Shoes and Coos Update

HJ's latest favorite pastime is trying on shoes. She carts them all over this house and performing "shoe pick-up" more than twice a day is pointless. Her shoes, mom's shoes...esp high heels, dad's shoes (you can imagine her hefting size 14s around:) But every time I try and film her, she bolts out of the shoes and runs to the camera because she loves to "watch" the video instead(as seen).
Hannah says new words every day. Vocab now includes but is not limited to: seat, yes, pease (please), pay (play) side (outside) - these three are often used together and usually end up in me getting way too sweaty - bear, there, where, car, bus,worm, cup, plate, bowl, reez (cherries), pears (prayers)etc. It's really fun. She sleeps about 12 hours a night, takes a 2-3 hour nap a day, loves nursery (enjoys folding her arms AND bowing her head and doing "Book of Mormom Stories" actions). Her lovely loose curls make it easy for mom to "style" her hair. She continues to be very sweet with her little sister. Hannah's to do list includes potty-training and not screaming the whole time she's getting bathed. At the park, Hannah goes down the little slide all by herself now.

Ellie B is taking this world by storm. She'll be 6 months on the 10th and has tried carrots, peas, and rice cereal, the latter being her favorite. Today, I packed up her 3-6 month and pulled out the 9-12 month clothes for her - what?!? Does anyone else fee like she was just born? She sleeps 9 hours at night, eats, and sleeps 2 more. She takes 3 naps a day, loves her exersaucer and works very diligently at crawling. She can often be found on all 4s rocking back and forth, then gets really brave and pushes hard with her feet...but hasn't mastered forward arm movement resulting in multiple nose dives per day. I'll leave and come back to find her clear across the room. She has a very distinct "Help Mom, I'm stuck!" cry. She could just sit and watch Hannah ALL DAY LONG. In the same week, she quit taking her binky but also quit crying in the car seat. When we go to the park, Ellie loves to swing in the baby swing while Hannah runs amuck. Ellie loves her baths.


p.s. Please excuse me reprimanding Hannah during the Ellie video. I only have 2 hands people:)

Nate is taking a technology class this week and starts back to school next week. Summer is over for us. We would SO WELCOME any visitors to NC this fall!
My current project is transforming the dining room into a play room. I've picked the colors and will hopefully paint this weekend.

How long have I been unaware of these?

Oven ready noodles? Making lasagna just got about a million times easier:)

Too funny not to post

I got this email and had to giggle




How to Know Whether or Not You are Ready to Have Children

MESS TEST
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the
couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST
Obtain a 55 gallon box of Legos (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have
a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to
the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at
night.
GROCERY STORE TEST
Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as
you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST
Obtain one large, unhappy octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure
that all arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST
Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the
ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of
soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane.
Now, dump contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST
Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand.
Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3pm, begin to waltz and hum with the bag
until 9pm. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10pm. Get up, pick up
your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen
more and sing these too until 4am. Set alarm for 5am. Get up and make
breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST
Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a pot of paint,
Turn it into an alligator. Now, take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an
attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last,
take a milk carton, a ping pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make
an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it
in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the
cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies. Mash
them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST (Women)
Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes.
Leave it there for 9 months. Now, remove 10 of the beans.
PHYSICAL TEST (Men)
Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk
to help himself. Now, proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head
office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store.
Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT
Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can
improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training, and their
child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them
that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this
experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.

"For if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet"

