MONDAY

  

Our Monday of this week was a typical one. Long and kind of slow. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Carter did destroy his room pretty bad. But that usually happens to some part of the house. Both kids also wouldn't nap. But that's not too abnormal either. Maybe it was that I had cookies for breakfast and lunch or that it's been a while since Daron and I went out. For some reason, I was feeling off. 

Just before witching hour {that's 5 o' clock around here} Daron called to tell me he wouldn't be home until late. I decided it was time to get out of the house and get some fresh air for the day. I fed the kids dinner, packed them up in the car and started driving. Aimlessly. 

Suddenly, those gorgeous, bright white steeples of the temple caught my eye. I gasped and realized Carter had never been on the temple grounds of the San Diego temple. Seconds later, I found myself crossing four lanes and hopping off the freeway to get there.

It was the perfect antidote to our blah day.

Carter jumped up and down for about 20 minutes straight clapping his hands in the parking lot while I got Naomi out of the car. I'll never forget him running towards the temple doors saying, "Mom, Jesus is inside! I'm going to go get Him out of His bed!"

{I'm struggling teaching the whole "Jesus lives!" but you don't actually really see Him... thing. anyone have tips on that?}

Time flew as we were walking the temple grounds. Soon, Daron was calling to tell me he was off and that he would get Golden Spoon for everyone on his way home. 

Best husband award. 

Frozen yogurt somehow always ends up being part of my "long" days. I'm thinking that's bad. 

{Like this one here. I didn't mention it in my blog post but I vividly remember why this very-cute-eating-frozen-yogurt action took place. I don't think I recovered for a week!}

I'm really glad I realized how uplifting walking around the temple grounds can be. I'm probably late to the party but I feel like I gained a new trick up my sleeve for days like Monday. 

{It's hard to choose one, but this temple is always at the top of my favorite's list}

A DAY WITH DAD!

Daron unexpectedly had this past Monday off. How about that for a surprise? It was a good moment on Friday when he informed that he wouldn't be going back to work until Tuesday! Woot woot!

We spent the morning at one of our favorite local places for breakfast, Pipes Cafe and hung out at the beach afterwards. Later in the evening, we headed out to the Del Mar pumpkin patch for family night. We are soaking in these years with Carter when a pumpkin patch is magical for him. Oh, to be 3. {Almost!} 

I am really loving these ages that Carter and Naomi are at. Life with them feels so good. I'll have to write more on this later because this thought has been on my mind a lot recently. 

Oh, and I can't end this post without giving a shout out to the one and only Christopher Columbus. After all, he is why we got this unexpected, beautiful day with our main man!

Thanks CC! ;)  

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL

I officially feel like a mom of two. Daron and I received our double stroller in the mail last night and I spent half of my "kids are asleep" time pushing it around the house! I'm in the stage of my life where things like an easy-pushing strollers make me wildly happy. I remember being little and my mom getting new pots and pans for Christmas one year and being completely perplexed why she was ecstatic. But I totally get it now. 

This double stroller is going to open new worlds for me. I now can still go on a run on the days I don't get this booty out of bed, which is pretty much every day lately. I can go to the mall without having to put Naomi in the ergo(!!!) and, my favorite part, we can go on long walks again! Oh, how I have missed those.

{Can we talk about Carter's smile for a quick second in the first photo? That kid could be sitting on rocks and would still have that cheese on his face}.

Along with the beautiful things a double stroller brings into my life, I know it will also bring a new crazy. For half of the run, Carter was already getting a kick out of pesting his sister. At one point, I stopped to check on them and Carter was pulling Naomi's eye lids up. Good times in my future, for sure!

But hey, at least I have that ocean view while I run right? ^^Seriously though, this view blows me away every time. People definitely think I am from out-of-town because I stop to take a picture about every 10 steps. If you look closely, you can see surfers holding their boards as they enter the water. The best!

***And yes, I take pictures as I run. These days, some days, I even walk. It's been a slow down hill in the running department. But like I said, stage of life right??

TINY HANDS IN THE KITCHEN

As Carter got older, he got more interested in helping me in the kitchen. I always imagined cooking with my kids but I didn't realize how much patience it would take, especially in the toddler stage. Inevitably, Carter would randomly dump salt out of the "big hole" into something that did not need salt, break a few eggs, tip over the olive oil bottle, etc... A lot of times I was relieved when he would choose to play with his toys or books or even watch a show instead of ask to cook with me.

About a year ago though, I came across this sweet video. After I watched it, I had a strong impression that I should be better about letting Carter cook with me. I remember taking a deep breath and thinking this was going to take a lot of patience since dinner time is already hectic and the messes his busy, tiny hands could create were quite daunting!

