It's the Holiday's.

I don't know if you are like me but it feels like every December 1st I say to at least one person didn't this year just start?!

But honestly the hustle and bustle is in full swing. No matter where you are but I am thankful for all the sweet moments I have watched over the last week. People have been so ready to serve others around them and I think that is what makes Christmas well, Christmas.

As we had a long day with finding out our information was stolen and that our debit cards were going to be reissued, plus the typical day of fighting a two year old to eat the chicken nuggets she asked for five minutes before I was so ready to call it a night. But we had to run into the bank so Kelly could sign some papers to get everything on its way for new cards.

We were walking into the grocery store talking about something simple I was just relieved to not be packing Charli. (sorry but she is freaking heavy somedays) Kelly was holding her as he walked through the doors Charli waved at this lady who was leaving. Charli is the kid who yells Hi in almost every aisle or store until the person she is yelling at acknowledges her. Some people act like they can't hear her and others will play along with her. Its a hoot. But this sweet lady stopped and said to us. "I don't have grandkids so instead of being bitter about it I make grandkids with all the kids I see in town." Pointing to Charli she talked about how sweet it was for Charli to wave at her. The lady said "Wait, I have to give her something." as she started digging through her bag she then pulled out a dollar bill and handed it to Charli and said put this in your bank for when you go to college. It made me so happy that someone would reach out to a young family who could be seen as a loud nuisance & to just stop and say hello. We thanked her and Charli gave her a high five, knuckles and of course a kiss. It was sweet and although Charli won't remember it, I always will.

As I was saying how Charli likes to yell 'Hi' in every store we are in. I remembered a time this past summer where we ran into some Sister Missionaries on their 'P day'. I sat and asked them where they were from and what they thought about their mission. One sister was going home soon and the other wasn't far from going home either. They sat and played with Charli and she loved it. As they left the aisle with what they needed and headed down the next one Charli kept yelling "HIIII".. they would then wait for her to almost say it again and then they would yell 'Hi' back. It was calming for me to go down the aisle and have someone entertaining my kid as I shopped.

I'm grateful for those moments that may not have seemed like much to the one giving them but they will always be a fun moment to treasure. And no I won't spend that dollar but now since Charli heard about a piggy bank we probably should get one ;)

One Year Old!

One year old & wiser too! Happy Birthday Char bug!

I can't believe that I'm waking up today thinking about what was happening a year ago to my body. The very fact that our bodies can deliver children is utterly amazing! 

But this year is going to be awesome because I get to be with this fun ball of sass!

I can't wait for more birthdays and parties for Ms. Charli!

Obviously we have had a blast this last month! I have loved these monthly posts on Charli. I hope that I will continue to do them.

Dressing Up is funner than I think its ever been. On Sunday mornings Kelly will always call me into her room to pick what she's going to wear. Thats a good husband who doesn't even try to dress her! 

Our very first sucker from Halloween was delicious!

Nap Time & Bed Time. Lately we tend to wake up in the middle of the night. A couple times I got to sit and rock her back to sleep and just enjoy my cuddles. Very rarely will she fall asleep when I am holding her so I loved being able to enjoy my baby in the middle of the night. In fact we just fell asleep in the door jumper again!

Kisses & Chocolate Faces!!!

We sleep with our bum in the air & up on our knees. This is a recent thing. I find it very funny.

 We like to sit up in our crib and yell. We love bath time and we love shopping with mom!

 We have to hold everything in the cart!

Clothes: We are still in the 12-18 month range but some 9 month stuff we still wear. Love the onesie extenders!
Diaper Size: Size 4's! She wears the same size of diapers as her 3 year old cousins do.
Food: We eat and eat and then we're bored we eat some more... Yes, I'm describing Charli & not myself ;) We don't have as many bottles anymore!
Words: "Hi There" "Mom" "Dad" "Oh" "Mala" (Nala) ... We love gibbering. I love trying to get her to talk. She doesn't perform on command but its fun to see her get a vocabulary.
Silly Faces: I feel like she is the most animated baby! You can get a smile, a squishy grin to smacking lips all in about 10 seconds.
Songs: We love music! It is such a calming factor and I think it always will be!
Books: We can read books all day and everyday! Night time is always hard because we have to read Dada by Jimmy Fallon, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Oh, The Places You'll Go!
Sleeping & Naps: We are great in this department there have been a few days she has to go down for a 2nd nap because she is super cranky!
Teeth: The bottom two are coming in. I noticed this weekend that the top left is coming in now!

