"You've Got To Get Up Every Morning With A Smile On Your Face And Show The World All The Love In Your Heart"

You've got to get up every morning
With a smile on your face
And show the world
All the love in your heart


Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel


Waiting at the station with a workday wind blowing
I've got nothing to do but watch the passers-by
Mirrored in their faces I see frustration growing
And they don't see it showing, why do I?


You've got to get up every morning
With a smile on your face
And show the world
All the love in your heart


Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel


I have often asked my self the reason for the sadness
In a world where tears are just a lullaby
If there's any answer, maybe love can end the madness
Maybe not, oh, but we can only try


You've got to get up every morning
With a smile on your face
And show the world
All the love in your heart


Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful, you're beautiful
You're beautiful as you feel


Beautiful by Carole King
I heard this song on American Idol and I am so in love with it, however of course when I tried to put it on my playlist, its a horrible version so you must go now and listen to it.


 
We lost a friend very near and dear to our heart. Let me just say I can't and don't want to lose anymore close friends anytime soon! I just can't take it. Thankfully things seem to be slowing down a bit. Nothing ever really goes back to normal, what is normal anyways?  We found out some new information about the accident which really makes more sense and in one way makes it easier to accept and in other ways makes us so angry because just maybe Chris would still be here. Unfortunately no matter how many times we ask questions or wonder exactly how it happened, it isn't going to bring him back. I just find strength in the opportunity that I had to know him for as long as I did. To see him standing strong no matter what he was battling. He was definitely someone to look up to. I am sure he is smiling down on us and joyous because he is in a much better place.



At the same time we were dealing with all of that stress, last Friday morning Steve woke me up at 1am asking me to go down with him to get a glass of water which I thought was odd but okay. Well as soon as we get downstairs he starts grabbing his chest and complaining of all types of symptoms which would indicate a heart attack. I really wanted to just freak out because we were already really stressed and then to worry that something is seriously wrong with the love of my life only makes it 20x worse. I knew I had to keep my cool. Long story short I had to call 911 and after two trips to the ER, a trip to the cardiologist and an upcoming stress test we should be in the clear and I am so much more than thankful! I have never had to call 911 before and it is terrifying especially when its my other half. The time creeps by every so slightly and it takes literally forever for the ambulance to get there. And let me just say we were anything but impressed with Culpeper Hospital. Both Steve and I agreed that if there is ever a next time we will take our chance driving to Fauquier. I know Fauquier doesn't have the best rep but they are a hell of a lot better than Culpeper. I am so thankful that nothing serious is wrong with my hubby and some much needed rest should put him right on track. Yeah and I have been slacking off with him this week too!

We got the girls a bunny and she is adorable. I must say I think I made a pretty good choice! We have to clip her nails though very soon and check back with me because I may very well change my mind. Overall though she has a great temperament and is really sweet.

While the girls were having an easter egg hunt at my parents and I was helping Haiden before Cameron stole all her eggs I discovered one with a little critter on it...a slug...now normally I don't like them but this one was so teeny tiny I had to check it out. He or maybe she was pretty much transparent.

We had a great Easter, spent with family we haven't seen in awhile, but unfortunately that didn't include everyone. These were the girls easter morning still in their pjs!



And onto other news....this just in...

My husband, Stephen Dodson, approached ME and said he wanted a baby! A baby! A BABY! Haha I am a little taken back, I never thought I would hear him say that to me, that he wants another baby. I mean don't get me wrong he loves our girls and we both knew we wanted a second child but he never approached me about it, it was just this unspoken desire we both had. And he even has a time frame, haha oh my, I loved hearing that. I mean it's not a done deal, let's go, but for him to be the one desiring it before me is just unheard of...makes me giggle with happiness. Like I said nothing is set in stone right now but maybe we will have another, I just don't know yet. We will see what the future holds. Of course all of this came out this week while he has been home sick, so I looked at him when he first said it and was like do you have a fever, honey? But he reassured me that no he was serious. He has joked about it before and I always tell him don't speak those words if you are joking...and this time he wasn't.

It's hard for me to believe that on Sunday I will turn a quarter of a century. That is a bit crazy to me! I have lived a lot of life in my 25 years and while I know the next 25 will probably go by much faster than I wish it too, I am excited to see what it holds for me. Possibly a horse farm? another baby? moving to another state? I am not quite sure but one thing I am sure of is the great memories I will make along the way. I have the best friends anyone could ask for. Always stepping in when I need something, I hope I can be as helpful to them.  I love you all!

I find strength

in knowing that one day we will meet again. We lost a great great friend this week. Someone who was extremely caring, kind hearted and always happy. It makes it so much harder when it's a tragic event that takes someone out of this world. An event that leaves no time for saying goodbye. I know things like this happens everyday but when it happens to someone you love or someone close to you or someone special it really hits home. 

I am thankful we have lots of fun memories with our dear friend Chris. We were able to be apart of his and Carissa's wedding day as the best man and matron of honor and we were honored. We spent many evenings with them and had fun at the Bull Run Festival of Lights and Tony's Pizza afterwards or playtime with the dogs or our afternoon trip to Skyline Drive with a picnic lunch and running from big hairy spiders in the outhouse. Yes, we had great times together. I will cherish the great memories as we prepare to say, not Goodbye but See you later...  