These days, it's become routine that at some point he comes and helps me make dinner and he always bakes with me. 

Every night at dinner he proudly exclaims to Daron, "Daddy! I made dinner for you!" 

{Somehow he forgets about me, haha!}

Last Friday, we made these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies together and we had the best time. I loved watching him say, "Mom I love making cookies!" and "Mom, look how strong I am." It was so cute to watch him be so proud of being in charge of the mixer and don't even get me started on the way his cheeks droop as he is concentrating(!!!!)

Friday was one of those days where I got to witness progress. It's rewarding to see how small efforts can turn into big things. Now, it's official that I have a little helper! For the first time, I think we finished things faster because he was helping me. Cheers to that!

Now onto figuring out how to make my house not look like a bomb went off after we bake. Anyone have any tips on that?

The random recipe we used {from Pinterest of course here}

OCTOBER GENERAL CONFERENCE 2015

We spent last weekend at my parent's house so that we could be with family while we watched the October General Conference. This is definitely one of my favorite weekends of the entire year. I've had a little bit of "post-Conference blues" since we came home. I actually planned ahead this year {so proud of myself} and made something yummy and festive for breakfast. We had pumpkin waffles with fresh peaches and bananas to go on top. In between sessions, we took advantage of my parent's jacuzzi and pool and wore out the kids so that they would both sleep during the second session.  

Sunday morning we woke up to the coziest fall weather. Carter helped my mom as she made breakfast for everyone and then we spent the rest of the day listening to the inspiring messages of our leaders. I was soaking in every second. Between sessions, we took a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air. 

The week before conference, Daron and I wrote down different things that were on our mind and different questions we had regarding our family, our marriage, and spiritual well-being. I was blown away with how perfectly our questions were answered. It was a great reminder of the peace that comes from listening to the prophet and apostles and other leaders of the church and that God is perfectly aware of me.

{My favorite talk from Conference here.} 

MY CARTER LEE

Well, I'm pretty sure the fastest summer of my life just flew by me. The summer of 2015 will forever be engraved in my mind as the summer of getting to know my sweet Naomi, being on a baby high and wearing a robe for about 3 months straight.  

I'm finally out of my robe and maybe someday I'll get around to writing about the past few months, but right now, I have to write a little post about my oh, so lovable Carter. 

A few things he has said as of late:

"Mom, do you feel it? Do you feel my heart beeping?"
"Mom, does Naomi want to talk to me yet?"
As I'm doing laundry, "Good job, Mom. Good job."
As I am taking a picture through a window in our house, "Mommy what's that? A beautiful day?"
As he is randomly opening and closing his mouth, "Mommy, I'm eating the wind."
As we are leaving the random stranger who is letting Carter pet his dogs, "Bye! I love you!"
As he hands Daron his water bottle, "Dad, put this in the fridge and cold it, k?"
As we are talking about what is appropriate to do during Church... 

Me: "Do we play with toys, Carter?"
"Nooo."
"Do we yell?"
"Noooo."
"Do we pick our nose?"
"No, we pick our nose at home!"

And my personal favorite, "Mom, Jesus died while standing in the street."
Me: "Oh, is that right, Carter?"
"Yeah, a white car hit him and he died."
{No idea where this came from, but Daron and I have some serious teaching to do!}

And if he wants to be naughty...
"Mom, go away."
{HA!}

I wish I could write on here every hilarious thing Carter says but thankfully, that's what I use this awesome book for. 

Carter, 

In a few months you will be 3! 3!!!!! 

I can't believe it. 

I never want to forget the way you throw your head back when you laugh, your current "gargoyle smile" and how it feels when you, out of the blue, wrap your arms around me and tell me you love me. Your enthusiasm for life is contagious and you love to put on a show. I love how you wave to every car that passes you in a parking lot and say "hi" to strangers as we walk by them. Your personality brings joy to so many, but most of all, to me and your dad! 

I hope you always know how very special you are. 

I love you! 

-Mom

{An older post about a few of Carter's daily antics here and credit for the photo above is here.}

LIFE SINCE NAOMI ACCORDING TO OUR PHONES

Just a few of the billions of pictures we have of life since Naomi on our phones. Most of the pictures are very representative of life right now-- the 3 of us hangin' around the house with no where to be. We've managed a few outings for Carter's sake {and mine}. Getting out of the house has been especially helpful on the days when it feels like Carter has been in time out 600 times before noon and he's using the breast pump bottle as a megaphone...

Thankfully, someone I admire "virtually" reminded me a few years back how important it is to not rush the different seasons of our lives. Her words stuck with me and have helped me to embrace the newborn stage a little bit better this go around. It's a unique time and like everyone says...

it rushes by all too quickly!