A Happy Place

I have been meaning to post for a while and just haven't felt like doing it. And since I don't feel like doing anything productive right now (although I really should be) I decided to finally write.
I can with all honesty say that I am in a happy place. Sometimes those early months of life with Matthew- the sleepless nights, the sitting on the couch holding Matthew, the monotony of days, the constant whining and frequent crying-all seem like a dream that happened a long time ago. But it really has only been about 4 months since things really turned up. (Not to say my life was horrible before, it is just really good now). I finally feel like myself again in so many ways. I sleep through the night...most of the time...which makes a world of difference. I can honestly say I love being a stay at home mom and I turn down calls to go in and substitute simply because I would rather stay home with Matthew. I have time and energy and the emotional stability to serve others and be a friendly neighbor. The longer I lead a simple life the more I love that I have time to do things for others and for myself. I have enjoyed crafting and making my apartment more 'homey'. I have recently started teaching a little community preschool with a friend and I am loving it. It is not so much work that I feel overwhelmed or that it takes away from that simple, have time to be with Matthew life, but it gives me an opportunity to use my skills and knowledge and continue to be involved in something I am passionate about-education! I have made some good friends in the ward lately and have been able to visit with old friends. I am taking a dance class with my husband which means we get a 'date night' every week and I get to do a little dancing. I have started exercising and getting back in shape and my body is already thanking me. I am in a happy place.
But in case you think I have all my ducks in a row let me say that my house is still usually messy; Matthew becomes more destructive each day. I could spend all day every day cleaning and picking up, it just never stops. Some days are still really long; playing with a 14 month old can only be entertaining for so long. And many nights I neglect all responsibility and just watch the Food Network. Oh well. I am in a happy place! And just for your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures of what I have been up to lately.

I got curtains for the family room and my bedroom. Actually, they are called window scarves. I love them; they really soften the look of the cold cinder block and add a little color to the room.
I really wanted a shelf like this but the ones I wanted were kind of pricey. But, I got this one 50% off so it fit in my budget and I love it. (Never mind that I was at my aunt's house this weekend and she had a shelf just like this she was giving to D.I. that I could have had) I love that now I have some flat shelf space to decorate with and I am planning on hanging picture frames with ribbon off of the pegs. But that is going to have to wait until next month since I spent all my money this month on the shelf. I just wish I could paint my walls, then it would be perfect.
Matthew loves to eat apples. It is super cute to watch him just carry it around and munch on it. Grammy Tami is letting us borrow this little car for a few weeks and Matthew loves it. His favorite thing is to pull the lid up and then sit on it with no seat.
And this is a little video of Matthew stacking blocks. He only does a few here but he is actually quite good and has built towers nearly as tall as himself before. It's pretty cute. He has also learned to throw balls which he finds quite entertaining. He is growing up so fast! How could I not be happy with a boy this cute?