Decorating the tree and the kid

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted, but my sweet friend Megan helped me get back on my feet again after I fell off the bandwagon. And as Jenn says, in my own defense, I was recovering because it ran over me, too, while I was down! Heehee:) At least I can laugh with myself now.

This past Sunday, we put up our tree and decorated it!!! I'm now officially excited for Christmas! Since Eric was doing most of the work on the tree, I decided to decorate Michael since all of our Christmas stuff is in the same box with our Halloween stuff. I thought he was so beautiful, but Eric thought my decorations were too feminine for our very manly son.

I think you'll agree that Michael looks like he had a great time:) We let him play with the Little People nativity that his Woolf grandparents bought him! It's the cutest!! And completely safe for kids!

I'm going to err on the side of too many pictures because it's the holidays!! And I'm trying to make up for lost time here;) Next are some pictures of our little Christmas corner. We put our tree up on the window seat so that Michael won't be able to pull the ornaments off and so far it's worked.

Our stockings were hung on the wall with care, in hopes that St Nicholas soon will come here!!

We went with my aunt and uncle to the ward Christmas party where there was excellent food, a beautiful program and Santa!! Michael wouldn't stay in line for Santa though, he chose to run around the church just as fast as his little legs would carry him:) Here's a picture of Michael with his great uncle and great-uncle Brian!

And one last one of our sweet little boy who loves to smile and brightens up my life every single day:) I'm so grateful for my family!!

Halloween!!

Michael was a little vampire for Halloween:) He was soooo cute in the costume that we borrowed from his cousin Ethan. He kept running around the kitchen and looking backward at the cape behind him.

He's starting to figure out that you're supposed to smile at the camera and I love it!! Great results from our fast little learner.

SOOO excited to go to the ward Halloween party! He waited by the door for me for a few minutes--that's a long time for a busy boy.

I'm not trying to break his neck, I just really wanted him to get a mustache painted on his face at the face-painting booth but he wouldn't even let us get near his face. So we settled for a little black spider on his hand. I wish I had a picture of it because Maddie did a great job painting it and Michael kept trying to wipe it off all night. I let him wear it to bed so that Eric could see it when he got home from work.

It was a super-fun party and Michael even won a cupcake at the cake walk, which Eric and I obligingly ate for him. :) We didn't get any trick-or-treaters at our apartment which I have mixed feelings about. Eric bought excellent candy and since no one came, I had to eat it. There was definitely a silver lining to THAT cloud!

Fall Has Arrived

Our whole little family dressed up to go to a friend's wedding reception and this was Michael's first time wearing a suit, so we had to take some pictures because he is just too handsome!! He looks just like a little man:) Thanks to cousin Ethan for loaning the suit to us!

One of Michael's new favorite things to drive me crazy and entertain himself is banging pot lids together while he wanders around the house. It gets maddening:) but he loves it so we just smile!

We had our first snowfall of the season (that stuck) and Michael had a blast throwing snowballs with Eric:) The video is a little long, but I loved hearing Michael laugh every time he threw a snowball and couldn't stop recording it! This is for posterity's sake, so I figured it was okay:) I sure love my boys, they keep life interesting and entertaining!

Friday the Thirteenth

HaPpy BIrtHDay MIcHAeL!!!

Yesterday we celebrated our little one's first birthday! We had such a fun time with family and friends all week.

Michael wasn't sure what to think of it all, but I'm pretty sure he had a great time because he slept through the whole night!! (unusual for him, even at 12 months old!)

The first movie is everyone singing the birthday song to Michael and the second one (it's kind of long) is the cute boy trying to figure out what to do with his cake so he can get down and play with his cousins! I don't like to do long videos, but there were lots of family that couldn't be there, so hopefully this will help. We baked his little cake in a tuna can and it turned out just great:) Thanks, Grandma Irene, for the idea and directions!!

Michael was so grateful for all of his presents! (I know because he can't stop playing with them!) Thanks everyone for sharing. He got books and balls and blocks and a puzzle and a car and a walker and a water splash-pad and a bath-time boat and tons of fun and laughs with cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and grandparents.

WHAT A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!

We Have a Walker!

Michael got this fabulous new toy as an early birthday present and he is lovin' it!!!

Michael Laughing at Annalee spitting watermelon seeds

Fun in the Sun

What a fun summer we've been having!! We've been to parades, played in the rain,

watched fireworks, visited family,

gone hiking, and partied hard :) Michael's first tooth finally erupted and he chews on everything.

Eric finished his first summer term and has already started the second term. I'm excited for him to learn these fun new things and to graduate next May.

We went to see Toy Story 3 last night and we loved it!! I've been busy trying to keep our garden under control. I love the summer with all of the flowers and the sunshine. We also gave Michael his first hair cut the other night. He's growing up so quickly! He's starting to stand on his own and I don't know whether to clap or cry. He and Eric make my joy complete.

I am grateful to have such a wonderful life and family!

Cute Pics by Mary

Let me give credit where it's due...Thanks to Mary for taking and editing these pictures of Michael. They turned out great:) I love my little peanut!

Ours is a Great Life

We decided to plant a garden this year!! It all started with some free seeds and some old baby food containers...

A couple of weeks later...

Soon we will have squash to eat!!! Michael is so excited, he loves squash. But here is a picture of his first oreo. Apparently he loves those, too!

We borrowed a hat from the neighbor boy so that we could play outside without being worried about sunburns and skin cancer. Michael almost decapitated himself trying to get it off, but in the end, he realized that it wasn't so bad.

I found Michael being so quiet. Who would've known that I could just use a sock to calm him down?!

