Day of Faith

Harvard recently had a "Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose" panel. They had five undergraduates talk about their religions, their beliefs, and how Harvard has affected their faith. Really interesting.

I was really blown away by the LDS junior who participated. She explained difficult topics clearly, she was well prepared for even the toughest questions, and she even clearly differentiated "We believe" from "I believe". She was a wonderful representative for the the church.

So if you're LDS, watch it to learn a little about how to present yourself. And if you're not, watch it to learn a little about us. It's worth the twenty minutes.


Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

Yes, I am a Nerd

John got me the best present ever. Check it out! He couldn't decide which microbe to get me, so he went with a neuron. Because we could all use an extra brain cell or two. I love it.

I've been looking at all of them and I don't think I could decide either. I want so many! Clostridium perfringens, a Leukocyte, Yersinia pestis, Helicobacter pylori, ... I could go on and on. These are so awesome!

Some Random Things

- Edward got his first tooth on his first birthday. That could have been bad, but we didn't even know he was teething. Yay for my stoic, sweet guy!

- Ethan is having sleeping issues. Mainly going to sleep issues. It takes hours every night, and napping is non-existent. (It was only four days a week before, but he still needs it.) Our boy is exhausted. He's so tired that he's started having tantrums again. Like he's two. And the nearly constant whining and crying is driving me out of my mind. We have no idea what the problem is and have found nothing that will keep the boy in his room. Really no fun at all.

- Edward is a chatterbox. He almost never stops talking. I love that he looks at me and rattles off whole sentences, like I should understand exactly what he's saying. We've figured out a few. Mama, Dada, and Hi are all obvious. Then there are those that no one else would get. Ethan, All Done, What's That, Ball, and Raaar (as in roar). Also he has a specific grunt that means "Yes, my diaper is stinky." And he has the "no" head shake down pat. Loving that we can communicate more!

- John is shaving off his goatee in three days! Really, two days and a wake up. I'm so excited!! I've decided to call it a Christmas present to me. I've been ready for it to be gone for a while. He's had it for a year, people. A year of a scratchy faced husband is not my favorite. (I love him, just not his unkempt facial hair.)

- My Grandpa's doing great. We couldn't even let ourselves hope for this before, but he should be home for Christmas! Probably even the traditional Danish Christmas Eve at the farm. I wish I could be there. (Also, this means I really need to decide on a layout program and a printer so that I can buckle down and get his book ready for publishing. At least the first volume. Any suggestions? I've used Blurb, but have some issues with their layout program. Solvable ones, but it's easier to avoid them all together.)

- How is it that Christmas is so close and I haven't finished my wrapping???? Usually I'm done shopping before December hits and I'm done wrapping by the middle of the month. I like having the last few weeks to just relax and enjoy the season. Life managed to get in the way this year. At least I'm done shopping. (Unless you're family. We're aiming to have your gifts done by the end of January. Hopefully.)

- I need to clean the boys bathroom. But I think I'm going to go make some chocolate gingerbread cookie bars instead.

Testing All Toys

I'm sure that most of you have heard about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) by this point. I've known about it for about a year, but was unaware that it would be incomplete.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for this legislation. Safer toys? Fabulous. But, especially because of this. Yea. That would be the lead analyzer my dad's company is making. The company that we all hold stock in. We've been excited for the CPSIA ever since word first leaked out. And we all watched for the news when the bill passed in August. It was great news for us.

The problem I have with the legislation is the reason you may have heard of it. They made no provision for handmade toys. I am a firm believer that people should have the right to accept the risks of an "untested" handmade toy if they so choose. Without this provision, most makers and sellers of these toys will go out of business as the cost of testing is just too high.

So, if you are planning to write your congressman or something of the like, suggest that the CPSIA be amended to allow for handmade toys. Even if it means we as the consumer have to sign a release form to buy them. Don't bother asking to have it repealed. There were only 3 votes against it in the congress and senate combined. They LIKE this bill. But they may be convinced to fix some of its flaws.

Haven't heard of this bill? Here is a great overview of it. And here is a good analysis of how it may affect toy sellers (as far as anyone understands right now.)

NY Pictures and a Video

Fooled you! No pictures here.

I'm stretched a little thin for the next week or so and have no idea when I'll get around to posting my own. So I'm just going to point you to some from my dad's family blog.

Pictures of the boys are here, and a video of the Indian war whoop is here. Enjoy! (And thanks to Chris for posting them.)

Christmas Gifts

The last two weeks have changed my perspective on the Christmas season. I'd already been trying to focus on family instead of things, but apparently I had a ways to go. Since being home, I've had this obsessive need to rearrange and declutter my kitchen. I've been sorting through every cabinet, adding lots to the garage sale box. Because I need more room for good memories. Here's what changed me.

