Resolutions

I have never been one on making resolutions and then keeping them. But this year I feel that I should really try. While attending my mother-in-laws ward on Sunday her bishop suggested that if making a whole years resolution is too much to digest then to make one every day. It can be the same one everyday and in doing that my daily resolution may become a habit and then you can move onto something else.... So this is my goal as a person, a wife and a mother... and even a goal as a family.
I'm not sure what they are exactly but I'll be sure to let you know when I decide.

This year's music selections come from the wedding slideshow we put together for our reception, with one added song.The added song is Dela by Johnny Cregg. The lyrics are as follows:
Dela (I Know Why The Dog Howls At The Moon)

One day I looked up and there you stood
Like a simple question looking for an answer
Now I am a whale listening to some inner call
Swimming blindly to throw myself upon your shores
But what if I don't find when I have landed
Would you leave me here to die on your shores stranded?
I think I know why the dog howls at the moon.
I think I know why the dog howls at the moon.

I say:
"Dela! Dela! Ngiyadela!
(Content, content I am content)
When I am with you!
Dela! Sondela mama!
(Closer, closer, come closer mama)
I burn for you!

Chorus:
I've been waiting for you all my life -- waiting for a miracle
I've been waiting day and night -- waiting for redemption
I burn for you

A blind bird sings inside the cage that is my heart
And the image of your face comes to me when I'm alone in the dark
If I could give a shape to this ache that I have for you
If I could find the voice that says the words that capture you
I think I know, I think I know
I think I know why the dog howls at the moon.

I say:
"Dela! Dela! Ngiyadela!
(Content, content I am content)
When I am with you!
Dela! Sondela mama!
(Closer, closer, come closer mama)
I burn for you!

Chorus
I could only find a 41 second clip of it but I love this song for a lot of reasons. Dela is a Zulu word meaning content, I lived in Africa for a while and with the help of my mother feel in love with African type songs.
It might sound weird that contentment is the topic of "My song of the year" but I really am so blessed with the things I already have. The Lord has given us so much and I really want to concentrate this year on being content and grateful for the things I already have instead on concentrating on those things I don't. As for the other songs, well they are just songs Jacob and I like and have special meaning to us.
Anyway heres to wishing you all a very Happy New Year and I'll keep you posted on the Resolutions.

I got tagged

Veronica Castro - Rueckert tagged me so I must post the 4th picture in my 4th folder... I apologize it's not a great one... This was taken early fall of 1989. This is my mothers family taken with a polaroid which I have scanned in an effort to put together something that looks like a family history... specific things I love about this picture. Click to enlarge.
- my dad is wearing a pink shirt
- my uncle is wearing no socks (viva la miami vice)
- there are 4 generations in this picture including my great Aunt Ann



I tag Olivia, Korie, and Jo

What is that you think of when you think of Vegas?

Casinos, lot's of lights, heat in the summer... but when we moved to Vegas I never ever thought I would walk out my front door and see this... (Click to enlarge)






It got thicker as the day wore on but aparently this is the most snow fall since the year of my birth... 1979. And my first white christmas in 6 years.
Send us warm thoughts!

24 Hours with Kira

Kira has been both a lot of fun and a lot of work.... For some reason unknown to Jacob and me, Kira won't sleep through the night on Saturday Nights. Only Saturday nights when we have to get to church at 9:00 am. This past Saturday she woke up every two hours on the dot... so Jacob and I took turns. And He took the 3:30 wake up. She woke up again at 5:45 and I went in to make sure she had her pacifier and her blanket... and then when it was time to wake up for church she wasn't having it. So I finally went in around 9:00 am (yes, we were late for church) and found her like this ......





Then last night after dinner we were sitting in the Living Room watching Football and Iron Chef America (at the same time) with Jacob and pulled out some Oreos (darn center aisle displays). Anyway, we shared some with Kira and got these....





Then she was off to bed and I wrapped some Christmas gifts... I put the wrapping paper away in a laundry basket that was sitting in the living room so I could put it in my room, well I went to bed later than I wanted and left it out in the living room. Kira woke up and started to play after her diaper change and I went in the bedroom to start putting the clothes I had already folded away and came out to this....





So... that is Kira's life in the last 24 hours..... fun huh?

KIRA MARIE!!!

I feel like I say this a lot lately!!! I really do love her more than I could ever have imagined but she can be the most exasperating girl!
Example: After the much talked about post regarding Kira eating her weight in cardboard boxes I went out and bought some door locks. But being as unorganized and busy as we are they never quite made it ON the doors... and all was forgotten because Kira stopped playing in that cupboard for a good two months. And then one day while I was cooking she saw me open the said cupboard and remembered the fun she used to have... but instead of eating cardboard she started doing this:



Yeap... that's right. Taking my cans and putting them haphazardly all around her room. Even sometimes stacking them.
Needless to say the locks are now on the doors, which doesn't make her very happy at all, but at least my cans are safe!

