Bennington Beauty

After church we stuffed ourselves with Pat's yummy stroganoff and then headed out to expend some energy. We somehow never get tired of a walk, run, or hike out at Bennington Lake. There are 8 miles of trails to enjoy, along with beautiful views, and usually a bit of wildlife. Pepper had an excellent time scoping things out in the backpack and even managed to stay awake the whole time. There was an amazing sunset to make the walk even more spectacular!

"Sharing"

Hey girl, I got your back.

At least until you are distracted...

Wow, that looks SO much better than mine.

You make that look so tasty!

Content with their thievery.

Wow, your head is so soft!

Saturday evening we spent more time with the Finkbiner family. The girls started stealing the pacis from each other right away. At first we were trying to stop them but finally we gave up and let them be. They were perfectly happy with the "sharing" that went on. We were laughing so hard at those two! A little taste of a lot of fun times those girls will have.

An Afternoon with Friends

Getting to know each other again.

Beautiful Blue Eyed Em

Poor Ezekiel is too polite to fight back.

Emmarie and her pretty Mommy

Beautiful feather flower, thank you Sherisa and Emmarie!

 We were so excited to have Sherisa, Broc, and Emmarie in town for the weekend. We got together for lunch and had such a great time watching the kids interact. This is one of the first times that we have had a chance to see Pepper around other kids close to her age since has become more independent and mobile. It was eye opening to say the least. To start the day out, at Sabbath School Pepper tried to steal Emmarie's pacifier. I blame that one on Jo's pacifier stealing game that he taught Pepper. Then at lunch I sat Pepper next to Emmarie for pictures and she promptly pushed her over backwards into the coffee table.  A little later Pepper pushed Ezekiel over onto the floor and pinned him. Even though Pepper is not yet old enough to comprehend the effect she has on others, these experiences did get me to thinking. How do we instill in Pepper the qualities of gentleness and kindness, and yet foster her independence and confidence? How do we guide her energetic personality to treat others with respect and love? I am sure that this is the toughest job of a parent and I am hoping that Jo and I learn quickly. We are lucky to have the "village" we have to help with this monumental task. In the meantime, we are blessed to have such understanding and good natured friends.

Smoothie

Jo and I are on a smoothie kick right now. For dinner we have been eating fruit and kale/spinach smoothies. It is a good way to get more greens into our diet and have more time in the evening to spend with Pepper. Pepper spends our "dinner time" begging for sips and staining her clothes with purple yumminess.

Bath Time

Getting soaked...thus bath time is near.

Nothing better than those cute buns!

All warm and dry!

Pepper's LOVES baths! While the tub is filling she stands at the edge smacking the tub with her hand, talking loudly to the water. She can hardly wait for the tub to fill. She plays and splashes and drinks the water (yuck). And after all that fun she is usually very chill and ready to sleep. Bath time is a winner for all of us!

That's Not My Snowman!

Pepper has started to really enjoy books. Her favorite right now is one that Auntie Jamie gave her. There are textures to feel on each page, some soft, some scratchy, and others bumpy. We read it to her over and over, and now she will even "read" it on her own.

Next Year

January 2011 with Baby Zoe

Last year about this same time we went snowshoeing for Grandpa John's birthday. I was pregnant and remember thinking about how fun it would be "next year" when we could take our little girl snowshoeing. It is true, it is fun! So glad she is here with us!

A Birthday Outing

Birthday boy and his girl

Attempt at self portrait.

He makes me so proud.

Awww, so pretty!

A LION KING MOMENT

Daddy is so funny!

Pepper loving time out of the backpack!

Mom ruining the peace with technology.

Grandpa Lee is an active sort of guy, so when he gets to decide what to do on his birthday, we go snowshoeing! We were excited to be a part of this because we love hanging with Grandpa Lee, and because the snow has been elusive this year so we have been craving some time in it. We found Tollgate to be beautiful, sunny, WHITE, and not too cold. Perfect! Snowshoeing is so fun because it gives a total body workout and is slow enough that you have ample time to soak in the scenery. We wore ourselves out and enjoyed a picnic lunch complete with warm soup and mint hot chocolate. Pepper even had a great time! All in all, Grandpa Lee's 62nd birthday was an amazing day. We are so thankful for you Dad!

Layers

Pepper loves the backpack so we decided to try walks in the evenings again. Unfortunately, the temperature has been in the low 20's. In order to keep her warm we have devised a layering system. Layer 1: Dry diaper, short sleeved onesie, and tights. Layer 2: Long sleeved onesie and socks over the tights. Layer 3: Fleece pajamas. Layer 4: Fleece jacket, Mommy's socks aka "thigh highs", Mommy's mittens aka "arm covers" and a baby balaclava. Layer 5: Down bunting and hat.
The layering must be working to keep her warm because she falls asleep for most of the walk...and then wants to be up until 10 pm. Oh well, at least we are getting some exercise!

Hangin' with the P

I enjoy Sundays with my daughter very much. 

She teaches me wonderful things:

1. Playtime is just as fun in a clean house as a dirty one,

2. Sometimes simple toys are better, such as a tupperware lid or a laundry basket,

3. Giggling for no reason is incredibly fun and quite contagious,

4. Looking excited can make any task more exciting,

5. Sharing is fun,

 

 6. Daddy's favorite hat can totally increase your level of coolness.

I have also learned that even though I am an imperfect parent, Pepper is forgiving, resilient, and strong. 

She gives her love freely, never holding back or worrying about what it looks like.

I have learned that I want to be more like my daughter.