We've officially been North Carolinians for 1 year. When I think of that last year, a number of emotions come to mind. It had it's fair share of challenges, that's for sure. So, for journaling sake, here's a light recap 0f July 08 - July 09.
We had been under the impression that the sale price of our house would leave us comfortable for at least several months...well, long story short: we walked away from closing with barely anything. Then the moving company was almost twice what they had quoted us. Nice. I had actually flown down and interviewed for a job that I ended up feeling very uncomfortable with for some reason, and ended up turning down. So, dead broke and no income for 2 months. Oh, and 4 months pregnant. What do you do? I'm not going to lie, it was a awful. I will never forget trying to pay our bills but being $12 in the hole. Scary? I think I just cried. Additional mishaps included: losing everyone's social security cards and birth certificates in the move, which I went ahead and capitalized on by losing my wallet. Whole new set of issues. High temperatures and humidity, our small, dark, cramped apartment reeked of nasty cigarette smoke - the kind that is saturated in the carpet and walls. We had dogs next door and 24/7 partying Mexicanos above us. One car, which I would take and pick up Nate from school. Words can't begin to describe the horror of our home-buying process over the next 4 months. Getting financing was obviously problematic for various reasons I won't drone on about. Then looking, visiting, making offers, being "out-offered" on 5 different houses...all with little Hannah in tow. Okay, ENOUGH. This is making me depressed just writing it. Really, I'm not one to complain and I only do so to point out how much we've been blessed. Hence the title of this post. (At the risk of sounding completely spoiled, I do fully realize there are so many in world in MUCH worse circumstances that above described)

- Numerous miracles - complete financial miracles happened that kept us afloat. Whether it was random money from some dental work I had over paid for or a check for the last-half-of-the-year home insurance, we kept getting these little monies out of nowhere. I never knew $50 could give so much relief and renewed faith.

- Our marriage has been strengthened SO much. It has just taken us to a whole new level. We had to dig deep, learned to really communicate every issue with and rely on each other , and put faith into action. Clinging to the scriptures and praying daily gave us so much peace. Nate kept everything in perspective and kept me calm. I gained so much respect for him. I appreciated him much more, criticized less, and forgave faster. Laughter and humor got us through. Our day in and day out struggle and effort matured our relationship so much. Nate was and is, without a doubt, my destined eternal companion.

- Where there is a will, there's a way. When all the odds were stacked against us and we kept running into wall after wall after wall, we just refused to give up. Even when it would've been easier. What better way to learn patience than to be in a situation where you are giving 110% and getting nowhere.

- I have developed a more humble attitude and really, I don't think there is any other way the Lord could have taught me humility. I'd never really had to go without. I'd never made myself live on any type of budget really. I've a new appreciation for "things." Going without new clothes, make-up, shoes, aka CRAP, for a while didn't hurt me AT ALL. I now make very few impulse purchases and treasure the fun things I do get. I waste less. It is so nice to feel grateful, content, and in control.

- An attitude of humility, in turn, has made me much happier, loving, teachable person. It is so liberating to refuse to see anything but good in people. Now I can't stand gossip or any criticism of others period. What a welcome blessing!

- 365 days later, I wake up in our house with no blinds, broken towel racks, mismatched furniture, little "decor" to speak of, a "yard" that could easily be mistaken for the Serengeti, etc, and I am thrilled. Thrilled to be out of that apartment. Thrilled that this house is ours. That the girls can play all day in it. Thrilled that is smells nice (most of the time), thrilled that it is in a nice quiet little neighborhood. The list goes on - you get my point. I wake up to 2 healthy little girls that I love so much. We have 2 cars - a fabulous minivan, nonetheless and Nate and I both have jobs that we love. WE HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED. Are we rich? Ummm, no. But wealthy beyond wildest imagination in things that cannot be measured.

A huge thank you to all our family and friends who continued to support and encourage. Your help has not gone unnoticed and is SO appreciated!
Not that I want to repeat that last year, but it's true what Nephi says: we must taste the bitter to prize the good. Thank you to my Heavenly Father who knows me so perfectly that He is willing to refine me over and over and over. All for my happiness. His only purpose: our happiness.

Ellie

Whitear Sisters on America's Got Talent!

So I'm at work the other night, running around like crazy, annoyed at being called into one of my patient's rooms to investigate why her IV is alarming AGAIN. Not even paying attention to her "America's Got Talent" on the TV, I hear her say "oh, look at those beautiful sisters." I look up and......WHAT??? I know those girls!!! The Whitear girls from Morgan! I was so excited. What are the chances? Here's the video! Good luck gals - I'm definitely tuning in for Vegas!