{life}: lessons

After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul

And you learn
that company doesn't mean security.

You begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises,

And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes open
With the grace of a woman,
not the grief of a child,

And you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight

After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure,
that you really are strong
and you have such worth.

You learn and you learn...
With every good bye
you learn.

-Robert Burns

I stole this from my sisters blog. It's so hard to watch my younger sibling grow up. I remember all the pain, the comfort in running for miles, and every time my heart was broken. You really have to learn to sink or swim, and swimming is hard-but drowning is worse. I can't imagine what this will be like watching my own children go through it. I look at Paisley and think "You'll never do that," even though I know she probably will. that's terrifying.
Jon and I had the opportunity to go to a ward activity on Thursday. We had a marriage counselor come speak. He covered a lot of checkpoints that make up a good marriage and it was so nice to look at each other and know that we're on the right track. We're doing so well and we have so much fun together.
We spent valentines this year in our undies (except for when we went to chruch). This may be the last year we can continue that tradition, but it was a fun one to start anyway.
Because of our calling in the chucrh as Family History Consultants we looked deeper into the previous owner of my wedding ring. Such a sad story. I never knew who owned it previously, I just knew is was one of Jon's Grandmas or Great-Grandmas. It was actually his Grandma Davis. His mom gave it to him when we started talking about marriage and it was the exact ring I had described that I wanted (a band, with the diamonds set into it). Oddly enough, we didn't even need to get it sized, it was a perfect fit right away. The sad story is this: Jon's Grandpa Davis left his Grandmother to run off with his secretary and his Grandma held onto it her entire life hoping he would come back. He never did. Even more strange is that his mom had it, seeing as his parents have been divorced for years and years. Anyway, that whole line is missing and so we are going to start getting it all put together online! This is super exciting for me because on my side, almost everything is done-at least anything in the last 400 years or so, so it's difficult to pick up from there...
And in some fun news, Paisley and I are communicating. If you would like to witness this, it is hilarious. She likes to growl and yell "ohhhhh" and when I growl back, she growls and "ohhhh"s back at me and so on and so forth. Jon is terrified at what he has possibly created. We're actally talking right now in fact...i love her. and Jon too...

{pictures}: paisley

{holidays}: the end of the year in pictures

So, these are backwards, this being the most recent with the last being the furthest away.

I love, love, love her little naked bum. I love it!
Ok, so I was at Old Navy and they have the exact same glasses for grown-ups...I may have to return and purchase them. Believe me, pictures will follow...
This is Paisley Ice Skating...she really liked it...kind of...when she wasn't frowning or sleeping.
This was our Gingerbread House this year. It kind of sums up the effort put into the holiday season outside of work...we were going for a modern, clean look...
Oh yes, that is Jon ice skating in ST GEORGE UTAH! Never has such a thing happened before, and we will see if it happens again-the ice was terrifying! It was all slushy and a bit melty and it cost $19!!!!
Paisley's first go with rice cereal. She loved it. It was so funny!
Paisley and I decided to go out and enjoy the nice weather and walk to Target to check out some of the after Christmas sales...we found some sweet stuff including the new mario wii game...awesome!
Christmas morning at the Davis household, 2009.
Our fancy Christmas Eve feast! I will someday post my turkey recipe on here-so good!
Jamie and I enjoying some Christmas Eve banter...
Our tree.
Christmas Eve morning. I had to go out for some reason and I returned to find these two all snuggled up together...
Our Christmas Goodies! I love making Christmas Candy and that was just not a tradition I was willing to give up this year. I may have made it all at 11:30 pm, and I may have started the kitchen on fire (toffee is very, very flammable) and I may have freaked out Jon and woke up the neighbors, but boy was the fudge good...
Paisley's first haircut. She has had 2 more since then. I don't know what to do with it-just the top and lower back keep getting long until she looks like a little ragamuffin...
Naked Baby!
Oh yes, it does exist. This mythical bus I speak of-it's real, and so is the snow on it-in St George! Come spring we are all going for a ride-its time!
My frozen garden. :(
This was our Thanksgiving. We were tired of being orphan children to everyone so we decided to go to Vegas this year. I didn't leave the store until 2 am Thanksgiving morning and with Black Friday following we decided to stay home instead. I had made absolutely no preparation for Thanksgiving at home so we were off to Wal-mart for some goodies and we sat around and slept and watched movies all day. It was a bit sad, but at least it was restful...

