Family Portraits

So on our budget, we can't just go out and pay someone to take our pictures, so here are some shots that I doctored and LOVE.

Aiden. OUR little WILD THING

His eyes are gorgeous!! I love this kid more than words can describe!!

And here we are, in pure bliss! My little family.

Generosity

Day 5: I'm grateful for the generosity of others.

Story: For a while the a friend of mine, Jeanette, has been wanting to give me her children's old outdoor playhouse but hasn't had a way to get it to us (too big for our cars).


So her neighbor, also a friend of ours, offered to deliver it in their truck. Well, while trying to coordinate with the Lisa (owner of the truck) she told me that her husband Craig wanted to bring it by today and was going to drop it off after he dropped off their old dryer at the salvation army but since they S.A. wouldn't take it, it was going to take longer for him to drive home, unload, and then come over. My response, "Your trying to get rid of your dryer?! Does it work!?" Lisa, "Yeah! It's awesome I just wanted a big one, we've had it for so long and its never given us trouble!" ME, "We'll take it off your hands!!!!"


So in one day we scored a free dryer and a free playhouse for Aiden to play in not too far off from now! SWEET! I am so grateful to the Payton's and the Smokstad's for being there for us and helping us out!!

It also got me to thinking about others that have been very generous.

Jeanette has given us so many hand-me-down toys!! Some that Aiden currently enjoys and others that he'll love when he's old enough!!

Katie is always offering her baby-sitting services and not to mention that bouncer that she has lent us that was a TOTAL life saver!!!

Oh and I couldn't ever forgive myself if I didn't mention Jeff and James!! They found us a dinning room table that we still have to transport over here!! They're always there for us to help rig up a swing or even take us out for lunch or dinner!! They spoil us rotten and are such great friends--they're always willing to help!!

TK's family is also really good about watching Aiden when TK and I are both in need of working on projects (such as moving) or even just a date night!

Not to mention all of the people that gave us clothes!! (I still have yet to have to buy Aiden any clothing.) Yay for hand-me-downs!!!

We have so much to be grateful for!! I love my friends and family. I have such a great support system. I know so many people that I can rely on and for that I couldn't be more grateful!!

Peace, Love, and CookieDough.

Traditions

Day 4: I am grateful for new traditions.

SO... I can't remember too many traditions that I had growing up.. and TK doesn't really have a lot he wanted to carry over either. And for the first year of marriage, traditions weren't really all that important to us seeing as how we are lazy and Aiden had yet to arrive.

BUT THE GAME HAS BEEN CHANGED!!! Aiden IS here and we need to start up some family traditions.


So this year, we purchased our first tree. It is probably 18" tall and sits on our table. We have a few decorations and I made some snowflakes out of paper (we. are. cheap.) ha. And below the tree is several slips of blank paper, a pen, and a bowl. This is our "giving" tree. When feeling loving, we can go and write something on a slip of paper and address it to someone. It can be a word of encouragement, love, a coupon for something, or a thankyou. We fold it up and write the person's name on the outside. And then come christmas morning, it will be the first things we open. So whether or not there are toys and clothes under the tree, there will always be gifts :)

The Children's Music

Day 3: I am grateful for my calling as Jr. Primary Chorister.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord as well as all of the tiny souls at my church. They are so full of strength and innocence AND ENERGY!!! I love that I have to be so creative and i Love that I know that the Lord will help me find the strength AND ENERGY to keep up with them and get it all done in order to teach his children these beautiful songs.

Today is my Preperation day. I have to go to hobby lobby and pick up whatever props are needed for my lesson tomorrow! I can't wait -- I had something planned out for last week but failed at the follow through because Aiden and I both got sick. He had a ridiculously high fever and in addition to being ridiculously stressed about him, my throat was killin me. So luckily I have the opportunity to try again this week, and the next, and the next, and so on. Hopefully they'll enjoy it!!

Some friends of ours got married yesterday and we have their reception today!! I'm so excited! Hopefully Aiden lets us enjoy it :) ha. But I'm sure he'll be off our hands pretty quickly after we walk in the door -- he always is... Its actually kinda hard to keep tabs on him.

Today marks ONE MONTH on the countdown to OUR TRIP TO UTAHHH!!! I cannot wait to see my family!! To show off my bundle of joy to his aunts and uncles for the first time!! YAYYYY. I am so thrilled and its going to be so much fun!! (and i've already located some babysitters for TK to make sure he doesn't get too lonely and always has something to keep him busy) ha. But seriously, it's gunna be hard to be away from him for so long.... but i know it'll be worth it. I miss my family so much!! Can NOT wait.

