Pictures...

Here are a couple of Bella "cleaning"!! Don't mind the outfit and hair...mid morning and we're just getting started!!!





Here are some of my funny little love...the ones where she is laughing uncontrollably are due to her dad being CRAZY for her!! So much fun!!

18 Months Old!!

Seriously, I can hardly even believe it!! I think I am now officially the mother of a toddler...crazy!! I always wanted to be a mom...right from when I was a little girl. I was always the one that hated anyone's feelings getting hurt and I would "mother"/"smother" (!!) the poor kids who got left behind sometimes. Being a mom has changed me...in BIG ways. From the moment she was born, life became about her and for her. She is amazing!!

Things my big girl is doing now...talking!! Well, tons of babbling but we have some words in there!! Hi, no, momma, dadda, yeah, no, shoes, ball, good girl, cold, bye, stinky, uckies (yucky!!)...I'm sure there are some I'm leaving out so I'll add them later! She smiles and waves at just about anybody and is a dancing queen let me tell you!! I love dancing to funny little commercials with her, she is hilarious!! She also loves to clean...yep u heard me!! She grabs the broom and the dustbuster and pretends she's cleaning all the time!! She also loves organizing...she is so particular about all her stuff being in certain spots and piles and I often open random cupboards to find things stashed in there!!

She is a total momma's girl and clings to me constantly...she is usually just right there next to me throughout my day, which is fun sometimes but hard to get things done at other times!! Now don't get me wrong, this girl LOVES her daddy too!! As soon as we hear the garage door open we run downstairs together and she just giggles and waves, so happy to see him!! She is soooo good at giving hugs, they are the best, and her kisses are awesome too!! I could go on and on about my little love, she brings me the most joy and sometimes frustration, and she is all ours!! It's amazing how lives have changed and how better they are. I can't even imagine what it was like without her!!

Summer has finally begun...

Man, it has been FOREVER!! I don't even know where to start on a recap...

May was a good month for me...lots of memories b/c it's been 4 years since I got baptized! Amazing I know!! The time has flown by and I still feel like a newbie but I am so so so greatful for the blessings I have due to this momentous decision.

One fabulous blessing is my beautiful baby girl...Bella made her modelling debut in the Beautiful Bride Fashion Show at the Welcome Wagon Bridal Fair!! She did amazing, strutted down that runway in the cutest flower girl dress and smiled, waved, posed and twirled her way into the hearts of everyone there! Seriously though, she is such a show off but can be so shy at times so I was surprised at her boldness! It was so much fun and she didn't even want to get off the stage! I had to go and get her! Too funny! Sorry the pictures are so blurry, I wasn't the one taking the pictures!!





With summer peeking it's head out every now and then we have been trying to take advantage of the beautiful lake here in our community. We LOVE it!! There is a cute beach, a water/splash park, a playground and even paddleboats/canoes (which I have yet to venture out on!). Bella was a little wary of the sand the first few times but now she runs across it the moment I set her down! She even runs up to the water and paddles a bit, so fun! As soon as I get her out of the car and she sees where we are she starts giggling and smiling and kicking her legs in excitment...the spray park is a HUGE hit with her! I can barely drag her away. I hope we have many more lazy days there this summer, it's so convenient and there is almost always someone there we know!





Last weekend was the RS retreat at the Prince cabin in Glenwood. I went just for the Friday night because I had signed up for the 8km Ladiesfest run in Lethbridge with my sister in law. I'm so glad I still decided to sleep over (even though I didn't get to bed until 3:30 and woke up at 5:30 to head to Magrath and then to my race!!)...I got to know some really wonderful girls and play some fun games! It was so fun to see everyone just let loose and be goofy, I really loved it! Now...the race...good news, I finished it!! Bad news...I felt like I was going to die!! Haha, no seriously, it was super fun, hard at the end (stupid whoop up drive hill) but we did really well (i thought!) and it felt amazing after!! Now I'm trying to convince myself to go through with the marathon in October...I haven't even started training for that yet!! I need help!! Any tips would be appreciated...I need to get in shape and loose the left over baby weight FOR GOOD and FAST!!! Help?? Anyone?? PLEASE??!!

Easter fun...

I know, all of a sudden I'm a blogging fiend!! Just wanted to post some pics of the fun we had last week with my mom...she called the Tuesday before Easter and said that flights were super cheap right now...(she lives in England) and so she came 2 days later and stayed for a week! It was so much fun, we hadn't seen her since we went over there in October, and so she just loved playing with Bella and seeing how much she has grown! We did some good shopping and hung out and relaxed...my brother and his girlfriend came to stay too so it was a fun family weekend! I actually made Easter dinner, quite a feat I know, my mom could hardly believe her eyes! And it was pretty good!! We ate way too much chocolate but made up for it in the long walks we took...beautiful weather and amazing company! Bella sure loved her "gogo" (that's Zulu for grandma), especially all of my moms bracelets and necklaces!! (she's eccentric that way!!) It was a wonderful week, and we were sad to see her go...but we've already started planning our next trip, so London at Christmas here we come!!

