Daddy's girl...or little girls Daddy...

Reese loves her daddy, and it's pretty safe to say he loves her too; enough to let her dress him up. Let's just say daddy is a good sport.

I guess there must be something to that old saying, “A little girl has a special way of wrapping her daddy right around her little finger." It couldn't be truer in out household. The proof in these pictures and that Arnold told me the other night that he wants another little girl. He's definitely whooped.

Punkins...

That's how Reese say's pumpkin, and she is facinated with pumpkins this year. She loves them, it's all she talks about. I guess it's a good thing she's going to be a "punkin" for Halloween.

But first things first...we had to get our family "punkin's" and Reese had a blast picking out her very own!

Heaven help me...I must have tried just about everything to get Reese to look at me and smile, but these are the best I could do!

Looking...but not smiling...

...smiling...but not looking! It was a lost cause. But she's still pretty cute!

And then we ran into Micky...and that made Reese's day. Punkins and Micky in one place...heaven!

Reese & Rowan...

Aren't these the cutest little dress up princess's ever. They're ready for the ball...



And by ball I mean a date with the DVD player for a screening of Toy Story!

DISNEY WORLD! Finally...

This blog is almost 3 years old and I think this is the longest I've ever gone with out an update. Sorry, life has been a little, well, I'm not sure what the word would be to describe our life lately; basic-daily-survival is the best I can do.

The good news is that I am now 16 weeks pregnant and the baby seems to be developing and growing on schedule. So, no matter how miserable life seems to be right now, we're grateful for the misery.

As most of you know our family was lucky enough to win a free trip to Disney World, thanks to our wonderful daddy who took the time to enter! We finally took our trip on September 29th through October 3rd. I was pretty nervous about the trip, with how sick I've been, but I'm happy to report that we had a wonderful relaxing time. Unfortunately, I'm not so happy to report that our pictures from the trip aren't that great. We decided to take our small point and shoot camera instead of dragging around our big expensive camera. In hindsight I wish we'd brought the good camera. Our poor little point and shoot used to take decent pictures but for some reason it wasn't working so well. All our pictures came out slightly blurry and weird looking. Luckily Arnold took several with his phone that turned out Ok...but oh well.

Ya get what ya get!

At the airport getting ready to board our plane! Reese is very excited...she had no idea what she was in for.

Preparing for take off...Reese was obediently following along with the emergency information! Reese was actually really good on the flight there. She watched movies and played with her toys. The flight went much faster than I thought, so I was very happy!

We arrived in Orlando and went straight to our hotel. We were greeted by the Orlando CVB (they gave us the free trip). We checked in and found out that the CVB would also be paying for our meals while we were there. They also gave us $300 spending money, which we had not expected. This truly made everything about our trip FREE! Not bad at all!

Our Hotel turned out to be a condo. It was 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen, living room and dining room. It made our stay that much nicer.

This was Reese's favorite part of the condo...the big jetted tub in the master bedroom. She took hour long (some times longer) baths every night.

This is the building across from us. It was identical to ours. We were staying on the top floor. You can't really tell, but our balcony was about the size of the entire main level of our house.

This was the pool at the hotel. We spent a lot of time at the pool.

Reese loved hanging out on the balcony looking down at the pool. I'm telling you this kid has no fear what so ever.

One of the fun things we got to participate in while we were in Orlando, was a Guinness Book of World Records event. The Orlando CVB successfully created the largest man made smiley face.

We had to get up pretty early that day...Reese was a good sport!

Doesn't Arnold look cute in his yellow poncho?

Reese and I tried to participate, but we were on a roof top, in direct sunlight, under plastic... After about 5 minutes I had to throw up and I thought I was going to pass out. I decided this wasn't the best activity for a pregnant lady with morning sickness, so we bailed out and watched from the sidelines.

Just a few of the other "Orlando Makes Me Smile" contest winners!

