Simply Inspired - Things that make Kristi happy!!!!

This is not my usual blog. Usually I try to reserve the blog for things I think people will want to see, like Luke or family outings. I also usually try to blog stuff that applies to both Andrew and I. This blog is neither. But today I woke up and felt so inspired, actually this morning I got up to go running with my friend and through-up right before she got here, but that is beside the point. (I am feeling much better now thank you) But after all that I felt better, Ilooked outside and took some time to relax. I was overwhelmed with all of the simple little things in my life that make me so happy. This is just a post about some of the simple things in my life that make me so happy. We will call it a voyage into Kristi's mind :-)

Fall-I love the fall. I love that it is cool enough that I can take Luke out in the middle of the day but it isn't cold. I love to go on long walks each afternoon. I really like the wooden smell that seems to permeate in each direction. And I really really love the leaves and the colours. I find myself constantly wishing I have a camera. It's just one of those things that makes days better.

Nap-time
Oh it is a blessed thing. I really think part of the reason babies need naps is because with out them mothers would not be able to function. The Lord new this when creating us and inbedded a need within babies to sleep for small periods of time so that Mommies can rest and be better Mommies. I just really am so happy that Luke naps. He is getting so good about it to. I am so proud of him.








Knitting/Herbal Tea- I love herbal tea!!! Love it! I love the way it is light and warm and calming. I love the way I get to use a tea cup. I love that each evening when I sit down with my teapot, cup, saucer, 1/2 tsp of sugar and "Pomegranate Pizzazz" I can be anything from Anne of green gables to Elizabeth Bennet. I love to pretend. Yes its true and it might be ridiculous for a 25 year old woman. But I love it. I love to close my eyes and imagine I am someone somewhere else in a different time. Some read, I simply daydream. I am sure this will not come as a shock to most of you who know me well. All I ever wanted to do was play pretend and wear a big dress. Thus, I majored in theater, played a princess, and became a drama teacher.
I love that feeling of a calmer more gentile time...

And along this vein. I have taken up knitting, I tried crocheting and well wasn't very good. So I switched to knitting which I like much better. Plus, there are so many more role playing opportunities with knitting needles than a crochet hook. You don't see a lot of crochet hooks in classic old movies. :-) Silly, but true.



Harry Potter, Audio Books
I never actually read the Harry Potter's until I started commuting to and from Playmill my first year. Now I love them all. But they are all on my computer now and they have been such a wonderful thing for me these past 11 months. Why you may ask? I love the vivid language and the wonderful fantasy. I can get lost in them while doing the dishes, nebulizing the baby, or folding laundry. I love that I don't have to watch or keep my eyes on anything, I can just listen in and tune out. I use to listen to them non-stop the first few months here, while I was still pumping. I have also listened to the Chronicles of Narnia and a couple other series but this one is my favorite. It takes a little more than a week to finish all seven books. And my hands are still free to be productive. I have listened the the series on the upside of 20 now so I am getting quite proficient on the details. It's amazing that in almost every dream I have, perform at least one spell. But it is so nice to have a little something going on in the back ground while I am home with Luke.

Happy Shows
Old movies, musicals, Halmark mini-series, most movies made before 1960. I love it. I love the classic Walt Disney Films Swiss family Robinson, Family Band, 2,000 Leagues, Bednobs and Broomsticks, Parent Trap, Tobey Tyler, Mary Poppins, Darby O'Gill. Yep love 'um all and Pollyanna is my favorite.


Memories
Last night Andrew and I were up late talking about childhood Halloween Traditions and watching old 80's Haloween specials (The Worst Whitch) But I am so grateful for memories and that I have so many good ones. Little things. The monster at the end of this book, perms, old halloween costumes, old toys. This is one of those subjects Andrew and I never run short on, we love to reminis. In fact I think it might be one of my favorite pass times in the whole world. So I thought just as a little add on I would post my favorite childhood cartoon. I loved Ponies, Strawberry shortcake , Rainbow brite and strawberry shortcake to... But Rose petal was my favorite. You don't have to watch it, just thought I would add it in.

Autumn Hills

Tonight was our ward Halloween party. We went as "Turtles" . Luke really didn't like the turtle head, so we went with turtle cheeks instead. Andrew had to work late, but he was able to meet up with us toward the end of the night. But just you wait... he will join our turtle family on Friday night. Friday afternoon we are going to go trick-or-treating downtown and at the mall with my friend and then when Andrew gets home we are going to our friends for some Halloween Night festivities.








It has been a fun past week. Grandma Bates stopped in for a day after going to meet his cousin Seth in Chicago. She brought us lots of clothes that Seth had grown out of. They are pretty much the cutest clothes ever. We have worn them every day since. Here are some pictures with grandma and our cute new clothes. He really isn't doing anything unusually special in the video but hey he was just so stinkin' cute in that outfit I had to add it in. It's been a busy time in the Hill home. We have been applying for jobs and preparing to go wherever our job takes us. We are so excited for our new adventure.

