{11.9 - 11.15}

We have had a lot of fun playing in the snow this week. For about 20 minutes...and then they got really cold! Also, I LOVE the way Alya sits on things. She sits on the side of the bathtub, or on the stairs, or the brick lining our front flower bed. And she always lays her hands out flat on whatever she sits on.

This lasted maybe 20 minutes. I went down into their room because I heard Alya crying and Lyla told me she had bit Alya's finger. I let them try to get along for a little longer and they just kept bickering. I finally went down to move them into their own beds and was informed that they had been picking each other's noses. These are two crazy little girls.  

I am photographing a wedding this coming week (and I am terrified!) so I got some new reflectors - which I am very excited about! Here is Alya playing on my new toy! 

Left: Lyla   Right: Alya

The girls' first snowman!

{11.2 - 11.8}

Take 2. We tried potty training back in May and it was...okay. Not what I wanted it to be and I think it was too early. We gave it a "break" but we never really stopped. I have continued to encourage the girls go in the toilet, but we officially started again on Monday. They got to pick out a bunch of prizes for when they filled up their sticker charts and I think it's worked pretty well! On the first day, they filled up their first chart...

 ...and were really excited about their new Cinderella and Lightening McQueen bath rags! We have increased how many boxes they have to fill-in before they get their prize and they are starting to not even want a sticker when they do go in the toilet. They have been in panties except at naptime and bedtime everyday since then! (Hopefully I don't jinx anything by letting people know, but I am very hopeful that they are catching on!

Also, Lyla has had THE BEST cheeser smiles lately! :)

 I love these girls with all my heart! They scooted and squirmed around for probably 20 minutes before they finally settled on this spot to sit on the couch. One stuck under the pillow and one on top of the pillow.

Lyla has also been picking out her clothes lately. Her favorites are the blue dress that her dad picked out for Christmas last year, and a pink shirt that she got for her birthday this year. We have gone almost a whole week in the same shirt or dress! :)

She has also been insisting that her name is Simba. Alya is Simba, I am Mama Simba, and Matthew is Daddy Simba (spoken in a big deep voice.)

Lyla got herself dressed in her favorite pink shirt, yellow undies, her black sandals and then she found her swimsuit top and carried it around like her bag. And of course she made sure Alya had her own swimsuit bag! :) They are the funniest little things!!

Be Still My Soul

The church just updated some of it's policies and there has been quite a stir on social media, as you can imagine. I really debated about posting anything regarding this, but the hymn, "Be Still My Soul" has been playing in my mind for days. Every time I see a negative comment about the church, I almost feel personally attacked and this song has really brought me some peace and comfort. I know Heavenly Father loves ALL of his children and will only do what is best for them.

"Be still, my soul: The Lord is on they side; With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change he faithful will remain. Be still my soul; Thy best they heav'nly Friend. Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake. To guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul; The waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last."

{10.26 - 11.1}

Alya was a great little helper when we carved pumpkins!

2015 works or art...? Left to right: Mom's, Lyla's, Alya's and Dad's.

They still love drawing and have always been really good at holding their pens. (It was perfect right before I took this picture...)

Matthew and I took the girls to the zoo. This elephant started making it's noises and vibrating and now they are TERRIFIED of him.

When we were at the zoo in March, Alya stood about as tall as the juvenile gorilla.

Lyla loved climbing all over the statues...

...and telling them what's what. Unfortunately, I missed whatever she was telling this "water puppy."

We met up with some friends for Halloween, and of course, had to have pictures of all the kids together! We are missing the smallest one (and the only boy) in this picture.

These little Minnie Mice wish you the Happiest of Halloweens!

pic.a.day {10.19 - 10.25}

 Everett & Ezra. Everett was pretty proud of his Frankenstein pumpkin!

Handsome Hyrum painting his pumpkin. I thoroughly enjoyed having my friends and their kids at my house for the day! (Thanks guys!)

 [Alya]

 [Lyla]

Matthew took me hunting over the weekend. Even though we came home empty handed, we saw some beautiful views! 

 If you know Matthew, you just know we had to stop and fish on our way home!

And the sunrise was AMAZING!! (Notice the rainbow encircling the sun. It was gorgeous!)

pic.a.day {10.12 - 10.18}

We spent a whole day making applesauce for the first time. Alya was a great little helper!

