Simple Things Sunday: Food, Glorious Food!

When I sit and think about my life... I mean really think - I can see how many things I have to be thankful for.  The obvious ones are the ones I tend to photograph the most: my adorable kids and my handsome husband.  But, as a part of Simple Sundays, I am hoping to help myself think outside of that box more regularly.

Today's photo is of a meal I made this week.  It represents how blessed we are to always have access to a mountain of food in our home, never having to go without.  It reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to gather around the table at night with my family.  Even if the table is sticky with gooey handprints and crumbs are covering the floor... these moments together over a shared meal are something special to me.

What is your Simple Moment this week?

Happy Half Birthday!

Sweet Baby.  How has half of a year flown by?  As your daddy reminded me... we are 1/36th of the way until you go to college.  Eek.  He shouldn't have mentioned that.  I already feel like you are growing up wayyyyyy too quickly.

Another month, another bunch of firsts and great little memories.
During your 6th month:

• You are weighing in at 19lbs, 15oz and are 27.5 inches long. 
• I went away for 2 nights.  Dad took really good care of you, but you were super happy to see me when I got back.
• You had your first bottle of formula.  You were NOT impressed.  Lucky for you, that isn't something that you need to have again!
• You celebrated the turn of the new year... by sleeping.
• A new tooth has popped through!  It is a sharp little guy, and you are chewing on everything and everyone to make your mouth feel better.
• You have some definite favorite toys:  Your rocking horse (you love to look at his face and try and eat him), your stuffed monkey (you like to sleep with him... and eat him), and your Sophie (one for home and one for the car... you love eating her!)
• Your sleep patterns are not improving, thanks to the arrival of new teeth.  You wake up 2-4 times each night, but thankfully sleep from 6:30pm-8:00am with 2 naps a day.  I can totally deal with that.
• For some reason, you seem to think 10pm is a good time to wake up and play.  We disagree.  You get pretty mad when we make you go back to sleep.
• When you wake up in your crib, you roll onto your back, try to grab your toes (even though they are always in footie pajamas), and babble to yourself until we come to get you.
• You are a super roly-poly baby!  You can roll from room to room and have even learned how to pivot to change directions so you can get to whatever you want.  We've had to vacuum extra to keep the floors clean for your busy hands. 
• You are a big fan of riding in the stroller, but you still love to be all snuggled up in a wrap, too.
• You started eating solid foods - you love carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, squash, apples, pears, and bananas.  There isn't a single food that you have refused or even made a yucky face at.  Such a good eater!
• You try and steal any food that is within your reach - even our spicy curries! We can't wait until you are old enough to eat some.
• Your babbling is getting louder and more frequent.  You love to be heard!
• You bang on your high chair and yell if we don't feed you quickly enough.  
• You practice blowing raspberries and "pffftttt"-ing all day long.  Drool everywhere.  But seriously cute.

As I sit here writing this, I am hearing you wake up (it is 10:45pm - you must be hungry)... now I get to go and give you some extra snuggles before you go back to bed.  I'm pretty sure I have the best job in the world - even if I do work 24 hours a day/7 days a week.  I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING.

Simple Things Sunday: Ah... Love.

Have you EVER seen love like this? You might have already seen this photo on my facebook page... but it is worth seeing again.  There is really nothing like the pure love of a baby for his parents.  Charlie knows just how very important his daddy is.  So glad to have captured this sweet moment.

Thanks for joining me for our simple moment of the week.  Take a minute to visit simple as that's blog for more great moments captured this week from friends across the globe! 

Simple Things Sunday: First Snowfall

It is Sunday, yet again! So I'm linking up with the Simple as That's Simple Things post.  I love looking at other people's favorite moments of the week, but it is such a challenge to pick my own.  I can quite easily pick my favorite dozen photos... but that isn't really the challenge.  One photo.  One moment.  Something worth remembering and sharing.  I hope you enjoy my Simple Moment of the week.

My sweet boy, Carter, has grown up in Phoenix.  He has never had a snowfall to enjoy.  But, that all changed this morning.  His first snowfall - boy, did he love it!

Simple Things Sunday: First Foods

Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite photos of the week.  I have been right on track with project 365 - (at least) one photo each day this year.  This week marked a big first for Charlie - starting solid foods!  Here is a shot from his first dabble with carrots. Oh, how he loves to eat.

New Year's Goals

Ah, the new year is in full swing.  I love this time of year.  Besides the obvious greatness of being between Christmas and my birthday, this time of year lends itself to goal-making.  I am a goal-maker by nature.  I love to read self-help/improvement books and parenting blogs, always making a plan about how I can better myself, my parenting, my relationships with my loved ones (and my not-so-loved ones, too).  This year, I have a number of goals in mind... much more in-depth than in years past, but it isn't like I have too much else going on, right?

I've been reading The Happiness Project, which is a fantastic book about... uhhh... being happy. (Did I really need to tell you that?).  There are so many aspects of our lives that we should and could be enjoying more fully, if we paid a little more attention and focused on them properly.  This year, I'll be following her book, setting my own monthly goals loosely based on hers.  2012 is going to be a year to magnify the happiness that already exists in my life.  Can't wait!

My secondary goal is to document our life through photos.  I am AWESOME at taking photos about 2 or 3 times a year... but I often forget to pull out the camera to regularly document those everyday moments that are so fleeting as the boys get older.  My goal is to take at least one photo a day - EVERY day.  I can totally do this, right?  I will also be taking part in simple as that's weekly photo challenge.  Make sure to check in on Sundays to catch our simple moment of the week.