Happy Bedtime

Time for bed, and mommy and daddy are having a little to much fun.

Two Years!!!

Two Amazingly Wonderful Years!

Last night Andrew wand I celebrated our two year Anniversary!! Amazing, I can hardly believe it has been two years. Our anniversary was actually on Sunday the 12, So that morning I got up early and made icecream crepes for Andrew for breakfast. This is a tradition based on our very first fight. In which I freaked out because Andrew had eaten icecream for breakfast. :-) And then last night Andrew made arrangement for us to formally celebrate out Anniversary. He planned a wonderful surprise for me. We drove up to Salt Lake, left Luke with Grandma and Grandpa and went out to dinner and he surprised me with tickets to the Utah Opera. We saw Madame Butterfly and I absolutely loved it. It was so tragic and beautiful it brought me to tears. I feel so blessed, and thought I would post a little bit about my amazing husband and the last two years. Andrew and I met at Disney in spring of '05. He came came to perform for the summer 3 weeks before I left for Playmill. We became close friends in just those few weeks and decided we would keep in touch over the summer. Over the summer as we talked less, we had a miss communication and didn't see each other again until the following Thanksgiving.Around Thanksgiving we had our second official date, went for a hike at Sundance, got terribly lost and ended up as close friends. We were excited to see each other again when we went back to Disney to work during Christmas. There we started dating. He went back to BYU. I moved to teach school in Kaysville, and we decided to het married on Easter right before I left for playmill. He proposed on the fourth of July at Firehole in Yellowstone. In the exact same place our engagement pictures are taken. Needless to say I was a little late for the show that night. Andrew drove to West at least every other weekend and we both used the wonderful Salt Lake Express to see each other that summer. Then finally I moved to Provo, and we were married on Oct.12, 2007 in the Salt Lake temple. Six months later we moved back to Orlando. This was so fun because it was a place that meant so much to both of us. And on November 22, 2008 Luke Parley Hill was Born.







There have been difficult times, but the past two years have been the happiest of my life. And I attribute that entirely to Andrew. He is the best man I have ever known. He has an amazing ability to look over those things that aren't important and not allow them to become an issue in our marriage. He is kind to everyone and makes this his main priority when dealing with those around him. But I really love the way he makes life fun. Always willing to play pretend and humor my even silliest ideas. He makes me so happy. So there is my mushiness. I love him and I am so Happy it has been two years!

Ton's O' Stuff in Utah

Well first I was simply inspired again this week. The weather here in Provo has been absolutely beautiful so Luke and I have been going on quite a few afternoon walks to the grocery store and the library. I keep my camera in my purse and again I was inspired by how beautiful everything was outside.

Our Friend Allison just got a job working PR at the library so we went to go see her absolutely amazing office. I mean really? I t has its own hall and 15 ft ceilings. It was gorgeous, we love Ali!OHHHH, and did we mention
Luke got his helmet off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are so exited that he got it off. But we will really miss it. It seemed to complete his little look and for the first few days after it almost felt like something was missing. But we are so proud of his beautiful little head. And he only had to have it on for less than three months. He did so well with his helmet. He was very possessive of it and it didn't seem to bother him at all! We were so lucky.

And here are his last few pictures with his helmet...
Good Bye helmet we will miss you!

These are some pictures of the last day in his helmet. In the first one s him attacking a bowl of applesauce I wasn't feeding him fast enough and the second is him watching Sesame Street.

kneeling

I love my Dada

My dad came up and we all went to watch the BYU game together!

Being Inspired

I have had a wonderful day. Luke and I went for a walk to get his formula at the store. Its about a half mile away but because it is a beautifully sunny autumn day with a wonderful crisp breeze we decided to go this afternoon. Luke was being pleasent so I got to thinking. I enjoyed the General Conference for my church yesterday and was particularly touched by an address given by the Prophet, President Monson.
( http://www.lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html) It was wonderful and I liked it because he kept quoting plays and I felt an instant bond when he quoted one of my very favorite plays Our Town.

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?"
- Thornton Wilder

I have always loved this quote but it is funny how we forget about things that we love. I need to pin it up over my dishwasher so I don't forget. So I began thinking they always use to tell us at Playmill that the purpose of life is "to make beautiful memories." So today on my walk I started thinking about that. How wonderful it is to be alive breathing in and out. And then I started to think about the Giver. (I know my thoughts jump alot but it really did connect:-) If you haven't read it I highly recommend it. I won't go into that plot either but as I thought of the story I just became very aware of how beautiful the Provo is. I have never been a huge fan of Provo so this was good for me :-) I was particularly inspired by the colors. Fall is beautiful! I had my camera in my purse and, well, I just started taking pictures of things I thought were pretty. People thought I was a little strange taking pictures of their sidewalk but I had a lot of fun and I liked the colors of the rocks in the cement. Lately it has been so easy for my life to be consumed by taking care of Luke, cleaning my house, cooking and other life sustaining needs. But it was wonderful to take a little extra time and think about how to make more beautiful memories.