The Observer

The last few days Alex has been saying the cutest things. For example, the other night as I was getting her ready for bed she pointed to some homemade butterflies that are on her walls and said, "Look Mom, utterflies, so peetty, you make it? Thanks Mom!". Then yesterday she pointed to some plates I have on a wall in my kitchen and said, "So peetty, you make it?". I told her no and then she pointed to some frames on the counter that say Boo and she said, "you make it?". I said yes and then she continued to point to the mice, the broomsticks and other things I have made and asked"you make it?". I thought what an observant little two year old that she notices all the things I've been making the last few weeks. My favorite part was when she thanked me for the pretty butterflies in her room!


Some of the thrifty halloween things I've done, taken from Pottery Barn and Martha Stewart. Gotta love great ideas!

This was actually from this site, and so easy and cute and could be for a nursery or childs room. They are cuter than this picture leads you to believe, for some reason my camera would not take a clear pic.

Cheap and easy. $1 pumpkins at Wal-Mart and orange glitter and craft glue!

These ideas are from Martha and so easy and inexpensive but have really made my house look festive for Halloween!

Alex pets the mice and talks to them.

Manthy - 6 months

This is my little fashionista, this was a good day because I actually changed her out of her jammies. Ahh, I'm such a good mom.

She is modeling her homemade babylegs. My friend Laci and I cranked out 15 pairs between Conference sessions on Saturday. I found a tutorial here if anyone is interested. We bought the socks at Wal-mart for $1.50 and at Target for $2.50 which beats paying $12 for the real babylegs.

This week Sam has started eating baby food, gumming baby crackers, sleeps thru the night 50% of the time, looks like she wants to crawl and is working on sitting up. She needs to be held more and needs to have more interaction and loves to giggle when I sing 'Old McDonald' or do anything else in her face. She is such a good baby and so much fun. Chris and I can't get enough of her!

And neither can her big sister.

A good day

There is nothing better than a happy child. Yesterday we went to Thanksgiving Point - and will be going back and back and back again since my MIL bought us an annual family pass.

Chris was helping Alex feed the Alpaca and it was tickling her hand, her giggle is so sweet. I asked her what her favorite part of the day was and she said "I feed the cows." She was petting every animal yesterday whether it was real or bronze!

Samantha really wanted to ride the horsies too!

Grandma Julia and the girls, we had a great time spending time with her playing, eating and shopping!

Learning and Lacking

This is me with a big smile on my face tonight for the things I learned and understood better. I'm talking about the Plan of Salvation. I taught Relief Society today on the very subject and was up until 1am reading an essay by Truman G. Madsen and discussing the topic with my hubby. It was so refreshing to feel alive as I studied and really understood the doctrine better - like it started applying to my life. I was fed. And because I was nourished by the word, I was weepy through my entire lesson! Oh well, the sisters are used to it, right? My attitude towards my trials has changed, I realize that I am not yet as Job - duh! And now my "thorns" seem really insignificant! Especially when compared to other people that are really suffering right now. I've been crying as I've been reading this blog and this blog over the last few weeks. I am blessed and I'm grateful for my health and the knowledge of the plan God has for me and for all of us. To learn more about my beliefs or to be enlightened, click here.

Now to complain. This is my crusty overtired face, well, it really looks way worse in person. I got 3 hours of sleep last night and couldn't fall asleep today while napping or atleast trying to nap. Because......

..this little cutie wakes up at the B-crack of dawn!!! Um yeah, 6 am comes in our room asking for milk. And she does that probably 4 times a week! Once she's up, she's ready to go. Not my genes.

And this cute baby has been sleeping through the night (finally!) the last 3 days but I don't feel it because of our early morning visitor! Oh the woes of being a mother to young children. Precious children. I am enjoying it. Really, even if the bags under my eyes would tell you otherwise. I love them and I love being a mother.

Mothergoose

Alex started pre-school yesterday. Well, it's more of a neighborhood babysitting club for two-year olds because let's be honest, at that age it's more about learning to share your toys.

These were taken after school, I think she's going to like it. I know I will.

Alex with her buddies Harrison and Tate. She's always out numbered but doesn't mind it. We gotta work on her smile, can you tell she is always saying cheese?

5 months

My blue eyed baby loves rice cereal.
Another private victory for this mom!

Sipping the good life

Lately I've been really counting my blessings and thank the Lord for my beautiful children, my sweet husband and the opportunity to be a mother. I love these pictures that CK took of Alexandra and I. We were sharing a cup of peppermint tea after church. We were racing to see who could slurp it the fastest....

can you guess who won? Little hog.