Spending time with Grandpa was so great. And we didn't need any stuff to enjoy our time together. It made me realize that the best gift he can give any of us is himself for as long as he can. After that, we'll be happy with his memories. Thanks for letting me help you get them into a form that will last for generations, grandpa.

Spending time with my parents and siblings and extended family made me miss them. And the east coast they live in. I was absolutely giddy about spending two weeks in the cold weather. I loved being able to watch my boys play with their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Someone should move out here near us. Ben? Hannah Banana?? Dad???

Spending so much time with my kids (way more than I wanted because they slept with me) reinforced how much I love them and will do anything for them. I had several people comment on my mothering skills while traveling back home. In a good way. Each time I said thanks, but thought "I'm just doing what I need to. What are they talking about?" Looking back, I see that simply by not giving up when all of us were falling apart, I was showing them how much I loved them.

Spending so much time apart from my husband was horrible. We both decided we'd never do that again if we can help it. Grandma and Grandpa J, I don't know how you do it. I heard that song "All I Want for Christmas is You" on the radio while in NY and realized, besides the fact that I can't stand it, that all I wanted was to be home with John. I didn't need anything else. Just John.

So that's what's on my mind this December. I have my family and I don't need anything else.

Except maybe Rock Band for the Wii. And some black boots. I'm not perfect, people.

PS - I read this post today and it simply reinforced how important family can be. And reminded me of my favorite Christmas. Anyone else remember Ben sharing his pizza from Santa?

Too Fast!!

Slow down Edward! We love that you're so smart and that you're growing up, but we're not ready. This is what you've done, just in the last two weeks. (Sorry that you missed it all, daddy.)

-Standing
-Threatening to walk (We've been stopping him so that daddy doesn't miss it.)
-Indian War Whoop (I'll post video of this. It's hilarious.)
-Two teeth coming through at once
-Combing his hair (It's the cutest thing you've ever seen. I'll try to get video, or at least a picture.)
-Sharing, and not just the give and take back kind

I'm sure I'm forgetting some. It's all happening so fast, and I'm not ready to lose my baby. So Edward, cut it out!

Moments in a Hospital Room

Everyone should have the opportunity to spend so much unfettered time with each of their family members. I wasn't able to spend as much time as I would have liked because of my own boys, but the time I was able spend in the hospital with grandpa was wonderful. I wanted to record some of my favorite moments so that I don't forget them.

-The incongruity of grandpa in his hospital bed, wiggling his toes under the sheets, leading a meeting. He's a CTO and isn't willing to let anything slide while he can't be at work. He'd even participated in the 3 hour Board of Directors meeting that morning. That's grandpa. Always getting his work done.

-The opportunity I had to bring him two surprise books. One, the first volume of his memoirs. It was just a test printing. Unedited and without photos. But he loved it. The other book was from all of the family. He's been writing his book for us, so we thought we'd make one for him in return. It's a simple scrapbook with a page from each of us. I loved being able to watch him read through it. Tearing up at what each person wrote to him, and talking to their pictures. I wish every member of the family could have seen it.

-All of the people and life lessons we talked about. Grandpa has had a long, storied life. I'm looking forward to continuing to read his memoirs and learning even more from him.

-Going through the photos for his book. We were labeling them so that I'd know where to put them. But anyone who knows grandpa knows that this meant I spent hours getting to listen to grandpa's stories. I loved it.

-Tucking grandpa into bed. I'm grateful for the blessing it is to serve him. He's spent his whole life serving others and I love that he'll let us give back in these little ways.

No matter the outcome, I'm overflowing with gratitude for the opportunity to spend this time with him. I love you, grandpa.

Grateful

It's hard not to see how many things I have to be thankful for today. Now that I think about it, it could be hard. I've been without a husband for kid help and emotional support for more than a week (I'm dying here!) My grandpa spent Thanksgiving in the hospital while we had dinner at his house. I could complain about so many things today. But I just can't.

I'm grateful that I have a husband who is so wonderful with the kids, one who holds me up and allows me to do the things that make me happy. I'm grateful for happy, healthy, smart, fun, loving, and oh so adorable kids. I'm grateful that, after all these years, my parents are happy. I'm grateful for all that my dad's wife is doing to make sure grandpa is cared for. I'm grateful that, with the miracles of technology, grandpa was able to sit at the head of his table and preside over Thanksgiving dinner while still in his hospital bed.

And the smaller things. I'm grateful that I finally learned to make the yummiest rolls. I'm grateful that I know my mom's recipes off the top of my head and could bring a few family favorites to Thanksgiving. I'm grateful that my boys have slept through the night several days in a row so that I've been more rested. (And for their grandparents who happily get up with them in the morning.) I'm grateful for this computer that allows me to stay connected to my life, even when I'm away. I'm grateful for my cell phone that keeps me connected to my husband, no matter where we are.