Obviously the highlight of our trip was Disney World! We had a lot of fun, but honesty we probably only saw about one tenth of everything we could have seen. We were in no hurry and took our time. We only made it to Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom. Disney World is really a week long event...but there's not way I would have made it a week even if we had the time.

This was Reese's favorite ride. Too bad you wait in line 45 minutes for a 2 minute ride.

Reese liked Animal kingdom, but I thought it was just a glorified zoo. I kind of wish we'd gone to Hollywood Studio's instead...but oh well.

On our safari, we got to see quite a few animals up close. I didn't want to include a bunch of boring pictures of animals, so I just chose what I thought was the cutest...this baby giraffe. Reese loved him.

Getting ready to go into "A bug's life". How cute is she in those glasses?

I would say the highlight of our day at Disney World was the big show in front of the castle. Reese was squealing and laughing as she watched all her friends (Micky, Minni, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Pluto and a million more) perform.

Reese loved meeting some of her favorite characters, but she seemed a little puzzled and frustrated that they wouldn't talk back to her. It was pretty funny and cute!

Her favorites, of course, were Micky and Minni. She gave them both big hugs and kisses!

When we told Reese she could pick out anything she wanted from the gift shop, we had no idea her first choice would be a "Reese" size minni. Fortunately there was no way we could fit this in a suit case, so it was a big "no".

We had a lot of fun at Downtown Disney as well, Reese was in love with all her Toy Story friends!

Bottom line, we had a great time...that is until the trip home. The day we left, I was not feeling well and Reese was less than cooperative.

We managed to catch one shot of her 30 minute nap on the plain...proceeded by a 20 minutes screaming fit. Let's just say, I could not have been happier when we pulled into our driveway. It had been a long day.

A big thank you to the Orlando CVB for giving us a FREE vacation that we really needed!

However, next time, I'd love a free trip to the Bahama's :)

Is it possible...have 2 years already passed?

Yep...our baby is 2 whole years! It's hard to believe.

Stats:

Length - 36" - 95%

Weight - 28 lb. - 78%

Head - 19 - 72%

A few fun facts:

• Reese now sleeps in a big girl bed. The transition was much easier that I thought it would be. She doesn't even get out of bed in the morning until I come and get her. We're just hoping it stays that way.
• She talks non-stop and surprises us daily with new words and sentences. Sometimes I'm the only one that can understand what she's saying...but she seems to be getting more clear with each passing day! Some favorite phrases:

"My turn daddy" (While holding the remote...daddy's her biggest competition when it comes to the TV.

"No time out mommy" (After she's done something she shouldn't and she knows what's coming.)

"I do it myself" (For pretty much anything she's attempting to do and we're trying to help her. She a stubborn independent little thing! I wonder where she gets that from? :)

• Reese knows her numbers 1 through 10, she also knows her 8 basic colors, all her shapes and about half her letters. She really catches on to things quickly. All I have to do is work with her for a couple days on something and she picks is right up.
• Lately Reese seems to be more aware of emotions, especially the emotions of those around her. It really bothers her if one of her friends is sad or mad. She wants to know why and what happened. She will persist with her concern until she knows they are ok.
• Reese loves to play doctor. She's been to all my doctor appointments with this baby, and now thinks she's a little doctor. Every day she makes me lay on the floor or couch, pulls up my shirt and uses her doctor kit to check the baby.
• Reese loves to play outside and can now pedal a bike. It's fun to see her take off on her little bike to cruise the neighborhood. She's also pretty good on her scooter, and loves to play with her friends plasma cars. She's a little dare devil and seems to have no fear. Even after a few rough spills, she jumps right back on and takes off. If you could see her face as she's speeding down the sidewalk, head thrown back, hair blowing in the wind, and a smile from ear to ear...pure bliss.
• Reese is going through a bit of an aggressive biting stage. My sweet little baby has become a "no nonsense don't mess with me or I'll bite you" kid. We've tried just about everything to discourage and stop the biting, but she doesn't seem to get it. Her doctor assures us she'll just grow out of it and there's not a whole lot we can do other than a lot of "time outs" and relentless talks about "no biting". In the mean time we try to watch her like a hawk and all her friends are staying current on their rabies shots.
• Reese loves to try on clothes, especially anything from mommy or daddy's closet. She's close to mastering my high heels, but no where near close to fitting into daddy's clothes...as you can see...

