The last of my First Haircuts

Day 41-Because my 3 year old baby Emma finally grew enough hair to warrant a trim, and a trim was all we could get too.  Grow hair, grow grow grow!!!

*Side note- Christmas stress got the best of me so no daily smiles were sought out, but they did occur in plenty.  Merry late Christmas friends.

Mommy's little helpers

Day 40- Because making shortbread cookies would not be the same without my littlest ladies "helping " momma.

 

Secret Santa Surprise

Day 39- For the yummiest looking chocolate Christmas house that was left on our front porch.

Enjoyed his lunch

Day 38- Because Jack likes ketchup almost as much as his daddy. Shirt, face and lots in his timmy.

Spreading some of my vast knowledge

Because you can never have enough ranch dressing with your pepperoni pizza.

My Creative Ghost

Day 37- For the little girl booing in the hallway while her siblings were trying to go to sleep.

Oodles of Little Gingerbread Men

Day 36- Because I'm an awesome mom and helped my 14 get extra credit in his German I class. They be yummy little suckers too.

Comfy Cozy

Day 35- My pillow. Enough said.

How would you like to come home to this....

Day 34- Grace doing dishes, happily, without threat, suggestion, or coercion. This week she has done at least 5 loads of towels and washed dishes 3 times and she's done it all with a smile.

Family Traditions

Day 33- Because what would the holiday season be without the annual performance of The Nutcracker.

Mommy/Julie Makeovers

Day 32- For the fantastic Makeovers my wonderful RS Pres and i had and because i was too chicken to show you the actual end results. Hannah is my energetic gal and Julie is super loving and patient.

My Little Marilyn

Day 31 part two- Because this was way to funny to pass up, Hannah standing on an air vent letting the air fly up her skirt.  HA! 

P.S.- one month down 11 more to go and I'm loving this positive attitude jazz!  Even on stinky days finding the smiles really help.

Jackson 5

Day 31- Because "Santa Claus is comin' to town, oooh oh yeah, Santa Claus is comin' to town! " always brightens my soul.

My Oboe Gal's Premiere Performance

Day 30- Because in that sea of 7 th graders there is Katie getting ready to play in concert for the first time her oboe. Excitement is an understatement!

It Took Me All Day

Day 29- Because i searched and searched all day trying to find that one thing that made me smile and FINALLY I found it!  My children.  Simple.  Sweet.  All seven of my babies. 

We've been hit with that Mr. Barf Bug once again and it's not pretty.  For some reason puke always happens around 1:30 a.m. in our house and it hit last night in pairs.  I'm tired, cranky, hating barf and ready to go to bed.  I was struggling to find that bit of happiness to journal about.  Oh I was looking.  I looked at my chocolate, nah.  I looked at the laundry accomplished, nah.  Not one thing really was cracking my cranky attitude.

And then I found it.  We had tithing settlement tonight and the middle children and I (for the two oldest and the youngest at the moment are the pukers) met with our Bishop and oh all I could do was inwardly and outwardly giggle at my children (and secretly pray that Hannah didn't make some oddball confession like "mom yells a lot and that's why she can't sing high anymore" which I hate to report, yes she did blurt that out).  Yet despite the 5 year old family secrets divulging, they made me smile.  It was the mix between Bishop almost getting whiplash from moving his head back and forth between conversations and Katie showing him how she goes on point, to Hannah (yes again) saying "your legs are criss cross applesauce!  Why are you sitting criss cross applesauce?" 

They brightened my mucky day and made me glad I have so many goofy kids to call me momma.  Yep, my kids, I love 'em!     

Major Milestone

Day 28- For the number seen on my scale this morning. I've not smiled so big at 6:30 am.

Happy Feet

Day 27- Because our little nuthead, yes that goofy nuthead ia excited about going up in size for her point shoes. Leave it to Katie!

The Happiest Sounds

Day 26-For making me look up while making dinner because the sweet sounds of my babies playing monopoly was music to my ears.

Belated Birthday Present

Day 24- For time spent with Te-te and Uncle Ben, mario kart, pizza, baby Zack all to himself, time well spent.

Date Night

Day 24- Because i swear she's acting like she's never been to " Chick a lay" before. Her eyes just about popped out of her head when she saw the giant cup.

Day 23-Because everyone should have this Pug sit on their head once and a while, just saying.

Today was kind of an off day.  I woke grouchy, went to work out grouchy, even watched a sappy movie grouchily.  That probably was my #1 mistake for the day, watching a sappy movie which in turn made me a tearful grouchy.  To add to the Oscar syndrome I was cold and a little achy.  While in the midst of my tearfully grouchiness I decided to grab a comfy blanket and curl up on the sofa to maybe help alleviate some of my ailments.  It was just what the doctor ordered, not because of the rest or even warmth of the bundle it was because of this one pictured pug named Lincoln. 

Lincoln's a real pug, 100% doofus.  Some dogs do the butt drag, he does the butt spin.  He releases his anal glands weekly (gross!), eats thanksgiving stuffing right out of the pan before it's had a chance to get put away and he violates our lovable golden retriever Copper on a regular basis.  Despite all his puginess, I LOVE the little guy! 

So back to my day.  I was softly sobbing on the sofa(I'm fine now)when Lincoln decided to check out what all the hub bub was about.  First thing to change my frown up side down was his little pug nose rapidly sniffing my eyes.  Can dogs smell tears?  Do tears smell?  Things that make you go hmmmm....His sniffing is very intrusive since he really doesn't have a protruding nose so his whole pug face was in mine.  Cuteness, it was, but that wasn't what made me all out laugh.  The next thing I know I have a pug butt sitting on my head and all I could say was "oh PLEASE don't release your stink juice on my head Lincoln!".  So he sat and sat and sat on my head for a good minute or two and as quickly as my tears came they were replaced with laughter. Oh and it felt sooo good to laugh.

That's exactly what my year long goal is all about, finding the little joy and laughter especially when I'm down.  Having a pug butt on my head made my day!  Everyone should get a Lincoln, I'm so glad I have a Lincoln, stinky butt juice and all.    

Afternoon Date

Day 22-For going to the movies with my baby and enjoying all the giggles, popcorn and mom and daughter time.