We also had to move her crib away from the wall:

because instead of taking her nap, she would lay on her back with her legs between the slats and pound on the walls.... I'll tell you - that girl!

Some other exasperating reasons for be to be saying KIRA MARIE!!!
*having an affinity for the trash can - she throws her clothes (or some other type of fabric)away.
*On Thanksgiving I found her stuck under the dining table between the bottom of the table and the top of the chairs... screaming her head off because she was stuck.

It's a good thing she's so cute!

Thanksgiving and the Hoover Dam

We spent our second married thanksgiving without family this past weekend. Our first was when we went on our cruise on our honeymoon... Anyway, we invited up some old friends and they accepted. We were very happy! Martin, Susy and Tanner Ferreira joined us up in Vegas on Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning Martin got started on the turkey and we spent most of the day talking about this and that. We were hoping to be able to take Kira and Tanner to the park but it rained all day. Anyway, around 3 Jacob started on the potatoes, I started the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes and by 5:30 we sat down to eat. It wasn't until I was listing all of my favorite Thanksgiving foods that I remembered that I forgot to make the stuffing...(my second favorite) Oh well... there is always next year.

On Friday we decided to venture out and explore more of the Las Vegas area. We started at the Ethel M chocolate factory which was a little disappointing as the workers were off until Tuesday so all we got to see what the empty kitchens where the chocolate is made... but it was free and they give you free samples at the end... Tanner managed to get two ... must be those cute puppy dog eyes...

Then it was off to Hoover Dam... a place Jacob loves. He says they have the most beautiful bathrooms of anywhere he has ever been.. a weird compliment I know but it was what kind of inspired us to do an art deco theme for our reception. There is a lot of history that goes with the Hoover Dam. It was built during the depression so it has a definite 30 /40 ish feel to it. Anyway, we took the Power Plant tour which took us way down into the mountains to see a lot of mechanical stuff I don't understand but here are some pictures.....


Martin and Tanner taking in the miracle that is the Hoover Dam


A Diagram of the Hoover Dam


The big turbines that create the power... 52% of which goes to Los Angeles... Damn Californians


One of many Native American symbols spread throughout the Dam


One of the tunnels you walk through.


A picture of people driving over the Dam from Arizona



We just want to thank Martin and Susy for coming up and spending their Thanksgiving with us. We had a great time and we hope you did too!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

I just wanted to take a minute to express my Thanks to our Heavenly Father who has blessed us with so much!

* I'm thankful to belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and all that the gospel has taught me about why we are here and our goal here on earth.

*We have been blessed with a great family - both here and abroad who pray for us, love us and support us... We do the same for you!

* I'm thankful for an eternal marriage and all the blessings that have come with that - especially Kira who I know can be mine forever if we strive to do those things that are right.

*I'm thankful for our new apartment - I keep thinking that I could never have spent a whole rainy day with Kira in the old one.

* I'm thankful for Jacob's job that has made it able to me to stay home with Kira and not miss one day with her! So much can happen in a day!

*I'm thankful for good friends who have loved me, taught me, laughed and cried with me, and have always just told me how it is... because after all - you know that's what I really need from time to time.

*I'm thankful for scrapbooking (hehe) because it helps me escape when I need to get away.

I know I'm forgetting about 100 things that I'm thankful for but I just wanted to take a minute and express how I feel and end with two quotes from one of my favorite people

"Thank You" is a wonderful phrase. Use it. it will add stature to your soul. Never let a day go by without saying thank you to someone for something - and especially to your Heavenly Father.
- Marjorie Pay Hinkley-

"Appreciation unexpressed is not appeciation"
-Marjorie Pay Hinkley-

Four Years

I always like to think of our Anniversary as a double one. Not only did we get married 4 years ago today but it was this time of the year 7 years ago that we started dating and 10 years ago around Halloween that we met for the first time. So maybe it's more of a triple anniversary. Anyway, we're not planning on doing much this year just going out for dinner without Kira (thanks Shelly for babysitting) But I wanted to take a moment to Thank all the people in our lives that have shown us how important marriage is :


My great grandma and grandpa (Dede and Ah - middle and left) who were married right after WWII and were married over 53 years)


Jacob's grandparents who have been married around 55 years
(Sorry for the bad shot... it was all I could find)


My grandparents.. with their parents. (Dad's side) Married over 55 years


My grandparents on my mother's side - married 45 years


Jacob's parents - married 35 years


My parents - married 30 years

Here are pictures of our special day... 4 years ago:






Jacob and I both want to express to our families how Thankful we are for them and their dedication to each other. I know it hasn't been easy for any of the couples above but their dedication and love for each other is a wonderful testiment of what marriage can be. We haven't always had an easy time of things either but it is by their examples that we perservere and "endure to the end" because there is happiness and good times along the way and your examples are testimony to that ... so again, to those who are both here on earth and those who are watching down over us everyday we say THANK YOU!