I could go on and on. But these are the things that stood out to me today. I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving.

For My Family

Every member of my family is both a science or tech nerd AND a music or drama geek. This video is for all of them. Enjoy!

I'm My Mother's Daughter

If you don't know my mom, then you're missing out. For many reasons. But one of them is extra nice for those around her. When my mom is having a hard time accepting something (loss of a loved one, for example) she bakes pies. Emphasis on the plural. We all know that you can tell how much mom loved someone by the number of pies she made when they died. There were times when we would have to invite everyone we knew to come eat because the entire kitchen table was covered with pies.

I think it's a great coping mechanism. I realized today that I bake when I'm stressed out. Why add something else to my list of things to do? Because you get yummy things afterward! It's nice to put in the effort and get a result you can enjoy. I'm not extreme as my mom, and I've branched out from pies, we still have a lot of yummy food. Right now, we have oatmeal cookies, apple crisp, funeral potatoes (you bake them...), and dough for sugar cookies chilling in the fridge. I may need to start giving some of this away.

The even bigger upside is my mood. Even with so much to do in the next three days, and completely different stresses involved with traveling and why I'll be in NY, I'm in a really good mood. I guess it's ok to be like your mom sometimes.

Off again

I'm not feeling very settled in to Texas yet. Partially because it's not on the east coast, so it feels nothing like home. And partially because I'm barely here!

I wanted to let everyone know that I may not post much, or at all, for the next several weeks. The boys and I are heading to NY to spend some time with family while my grandfather is in the hospital. We've been through this before. This is the third fight with this same leukemia. And we know the odds aren't fabulous this time.

Few of us are handling it as well as we have before. We've been waiting for it to come back, but were shocked by how quickly it came on. No warning. We were hoping for another year to spend more time with him and allow him to finish his memoirs. There's still a chance that we'll have him around, but no one is counting on it. Ever the scientist, he even decided to go with an experimental chemotherapy this go round so that any result will be beneficial to someone.

Anyway, I have five days to get us packed, finish Ethan's birthday plans, and plan two events for church that will either happen while I'm gone or right after I get back. At least keeping busy is helping me dwell less on the chance that we'll lose him to infection before I get there.

Man, this post is sad.

I think I'm going to be sick...

I went to the gym tonight. (Will someone please revive my parents? I'm sure they just fainted from shock.)

Anywho, the gym has a pool. And the membership is pretty cheap. AND they have free childcare. Can't wait to try that out next time.

I went to go swim some laps. It was pathetic. I was winded after the third lap or so. Total, I probably only swam for about 15 minutes. I can't believe how out of shape I am!! (Yes I can. I'm breathing hard after going up the stairs some days.)

On the way out, I had to keep telling myself not to throw up. My body really isn't used to exercise of any kind. Have you heard the term skinny-fat? It means you look skinny, but your muscles and heart are incredibly out of shape. That's me. Not that I'm skinny anymore. But I'm not overweight by any standard. I even got a few admiring looks as I walked by the weight machines. (Gotta remember to put my wedding ring back on next time.)

Ooo Ooo. The best part. I weighed myself. Really, that was the best part. Even fully clothed and with my sneakers on, I've lost more than 15 pounds since having Edward! Pre-pregnancy weight is only 6 pounds away. Maybe I can make it before he turns one. I'd deserve a party for that. With cake. And ice cream.

Man I want some ice cream.

Skipping Ahead - Grownup Halloween Party

I needed to skip ahead b/c I've already posted some pictures of this elsewhere and just wanted to bring on all the comments at once.

DON'T SCROLL DOWN TO THE PICTURE YET!

SERIOUSLY!!

YOU'LL RUIN THE SHOCK OF IT!!!

So, John's new company hosts a big Halloween party every year. It's always music themed. This year it was 80's Beat-Boxing. (Break-dancing.) Everyone was supposed to dress along those lines, or at least some kind of 80's pop music.

Ummm... yea. That's just not us. So we decided to branch out to other 80's music. After weeks of searching for the right costume ideas, I saw a comment somewhere about 80's goth-punk. That was it. The best costumes ever were born. You really need to click to see it larger.

So yes, we crashed their party. It was awesome. And honestly, we loved wearing these outfits. Both of us commented that our clothes the next day felt like our 'regular costumes'.

You know you want to borrow that wig.

Florida Part 1 - The Beach

We started off October with a trip to Florida. The first night was spent with our old friends Alissa and Matt, and their 4 kids. Man we miss those guys. The next day, we decided to head to the beach. Of course, I have no pictures of them, or even of Ethan. Edward was being so danged cute, I couldn't stay away. (Thanks Liss for the last two photos!)

The Sand Monster
Not long after this he was coated head to toe. He loves sand.

