SEC Champions 2009

Twas the night before the big game and all through the south

all the Gators were busy running their mouths.

Tebow was cocky and spreading his cheer

telling everyone of the victory Florida saw this year.

With Ingram and his heisman and the record 12-0

all the Bama fans around the world knew this wouldn't Roll

Saban in his glory and the Bear smiling down

knew what would happen when Alabama came to town.

As they all laid thier heads down for a peaceful nights rest

everyone knew they were ready for the test

As they woke that fine morning and thanked God for their pride

God looked down upon the south and spoke ROLL TIDE!

3 months old

Ava Kate is officially three months old! We can't believe how fast she's growing. She changes and learns something new everyday! The other day she started to do this crazy squeal when she's happy. She also has decided that she no longer will suck on her "binkers", she likes her entire right fist, which I suppose is a good thing because you can't loose a fist. While her fist is in her mouth she slobbers and drools all over the place, what a baby! Finally she's sleeping a lot better. I read the "Babywise" book, and must admit I was not a fan. I've decided I'm just not a cry-it-out parent, especially when your baby won't cry-it-out, she'll just cry....forever! What I did like from it was the routine of eat/wake/sleep. I think that has helped, but other than that we're getting 6 hours of sleep at a time, which is really great actually, and it's only if she's in her carseat. She doesn't particularly like to sleep in her crib for long lengths of time, but whatever works! Gotta love trial and error, until success!

I write about Ava Kate so much that I've forgotten to update you on the rest of our little Carpenter clan. James is finishing up his last semester at SLCC and will start at the U next month. It sure has been crazy whirlwind for him this semester. He's been working full time and taking 3 classes and dealing with a wife and new baby. I really don't know how he does all that he does, but I'm so grateful for it because I get to stay home with my baby so much because of all his hard work.

I recently got my two bottom wisdom teeth out a few weeks ago, and decided that you should definitely do that BEFORE you have a baby to take care of. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but I'll be keeping my top teeth thank you! I also went back to work last Monday which was so difficult! I'm just lucky that it's only a few days a week and that my mom can watch her. I was so happy to run home to see her cute smiley face. Well there's a quick little glimpse into what we've been doing these past three months.

A few pictures to hold ya over

There have been a lot of people that have been begging for more pictures of Ava Kate, so here are a few. I took them with my phone so they're kind of random and not very clear. Ava Kate loves her Uncle Shad. They typically fall asleep after Shad gets home from school while watching ESPN.
When it started to get chili we got Ava Kate some tights that were 0-6 months so there's quite a bit of room for her to grow into them. James was getting her ready for church and put them ALL the way on.

This is a picture of our first time going to all 3 hours of church. I've decided that our baby girl has the cutest smile! And it's a good thing because she smiles all the time!

This is a picture of a very special bath-time. I was just about to put her in the water when she peed all over my pants! We were so close to the water, if she only could've held it for 2 more seconds! But then we wouldn't have this funny picture or story.
Finally here's a picture of our little soccer ball for halloween. I made her costume obviously, and James and I were Real Salt Lake soccer players. Unfortunately we don't have pictures of us all together because I didn't use permanent marker on her outfit so when she drooled it made a huge mess!So there ya have it, just a few pictures of our princess. She's so fun and a big girl! We're so lucky that Heavenly Father allowed us to be her parents!

Hey guys...What's going on?

So I know this is pretty basic, but I don't think my baby needs any glitter or glam to look cute. This is her at 8 weeks and she changes everyday! I would put up more pictures, but lately I've just been taking videos of our lives (ok really of just Ava Kate), and for some reason I've tried about fifty times to upload one and it never works!  Also, we've actually had a lot going on.  James and I moved to a new apartment which we absolutely love so far. (no worries, we brought A.K. along too) We've been there for two weeks now and we really like the ward, they've been very inviting and welcoming.  We miss our old ward a lot though, we learned so much from them and really grew to love the people we were close to.  But unlike most, I love change and we're really excited for this one.  

Ava Kate just had her two month check up the other day and she's a healthy baby girl, weighing in at 12 lbs even, and 22 inches! Yes she's big we know, but she's so cute! She's starting to really react and smile when you play with her.  She has such a personality too. For example she LOVES her baths.  She's like a little fishy swimming and splashing in the water.  She grows and changes everyday.  I'm so grateful that I get to stay home with her as much as I do and am so lucky to be her mom.  Especially since she's been such a great baby! She hardly, rarely ever cries for no reason (usually hunger,poopies,lonely), and she would never cry for more than 5 min. if she were just fussy.

Anyway, we still have a lot going on, we're mostly looking forward to going to Alabama in December for James' brother's wedding. Well I'll keep trying to get videos and pictures, but that's what's going on for any who were wondering.

Silly Girl..

Our baby girl is already so obedient to her father...

Gratitude

"[That which] we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value.  Heaven knows how to put a proper price up its goods" -Thomas Paine (An American Crisis)

Patricia Holland promised in "A Quiet Heart"

Believe me when I tell you that God is a God of

goodness, mercy, and justice.  Ultimately, he 

cannot treat his righteous children differently.

Whatever blessings you have gone without will

be made up to you in divine and glorious

fashion.  I give you every assurance, they will be

made up to you to the point where you will not

be confident that God treated you fairly but

embarrassed that he treated you so very generously.

"God knows how to give good gifts to His children.  As a loving Father, He will not give His child a stone if He is asked for bread.  Always, the gifts are given in His own due time; if we are required to wait for some blessings, or even do without some blessings here on earth, we can look forward in faith knowing that our righteous desires will be fulfilled." 

-Maria Covey Cole (Contentment)

Contentment

My grandma gave me this amazing book titled "Contentment, Inspiring Insight for LDS Mothers" by Maria Covey Cole and I love some of the little quotes that are in it so I'm going to post them on my blog... This is one about comparing yourself to people.

Spencer W. Kimball and Harold B. Lee were 

close friends.  They went into the Quorum of 

the Twelve just a few weeks apart.  President

Kimball said he always admired this friend so 

very much; in fact, he almost envied President

Lee for his talents.  He took every occasion to

tell President Lee how he felt.  Often he would

say " Harold, I wish I could play the organ as

you do."  "harold, you speak so well.  I wish I 

could so as well." "Harold, you can see the gist

of a problem in such a short time.  I wish my

mind were so clear."  Then,  related President

Kimball, in one of their weekly meetings in the

temple President Lee made a fine presentation

to the other members of the Twelve.  As they

walked out of the temple together, again

President Kimball turned to his friend and said,

"You did a magnificent job with your report this

morning.  I wish I could do as well as you do."

"Well," said President Kimball with a twinkle 

in his eyes, "I guess Harold had had enough.  He

stopped, put his hands on his hips and looking

 me straight in the eye, said, "Spencer, the Lord

doesn't want you to be a Harold B. Lee.  All he

 wants is for you to be the best Spencer W.

Kimball you can be." 'With a smile on his face, 

President Kimball said, "Ever since then I have

just tried to be the best Spencer W. Kimball I 

can be."

"All the Lord asks of us is to be the best we can be with what we have...As Spencer W. Kimball was taught, a copy is never as valuable as the original.  Each of us is an original made by God, and we diminish ourselves and our Maker when we question our worth." ("For Such a Time as This," The best of Women's Conference, 17-18, Norma Ashton, wife of Marvin J Ashton)