A Quiet Book for Aubrey

I made a quiet book for Aubrey!

For some reason I just felt like being crafty. And Aubrey has a difficult time staying entertained and quiet at church. She's either entertained and loud, or bored and also loud. She is also loud here at home. So I thought I'd try making a quiet book!

I don't know why, but I always thought felt was more expensive than it really is. But I just got a few packets from Wal-Mart that had a variety of colors. Perfect!

Here is the book:

Nothing amazing. But in the pocket at the top right, I put the letters of her name.

Now we can work on her recognizing her name in print and she can learn a few important letters!

The "first page" is to help her count. She can move the bead across the pipe cleaner and it was the number next to it to help her make the connection. Aubrey already loves moving the beads back and forth.

I only did upper case for now. And I tried to make an apple, a banana, a clock and a door. Start with the first bunch of letters and eventually move on from there. If I get motivated, I'll cut out lower case letters too.

I did a few normal shapes and a few extras to learn. That way it's not just the same ones over and over. I also wrote the name of the shape inside it. I figured she'll have this book for a while so might as well make it a little difficult. That octagon really threw her off the first few times!

These pages are more interactive and fun. She can put apples on the tree, or pick them off and put them in the basket/pouch. And the flowers are a little bit harder for her. She has to button the little piece on to the big piece. Right now she is just matching colors and putting the piece on top. But I'll start showing her how to button them soon. 

Last of all are the Thanksgiving pages! She has to put the 3 long strips on the football, which is also a pouch for the turkey. She can put the feathers and feet on the turkey. I might make a little top hat and write T H A N K S on each feather. We'll see. 

Already been Aubrey-approved!

Anyways, that's my book! I'm really proud of it and I'm excited to keep adding to it. After Thanksgiving I'll do a Christmas page. And I'll keep adding holiday pages and some harder activities. 

It's been a lot of fun figuring it out as I went. I learned a lot and I have so many ideas to try to implement!

2014 Halloween Season

October was such a fun month with so many things going on!

We went to a wedding in Ohio that I posted about a couple weeks ago, which was great! It's good for me to get out and about while I still can!

We took Aubrey to the same pumpkin patch we went to last year (Hilger Family Farm) the Saturday before Halloween. Last year she was so cute and helped us pick out pumpkins!

Found her pumpkin 2013

Helping Daddy buy the pumpkins 2013

Now she is so big! But she had as much fun as she did last year!

And we had to get another photo of us in the corn maze. Might make this a tradition!

Aubrey enjoyed a fresh honey crisp apple on the way home. Ate basically the whole thing herself!

The next week was pretty busy with all the crazy and fun things happening!

Jared and I carved our pumpkins. Nothing amazing. But we have a good time doing it together. Aubrey was having a rough night so she wasn't invited. Don't worry, she still had her chance to decorate her pumpkin later in the week.

I did Dracula - Jared made an awesome pumpkin face

My twin brother, his wife and their 4-month-old baby boy William came mid-week! This was our first time meeting baby William and we hadn't seen Chris and Alicia for quite a long time!

Aubrey did pretty darn well with a baby in the house! She wasn't bothered at all by the usual baby noises, fussing and crying! Which is a good sign for me, because she's getting a baby sister in 2 months! She wasn't quite sure what to do about Chris. He's pretty large and she wasn't used to people his size. But I think she warmed up to him, even if it was just a little bit!

And we had to get a little family picture on Halloween, the night before they left for a USA v New Zealand Rugby game.

This was our first Halloween in a house and we were so excited about getting trick or treaters! Aubrey would run to the door with us to hand out candy. I wanted to get a few pictures, but parents would probably be creeped out by that! It was cute seeing Aubrey hand out a few pieces of candy.

While we adults watched Hocus Pocus, I had Aubrey paint her pumpkin. She did a great job! Kept 98% of the paint on the pumpkin! Of course, there were a few bumps to the pumpkin with her elbow and the paint would drip on the paper, but that was to be expected!

It was such a great Halloween season!

Now that it's November, all Halloween specific decorations are down and packed away. There are still a few things up that relate to fall. Our next big adventure is Thanksgiving in Ohio. It's a family tradition that is easy to keep up, seeing as how we're just a few hours away!

Made key lime bread

I was looking through my recipe book and I found something for lemon bread. So I put "lemon" on my shopping list.

Then I realized I still had key limes in my fridge. A lightbulb went off above my head! Let's switch the lemon for lime!

I found a recipe on pinterest. The pinterest link went to THIS SITE. It's a recipe I'm going to try again!

The most fun was making the actual bread! Aubrey was so funny and wanted to help. I got some pictures as we went and even a fun video!