We still love sucking our thumb. It zones us out. We aren't always a fan of sitting in church but after spending an hour in nursery this week! We didn't do as bad! Yay!

We love laughing! Asking where dad is! Wiggling and screaming! Playing the Piano at Grandma Malone's house. We also love rolling away when getting our bum changed! We love to clap and blow kisses! Sometimes if your lucky she will actually kiss you!

We don't always love playing with toys because we would rather steal the TV remote and pull out all the DVD's. We definitely will be baby proofing soon! We are on the go with crawling now. We love to pull up on our knees and trying to figure out how to stand.

This past weekend Nala was playing and turned around and bonked heads with Charli. It left quite the goose egg on Charli and its been a little bruised since. It won't be the first occurrence with those two girls. Last night Nala was trying to sleep close to Charli  &  Charli didn't like that she was sleeping. She would yell Mala and then slap her. Nala would lick her hand and then try and go back to sleep and Charli would just keep doing it. Eventually Nala got sick of it and went upstairs to sleep.


We are a happy go lucky kid & we hope she stays that way!

All in all I love this little girl! 

 Love you bug!

First Year Of Motherhood!

Isn't it absolutely crazy that I am here sitting down to write about an overview of the first year of motherhood! Let me just say you think you have a ton of different emotions when your pregnant but right now I am feeling all the things. Sadness, happiness, sick to my stomach, butterflies and joy. 

The last year has been a whirlwind. You don't really realize it day to day! But man has it been an enjoyable year. I remember last year dreaming about what 2015 would have in store for us. It definitely didn't disappoint thats for sure. 

  It feels like just yesterday we were announcing that we would be expecting. It felt like I was just throwing up on our way to dinner to tell Grandma Smith we were pregnant. It felt like just yesterday that I felt her kick me and do flips. It felt like just yesterday we were having our first ultrasound. It felt like just yesterday that I was bringing home an adorable little girl that I had no clue how I was going to raise her and what type of mom I would be.  In fact it feels like just yesterday I was that 22 year old girl holding her daughter for the first time. I remember I was thinking did this really just happen? Is she really mine? But at that same moment I felt love. I felt the love not only from Kelly, my mom and wonderful mother in law and all the other family that came. But I felt the honest true love of my daughter and my Heavenly Father. For a second I felt bad that this wonderful spirit had just left heaven but, then I felt grateful that I was the one who got to have her not just for this lifetime but for ETERNITY!

I definitely can't sit here and say that it was the easiest year. We had the sleepless nights, the crying that sometimes felt like it never stopped (not just Charli crying, me too!), there was laughter and excitement. I honestly can say I had the best time learning how to become a mother. I had plenty of phone calls to my mom, questions for my sisters, crying to Kelly out of frustration. But we somehow made it through. 

I don't know what the next year will bring but I can honestly say that I am in love with being a mom. Some may say that I don't work. And to that you are correct I don't have a job that I have to drive to every day. I actually have the best job in the world! I have a little girl that needs me every second of every day. I have a little girl who makes me work at becoming a better role model. It may not pay in dollar bills but it pays in kisses, boogers and giggles and to me thats the best type of paycheck!

 I remember a quote from this past General Conference at Women's Session.

"There are two important days in a woman's life - the day she is born

 and the day she finds out why!"

-Elaine Cannon-

I'm pretty sure that the day I found why I was important took place when there was times when Charli didn't want anyone else but me. When I got to rock her to sleep, spend hours and days holding her, every morning getting to pick out an outfit for her to wear, laying her down for naps, feeding her, playing with her, dancing & singing with her. That was the day I found out why I was important. I am sure there may be a few more things I will be able to add to that list. But man am I grateful that that I got to be this little girls momma!

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father trusted me to become a mother. I am grateful that He was there to help me through the sometimes bumpy, rough road. He was able to show me what I was truly capable of becoming. I am grateful that I get to do it with one of the coolest dads I know. I am grateful that Charli will be raised by a dad who is extremely hardworking, dorky, handsome and that she will be able to see the love we have for each other. 

How blessed are we?! Extremely!

We Wish You A Very Happy 1st Birthday Ms. Charli!

