Dose of Life.

Last week was pretty busy...at least the weekend was.

Friday Ryan and I went shopping for lots of house goods.

Saturday was the busiest day we've had in a long time. We had a pioneer day activity at 10. Then we went to the temple at 2 and got to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Packard. We spent the rest of the afternoon continuing to put stuff away and shopping for things at Target (like a welcome mat)! I finally finished the backsplash! That was the one project the house really needed to be finished. There is still a need for some deep cleaning AND some candle help--the place still smells like old people and feels all dusty. This Saturday we are finally going to have internet so that will be a welcomed change.

The last few weeks have been a little overwhelming. There are just so many things changing. MyMy and getting so big. She is so much fun to play with now. Clark is probably her best friend as of now and I know Grandma CiCi is loving that MyMy reaches for her now.




I finished our table but didn't get to take any pictures of it, so those will have to come next week!
This is my most recent 'craft.' Toilet paper rolls and hot glue! I have all of the ladies at the office bringing me their rolls from home. It is slowly getting bigger and bigger!

Ninja baby sign off!

Sweet summer

Its been quite some time since our last post. The deets as of late:

• Officially graduated BYU (SCORE!)
• Moved to Texas
• depressing in the sense that we miss all of our friends TERRIBLY
• exciting in the sense that its TEXAS and Texas is awesome
• Working...
• Chillin' at the pool
• House projects SLOWLY being completed
• There is a before and process picture of our kitchen table below!
• The majority of furniture bought 
• Meeting other dental school wives/students
• FREE items found or offered to us
• washer/dryer
• dresser for MyMy
• two awesome old school TVs
• closet organization items
• space heater
• hibachi grill
• Yes...I would agree we're pretty much blessed
• Finally nibbled on our wedding cake topper...two years later. Needless to say it wasn't as good as it was originally, but it was still pretty!
• MyMy is getting SO big. She loves talking, eating cheerios in her high chair, and spending the afternoons with CiCi. She has even started pulling herself up to standing and walking when we hold her fingers.
• Bought a car
• sweet, sweet success (for less than 5K!)

I will be doing lots, here me...lots of home improvement/furniture redo projects in the coming months. I have committed myself to updating once a week. So months don't go by (like the months preceding this post...) without any updates...

Needless to say...

Stay tuned for some serious goodness...and maybe some good advice on DIY projects...

 

 

Messy, sticky HAIR

MyMy has started eating rice cereal. She really seems to like it, BUT she makes a real mess. She is starting to get a lot more control of her arms and hands and swats at the spoon!

Ryan played in his first few flag football games too. I'm sad that this is the last time he'll really get to play with his buddies. He loves football so much though, and I'm glad he at least has the chance to play. The nights he has played get freakishly snowy. He gets decked out in his long johns...

Last Sunday was our stake conference. It was a great, spiritually filled weekend. Our stake president is so good at giving us challenges.

1. Ask yourself if the media in your home is inviting to the spirit
2. Say thank you to 2 people every day
3. As a couple choose someone in your ward to serve each week
4. Get to sacrament 5 minutes early
5. Read Elder Bednar's talk "Things as they Really Are" for FHE once this month

Since Ryan didn't have any meetings, and our stake conference was in the morning, we finally got to spend a Sunday afternoon together. We went for a walk on the river trail and read together out at the duck pond. 

In other news...

If you didn't notice from the first picture...I cut my hair!!!! I was sick of my long hair and thought I'd try out the straight across Asian type bangs. Well...I did and hated them. Bangs are not a good look for me. The next day I went back and chopped it all off.

One other thing...MyMy loves the mirror. If she is at ALL fussy we just plop her in front of the mirror in her Bumbo and she'll talk to herself for a while.

Time Turner

I've been wanting to update for a while, but it comes at the bottom of the priority list. This semester has been the busiest/stressful semester of my LIFE! I was really busy in high school, but I was just doing a lot of things that didn't necessarily take a lot of brain power or work. That is what makes this semester so different. Baby spends a lot of time in the bumbo while Ryan and I study at the kitchen table...

