour kits for each person in our family. We will all be prepared for whatever life brings us.... for at least 3 days. After that, please come find us and rescue us. J/K. It's a step closer to self reliance. Now we just need to finish graduate school, get a real job, own a car, pay off debt, build up our food storage and water supply,.... etc. 

Book junkies

My girls love books. My secret plan to make them like reading is working... so far. I really am a terrible reader myself. I was never very good at reading comprehension and small confession the first novel I read and finished was Harry Potter,... my freshman year of college. But really from then on I was hooked. I really enjoy a good book as much as the next guy. I just am a tad picky about what books I am going to spend my time finishing. Hence, there are lots of books/novels I have started but not finished. I really don't blame anyone but myself for my lack of reading ability. I remember my parents reading to me and my sister growing up and I had great examples in the home of good readers. Reading just didn't come easy for me so I chose other skills, like baking to focus on. Another confession, I was in reading resource all of my elementary school years. So I was also given extra help. Maybe it was because I wasn't breast fed as a child? (That's a joke,.. ) Regardless, of the reasoning I hope my daughters have a love of books and reading. They are lucky to have a dad that loves reading as much as James does. That will help them. I will always do my best to be a good example, but in the end I often choose to spend my time in the kitchen rather than in front of a good book.

Weather's nice!!... Let's go to the park!!

Lazy Days

This activity kept Lucy entertained for at least 45 mins

We've had some lazy days around this house. Due to holidays, surgery, weather, you name it, and its a good excuse to stay inside and play all day. Or outside if its raining. Monday we spent the entire day together. I dare say it was a perfect day. More perfect for me than James because he let me sleep in. Then we spent the day building forts, playing games that James made up, making messes and in the evening we made pizza and enjoyed it together. I think we probably watched a movie or two as well. It rained several different times during the day and we kept getting soaked. The last time we came in about 4:30 pm and had some early baths and put on PJ's and were settled for the rest of the evening. It really was a lovely day. I love summer rain, and take every opportunity to get the girls out to play in it. We've been blessed with two pretty wet months each summer we've been here. I love it so much.

We gave her a rag to clean it all up after that lasted another
20 minutes

The girls are so much fun. I can not say enough about how much I love to just sit and watch them interact each day. Molly loves Lucy and follows her wherever she goes. Sometimes that means into a dark closet where Lucy turns around and shuts the door on her. We've had some good talks to Lucy about this, and I think she realizes now that its wrong. Lucy loves Molly too. They love to tease each other. One taking toys from the other and running away. They giggle and laugh like nobodies business.
Molly is getting so close to walking. She will take little steps here and there between furniture when no one is looking or she is not thinking about it. She is very sturdy when she is just standing. She is quite a good little eater. She does not love to be spoon fed, but loves to feed herself. We weren't sure if she was allergic to dairy products for awhile so we stayed away from them, but we have been giving her more of them to try and she has done really well. Molly loves to dance and bounce. She can sign "all done" and uses "mama" and "dada" appropriately. She is a pretty good little communicator and I'm sure she would know and use many more signs if we were more diligent to teach them to her.

Then we filled the tub and let her play for
another 30 minutes while getting clean.

Lucy loves to sing and dance and sing and dance. Her little phrases and words are getting so much clearer everyday. She freaks every time we try and put panties on her and don't know when she will get over that. Hopefully someday soon. I really am not sure what it is going to take for her to want to go on the potty. We're not to worried about it. She's a bright kid and will figure it out sometime soon.

Molly's new dress. Lucy got a new dress too
but she was asleep when we finally took
some pictures.

James had a crazy busy month in August with school. It's over now and September is the month of Jewish Holidays. We have enjoyed seeing him more often and look forward to more daddy time through out the month. He has been so good to me and the girls as they have been sick and I have been recovering from surgery. He has taken over everything and I could not have managed with out him. Thanks James. I know it's not easy.
I finally had surgery on Wednesday. It feels so great to have it done. I've been waiting for sometime for this to happen, and felt like I had hit a road block. It's done and I feel like I can move forward. It's been two days and I already feel better than before. I am also thankful to my mom that came for two days and took care of my sick kids. It was kind of bad timing for them to be sick but it happened and we've made it through okay.
So enjoy the pictures and feel updated. We are here. We are alive. And we are happy.

 Summer rain. We love it!

 More often than not this is where we find Molly. She loves books. As much as her sister.

 This fort took up our entire living room. 

 James has found several spots in our apartment that have metal in the walls. 

 These are the cute girls I get to watch twice a week in the morning for a couple of hours. Lucy loves them. 

My two sickies chomping on some otterpops.