What makes you happy?

Greg was following us with the camera. We were enjoying the Las Vegas Temple, which is one of my favorites! It's beautiful inside and out! Greg's parents were finishing up their session after Greg and I already did intiatories while taking turns with Tess. Don't get me wrong, I am like any mom that needs breaks but I really enjoy this little girl. She is so spunky! Here are some things she has been up to lately (all these notes were taken from my phone, where I keep a running tab of what it is like to live with Tess!):

6/10- says, uh oh! And is currently my favorite thing she says. If that is even possible, I love all the noise and sounds this girl makes. Can go down the stairs the right way now! (I still spot her to be sure) starting to throw some major fits! Now I'm saying uh oh. And embarassed me for the first time at our ward play pals with a fit. Last couple weeks we have tried twists in her hair, half up pigtails, and a ladder! So cute! I love trying to play with her hairstyles. She sits with her feet in the sink and plays with the water while I play with her hair! It's not a perfect system all the time but we seem to be successful! She likes to "share." We will be sitting down and she'll give me something and proceed to give me anything else she can find. I egg her on with "thank yous." So fun! 
5/18: Tess blooms and gets more fun and spunky everyday. She stands up and sits down constantly still! She's starting to walk along furniture and bear crawl a lot! She got mom and dad down, hi, and bye. She waves like a pro! She also loves to dance! She does a butt bump and does a jig. She also can ham up a fake cry that is just too cute! She learns fast. There are so many facets of her personality that it's hard to name everything. But she is a little sunshine girl! Full of life, smiles, and curiosity! 
4/27-Greg said, "it's getting more fun everyday to be her dad." She is a wiggle worm!! Never sits down and relaxes. On the go, moving, constantly! She loves people! Very friendly and enjoys attention a lot! She loves sparkly things like necklaces and sequence. She babbles a lot and likes to wave her arms around in a wind mill motion. She pulls up all day long! She can sit herself back down and pull up just about everywhere and the stairs were mastered once we moved here and gave her a chance to try! She goes up them like a champ. She likes her Walker okay but only for a bit, she gets around in it like a pro! Funny, there was no learning period for that. She got in it and started running. Sleeping through the night is still tough and still working on it. Breaks my heart. I've had to close both doors and shut off the monitor because I just can't seem to buckle down and sleep train. It's been hard, so far I've never woken up when she was awake but I've gone in and she's laying wonky along with cry hiccups. Last night, she hiccuped the whole time I fed her. Makes me so sad that she was crying so hard for probably a long time. I don't know what is worse, not hearing her cry or wondering how long and hard she did. I just hope she is learning to comfort herself and becoming more independent that way. I should've been more diligent a long time ago, now it's harder for her. I'm going to do it a few more nights and then tune in on the monitor to see exactly how she is doing instead of guessing. So hard. The only reason I can do it, is because I feel confident it is right. I've thought a lot about how to help her and no solution has left me as confident.(We are back to sleep problems, she has molars coming in and I think this affects her sleep pattern a lot. Possibly also more growth spurt, thus feeding more. She wakes up twice a night now. Without fail. Sometimes more.) She has the most darling, fun, and spunky personality. She laughs and smiles easily, she loves to play and be outside, and she loves ice cream! She has a high chair now and every meal she eats with us and most ends up in her lap but so far chicken noodle soup with mashed potatoes is a favorite along with tomatoes. She likes other things, cream of wheat is a hit for breakfast every morning and so far she will try almost anything but no guarantees that she won't spit it out! Her reactions are priceless! She says hi and bye and waves pretty good! Her favorite game right now is peek a boo with her hiding behind her hands. She still loves to clap, blow raspberries, and click her Tounge. She also likes to giggle when everybody else does! Even if she doesn't know what the joke is. She's a little mimic! I love it, the giggles are my favorite possibly. 
4/15-she's really good at pulling herself up and does it constantly. She can stand without holding on very well or at all. She can sit herself back down now! So now she goes up and down...up and down! 
4/2-said MOM!!!!!!! 
3/25- crawling/bear walking-a combo! Pulling herself up to stand too! 
3/24- a serious talker! We talk goo goo ga gas all day long! Still loves perk a boo, loves to be sung to, loves people and is a major ham, waves her arm, likes to eat off my plate, says dada like crazy. Gets around, but not crawling yet. She is trying to stand and is in a downward dig position a lot! She mimics like crazy. Rasberries and clicks her Tounge. She's had 4 upper teeth for a month now. She's starting to get additional bottom teeth. You see her bottom teeth all the time, those two little teeth. You see her 4 upper teeth more often! 
3/11-she has been doing it for a few days (1week) but has been doing it all day today! She can go from laying down to sitting up on her own! And, she does a sweet yoga downward dog! The girl has core! 
3/4-Tess is rolling everywhere!!! 
3/2/14: now! Rolls back to front but not often. Clicks her Tounge! Claps! And will play hide and seek. Hides herself behind curtain and uncovers herself. :) at hotel first! 
2/14-rolling front to back!! And rolling around! A few days Go she started getting on her hands and knees and scooting backwards. She rocks a little too. She babbles now too! A lot! She has always been a talker but now she talks more. Seems to be a distinct increase.
2/12-getting right front tooth in. 
2/5-getting fangs 
1/28-takes her socks off every chance she gets!