Our Engage-a-versary!!

Yes, I made that up. Nope, I don't care that it's not a real occassion...I still got flowers and I still think I have an amazing hubby!! 4 years ago today he proposed...after only 6 months of dating...it was amazing! Here's our story:

It was the last day of my final exams (good old Grant MacEwan in Etown), and I had to work at my apartment building job right after...so I was exhausted by the end of the day (and looking like crap...) and my only consolation was that Mason was picking me up and taking me home to get ready for a night out...so I thought!! His car pulled up but he wasn't in it...his cousin Braeden and his best friend Jordan were! I knew something was up, especially when I was given a rose and poem written by Mase! It was a scavenger hunt, and each poem led to a new place that was a part of our "story".

First...back to the college, where we met! I picked up the rose and the next clue/poem from the security desk...then on to Lazia's restaurant (our first date)...then to Purdy's ice cream shop (where he had prepaid for icecream for all of us too!)...next was the place where he bought my ring from and where one of my friends worked...she handed me the next clue and rose and that took me to the Legislature Grounds (where we used to go for walks all the time) and there was my final rose and clue!! We ended up back at Mason's apartment, where he had set up their card table (their dinner table!!!) and folding chairs (classy, I know!!) and had scattered rose petals ALL over the living room!! He had made me the most amazing dinner, but he was so nervous that he took me out on to the balcony first. I looked down, and he had spray painted WILL YOU MARRY ME?? on a huge drop cloth and secured it on to the roof of the building below his!! It was amazing and so romantic!! Thanks for reading all this soppiness....just felt like a trip down memory lane! Here are some engagement pics...my how we've changed!!

Ear infections...and a cold...

Poor Bella has been so sick...first it was teething (yep the molars are in!!), then it turned into a cold...then on Sunday morning I realized it was more than that b/c she was still so not herself! So we took her into Emergecy and she has a full blown ear infection! Oh my...I had no idea and I feel so bad for not catching it sooner. We are on day 3 of antibotics and so far so good...she seems to be doing far better! Man, when it rains it really freakin pours!!

On a more positive note...we FINALLY finished Bella's nursery! Let me tell you the LONG story: Ever since I first fell pregnant, I envisioned the nursery. I wanted pink walls with cream wainscotting and dark furniture to accent it. In our townhouse, Mason would NOT let me even touch the walls...we put up a few pictures and that was it! I did get my dark furniture however, and the most amazing pink french toile bedding ever!! When we moved to our new house, I brought up the wainscotting idea again...this was the reaction: "Ummmm...Simone? Do you not notice the dark stained baseboards and trim??" me: "yes...so? we can just paint it cream!!" mason: "ARE YOU CRAZY??!! There is no way you are touching that trim!!" Okay...so...new plan!! (you don't mess with a pro painter,let me tell you!) We, I mean Mase, painted the walls cream and pink with a pink polka dot border dividing the 2 colors. I LOVE IT!! It is so cute, and finally looks like the little girls room I have dreamed of! All I need now is a chandalier and some cute curtains...ideas anyone?? Here are some pics of Princess Bella's new palace!!









This is looking into the room...the little ballet picture is from when I was a little girl. My mom bought it for me when we were living in Zimbabwe, so it has literally travelled the world!

Some of the latest...

It has been a while...and not much has happened! Bella is getting bigger and smarter by the minute, it is so fun watching her grow, more than I ever thought! My parents and little sister (Rachel, she is 10 and loves being an "auntie"!!) came to visit last weekend and we went to the zoo to check out the koalas. Bella LOVED the elephants, we could barely get her away! This makes me happy because they are my FAVOURITE animal...I really miss seeing them in the wild.

We have been going to playgroup every week (I'm so proud of us...we are actually getting out there more instead of going to the store every day!!!) and I love it...Bella has made the cutest friend (little Sadie: I say little b/c she is a couple months older than Bella but the same size!) and I love having a little "me" time and chatting with other moms. The church is so fabulous for that - all the little programs they have going really help with keeping active and keeping in touch with those around you. Like our RS party last week...it was AMAZING...the girls did such an awesome job (I can't wait to be part of the planning now...I just got called into Enrichment!!) and the speaker was wonderful. She really made me think about how I rush things all the time...like how I always look into the future (like "one day when we live here..."etc. ) and I don't live in the now and take each opportunity as it comes. Her general message seemed to be that there is plenty of time for all opportunities, we just have to take them as they come and FOCUS ON THE FAMILY. So of course I evaluated our decision to buy the store, but I came to the conclusion that doing it now while Bella is so young is GENIOUS...hopefully next year I will barely have to go in at all and I can concentrate on just growing it and growing our little fam!!
Okay, enough ramblings, here are some pics of the latest...