My little helper putting ingredients in.

She loved watching the mixer go.

Aubrey really enjoyed licking the lime. She would rub it across her lips like chapstick and then lick it off!

This video is just so cute to me.

Aubrey's birthday preparations!

    Aubrey is now a 2-year-old!

    It's crazy! And we had some fun making it a good birthday!

    While going through Target getting her presents, Aubrey was getting a little upset being stuck in the stroller. So Jared handed her a big bouncy ball. Best idea ever!! We got some pictures of her playing with the ball at home.

    Jared got her a basketball hoop. Aubrey is just barely too short. But that doesn't stop her!

    I got Aubrey an awesome tutu and a little wand to wave around. She's Princess for the day!

    We picked up some bubbles because I want to see if she'll run around popping them. And they will be fun for the summer!

    The big present from me is a big bag of legos! She loves playing with them in nursery, so I thought it would be fun to have some at home! But all I could find were those little ones that would be lost or swallowed. Luckily, I found the large ones!

    Because her birthday is close to Easter, I wanted to make a little Easter-inspired cake. 

It's funfetti cake, yellow frosting, purple peeps, and watermelon starburst jellybeans.

    She's not old enough to pick what she wants for her birthday dinner, so I picked my favorite! Her Nana (my Mom) is coming for the week (flying in Tuesday, leaving the following Tuesday). It'll be big night and I wanted a fun dinner to celebrate!

    I decorated with balloons and streamers Monday night while she slept. Wanted her to wake up to a surprise!

I'll do another post when Nana is here! It'll be full of fun with dinner, birthday cake and presents!

Quick Family Update

Here are the big highlights over the past couple months:

Jared is really enjoying working for Simplx! He's helped with the Web site and other marketing tools. He's also doing sales (and rocking it) and learning about installing the systems. 

I've been doing little projects. Lately I've been using soup/ravioli cans to help organize my counters. I have a can for wooden spoons, random silverware and scissors. I got tired of just looking at the silver cans. So I painted them! It adds color to the kitchen, which I love, and it was a fun little craft. 

I'm also turning a few old t-shirts into pillows. They can be used for throw pillows, added comfort on the couch, or Aubrey can jump into the pile. No matter what, it'll be fun to put my t-shirts to use! 

Jared was super sweet and bought me flowers this morning!

It was a fun surprise! Picked them up after seminary this morning! I love him. He loves me!

I'm becoming more daring in the kitchen. I see recipes on Pinterest, but I've never really thought about trying them. Well, the other day I realized I had a copycat Olive Garden breadsticks and alfredo sauce recipe! I could make my own Olive Garden food!

So I did! I got everything the recipes asked for, followed the directions exactly and it was a huge success! There are a few things I can tweak and make better next time. And the meal passed the microwave test! If foods aren't good microwaved the next day, then I won't make it again unless it can be eaten that night. Jared doesn't really care for alfredo sauce, but even he liked this recipe! This will be made again!

Aubrey and I will be working on potty training again. I have realistic expectations and if she doesn't want to do it, no harm done! I can just as easily put her little potty away. I got her cute little panties to help her get excited. We'll see how it goes!

My Baby is a Big Girl

Yesterday before church, Jared and I converted Aubrey's crib into a toddler bed. It'll give her a little more freedom and it was hard for me to lift her up and put her in her crib. 

The bed is a little high so I put some blankets on the floor to cushion the blow when she rolls over and falls off the bed. 

When we got home from church, Aubrey was so tired from the time change and playing for 2 hours in nursery. So we put her on her bed, sang some songs and hoped for the best! A few minutes later, I didn't hear any movement or sounds. This is what I walked in to see!

She did so well during her nap! No falling off or anything! And she came out on her own when she was ready.

The real test came at night. Jared put her down first. Sang lots of songs and did the routine like normal. But we left the door ajar. She came out once and it was so funny. All we heard was the door being opened and she slowly made her way down the hallway until we saw her!

I went and put her back in bed and sang another song. A few minutes later, she was back out in the hallway!

I went back again, got her resting and turned on her nightlight. I closed the door for good this time so she couldn't open it. (I turned on the nightlight so she could see her way back to the bed after climbing out of it.)

We could still hear her and knew she was trying to open the door, but she soon gave up and went to bed. She fell asleep in her bed! There were a couple sad moments when she rolled off, but she was fine and got back in bed.

Around 3, though, I woke up randomly and decided to check on Aubrey. Silly girl was sleeping on the floor! I can't even explain what might have happened. I think she climbed out, made her way to the door, but got tired halfway across the floor and fell asleep. I don't know.

