Takin' Pictures

So my hand is getting better! I can finally make a fist without forcing it and I can do more. Of course, if I force it or lift too heavy things or just put the wrong pressure on it it hurts so its not completely healed and I know it will take time, but its getting there:) So now I can start to play around with my camera. I need to study up on it and really do research if I ever want to get really good at taking pics- maybe a class in the future- but for now I will be experimenting a lot with taking pictures and editing. I at least want to get good for myself and that's one of my goals for the year. My sister Stephanie is getting really good at taking pictures and so I wish she lived closer, so when I do see her she will have to give me some pointers ( wink wink ;) )

Happy Valentines Day!

So we celebrated Valentines Day on Saturday. We walked around the mall, bought Olivia some clothes and then we decided to go early to eat at Carrabas ( everyone else had the same idea:)) It was so yummy! mmmm...! I made some crafts earlier in the week for my primary class and for the ladies I visiting teach. I have 4 girls and 1 boy in my CTR class. So for the girls I made them each a flower clip, and we bought a toy car for the boy. Then I made some boxes to put them in.

For the ladies I visiting teach I just put together a couple of boxes and some chocolate for them. I actually love to go visiting teaching. It seems that this year for the visiting teaching messages is all about the history of Relief Society. This months message was on the purpose of the Relief Society- strengthening family, service etc... It got me thinking how important it is to have scripture study, and prayer with family, and how glad I am that we have started to do those things with Olivia:)

How cute is this?

I took this picture of Olivia after we were done reading scriptures- she was waiting for us to kneel down. This is how she kneels down:) and then she usually is sitting up at the end of the prayer with her arms still folded:) (most of the time:))

So I know I have mentioned that Olivia loves to dance to all music and she has such an awesome beat with it, but whenever I want to record her she sees the camera and either 1. wants the camera or 2. won't do anything. So last night before her bath she wanted to dance- and she will ask us to put on some music "dince dince" so I was able to record her for a little bit- she always gets crazy before bedtime:

Elder Kevin James Porter

Kevin entered the MTC today! Its so exciting to think he will be sharing the gospel for two years. I think its going to fly by fast. He is such an amazing brother. On Sunday when he spoke, you could feel the spirit so strong, and could tell that he is ready to go and serve the Lord. Mike and me went to his setting apart last night, and it was a really spiritual experience. We all got to share our feelings, and testimony to Kevin. It was such an overwhelming feeling for me at least. You could tell that Kevin has prepared so much and that he was ready to go. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and I know its going to help so many people. I got to go with my parents and Melanie to drop him off at the MTC today. Even though its just curb side drop off we didn't feel rushed which was really cool. You could definitely tell Kevin couldn't wait to go! He had the biggest smile on his face the whole time:) I'm going to miss him for the two years, but it's not like it's forever. I'm so proud of him, and I'm so grateful for my parents and how they have raised us to make righteous decisions.

Stylin' the Curls

Yes, I decided to curl Olivia's hair today. I think she looks so cute and she sat so good for mommy. She is such a girly girl, and she loves to get her hair done (well most of the time). She loves lip gloss and helping mommy put my makeup on:) She loves jewelery and perfume, and loves loves lotion! She definitely is our little princess, and so she is finally saying "please" along with other words but it's taken me forever to get her to say please because she says it in sign language. But now she knows to say it to get what she wants- and she has the cutest voice so who can say no:) She is growing up so fast!

Family Goals

So at the beginning of the month we had a family home evening lesson on what we want our family goals to be this year. Now, we had some like paying off the baby, going on vacation, exercising more etc... But the goals that we are really focusing on are:

1. Having Family Home Evening each week
2. Reading the scriptures as a family daily
3. Going to the temple as often as we can
4. Making sure we have family prayer

I know these are what we should be doing already but we seem to put them off, especially since Mike has been working late and he doesn't have a set time of when to come home. I grew up reading the scriptures at 6 in the morning everyday with my family, and so I told Mike we would do that. . . he wasn't too excited for it. So we decided we would start off reading them every night and if we couldn't keep it up we would read them in the morning. Surprisingly we have been really good to not miss a night in reading them:) And we each have a pair of scriptures- yes, even Olivia has one and she is the one who keeps us in line with reading them. One night I was really tired and I was just going to say let's go to bed, and so I told Olivia, "k bed time" and she ran over and got the scriptures and brought them to daddy and me:) And then after scriptures she knows to kneel down and fold her arms. She usually will kneel down and fold her arms and bury her face in the ground, its so cute! Also with prayers if I forget to bless the food, she will fold her arms and start wining until I say the prayer:) I'm so glad these things are sticking with her. She really helps me to remember whats important. I think it's so important to start this early with teaching kids the gospel principles, or even what you believe. Even at 18 months its being engraved into her mind and its amazing how much they do remember, and how much they copy you.

Lately I have been saying "Gosh" when I get angry and I know its not a swear word, but its not a very pretty sounding word:) and its close to some other words... Anyways Olivia spilt something the other day and I was like "Oh gosh" and Olivia thought it was so funny and started just yelling "gosh, gosh, gosh" And lately she just loves to copy what mommy says. So after hearing Olivia copy "gosh" I really have been careful what I say and even what I have been listening too. So lately the new EFY cd for this year has become my favorite cd. I love church music, and not just listening to it on Sunday. I think it brings just a calmness and sweet feeling into the home. I'm just glad that Olivia is learning, and that we are at least teaching her to say prayers and read the scriptures. I think now a days its so easy to be casual with church things, and I just feel like its so important to do these things daily.

Crazy Day

So today is a crazy day- my little princess has gotten into everything!She found some markers and wrote all over her clothes, dumped out card games, and she decided to put some chap stick in her hair: (how can you get mad at this qt) mommy has been very patient:)

..." What did I do?" look

I guess the bath comes early today:)