Mo obviously enjoys being used as a stepstool.

pic.a.day {10.5 - 10.11}

A little Halloween craft. (Lyla on the left, Alya on the right.)

This is probably one of my new favorite pictures I've ever taken. (Other than pictures of my girls - of course!) Also...this picture was not altered in any way. It really was just that beautiful! :)

 Looking for elk with Dad.

 See that little flower? They made that themselves. I was sort of proud!

 Showing off their new ponies. They have LOVED ponies lately.

Matthew and I took a quick road trip to Montana.

Their very first pony ride. They LOVED it! (Alya on the left, Lyla on the right.)

We were able to hang out with some of my friends Saturday night. It was great to see them and their kids!

 Alya and Daddy walking to church. I love them!

pic.a.day {9.28 - 10.4}

A wordless post and not too many pictures. But they are good ones! :)

(Also...the third picture is of Lyla "sleeping" in the hole in our back yard. They are too funny!)

Pic.A.Day {9.21 - 9.27}

 Alya propped herself in the chair with her treat and one of her birthday books. Very cute!

 They asked for dinosaur hair. I made them give Eskimo kisses so I could get a good picture of it. Also, very cute!

 Milk & Cookies

 We took a trip to JoAnne's and played a little dress up! These two are too adorable!

They request daily to "swing higher!" Which simply means they want to go out and swing. They got this swing set for their birthday, and Alya is just being her funny little self - she's not really scared or grumpy. Just a goof-ball.

 Lyla LOVES "sleeping" on the couch lately. If I can't find her, chances are she's right here.

 My cute kids. (It wasn't as easy to get this picture as they are making it seem!)

I can't not have a picture of the eclipse.

...today...

Today was a nothing special day. It's really been a nothing special week. But today I decided I would try to do something fun for and with the girls. I decided to take them up the canyon and have a picnic. Once the girls woke up and I had dinner ready we left. I thought, "this is going to be so great! The girls are going to love being out here! It will be so great to get out of the house! We are going to enjoy fall! And we're doing it by ourselves! (Matthew is hunting.)" 
We drove to a spot and were lucky enough to find a somewhat private little camp spot next to the creek and tucked against a hill that was perfect for climbing. The girls were so good on our drive and were so excited to be there - just as I suspected. By all accounts it was perfect. And for some reason, by the time we got home and I put my girls to bed I felt disappointed with myself. I have two of the most amazing little girls! They are so well behaved and so sweet! And despite all of the wonderful qualities of my girls, I still find myself with extremely high expectations for them and getting impatient with them. We have a wonderful companion in Mo and yet I get so frustrated with him, too - for doing dog things like heading straight for the creek and jumping in, then rather than sitting on his towel in the car, he jumps right to the drivers seat so that I get to ride home with damp pants. All things that I feel I am justified in being frustrated with. But I am so tired of being frustrated and impatient. I don't like feeling inadequate because I know things would run more smoothly if Matthew were with us. I want to be a mom who feels that she knows what she is doing when we are out and about. I want to know where all the good hiking spots are that I could take my kids to. I just want things to be perfectly imperfect all the time, and when it doesn't happen like I envisioned, or when I feel stupid for trying to do something new - something out of my comfort zone, something that I feel could make me a better person to some extent - I get frustrated. I'm tired of feeling frustrated. 
I should say that I am not always frustrated. In fact, I feel that I have been grateful and happy far more than I have been frustrated. Maybe that's why the days when I feel a little down on myself get under my skin so easily. 
I love my family and I want to be a great mom for them. I don't want to compare myself to other moms. Moms who are good at making friends and moms who are amazing cooks and talk about how little they did that day but then continue to spout out a list far more extensive than my own. Moms who can take their kids hiking and camping and think nothing of it. I want to be those moms, though. It's hard not to compare myself to them. It's hard, because I try to do those things and I always feel as if I've failed, and it's frustrating.

pic.a.day {9.14 - 9.20}

 I am so excited for fall! I love that the leaves are starting to change!

 Alya lifting her "heaby" sleeping bag she got for her birthday.

 Happy birthday crazy girls! I love you so much!!

 The girls wouldn't sit together for a picture...but that's okay! I like pictures of just Alya...

 ...and of just Lyla. Especially when the backdrop has such gorgeous fall colors!

 Alya loves playing stickers - she really loves when Grandma can help her!

Sticker nose.