Teach Me to Walk: Personal Blog

"The Happiest People I Know"

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0000

"The happiest people I know are those whose life-style centers around the home. Work is very important, and success in one's profession or business is also essential to happiness, but remember what we say so often: 'No other success can compensate for failure in the home.' "

-N. Eldon Tanner

Koala Farts

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:55:00 +0000

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot about Happy Friday. AND I just realized that I completely forgot about it last week. Sorry!

So...since ~~last week's~~ two-weeks ago's Happy Friday was about farts, I thought I'd stick with the same theme this week:

Happy Friday-almost-Saturday!

Just a Quickie

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:16:00 +0000

My posts have been a little...short lately. I'm trying to finish up my Creative Writing class, which I've put off for far too long, and that eats into my blogging time. So, rather than not blog at all, I'm writing little baby posts.

And here's another one.

Snow was falling last Sunday morning when we woke up (or when Little Boy woke us up, yelling, "COME SEE THE SNOW!"). It doesn't usually snow for long around here, so Little Boy and I put on our coats and boots over our pajamas and went out on the porch.

If I'd known that the snow would keep falling...and falling...and falling, I wouldn't have bothered. Heh.

But it makes for a fun photo, so I guess it wasn't totally pointless. And it was a happy way to start a Sunday morning.

As Long As It Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

[image by Pink Sherbet Photography]

"[A true faith in Christ] is knowing that His atonement is real, that its purpose is to transform us, and that it will be available as long as that perfecting process takes. We have a Savior who covers us, a Redeemer who changes us, and a Good Shepherd who is willing to go in search of us again and again--continuously."

-Brad Wilcox, in The Continuous Atonement

His Buddy and Him

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:12:00 +0000

Suddenly, Little Boy and my sister are besties.

It's adorable.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

[Photo by bengrey]

"Each of us knew that the journey to exaltation would be long, strenuous, and sometimes lonely, but we also knew that we would not travel alone."

-Keith K. Hilbig

Brain Farts

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:57:00 +0000

[Click to enlarge. Via Very Demotivational.]

Happy Friday!

Math Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

So, picture this. I'm on the computer, and Little Boy's at the kitchen table working on his subtraction workbook (which he's in love with, but that's another story). Then I hear a frustrated little voice:

"Uhh...I'm having a problem over here!"

Cracked me up. I had to hide my giggles, of course. Math problems are not funny. (Teehee.)

Little Boy is a Builder

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:00:00 +0000

[Mega Bloks airplane. Goofy face.]

Little Boy is a builder. I am not. I've posted about this before, but it constantly amazes me how this is one trait that he got totally, completely from Isaac, rather than a mixture of Isaac and me.

Little Boy used to need a lot of help with building things, mostly using the instructions that came with his building sets. ("Mommy, can you help me build this?" "Uh...maybe Daddy can help you with that when he gets home.")

Now he's getting better at following the printed instructions himself, and he's finally making up some of his own designs. I like that, because he's never really been a thinking-outside-the-box kind of kid.

He made up a "guy" out of Mega Bloks all by himself (yes, that's how "Mega Bloks" is spelled), and today he made a "crazy car" out of Legos. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of "crazy cars" and "guys" for awhile. And then, who knows...

To Be Offended is a Choice We Make

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:22:00 +0000

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography

This quote isn't mega-spiritual, but it's something I've been thinking about:

"Certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else."

-David A. Bednar

Are You Wearing Your Friday Socks?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Happy Friday!

It's the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:00:00 +0000

I have one official holiday-day left, since Isaac doesn't go back to school until Wednesday. We're celebrating by...playing too much Nintendo.

Oh! And by blogging after taking a week off! Hi!

So, this is not at all related to New Year's or any holiday whatsoever, but I found this cool site on Pinterest (duh, where else?) where you can make all kinds of tag clouds. So...I made one for each of my blogs. Here's the one for Teach Me to Walk:

I like the one for The Storybook Shelf best, so be sure to check that one out. Unless it's not there, which means I haven't posted it yet. Cool your jets.

Isaiah 9:6

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 15:30:00 +0000

[Art by Simon Dewey]

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given . . .and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

-Isaiah 9:6

Happy Friday-Before-Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:16:00 +0000

This is my dad's favorite Christmas song. True story. I'm pretty sure he knows all the words.

