Moses is 11 months old!!

Aww look at that cute lil pin-up baby boy.  He is sooo wonderful!  So all boy.  All rolls.  Looks like he should be a little angel in a Versailles fountain.  He is so smiley and loves to be alive.  More news on him:

• He says "mamama" and "sings" in the car so cute
• He "waves" to us by putting his hand up
• He is getting much much better at sleeping late.  Usually wakes up by 7:30.  Takes a short 10 a.m. nap and a nice long 2-4 p.m. nap
• Doesn't really like drinking out of a straw.  I'm a little concerned about it since he's going to go to milk soon and I don't want him to be a bottle baby.  Hmmmm.
• He crawls as fast as lightening!  
• He pulls himself up everywhere and can "cruise" around town too
• He adores Lizzie and loves to be with her
• He really enjoys car travel and just chills out with his binky
• He likes his binky a lot and sleeps with it but doesn't seem attached to it during the day
• He is trying to stand without resting his hands anywhere.  I wonder if he'll be walking before 1??
• He likes to be with his mom and I love to snuggle him
• He adores Paul and kicks his legs in glee when he sees him
• He is getting pickier with food.  

Here are some more pics to leave you happy.

Our 21 Day Sugar Detox

Yup!  We are on a 21 day sugar detox.  On day 8 today.  Although it seems like day 205!  But I am LOVING it and am so grateful Paul is doing it with me.  It's great to have a buddy.  We've been really true to the rules and the food is delish.  He's already lost 7 pounds on it.  Crazy huh?  The best part is that it's not a starvation diet at all.  We eat a lot of really savory, healthy food which keep us satiated for long periods of time.

It's bascially a Paleo diet.  Heavy on the meat and green leafy veggies and olive and coconut oil and almonds and no real dairy or legumes or grains and light on the fruit.  I'm not sure if I will continue this exact food lifestyle forever but it's something to experiment with for sure.  I'm also interested in the Weston Price Diet.  But my heart tells me I need to stick to the Word of Wisdom so I'll probably end up doing something more in that area.  Below is a meal I made yesterday.  Oh yeah that's the only real downside to this.  Paul and I love the food but the prep takes FOREVER!  Paul jokes that my new job is "the kitchen."  It's so true.

What you are looking at are jicama "fries."  Oh how I love jicama!  With salt and chili powder (just a touch).  Great salad (heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, lemon, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar).  Gaucamole (shallots really make that tasty).  Roasted chicken legs and some rice and some sweet potato.  Since I'm pregnant she allows for some energy modifications or additions which include a certain amount of rice and sweet potatoes. Also, you can see my toes.  I was a happy person about that whole meal.  Probably my best yet!!

Our Getaway to St. George

For the second year in a row Paul and I went to St George for a quick (before the new baby comes) getaway.  It was fabulous!  I cherish every minute of it.  We got to do a parade of homes, hung out with Paul's cousin Jessica for a bit as she went home from a Vegas conference, got my pedicure, Paul biked, I relaxed and shopped, we saw two movies (Robocop and Saving Mr. Banks), ate a ton of yummy food, and just enjoyed each other's company.  We even went on two great hikes.  One was on the hills above St George and the other one was in Kolob across from New Harmony.  I've had good memories of that place since I was a teenager and was sooo excited to go there with my loverbuns.  Grandma McAllister took care of our little ones while we were out and we were so grateful because this is most likely our only vacay all year long (translation:  how in the world do people corral 3 kids?? 3 kids!!??  Ay ay ay!)  But anyway, I loved our minimoon and I love my Paul so much too.  Here are some pics of us smiling in 70 degree weather.  

I loved this home.  It had a bird theme

Beautiful Kolob

My favorite picture in forever!

5 1/2 months preggo! 

Lovin' life!

I'm feeling pretty blessed today.  I taught a young women's lesson (I'm the Mia Maid adviser) and the girls participated really well and it felt very spiritual in there and they even taught parts of the lesson which is the new way we are supposed to teach.  I was so proud of them and of the good girls they are.  I truly love and admire them.

Then, I also played the organ like a rock star today!!  I have been taking lessons locally from a professional organist and it has made all the difference.  I finally know a lot more what I am doing and my chorister is finally happy with the way I play and said I played fast enough.

We have just paid some debt we had hanging around and boy did that feel wonderful!  I feel so grateful to my Savior for His love and care for me and my family.  I thank Him publicly for all I have.  His name be praised.  Thank you.

Moses is 10 months old!!!

 For the record.  I am OBSESSED with babies sleeping.  I don't know what it is but I have a theory that Heavenly Father wouldn't just drop us to earth cold turkey so when we are little (until we are 8 perhaps) he lets us come back to the pre-existence in our dreams.  I mean look at him.  He is positively ethereal.  Please don't quote me on this though.  I can't believe our little munchkin is 10 months old now.  I adore him so much.  He is always ready with a smile and here are some fun stats on him this month:

• He is finally crawling frontwards and backwards!!
• He can pull himself up on short things like stools and bathtubs and he is so proud and we are so proud!
• He loves to eat broccoli finally (they say it can take up to 17 times for a baby to learn to like a food)
• He doesn't love avocados yet
• He really likes yogurt and food in general
• He is still the smiley-est boy ever and loves to bob and bounce to music
• He adores his sister
• His giggles are adorable

Paleo diet

Yup that's my new thing.  I'm fascinated by it and I'm trying to adopt its habits.  Basically, a protein with a ton of leafy green veggies and some fats.  So it's your chicken with tons of kale and green salad stuff and then a lot of avocados and oil and balsamic vinegar.  I'm just testing out the waters but I gotta say it's really fascinating stuff and I am a believer.  It kinda goes hand in hand with the Crossfit mentality which I also really admire and intend to do again once our baby girl is born (oh yeah 23 weeks already!  I am so excited to meet this little girl o mine.  

So anyhoo, paleo is what I'm in to and I'm liking it.  I will keep you posted...

We got a minivan!

Yeah baby!!  What do you think?  A Dodge Grand Caravan for our driving pleasure.  It's a house on wheels.  I didn't ever think I could get this excited about having a minivan but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  And I know it'll be in our lives for a long time.  It's not a perfect car and needs some repairs (the windows don't work) but we paid for it in cash and have no car payments and man does that ever feel incredible!!  I am one happy mama.  Still getting used to driving it around but Lizzie sure loves it.  Paul put a lot of time and effort into researching it and getting it and it has four wheel drive which I think is so necessary.  I am really grateful for him for his help.  He is a great man and husband and I appreciate him so much.  I need to tell him that more to his face.  So yeah, minivan.  : )