30 Day Challenge!

I was inspired by this yesterday.
I discussed it with Dara while we were visiting to celebrate her birthday, and we decided to start a 30 day challenge together.   We're starting rather small, but hopefully it will lead us into a habit that we've all been encouraged to start:

FLOSSING OUR TEETH!

We consulted a few lists, and have plans to complete other 30 day challenges.   Some we may do on our own, or we may try doing more together.   It's good to have a challenge buddy so you can encourage each other and be accountable to reporting to them.   Kara and I did a no sweets challenge last year, and had some success with that.   Here are a few ideas for 30 day challenges that I found/thought of:

take a picture a day
learn a new word a day
read 50 pages a day
draw something every day
clean or organize a space a day - drawer, shelf, closet, cupboard
memorize a measure of music a day
exercise every day
memorize a scripture a day
read the Book of Mormon (Dara did this in March)
act of service every day
try a new recipe every day

What are some of your ideas?    I'd be happy to try some with you!

A Blessing for Lillian

On Sunday morning, February 5, Skip, Kara, and I, after picking up Grandma and Grandpa Condie along the way, drove down to Charlottesville, to attend sacrament meeting with Ryan and Dara, to witness and participate in the priesthood blessing given to little Lillian.   In preparation, I made the dress Dara had picked out for her to wear. 

We were so happy to see her after about a month.  She has filled out a lot and has some sweet round cheeks, and a smile that fills up her whole face.   We passed her around during the meeting.  Kara was holding her in this picture.  It looks like she's playing peek-a-boo! 

After church, we went to Ryan and Dara's apartment (UVA married student housing), took some pictures, and had a delicious meal to celebrate sweet baby Lillian and her special day.

Lillian and Grandma Baird

Kara, Grandma Condie, and Grandma Baird with Lillian

With Grandma and Grandpa Baird

Grandma Shreffler with the sweet Lillian

Dara, her daughter, and her Mom

The whole gang!   Ian, Denise, and Kara in the front.  
Back row:   Grandma and Grandpa Condie, Carla, Lillian, Dara, Aaron, Ryan, Emily, (Jennifer behind me!), and Skip

Grandpa and grandson have the same hat!

A Full Family Christmas

This was one of the best Christmases ever!   It was so nice to have everyone except Leslie (missed her very much!) in Virgnia with us.   We squeezed all 14 of us here in the house on Sturbridge Rd. - Laura, Kart, Aiden, Emma and Owen were in two of the bedrooms downstairs.   Natalie and Kara slept in the other bedroom downstairs.   Ryan and Dara upstairs in the "blue" bedroom, and Beth in the office.   Valerie arrived the day after Christmas, and she had the couch downstairs until another bedroom became available.

We  had some pretty great times together.   Here are some of the highlights:

1.   Making gingerbread houses and stables!

2.   Riding the Metro to D.C.  Laura, Kart, and kids, Beth, Ryan, Dara, and even baby Lillian, and I all took a trip to D.C. early one afternoon.   We rode the Metro to the Smithsonian, and enjoyed seeing the insect zoo, and an interesting forensic bone exhibit at the Natural History Museum.   In the American History Museum, we saw Julia Child's kitchen, and a demonstration on how to stage a sit in  Woolworth lunch counter style!   Then...more metro riding in search of cupcakes.   

 3.  Making, eating, and shopping for cupcakes!   Laura was on a mission during our D.C. trip to collect samples from three different cupcake shops, and taste test them when we got home to determine the best.   Sprinkles in Georgetown was the overall favorite.   They were all pretty good, but the cupcakes Laura made herself later were probably THE best. 

4. Christmas Eve dinner and program at Grandma and Grandpa's. After a delicious meal, we had a service of lessons and carols.   Kara played the piano, and the men read the scripture selections.  Julie and her family, as well as Karyn had come to visit from SC and TX.

5.   Taking silly pictures.

Natalie and Kara

With Aiden

6.  Taking a few normal pictures.

Natalie, Owen, and Kara

Natalie and Ella 

Karyn and Natalie

Laura, Ryan, Owen, Kara, Natalie

7.  Waiting for Santa to come.

8.  Seeing that he came.

9.  Opening gifts.  Some made us laugh.  Some made us cry.   Some were homemade.  Some were tasty.   Some were beautiful.   Some were fun.   Some were dangerous.   Some were silly.   All were given and received with love.

10.  Welcoming Valerie.   We were so happy she took time out of her crazy busy life to spend time with us.   She was full of energy and fun, and we all enjoyed spending time with her.