He wanted to play with the big kids.

Watching the waves

Can you see the sand coating the left side of his face and in his fat rolls? He loved it.

Lounging in the stroller after a good rinse off. What a great day.

Wait! There's More!

Edward stuck under his exersaucer. I had to hold back my sniggers while getting him out.





You wouldn't think it most days, but these boys really do love each other.







And finally the joy of messy eating. Followed by a bath in the backyard. Even with Ethan and John trying, they couldn't keep him in the tub.

And More Pictures for you Voyeurs

Edward stuck at the gate because he still hasn't figured out how to step back down. Ethan in his favorite 'waiting for dad' spot. Edward's punk hair. Ethan's ever present tongue. And my boy reading his first book.

Would You Like to See Some Pictures???

Apparently everyone has given up on me. No one reads my blog anymore. I know that you don't care about me, you just want to see pictures of the boys. I get it. If that's what it takes to appease you. Here are some pictures of Edward back in Sept. He was being so cute! And yes, he did climb up onto the back of the couch by himself. Little stinker.

Edward's Game

Edward, in the middle of his misery, is having a few minutes of fun. I heard him laughing over by the fridge and called him over. He crawled to me, giggling all the way, to show me his new game. He has two circular magnets that he pulled off of the fridge. He picks them up off the floor, and lets go while still waving his hand around so that they go flying. He thinks it's hilarious.

He's also hitting them so that they slide across the tile. Chasing things is one of his favorite games, and he's always happy to send things flying himself if no one is willing to do it for him.

Oh! Now he's moved on to a plastic cup. It rolls better when he hits it. I really should be videotaping this, but I love sitting here laughing with him.

This is why we call him Sweet Boy. In the midst of sickness, he reminds us why we love him.

Apology, but we're sick over here

October was a very busy month for us, and I have a ton to recap. It would have been done this past week, but our sweet boy came down with a high fever. At least he managed to hold it off until the day after our second big trip of the month. Unfortunately, we're on day 7 of this. Yesterday we even went in and did lots of blood work and chest x-rays. (Thank goodness our dr's clinic not only has sunday hours, but radiology and a lab too!) Even after all of that we're still thinking virus, so we just have to wait it out. His body is fighting hard, so hopefully we'll be over this soon. Then I promise lots of pictures and details of our fun, exhausting month.

Please keep Edward in your prayers. He's having a rough go of it.

Missing Screws

My laptop is missing some screws in the back. No big deal, right? Except they are the two screws that hold in the hard drive. I spent two days trying to figure out how to deal with a "hard drive not found" error before flipping the computer over and seeing that the drive was popped out an 1/8th of an inch. Pushed it back in and all's back to normal. I think I should maybe replace those screws before traveling again.

The Determined One

Edward is definitely determined. When he decides to do something, it's hard to stop him.

This week he's managed to eat toilet paper, regular paper, dryer lint, and every bit of grossness he can find on the floor. He's climbed up boxes, the back of his highchair, and a folding chair that was closed and leaning against the wall. Each pot, pan, and bowl has been pulled out my kitchen cabinets at least once. And I've given up on loading the dishwasher when he's around because he immediately climbs in to play with the racks. There's no stopping him.

This trait does have its advantages, though. Previously, Edward hasn't been interested in learning what we try to teach him. Apparently he'd been paying attention, but was holding out on us. This week, he started clapping, waving, giving high-fives, and signing "eat" (mostly on my mouth, but at least he gets it.) He's also decided that it's about time he stand up. He's becoming very stable while holding on with one hand, and has let go on a few occasions. We've even seen him try to stand up without anything to hold on to two or three times.

So Edward's determination can be frustrating when I'm trying to keep him safe, but it's also great when it comes to his development. He takes the time to observe and then, when he decides he's ready, just does it.

Prop 8

I don't usually wax political, especially on the blog. (Don't ask me about the presidential race. I get mad.) Although we don't live in California, we're interested in the outcome of the vote on Proposition 8. First because of the issue, and second because the CA state supreme court set a very dangerous precedent that needs to be dealt with.

Even if you don't live in CA, watch this video all the way through. It's really well done, and you might learn a thing or two about the effects of this kind of legislation. (I know that the picture youtube shows makes it look incredibly biased, but I promise it's really level headed.) Thanks Marci for passing it on!

The Geese is Getting Fat

Christmas is coming!!! Ten weeks away. Because I want to be able to enjoy the holidays, I always do my shopping early. I'm nearly done. Not kidding. I'll finish wrapping before Thanksgiving. (Go ahead and smack my husband for putting his part of the shopping off until the last few days. Slacker.)

