Discovery Center and Boise Zoo

Got to do lots of fun things this week. We went to the Discovery Center with some friends on Tuesday. It was fun, everything they had was touchable. They had a couple areas that were more geared to Lucy's age, which was nice. She enjoyed the little play grocery store. It was really kind of cool. There were grocery lists, carts or baskets, fake money and tons and tons of fake food, ranging from boxed burritos to a frig with milk and cottage cheese. It took Lucy a little time to warm up to the idea, but once she did she went to town loading and unloading her shopping cart.

  
Headed to the zoo this morning, tried to beat the heat and see some of the animals before they hid in cooler corners. We got to see almost everything, though Lucy was more into the people watching. They had a bunch of big dinosaur statues that would move and growl. Lucy was so scared of them, it was kind of funny she was interested but wanted to climb up and hide on your shoulder at the same time. I thought she would like them since she watches "Dinosaur Train" almost every morning, I was wrong! She did enjoy the penguins and the monkeys. She would point to the monkeys and say oh 'no when they would play. We also went into the butterfly house...Where she tried to step on one. It was like an over sized shed with lots of butterflies and people. I think it is something that she would enjoy more next year. She also fed the goats, she wasn't so sure at first since they are so excided/aggressive to be fed. But I would hold her hand out with a piece of food on it and the goat would nibble at it with its lips and she thought it was pretty cool.
* My photos have no animals in them since I have such a long delay on my phone but you can tell that Lucy was having a good time.

 

The Boise Aquarium

Looking for something to do the other day and ended up at the Boise Aquarium. It's not real big and honestly a bit over priced, but we can now say we went. Lucy seemed to enjoy running around, there are several aquariums at her height, so she didn't need any help seeing into them. They had rock boarders along the larger one that she had fun climbing on. She loved pointing and yelling "fish!"  There was a smaller, lower pool with fish and star fish that I had to keep her from climbing into, funny kid seems to love water!
The highlight of the trip was feeding the sting rays. (Yes, I 'm a sucker and paid $3 for a tiny cup with like 4 shrimp to feed them) Anyway I didn't get any pictures since its hard to juggle Lucy, a cup of over priced food, and a camera as the sting rays flock to the food. Since their mouths are under their bodies, they would swim up and the top half of them would be out of the water making slurping noises, it was a bit surprising, even for me and scared Lucy, I think she would have climbed up on my head if she could have, after the first initial shock, she calmed down and started waving at them saying "oh, no! oh,no!" While they were close I took her hand and pet one, she wasn't real impressed with that, but she had a good time splashing and yelling at the fish as they swam under her hands.
 They also had a few birds and lizards. It was a good way to kill a couple of hours, and I think Lucy had a good time.

 

One of those days

One of those days where no matter what we did Lucy wasn't happy for long. I know she has at least one molar coming in. So we went for a walk to keep her happy till dinner and bed time. When we came home she took her shoes off and then wanted them back on...and then off and on...and off and on, till I got tired of the game and put them on the table after a bit of a temper tantrum. I picked her up and put her in her bed. She stayed there for maybe 3 minuets she came out, picked up her lamby, gave me a dirty look and went back to bed. Its a good thing she had her back to me because I couldn't hide the smile.
Not sure where she gets her sass. :)

20 Months!

Lucy is 20 months. I think this was the fastest month of them all! What a rush!
 Lucy is running and climbing. She is a brave little thing and wants to explore the whole play ground now. She has no fear of slides! Often times she plops down and pushes off so quickly, I have to scramble to catch her.
She loves water. She entertained herself for hours the other day by scooping out cups of water and pouring it on my garden. She loves running through the sprinkler. When the hose is on she can't get naked fast enough. And yes she can undress herself. I was shopping the other day, turned for a second and she had her shirt off.
She also talks all the time. Love when she says please, there you go and thank you sound a lot a like. Its pretty cute either way. After a weekend with her Papa, she came up to me in the kitchen and said "mama want cookie" I was so surprised I had to find her one! Then I was leaving for work and she kept yelling "mama! mama!" till I said "Lucy!" and she said "love you," totally made my day.
She still loves books, she will sit and turn pages and talk out loud like she's reading. It's pretty cute.
I made her some pudding finger paints. I thought she would love it, but she tried each color and was then uninterested. Though she did make some cute faces.
Tasha bought her a fedora hat, which she is now in love with! When I get ready to go somewhere she brings me her shoes and then says hat and looks around. Every where we go people ask me how I get her to keep her hat on. She even had to wear it to church. She certainly knows what she wants and how to ask for it.
She and Frank continue to have a special relationship. She sits on him, tucks him in, hits him, tries to get him wet with the hose or sprinkler and he just lets her. I'm glad he is such a good dog.
She loves to wrap her dolls up and push them around in her stroller. She can do puzzles, and loves to color. She can point out her eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth and tummy.
She is such an amazing little girl, I love her funny little personality.