I feel honored to have such great people in my life that I can call my friends, I don't know what I would do without them. Some of them are just as close if not closer than my family and you can't achieve that overnight. I always know who I can count on when I need it most. And I am so grateful! So so grateful! Some people in your life just hold a special place in your heart. You don't have to speak to them every day or see them every week but you just know they are there. There and ready to come help if you ever need them, willing to do pretty much anything. Those are the people I cherish most!

Even through the tough times, I choose to focus on the positive and look for the good, why not? Otherwise you will turn into a miserable, unhappy person. It's times like these that make me believe there is still hope and heart in this world after all. People coming together to helps others in need during some of their toughest moments. Yes, this is what life should be all about!

Makes me Smile...

Days when she hangs out with daddy for a bit

And tries to put mommy's shoes on and walk around the house.

Fun at the park, and her first time going down the big slide which she wasn't too sure of.

Of course she did just fine.

LOVING swinging on the swings

Big sis taking her down the really big slide...

Cami climbing a huge contraption....

And how could I forget, some more macro love.

Oh my and nap times are always an adventure, especially here lately. Well Haiden is still stuck on a nasty nasty habit which requires her crib to be wiped down and sheets changed often...that's all the details I will give. However, on this particular day, she had fallen asleep on me and I took her up to lay her down and of course there wasn't a sheet on the mattress. Well I wasn't even going to attempt to put a sheet on with her in my arms, I didn't want to wake her. At least it had a mattress cover, so she took a nap on that. I went in a few hours later to check on her because she had been asleep for a long  time and this is how I found her.

Precious growing, not so little toes.

Haiden's new love, well two things 1. playing Cameron's harmonica, she LOVES it 2. sitting on the front step with me, having me pick dandelions for her and holding them, waiting for Cami to get off the bus and yelling "BUUUUHHHHH"

Mommy, stop taking pictures of me...

And then when I tell her to smell the flower, what does she do? She rubs it on her lips.

Simple & Pure

This is friday morning bliss...soaking up the beautiful sun, feeling the cool refreshing breeze blowing through the house and the peace that comes with knowing Life is Good!

If you look really closely you can see my reflection in drop of dew...craziness

These flowers are teeny tiny, they grow in the grass and unless you are looking for small things to take pictures of you would never see them! Look at their beauty and detail.

Look at these lovely babies!

As we were walking Haiden decided she needed a break and plopped down in the grass.

And then a little further and it was sidewalk break.



Look at this tiny beauty. So small yet so pretty

These haven't bloomed quite yet so I'm keeping my eye on them.



It seems I have been procrastinating in more areas than one, better change that.

These pictures are wayyyy old but I don't care, I had to share them. I love them, I think these tiny birds are amazing! They have such bright colors, tiny bodies and amazing speed.

I have been slacking in the blogging department for two main reasons: laziness and business. These two totally don't even go together but it's true. Too busy to take the time and sit down to blog because I have been busy working for the magazine everyday while Haiden naps and too lazy to upload pictures to my computer that I have been taking. I am still madly in love with my macro filters and just can't find enough things to photograph. I feel a park trip coming soon! There is lots to capture in detail there.

Don't you wish sometimes you could just put it all out there and share EVERYTHING that's going on in your life, well not everything, but you know what I mean, but you can't, all because a that good ole thing called politics. While many people post personal matters, etc on blogs and facebook, I still find it funny that if you really wanna know what's going on with someone you will have to talk with them not just read their latest posts etc after all you can't always say everything you want to.

On another note, I think this is going to be the first year that we aren't getting together as a family for Easter. It will be very strange and weird and not fun! I will miss what we use to have and be reminiscent of the great times. And on another stinky note, Steve is working this year on Easter so it will be different. Somehow he has managed over his last six years of crazy shit, Oh I mean shift work to be off for most of the major holidays so I guess I am a bit spoiled.

Me and my little girl have been enjoying the refreshing weather we have had the last few days and its nice. Today we went on a short walk and Haiden decided that the old lady on the other side of the road mowing her grass was so interesting that she plopped down on the grass and watched her for a good five minutes. So I took advantage of it and sat down beside her and we enjoyed the cool breeze blowing through our hair.

She is slowly starting to get the hang of potty training and wanting to go on the potty and knowing when she is about to go. But at this point it's selective, but I am okay with that. We will get there eventually. She is doing pretty good though and I am proud of her.

Cameron brought home all A+ grades again on her report card! We are really proud of her. I think it has gotten to the point where we almost expect it now because she has brought home that so many times, I think we would probably be like okay what's going on  if she were to bring home anything else. Let's hope her pushing herself to always do well continues into her high school years. We will certainly keep encouraging it.

I procrastinated again this year! I have done our taxes the last two years and you would think that I would get them done and out of the way right? Well that was my intention but you know how life is. I sat down back at the beginning of February and did them one evening and I thought since there is still so much time left before the deadline I will come back and double check them when I have fresh eyes. Yeah well here I sit April 14th just having finished them with far from fresh eyes, instead I am tired and dragging my feet because I didn't even want to do them tonight, I was planning on my date with my pillow. At least they are done for this year. I am going to make a resolution now that I will not put it off like I did this year. Can someone remind me of this resolution, say, February 2012?

Happy Spring!