Lizzie turns one!!!

I'm so happy to celebrate my sweet little girl's birthday. Every day I have her here on Earth I thank Heavenly Father I do. Someone once told me "Once you have kids, you'll wonder what life was like without them." I never want to go back. The joy my children bring to me doesn't have words.

I've had some rough days lately with Edin struggling to control his little boy temptations, James being so busy with school and clients, and being home by myself with the kids so much. I guess I just feel like my life is out of balance somewhere but I can't quite put my finger on it.

That's not the point of this blog. I don't really know how to make a one year old feel special but I wanted to try. Lizzie isn't quite walking yet so I decided to spend the day holding her hands and walking around with her. Edin decided to spend the day squishing, poking, body slamming, and annoying poor Lizzie. Probably just his way of saying "Happy Birthday Lizzie." What a big brother! James was able to make it home for a few hours and spend some time with us. It was wonderful. We kept the day pretty low-key. We went to Costco and a ward party. It doesn't get much more low-key than that...

The party is Saturday so I'm going to use most of that day making Lizzie feel special and birthday ish. For Edin's birthday I made pinatas. Oh man, talk about time consuming. But it make me happy to do something special for his first birthday. So for Lizzie I've made this really cute Happy Birthday sign with a cricut and I'm making her a giraffe cake.

I just wanted to say first birthdays are so special. Sometimes birthdays get treated as just another year passing. But for a baby, a year is a long time! So much changes and progresses. Not to mention all the physical things they have to overcome to even survive that long. How many babies died while crossing the plains or how many young children did Joseph Smith lose? I never want to take for granted a single day I get to be with and take care of my angels. How lucky am I to be the mother of some of Heavenly Father's most valiant spirits? I can testify that Edin and Elizabeth were SO anxious to come to Earth. I know the wait must have been hard. They have a good work to do here though. There is much to do.

Lizzie, I love you. You are beautiful, and clever, and loving and kind. Your siblings are lucky to have you. The world is lucky to have you in it. Never forget that you are the Daughter of a King. Your worth is immeasurable. Someday you will inherit the Earth. I'm so blessed to get to see you through it.

Sweet Family Together time; the best way to spend a birthday.


I guess Lizzie can pick up a plate and smash it on her face to get a banana.


Sometimes they do cute things together.


It snowed on her birthday. Sad.