Shiloh

Ok, so I know I have been really bad at posting lately, but I am going to try to be better - really.

Shiloh is growing like a weed! She is such a happy girl! She is always singing and babbling. Filipe and I are constantly marveling over her, amazed by how wonderful she is and by how much we love her!

This girl is going to be a girly girl. Right now she is all about the clothes. She could spend hours just putting her socks on and taking them off again. Whenever she finds a stray shirt or pants, she instantly pulls them on. It's really cute.

She is picking up new words every day. Her sentences are still mostly gibberish to Filipe and I, though that doesn't stop her from telling us all kinds of things (we just don't really understand them), but sometimes she will say something clear as day and Filipe and I will look at each other and ask "Where did she learn that?" She loves grabbing her stroller or backpack and telling us "bye bye" as she leaves the room or walks down the hall. Yesterday, she grabbed the stroller and said, "See ya." Filipe and I both cracked up. It is amazing what kids pick up on!











Also, this is so cute! Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Things

I got this post from someone else, but it was fun to read and made for an easy post, so here it goes...

The Bold are things I've done; italicized are things I'd like to do. Those with no gusto about them are just not my gig! But as you’ll see, most things are my gig :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii - this will be bold in just two months!!!!
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise - I know, it's strange, but I really don't want to go on a cruise. I don't like
the idea of not being able to see land.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors -some of them
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - I don't know if I taught myself, but I do know
another language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted - I've had it drawn, if that counts
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - having lived in Europe, you would have thought I would
have done more of these things.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - Snorkeling, and I NEVER want to do that again. i
don't think I've ever thrown up so much
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - do home movies count?
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - I'm a little closer than I was a year ago.
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - eww
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - while this isn't something I want to do, per say (since it would mean
that someone else would have to be in a life or death situation)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Best husband ever!

I can't begin to tell you how often I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because I have Filipe for a husband! He is so caring and giving and just a really nice guy! He loves to make me happy and to play with Shiloh and make her laugh.

Last night we watched Mamma Mia!. Well, I wanted to watch it and he agreed, without even a complaint. I had so much fun curled up next to him with a fire going in the fireplace, singing along to this cheesy movie. I wonder how many chick flicks Filipe has happily watched with me over the years, even though I am sure he would have prefered an action movie.

He also read Twilight with me just because he wanted to see what I loved about it so much. He only rolled his eyes a few times and afterwards went with me to see the movie.

This week I really needed some time to myself, and when I asked him if he would mind staying with Shiloh for an hour or two while I went to Barnes and Noble to read, his responce was, "Sure. You know you can go and get time to yourself whenever you want it."

These things are really just a few of the many sweet things he does for me and just some of the smaller reasons why I love him so much.

Filipe, I love you honey! Thanks for being such an amazing man. I can only pray that Shiloh finds a husband as wonderful as you one day!

For the rest of you reading this... leave a comment telling why your significant other is so wonderful.

2009!!!

What an amazing year it has been! All day yesterday, as I thought back to what had happened in 2008, I couldn't help but be filled with emotion at the ways we have been blessed!

Being able to have Shiloh home, under our roof for the New Year was so touching. I have also been blessed with the most amazing, loving, supporting husband ever (although that is something I get every year, not just this past one.)

I actually lost some weight this past year. I have struggled with my weight for many years, so it is always something I plan on when thinking about the year to come, "This year I am going to lose weight." It was really nice to reach the end of the year and know that I actually did lose weight this year!

I also achieved something I have been wanting to do for a long, long time - I wrote a book this year. I just finished it, so I haven't started to try to get it published or anything like that, but even if it never gets published, I still feel like I have achieved a huge life goal!

We have spent time with family and friends from the other side of the world and gotten to take a lot of great trips. Though 2008 started miserably, it turned out to be an incredible year!

I am so excited to see what God brings our way in the year to come! I am hoping to lose more weight and find someone to publish that book, I am hoping to do more traveling (Hawaii in March!!!) and spend some good time with our family!

Happy 2009!!! May God bring so many blessings to all of your lives this year!!!

Brother/sister photo shoot

My mom and dad have this big frame for multiple pictures that has been sitting in their room for a while, empty. They had been wanting to put pictures of their kids in it, so me and my brothers decided to get all of us together for a photo shoot. Filipe and I had just bought a remote for our camera so we all trecked out to the park by our house for our own personal photo shoot. Afterwards, I tweaked them with photoshop (a program I could play on for hours). My parents LOVED them, and I am pretty proud of them myself.

We also took a little trip to see Santa yesterday. I'll post the pictures soon, but i have to scan them and wasn't really feeling motivated.

Picture Post!

By popular demand, I am doing a picture post. These are all really random, but we take so many pictures that it is hard to keep up sometimes.

This is one of my favorite outfits she had for fall!

Just lounging with her cousin and the bunny they fight over constantly (I really don't get why).

Her hair is getting so long! This is her first ponytail!

These are from Thanksgiving. I was taking a nap and she decided to join me.

Dinner

Playing with ShaSha's glasses.

The best little gifts under the tree.

Shiloh is growing so fast! She is so much fun to be with these days! She has gotten really happy and affectionate! When I'm not in the room with her, she wanders around the house calling "Mama!" It is so sweet to my ears because it took her a while to start saying it. She loves all the christmas lights everywhere and she LOVES stuffed animals. She is jabbering all the time, but some of her words are starting to come a little clearer. Mostly we are just having fun together. I am so excited for this holiday season with her!

Cute baby contest!

My nephew Malak is in a cutest baby contest to win a $500 shopping spree and he is one of the finalists!!!! It is down to just him and one other baby! He is way cuter than the other kid, in my opinion, so please go vote for him if you can! It's super easy, just click here.

Thanks! I'll post another blog later with some pics of Shiloh.