One Day at a Time

We Went to Disneyland

We went to Disneyland and in true Disney fashion, we had a blast. It went by fast and it was a little bit tiring, but I look forward to the day when we get to go again, probably when our kids all grown. Grandma and Grandpa came with us. It was fun to have them to talk to in long lines and to share the fun of taking small kids to Disneyland.

We went the week right after Thanksgiving and it was so fun because it was so Christmasy!

This was the day we spent in Disneyland. We rode every ride we could. On Pirates of the Caribbean, Daisy sat next to me, and I could feel her little heart pound in her chest. When it was over she said, "That one made me have to pee a little bit." I laughed so hard. Also, this poor little girl that snuck into our photo...

The Paint the Night Parade was one of my favorite things. It was so fun to watch! And then the fireworks came right after.

We got a good deal on our rooms because of the military discount that was currently being offered. We got to walk straight into the park. We stayed at the Grand Californian. They had this gingerbread house of the hotel in the lobby. I think it had some 600 pounds of flour and powdered sugar. It made the whole hotel smell like gingerbread.

We did California Adventure too. I would have to say one of my favorite things about the whole trip was Carsland. It was perfect! I was so bummed that Rocky was just a little bit too short to ride the ride there. He would have loved it! I would go back just to California Adventure so he could go to Carsland.

Daisy got to ride all the ride except the roller coaster and the Tower of Terror. She was tall enough, but really would have peed her pants. This was us right before the Cars ride. She was a little nervous, but she did good. I could always feel her little heart pounding.

This is my favorite picture. Daisy finally started catching on the characters and really wanted to see Goofy.

Rocky not so much...

I also learned that Grandma Rena does not like heights, at all. She passed on the huge ferris wheel.

She did go down the slide though at the Wilderness Explorer's area. There is so much to do at these parks. I hadn't been to California Adventure in about 10 years and a lot had changed and grown. It was fun to see all the new stuff. This explorer place was very fun and perfect change of pace.

We spent our last day at Disneyland. We rode the Star Wars ride and Daisy was picked as the rebel spy. She didn't like it.

We lucked out and didn't have to wait in a line to see the princesses. Daisy and Rocky were a little tentative, if that is the right word, to see the princesses. I just chuckled at the looks on their faces. I wish I knew what was going through their little heads.

We wore them out, but it was a good trip.

I am glad that Aaron takes action and gets us out to have adventures. If it were up to me, we'd be home all the time. I love the memories we made. We'll go back again!

5 Years Old

Daisy starts school in six months! We are both ready and not ready at the same time. Daisy is smart, kind, creative, obedient, and playful. She has also taken to running to her room in a dramatic fit when she doesn't get what she wants or is mad at Rockwell. It's funny to watch. She can get "passionate" about certain things when things don't go as she thinks they should. Daisy likes control. She will love school. She loves preschool. I am happy that she got in the Legacy Charter School out here in Surprise. It is a good school, and I think it will be just the right fit for her. It still make sad to know that this phase of our life is almost over. The phase of our world just being us and our home. Now we will have school and school friends and school teachers, and we will have to leave our house everyday. I am going to miss the mornings of just waking up and snuggling up on the couch with her with no where to go and nothing to do. I am really going to try and enjoy the next few months and take in the last of this time.

Daisy is still so little, but she does think she is big stuff. She loves to be in charge and take care of Rocky. It's a good thing he loves to be cared for by his big sister. She will be his "mom" and tuck him in. She will be his "teacher" and teach him to write his name. She is a good big sister. She loves her boots and her cousin Laine. She is a bit of a perfectionist which is a good and a frustrating thing for her. She asks me every night to lay down with her. When I tuck her in we always list five things to be thankful for. Her list usually consists of her mom and dad, Jesus, clothes, a house to live in, Rocky, and socks. Her favorite colors are red and pink. She wants to be a Mom when she grows up. Her favorite thing to do is go to Disneyland. Her favorite holiday is Christmas. Her favorite show is Heidi. Her best friend is Allie. And her favorite food is cinnamon toast crunch and chicken noodle soup.

Daisy is growing up into a great little girl. She is constantly helping me grow as a person. I love her and am so thankful for the spirit she brings into our home.

This was a picture for her first Primary Program. I love this picture. I hope she always knows how special she is and will have the confidence that she is showing in this picture. When they called all of the kids up to the front, she looked so small walking up by herself. It made me choke up a bit. That was a big deal for her to go up by herself. Daisy is very confident if she feels she knows how to handle the situation she is in. So for her to walk up to the front by herself even though it was her first time, felt like a big deal in her little world.

Grandma and Grandpa came to watch too. She was pleased. Daisy has a special place in heart for all of her grandparents. She loves them so much.

There was a period of time when Daisy "blessed" (forced) me to grow as a parent. Before she could talk, she would get so mad when she couldn't say everything she wanted to. This resulted in months of tantrums that left me with pulled hair and a scratched face sitting outside of her door at a loss for what to do to help my girl. Thankfully, we both learned how to deal a little bit better as time moved forward, and her tantrums became less and less. She is still little, however, and some days are hard. These days usually end in tears. Tears over too much ketchup on her plate, her brother looked at her the wrong way, I won't give her gum...You know tough stuff for a five year old. Daisy also loves to please and obey, but I think her internal battle to please and to do what she wants creates a storm sometimes, and it comes out usually around bedtime. I am still learning how to help her navigate these storms. I want her to be resilient, and I am trying to look at these little moments as practice for when the bigger problems start to come.

Daisy loves her Dad. She always prays for him to be safe. "Please thankful for my Dad to be safe". It makes me smile every time.

Daisy loves to pick out her outfits. She won't wear an outfit I pick out even if she likes it. She has to be the one that picks. Most days she is wearing a tutu so she can dance.

I am so thankfully for Daisy.

Thanksgiving 2015

This year, I hosted Thanksgiving. I feel like I have finally arrived at adulthood now. Just kidding, I have felt that way for a while, but hosting Thanksgiving is such a grown up thing to do to me. I wish all of my family could have been there, but it was fun to have a small Thanksgiving with my sister Heidi and her family and my parents. It was good day with good food. My Mom taught me how to prepare and cook a turkey, my Dad slept and watched football, all while Jeremiah and Aaron took the kids out for the day. I know that this might be a silly thing, but it was my favorite. One of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving was always after everyone left and the day was over, but the house still smelled like holiday food and the spirit of everyone's good day was left kind of hanging in the air. It was always a comforting feeling to me, but I haven't stayed at the house that has cooked the turkey in years, so it was nice to have my house be the house that had that Thanksgiving smell afterwards. It's a smell that reminds me of Grandma Beverly. It was just a good day. Of course, I loved more than the smell of Thanksgiving. I loved spending the day at home and with my family. Two of my favorite things.

My Dad participated in No Shave November this year. This is the most facial hair I ever remember seeing him with, so I decided a picture was necessary.

We had a few hours of downtime before the cooking began, so I snapped a few photos of me and my kids in out Thanksgiving clothes.