I Will Catch You

Riley has this habit that really unnerves me.

Sometimes when she is perched atop something, say the couch, top of the stairs or slide she will decide that she wants to jump down. On me. Into my arms. Whether I'm paying attention or not.
It's like the trust game. You know, where you're supposed to free fall backwards into the arms of strangers and learn to trust that they will in fact not let you fall. Except Riley's not doing it to test whether I will catch her or not. There's not a moments hesitation.

She 100% believes I will always be there to catch her when she falls.

While sometimes it's terrifying (because truly we've had some close calls when she's on top of the flight of stairs and I'm at the bottom) this knowledge made me a little bit emotional. It means that as her mother I've actually done something right.

I have shown her that she can count on me to be there when she needs me the most.

Oh Riley, you will get older and your world won't revolve around me the way it does now. Some day you will think I don't understand you and that I can't possibly feel the way you feel. There will be moments when you insist I have no idea what is going on in your life and that I'm old and unfair.

Please remember this...

I will always be there to catch you when you fall.

Happy Birthday To You

And when I touch your hand
It's then I understand



The beauty that's within
It's now that we begin



You always light my way
I hope there never comes a day




No matter where I go
I always feel you so



Happy Birthday! It's been a bumpy ride at times, but I can't imagine having anyone else at my side and holding my hand through it all.

Snapshots Only Sunday

Amazing photos courtesy of Appleseed Photography

She's Got Spirit

Our little girl can get girly with the best of them. She loves to dress up, color, and play mama to her multiple baby dolls. She rocks a twirly skirt and brings me bows to put in her hair. She has enough shoes to last almost three weeks sporting a different pair each day and her closet puts my own to shame.

But, nothing thrills her more than getting down in the dirt to do some running, climbing, jumping, and scaling. So of course she was tickled "green" to cheer on her Daddy this fall at his school's first annual staff softball game.



Team colors? Check. Backwards hat? Check, check. Athletic shorts, and pink Nikes? Well, you get the idea.

She ran herself silly, jumped up and down cheering for Daddy, climbed the playground amidst tons of much older and larger children, and scaled the fences to yell at the ref.

Yes, she was in her element and she was all tomboy until TG's team was down a few runs in the last inning and her Daddy stepped up to the plate. Then in front of the entire school community she screamed in her girliest little voice, "GO, DADDY, GO!"

She's got spirit, even if she does have a little dirt in her skirt.

Merry Christmas

"He has done great things for us and we are filled with Joy" Psalm 126:3

This year, more than ever, I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life. I pray daily and give thanks for things that I most certainly do not take for granted. Like FAMILY, LOVE, HAPPINESS, SAFETY, and COMFORT.

I hope that this holiday you and your loved ones are enjoying these same blessings. Merry Christmas my friends!

Mr. Ho Ho

Dear Santa,

Please don't hold it against her. She really is a good little girl. She apparently has leukophobia and your big white beard gave her the creeps! Even a lollipop can't help that, although her Mommy was secretly hoping it would. We'll work on sitting and smiling with you next year I guess and until then Merry Christmas!

Thrillseeker

I am far from fearless. I'm afraid of the dark, planes, snakes, sharks, spiders, loonies, and more. So I know that my baby could not possibly have gotten her love for danger and thrillseeking behavior from me. That trait is 100% Daddy and I love it in her as much as I do him.

So I wasn't surprised when she threw herself wholeheartedly into her first rollercoaster ride.





Now if only I had a gymnasium at my house enough stinking room for this fun mini coaster, but I get the feeling she'd soon tire of the rolling hills and want to upgrade to the "extreme coaster".

Not Me Monday

This past week I did not tackle two things on my list at the same time by letting my sweet baby play in the shower while simultaneously giving herself a much needed cleaning. She spent about 30 minutes on a yucky day happily playing and I was able to get her washed at the same time.





*and yes I blurred her little bits because you just can't ever tell these days*

So Not The Charlie Brown Tree

I am a nerd most of the year, but at Christmastime my nerdom soars off the charts. I ooh and ahh over twinkling lights, gush over Santas of all shapes and sizes, and positively swoon over Christmas trees. This year TG surprised me and took our family to see perhaps the most famous tree in the country.

So NOT a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.


For ten years now I've wanted to see the National Christmas tree and 56 state trees in President's Park. It all started on a training trip far far away as two Christmas nerd friends recovered from a beating by watching an HGTV show about Christmas at the White House. I've been relentless since then, but even after living here for 4 years I still had not been able to convince my husband to make the pilgrimage.

I guess I finally wore him down and to my hearts delight I now have this for the family photo album.



Don't let this face fool you.



Riley loved it too!



We made the most of our short trip because it was cold and posed by not one...



But TWO of the state trees.



Before we left we warmed up by the fire pit.



We had a wonderful time together and I was so thankful to TG, but if he thinks my "To See At Christmas List" ends there...



He would be mistaken, because it's on to the White House!

Silly, Sassy, Sweet, Sleepy Saturday

A High and Low

While we were home with my family my parents got us tickets to go to the Chiefs vs. Steelers game. I am a big football fan, an even bigger Steelers fan and I LOVE TAILGATING. We haven't been able to do that since before Riley was born so of course we jumped on the chance to go enjoy some bbq and cheer for the Steelers. Gammy offered to watch Riley for the day so we headed out early to meet my Dad who left the house at 6 am to secure a primo spot.

Matt manned the grill and cooked up the delicious chicken and steak kabobs that my sister and Tuna made.



Lesley and Tuna were in charge of entertainment. In the form of frozen drinks (that I couldn't have),a football (which lasted three throws before Lesley pegged a car) and ladder golf (to be explained for other old folks like us in a moment).



Matt and I posing by the ladder golf. This is a game apparently played by young college kids these days. It made me feel old that beer pong has been left behind for ladder golf. Basically you toss a rope with a golf ball attached to each end at a 3 rung PVC pipe ladder and try to keep your rope on the rung. The most points wins.



The view from our pretty awesome seats where I totally expected to cheer my Steelers on to an embarassing win over the locals.



Turns out me and seester were the ones who were embarassed when our defending Super Bowl champs lost to the KC Chiefs and we did the walk of shame out of there.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

This Thanksgiving we were able to go visit my family. After making the very long drive over the summer we opted for flying this time. Much to Riley's delight I gave in and let her have the window seat.