Welp. Time to eat my oatmeal, fix my hot chocolate to-go, and get Aiden all set for our field trip to HOBBY LOBBY!!
Peace, Love, and CookieDough.

Hello Sunshine

DAY 2: I am grateful for Early Mornings.

No, I am NOT talking about waking up at o'dark thirty and going to the mall for BLACK FRIDAY. I am talking about the opportunity that I get EVERY morning to wake up at o'dark thirty and spend time with my precious son. We get to play together and bond and snuggle ANNND I feel as though I am a lot more productive throughout the day when I wake up early. yes I feel old when night time comes and I am in bed earlier than mosst, but it is SOOO worth it!


Seriously the cutest alarm clock I have EVER had.. not to mention RELIABLE!!! Every morning, without fail, I am up!

Peace, Love, and CookieDough.

My Thanksgiving Challenge

So this thanksgiving has been difficult. As I'm sure it is for most people. While it was beautiful and enjoyable... I found myself being bitter at the fact that some of the things I am thankful for weren't on my list this year.. Times are hard and my stress level is high. So then I found myself being bitter for being bitter.

So I gave myself a challenge. I set the timer for 3 minutes. And in this three minutes I was to write down all of my blessings that came to me on the top of my head. If at any point in that 5 minutes I was to come to a complete road block, the list was to end.

((My List))

1. TK
Aiden
sisters
brother
5. dad
mom
aunts
uncles
step family
10. grandparents
Friends
Church
Home
Food
15. My childhood
education
trials
talents
date nights
20. game nights
family nights
skype
the gospel
travel
25. my car
my boppy
aiden's bedding
my bed
my computer
30. my memories
my camera/pictures
nieces and nephews
temples/sealings
eternal perspective
35. warm weather
modern medicine
prayer
food on the table--esp when i don't have to make it
aiden's smile and giggles
40. my health
the health of those i love
dreams
the simple pleasures in life like hot chocolate and thunderstorms

--and time.--total=43



However, THIS was NOT the challenge. The challenge begins now and goes for, at least, the next 30 days. Each day, I am to find something new to be thankful for. Preferably something that I am usually ungrateful for (find something good within the bad).

Day 1: I am thankful for learning how to be dependent upon someone else.

I have been given an opportunity to give up total control and have someone else take care of me. I am grateful for a husband that supports me and loves me even when I am psychotically anal and controlling. And I am grateful that he has a job in these tough times even if it means he has to work on thanksgiving.

Peace, Love, and CookieDough.

Baby-Free-Blog-Post

Ok. So clearly I am a little obsessed with a certain someone... and the father of a certain someone... and it shows. a lot. i know.

I also know that lots of people get on here to keep up to date on this certain someone and could really care less about me.

however, with this, i also know that some people may not care so much about a certain someone's smile or chunky thighs...

SO. Here we go.

Currently life has gotten to be pretty chaotic. I feel like I'm always going. Even sitting down on the couch to relax has it's hidden agendas. Grocery shopping has become my exciting adventure of the week (or month... depends..) and guaranteed quiet time is only between the hours of 9 pm and 3 am. (sometimes more.. again.. depends)

But life is moving and I am always adjusting. TK has been working AMC and oddjobs causing time together to be limited. But oh how I love that precious time!! We're getting very creative with "date nights" which are basically just glorified family relaxation time... but we hold hands on the couch so it TOTALLY counts!

TK and I are both looking at going back to school in the spring. --this is quite exciting and nothing is official yet. but we are very hopeful and nervous and so-on and so-forth. He would be going to get his degree in Web Design and I would be taking a whole new path toward cosemetology.

Its something I've always considered getting my license in (I think i've even posted about it before); something that i could fall back on and use for some extra cash..

But yeahhh... hopefully things will pan out and we'll finally be educated folk.

Welp. That's really all my updates for now. Sorry if I bore you. Sorry if I usually do. But it's my life :) and i LOVE it!!

Peace, Love, and CookieDough.

I am NOT white trash!!!

White trash!? WHITE TRASH!?!??!?!?! How RUDE!!!

So I snuck onto Mom's computer today to find her facebook account open. So I go perusing through her newly posted pictures (cuz who doesn't wanna see that cutie she's always doting over?!) And I come across THESE!!


















And to make matters EVEN WORSE, they were captioned "hahahaha. either white trash or tommy pickles. ha" and "Milk Belly"

THE NERVE!!! I mean. HELLO!! YOU'RE the one that dresses (or rather, NEGLECTS to dress) me!! I can stick my thumb in my own mouth let alone acquire my wardrobe!! This is just insulting not to mention humiliating!! And MILK BELLY!?!? Psh. That is just baby fat! More to love MOM! I mean... you DO love me.. don't you!?