Something to blog about

Looks pretty suspcious, doesn't it? Can you guess what happened??

Yep, I locked my kids in the car (by accident of course) and it was a good thing I had started it and put the AC on full blast. I called 911 (for the 2nd time this summer!) and they came within 5 minutes. Luckily Alex and Sam were fine and had no idea what was going on.

The Hero. Engineer Kevin Holt

After the fiasco, they let all the kids get a tour of the fire truck, it was the highlight of our Higbee Family Reunion. Glad I could help out.

They gave the girls a cute little polar bear stuffed animal. Sam doesn't look amused over the shenanigans.

Alex and her cousins Olivia and Luke.

My beautiful mom, there to support since Chris was working today.

My dad took my keys after they rescued my kiddos and held on to them until I was ready to go. He's the responsible one.

The first time I called 911 back in June, we were watching my sisters kids and her little dog. I had all the kids piled in the Suburban and Chris had a truck so we needed to go pick-up a table and chairs from his parents house. One by one the kids left the car, even though I told them to stay put. I had the keys in the console and shut the door once Alex got out with Lauren, leaving Samantha and the dog in the car. The second I shut the door Roxy came running to the door and stepped on the automatic lock and locked the door! I ran inside and called 911. They arrived within 5 minutes but meanwhile Roxy was standing on Samantha and barking in her face and she was hysterical! Everything was fine, although I was a little uneasy and anxious. The moral to my two stories is: HIDE-A-KEY! I'm getting one on Monday.

Nie Nie

For most bloggers out there, I'm sure you have heard the story of Christian and Stephanie Nielson, if not click here to get the story. Ever since last week when I stumbled upon my friend Kara's blog who held an auction for their recovery, I can't stop thinking about them. I read Nie's blog the other night and just think she is a superb woman in many ways. She seems like a very fun and carefree mother but also cares very deeply for them and their well-being. She and her husband seem to have such a loving and romantic relationship, for sure an example of eternal love. Then of course there is her unique sense of style, I love her style! She is beautiful inside and out. My heart goes out to them, they are in my thoughts and prayers. One day I would love to meet her and tell her how much I admire her, until then....

xoxo

Rawsthorne Family Reunion

Two weeks ago we went to Bear Lake for my mom's side family reunion. All my aunts, uncles and cousins and grandma came down from Calgary to hang-out on Ideal Beach. Here's Alex at the start of the short drive watching Ice-Age. So happy!

Sorry, forgot to flip...Alex loving the lake with goose bumps and all!

Everyone had so much fun playing on the beach!

We had a sand castle building contest, I think Grandma (the judge) said everyone won! Our family's finished product!

The woman who started it all, Thelma Sophia Rawsthorne age 92! She's only sitting in the wheelchair as a place to sit that's more comfortable than a picnic bench. What a beautiful example of aging with grace!

The whole fam, minus a few people who couldn't make it.

Sam with her cousin Reese, already best cousins!

Our reunion shirts, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) crest on front and the motto on back "Maintain the Right". My Grandpa was an RCMP.

Alex and Bentley at the luau, Chris made his signature Khalua Pig, minus the Khalua and it was delicious!

Alex walked around all night asking people for their lei's, she's always been a little gatherer (hoarder)....too cute!
We had such a wonderful time seeing everyone and can't wait for the next time we get together. Everyone who planned and executed did such a fantastic job. Good times!

4 Months Old

My sweet baby is 4 months today, it's amazing how fast they grow-up! I thought I'd try to give her some rice cereal.....

After the wipe down, after she spit it all up...

Then I think it dawned on her that I was trying to give her something other than a bottle and man was she mad!!

She learned how to roll over last week and does it constantly when I put her to bed but the problem is she HATES being on her tummy and screams. Except this time I came in to check on her and she was actually asleep! Sweet baby.

Thanksgiving Point

This morning Chris planned for us to go down to Thanksgiving Point. During August, Tuesday's are $2 for everything! We first went to the Dinosaur Museum which Alex loved! Thank goodness for Little Einstein's Dinosaur Instrument episode! She was really interested in them and growling. She was a little scared of the one above since all the rest were just bones.

Playing in the sand and water.

We then went to the farm and saw all the animals and had a pony ride, which she LOVED! She kept saying "again!!" but the line was too long. We'll go back again this month. It's so fun to see her learning and observing and taking everything in.

Sam the spectator.

Alex trying to feed the cow but instead he was trying to eat her!!