Please Never Grow Up.

Memories of May.

May 1st: Date Night

 We saw The Avengers: Age of Ultron on opening day!

Charli hung out at Grandma Nelson's house.

May 2nd: Backyard Baby

We enjoyed going to watch Kelly compete at the Questar Gas Rodeo.

He took 2nd place but because there wasn't enough competitors we won't be going to Nationals again. Bummer.

Charli loved sitting in my new chairs that Kelly gave me for my birthday! 

May 3rd: Sunday Funday

Hanging out with Great Grandma Smith. We love seeing all our family on Sundays.

 Even though it wears out little Charli with all the playing that happens.

May 5th: Lovely Laurels

I got invited to snap some pictures of the laurels in our ward for their activity. A few of them are graduating. I can't believe that I use to teach them when they were 14 and now they are headed off to college. I love these ladies.. I always will! {bring on the wedding invites ladies.. just kidding}

May 5th: Flashback Friends.

We got together and had a pizza at my house and chatted about what we have done in the last 5 years. Can't believe that 5 years ago I was graduating high school. It was fun to chat with Summer & Morgan. We missed Kamee & Chelsea! Cheers to Silverline Reunions. 

May 7th: Amazing Amazon

We bought an Excer-saucer for Charli! This was her first time sitting in it. She wasn't too sure about it at first. It will also turn in to a tummy time mat & a standing toy when she is walking! 

May 13th: Floral Flops

Nothing better than chubby baby legs in shorts & chubby toes in flip flops!

Charli ready to go shopping with Grandma Malone!

May 14th:

I enjoyed a "Berry Good Doctor" from Fiiz & got the new Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack.

I also went to the InstaCare for a UTI. Fun way to start the summer right?!

May 14th: Pitch Perfect 2

Kelly took me to Pitch Perfect 2! It was great. This was also Charli's first time in a movie theatre. 

She slept in her carseat the entire time. I can't get over how funny this movie is! 

May 15th & 16th: Dinner & Diapers

Kelly was gone on a guys trip to Moab this weekend! Charli & I went to Red Robin with my parents. It was a great time. We also went to Pitch Perfect both nights with a couple of my friends. Yes we saw it 3 times! Charli slept through the movie but we got home one night to a Diaper failure. 

Nothing that a midnight bath can't fix. Look at that little chunk!

May 17: Sassy Six Selfie

Charli celebrated being six months old while I secretly cried that she is growing up so fast.

We took a ton of adorable pictures of this chunk & we also enjoyed peas with dad today!

May 19th: Terrific Target

I decided I didn't want to bring in her whole carseat. Since this chunk is getting so big.

Well we tried to sit her in the shopping cart. She did pretty good but I think we still have a while until she will be okay with sitting in it. But she definitely was all smiles!

May 20th: Newborn Norah

Norah Kate was born! This little girl weighs just a little bit more than Charli did at birth!

I can't believe that Charli was that little 6 months ago. So excited for that Newborn Smell.

May 22nd: Crazy Cousins

Charli sat next to Norah. This difference between them is crazy. But I can't wait for them to grow up together. It will be fun to watch these two girls be sassy together. Charli also was held by Corbin! Corbin loves singing and talking to Charli.

May 22nd: Yappy Yardwork

Charli sat and played while we worked pulling out weeds, trimming trees and deciding some plans for our front yard. I decided I can do Yardwork if I can talk to Kelly while pulling weeds. It was a relaxing Friday night.

May 25th: Sassy Swimming

Memorial Day we celebrated Marci's birthday and swam at their HOA pool. Charli wasn't so sure of the pool at first but we slowly were able to get her to be okay with her tube.

May 26th: Mustache Madness

Nothing better than drinking a Fiiz with a mustache on your straw!

A shot out to Lisa for getting me this. It literally makes me so happy!

May 28th: Funny Face

This is the face that Charli will do for almost anything now. It is quite sassy but its so funny to watch. Sometimes she will be crying and pull this face and I can't help but giggle at her. What a perfect pout.

May 29th: Super Sitter

Charli decided that sitting up is pretty cool. We definitely have to watch her as she is doing it. That Malone noggin can make her tip over quite fast.

May 30th: Macho Mornings

Charli will hold her bottle up lately.. part of me is happy I don't have to hold it all the time. 

