Tick. Tock.

So, 130 more days until Lois can go into nursery.  Not that I'm counting or anything.  I'm just throwing it out there...

Lest you think I'm a terrible mother for wanting to pawn off her beautiful daughter, let me explain.  Jason often can't come to church because he has to work at the hospital.  That leaves me wrangling a cranky (because it's during nap time) toddler that can't sit still for more than two seconds - all by myself.  This isn't too bad - but add that to those Sundays when I have to teach 60+ primary children a lesson and that equals disaster!  Last Sunday, I got desperate, cheated a little bit and stuck her in the younger nursery and she was a total champ!  Every time I went to check on her, she was having a total blast.  She looked like she had died and gone to heaven.  Kids?  Toys?  Bubble machine?  Snacks?  How could a little girl resist?  It was a good day.  {Sigh.}

So, I'm now convinced that Lois acts out because she's just utterly bored with her old boring parents and perhaps is giving us not-so-subtle hints to "make" her a friend.   Hmm...  

And since I'm counting some important dates down...

1,450 more days until BO is out of office.  Ugh, he's awful.   AWFUL!!   

And for those out there that think the government would do a better job of running our healthcare system are really, really clueless.  Sorry to say it folks, government is not effective in anything they do.  And you want them all up in the business of your health?  You gotta be kidding me...  

 BO and his Congress posse want control over every nook and cranny of our lives.  The sad part?  So many Americans are willing to give it to him.  Crazy, I tell you!  CRAZY! 

And that's my opinion and this is my blog.  

'Nuf said.

L.O.V.E

 my beautiful baby

While in Utah, we had Lois' one-year-old pictures taken.  Check 'em out!  Are you dying like I am?   

For those of you who live in Utah, you should totally have these guys take your children's pictures - they are oh-so-talented!  Katie and Dan at Peekaboo Photography, you rock!

These are some of my favorites.

Life in 

PERPETUAL MOTION

*This is a really long and somewhat mushy post - consider yourself warned!*

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I have sorely neglected you over these past few weeks.  You see, I have something in my life that never seems to stop.  By 6 am she starts and by 8 pm she stops - but after she stops, I face the wake of the little tornado and I wonder to myself, do I really have the energy to restore everything that bizzie izzie has destroyed during the day, let alone blog?  Usually, the answer is nope - not so much.  Sadly, I just want to vegetate.  I really hate that about myself.

If, by chance, I happen to clean up after this motion monster, I swear it is completely undone 1.5 seconds later.   Folded laundry?  Oops - there it goes!  Onto. the. ground.  (This is usually happening as I fold the laundry, I might add...Fold. Floor.  Okay!  Talk about being counterproductive!) And books belong on the bookshelves, right?  Not in our house. You see, the second she sees the books on her shelves bizzie izzie comes right behind me and pulls them all off again.  She most certainly thinks they belong on the floor.  So, is there a point in doing this over and over and over again?  Hmmm...sometimes I wonder.

But you know what?  I love every second of it.  I love HER.  To bits and bits.  I can't imagine my life without my little tazmanian devil.  I love her cute little hands as they pick up everything, exploring the world around her.  I love her smile - full of all those chompers!  And her infectious laughs.  It makes everything worth it.  What is it about your child's laugh that is so intoxicating?  I am willing to do anything to hear it. And I mean anything - even if it's acting like a crazy woman!  I'm totally addicted.  I love the way she talks to me and acts like I totally know what she's saying.  I love that she scrunches her nose and blows in and out and snorts and thinks she's hilarious when she does it.  I love how excited she gets when she sees animals - particularly dogs.  I love looking back in my rear view mirror and seeing her cute face smiling back at me.   I love when she gives me "loves" and kisses.  I love when she does the same to her dolls - it totally melts my heart!  I love how when I ask her to say "mommy" - she says, "dad."  I love how she walks like Frankenstein (she's been walking for three weeks now!) with determination in her eyes to conquer the world.  She's just growing so fast.  She's a crazy little bizzie izzie, but she's all ours.  And I love her more than life itself!  What a lucky mom I am.

So, until further notice, I will have a messy home.  But I will be loving every minute of it.

Thanks for enjoying the ride with me.  

Love,

The Blogger

 

And now - pictures from our summer trip 2009!  

We drove from Tucson to Salt Lake City and Lois was, yet again, a total champ!