It's hard to feel like it's even fall yet, with the temps still peaking in the 90s some days, and not an orange or red leaf in sight. (I did see a pile of ugly brown leaves underneath a brown tree the other day. I think it was "fall foliage", but it looked more like the tree was dying in the heat. It made me want to cry and catch the next flight to the northeast.) But I'm trying. It rained yesterday and today, so I made stew and pumpkin cookies. The boys and I cozied up at home and pretended cooler weather is coming.

Although it doesn't feel like time yet with the weather, I'm getting myself excited for Christmas. I LOVE Christmas. Decorating, music, yummy treats, wrapping, giving, playing Santa, . . everything. Do you think its too early to put up a tree?

I spent ages looking for video of Miss Piggy singing "Christmas is Coming". No dice. Even audio was hard to find. The beginning of the song is here. Enjoy! Its from one of my absolute favorite Christmas albums. Well worth downloading on iTunes.

How am I bringing beauty to my home?

I heard this question today. It made me stop and look around. Toys everywhere, basket of clean laundry in the middle of the living room, cluttered countertops, etc. I could go on for ages. Our house is a wreck.

But then my eyes took in my children. I helped bring so many smiles today. Man, I did a good job of making my home more beautiful.

10 things that made me happy today

10 - $2.95 gas. I was practically giddy.

9 - Crockpot dinner. No fighting to get dinner finished while kids are having their afternoon freak out.

8 - Rain. I love rain. And all the green things it brings.

7 - Gummy bears that have been open for awhile. Nice and hard, the way they should be. (Weird, I know. I also love hard marshmallows.)

6 - Edward playing independently for half an hour. Granted, he pulled out every bowl and pot in my kitchen cabinets, but I'm ok with that. A few minutes clean up was worth it.

5 - Snuggling with Ethan while talking about how to be more loving towards his baby brother.

4 - Pumpkin cookies. Yummm.

3 - Ethan banging spoons together to keep rhythm with his singing.

2 - Alone time with each of my boys.

1 - Edward snuggles.

We must be doing something right

I just walked into the living room to find Ethan, with his scriptures open to the picture of Jesus, singing "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam." Followed by him showing me the picture and explaining how he will teach all his friends about Jesus and how to be good in Primary. What a sweet boy he can be sometimes.

Vomit

Oh yes. Ethan has been a fountain today. I've cleaned up after him four times. We're on the second load of laundry. I've given up hope and left the mop out. And he's been awake less than two hours. Lots more to come, I'm sure!!

Maybe he'll take a long nap and I'll be able to do some of the packing. And I should be able to run the errands I need to tonight, as long as John gets home at a reasonable hour. My day is shaping up to be different than I'd planned!

Help Out Some Friends!

First, and the big one, is an old friend Danny. Without going into detail, he is a great guy who has had some rough spells in life. With renewed hope, he's now in PT school and his wife is about to have a baby. He is a finalist in the Wells Fargo Someday Stories Contest. Meaning he has already won $10,000 for his essay about his "Someday" goal to be a Physical Therapist and enrich people's lives. As a finalist, he can win $100,000 to put toward that goal and taking care of his family. Please, please, please, go HERE and vote for Danny. Once with each email address you have. (They use your email to verify that you are a real person and to let you know who wins. That's it.) He is a very strong second and only 500 votes behind the leader, so we know we can help him get there!

And second, my gorgeous friend Steph. She is in a baby bump photo contest to win a new nursery for her first boy. Following two older sisters, I'm sure the little guy would appreciate a more manly room. Go HERE and vote for #82. You can also find her in the photos, but it's an obnoxious system so don't feel obligated.

Ethan's Collections

Just like any boy, we constantly have a collection of sticks next to the front door. (They aren't allowed in the house.) We also frequently have cups full of leaves or flower buds as a centerpiece on the table. And we have the requisite collection of cars.

But the best one is new. Ethan has decided to collect pictures of LDS temples. There are 128 right now, and he only has 2, so we have a ways to go. The boy already has Boston and San Antonio. We promised him that every time we go to a distribution center he can pick out a new one. This might take his whole life that way. So we're asking for help. If you live near a temple or distribution center, or if your chapel has them out in the foyer like our does, send us a picture of your temple! Or of one that has particular meaning to you. Ethan will love building his collection and getting mail from his family and friends.

The ones that John and I would particularly like to see in his collection are Bern Switzerland, Preston England, Seoul Korea, Manila Philippines, Los Angeles CA, Palmyra NY, Salt Lake City UT, Mt Timpanogos UT, Jordan River UT, Provo UT, Manti UT, Washington DC, and Toronto Ontario.

(Looking over those pictures I was touched by the inspired construction of the SLC and DC temples. The main spire on each seems to be pulling the others upward. A beautiful visual reminder to uplift those around us. Love it.)

Planner

I'm a planner. Not just kind of. I have this obsessive need to know what the plan is. The family is collectively nodding their heads in agreement. I think it's getting worse. Any member of the family who has a vacation planned with us in the next several years is thinking about backing out.

