Evelyn's squeal Laugh!

Jeff was playing with Evelyn tonight and she is usually a happy baby, but it is difficult to get her to laugh. Well tonight Jeff found how to make Evelyn laugh harder than I have EVER heard her!

I had to copy Daddy and see if I could get her to laugh too! See if I was a success....

I may be biased, but I don't care who you are that makes you smile!

Ya know just the usual...RANDOM

We have not been up to a whole lot around here but it has been a good week. I'm trying to be better about not watching AS much TV. When Evelyn was born she slept ALLLLLLLL the time. LITERALLY. For the first 2-3 months. So what did I do, I watched a TON of TV. However, now she is more active and we can do more. I am trying to not have it on, a lot of the time I had it on as some background noise. Plus, a lot of the shows I watch are just stupid (yes, I admit it). Before I know it Evelyn will realize what I am watching and be able to understand and that is not good!

Another random thing is Evelyn has learned how to clap! However, she does it at the most random and funny times. She always claps while I'm changing her diaper, "Thanks mom, you are doing a great job!" And then today she clapped while I was getting dressed and when I was basically in my birthday suit (sorry if that is too much information) she looked at me and started clapping! It was like she was saying nice job mom! It made me laugh out loud SO funny!

New favorite snack: Peanut Butter Captain Crunch, delicious!!!! Anyone else snack on random stuff????

Pet Peeve: When I get myself a snack food (PBCC) and then Jeff eats it!! I need to start hiding my food! haha!

Almost done. Jeff is growing a beard. I hate kissing a beard. However, it doesn't look too bad, it's a short beard...But I still do not like kissing a beard. Wait wait he just came out of the bathroom with a chin strap. I am speechless.

Last random thing. We watched a little girl tonight around 20 months. Evelyn loved watching her she was so entertained. Jeff thinks Evelyn needs a sibbling. After 2 hours I was tired.

MOMS I NEED YOU!!!!

Okay, I know there are books out there ALL about sleeping schedules, and so forth. However, I have enjoyed cuddling my little girl to sleep for the past 8 months or so. Well 2 weeks ago we decided we needed to start putting her in her crib when she needed to go to sleep. Well everyone said oh she'll cry for the first little bit but it will get better. Well it is NOT getting better. She cries for 45 minutes to an hour EVERY night.

It is SO bad that Jeff can't handle it sometimes. I do think it is my fault because I still hold her for naps. My question is do I just need to let her cry for naps too? Is it all or nothing? I have loved cuddling her to sleep but I feel like (sadly) it is time for her to learn how to fall asleep on her own.

I could use some advice, because this is tough.

Hiking, outdoors, and other Oswell Fun!

Last weekend we hiked the "Y." I have been here for 2 and half years and had never done it so we did it! It was beautiful outside and I was sick of being inside so we took advantage of the weather and did the STEEP short hike. It was really fun and Evelyn really enjoyed it. She was in our front carrier facing out and she was kicking and smiling and every one we passed. After using the front carrier (Jeff was, not me) we decided we really need a hiking back pack. Any suggestions? (Kira, I know you have one, do you like it?) Anyway, poor Jeff was sweating so bad and his back was hurting carrying Evelyn, one of her pigtails was wet from Daddy's sweat!

Can you tell Evelyn loved the hike? We got up to the Y just in time for sunset! It was beautiful and a really nice night out. We enjoyed sitting at the top for awhile and enjoying the views. However, it was around 8:00 and that is Ev's bed time so we headed down shortly.

After the hike we went to Coldstone to cancel out the hike completely! Boy was it yummy though! Evelyn was sleeping :)

Well last week we had beautiful weather 75 and sunny! Perfect weather to enjoy the outdoors. So I would bring some toys out for Evelyn and we would sit outside and enjoy. Evelyn LOVES being outside she played on this blanket for 2-3 hours before she finally couldn't stay awake any longer! By the way, if you were wondering, YES Evelyn is wearing adorable Jellies! They go with every thing and are very practical and that is how I justified the purchase!

Evelyn's friend Linkin came over and they played together for a couple of hours as well! She loves having friends over. AND mommy LOVES having Linkin's mom over so we can chat and have some girl time. I need that...some mom's can do it 24/7 with out other girls, but I need to feel like a 23 year old some times and not a frumpy mom! :)

In other news the reason I have been behind in blogging is my car. I had to finally bite the bullet and registar my car in Utah which means my car had to pass emissions! My check engine light has literally been on for 3 years. My car has always ran fine, except on long car trips it struggles a little bit. But for the most part my 98' Honda with 190,000 miles on it, is a CHAMP. However, you can not pass emissions in Utah with the light on! So I take it to a mechanic and ask him to shut it off for me and see if I can go long enough without it coming back on that I could pass emissions. Well he shut it off and also informed me that I needed a new windshield to pass the safety test. Great, awesome, put it on my Tab.

