My Beautiful Days

I know you probably see it a lot.  Some parent entered their kid in a magazine's cutest kid contest and now they want you to go and cast your vote for their kid. Well open your eyes and look at it again - cause you're not seeing things, that's exactly what I've done!  I entered Ethan in a contest and would love it if you would vote for him! Vote by clicking here .

Dear Ethan, I know you don't like it when mommy washes your hair ... ... but don't you think this was taking it a little bit far in getting your point across?!

Ethan loves Greek Yogurt ... I mean LLLOOOVVVEEESSSS it.  Whenever I am enjoying a bowl, he is right next to me asking for a "Bie?" (bite).  So, I have learned that it is just so much easier to get him a bowl of his own and let him enjoy it, too. And he really does!

My house is baby-proofed to an extent.  The electrical outlets that are within a child's reach have all been covered, we have gates blocking the entrance to our staircases (though they truly aren't necessary, as Ethan is the one who closes them when they've been left open!), etc., etc.  It has happened far more than once, though, that I have had the thought that the coffee table (which is in the room where Ethan most frequently plays) has the potential of being somewhat dangerous. I was right. The first time we discovered this was when the kids had been left with their (incredibly amazing) babysitter.  We came home to learn that Ethan had fallen and hit his mouth on the table, causing a fat lip.  While there was room for concern (because no mother wants to hear that her child had hurt themselves), we weren't too worried about it, as we knew that our babysitter really is amazing, she comforted him and made him feel better, and we knew without a doubt that she was ...

Do you ever struggle with what to do with the mounds of important paperwork that you need to keep?  What about the bills and other random miscellany that arrives in your mailbox each day?  Managing a household of seven people keeps me on my toes at all times, which sometimes leaves me behind on managing our paperwork.  After being married for three-and-a-half years, I can say that my husband and I have found a system of organization that truly works for us; but not only does it work, it flows . When it comes to the really important paperwork (like our written wills, birth certificates, mortgage documents, etc.), those are safely filed away in our fireproof/waterproof safe in our storage room.  The key to this safe is safely tucked away, too - somewhere very safe, I promise!  I'm sure that you've all figured out your systems for paperwork, too - but what about the daily stuff that comes up, but can't be forgotten (can anybody say that dreaded word: BILLS! )?...

If you've ever seen "Bear in the Big Blue House" then this song is a familiar one to you.  It's one that we sing quite frequently in our home, though we change the words to sing "Oh where, oh where, oh where is Ethan?" when he is waking up.  It's a wonderful tradition that I just love because when I sing "Where can Ethan be?" he responds with a very loud "BE!" and a big smile! I digress ... I feel very much like you could all be asking "Where oh where oh where is Kami?!" because I have been gone for so long.  Blogging hasn't been on the top of my priority list as of late.  We've been crazy busy the past couple of weeks and I'm just doing what I can to keep my head above the water.   A couple of weeks ago, Monte and I spent five days visiting Las Vegas with his parents.  This was my first trip to Vegas, and it definitely is a city to remember!  We stopped for a visit at Hoover Dam ... Tak...

I've been gone from blogging because the wind has blown me away.  Monte and I have the privilege of taking some time away on vacation with his parents in Las Vegas!  It has been so wonderful to see them and to see this crazy city, but today I think I am a little confused.  You see, it is so windy outside (with gusts blowing at 60+ MPH) that I am thinking I may have been blown away to Chicago instead of Vegas!  ;) So, later tonight I am going to let this crazy wind blow me away to see a show with Monte (which I am incredibly excited about!) And we'll see where it blows us from there. I wish I had more to say, but I'm posting this from my phone and it's not nearly as convenient as using the computer!!  More updates to come!  :) Kami

In my opinion memoirs are usually a risky choice to read because I either end up completely loving the book or completely wishing I had never read it in the first place; thankfully The Rules of Inheritance  by Claire Bidwell Smith falls into the former category! In this book, Smith takes you along on her journey of grief from learning in her teens that both of her parents have cancer to their passings and the journey beyond.  She is a woman trying to work her way through this grief and ultimately feeling the "why me?" that we so often can relate to.  She explores the five stages of grief, ultimately working her way to her happy ending. This is a story filled with joy, sadness, confusion, fear, and a little teenage rebellion thrown in there, too!  It's a story about finding yourself in the midst of chaos.  It's a story that I highly recommend reading! Come over to The BlogHer Book Club's Rules of Inheritance page to check out more about this book! **Discl...

It's no secret that I love to host dinner parties; having people in my home is something that I really enjoy!  One key thing to having people over, however, is to make sure that I (as the host) am not stressed out by the preparation or the timing of the evening. This week's Life Well Lived Getting Organized question on BlogHer is on that exact topic: What is your best tip for hosting a gathering, get-together or party that is enjoyable and stress-free for both the host and guests?   I've hosted a variety of dinners and get-togethers, ranging from having just one guest to having 20+ guests!  If there is one thing that I have found helpful, it is to allow myself to let go of the reins and allow others to help out with preparation.  In fact, for some meals (such as family gatherings) I will even go so far as to make them responsible for bringing certain dishes or certain ingredients to prepare dishes!  Having others help to prepare the meal allows a comfort l...

Monte and I made a pretty big decision this year regarding Valentine's Day: we weren't going to hire a babysitter and go out.  Instead, we decided that we were going to make the day about celebrating our kids and showing them that this holiday doesn't have to be about the romantic love that it is made to seem, but instead we can celebrate the love we have in our families and, most importantly, God's amazing, unfailing love. Best.  Idea.  Ever. We had so much fun celebrating the kids, and from their responses, I think they had a lot of fun, too!  They all woke up to a small card and a gift box full of Hershey's Kisses - but little did they know that was the least of the surprises they were going to have. Shortly before they arrived home from school, I hurriedly made some heart-shaped cinnamon rolls for them to enjoy them as an after-school snack (and yes, I cheated and bought the ready-to-bake rolls instead of making them from scratch!). The cinnamon rolls be...