Read Me the Apple Tree Book

For the past week or maybe two every night I carry Hannah to bed and then she says, "Will you read me the apple tree book?"

So I read her the book, and I think I have the first half of the book memorized. Tonight I was able to read it without looking at it. Luckily it's a great story, it reminds me of our relationship with Heavenly Father. At the same time it is a perfect life lesson as the boy is always wanting worldly things, like first he comes and says he needs money to make him happy, and so the tree offers him her apples to take and sell so that he will have money and be happy. Next he wants a house and a wife, so the tree offers up her branches so he can build himself a house. When he returns sad and depressed again he thinks he needs a boat to make him happy, so the tree offers up her trunk to make him happy, and finally he returns an old and dying man, and all the tree has left is a stump for him to rest upon, and that is when the boy realizes (I hope) that none of that stuff brings happiness, but true happiness comes from US being MORE like the tree and giving, and giving, and giving. The more we forget about ourselves and instead care for others is when we truly understand love & life.

The only thing that saddened the tree was when the boy didn't come around, but when the boy was around the tree was anxious to give itself to the boy entirely. The act of giving is what constantly brought happiness and meaning to the trees existence.

So let us all give a little more, and let us all not care so much about money, cars, houses, TV's, computers, toys, & other worldly things that only bring temporary happiness as it quenches our appetites for only a short amount of time. Instead let us be anxiously engaged in helping and giving of our time, talents, and efforts to others.

Hanney Bird...

Lately Hannah has been either acting like a dog or a bird. She switches through out the day. So she is either flapping her arms around the house flying everywhere she goes or she is running around panting on all fours with the occasional bark. Whenever she goes to the bathroom and she is finished she will announce, "I'm DOOOONE!"

If you don't come immediately she will begin to bark and howl until you get there. Also whenever you tell her to do anything like Clean her room, or pick up her toys, she will turn and growl at you. I really wish we could catch all of this on camera, but as soon as you pull out a camera she stops doing it, and is never in the mood to put on an on demand show.

Even at church today, two out of the three times I had to take her to go pee, she would want to crawl down the hall on all fours and pant and bark like a dog. Only problem is the hallways can get kind of busy, since we aren't the only ward in the building, so I had to stop Hannah from doing it. So after she let her frustration out, she decided that being a bird and flying down the hall wasn't a bad consolation.

Either way it's hilarious... most of the time.

Also in these last couple of months every time she is in the house we can barely get her to wear a shirt. Most of the time she will run around in just her underwear. The first thing she does when she gets home is strip out of all of her clothes.

At church the new year brought on a new Sunday school class. So she is leaving the class of 18 month olds - 3 year olds. So gone are the days of playing with toys, snack time, and coloring pictures. Now she has had to reluctantly say hello to a short lesson where she has to sit in a chair, sing songs, & will usually still be able to color a picture. Needless to say Hannah has never been a huge fan of change, so today was the first Sunday where she actually didn't cry for the first 5-10 minutes. Let's hope this means she is leaning towards the getting used to it part.

Another funny thing Hannah has been doing is making up her own songs. I've tried my hardest to listen and remember the words to the songs, but I am unable to do so. Here is my best effort of one she was singing today.

We never do, what we never do. We never do cause we have to do what we never do.

Something like that... it's hilarious!

She also will say that to you, she will say, "I never do, I just have to." (If anyone out there understands what that is supposed to mean, help me and Heather out)

Go Steelers... I'm OUT!

Heather's Birthday

Heather will be turning 26 tomorrow, I'm not sure what is planned for the BIG day, but I do know one thing she is gathering a ton of FREE birthday gifts from various restaurants around town. I think she has joined EVERY mailing list for EVERY restaurant around our house, or at lease all of our favorites like:

Spicy Pickle, Red Robin, & Texas Roadhouse to name a few off the top of my head.

So let's not forget to shower Heather with gifts, love, and LOT'S of comments on her blog!