I guess you could say getting a little air is a for sure smile with this girl! 

We are definitely buddies and I look forward to seeing what else she brings to our family and seeing her life unfold.

One of my favorite pictures....

I wish this weren't blurry, but you can still see that big grin. These two are two peas in a pod! 

This girl is one determined baby!

She loves dirt, like every other little kid! 

Mmmmm...that is good! 

Oh, and we can't forget about rocks! She loves rocks. 

The temple and families make me happy. 

Being with family and enjoying outdoor fun also makes me happy! When Bart and Anne came to see Anne's parents during a time we don't expect grandpa Jones to live much longer, they planned a long trip so they could stay with us and spend some time with us! It was wonderful. Ben and Amanda also came down and we love having them also. Golf, food, laughs, work, etc was enjoyed while they were here. Bart and Anne watched Tess while the rest of us went rock climbing at Red Rocks. I've never driven through there, it was very pretty. Not very big, but pretty. And the climbing was of course fun. 

This is hands down, one of Greg's prized happy places...climbing. And he is really good at it too. He also loves to share it, which is neat. I am not half as good as he is, I slow him down, complain because I stink, etc and he is so patient and just gives me lots of encouragement.

I was trying to figure out how to take some neat pictures of climbers, it's really hard! Poor Amanda, she was the one climbing when I tried taking the most shots. So, she is the star of this post! :) 

We went to St. George while everybody was here to visit Grandpa and Grandma Jones. It was really fun, she was so excited to meet Tess. We all went out to a nice steakhouse that night which was a fun end to our day. Anne and I stuck around during the day while the guys went to golf. I watched Tess while she helped her mom and visited with her. Could be the last time she ever sees her dad, I am so glad they were able to come out! 

At Grandma Jones house! Checking herself out in the mirror! 

They had some cute moments, I never got a decent picture though. Bummer. 

Ahh! Grandmas are the best. Tess loved exploring their house. 

Now, back to Colorado! Vacations and events make me happy!!! Yes, they do. I love a good party. Paige was graduating and we all wanted to be there for Mom's 50th birthday. It was a very fun trip! Paige got her FIRST job, which she had been working so hard to find. It's always hard to find your first job. It's hard to find one period, but the first is so scary. My mom wanted help planting her garden for her birthday along with some yummy food and relaxing to enjoy her day. So, that's what we did. We talked about a big party, but felt it wouldn't be mom's thing. So, we all planned to be there to enjoy the day with her. I thought it was perfect. Parties are fun, I do like them, but on a small scale. With close friends and family, and the laid back type of parties. Those are the kind I love too. 

Planting the garden...

Tess and Grandpa! 

The newly married couple! So cute. 

Tess wanting up! 

Telling some big time stories! 

Mom on her 50th, opening her presents. We decorated the kitchen area, had french fries for brunch (was supposed to be breakfast but with the flooding it made it hard to get to the store very well), had steak, shrimp, baked potatoes, corn on the cob-Mexican style, and zuchini boats for dinner. She requested carrot cake for the dessert and of course we got some ice cream to top it off! 

I put together a book full of pictures and text. Everybody contributed text with wonderful memories, thanks, and praise for this wonderful mom of ours. My dad helped a bunch with pictures. Greg, Tess, and I had it printed in a nice hard bound book for her gift. Trevor got her some beautiful classic picture books, Paige got her a trendy bad, Molly and Trey made a crafty shadow box, and dad got her a new computer! I'd say she did pretty well!

Our hard bound book full of pictures and memories came a few days late, so we printed it off so she could at least see it on her birthday. A preview anyway! My dad included a poem he wrote that was so thoughtful!

Trey was manning the camera for all this. He got a rare picture of me nursing Tess. She always sticks her foot up like that, I think it is so funny.

Walking in to see the decorations!! 

My mom, she makes me happy. So many good memories and benefits of having the love of a mother. Especially this one. Thanks mom! 

I love seeing people enjoy Tess. I enjoy her, Greg enjoys her, but it just adds to it when I see how much others enjoy her and her personality. It's safe to say that her and Trevor have a cute little bond going. He is so good with her and makes her laugh all the time. He said it feels like a crowning achievement when he makes her laugh, and he does it a lot.

Oh goodness! These two, my dad is feeding her again. Like I already said, I love the joy that this little girl brings to many other people besides just Greg and I. I am excited to have more kids! More must mean more happiness, right? :) 

My mom seems to be a more patient and quiet onlooker, even though she isn't a vocal, in your face type of person. She does so much for my little girl and is very VERY thoughtful.

Uh oh, NO NO grandpa!!! 

That's better. 

Itsy-Bisty Spider! 

Then there is my sweet grandma, I also call her one of my best friends. I am so lucky, I am surrounded by the best people in the world. 

Peek-A-BOO! 

Paige's Graduation! We tried very hard to make our excitment known with shouts, chants, and cheers! 

On the bigger and better things now! SO proud of Paige and what a great girl she is. 

Give me my baby!!!! 

These two. These two make me happy! I love seeing how happy and in love they are after so many years! Over 50 years, and these two are as flirty as ever.

I'm digging Trey's stance, how about that!?  Ha ha. 

Well, that is it! There are so many wonderful things about this life and the things we do in order to be happy in the next life. I am so grateful for it all.