And our newest adventure began today. We were gifted a booster seat and tried it out for dinnertime. Michael had a blast eating mashed potatoes with gravy, peas, and a breadstick.

He was a mess!! We almost had to hose him off outside, but opted instead for the bath.

I love watching Eric with Michael. He is such a great daddy! I am grateful to have such a wonderful husband, who loves and cares for us:)

“Because She Is a Mother”

LDS.org - Ensign Article - “Because She Is a Mother”

My visiting teachers came over today. I am grateful for them and the spirit they brought to our home. The message they shared touched my heart and led me to read a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland called "Because She Is a Mother". I have a wonderful mother. I know many other women who are wonderful in their motherly efforts and I'm glad to have such good examples. This talk helped me to feel renewed and encouraged. I hope it can help lots of other women.

When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.

"You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you...Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.

~Jeffrey R. Holland "Because She Is a Mother" (Ensign, May 1997)

So Long, Farewell...Auf Wiedersehen...Увидимься!

My big brother is going to El Salvador. He's going there for an internship to help with micro-financing. I'm so proud of him and excited for his adventure. I'm also a big fan of micro-finance and I hope that Eric and I will be able to get involved in helping others in this way as well.

Here are some pictures of our little get-together to see him off.

Jenn and her friend Nate were there, and we enjoyed a few games of speed scrabble (taught to us by Nate--thanks Nate!!!) and lots of laughs.

Uncle Brian and Aunt Helen came down to say goodbye and were so nice to take a picture with us.

We got Michael out of bed to see Jenn, meet Nate, and bid farewell to Peter. He's a little dazed in this picture because he's pretty tired:) Aunt Helen is so good and kind with Michael and he loves her very much.

Good luck in El Salvador, Tatoe! The Woolfs will miss you so very much!

I Am a Happy Mother

Here are some pictures of our wonderful little family:

Michael came out to help in the garden and spent the whole time tasting everything from sticks and rocks to even a very tasty dandilion. You can see by the look on his face (and the dirt) that he loved every second of it. :)

The little monster was being too quiet and this is where I found him:) He was so enthralled with his new little hide-out that he didn't know I was taking pictures of him.

Eric studies and works and works and studies. He sleeps a little, now and then, and comes with me to church on Sundays. I'm so excited for him to graduate next May!!!

Michael's favorite toy is a ball. Or anything round that will roll. He will chase just about anything that moves, including our upstairs neighbors' dogs! They're not sure what to think of him:)

Michael takes his playtime very seriously and really gets into it!

I am so grateful to be a mother. Happy Mother's Day to me!

10 Rules of Happiness

1. Develop yourself by self-discipline

2. Joy comes through creation--sorrow through destruction. Every living thing can grow: Use the world wisely to realize soul growth.

3. Do things which are hard to do.

4. Entertain upbuilding thoughts. What you think about when you do not have to think shows what you really are.

5. Do your best this hour, and you will do better the next.

6. Be true to those who trust you.

7. Pray for wisdom, courage, and a kind heart.

8. Give heed to God's messages through inspiration. If self-indulgence, jealousy, avarice or worry have deadened your response, pray to the Lord to wipe out these impediments.

9. True friends enrich life. If you would have friends, be one.

10. FAITH is the foundation of all things -- including happiness.

~Spencer W. Kimball

Happy Easter!

This past weekend was a great opportunity to reflect on the love that our Heavenly Father has for us, His children. I tried to think often of our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we were celebrating Easter. How grateful I am for His life and example, and also for His resurrection that makes it possible for all of us to live again.

I know that through His atonement, all things will be made right. We can overcome pain, sorrow, sickness, and every trial of our lives through Him.

It was great to watch the General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the weekend as well and hear what counsel the prophet of God has for us. Here is the link to watch:

https://beta.lds.org/general-conference?locale=eng

It's open to everyone and the counsel is for our daily lives about how we can be better people and draw closer to God and Jesus Christ. I truly felt my worth as a woman, wife, and mother as I was listening to the speakers and I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father, Who is mindful of me.

I also felt love from my husband, who gave me the most thoughtful gift! A hot glue gun :) I've been wishing for one for the longest time. Hooray! Maybe it's a silly thing to be happy about, but there it is.

Michael has been sick this week :( He woke up at 4:30am Monday with a fever and has cried ever since. I finally took him to the doctor this afternoon. He has an ear infection, poor little guy. With the help of some amoxicillin, hopefully we'll be on the mend soon!

Growing up

I can't believe that it's been almost eight months since Michael was born. He's growing like a weed:) We've been working hard on our spring cleaning around here and even helping to weed the garden in our yard. Today, we saw a huge snake that scared me to death.

Eric is still working hard in school and loving his animating classes. He loves his little boy so much.

Just today, Michael waved goodbye as Eric was leaving for work. We've been practicing waving so it was fun to him do it:) He never ceases to amaze me. On Saturday, I was doing laundry, so I put Michael in his crib to play with some toys. When I came back, he was standing up!! I didn't know whether to praise him or cry because he's growing up too fast.

Happy Women's Day

In other countries of the world, today is Women's Day. A day to celebrate womanhood sounds great to me and I think the USA should consider adopting this custom. It is a day of giving cards, flowers and gifts to the women in your life who are important to you. So to all women, everywhere, I say, "Hats off to you! It's wonderful to be a woman!"
My young women came to visit me tonight and it was so fun to see them. They came to visit right after Michael was born, but I haven't seen them since then. I try to keep track of them on Facebook, but seeing them in person was much better.
I'm sitting here with Michael while he takes his bath. He loves to drink from a cup now, even though more goes up his nose than in his mouth. I love my little peanut!