11.  Running.  It seems to be one of the major forms of exercise we enjoy.   It's easy, not too expensive and keeps us in shape.   Beth had a great time running in D.C. one morning.  

12.  Taking pictures.  On Christmas day, after church, our friend Channon Zabel took family pictures.  I will put my favorites of hers in a later blog post, but here are some out takes with my camera.   

Another fabulous photographer (our own Laura) took some sweet newborn pictures of Lillian.   

Kara and Dara

The Barnetts

Owen

Aiden 

Channon at work

The five siblings

The four girls

Sweet Baby Lillian

13. Hanging out with Grandpa. 

Those are just a few of the incredible times we had.   There were so many more that pictures didn't capture.   We laughed about many things. We feasted on delicious food, and sweet conversation.   We delighted in talents shown and shared.   We filled our hearts with poignant memories to be treasured whenever we think about the Christmas of 2011.   

Our Christmas Tree

This year, Kara helped me decorate for Christmas.  It's always kind of a pain to drag the Christmas storage boxes out from under the stairs, then upstairs, so I always appreciate help with that.  After the boxes are out, I take some of the doodads off the shelves in the living room to make room for the Christmas doodads, like nativities, candle holders, nutcrackers, music boxes, and nesting dolls.   We put together the artificial tree that we've had for about 12 years now.   We love it cause it's fairly tall and narrow.   It fits without getting too much in the way between the dining room and living room.  After putting the tree together comes the dreaded job (always mine) of testing to see if we have enough working lights to cover the tree.   And.......no......we didn't.  So after I tried really hard to cover the tree with what we had (I don't like the lights to be sparse), I ran out to CVS to get one more strand.   After getting all the lights in place, the ornaments go on.  This year, Kara suggested we do more of a theme tree, since we usually just put on the whole ornament collection, so I decided to do crocheted snowflakes, a few crystal ornaments, red berries, and silver balls.  I think it looked kind of pretty.  

Lillian Gabriela Baird

Look who's here!   Dara and Ryan are excited to have their firstborn daughter finally in their arms.   Lillian Gabriela was born December 6, 2011 at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia.    Dara was in good spirits when we came to see them the day she delivered.  Ryan was certainly a proud and brave daddy, already involved in bathing and changing her.   She's home now after just three days, and Dara and Ryan love her more every minute.   Grandma misses her already and  is planning to visit again on Sunday with Kara.

Thanksgiving and Other Things to be Thankful For

I really have a lot of wonderful things to be thankful for lately.  Here are a few:

I'm thankful for the wonderful gift of new life.   

Dara and Ryan are about to experience that wonder in their lives when they welcome Lillian into the world on Tuesday morning.

I got to visit in Charlottesville a couple of weeks ago, and Ryan took us on a short walking tour of UVA. Ryan's almost finished his first semester there.   He's learning a lot and doing well.   It was nice to see and hear about some of the places he spends his time.  

I'm thankful for all the opportunities we have to learn.

I'm thankful for Skip and our wonderful marriage.   

We are blessed to have had so many years together.  Whether in sunshine or shadow, things are better together.   (Cheesy, but true!)   Last weekend we took a few days  away from home and enjoyed a time share vacation in Williamsburg.  We walked a little around the Jamestown area, historic Williamsburg, and the outlet shops.  (Christmas is coming.)

I'm thankful for my parents.   

We spent another Thanksgiving gathered with them around their table.   They continue to be an anchor and inspiration in my life, and I am so blessed to be their daughter.    Next year - their 50th anniversary.  They're already golden in my book, though.

I'm thankful for food!

 This was my contribution to thanksgiving dinner - fudge, apple pie, chocolate fudge pie, broccoli casserole, and roasted vegetables.

It took four pictures to get in all the food on the table:

We have green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and olives

Then fruit (frog eye) salad, ROLLS!! (Mom's homade - my personal favorite)

Then the beautiful and delicious pink salad, with another variety of rolls!

Then the turkey and stuffing:

It was a fabulous day, and a delicious meal.


And just a few more things I'm thankful for:

chocolate, iPhones, scriptures, nursery kids, music of all kinds, creative opportunities, friends, jokes, temples, television, prophets, trees, air conditioning, rain, colors, motherhood, turbo tax, pillows, lace, cars, contact lens, Christmas trees, blogs, pinterest, mornings, ears, cheese, books, museums, children, libraries, parks, refrigerators, testimonies, piano students, sunshine, heated car seats, bread,...to be continued in thoughts and prayers everyday