I can't even look at this anymore. I am cute gosh dangit! And if my parents can't dress me in clothes that accentuate that well then .... then... well i don't know yet i still need to learn how to crawl before I can run away.... arg. not cool mom. not cool at all!

Peace, love, and properly attired babies.
-Aiden

Our New Home

Last month we moved into our new home. Its out in the middle of no where but it has tons of space, lots of yard, and we can grow into it. The house is 50+years old but its perfect for us right now. There is a small wish list of big items that we'd like to do to it.. such as renovate a master bathroom.. but that isn't a necessity yet, nor is it going to happen any time soon. But we're excited for all the memories that will come in this house!!!


This is the view from the road


This is just one portion of the backyard. Complete with swingset, picnic table, shed, and so much more!!!


There are flower beds all over the yard, front and back. I am considering taking up some yard work.. planting some flowers.. but its a lot of work.. we'll see if i can ever actually get around to it.


This is the giant garden that the family used to tend to. They actually lived off of this GIANT garden. They had EVERYTHING in it.. but its all covered in weeds and ten feet tall now.. a garden is WAYYY too much for me to tend to.. but who knows what'll come of it..

So. That's our place!! I'll post pictures of the inside if we ever get it worth displaying :)

Peace, Love, and CookieDough

Such a Rarity--Nap Time!

It is SOOO difficult to get this little one to take a nap!! But when we ACTUALLY do, GOSH is he CUTE!!! Now don't get me wrong, he sleeps through the night--usually about 12 straight.. but during the day, a cat nap is the best we can hope for.. so cute!! The swing has been a total lifesaver for me--it allows me to get a few things done during the day!! HA.

Last night though, he had a really hard night. Went to bed late, and woke up several times. Poor kid was so exhausted that he actually laid down for a nap today!! Which means Mom gets to catch up on her blogging!! Woot woot. (and show off how cute Aiden is... again and again and again.)

Peace, Love, and CookieDough

Family Game Night!!

Last night we got to go hang out at Grandma and Grandpa Sheppard's house! We had a wonderful day and it was topped off with an awesome game night!! Such a great time! Good food, good people, good fun!

Playing Settlers of Catan


I just can't get enough of this boy!!!


Aiden psychin' out the competition! (he's very distracting)


The happy couple!


Chillin' with Grandma


"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!" --i love this picture! priceless.


I sure do love my boy!!



Peace, Love, and CookieDough

The Loves of My Life

Presenting TK Sheppard II and Aiden Dante Sheppard -- aka MY EVERYTHING


he was the first to get his hands on the little handsom one


he's such a proud papa!!


i caught em taking a nap together.. precious.


admiring my husband admiring our pride and joy


Daddy is so good about keeping his boy in touch with the family..


nothing comes between these two, not even some sunglasses


playin video games with dad! (except now he'll whine if he can't see the screen..ha)


pullin pranks on mom together


tickle time!


seriously. i had NOTHING to do with this kid's cuteness-here's your proof.


aren't they just so cute?!?!


cuddle time for Aiden and Dad


my heart melts for these two!


they're so much fun when they play together!!


he's such a caring son.. always taking care of dad after a long day at work..


guess where he gets his baby blues from...


Daddy loves you Aiden!! -- Never forget that...

Peace, Love, and CookieDough

My Toothless Little Vampire!!

Halloween 2010 was definitely the best thus far!!

Aiden went as a toothelss little vampire and I went as a crazed "Team Aiden" fan. (ok so i didn't dress up.. sue me.


We went to our church's traditional "Trunk-Or-Treat" with Aiden's aunts, Rebekah and Janel.


A special thanks to Aunt Shauna and Uncle Josh for making this awesome costume a success!!


And check out that state-of-the-art (or at least one-of-a-kind) cape!! So stinking awesome!! ha.


Look out! The vampire's comin' for ya!! NOM NOM NOM!!!


By far, the cutest toothless vampire EVER!!!


Peace, Love, and CookieDough!

I Just Can't Get Enough Of That SMILE

Now you can go ahead and tell me that it doesn't make your heart melt, but no body likes a liar...


i mean check out this GUMMY smile!! :) you just gotta love it.


I like it when daddy tickles my toes...


and when i spit up all over my clothes...


and playing shy...


and going for car rides...


and posing for the camera...


and working out...


and making my parents smile right back at me!


"Say CHEESE!!!"

Peace, Love, and CookieDough!