The "good" thing is that I've learned to be more proactively vocal about it, rather than complaining later. I will make sure that we all know the plan in advance. Spontaneity is allowed, but in short bursts that account for the kids naptimes, mealtimes, and bedtimes. Food for me should also be scheduled because we all know how much worse it gets when my blood sugar hits the floor.

I'm thinking about this b/c I'm planning ahead for our vacation in a few weeks. So not ready! I don't even have a packing list yet. AAAHHHH! Focus. We live by our schedule around here. Traveling and doing vacationy things tends to throw everyone off. Any suggestions for doing disney stuff with kids who nap??? We're already planning to alternate busy days and relaxing days, so Ethan will be fine napping every other. But Edward. Oh, I'm so afraid of throwing off his sleeping. With his reflux (or GERD as they're calling it now b/c it's still such a major issue for him) causing sleep issues for him, it only makes it worse when he doesn't get naps that his body would let him take. Seriously, how have you managed trips like this with babies who need naps but don't sleep anywhere but the crib???

Meet Mia!

Have you seen American Girl's Girl of the Year? Yup. Her name is Mia. She has green eyes, dark blond hair, and chubby cheeks. She even has my funny, unbalanced lips! I'm kind of creeped out. (But I also kind of want one.)

PS to the Moms: Don't buy me one. Seriously.

Halloween is coming up fast!

And we can't decide what to wear. Ethan will be Buzz Lightyear (obviously) but the rest of us are undecided. Take the poll on my sidebar and let me know which idea you like.

Recap 3: The Drive Out

Apparently, we have no pictures from the people we visited on the way out. NONE! Don't ask me how that happened. Here are a few of my boys from the driving portions of the trip.

Napping during a break for lunch. All that driving wore him out.

We visited a fun cave (no pictures, of course) and Ethan loved his spelunking hard hat.

My cute hubby taking a turn driving.

The sweet boy was an angel on the drive. Slept or entertained the rest of us with his chatter.

Aren't I cute?

Hey! I asked you a question!

We don't play rough with our boys! Who told you that?

Awwww

Ethan was obsessed with his drinks the whole trip. "You mean I can have juice?? Really???? I drank all of this one. We need some more."

For My Dad

My dad is always reminding me that I should sing more. Especially at home. I know that during the happy times, my mom singing was one of his favorite things. And I promise dad, we do sing a lot around here. Probably not as much as I should, but I'm trying.

I just read this post about a woman who appreciates her good-enough singing voice as a gift for her and her family. Even if she will never sing on Broadway. Mine isn't amazing, but it's good. And being low, it stands out more than average. It's a goal of mine to perform again. But for now, I want to remember the gift that it can be to my kids, my husband, and to me. Thanks dad for helping me see how much it can mean to our family.

Ike is coming

For the grandparents who are worrying, Ike will be passing to the east of us. We are expecting some flooding and power outages if it passes close enough. But probably just some strong wind and rain. We're prepared for anything, but don't expect to need it.

In all honesty, we're much more worried about our friends on the coast. Those in Houston were advised to stay put and tough it out. Keep them in your prayers!

Suit Drive

Have you heard about the Suit Drive at Men's Wearhouse? They are collecting gently used professional clothing to help at-risk men and youth move into the workforce. They'll add a new dress shirt to every suit donated. I love this. I've seen it for women before, but never for men. I'm going to pull out John's old suit and see if its in good enough shape to donate. And I know he has ties he doesn't wear. They're also accepting slacks, belts, and sport coats if you're looking to clean out your husband's closet ;)

Preschool Day 2

After his rough start on Tuesday, I was a little nervous about how preschool would go today. Drop off was fine. Mostly because Miss Karen had the playdough Ethan helped me make out on the table when we walked in. Hugs and kisses and he was off to dig his hands in.

At pickup, Ethan was happy until I asked him to say goodbye. At first, I thought he was tired and didn't want to talk to anyone else. Once we were in the car though, Ethan let me know why. "Mom, I don't want to go home. I want to go back to preschool." He hadn't wanted to say goodbye because he didn't want to leave. So we sang the songs they'd sung in chapel all the way home and he was happy. (Would you believe they sang "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam"? The teacher has some LDS friends and has picked up some of the songs. Ethan loves it.)

A much better ending today. He's going to do great this year.

Horrible Mother

Yes. I am going to admit my most horrible mothering moment. Mostly so that I can get you to share yours and make me not feel so bad.

Yesterday, I was a little stressed out by Ethan's state of mind after preschool and by the ridiculous dinner I was trying to make. I put Edward down for a nap and went to work on dinner while trying to keep Ethan from bursting into tears every other minute.

