Maple Sugar Weekend- in pictures

This little girl....

is SIX months today! Happy half-birthday Annalise!

(picture taken at 5 months)

So far, Annalise is sitting up on her own.

She started her first solid foods two days ago. We skipped the cereal and went straight to sweet potato and she loves it!

She did try cereal, but she is not a fan.

She loves chewing on fresh pineapple, when it was gone she cried for more.

She does not care for peas, but we're going to work on that one.
She laughs and smiles easily and all the time. She is such a happy baby.

She coos and chatters a lot.

She LOVES bathtime. She splashes and laughs like crazy! She is just like Juliette in this respect.

She doesn't have any teeth yet.

She loves watching her big sister dance.

She loves watching Ginger and will grab on to her fur and try to put it in her mouth.

She likes having a blanket over her face or near her cheek during nap time.

She likes playing peek-a-boo.

She loves playing with scarves and shaker instruments

She love playing with paper! I mean really, really loves paper! She rattles it around and puts it in her mouth.

She sucks on her fingers and thumb when she doesn't have her pacifier.

She loves rolling balls on the floor.

Annalise has brought great joy and happiness to our lives, I cannot imagine life without my precious child.

Christmas Tree

So Blessed

I'm feeling extremely blessed right now. I have a wonderful, happy, healthy family. We are so fortunate to have a warm, safe home in a nice town. To have plenty of food to feed us all. To have a beautiful Christmas tree with presents this year.

I received an email from Juliette's PTO stating that there were several children in need of donations and without these donations they were not going to have any presents this year. I was shocked. I guess I didn't realize that there are people around us don't have the means to buy their children presents for Christmas. I thought living on a student's income was restricting; we feel the stresses of living on a tight budget constantly, but we have enough to buy presents for our family!

Then it really hit me. I recognized the man standing ahead of me at the Post Office, his almost one-year-old in his arms and his six-year-old trailing behind him. I knew the girl. She was in Juliette's kindergarten class last year.

It was so unfortunate....tragic even. I remember the day this little girl brought in a picture of her little brother, proudly carrying it around, showing it to anyone who'd listen. Juliette's teacher told me the mother had had complications after the birth. I didn't think anything of it until it was my day to volunteer again. Someone from the office staff called the teacher to the office. I stayed behind with the children and continued reading the story. The teacher came back in tears. I knew something was wrong but I never thought it was what I was about to hear. The little girl's mother had passed away.

I was shocked. The poor family...the baby boy who will never know his mother, the devestated little girl who will wonder when her mother is coming home...and her husband...I can't imagine the pain of losing a spouse.

Today I saw them together for the first time since last year. It hit so hard, I wasn't prepared for the feelings that were about to emerge. My eyes started welling up with tears. I tried to push them away, but the only thing I could think of was how hard it must be. Almost Christmas, continuing on after losing someone so close to you. I immediately thought of Annalise and Juliette. What if it were me. What if I didn't survive the birth of my daughter? I cannot imagine it, I cannot imagine the pain this poor family must have suffered.

I'm thankful for my Savior and His Atoning sacrifice. If something were to happen to one of us, I am reassured that we will be reunited. Families are sealed together forever. Not just here on earth.

And for that...I am thankful. So very thankful for my two beautiful daughters and my loving husband.

My Sweet Family

Christmas Traditions

This year we tried something different. We usually make a gingerbread house, but this year we made a gingerbread train. I probably would never have made the switch if my mother hadn't bought us the kit to make ourselves. Although, I have to say, it was nice not having to make the icing myself. This year our kit came with a pouch of icing, rather then the powdery stuff you have to mix with water. That stuff takes forever to clean off your dishes. It's like glue. We did end up doing a house too, I had already purchased one from Rite Aid on sale. It was a nice change.

As you can see, this girl was having a ton of fun...or maybe it was the sugar high.

Her expressions are priceless.

How could you do Christmas without an advent calendar...or three?!

Thanksgiving 2010

The Lawsons on Thanksgiving 2010