It's a Small World After All

We went to Disneyland this past summer and Sarah fell in love again with the Small World ride. We went on it at least six times!(Note: don't watch this video unless you LOVE the ride, too. I am just posting it here for easy access so Sarah can watch it.) Steve said that he's never liked the ride before, but now he totally looks forward to it because Sarah loves it so much. Funny what becoming a parent does to your entertainment preferences!

I know it's kind of cheesy, but I actually really like the message of the ride....the music leaves something to be desired, but the message is great. I think in the world we focus too much on our differences, when we're really much more similar than different. Here are the lyrics just in case you forgot:

It's a world of laughter, A world of tears.

It's a world of hopes and a world of fears.

There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware

It's a small world after all.

There is just one moon and one golden sun,

And a smile means friendship to ev'ryone.

Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide,

It's a small world after all.

18 Months Today!

Sarah is 18 months today. The time is FLYING by. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. I remember being so impressed when she'd lift her head or give a tiny smile, and now she's mimicking everything we do from speaking to cooking and even dancing! I love watching Sarah grow and learn about the world around her. She is the joy of our lives and we're so excited to be having another in just a few months.
Here is Sarah after church in her Easter dress. She loves sitting and reading in this chair. She'll just rock and talk for 20 minutes sometimes. It's adorable!


Here is Sarah checking herself out on her trycicle. She loves looking at herself in the mirror ("...you're so vain; you probably think this song is about you...you're so-o vain!"). Sometimes she'll wrap a necklace or ribbon around her neck and then she'll pose in front of the mirror--it cracks me up every time!
All bundled up with her favorite blanket....what would we do without the blanket and the thumb?

Sarah Reading

This is a cute clip of Sarah reading her Beatrix Potter book. She babbles like this all day long and it cracks me up. Hope you enjoy!

It's a .....

We had an ultrasound this morning and.....it's a BOY!!!! We're so excited to know that we're having a boy. It will be a definite change from all the pink and flowers, but we're so happy for the new addition. The ultrasound tech told us that he's about 7 inches long and weighs about 1/2 pound. Growing so quickly! Now all we have to do is come up with a name...any suggestions?

The Long Walk Home

Yesterday Steve took Sarah to the park, which is only about 2 1/2 blocks away. When it was time to come back home Sarah started pushing the stroller and Steve thought it would only last a few feet. But Sarah pushed her stroller the entire way home...that has to be like a 5K for her little legs! Hope you enjoy this little clip.

Tisa's Party Trick

Margi's Baby Shower

Margi Chase had her beautiful Audrey Elizabeth three weeks early, so her baby shower had to be postponed until the baby could come out in public. We had a great time eating, opening gifts, playing games, and talking. One of the highlights was Tisa City's karate trick. Here's a quick clip of what she calls an ax kick split. Impressive! Congratulations to Margi and Jared...Audrey is beautiful!

More from Nova Scotia

Sarah's new best friend was Uncle Garr...they played ball, took naps in the car, and ate strawberries to their hearts content!
Kasey, Annie, Adele, Jane, Lill, Garr, and Sarah.

We were able to go to the temple, which is only about 10 minutes from the mission home. It was great to all be there together.

We visited the mission office where Sarah was working very hard taking calls.

Visit to Nova Scotia

My mom, sisters, and I were able to visit Lill and Garr Jacobsen (a.k.a. President and Sister Jacobsen) a couple weeks ago in Nova Scotia. My uncle is the mission president and my aunt the mission B&B operator--during transfer week she fed a total of 168 mouths! They have been in Nova Scotia for almost one year and they are doing super! It was so great to see them and see where they are serving their mission. I feel so blessed to have good family who are so happy doing good things. It was truly refreshing to get out and see the Church in action. Way to go, Lill and Garr! And thanks for letting us crash the mission home for a few days!

We had a great time going all over the islands...we visited Peggy's Cove, one of the most famous lighthouses in Canada. We also visited two storybook fishing villages where we had a great time driving and seeing all the brightly painted homes. (The weather is so grey most of the time, so people paint their homes bright colors for a little excitement....and boy do they paint!) We also ate at a locals-only greasy spoon where we had the best and freshest fish I've ever had. Our trip wasn't complete without a visit to the temple. We all were able to do initiatory and it was a fabulous experience. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Memorial Park

We had a great time at the park Saturday evening....at 6 p.m. it was still in the high 70s and gorgeous! We took our Papa John's pizza and had a picnic. I broke out Sarah's summer clothes. Her shorts are a little big--they're supposed to be tight! I hope you enjoy this clip of Sarah mastering her walking and flying!

Swinging at the Park

Making Cookies

The other day Sarah helped me make cookies and while I was cleaning up she had her hand in the bowl. She knew she was caught doing something she shouldn't, but she was too cute to punish!

Bacci Ball

A few days ago we had an impromptu barbeque with some friends. We all played bacci ball (a game Steve learned in Spain) after and had such a good time. Here are some cute pictures of Sarah while we played.

Mowing the "Back 40"

So we don't really have a "back 40", but Steve swears that it feels like it. We finally got the lawnmower fixed and Steve couldn't wait to mow the lawn. Our property line goes clear back to the brown house in the very back of this picture. When we first moved in last fall, it took Steve almost four hours to mow the entire yard! Yesterday it only took him two hours....that's why they call him Lightning Later! Sarah likes to ride on the lawnmower with Steve and she claps for him every time he gets to the top of the hill.

Sarah and I ate these gorgeous and delicious strawberries for breakfast. They were only $1.28 for one package, so I bought two! There's nothing better than fresh strawberries!

Spring is Here!

Things I Love About Spring (in no particular order):
1. Green grass
2. Waking up to sunlight
3. BBQ for dinner
4. Spending hours at the park with Sarah
5. Taking walks and not freezing my buns off
6. Fruit--strawberries, kiwi, pineapple
7. Warm weather--it's been in the 70s all week!
8. Birds chirping all day
9. Capris
10. Sandals
11. No coats
12. The smell of freshly cut grass
13. My freshly cut grass (we finally got our lawnmower fixed!)
14. Neighbors coming out of the woodwork
15. Summer break is just around the corner!
16. Tulips and daffodils
17. Sarah watching all the critters on our lawn and trees (squirrels, birds, & bunnies)

Bath Time!