Don't you love how she propped her foot up on the passenger seat?  She's so cute.

We saw some fantastic friends on the way - Bryce and Heidi at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch!  Thanks for letting us stay with you guys!  We had a great time!

The women

The men

Cute Heid - I mean, isn't she just adorable?

Lois pet her first horse - she was loving that.

We got to see our best friends' baby Drew get blessed.  They were in UT from Michigan so we were really lucky our paths crossed in Utah.  We love you Nelsons!

The Envoy Crew

We went to the Hogle Zoo with my brother's family

Home Sweet Cabin - we got to go to my family's cabin in Yellowstone.

Jason and I hadn't been there for over two years.  It was great to go back.

We hung out on our deck and Lois adored my cousin's dog - a mini australian sheepdog.  Adorable and so, so sweet.

Lois and Stella chilling in the bath together.

My mamasita and me

This is one of the best parts about the cabin - the gathering room.  We gather, we talk, we read. So nice.  However those stairs in the background?  Those were the DEATH of me with a newly walking, inquisitive one-year-old.  Sheesh!

AND we eat. Lots of yummy food.

We walk.

We ski - nice form, Rals!

I don't look nearly as cool skiing.  This year I decided to forego looking like a drowned rat.

We boat.

We cruise Hebgen Lake.

We act like we're hardcore. 

Nice Jacket, Stells!  She loved the cold, cold water.  It was freezing!

We act cool.  

Hang loose, Rals!

 

And we act like models.

Preston, did you see your reflection in a spoon?  

You should try out for the next Zoolander.

We loved the cabin.

FUN IN THE SUN!

We got the blow up pool out at my parent's house.  Lois was in heaven!

I love this picture.

Nothing like watching two toddlers in a pool.  It was so entertaining!

Lois loved the balls.

Lois and her gramasita!

Father's Day - 2009

Raleigh, Preston and my dad

Jason and me on Father's Day

Grandpa with his two granddaughters - so precious.

Especially on Father's Day.  

COUSINS!  Lois was in love with Stella.  Over the duration of the trip, they became great friends and she'd look for her every morning.  We wished we lived closer to them.

Loving her cousin...

SOME WRIGHT TIME

We also spent some time with Jason's family - we had such a great time with them!

Lois and her Uncle Nate

Grandma Jan and Lois

The Engaged Couple 

 We can't wait until August for the big event!

Lois and her "grandma great."

We had a fun Fourth of July picnic and Lois was IN LOVE with Tyra, the Stopa's dog.  She kept following her around and feeding her things off of her plate.  

I think Tyra liked it, too.

Thrilled by the doggy...

Grandpa Wright's homemade root beer.  I'm not so much a fan as it has a strong yeasty taste.  Mommy Lili is not a "true" Wright.

But we'll see if Lois is...

She's drinking...

Going in for more...

"Hey, I'm drinking some root beer here..."

thinking...

Yes! A smile.  I think she loves it!  

She's officially a "true" Wright now.  Phew! We can all relax now.  

Me and my bizzie izzie!

She's walking everywhere!

The best babysitter?  A dog bowl full of water.

She escaped us and once we realized it, we found her over playing in the doggy water.  Lovely.

Daddy and Lois

Before we left for Utah, she only had five teeth...by the time we left, she had 11 broken through!  Yowzers.  Below is a picture at the end of our trip - can you see the difference?  She now has three (almost four) molars and eight teeth!

Patches, my 23-year-old cat, kept Lois company through the window.  She loved watching her.  Thanks for babysitting, Patches.  

We also got to see the Three Curls!

Clara and Lois

Chloe and Lois

Cecily and Lois - 

Aren't they all so beautiful and grown up?  I swear Cecily was Lois' age YESTERDAY.   This is when I start feeling a little old.

Mommy and Lois

I cut her some bangs since she refuses to keep clips in her hair anymore.

It instantly transformed her into a little girl.

Lois' favorite new toy - a play tunnel.  She and Stella had a blast with this thing.

Lois in our hotel room on our way back to Tucson.

I swear she transformed into a little girl overnight.  Sigh.

Uncle Preston drove us back to Tucson - thanks buddy!  Here he is adoring his new iPhone.

We are so happy we got to spend so much time with our families.  Thanks for the wonderful trip, everyone! We are glad to be home and are just trying to keep cool as it is toasty warm down here right now!  

And see. I told you it was a REALLY long post.  Sorry about that.