What I'm loving about life

The other night we had dessert with some of our long-time friends (and my old Young Women's leader).  It was so good to catch up, eat yummy pie, and play card games.  At one point in the conversation, my sweet friend/YW leader asked me, "So Holly, what are you loving about life right now?"

I kind of love her for asking such a great, positive question, and I've spent the past week thinking a lot about it.  So here is what I have come up with, what I am loving about life right now:

1) I have been getting a lot of mileage out of my new pressure cooker lately by discovering the world of canning.  Over the course of a few days I have 40 quart-sized mason jars filled and sealed with beans, chicken, and potatoes and I have plans to do more canning tomorrow! Now instead of getting burned out of making nice, yummy dinners for a week and following it with a week of sandwiches for dinner, I will be able to whip up healthy, good dinners in no time flat all the time.  And can I tell you how much I look forward to no longer having to soak beans overnight?!  Yipee! 

2) This little munchkin:

Oh my word. I just can't handle her cuteness.  She is so smiley and cuddly and all-around adorable!  It's so fun to hear her begin to speak:

"Mom, help!"
"ki-ki-dee" (Kenadie)

"Stittah, peese!" (stickers please)   

"Mom, hewe!" (Mom, here!)

"I-na foggie!" (I want the froggie, meaning she wants to hold the lizard)

"I-na cookie!"

"I-na tech-na-ji-gee." ("I want technology" meaning the iPhone, iPad, etc.)

She's also developing some sass and spunk to her and has officially earned herself a few time-outs for hitting this week; but she is so quick to say sorry and give hugs and kisses, it's hard to stay mad at this little toot for long.

Every morning for the past week she has insisted on wearing Kenadie's Cinderella dress and wants to keep it on all day long.  She'll spin around and around, saying to herself, "So pity, so pity!!"

3) This little girl:

If ever I tell her that she is cute, she gets upset and says, "No, momma!  I'm not cute I'm just pretty cuz my chubbies are all gone!!"
She also continues to have a few dyslexic words in her speech.  My current favorite it "got-fer" for "forgot". (Ex: "Mama, you got-fer to make me some toast for breakfast!")

She knows just about all the sounds that each letter in the alphabet makes and she does great at tracing letters and shapes.  She is a smart little whip and loves to spend hours at her desk "doing my homework and learning".  (Just keep that attitude going for the next 15 years, girl and life will be easier for us all!)

She also LOVES to do Mommy's hair (while putting up a fight to have her own done?!), and a few weeks ago while using the comb on my hair, she managed to do this:

It took over an hour of careful work (and an almost-resignation to living with a bald spot for awhile) before I could get the comb out.  Kenadie's salon days have been a bit more infrequent since that episode and no longer include combs. :)

4) My new vacuum/steam mop.  Got it on super sale and it is the first vacuum I've spent over $60 on.  In short, every vacuum I've owned up until this point has been a piece of junk and it's embarrassing how much I'm enjoying vacuuming with something that actually gets my carpets and rugs clean (and even more embarrassing how much dirt has been lingering in the carpet and rugs under the use of my old, junky vacuum!). 

Also, this is the first time in my married life that I have not had to mop the floors on my hands and knees.  Maybe the dry, nasty callouses on my knees can now soften and heal. :)

5) Dreaming about a view like this someday from my living room window in a home that I own....

My quirky and favorite evening past-time is looking through floor plans on the internet for a home I would love to build.  Who knows how far off the realization of that dream is, but it is fun to dream of owning a home on a hill with a view of one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on earth....


6) Every healthy day that we have!  It's been a winter chalk-full of sickness around here and I feel like we must have the weakest immune systems on the planet (7 bugs in less than 3 months!).  However, we sure have appreciated our healthy days and have filled them with play dates, dancing, singing, exercise, projects around the house, and outings with friends and family.  There is nothing like illness to make you truly love your health!

Considering all of the above, what's not to love about life right now?! :)