A Lovely Week

Valentines Day lasted all week for the Hughes Family.  On Tuesday, thanks to Amy, Jared and I got to get out and do a Temple Date and Ice Cream. It was wonderful to get out together.  He also surprised me with this gorgeous bouquet of flowers!! We did sealings in the temple, which we haven't done in over a year, so it was really nice. 

Tuesday Night, we had a special box come to our door, via the UPS cupids.  In that box was a KINDLE FIRE HD!!  Our definite splurge of the year. :)  (After putting 97% of our Tax Return into various savings and debts, or potential debts such as our little child on the way, we decided we could invest in something fun!)  Jared was sweet to suggest getting me a tablet that I could play with…but Dallin and Daddy got comfortable playing fruit ninja pretty quick!  :)

Our ACTUAL Valentines Day began with some heart-shaped pancakes!  Delicious!

And Dallin made valentines!!

The sun popped out of the clouds again, so I couldn't resist the outdoors. 

And Dallin couldn't resist the puddles…

or the swings….

...or not smiling for a picture with momma. lovely.  

He was happy.  I promise.  He just doesn't like to brag.

That night, we made a heart-shaped pizza.  Delicious and Adorable!

All in all a great day full of love and happiness for our little family.  

We're Blessed.  No Doubt About It.

Monday Musings

The sun is up earlier than usual this morning, and it is so bright that I don't even need a light on!  It's amazing what that can do for a soul on a Monday.  There is a lot on my mind this morning, and I am filled with a motivation to begin again.  Breakfast has been served AND cleaned up, Laundry has been sorted AND put in the washer, Scriptures AND prayers have been read, and both me and my boy are DRESSED (granted my idea of an outfit today is yoga pants and a hoodie...but still. :).  It's freezing outside, but the air is crisp and friendly, and I am grateful for the illusion that spring is just around the corner. (T-4 months.)

Anyway, here's an update on what's been happening:

Yesterday, when getting ready for church, I looked in the mirror and thought--"oh my gosh this shirt makes me look pregnant!"  then I realized..I AM pregnant.  It's amazing to me how this fact is still sinking in.  With Dallin, it seemed like every day, I was examining my belly, willing it to get bigger!  But with this baby, I have yet to have this realization that another child is on the way.  Don't get me wrong, I am excited, but I think I am also having apprehensions about mothering 2 children. I don't know if it's a good thing, bad thing, or just normal, but I am still getting used to the idea.
Maybe its the fact that anytime I sit down to research my new little one, a little child comes and pounds on my keyboard-- Or it could be that any time I try to sit down and read 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' a little boy somehow manages to rip a page out, or bust his lip on a door frame, or run out of the cheerios that he's eating, or have a diaper that needs to be changed or I will throw up, or find a story that HAS to be read RIGHT NOW, or just do something so adorable that I can't help but put down the book/laptop, and kiss every inch of his face.  Anyway, we didn't take a picture (again, so different than Dallin's pregnancy...lol.) but we sure did smile when we looked at that little belly popping out, thinking of our little naval orange wiggling and kicking around in there.  We love you little orange. :)

The weather was nice enough (a balmy 33 degrees) that we got out this weekend.  I didn't many pictures, but I think this one sums it up.

 Dallin was so happy to be outside he refused to even look at me.  But we ran and played until we couldn't feel our noses, toes, or fingers anymore.

Life is good.  We are blessed.

Extraordinarily Average

I used to be great at journaling...all they way from when I was in elementary school through high school.  Even in college I did a pretty good job...until I got married. :)  I don't know if it's because my husband has just become my living, breathing journal, or just the fact that my life has been busy- but I have almost nothing to count up my last 4 years of life.  Recently I have gotten interested in my family history.  I have even been able to read a couple self-written histories of my ancestors.  It has been so inspiring reading about the power of a well-lived life!  I have supped strength from their day-to-day stories and been re-inspired to record the not-so-luxurious happenings in the life of our family.

And I have to admit blogging my journal is a little intimidating.  I am not a 'bells and whistles' kind of girl.  I don't take breathtaking photos, create fabulous decor, or have any outstanding skills that I can share with anyone.  Instead, I haven't got a smiling picture of my little boy for the last three months (he is much more interested in touching the camera buttons), I have yet to take a picture of my baby belly (14 weeks already), and my dinners as of late have left us enjoying a bowl of cereal instead. But, who doesn't want to know about that??  I find it refreshing when I see someone else's child tantrum in the store, or when I eat another person's partially-burnt rolls. I find it equally uplifting when I see another mother beam at her child's excitement/milestone, or confide that they too just changed out of their pajamas for the first time in the last two days.   There is nothing more inspiring to me than to know that someone else understands me, and what I am going through.

So I am writing this from a selfish position.  I believe that my life needs to be recorded, if not for the sake of my sanity, then for the sake of my great great grandchild who may find relief in reading that I too lock myself in the bathroom for 5 minutes while my child runs amuck in my 700 square foot apartment. My life is extraordinarily average.  There are spurts of above average and below average--and I choose to (try to) relish every second of it.  I love this quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

And that sums it up for me...for today.