ABCs...

If you read my other blog, you have probably already seen most of these pictures.. but I thought they were too cute not to share twice.

My little miss schmutz has really developed a talent for music recently. Almost any and all types of music. She will stop following me in the grocery store to start dancing to a song she likes. She will belt out random words to silent music if she is so inclined. And she loves to sing the normal little children songs - ABC, twinkle twinkle, itsy bitsy spider, head shoulders knees and toes.. etc.

I've seen a huge improvement with her ABCs recently, so I am trying to keep the momentum going by making her a cute little alphabet to hang in her room. And she loved it! (which I am glad for, since I put a few hours, blood, sweat and tears into that little paper banner)

If I had to describe this little child in one word, it would probably be "passion". Everything she does is done to the utmost passion possible. Hopefully you can see it in the photos.. she is just singing the ABCs, but by the looks of it, you might wonder if she was singing Phantom of the Opera.

She is so cute.. the butter to my bread. And she loves to do what it right (most of the time). But above all.. she loves and cares about everyone she meets. And she does not forget! She will see a picture of almost anyone from back in Utah (minus some of the older uncles) and she will excitedly point to them, tell me their names, and ask to see pictures of everyone else.

So, never fear grandparents! This miss schmutz has the memory of an elephant, and is so so excited to see all of you! I could tell each and every one of you a special memory Ashlyn has of you.. It is so sweet to see her express these precious memories to me. But, you will all be so surprised with how much she has thinned out, grown up, and is talking!! I can't believe how little she was just a few 6 months ago..

see you in a few weeks!

Why yes.. it is sort of a gloomy place...

...most of the time. Well, almost all the time. We call it a sunny day when we actually see the sun for a couple hours. But after all the gloom, all the clouds, all the lack of holiday snow.. we are glad we call this place home. At least for a little while.

This is a little walk we enjoyed on MLK day in January. It was a little bit chilly, and a little bit cloudy.. awe.. I'll admit it - I like the clouds and mist. Jake still hates them, and will forever hate them.. its in his blood. But I have always tried to see beauty in non-beautiful situations.. and it usually works if you look at it just the right way.

Anyways.. we were lucky enough to drag Jake away from studies to go on a nice long walk and then out for dinner. What a beautiful day!

ready.. set.. run!!

This is what we do on boring, cold, wet, cloudy days in seattle.

We place the camera down on the ground. Click the timer button. And run!!!

Most of the pictures are not worth mentioning, but then... some are.

little miss schmutz likes...

little miss schmutz likes to play games...

little miss schmutz likes to sing songs...

little miss schmutz likes to run away from the camera...

little miss schmutz likes to be beautiful...

I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Whats for dinner?

One night, back in January, I was busily preparing dinner. And, like usual, little miss schmutz is quite a nuisance while I am cooking. Not that she doesn't like cooking, but that it usually is the time of day where she has just gotten up from her nap and is starving.. like deathly starving if you were to ask her. She inherits this little extremely-cranky-when-hungry tidbit from her father.. not me.

So my early evenings go as follows: 1. I start cooking dinner.. 2. Ashlyn wakes up.. 3. Ashlyn cries, fights and screams because she is hungry before dinner is ready.. 4. I grab something out of the fridge to stuff up the terrifyingly loud little mouth.. 5. she eats as much as she wants.. 6. and (you guessed it) she never eats dinner.

so whats for dinner at your house tonight? For us? That night.. it was blueberries.

Merry Christmas!

Finally I am blogging about Christmas! Two months behind, but at least I haven't given up.. and hopefully no one has given up on me.

Anyways, our Christmas was amazing! Just about as relaxed, enjoyable, and snuggly as could be.

Apparently, little miss schmutz was able to convince everyone that she was in desperate need of some princess supplies.. everyone.. grandparents, parents, aunts, cousins, (even Santa Claus got the hint), etc. So, it wasn't any surprise to see Ashlyn walking around all Christmas with a new princess dress and princess toys stuffed into her little fists. She was in heaven!

We all had a wonderful Christmas morning as well.. though.. neither Jake nor I got any princess stuff. Better luck next year..

We finished the morning off with playing with toys, skyping with family, and sitting down to watch a movie together. It was so enjoyable just being our little family. We missed everyone, but are happy to be coming back to Utah in march!! (hopefully I will blog more before then.. no promises)