{blogs}: mr davis

Well, Jon finally decided to unleash his rants to the masses on the internet and officially started his own blog. Be forewarned: I have heard all these rants before and it is not for the weak of stomach. I am excited for him to have this new project, he loves it and built the entire thing himself which is even cooler. If you would like a look inside the mind of Jon, go here.

{holidays}: resolutions

I've always wanted to make and keep New Year's Resolutions. And for awhile, I made new resolutions every year and every year I had already quit mid-February. I am proud to say that sometime around the beginning of last year I decided to commit to getting to church on time and I can happily say that we have been successful with that. Which is even more amazing because we have a munchkin. This year I need to come up with a new lifestyle. I know that sounds weird, but I can't use the word diet. You see, I need to lose weight, but I must, MUST do it in such a way that I can maintain. I feel so cliche saying that is my resolution, but really, it's what I need to do. Pregnancy conviently provides your body with extra skin in which to fill with fat unless you do something about it and I'm thinking now is better than later. I'm struggling...if I count every calorie I put in my mouth I feel like I'm dieting and ultimately I feel deprived and I binge. Sadly the only time in my entire life I have successful lost weight is when I gave up food altogether. I can't do that right now because a. it's bad and b. i'm a cow. literally. And I was dancing 6 hours a day. I just don't have time for that at this point. This discourages me. A lot. Ever time I've commited to losing weight I have failed which has actually led to weight gain. I've worked out for months at a time on a strict diet and had absolutely nothing happen. I don't budge a pound. Needless to say, I am very afraid to make any commitments, but at the same time, I need to get it together. I don't know what to do. I'm frustrated...

{holidays}: the new year

{I've kept adding and adding to this, so i think it will be revisited a bit before it's done.}

This year has been a year of great kindnesses for us. We have been blessed by so many more than we could ever know. We have been showered with love, support, gifts, advice, and food:

• Thank you to all of you that pay your taxes. You paid for my Zofran, prenatal care, and childbirth. Without medicaid I could not have survived my pregnancy (literally) and would not have the beautiful baby I have today.
• Thank you for the baby gifts and help. We needed it.
• Thank you to my Relief Society for providing meals for 2 weeks instead of one.
• Thank you Jessa, for lifting my spirits and coming to visit for my birthday-I needed you then.
• Thank you for your help, all of you at the Bridal Show. I could not have done it without all of you!
• Thank you, ALL of you that helped us move. We physically would not have been able to do it alone-I was getting big then.
• Thank you too the wonderful people that take care of our housing-we are so blessed to live in such a clean, friendly environment.
• Thank you to all of Jon's professors for letting him off the hook every now and again.
• Thank you Shroomies for feeding us. You have kept my husband alive!
• Thank you all our friends for going on picnics, camping, swimming, and sitting on our couch to watch movies. We love you all and need your support.
• Thank you Jon Cross for the Chinese food. It has never tasted better than when you brought it to us.
• Thank you parents, all of you, for everything.
• Thank you Dave for everything. Especially for posting every season of the Office and Flight of the Concords on the server. That got me through the last of the pregnancy
• Thank you Christina...you poor woman stuck with me in the August heat and grumpiness.
• Thank you Anna for offering me the job-we miss you.
• Thank you for the Christmas Cookies and delicious Cinnamon rolls...mmmm...
• Thank you for coming to the blessing...it was wonderful to have you all meet our baby girl
• Thank you for visiting in the hospital...I love you all.
• Thanks for coming to visit me in my store-I love seeing friends!
• Thank you to everyone for everything. We love you all and have had quite the year. I can't imagine what is in store for us in 2010!
• Thank you Sarah, for your blog and telling me you can't spoil a newborn. I've passed that on to many...
• Oh, and thank you, whoever left a washer and dryer on our back porch. I don't even know what to say it was such a surprise. At least let us know who it was so we can hug you...