Yesterday, I had class from 4-5. Ryan had to take a test so I had to drop MyMy off at Scarlet's before class. After class, I went to pick up MyMy. Ryan didn't finish his test until 5:15 but had to be at work at 5:45. I ran home, grabbed his work shirt, stopped at Wendy's for some dinner. Then at 7:15 I had to leave again to drop MyMy off at T&K's before my dance rehearsal...This seems to be a regular happening this semester. Poor baby MyMy doesn't get us as much as I'd like...but it's only for a few more months!


More exciting news...


I'm light weight! I am weighing less now than I did before I got pregnant. MAN that is a good feeling...




 

MyMy is smiling all the time and it melts my heart. She has starting to roll (or head dive) randomly. She also decided that she doesn't want to nurse anymore...So she's been gaining weight faster because she is eating more formula. Plus, she loves the bathtub. She giggles, smiles and kicks the entire time she is in the water.





 The GOP debates have been some of our favorite things to watch lately. MyMy was hanging out while Ryan caught up on some of the debate topics.

We love being parents. The joy I feel is indescribable... It is a brand new feeling when I stare at her. I often wonder what she will be like, and how she and I's relationship will be. Weird to think that I'm a mom, but I love it!

Oh books..

Quick catch up...

Christmas break was AMAZING. We were with both of our families which was such a treat. I am always amazed at how different our families are but how well we seem to have adapted! We are so blessed to have such kind parents and siblings.

This was my first year to experience a full-out Packard family Christmas. I must say it exceeded my expectations! I obviously never had younger siblings so watching Clark get so into it was really fun.

I know that isn't much but that's all I've got for Christmas.

School started. For some reason, I decided to kill myself this semester. I'm taking 13 credits which doesn't sound like much but it is when one class requires you to read 3 books in one week.

On top of school (which is keeping me much busier than last semester) I am a part of theVerve movement. We are a dance company expressing ourselves for a greater purpose. Sounds neat right?  Our first rehearsal was Monday night. The choreography is amazing, and it feels great to dance again. The only draw back is the time; up to 6 hours away from baby, Ryan and school work.

Our poor apartment has sure shown my neglect. There are clothes strewn all over the bedroom and stacked high in the hamper. Dishes sit on the counter to be washed. Books, syllabi, and computers clutter the kitchen table and living room floor.

After tomorrow (when my 3 books assignment is turned in), I will show the house some love and cuddle with my sweet baby girl ALL NIGHT! Then, when Ryan gets home, we'll finally get some time together and maybe go to bed at the same time. I hate when Ryan gets in bed first...but since I've been so busy this week, it has happened every night.

Sleepy

Ryan hates that I always take pictures of him sleeping..He is just so cute I can't help it! He's even cuter when he's snuggle up with baby MyMy. I love that I get to sleep next to him every night!

Cuddling is the best; no matter how long you've been married.








Tonight Ryan conked out pretty quick. Studying does a number on him and since its finals week he's been doing a lot of it.

Thank you for working so hard sweet man. Its one of the many reasons I love you! =)

Goodness

Life has been so good lately and I have been so happy. I realized how lame I have been my whole life without this happiness!!

Last week on Thursday, Ryan found out he got accepted into Baylor. I don't know what it was about that, but since then, I just have constant reminders of how WONDERFUL my life is! Although they remain constant, those reminders seem brand new every time they come around. I feel so ridiculously blessed that its ridiculous!

I find so much joy in being a mother. Sometimes it still doesn't feel completely real; that she is all mine. She is beautiful and happy. Its amazing how happy her happiness makes me! I can only imagine the joy our Heavenly parents feel when we are happy. I know that the joy I have in my life is because of the gospel and my knowledge of God's plan. Everything has a purpose and every day I learn more of mine.



Ryan is such a strength and example of faith and courage in service. He has such a busy life now with work, school etc. No matter how busy he gets, he takes time to bless others lives and to spend time with me. Last week, he got home from school one day and grabbed some trash bags. I asked what he was doing and said, "the guy across the street is raking leaves and I'm going to go help." He didn't know the man, but wanted to help. He also saw a guy in our ward who is kind of quiet outside last week working on his car, Ryan went outside with him and spent a hour or two asking questions, building a relationship. I love him more now than I ever did before.  

Amazing how love evolves over time isn't it?