Jared checked on her this morning and she was back in bed.

I consider it a huge success! She fell asleep in her bed and woke up in it too! Nap times will be interesting, but we'll get used to it!

Christmas Vacation Part 6

The morning was filled with packing and saying goodbyes. Or rather, saying goodbyes without actually using the word "bye." 

Aubrey seems to have abandonment issues and gets really upset when Jared or I say goodbye around her. 

Somehow, we got everything packed up and loaded stuff into the car. Aubrey woke up and people played with her for the last time (at least for the year 2013). 

Tim and Laura drove us to the airport and things went a lot smoother than the trip coming to Utah. 

Except for the fact I completely forgot my backpack at the house! It had the second computer in it and several of Aubrey's favorite movies. We called Laura and asked if anyone at the house could bring it to the airport. Ashley and Nicole were rockstars and offered to bring it up for us.

Jared waited for them while Aubrey and I made our way through security and getting to the right terminal. Things went pretty well! Jared got the backpack in time, the flight had no delays. Things were good! And it worked out that on the plane, we had an empty seat by us, so Aubrey had plenty of space in her own seat, rather than sitting on our laps the whole time. 

Plane took off, no problems. She was well-behaved on the plane. Aubrey was even good when I had to change her diaper on the plane. Those bathrooms are tiny and rather uncomfortable for one person, let alone someone and a toddler!

But we made it to Chicago. That's where things got a little rough. It was cold and snowing. Our gate was taken by a flight that was delayed so we had to wait an hour on the plane before we could get off. 

Our luggage came in good time and we made our way to the shuttle to get our car in a park, ride & fly. It was snowing, but everything seemed fine. The car started, which was a miracle. 

The drive home was pretty great. I had accidently left two unopened Dr Peppers in the car, and they totally had exploded while we were gone. Oops. 

Jared sat in back and put on a movie for Aubrey. She fell asleep and he hopped up front with me. Driving from Chicago to Fort Wayne was pretty stressful sometimes. The windshield got dirty and I could hardly see out of it. Jared was also inspired that we stop somewhere to eat and it happened to be right before midnight. I totally forgot most places are closed New Years Eve! 

We stopped at a Burger King, which thankfully had still been open. We were that store's last customer of the year :)

We made it home and got ready for bed. Poor Aubrey didn't appreciate being woken up and was rather upset to be woken up and then put to bed. But she was fine after a while and we all slept in. 

That was our Christmas vacation!

We miss them all very much. Tim and Laura were so great  for letting us stay with them so long. Brandon, Ashley, Nicole, Megan and Spencer were also great for playing with Aubrey and letting us invade their space for a while. 

Everyone was so patient with Aubrey and we had such a great holiday!

Christmas Vacation Part 1

We had so much fun the past week and a half! For Christmas, we went to Draper, UT to spend time with Jared's family. 

It was the first time in years that everyone has been there! It was a special event for all of us. 

Because so much happened, I will document the trip in parts. Aubrey is currently awake and trying to get used to the time change and getting back to the regular schedule, so I don't have much time to go through everything at once. It happens :)

I had most everything packed a couple days before our flight. There are always a few things we have to wait for the day-of to pack, so I left plenty of space. 

We flew out of the Chicago Midway airport, which is a good 3 hour drive for us. We planned to leave with extra time in case there was traffic or weather or crazy lines at the airport. Aubrey was so good in the car! I sat in back and held up the computer for her as it played movies to keep her entertained. Jared was so great and drove the whole way.

The airport was another story though. While I changed Aubrey's diaper, Jared was stuck in a long line trying to check in 3 large bags. Poor Jared. I was going to get a headstart through security, but realized I left Aubrey's birth certificate in Jared's backpack. So we waited and met up with Jared when he was done and went to the security line together. 

Thank goodness for the family line! Aubrey was NOT happy to be stuck in her stroller after being so good in the car for 3 hours. A man directed us to the line for families and people who needed extra assistance. We got through it quickly. I planned my outfit ahead so I wouldn't get stuck in the metal detector. I wore slip on shoes, no belt, no jewelry except my rings. Went through smoothly :)

I always forget about the no liquid thing. But they tested my water bottle to make sure it was water and let me through. Aubrey's stuff was fine. I was SO happy I didn't have to dump out her watery juice. 

We still had time to waste at the airport, which was great. Jared took her on the moving walkways and she  loved it!! Finally time to start boarding and Aubrey was getting cranky. It was her bedtime and we were all ready for her to sleep. Plus, the plane was delayed about half an hour. 

