Eight.

She really is.

Growing up too fast for her mom.

Cliche', but true.

I mentioned in an earlier post about how I've come to rely on Abby's stability. I know it seems a little backwards, but she just has a way of making me feel like I have the ability to hold myself together.

Abby is brave, thick-skinned, confident, kind-hearted and pretty damn funny.

She is okay with the fact that she sometimes gets overlooked by strangers and their innocent, but often too focused attention on her brother.

She is everything I ever dreamed for in a daughter.

In true Abby fashion, she had a three day festival encompassing her birthday and it's surrounding activities.

We did dinner and cake on her special day; had a few special friends from school out to Build A Bear, lunch and the fountains at Gateway, and then celebrated with family and friends at her Baptism.

Ab was very excited for her Panda Bear Pillow Pet and her Itouch.

Ab insisted on singing "Happy Birthday" two times; once for Deak because he loves the song so much.

The cute girlfriends: (Left to Right) Rachel, Emily, Elle and Ab.

They let Deak join in on the fun (thanks to my mom who helped).

In our church, we baptize children when they turn eight.  We believe they are old enough at that time to choose for themselves if they would like to become a member of the religion their parents practice and believe in. Ab and I discussed this very seriously. I wanted her to understand that she had a choice.  I believe she completely understood that choice and entered into her Baptism with her whole heart.  It was a very sweet day, and a wonderful, wonderful reminder of what is truly important in life.

All the Grandparents in attendance

The entire crew of wonderful people who came to show support for my sweet girl.

As a mother, these moments of rejoicing and happiness over this beautiful child you've helped to create, are what "it" is just about.

I love my cute eight year old, and hope she knows it.

Kind Heart.

Someone delivered these to me today.

It made me cry.

I really haven't felt deserved of anything nice lately, especially after the pity party I threw myself on this blog yesterday.

(And if you thought that was bad, you should've heard the one my husband was privy to last night)

This anonymous person's kind heart has really touched mine.

These beautiful flowers have truly been an answer to my tear stained pillow prayers.

Thank you - from the bottom of my heart.

The Green Monster.

Envy.
Today it is encompassing me.
I've done a little blog browsing, and now I feel like I want to puke.
Vacations...bleh.
Amusement Parks...double bleh.
Happily posed family photos...triple bleh.

It "seems" as if everyone is so perfectly perfect, and I am not.
My day has been terrible.
My past few months haven't been too terribly wonderful either.
I lean on Abby too much and count on her to consistently be able to cope, and recently she has had a couple of health issues which have flipped her inside out. It's as if I am re-teaching her how to manage herself at times. Even cheer, which has always been the highlight of her day, is not making her happy.  It feels like the final straw on a very weak bale of hay.  I feel incapable. I would truly give anything for her to feel better.
I just want normal and relatively healthy. I won't even ask for perfect health, because heaven knows that is not in our realm of reality.
And, I'd really love it if my damn mortgage company would stop calling me incessantly.

The Longest Fourth of July Ever.

I love the fourth of July.

It's hot, it involves eating, and it includes people whom I love.

This year, due to the fourth being on a Sunday...the festivities and weekend were long. 

It was wonderful.

Abby got to ride in a golf cart with her Grandpa Howe who is city manager of West Bountiful. She was so excited to be "in the parade" and throw candy.  She had a blast.

Deak had fun watching the parade and the flashing electronic sign that was placed in front of the city building. Deak also had fun eating some snacks.  He is pretty chill anywhere as long as there are snacks. (So am I actually).

We stopped by the Kaysville parade/marketing machine/second Halloween.  It's a tradition that we love and helps us feel connected to the city we live in.  Although, I am fairly certain that more than half of the people in attendance do not live anywhere near Kaysville (it was PACKED this year.)

Ab hadn't been feeling well this past week, so she and Deak were a little tired by the time we hit parade number two.  For some reason...I thought I was great...( a false thought which I def paid for the next day).

After the Kaysville Extravaganza we hit up Red Robin (another tradition) and had a great time.  That evening we bbq'd at our house and had a nice driveway fireworks show thanks to my parents.  Deak tolerated some of the fireworks this year, and I was so proud.  He grabbed my arms and held them tightly around his round little belly, grasping for dear life, but he made it through some of the quieter ones.  He even signed "More" quite a few times and chuckled.  We went inside when they got loud, but I was so happy to see him sticking through something that is hard for him.  I mean really, fireworks are full of sensory overload for me, I truly can't imagine how he must feel.

