Snow White and the Cowgirl

Because today was a day for pictures!

My Bucket List

Years ago if anyone asked me what was the one thing I wanted to see or do before I died my answer would have been to see the ocean for the first time. Naturally I have seen the ocean several times but I still keep a bucket list of things I want to experience.

These are in no particular order and there is always the knowledge that I may not get to do all of these things. A few I have had the opportunity to do already.

1. See an Aura Borealis

2. Visit the Taj Mahal

3. Go to a Presidential Inauguration

4. Visit Antarctica

5. Go to the top of the Empire State Building

6. Visit Punxsutawncy PA for Groundhog's Day

7. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

8. Ride in a Helicopter

9. Visit all 50 states

10. Watch a Meteor Shower

11. Visit Paris

On Top of the Eiffel Tower with a view of Paris

12.See the Statue of Liberty

13. See Mona Lisa

You are not allowed to take photos of the Mona Lisa, but here is my sweetheart

outside of the Louvre Museum which houses the famous painting.

14. Take a Gondola Ride in Venice

15. See a Total Eclipse

16. Visit Niagra Falls

17. Visit the birthplace of my ancestors (Germany and England)

18. See Leaning Tower of Pisa

19. Old Faithful (Seen as a child)

20. Visit Africa (a Safari)

21. See the Sistine Chapel

22. See the Eiffel Tower

23. See the Great Wall of China

24. Visit St. Petersburg Onion Dome

25. Go Whale Watching

An Orca--off of the coast of British Columbia

26. See the Great Pyramids

27. See the Ruins in Mexico

Chichen Itza

And recently after a fun day at our Air Force Museum and seeing my Olivia dressed up in a NASA outfit, number 28 is to see a Space Shuttle Launch.

What's on your Bucket List?

This made me laugh!

You would think that neither of my girls are happy with their finds from the Easter Bunny, but we all know they were both excited. :)

An Update of Sorts

I have thoughts about blogging, but I can't seem to find a moment of clear thought to do it. Life hasn't exactly been perfect now. I am attempting to function most days on only 2 to 4 hours of sleep. After pregnancy and waking several times in the night to a 4 month old baby that doesn't let me sleep, I am a zombie. I am lucky to remember to brush my teeth. (Honestly there have been a few times where I am driving somewhere and realize just that, I forgot to brush. Thank goodness for gum until I get home!)

At this exact moment I am listening to my baby "cry it out". After a horrible night where she needed me to sooth her back to sleep every 30 to 45 minutes, I decided it's time to truly sleep train her. A few weeks ago a let her cry herself asleep with a nap and for a while nap time was great. Bedtime wasn't so great for the mere fact that I nurse her before laying her down. By the time she's finished eating she is asleep and therefore thinks she needs to nurse to sleep. Tonight after a bowl of rice cereal with pears and a warm lavender bath, I sent her to bed without nursing. It hurts listening to her cry out for me, needing me to sooth her. I keep telling myself that this will last only a short time and we will both be happier in the long run. I hope it's true!

Lucy hates solids! Don't let that cute picture of her after her first bowl of rice cereal fool you. Every day no matter what foods I introduce to her (new or old) she pulls such faces that I can only interpret as "what are you doing to me!" and "But Mom, this isn't you!" I can't believe how different Lucy is from Olivia.

(There has been several moments of silence after listening to screaming for 41 minutes. Please let her be asleep and stay asleep! )

In good news, I have tried very hard to stay true to my commitment to workout and eat better. It's paying off! Today at church I had at least 3 people stop me and tell me that I was looking really good. That feels great! But what is even better is that today I wore a size 8 to church. I was beaming inside from the thought that almost my entire wardrobe has opened up to me again. I have lost all of the pregnancy weight and met that first mini goal a few weeks ago. I'm working on losing the weight I gained from my move a little over a year ago. I know I can do it!

My sweet husband has painted one of the bedrooms downstairs for my craft room and I started to move into it yesterday. I can't wait to have it set up so I can explore my creative side. It's been too long since I've been able to. The only hard thing now is trying to organize everything. I am turning to my decoration and organizing ideas for some inspiration. It will be a while until I have it up and running. I need a few good nights of sleep (because that is where I tend to think of design) and hope to get a certain sewing table that I regret giving away 6 years ago to really make a wonderful craft room.

My other goals that I have set for the year are not going as strong as I would like, but I think the sleep or lack thereof has something to do about that. I still sit down every Sunday and think of what things can I work on this coming week. I have made several new good habits and hope to do more.

Honestly what everything boils down to is me getting enough sleep. I don't mind getting up once or even twice at this point (in the future I look forward to not getting up at all!). I know once I am getting more sleep and perhaps caught up on missing sleep, I can start to work on the HUGE list of projects I have and begin on the thoughts swimming in my head. I like to be busy and at the end of the day I like to have accomplished something.

Hopefully soon Lucy will allow this to be a reality and I can share with you some of the things I am dreaming of doing.

Just a note to end, Lucy did indeed stop crying after 41 minutes and I have hopes that this will lead to a better night. If not tonight then one very soon!

Her first dance shoes

As a child I always wanted to take dance but never had the opportunity. I remember watching different ballets on PBS and trying to memorize some of the moves. I would dance when no one watched (at least I thought so) and pretend that I was a dancer. I still wish that I would have had lessons. I think I could have been pretty good.

Olivia talks all the time of dancing. Last week while she was out running errands with her dad, they were right next to a dance studio. Olivia stopped in the window, with a beaming face and watched the ballerinas.

After making up and copying several dance routines, it was finally time to put her into dance. Today was her first class and did remarkably well for being put into the 4/5 year old class with girls that have been dancing since September. I was so proud seeing my nearly 3 year old doing something that she loves!