But of course, things never go perfectly. We took off, everything was good. I got Aubrey to sleep in my arms. Getting comfortable was a difficult for me though. She is kinda heavy now and the seats in the plane are kinda awkward. Aubrey woke up after about an hour and totally freaked out when she realized we were somewhere other than home. 

Jared tried to comfort her in the back on the plane where people couldn't hear her too much. But she would not be comforted. So I went back and worked my magic. Got her calmed down and sat back in our seats. We put on a movie and just wanted to survive the rest of the trip. 

Landed, got our luggage and met Chris and Alicia in the pick-up section. 

It was so fun seeing them, even if just for a few minutes! They took us to Jared's family's house. 

Funny story: the driveway at the Roush home was pretty slippery. There was ice and my boots had no traction. I tried walking from the car to the door and my feet kept slipping! So there I was, stranded in the middle of the driveway, unable to get to the door. Luckily, Chris hasn't started the car yet and Alicia had the door open. I started calling for help, either to get Chris's attention or try and get Jared even though he was already in the house with Aubrey. Alicia realized I was calling for help and told Chris to help me. He came out, laughed at me when I explained the situation. But he helped me to the house by letting me grip his arm. 

Thanks Chris!

Aubrey was so good with the family! Let people hold her. Had a good time. Spencer was wonderful and gave up his room to Aubrey so she'd be across the hall from us. Everything was set up and we successfully put her to bed. 

She slept great and woke up happy the next morning. Aubrey loved all the new places to explore and really enjoyed the stairs!!

Thus concludes Part 1: Getting to Utah

What We Did In Ohio

The whole reason for the trip was for Thanksgiving, so of course we ate lots of food!

I stole these pictures from Aunt Misty, who put them on Facebook.

 The yummy food on the large table

All the good-looking delicious pies!

Aubrey was funny and after eating off my plate, just sat in the middle of the room! I would like people to notice that people OTHER than me and Jared are around her!

Jared and I took advantage of the free babysitters around and made a quick trip to the temple. We don't get to go all too often, so it was nice getting out!

The house was a little cold. It's an older house and is a little drafty. Aubrey was fine though. Found a way to keep herself warm on the couch while watching a movie.

There was also a really warm step by a vent where the warm air would come out. Aubrey quickly took claim of those stairs!

These are also the two steps she would walk up and down. Trying to keep the noise of the movie down, we closed the door. Otherwise, it'd be open and she'd be running up and down them!

We went out to eat one night with Aunt Sara, Uncle Mark and cousin John. It was at a Mexican place and the food was so good. No picture though. We were too busy eating or chasing after Aubrey to get a good picture!

Overall, we just mostly relaxed! We sat and talked with anyone who came over. Had no real plans and didn't care to make any. 

And of course we waited until the last day to get a picture of Aubrey with Grandpa Call. I knew waiting would just make it harder to get a good picture, but it's fine. We got a good one with Jared, Grandpa and Aubrey before she got too cranky.

It was such a fun trip. We got there Thursday a little before noon and left Sunday around noon. And after this successful vacation, I'm looking forward even more to our Christmas vacation in Utah!

Successful Trip!

I was totally expecting the worst this weekend when Aubrey was throwing fits and going crazy the beginning of the week. 

I told Jared Wednesday night that I did NOT want to even ATTEMPT the trip to Ohio. Said he could go and have a great time, but I HATED the thought of Aubrey being terrible AGAIN for a trip to Ohio. The past 2 trips were AWFUL because she would cry at everyone and was just upset constantly. 

But she did so well! Got a little cranky in the car after an hour, but Jared hopped back and held up the computer with a movie on it. Kept her happy the rest of the ride! 

Got to Jared's Grandparents' house just in time for Aubrey's nap. She took an AMAZING nap and woke up just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. I gave her the pacifier to help her feel secure. She sat in my lap the whole time and even ate off my plate! Her version of Thanksgiving was some turkey pieces, lots of fruit, broccoli with cheese, peas and corn!

Just absolutely amazing.

Her favorite thing to do was walk up and down the stairs from the breezeway to the kitchen. It's only 2 steps but she loved it! She'd run to the stairs, stop suddenly, carefully walk down and then run to the other side of the room. Then she'd repeat in reverse!

I'm just SO thankful that Aubrey was happy and cute. It REALLY makes the difference for Jared and me. There were times we could sit and talk with people and she'd just be running around entertaining herself!

It was wonderful being with family and catching up with everyone and having a REAL vacation! Jared and I got to sleep in. We didn't have any plans for most days we were out there!

I love my little girl and I think she is awesome (most of the time). It was so great having everyone else see what a cute and good girl she really is.