Time for an update...

Life has been a little rough the last few weeks. I've been so sick and spending a lot of time in bed, on the couch and hunched over a toilet (sorry if's that's TMI). So I wanted to do something to freshen up the bedroom that has become my sanctuary. I never really liked our old bedroom decor. It was so dark and coupled with our dark furniture, the room was becoming really depressing. So my goal was to lighten it up...and I think I accomplished my goal.

My other goal was to keep the "re-do" under or around $100; also accomplished thanks to my good friends Target and Ikea!

My greatest examples...

A few weeks ago I was asked to do a guest post on a popular Woman's Blog, Or So She Say's. I was totally honored and I did a post about my grandma's Homemade Donuts. The ladies at Or So She Say's really liked it and asked me if I would be willing to do another post. This time they gave me some topics and asked if I thought I could write about any of them. The one topic that jumped out at me was Marriage.

I had been thinking a lot about marriage recently. I think I have a really good marriage, but I've only been married 3 years...it should still be good...right?? I love my husband; he's my best friend. I can't image my life with out him. He makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world and spoils me rotten. I hope I do the same for him. So the big question running through my mind; how do I make sure I feel the same way in 30, 40, or 50+ years?

I've had several experiences in my life with married couples who've been together so long, they seem to merely tolerate each other. Like they're still together because they have no other option. They seem to snap at each other constantly, with no reprise of love or tenderness. Like they're just a habit, a bad habit waiting out time. I'm determined not to let my marriage turn into a bad habit. I'm lucky though, I have a very good example in my life of a successful happy marriage. My parents!

So when I started to write about marriage I decided to use my parents as a resource; pondering and recognizing what they've done to build a strong, healthy and happy marriage. This article is dedicated to them. It will appear on Or So She Say's sometime in the next month. But I wanted to post it on my personal blog so It would be a part of my family journal.

When I was in college studying Early Childhood Development, I had a professor whose mantra was, “The greatest gift parents can give their children is to love each other”. I knew that was true then, because I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where my parents were very much in love with each other, and although they were far from perfect, the foundation of their love created a strong foundation for my life.

As I have grown, I have come to realize that having two parents that love each other can be just as beneficial in my adult hood as it was in my childhood. Now that I am married myself and working to create a strong marriage of my own, I often look to my parent’s example for guidance and direction.

I have to preface this with the fact that I am not a family counselor, a physiologist, or even a very experienced married person. But I have spent my whole life watching two parents who not only love each other, but have been through ups and downs, good time and bad and have always come out loving each other more than when they started. And not just saying they love each other; showing their love for each other in pretty much every aspect of their lives. So I thought I would share a few things I’ve learned from what has been my greatest example of a long and happy marriage.

Marriage is work!

My mom once told me, “When you’re married you have to wake up every day and decide, do I love my husband today? Most days that’s the easiest decision in the world to make…others, not so much! But yet still, you make the decision and work through what ever emotions, anger, or frustrations you’re feeling until the decision is easy again.”

I grew up hearing this and believing it, but it wasn’t until I was married myself and we had our first “big” fight, that I realized how true it was. So often we like to run from conflict, especially if it requires us to step outside our comfort zone and/or actually take a long hard look at ourselves. Admitting we may need to change or a willingness to help someone else change, can be one of the most difficult things we ever do, and it definitely takes a lot of work.

(I love this picture of my parents. It was a candid shot taken on my sisters front porch a few years ago. I love seeing my parents laughing and enjoying each other.)

Show your love…yes I mean PDA!

I don’t remember a night my dad didn’t come home from work, walk into the kitchen where my mom was making dinner, wrap his arms around her, give her a big kiss, and tell her that he loved her. It didn’t matter who was around or what my mom happened to be doing at the moment. I witnessed this pretty much ever day of my childhood.