And because I know you all want to be just like my dad, I've provided the lyrics below, so you can sing along. Happy Friday!

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch!
You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel.

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders.
You've got garlic in your soul, Mr Grinch.
I wouldn't touch you with a
Thirty-nine and a half foot pole.

You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile,
You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile,
Mr Grinch!
Given the choice between the two of you,
I'd take the seasick crocodile.

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks.
Your soul is full of gunk,
Mr Grinch!

The three best words that best describe you,
Are as follows, and I quote:
Stink!
Stank!
Stunk!

You're a rotter Mr Grinch
You're the king of sinful sots
Your heart's a dead tomato squashed with moldy purple spots
Mr Grinch

Your soul is an appalling dump heap
Overflowing with the most disgraceful
Assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots!

You nauseate me, Mr Grinch
With a nauseous super "naus"!
You're a crooked jerky jockey and,
You drive a crooked horse
Mr Grinch!

You're a three-decker sauerkraut-and-toadstool sandwich
With arsenic sauce!

My Favorite Christmas Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Shortbread cookies with icing and crushed candy cane on top. They melt in your mouth. This is the third year in a row that I've made them--I think that qualifies as a tradition, don't you?

It's not my recipe, though. Here's the link (scroll down to "Peppermint Shortbread"):

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Healthy? No, but they're better for you than the cookies at the grocery store. Mmm.

Kids and Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:44:00 +0000

Love this. Christmas according to kids:

Our First Gift at Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:33:00 +0000

{image by Royce Bair}

"It is easy to give to our own, those whom we love. Their gladness becomes our joy. We are not quite so ready to give to others, even if they are in need, for their happiness does not seem so necessary to our happiness. It appears yet more difficult to give to the Lord, for we are prone to believe that he must give and ask nothing in return.

"We have foolishly reversed the proper order. Our first gift at Christmas should be to the Lord; next to the friend or stranger by our gate; then, surcharged with the effulgence from such giving, we would enhance the value of our gifts to our very own."

-John A. Widtsoe

Christmas-ing It Up

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:23:00 +0000

Christmas is in full swing at our little house. We've been:

mixing...

gluing...

decorating...

wrapping...

and putting the presents under the tree. Literally. [We love that little tree.]

What's going on at your house?

Gee, Do They Still Make Wooden Christmas Trees?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Linus: Gee, do they still make wooden Christmas trees?

Charlie Brown: This little green one here seems to need a home.

Linus: I don't know, Charlie Brown. Remember what Lucy said? This doesn't seem to fit the modern spirit.

Charlie Brown: I don't care. We'll decorate it and it'll be just right for our play. Besides, I think it needs me.

Happy Friday!

Today I'm Happy About...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:53:00 +0000

{photo by Etolane}

...people who turn their Christmas lights on early (or maybe left them on all night?). Little Boy and I went on a walk around our neighborhood late this afternoon, and he loved seeing the lights that were already on.

A Difference Between Presents and Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:43:00 +0000

[photo by amandacphoto]

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves--giving of the riches of the heart and mind--and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store."
-James E. Faust

Happy (Late) Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Friday's pretty much over, so...happy Saturday?

[via Pinterest]

How Little Boy's Slippers Make Me Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:19:00 +0000

Since I've been trying to change the focus of this blog to the good things I find in my life, and the good things I want to remember, I am not going to tell you a story about how I tried to make applesauce ornaments yesterday and totally failed.

Instead, I'm going to show you these:

They don't make me particularly happy, at least not in and of themselves. But Little Boy received them as an early Christmas gift from his grandparents earlier this week, and he has worn them all day, everyday since. They make him very happy. And that makes me happy.

A Glorious Time of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:33:00 +0000

photo by Chris_J

Another belated Sunday post:

"This is a glorious time of the year, simple in origin, deep in meaning, beautiful in tradition and custom, rich in memories, and charitable in spirit. It has an attraction to which our hearts are readily drawn. This joyful season brings to each of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree in which we have turned our mind, feelings, and actions to the spirit of Christmas."

-Thomas S. Monson

Dance Like It's Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:52:00 +0000

I saw this video today of a guy, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, dancing through the mall...with his iPod. And you know what? It made me smile. Happy Friday!