Happy Birthday Keeli!

Keeli is officially one years old now! I can't believe how fast time has gone or how much Keeli has grown over the last year. Each day gets better and better and I can't imagine life with out our little miss sunshine.

What do you think?

Eric and I have been trying to think of boy names lately...no I am not pregnant we just like to think of names.

What do you think of Anson for a boy?

U2

I was listening to pandora.com today when U2 began to play. I haven't always been a big U2 fan. When I was a teenager I used to love going to church dances. Every dance they would play the same U2 song and we would all belt out the song as we rocked around the dance floor. I would belt out the song with the rest of the them; however, after hearing U2 over and over again the song definitely lost its pizzazz. I thought that every U2 song sounded the same and since I heard one of them over and over I wasn't done with U2.

Years later...Eric enters the picture.

When Eric and I started dating I quickly found out that he loves U2. One night while we were out he asked me if I like U2. For some reason I told him yes. This is the only flat out lie I have ever told Eric. I must have wanted to impress him or something. ;) A little while later Eric and I were talking to my room mate and U2 came up. My room mate was so confused and said, "Laci, you hate U2". Oops...I then had to explain that I really didn't like U2. I was just a little embarassed to say the least.

Well, time has passed and after listening to U2 with Eric quite a bit I have decided that U2 isn't all that bad. I have to be in the mood for some U2, but when I am the mood, I can definitely jam to their tunes.

Have you ever done something like this? Is there anything that you have hated for years and then suddenly find yourself liking your long time enemy? I am sure I could name a few other things....their stories just don't include white lies.

I love you!!

This was Keeli's V-Day outfit. :) Don't worry, she didn't really wear it all day long.

Trust

“The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

I am constantly amazed at my daughter's undiluted trust and love. It can be so difficult to trust people and the world around us; however, children freely embrace almost anyone they see. I can definitely see why the Lord has commanded us to become as little children.

My name is Unique!

I was looking at my friend's blog the other day and thought I would check it out. Turns out there is one other Laci Harper to be found!

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Happy Love Day

There is no remedy for love but to love more. --Thoreau

Life without love would truly be nothing. I understand this concept more each day, especially now that I am married and have started having children. I am grateful that my parents gave me a strong foundation of love that I have been able to build upon. There is so much in life to love and I plan on loving more of it!

Water is the cure all

When I was young I did not like drinking water. Every time I was sick or had a headache it seemed like my dad would tell me to go drink some water. I would take a sip and forget the plan of gulping water for health. My parents were always drinking water. We had a water filter that they would leave their cups by every day and drink and drink to their hearts content.

Over the years I too have become a water nut. I love water, especially in a water bottle or with a straw. I believe my love for water developed when I starting buying Nalgene water bottles in high school. I love water bottles for some reason and if water was in them I would drink away. I now have quite a collection of water bottles and have also found out why my parents were always drinking water...it works! If I drink enough water I rarely get sick and my headaches are few and far apart. I feel healthier and now I tell Eric to drink more water all the time. I am sure my kids will get sick of me telling them to drink water but hopefully the habit sticks and they will be healthier because of it.

So if you are prone to headaches or colds or any other ailment....drink up to life! Water works! Who knows....It may even bring about world peace someday!

It's all in your attitude

Recently, I overheard something that got the wheels turning in my head. I heard someone say that we are here on this earth to go through trials. I thought this was kind of a pessimistic way to look at life but as I continued to think I realized that yes, we are here to learn how to go through trials; however, the true test of life is if we can still be happy between and amidst the experiences we go through. Below is a list that I want to remember as I go through life, especially on the hard days....

1. Prayer and fasting work

2. Family and friends are the perfect support system...there was a reason we were put on this earth as families

3. Taking a little time to relax, not 4 hours of TV vegging can go a long way

4. Being outside makes me happy

5. Too much sugar really doesn't make you happy, even if everything is chocolate

6. It's okay to make mistakes

7. I'm sorry does make a big difference

8. You can't change the past but you can move forward to correct it

9. Dancing, music, and hugs sometimes are very good medicine

10. Cuddling always make me feel loved

11. Exercise is worth it even if you don't want to do it

12. It's better to find a way to help someone else then to go buy another pair of shoes

13. I can always beat Eric at a tickle fight

14. A dirty house doesn't mean you have to be upset; messes sometimes end up being the most fun

15. Life will not always be easy, nor do I want it to be.

Since this blog was mainly introspection, here are some pictures to enjoy! :)

Our Microwave lives on.....

I don't know quite how to say this...our microwave didn't die. Here is what happened....After we figured out the microwave wasn't working Eric took the microwave to the dumpster at our apartment complex. Resisting the urge to smash the microwave into the dumpster for some reason he just set the microwave on the top of the pile and walked away. Later that evening Eric wanted some toast but was confused when the toaster wasn't working either. Lo and behold our breaker just needed to be reset...once he got the toaster up and running he bolted to the garbage can to grab our microwave. It was still sitting there nice and safe. When I came home I was very suprised to see our microwave back on the counter....needless to say our microwave was never really broken and next time we think something is dead....we will check more than the outlets connected to the same breaker... :)

Death of a Microwave

After years of service, our microwave is finally gone. It was given to us when we were first married and has traveled with us from apartment to apartment for 3 and 1/2 years now. The other day I looked at it to see the time and was suprised to find that the time wasn't displaying. I wondered if Eric wanted to save electricity by unplugging the microwave when it wasn't being used. I forgot about my microwave until Eric came home and asked if I had unplugged it and then the sad truth unfolded. The microwave was plugged in but no longer worked. Our appliance was good to us and popped some mean popcorn. I was sad today when I tried to make lunch and realized that everything I was going to make needed to be microwaved....I guess it is time to move on and get a new microwave.

O Christmas Tree!

Here is our Christmas tree this year!

This is an ornament we put on the tree every year. Eric puts it front and center and I hide it so it gets moved around all Christmas season!

Here's the tree!