My parents still hold hands, they kiss, they snuggle, and I know that after 40 years of marriage there’s still a spark…and that gives me hope! It has also taught me that public displays of affection are vital in marriage. Not the sloppy, disgusting type, but the sweet, tender unspoken declarations of love. Kids need to see it, even if they say, “eeww mom and dad”. They unconsciously love it and bask in it…even adult kids. But more important, your partner needs to see it, feel it and know…you’re still in love.

(This is another favorite shot. It was taken on a family trip to China. I told you, after 40 years of marriage, they still hold hands when ever they can.)

Adversity can make or break you!

My parents have had their share of adversity in marriage and in parenthood. But they have always pulled together instead of tearing apart. Weither it’s a troubled child, a sick family member, financial struggles etc…my parents rally together as a team and tackle each obstacle working together, not apart.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen my parents argue. I’ve seen them disagree and even get very frustrated with each other. But I’ve never heard them threaten divorce, I’ve never heard them scream, hit, or be physically or emotionally cruel to each other in any capacity.

Change is a good opportunity to reconnect!

I’ve watched my parents go through two major changes in their marriage. The fist one was when my dad retired from the military after 25 years. He then changed careers and my parents settled down in Rexburg, Idaho. I know this time in their marriage was a little difficult, as my dad struggled to redefine himself in the civilian world. The second was when they became “empty nesters” and they were once again sitting across the dinner table, staring at just each other.

In each of these scenario’s I have watched my parents come together, and redefine who they are a couple. The first year after all their children had “left the nest”; they decided to take a vacation together alone; no kids, no grand kids. They retraced their honeymoon, driving up the California Coast into Oregon. They decided then that ever couple years they would take a trip alone as a couple, just for fun! This year they are headed to Hawaii and although I’m a little jealous, I couldn’t be more happy knowing my parents still love to be together, by themselves, every once in a while.

(Having fun in Hawaii a few years ago...my parents love Hawaii! What's not to love!)

Sacrifice is key!

My mom is terrified of water. She has never been much of an outdoor’s person, a huge risk taker, or adventure seeker. But she married an Air Force pilot, who loves to hunt, fish, camp, raft, swim, and travel. In other words, my parents are very different. But that has never slowed them down or come between them. I have watched them support each other in their hobbies and interests and sacrifice their own desires in order to make the other happy. Over the years they have come to not only to accept, but love several of each other’s interests.

(One of their favorite shared interests...time with their grand kids! On top of being wonderful parents they are the most fun grandparents in the whole world.)

These are just a few of the many things I’ve learned from watching my parent’s marriage. The older I get and the longer I’m married, I realize just how valuable their example is to me, and those around them. I hope to emulate their path and teach my children, by example, the secrets to a long and happy marriage.

~ Mindi

Let the party begin...

Reese was so excited for her party. We had been talking about it for a couple weeks, and every night before she went to bed we would practice holding up 2 fingers and singing happy birthday. By the time the big day arrived, we could hardly contain her excitement!

Through out the party, Reese was the master candy thief. I don't even want to know how many Reese's Peanut Butter Cups she consumed within a 2 hour period.

Playing Elmo's Alphabet Game with Brighton and Braydn.

Cute little Cohen Vohs. Cohen and Reese were Nursery buddies in the hospital. They were born just 2 days apart.

Reese and Rowan Tate...two little best friends...when their not fighting over a toy!

Play Oscar's Trash game with all her friends!

Reese was so excited to eat her cupcakes!

And she enjoyed every bit of hers!

Sweet little Harper Tate! I couldn't resist taking a picture of this cute face!

Of course Reese's favorite part of the entire party had to be the presents! And she was spoiled rotten. She made out with quite the loot!

Since the party Reese has spent countless hours playing with all her toy's. She is one lucky girl!

Thanks to all that came and helped make Reese's birthday a very special day!