So I went and got my windshield taken care of, which I was hoping insurance would cover but it didn't so that was kinda of expensive. Then my check engine light came back on... Great. I go back to the mechanic and he tells I have to get it fixed and it was 2 different things the catilac converter and something with the vtec. So he shuts my check engine light off one more time and told me to drive one more time and see if I could luck out since we really couldn't afford to fix it.

If you are hoping for a miracle, so was I. When the light came back on I was thinking, there was NO miracle. But I went back to the mechanic and the light said it was only my catilac converter this time NO vtec problem. MIRACLE? I think so! I got it fixed and finally passed emissions. YAY!

In other news we are trying to teach evelyn to clap and high five.

Sickness, friends, mothers, and weddings

I would have to say that if I wasn't fighting being sick ALL week I think I would have had a REALLY good week. I did not have a fever anymore as of Wednesday but my throat was hurting still and then yesterday (Sunday) my voice was gone. My voice was whispering, squeaks, and manly. However, this morning I am feeling better and my voice is coming back so that means I can be more active this week and actually enjoy the beautiful weather we are supposed to have.
Jeff was busy with work. He worked 4, 10 hour days and then on Friday just 8 hours. Needless to say he was tired and sick of answering calls. I know most of you are so excited that the Lakers lost. Jeff is handling it well. We both think that the Lakers are tired I mean they have made it to the Championships the last 3 years and won 2, so we can't be too upset. We are still Laker fans and like I said I know most of you HATE them, and we are okay with that too! I am now hoping any one will win except the Heat!
Thursday we celebrated Cinco Damio (don't judge the spelling please). I tried to make cafe Rio EVERYTHING! I made the sweet pork, the rice, and the dressing. I thought it turned out really well! It was fun to spend time with some friends as well. We also played catch phrase which is always fun. That game is classic, we played it in high school and LOVED it and 6 years later still love it.
We relaxed friday! On Saturday, I had a bridal shower and a reception. The reception was so fun because it was my friend Mike's, from BYU Idaho. I got to see so many people that I have not seen forever and it was so fun to catch up.
Mother's Day was so nice. Evelyn made me a card and it was so cute. She held the markers and Daddy helped her make the card. It is adorable. Then my sweet friend Sarah, invited us over for dinner so I didn't have to cook. The ham was delicious and so were the desserts. I love Mother's Day it is just a nice day to reflect on the mother's in your life and how much they molded who you are. Evelyn is hungry so I better go!

Good Reminder...

Is it just me, or do you get caught up in the day to day life and sometimes take for granted your own life? Then out of NO WHERE you hear a story or some one you know goes through something difficult and you stop and think about how grateful you are for your own blessings. I have had a couple of those situations this week that make me stop and hug my husband a little longer, and give Evelyn even more .(if that is even possible)

I don't mean to sound like I am bragging but I have exactly what I want in life (okay, okay, not EVERYTHING but everything that is important). I have a loving, understanding husband, a beautiful daughter who was not difficult to get here, the gospel which centers my life, and we are poor, but we have everything I need.

I am guilty of taking things for granted and not appreciating my life as much as I should. Tender mercies today are taking naps with Evelyn, Jeff's text messages while he is working, the beautiful weather, and finally my testimony.

Tender Mercies

So unfortunately I haven't been feeling well this week. On Monday I went to the BYU indoor track and went running. My throat was kind of hurting but I just chalked it up to not drinking enough water. I also had a headache, but I just thought well I ran I must just be light headed and hungry. Well, all day it was just getting worse and worse. I had a pounding headache that wouldn't go away and then I had the body aches and body temperature problems. However, I have had so many tender mercies since I have been sick .

Tender Mercy #1. I have a wonderful husband who when gets home from working 10 HOURS and he takes over and does EVERY THING, so I can rest.

Tender Mercy #2. Evelyn has been SO GOOD this week yesterday she played on the carpet for hours while I sat and watched her and she was not fussy.

Tender Mercy #3. Evelyn has also been taking really good naps in the afternoon so I can nap too!

Tender Mercy #4. Evelyn is just so cute that even though I felt crappy she still makes me smile1