Six months old!

Grant is 6 months old! I can hardly believe it has been that long. Grant is quite the chunk! At his 6 month check up on Monday he weighed:

18 lbs. 2 oz.

27 inches long

We are just glad he is healthy, albeit LARGE! He is sitting up pretty well for a couple of minutes, but we can't leave him because he will fall over. We have started him on some solids. He'll like it one day, but the next doesn't want much to do with it. He's had rice cereal, pears and peaches.
Mostly he is a smiley, happy boy.

Passing on my weaknesses. . .

Emma says to Dad one morning at breakfast(with tremendous excitement): I saw a special ball cereal up there [in the cereal cupboard] and it's not named KIX!

What is it called? Reese's Puffs. I love that cereal. I know I should only eat good things, but some things just call out to me to eat them!! At least I have taught my girls they have to eat a healthy cereal first and then the Reese's Puffs. Does that count as dessert at breakfast time?

At least I am passing on some good things too. Here's another little episode that happened the other day. . .

Emma: I have to hurry. I have to go to a meeting.
Me: Where is your meeting?
Emma: In the cupboards. (In the kitchen)
Emma: Arianna, will you please watch my monkey while I am gone?
Me: What is your meeting about?
Emma: (without hesitation) Baby Jesus.

At least she knows the church meetings I go to are on an important subject. And she thinks about getting someone to care for her babies while she is gone! So cute.

Could I have endured it?

I am reading the Work and the Glory Series- for the first time. I know, I am a little late. They've been out for what- 15 years or something?! Well, I started the series about 3 years ago when I was pregnant with my second child. I got really into it and spent a lot of time reading and then had a second baby. . .and then read the entire Twilight Series. . .and then had a third child. . .and just in the last couple of weeks I have started reading again. I am completing the 7th book- 2 more to go.
It has been a wonderful experience for me. I have never been good at History. Like in school. I just can't keep all those dates and people and chronology in my head. I end up zoning out because my brain goes on overload. So, these books have really helped me in my quest for understanding Church history a little more. I get so sucked in to the story that I feel like I am there and in a very small way am experiencing what they went through. It was especially fantastic when my reading in the Work and the Glory lined up with what we were studying in Sunday School. I actually knew some answers!!
So today I had been reading about the last days in Nauvoo, or the City of Joseph, as it was technically named then, right before the Saints started leaving for the West. They had planned on leaving in the Spring, but because of Anti-Mormon Violence and further threats of violence, they were forced to leave their beloved homes, city and temple in FEBRUARY. This wasn't just going on a long road trip, this was leaving CIVILIZATION. Going into the cold and not getting out of it for MONTHS.
I went on a walk 3 buildings up from ours today to get something from the Apartment Complex office. I was carrying Grant in the front carrier and had the girls walking near me. We all had coats on, the kids also had hats. I was cold. I worried about my baby being cold. I walked 3 buildings away on clean, smooth sidewalks with sturdy shoes on my feet in February in Maryland. All I wanted to do was return to my nice warm apartment. As I headed back I had tears in my eyes thinking about what it must have been like. How did they ever do it? How did they endure the snow, the cold, the mud, the rancid food, the death of loved ones, the tragedy and sorrow?
They had testimonies burning in their hearts. That's how.
I feel so thankful for their sacrifice so that I can have the gospel in my life. What do I do to show my dedication to this cause?

Three little monkeys

I found this contraption the other day for $4 and thought maybe Grant would get a kick out of it. He is ALREADY tired of his toys. (He is not even 6 months old and bats them away when he is not interested with a disgusted look on his face. ) Little did I know it would bring joy and happiness to all three of my children and in turn to me!!! First of all it is wonderful because I can sit Grant up in a corner, stabilize him with a rolled up blanket and he can play in there contentedly for a good 20 minutes. Next, it is dang cute when they all three get in there and snuggle up together. Finally, when Grant spits up it doesn't go on my carpet! Yeah!

Food of Good Report

Hello dear friends and family! I have decided to combine my two most favorite recent hobbies (besides kissing babies and reading!) and created a food blog! I just started today, so there is only one thing there, but thought I would tell you about it in case you are interested.

It is:
www.foodofgoodreport.blogspot.com.

Record-Breaking Snows!!

Here are more pictures of today's snow adventures. There hasn't been this much snow here since the late 1800's. We got a total of about 3 1/2 feet. It is crazy!! Emma and I ventured out today and had so much fun! It was very windy! There were drifts up to Emma's shoulders.


Looking up our street


Our courtyard
Our picnic table out in the courtyard

The Courtyard


Wading through the snow
Snow, snow everywhere!

Snow adventures

The girls are actually enjoying the snow! Emma has never before been interested in playing in the snow. I was amazed when I first saw her do this!

It is so out of character for her- in a wonderfully adventurous way! So, the totals for the weekend snow, as recorded at the Dulles airport, was 32.4 inches. Now, we have more coming as I write this on Wednesday. They are calling for about another foot this time around! Crazy! There are so many people not able to drive anywhere who haven't been plowed out (mostly people who live deep in neighborhoods or far from main roads). We live near pretty main roads, so have been able to get out. Plus, we have a parking garage, so gratefully don't have to dig out our car! I did go to the grocery store that is a couple blocks from us Monday night and I couldn't believe all the empty shelves! I heard it was even worse yesterday- running out of milk and bread. There were NO potatoes when I was there and hardly any chips and the vegetable sections, bakery and milk cases were very sparse.
Well, now for the good stuff. . .







Here is what Kenneth had to walk through to get home from work last night! He had to walk on the road, as they haven't plowed the sidewalks. Luckily hardly anyone was driving because of the craziness, so only one car passed him. Normally to walk home after work would be suicide on this road!

Here is the 'sidewalk' beside out apartment complex!