Later that weekend, Blair spruced up the outdoor plastic pool and we hung out in the backyard for the afternoon. Deak could probably stay inside the pool for hours and be perfectly content. He and Ab are both water babies.  Those are days I desperately wish I still lived near a beach.  Nothing is more peaceful than sand and saltwater.

Aren't we lucky?  Lucky to live in a country where we get to choose who we are. A country that is learning to develop tolerance and gives us the ability to relax in peace and comfort.

I'm feeling pretty blessed.

Much Needed.

Stress has been a prominent feature in my life the past few months.

Really super prominent.

My mind has drifted to places that I've not thought it should at my age.

 When I imagine relaxation...I picture sand, waves, a nice breeze, and a cold beverage brought to me on a tray.

Perfection.

This year, it just is not in the cards for that type of stress reliever to be happening.

So, we settled on Park City - and were happy to accept an offer to stay in Blair's parents' timeshare condo for a few days.

The weekend we spent there just happened to coincide with our ten year anniversary.  Ten. Years.  Wow.

I dare say we've been through a lot in that amount of time, and am definitely certain that we are built strong enough to handle it all together.

Tough times bread solidarity in our home, which I know is a blessing.

We had such a nice time with our little family. We did the slides (yes...Deak did too...and LOVED the slide, but did NOT love the lift or the wait), ate at a couple of the favorite restaurants, watched some World Cup, and really just relaxed. 

(Deak and his traveling toys and books)

(Mock Celebration of Abby's impeding birthday)

It was necessary.

We really did not want to leave when our time was up, and cherished the time we spent together.  One truly understands the depth of meaning associated with quality time, when one has been faced with the idea of those moments becoming shorter. 

I like to call it a wonderful place of acceptance.

Ballet.

Ab has taken ballet at Clytie Adams School of Ballet for four years now.

It is crazy she is old enough to have taken that long, and slightly crazy that I am old enough to have had a daughter be old enough.

This may have been my favorite of her recitals.

It was darling...it included the story of the Little Prince (which I LOVE), the Beetles, and some other piano numbers.

Ab did a jive dance this year; which really was a little confusing since she was in a ballet class...but, it was adorable all the same.

Abby may not be taking ballet next year since cheer leading 6 hours a week is a lot...(for most, not for the energizer child of mine).  It has made me a little sad to know I may not see the toe shoes I had envisioned (Well, honestly I really am not capable of envisioning dancing in toe shoes, considering dancing alone is something I do not do well. At. All.).

I am happy Abby gets to do things that she loves and make her happy.  That is really all that matters.

Smores in the Yard.

Some of you may recall this very dramatic incident that took place in our home a few years ago.  Briefly synopsised; Ab threw a major fit for smores which turned into a near death trip up a canyon and some police.

We've now become wiser.

This year we built a really cheap version of a fire pit in our backyard.

It's pretty easy to do: you dig a hole in dirt and add fire.

Ab mentioned after our inaugural event earlier this month, "Mom...I don't get why people spend all this money putting fancy rocks and stuff by their fire pits.  This hole works great."

I think she's onto something, although if I had had the money, I would too love the fanciness.

Maybe that's why I'm always broke.

Regardless of decor...our family has sure had fun. Deak enjoys it sometimes, but isn't the biggest fan of the smoke and fire.  Thankfully, our home and his favorite toys are just a few feet away.  Abby thinks it is the coolest thing ever, and would build a fire out there every night if she could. Thankfully, she cannot...yet.

Part of living on less this past while has required us to think outside of our wallets a little. Although at times it has been a struggle, there are times like this that really prove the overused sentiment, "You don't need money, just love to be happy."

We may not have a lot of extra money...but, we really actually are happy.

And, I am happy to be in that place.

Two Peas.

In a Pod.

This picture just cracks me up.

I think Ab and Blair sat out in the swamp (aka our backyard after the torrential rains earlier in June) like this for over twenty minutes.

Blair and Ab can stand and watch water or sprinklers or swamps for hours and be perfectly content.

I'd like to learn to be more content with just standing.

I've always thought Ab looks just like Blair...and I'd like to think her occasional attitude is more his too;)

But...her mannerisms are what really kill me.

How does that stuff get packed into DNA?

I don't know, but I do know that she just adores him.