Happy

Someone I just recently met, read my tag line on my email signature. It's been there so long I've forgotten about it and clearly it's message is lost on me. 

'Be joyful always.'

It's always been one of my favorite scriptures. Mainly cause I tend to favor the short and easy to memorize ones but more importantly because I need the reminder. 

In former stages of life, I was known as 'the smiley one.' People I barely knew would comment about the smile always plastered on my face. It wasn't necessarily that I always felt like smiling but maybe more that I always wanted people to wonder what I was smiling about. ;) But I was smiling anyhow. 

At some point/stage in life, people stopped commenting on the contagious smile and kinda stopped commenting all together. I wasn't the one people gravitated to at a party, rather I felt invisible instead. I couldn't start a new table and wait for it to fill up around me, I had plenty of room to stretch out in the empty seats on either side. Instead of smiling through an awkward conversation or changing the subject of a hurtful one, I've mastered the art of even more awkwardly staring at the ground in silence until someone gets the hint. (I should probably be embarrassed to admit I've done this multiple times lately.)*

Recently my two year old has been obsessed with talking about feelings; mainly he's telling us he's happy all the time. He points out when someone's not (Dakoty sad. Dakoty not happy). The other day he held his fingers to the edges of his smile and told me, 'if you just do this you will be happy!'**

The two year old telling me I needed to get the sourpuss look off my face? 

Ouch. 

'Be joyful always.' 

Not just when I feel like it. Not just when things are going my way. Not just when people are being nice to me. 

Always. 

I really do have a lot to be thankful for but even if I didn't, isn't life and God's love for me more than I deserve anyway? Isn't that something to be joyful about?

Always. 

Lord, help me to be joyful in all stages and seasons of life; not just the easy ones going my way. Guard my tongue when I feel like grumbling and instead fill my life and words with encouragement and love. And some happy. Amen. 



*No, I'm not in junior high. I just act like it. 

**We think his obsession started with the 'Happy' song. Who wouldn't be happy when listening to that? ;) 

Two. and a half.

In just a few short hours, Mr. B will be two AND A HALF. On one hand, it's nice because when people ask his age and think he's three or nearly three, I can just say 'two and a half' instead of 'he just turned two in November.' On the other hand.. HE'S TWO AND A HALF.

Seriously. How did that happen?

Since his second birthday, the biggest change has been the potty training trick. He rarely ever has accidents (though I know I just jinxed it and he'll have one tomorrow now). And if he knows diaper time (nap or bedtime) is too far away, he'll even ask to use the potty for you know what. (Because apparently he still likes doing that in his diaper.)

His big interests are still anything with wheels (trains, Cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes) and dinosaurs. The dinosaur obsession started when we downloaded (the original) Land Before Time onto his iPad. Since then, Aunt Kerry got him a whole set of LBT movies and they play on repeat.

He loves going on bike rides but this year has decided he only wants to wear a helmet if mom is (good thing I got a cute one!).

He can spot a park a mile away and starts shouting, 'PARK! Park please!!' from the backseat as we drive by. (This may have something to do with the 100 parks in 2014 plan we are trying out. My awesome friend Molly posted that she was doing it with her girls and I knew it'd be right up our alley too. SO fun!)

He's super into 'projects' and spent a lot of time painting and coloring this winter.

He knows his way around an iPad better than either of his parents.

His favorite song is Happy.

He LOVES fruit (grapes, strawberries, bananas, etc, etc) but has decided he's not that into veggies. Even peas (which used to be his fave snack) are no longer requested (and barely tolerated). His most requested food is french fries though. Not cool. His second most requested 'food' is a smoothy. He's a big fan. (Me too.)

His favorite movies are Land Before Time, Cars, Airplanes, Frozen & Toy Story. His favorite shows are Thomas, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Paw Patrol. Thankfully though we've been spending as much time outdoors as possible lately and he hasn't watched too much tv this month.

He hasn't had any illness to speak of since his birthday (that I can think of?) (knock on wood) though he did randomly vomit once last month. It was only the third time in his life it had happened (once as a baby and once in the night while he was sleeping) so he was pretty scared and didn't know what was going on but he made sure to say 'excuse me' after he did it. He's seriously the sweetest boy ever (not that I'm biased or anything). ;)

He's turning into a pretty good little friend... most of the time. He has some friends he goes to mom's co-op with on Wednesdays and he talks about them all the time! He can give you directions to all of their houses (which isn't too hard since they are all just a couple blocks away) and will request that you take him there often. He's still a big fan of the neighbor girls and get to hang out with them a lot too. He's still learning how to share but it seems to be less traumatic to have to do it. :)

He's saying more and more hilarious stuff every day........................ And I should probably come up with an example to fill in the blank here with but I guess I'm running low on sleep cause I'm blank. ;)


updated: just the other day, he pulled a chair over to the fridge. When I asked him what he was doing he said, 'cooking.' Me: 'Cooking what?' B: 'Cooking water!' (He was putting his cup up to the water dispenser inside the fridge and helping himself, thus the 'cooking' part.) 

Other fun stuff he's been up to since his 2nd bday: his first sled ride and snowman, his first KC weekend, his first LEGOland visit, his second plane ride to Arizona (he was a ring bearer in his Aunt Mal's wedding), his first official Easter egg hunt, his first tractor ride, more hair cuts, his Uncle Travis' wedding, his first Pella visit, and more.

If you follow us on instagram, you can keep up with more of the fun stuff he's into and for everyone else, I have a plan to take some two and a half year old pictures very soon! Maybe. :)

Happy half birthday, B!

Easy Guac

My cooking buddy helped me with a super easy Cinco De Mayo recipe for you guys. It's one of our favorite snacks and super fast to make. Get the two year old to help you! :)


(Sorry I couldn't get the HD version to load. My internet is bogged down with sessions uploading right now and all the neighbors changed their wifi passwords. Just kidding. Kind of.)




Easy Guac

1 avocado
2-3 spoonfuls of salsa (any kind)
garlic powder, cilantro, other seasonings to taste

Mash it up and enjoy!