Art walk and Christmas Store

*Life is Beautiful: Some days I get caught up in the need-to-do's, and the wish-I-could-do's and find myself frustrated that things that used to be so simple become so much more of an affair with a baby.  But I had a thought the other day that has stuck with me.  There's a scene in Hook where Peter is feeling pretty low and can't find a single happy thought.  But then he remembers...He is a dad!  He is living the ultimate dream.  And that's so true!  I'm a wife to an amazing husband and I have the most beautiful baby in the world. There's nothing I want more than this.   I just want to remember this is what I have dreamed of my whole life and to soak it all up with gratitude. 

Derek and I had a really fun date last month  The friend I go walking with told me about Fairhope Art Walk and I knew I wanted to try it.  There wasn't a lot of information online, so Derek and I didn't really know what to expect.

But it was so cute.

When we got to downtown Fairhope we knew that we must be in the right place.  Every single block was filled with cars and everywhere we looked we saw people walking around.  As we wandered, we discovered that downtown is absolutely filled with all sorts of little boutique stores. And during the first Friday of the month the stores stay open into the evenings, there are live performers throughout the streets, and most of the shops offered free wine tasting  (We declined.)

I wandered around feeling like I was in Disneyland.  The pictures I took really don't do justice.  Like at all. But here are some pictures I took through the night.

We went into a homemade soap store. The woman who owns it studied chemistry and decided to make soaps for a living.  So she runs a cute little soap shop.  They all smelled amazing.

We decided to buy this manly soap for Derek.  It's the most yummy smelling thing.  We decided it smelled like a mix between woods and lemon.  Mmmm.

someday I'll get a better picture of this alley.  It was absolutely magical.

We left the art walk just in time to watch the US national team. play.  (Best of both worlds, right?) And we got Zaxbys!!  If you go, get a combo so you can get the fries, and  GET THE PEACH LEMONADE.  Derek and I cannot recommend the lemonade more highly. 

On another day we visited a  couple places in Mobile we wanted to visit.  The first place we went was the state's biggest flea market.    I was so excited, even giddy when we arrived.  Buuut, it was not our favorite thing.  It was pretty dirty and all you could smell was cigarette smoke.  We still got some fun pictures though.

We left the flea market then headed over to a store called Everything Christmas.  

 It's a huge Christmas store, open all year round, and we knew we had to see what it was like.  It was so cute!  We walked around the store, loving the decorations, trees, nativities.  We had a fun time teaching Kennedy why we celebrate Christmas.

                                                          

Obsessed with Alabama

If we had to rank a list of most likely places for the Paulson family to live, Alabama would probably have been in the bottom 5.  And yet somehow we ended up here.

but WE. LOVE. IT.  Every single day I find myself becoming more and more obsessed with it.

We live in a little town called Daphne which is across the bay from Mobile. It's very much the Deep South.

And it's just cute.  Old beautiful homes line the forested streets to the bay, which is a mile from our house.   Little stores are along main street, often hidden by trees.  Lots of businesses are in buildings that look like they were once homes.  There are hardly any sidewalks, but  we're lucky enough to live half a block from the Eastern Shore Trail, which is a sidewalk that leads through beautiful streets and into the next city.  There are churches everywhere.  Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Mormon, it's amazing.  So fun to live in such a faithful area. Oh, and it rains!!  Huge, heavy rainstorms that come quickly and leave quickly.

Sunday walk by the bay!

I love taking Kennedy running with me.  I made it a total of 7 miles the day I took this picture.  (Don't mind me shamelessly bragging.  I'm still so proud!)

This beach is just a couple miles from our house!

We love our little baby backpack.  And she loves looking around.

Umm yeah.  (But the good news is, dogs are ALL on leashes!!  For those of us scared of dogs, it makes it so much easier to be brave.)

A mini cemetery on main street for those killed in abortions.

We're just 45 min from Florida.  At this rest stop they serve free orange juice!  So yeah.  We'd only gone like 20 minutes, but we stopped. :)

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We had a fantastically hilarious experience when we first arrived to Alabama.  Derek saw an offer on Craigslist for a washer/dryer for $300.  BOTH for $300!  (And with a new baby and all the poopy explosions that happen, you just want to have those.)  So we went for it.  And it ended up being quite the adventure.  When we visited the trailer home of the family who was selling it was pouring rain.  Completely pouring.  We arrived and Derek got out of the car to look at the different machines.  Then the thunder and lightning started--and they were arriving pretty closely together.  (He later told me he was convinced he'd be electrocuted.)  Derek was outside for a while and then was escorted inside.  And I tell you what, they were inside forever.  Like half an hour.  So instead of being worried about him being struck by lightning, I'm in the car thinking that Derek is being kidnapped or murdered.  And I don't want to go knock on the door just in case something bad is happening.  (Then they could kill all three of us!)  So Kennedy and I just sat there.  Forever.  Planning what to do.  Not really worried yet, but planning nonetheless. Oh, also Derek left his phone in the car so contacting him was kind of a no-go.  

But then, finally Derek came out.  Not even murdered. The nice couple just wanted someone to talk to! Derek came out all in one piece and we even found a set we love.   In the end, we got a lovely washer and dryer and met some nice people :)

[This is where I would put the video I made of the crazy rainstorm on the property of strangers in the middle of nowhere.  It wouldn't upload so just use your imagination.]