About thirty minutes into the nap, I wasn't thinking and turned on the food processor. It was so loud. I'm sure the neighbors heard it. So it woke up Edward. I heard him cry for a second and then a loud *thunk*. Then screaming. I ran upstairs and burst into his room to find him on the floor, crawling around while screeching his head off.

I'd been so distracted when I'd put him down that I'd forgotten to raise the side of the crib. He'd gone to stand up and launched himself over the railing. Poor guy. He was back to normal a few minutes later, but it was scary. I did a thorough check. Physically and neurologically he's just fine. But my trust in my own skills is suffering a little.

Tell me your most horrible mothering moment. Anonymously if you're reluctant to share. I need to be reminded that little slips are going to happen.

Quotes from Today

"Why did you take your shirt off?" "Because my hands had ice cream on them."

"Mom, I'm all grown up. Look. I have hair on my legs. And my arms."

"Yay, chores! I'm going to make all the beds. And clean your whole room." (We told Ethan that we only stay up later than him because we're doing chores. He took a fabulous nap today, so he gets to stay up and do chores with us. He's so excited! I'm thinking the playroom needs some major cleaning...)

Preschool Day 1

Ethan started preschool today. A real one, this year. He and I have been excited about it for weeks! Him b/c he gets to go, and me b/c I get FIVE hours to have a little quiet around the house and run errands.

Here's the pictures from this morning.

All ready to go...

We were ready too early, so we goofed around for a few minutes. These boys crack each other up.

Singing "I will go, I will do..." and doing a little dance as he walks up to the building.

He's in the middle, playing with the bin of cars that are just for him. (He's the only boy in with seven girls.)

His teacher reported that he was happy and had a great first day. So we assumed his quietness was b/c he'd dozed off during their end of day rest time and hadn't been ready to wake up. We were wrong. Ethan's day ended more miserably than it began.

Ethan was quiet and reserved when we picked him up b/c he'd bit his tongue at some point during the day. He'd dabbed it on his shirt (brown, so the blood wasn't obvious) and didn't tell anyone. So he had a sore mouth for the rest of the day. Strike one.

Having a sore mouth meant that Ethan didn't eat much of his lunch. Hungry means cranky in this house. Strike two.

After being home for a few hours, our boy developed a fever. He's coming down with something. Strike three, and he's out.

The Donkeys

Ok. Picture this. My 18th birthday. In the middle of an eons long family car trip. My parents decided that riding stinking donkeys down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon would be a great way to spend my big day. When they asked me to sign the liability form (b/c I was 18 and they couldn't sign it for me) I nearly refused. Many, many hours later, painfully perched in a chair, hoping I'd washed off all the stink in the shower, I had to sit through the waiters at a very formal restaurant singing "Happy Birthday" while my family quietly smirked. I'd made them promise they wouldn't sing to me.

I couldn't wait to be dropped of at college a few days later. Now, I'm thinking I'll have to remember this one when I have a snarky teenager. Take 'em down a few notches.

Earning a Lollipop

The bishop in our new ward hands out candy to kids who come to his office and recite a scripture, an article of faith, or for the young ones, tell him the name of a prophet. Ethan caught on pretty quickly.

1st time - Ethan was shy and wouldn't say anything, but the bishop gave him a treat anyway for coming up to shake his hand.

2nd time - With prompting, Ethan named President Hinckley to earn his candy.

3rd time - Ethan quickly named a prophet and gave a big, sly grin while he chose a treat.

Today - The bishop had to meet with someone, but a member of the primary presidency was continuing in his stead. Ethan was the very last one, after helping fold chairs in the gym. He walked up and SANG. Picture our little guy belting out "Life could not be better. 'Cause I choose the right down to the letter. Hey look! My mom made me a sweater. Life could not be better." And then, because the sister was so amazed and didn't know the song, Ethan sang Nephi's Courage with her. The boy really earned his lollipop today.

The song is from this movie. Watch the video clips. It's so cheesy. But Ethan LOVES it. Nephi is his new hero. We have Nephi, Ammon, Alma, and Esther, but Nephi is by far the favorite at this house. (I'm partial to Alma. John thinks they're all ridiculous.)

And yes, I'll get video of Ethan singing this song. It shouldn't be hard. He sings it CONSTANTLY.

Naptime Bliss

"But Mooom. I'm not tired." As he rubs his eyes and yawns. I quickly promise to come back in ten minutes and hold his hand again if he stays in bed. Knowing that either he won't stay in bed and will lose the privilege, OR he will stay in bed and promptly fall asleep. Because no kid can lie quietly in their bed for that long and not fall asleep.

That was more than an hour ago. And Edward is also asleep. I love quiet.

I Don't Recognize Myself

When I look in the mirror it's still me. But when I review my days lately, I find myself looking around to see who's pulling the strings.