{consumer report}: chocolate

I feel qualified to recommend good chocolate. I love it. I crave it. It physically makes me feel better (I may or may not have an addiction). On my worst days, chocolate picks me up. It has magically healed everything from cramps to headaches. I love good chocolate. And I like it dark and creamy. So, without further explanation...my picks for best chocolate.

I actually typically buy this as a chocolate chip. Not only do I cook with them, but I do love to snack on them frozen. They are perfect for a sweet little pick me up at the end of a long day, and they give chocolate chip cookies a bit of a richer taste. Love it.

I also love this brand of chocolate chips for the same reasons. I currently have a bag of both sitting in my freezer and I can't decide which I like better...they're both perfect for cooking and can hold their own just as a snack...

I have not yet been able to find this regularly in the United States. I became hooked on this particular brand of chocolate in Germany, and I also found it in Mexico. It is the only milk chocolate that I really, really love. It is so creamy with such a smooth filling...and they make kinder eggs that come with prizes so really its a win-win.

I LOVE Ritter Sport. It is available at Wal-mart sometimes and always Target. The marzipan in something you MUST try if you haven't ever. You must. I promise.

This is the chocolate of my pregnancy. This is what I craved. Once again, Ritter Sport. Love them. This dark chocolate is so wonderful, and I LOVE hazelnuts. I would make trips to Target when I was prego just to buy one of these...wonderful! These are also especially delicious when frozen-for some reason I like the chocolate to be crunchy with the nuts.

Their truffles are to die for as well, but too rich for my everyday chocolate needs. This is a very dark chocolate, not their darkest, but very dark, and oh, so good. Just a couple nibbles of this is enough to settle down my chocolate cravings and it is so rich in antioxidants that I feel the need to justify eating it every chance I get...is that so wrong?

Ok, so I lied when I said Kinder was the only milk chocolate that I love. Once you try Milka, Hersheys will taste like the chocolate flavored wax it is. It is the smoothest most melt-oh so gently-in-your-mouth chocolate that there is. I was beyond excited to see that Target has started to carry it regularly...this became a fav in Germany and I'm glad to see it in the states!

Well, that is all for my bit on my chocolate addiction...I've got chocolate chips to tend to...

{my nightstand}: current reads

I'm re-reading Twilight. I've seen the movie too many times and the book really is better. It makes me very disappointed in the movie. The book actually develops their relationship where the movie does not. And Bella and Edward actually have chemistry in the book, which is viciously lacking in the movie. Overall, it's been a good re-read.

I'm also reading the BOM. Again. I skipped the first part and went straight to Helaman. I've read 1 Nephi too many times, enough to last a life time, so I now skip around when ever I read it. I skip Alma often because its hard to read about battle after war after battle. I know there's a point in the end, it's just not my favorite. And I always leave Moroni for the last-I think he's one of my favorites, and I like all his chapters. I always pictured him as an awesome Grandpa-the kind that tells you crazy stories about the war or something...

This book is out of necessity. It is wonderful. If I was every to recommend a parenting book-this is it. I love having a heads up of what's next, what to freak out about, what to not freak out about, and really how to get through things. For example, sippy cups. I never had thought twice about them, and they have an entire chapter about rethinking ever giving them to your child. Its interesting...

And of course, I am america and so can you. This book is FUNNY. Really, really funny, and perfect for nights when I get scared and can't go back to sleep. And just to mix it up a little. I love it. Steven Colbert is hilarious.

{update}: true joy

I have sat here and giggled with my baby for 5 minutes now. Nothing is more wonderful than this...

It sounds weird, and this is Jon's cell phone video, but that really is her...

{holidays}: christmas

So this year for christmas I got a double electric breast pump:

moo. I hate being an adult.

{memories}: photography

Rachel and I have a folder called "april's behind." I flipped through it and it made me laugh so I thought I would share with you. It's a bunch of our test shot that we somehow land ourselves in...

These last two were donations from other photographers...