Then there is a part of me that is sad to watch her grow up.

May 31st: Stripe Sundays

I just love this little happy girl. She is a social butterfly at church. Loves to watch everyone and she is lucky that everyone will let her play with their jewelry in Relief Society.

May 31st: Bedtime Bonding

Kelly will normally always feed Charli her at night but tonight he did the entire bedtime routine. It was so fun listening to him read stories to her. I have to stay close by because once I hear the bottle drop on the floor I know that both of them are asleep. 

1st Mothers Day

I had Kelly take a picture of us after church and I was trying to get Charli to look at him and he snapped that picture. I couldn't be more in love with it! It was the best one he took! I love it because it shows true happiness! I love looking at this little girl as she explores everything around her. 

It makes me wonder what I ever did when I didn't have her! She makes our life complete, busy and happy! Thank you Charli for making me such a happy mom!

I am so excited for many more Mothers Day to come because it was the best day!

I wouldn't be a mother if it wasn't for that guy on the left!

I have so much to be grateful for. I am really in love with Mother's Day. I definitely am lucky to be a mom to such a happy baby. I am lucky to be able to stay home with her everyday! I am so happy that I get to be there for everything she does. 

I am thankful for Kelly and the funny card and gift he gave me. Just when you don't think your husband listens or pays any attention to the things you do they tend to amaze you! 

What a fabulous day it was! 

Where I Begin.

I can't believe that at 23 years old I am getting to celebrate this day for the first time as being a mother. It is a odd feeling but its also comforting to know that I am doing something that is bigger than myself and that I can look to many people in my life who have helped me get to where I am now and where I want to go. After thinking about moms for the last couple of weeks I realized I had the best examples right beside me!

I have been lucky enough to have been raised by such an outstanding mother. Even though I am now raising my own daughter I still view that my mother is still raising me. She teaches me things daily, weekly, monthly. I am so lucky to have someone to continually look up too. I am lucky to have someone who cares for me more than she cares about herself. I was lucky enough to have someone sit through dance practice, recitals, competitions. My mother is truly the best because she has raised 3 girls to be the best they can be. I am positive there were days she wanted to throw in the towel. Maybe like that one time I threw florescent paint at my sister Kelsey right before church and got it everywhere in our bedroom and on my mom. I am sure there were days when she just wanted to go and do something by herself but let us tag along with her. I am positive there were days where she didn't think she had what it took to raise us. But she survived.

Now the other mother that I am so grateful for is my mother in law! I am so lucky to have a woman in my life that not only helps me out but raised such a great son. I am grateful for the sacrifices that she had as a mother to raise Kelly. I am glad that she wanted a red headed son & that she could last raising seven kids. I am grateful that she taught Kelly the importance of work, play and the church. I am glad she raised him to be something that not only I am proud of but that I know she is so proud of him and the things he has accomplished in his life. There is nothing wrong with a momma's boy!! I am grateful for the things she does on a daily basis for us. I am grateful for the companionship that I get to have with her. Its like I have known her for my whole life. I love her welcoming spirit and the way she laughs. I love the positivity she has even on the days that have been bad, hard and terrible. I am lucky enough to be able to work with her, watch her and learn so much about giving and patience even with kids who weren't hers but students. She is always looking for a way to serve someone weather or not she's known them for 5 minutes or 50 years. I hope you realize that my mother in law is someone that I not only look up to but someone that I can never say thank you to enough. She is the bees knees.

In short, I hope that if I can be half of anything that those two ladies up there have been for Little Miss Charli than I have done enough. There are so many things that they have done for me that maybe have gone unnoticed to them but they have impacted me to try and be the best I can be. There are a million more things I could say about how these two ladies have been awesome role models but I think I have painted the picture that they are two of the greatest people on Earth. These are the two people that need to be recognized on a day like today because they are rare gems and I feel bad that none of you get to call them Mom like I do! 

There is no way to be a perfect mother.. but a million ways to be a good one.

Because of these moms of mine and their stories, trials, triumphs and happiness is why I get to create my own story as a mother. 

Luckily for me I can look to them for the confidence, advice and courage along the way. 

Cheers to mothers everywhere and for the daily job, struggles, emotions & who knows what else... Because we truly have the best job in the world.

"...Behind all your stories is your mother's story 

for hers is where yours begins."

-Mitch Albom