Snapshots from Our Lives

(Note: I wrote this post a little over a month ago and just didn't get it polished and published. So it's a little late but ya know, the pictures are still good. :) )

There are many, many good things in my life. I am tremendously blessed, everyday, with so much that is good. I've been working on making a conscious effort to pay attention to those tender mercies, those small but perfect moments in my life. No one's life is perfect, but mine is made up of small, perfect moments that sure make anything else that isn't perfect still feel pretty darn good. 

So I wanted to share a few of those perfect moments with you. These are the moments that need to be celebrated, the ones I hope I remember as I grow old. Sometimes I commemorate these moments with a snapshot (thank heavens for camera phones!) and sometimes I just remember them but they're all good. 

• Livie loves to celebrate birthdays. She's been obsessed ever since we celebrated her third birthday...a year and a half ago. She'll randomly tell me that today is my birthday or her birthday or Dallin's or daddy's and then we'll celebrate. She'll "wrap" anything deemed desirable in some blankets and make a delicious birthday cake. Then the "birthday person" will open the gifts and eat the cake and have a party! And then we do it all over again. :) These are pictures from one of my "birthday celebrations." 

•Dallin's becoming a chatterbox. He talks so much more than his sister ever did at his age and sometimes he just says he cutest things that make us crack up. He is obsessed with "mean guys" in shows and sometimes will say, "mom! Mean guys. Show." while shaking his head. He also has no quiet setting, particularly when he's trying to get attention. He is not one who begins saying "dad" in a quiet, soft tone and gradually escalating until the desired attention is given. No, not this little guy. When he wants something, he just immediately starts yelling. "Mom! MOM!" It's funny at home; embarrassing when we're out somewhere. :) 

• Among my many talents is the ability to make roses out of tootsie rolls. Yep. I'm awesome. 

• Building forts is a favorite activity around here. Daddy builds the best forts. All of mom's fall down. 

• Mommy/kiddo selfies are our favorite! 

• We did some four wheeler riding as a family before it got cold and it was so fun! We all had a great time! Now Dallin gets excited and runs to grab his shoes whenever he hears anything about the four wheeler—even if we are just mentioning something about it in passing! 

• Dallin thought my hair was messy and tried to fix it for me. He worked and worked but couldn't seem to figure out why it wasn't getting better! I couldn't stop laughing. 

• Livie makes me the most delicious treats! Doesn't this cake look delish?! ;) 

• This was the golden year for Livie to finally understand Halloween. She loved it! She keeps asking how much longer before Halloween comes again and asked if we could do Halloween again instead of Thanksgiving. She found the Halloween box and "dressed up" and came around "trick or treating" to me multiple times. It was pretty adorable. 

• Speaking of Halloween, the kids got some secret Halloween goodies from someone this year! They were so excited to open their own mail and get some "Frozen" treats. They think their little notes are super special. Thank you to the secret Halloween goody-giver! Now we're trying to think of how we can pay it forward. 

• Dallin copies everything. If his sissy does it, so does he. If mommy says it, so does he. If daddy wears it, he sure tries to. 

• Uncle Steven (my brother) is in the National Guard so we've been lucky enough to see him every month (at least since he's been home from his mission) when he has drill. My kiddos adore him and trying on his jacket is one of their favorite things to do. 

• Banana Blueberry Bread is absolutely amazing. And it looks so pretty! (I think the only thing that would make it better is some lemon glaze. Or maybe some lemon sugar baked on top. Yum! Next time.)