(Missing is Jacob's other Grandma who I could not find a picture of)

Park Day with Daddy

So the past couple of weekends Jacob hasn't had to work so he's been taking Kira with him on Saturday mornings to do things together. I think it's really good for all three of us, I get a break, Jacob and Kira get to spend time together and Jacob doesn't feel so nervous about being out alone with Kira.
He's taken her to Home Depot with him... last weekend they went to the new Harley Davidson Opening where she almost talked him into buying her a pink leather jacket (if only I was kidding).
Anyway, here are some great pictures Jacob got of Kira at the Park a few weekends ago.



Here she is playing with the chimes




This is Kira really really happy!!!


Kira folding her arms... it's her new trick

The Pumpkin Patch

While In California, Kira and I visited the pumpkin patch with some family friends, Krista Foster and Kandi Scattalon along with Kandi's girls!
There was lots to do but Kira is still too little (in age not in size) to do a lot but had a wonderful time just walking around somewhere that wasn't home...
So here are some pictures... Thanks Krista and Kandi

Pumpkins or Potatos

Some of you may know what Kira has picked up a few nicknames in her short 14 months here on earth. Two of which I will talk about in this post.... When she was about 6 weeks old I was taking her to go get her pictures taken. You know a picture in her blessing outfits, and as it happened to be October I dressed her up in an outfit I had picked up before she was born, it was a Winnie the Pooh onesie with pumpkins on it...

... as I was putting her in her carseat to go.. I said to her something like, "Ok Miss Pumpkin Face... let's go" and she smiled at me! It was one of those you knew it wasn't gas smiles and the name kind of stuck. We still call her pumpkin face sometimes (much to grandpa Alans chagrin) so when it came time to pick out a costume for Halloween I decided a pumpkin would be great! I'm thinking that by next year she will know who/what she will want to dress up as so I grabbed the opportunity and found a cute stuffed pumpkin that Grandma Jetta fixed up for me. We had Trunk or Treat on Thursday and these are the only pictures that we got of her in her costume (other nickname coming up....)




Then she decided to Punky (other nickname) and hulk-hoganed her way out of the pumpkin and spent most of the night like this....

So since Jacob had dressed up as a farmer... he started to call her his little potato....

Anyway, that was pretty much our Halloween, no trick or treaters which means I have about 2 pounds of candy here we shouldn't be eating and Kira stayed home with us because she really is still too young to know what it's all about.
I guess we'll have to wait until next year!

The Las Vegas .... Zoo?

Well it's actually called the Springs Preserve. They take in animals that can no longer be taken care of by their owners or have gone into "retirement" from other zoos. It's only 8 bucks to get in and Kira was free.
We went the first weekend in October and had a good time... just being together as a family and showing Kira some animals.
She loved the big tortoises and liked it best when we let her out of the stroller to walk around.






Pointing at the otters



Looking at the birds with Mommy



The wildest animal of the all!.... The Kira!


Sidenote: Kira will be a pumpkin for Halloween. She is going to participate in our ward's Trunk or Treat on Thursday and so we will have pictures up soon...Thank You Grandma Jetta for fixing my mess-up!

Just an update

Kira has been growing so much! She says funny things that sounds like sentences... things like...
"What'd you say?"
"Whose that?" (spelled phoneitcally)
"What's that?"
She understand a ton of things and finally says Momma as she is walking around the apartment.... She is growing more independent by the day.
She loves to go to our playgroups... one with our Las Vegas Mommies Group on Tuesday and one with our ward on Wednesdays. It's good for her to be with other kids and get knocked down from time to time since she is the only kid here.
She loves to go to primary with us and hangs with the Sunbeam B class on Sundays. She sits in the little chairs just like the big kids and always looks proud of herself when she gets up by herself.
We probably won't be down to California for Thanksgiving this year but we will definitly make Christmas.
Enjoy the pictures of our girl...

She's a ham!

Riding her zebra

Playing Foghorn with Daddy

Hanging with dad.