Memorial Day Weekend

So, Memorial day use to be just another holiday I forgot existed after high school. But, This year I had the opportunity to go to my Dads grave with the Counters and Kim. I think Dad would have been happy. My memories of my Dad are random and scattered for some reason.
 I am thankful for the Dad that he was. I never doubted that he loved me. I hope that my accomplishments and path have/can make him proud. I wasn't the best daughter and I know I could have done more. But I am thankful for the times I had with him. It seems like I can look back at visits with him where we were able to have even just a few minuets of one and one time that was special. I hope that he is watching over Lucy.
Last Sunday I was also able to attend sacrament meeting in the Joseph Smith Memorial building. Where a very cute young couple had been asked to speak. The Young lady stood up and spoke about the definition of hope, that hope is something we can control. Her husband then stood smiling and talked about how we were sent here to be happy. That we can be happy through our trials and to myself I sat and thought really? You're young newly weds, what could you possible know about being happy through your trials? After having some time to really think on the topic I realized, (yet again). I need an attitude adjustment. That he is correct, we have our trials so that we can more fully appreciate the good things in our lives.
I got Lucy out of the shower first this morning and then proceeded to dry myself off and put on some clothes before looking for her, big mistake, I walked out to the front room to find, a big turd on the floor, great. I quickly rinsed her off and dressed her, and then while scouting out my cleaning supplies I thought, I should grateful for the turd on the floor because it means my little "turd" is home with me, And she is apparently very healthy. As I watch her today I realize how big she is really getting. She knows what she wants, what she doesn't want, how to ask for things, how to get into things. We went to the grocery store, and she had to have her shoes and her hat. When we returned home she walked in the door, put her hat on the table, and then took her shoes off and put them on the table next to her hat. I know things will get more difficult as she gets older, but I am grateful that she is smart and strong...someone may have to remind me I said that but I pray that her strength will keep her out of worldly troubles.

   

Mothers Day and Lucy's Blessing

Thank you EVERYONE that came to Lucy's blessing. Grandpa Dean gave Lucy a beautiful blessing on the evening of Saturday May 11th.
Mothers Day was nice too. Had the chance to sit back relax and enjoy the nice weather.

Blessed

There have been so many changes lately. Every once in a while I think what was it like to have a "normal" life? and then I realize that there is no normal, there is no set blue print that our Father in Heaven sets for us. We are expected to try our best to be like him. I know he hears my prayers, daily, hourly...in fact I'm sure he wishes I would pipe it down a bit. There have been so many adjustments and shifts in just the past few months. I feel like I've been blind folded, spun around and told to find north.  I have tripped, I have fallen, I've been dusted off and stood back up and Through it all, I look at Lucy and think what a blessing she is, how cute she is, what an amazing gift, and I get to be her mom. I pray I can do it right, I pray that I can be what she needs when she needs it. I pray that she will understand that all the choices that I've made in my life have been done with purpose. I pray that she will always know what a light she is in, not only my life, but others. She is the stength I needed to remind me that I am going to be ok. That Heavenly Father loves me just as much, if not more than I love her. I know he wants me to succeed. I know that we've all been challenged to bare our testimony, and I am light years away from standing up in sacerment meeting. But I know the church is true. I know God hears and answers prayers, we may not always see it, but I know he is always working on them. I know he loves me. This sounds a bit like a narrative from many others, but it has taken me time to truly come to the knowledge of these things, to be able to say it for myself, that I KNOW.
I am grateful for the people that he has placed around me, for the people that have stood up to help me when I've been down. I have been surprised by many, that have offered words of encouragement and understanding.
I am so grateful for the spirit and is guidance in my life. I have recently been able to go back to the temple and feel the peace that comes within is walls. I know that I need to be there, I know that's what I need. I have been praying for direction for months now, and that was the first place I was directed. My first time back I was nervous and antsy hoping to find all the answers I had been looking and so desperate for, some of them came. Others I know I am not ready for but they will be answered in time. I am grateful for all I have been given and the people that have helped me along the way.
This weekend Lucy will be blessed by her Grandpa Dean, I have been torn up about it. Thinking it should have been done sooner, But I realize that to move forward I can not look back. That our road to happiness lies in front of us. We must keep moving on. We cannot have fear and faith.