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One of the BEST parts about our new Alabama home is our HOME!  Okay yes it's still an apartment.  But it's the first time we've been out of a basement!!  Oh we love it. 

the wooden board on the mantle is part of a project I'm working on.  stay tuned.  It's going to be beautiful :) Also, I'm NOT a crafty girl.  So this has been quite the affair so far.

I love this changing table our old ward friends gave us.  I was thrilled to find the perfect baskets to fill it.

Kennedy no longer lives in our living room! I snapped this right when we moved in--it's a little more colorful in here now.

We didn't really have a good bedroom shot besides this one.  Remember that washer/dryer story up there?  You can see it's working just great ;)

We're so happy and blessed.

Happy days

Being Kennedy's mom is the happiest thing ever.  I love her smiles and squeals when she can't contain her excitement.  (Even if she becomes solemn the second the camera comes out.)  I love nursing her and watching her eat as if there's no tomorrow.  I love reading her stories and picking out new books at the library.  I love listening to  her sing when the Taylor Swift songs come on.  I love taking her on walks and runs (ok, guys.  Jogging stroller is the way to go.  I'm sold forever.) and seeing her look around at the world.  I love her deeply focused face and grunts as she works on a diaper.  I love being there as she splashes happily away in the bath.  I love when she hears her daddy's voice on the phone or when he walks in and she is all grins.

She's growing up too quickly, and at the same time I just love seeing her grow and learn more each day.

There are tired days, frustrated moments, times when Derek and I have to dig deep for patience (thank goodness babies grow out of colic), and it's always hard to get out the door on time for church.  But I've never felt so content, happy, and assured that I was meant to be a mom.

And now, a few pictures and videos of this little cutie.

Being a mom

I LOVE being a mom.  Having Kennedy in my life is the best thing ever.  Period.   For details read on.

First of all, burps and foofs have never been so cute. or celebrated.

We love the little faces she makes. and seeing bits of ourselves in her is so neat.

Her skin is so soft I cannot stop kissing her.

It's adorable to see her looking around at the world and her eyes widening at new things.

Kennedy loves being outside just like mom and dad do.

While the rest of us floated Oneida Narrows, Grandma Moon, aunt Leslie and Kennedy enjoyed outside.  She loved it.

Derek and I sometimes talk about "Ensign pictures"--times when everyone is arranged so perfectly it's like it's been posed for a picture on the front of a church magazine.  We keep laughing because we'll find ourselves in completely perfect Ensign pictures.  Holding hands and gazing at her in awe, looking at each other with more love than ever.  Dude.  Life is sweet.

I remember always hearing that when you have a baby it's a huge spiritual experience--that you feel so close to God at the moment they hand you the baby the first time.  To be honest, it wasn't like that the very first time.  Having an emergency c-section and being behind the screen, I felt a little separated from the experience.  Loved it and honestly enjoyed it (Guys.  Feeling people dig through you but feeling no pain is kind of amazing.  Sorry to be gross, but just saying.  It's such a neat experience), but spirituality took a little while longer.

But, oh my goodness, when it does come, you really do learn so much and feel God's love so powerfully.  One night I just found myself crying.  I loved Kennedy so much.  And I knew God trusts me with her.  And that she trusts me to be a good mom and take care of her the best I can.

Ignore aunt Jessica's foot.  (it was for a size comparison :) )

I've always loved our temple sealing and been grateful that I could be with Derek forever.  But to  be honest it always felt a little like "oh hooray!  together forever!"--almost like it deserved a hash tag in front of it.  But all the sudden Kennedy came and it became real.  The knowledge that WE WILL BE TOGETHER FOREVER and that we can have her and be connected to her is truly wonderful.  I've never been more motivated to stay righteous and stay on the path so we can make it.  And our wedding day is so much more than it ever was.  Because we were sealed, Kennedy was born into the covenant.  And she's on the path to make it home again to Heavenly Father. #guysthisisreal

I've learned so much about how much God wants the best for us.  As a mom I can't wait to show Kennedy all the wonderful things there are about the world.  There is music, laughter, friendship, Harry Potter, coloring, dreaming, learning, mountains, running, achievement, love.  And I want to do all I can to help her make it back home.   On a similar vein, I also never ever want anything bad to happen to her.  When she's hurting it's all I can do not to cry right along with her.  I dread the day she gets picked on at school or fails a test. (I know it's necessary for learning for there to be trials, so it'll be ok.  But still it's so hard.)  And I know that God feels the same way.  He wants us to be happy.  So the commandments, the trials, the growing pains can't be fun for Him either, but He knows it'll make us happy eventually.  (And He fills in the rest with the beautiful world, literature, friends, family.)

I love sitting down and telling Kennedy stories about Jesus and singing her Primary songs.  We first sung her I am a Child of God and realized--yes that's a song for kids, but oh it's so much a song for the parents.  "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me.  Help me find the way.  Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday."  Very motivating. I love remembering the little truths in the songs we sing.  And how excited I am to share what I know with her.  There is so much for a little child to learn.

when I say "i love sitting her down" it's usually on my lap.  but baskets are cute for pictures.

The other day we were looking at a picture of Jesus and Derek asked Kennie, "do you remember Jesus?" and she got the biggest grin on.

Fun story and picture to end with.  When I was in preschool, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up and I knew that more than anything I wanted to be a mom.  I thought I wanted it then, but I had no idea how wonderful it would be.  I'm so grateful for this amazing blessing.

I can't beg you enough to read the other responses.  Preschoolers are hilarious.