I've mentioned before how much this move has motivated me to be a homemaker. Cooking, cleaning, just doing more of what I should have done all along. And I'm liking it. Now, I have a new calling as well. Provident Living. Food storage, emergency prep, resource management (finances), and more. In general, planning and preparing for the future. Or, learning to be self-reliant both now and in an uncertain future.

This added focus is coming out all over the place. I baked with yeast. I soaked beans instead of using canned ones. I've been feeling like we have too much stuff. I'm considering cutting our spending significantly next month. I even realized I could mend a torn shirt instead of throwing it away!

What next? A wheat grinder?? Probably.

If anyone is interested, my first newsletter will be on Food Storage. Articles will include "3-months vs. 1 year", "What am I going to do with 400 lbs of wheat??", and "Baby Steps". Email me if you want a copy.

My Husband the Marketer

John hasn't started a serious job search yet. But he's been really actively networking. Getting to know people in his field here in Austin. Self-branding, if you will.

It's paid off. John had 5 interviews last week. FIVE! Like I said, he wasn't even looking. Two of them went really well. Really, really well. More once things are final.

Man he's good at marketing.

The Importance of Hats

Ethan, heading out to ride his scooter in the driveway.

"Dad, I'm going to wear my hat. So I don't hurt my bones."

29th Birthday

Yup. I'm 29 today. Still John's hot young wife for one more year.

Let me tell you the highlights of my day. I woke up early to let John finish preparing for a big interview. (It involved an hour long presentation of a marketing analysis. Really major interview.) Then off to the Laundromat to do the many loads that have piled up while I've been searching our boxes for the socket wrench set. (The washing machine is broken and I think I can fix it if I can just get the agitator off!) When Ethan and I got back, we had a blah lunch and tried for naptime. Ethan wasn't having it today. He kept insisting that TV and jumping on beds were acceptable quiet time activities. Then, just before Edward woke up, I discovered fire ants in the living room! Edward's already been stung while outside with dad, and he likes to try to catch ants (snacks that make you work for them!), so I knew we needed to avoid the living room (and attached kitchen) until at least dinner time. Without a car, there was no where I could go. (Everything really is bigger in Texas. Including the distances between things.) So I called up a neighbor and headed over for a few hours. John finally made it home and we had pizza delivered for dinner. Then he left again (darn callings!) and I put the kids to bed myself. I watched an episode of Torchwood while waiting for John to get back. (Probably the best part of the day. I love that show.) Then we ended the day by pulling out all the furniture from the walls and spraying the whole downstairs for ants.

Not my favorite birthday ever. But maybe not as bad as the stinky donkeys on my 18th.

Lesson #8

Don't store your boxes in a garage where tarantulas might move in. Or even better, don't move to a state with large arachnids.

That's right. We have a tarantula living in our garage. It's at least the size of my hand. I've seen it twice at a distance and I swear it could take on a small dog. People keep telling me that its not dangerous but that doesn't make me feel any better. I won't even park the car in there.

We have to set aside a day to move the boxes and bins out to the driveway and figure out where it's living. Then a young woman in the ward has volunteered to come catch it for us. She has one at home and would like another. Creepy. Anyway, I'll put up a picture when we catch the monster.

Recap 2: Edward Gets Off of His Belly

This was back in June, but we thought the grandparents might like to see it. I have some video of the "crawl" that will be up soon.

Recap 1: Still in Boston

A few pictures from our last month in the Bay State.

Ethan doing one of his favorite things.

John found his old scouting shirt. Anyone else reminded of Tommy Boy?

Ethan feeding Edward. Note the slightly terrified face.

"Yummmm"

"Don't smile... "

Our little ham.

Lesson #7

Carpet ALL the stairs.


Do you see the bottom step? Do you see how it's not carpeted and thus nearly the same color as the tile? When you're not paying attention, it's really easy to think you're at the bottom and then stumble off. With a baby in your arms. Not the safest part of our house.

Lesson #6

Wear shoes while gardening.

We moved into a home where the lawn and landscaping had been ignored for the previous five months. The lawn was practically dead. The shrubs needed some serious pruning. And some nasty weeds had taken a firm hold. Our great friend Mary drove out from Houston our first weekend here to help us get settled in. After unpacking Edward's room and putting him down for a nap, she and I decided to tackle the shrubbery in the front of the house. We trimmed and pruned, reshaped and weeded. Then, just as I warned that I'd cut some stinging nettles, Mary stepped on one. She looked down and saw that her foot was already bleeding from something else. Poor Mary had walked out without her shoes. At least she had missed stepping in the poison ivy!

Lesson #5

Strawberry applesauce is not a good substitute for banana puree.

(This isn't a moving lesson, but it's funny.) A few days after unpacking our kitchen I decided to make us feel more at home with a little banana bread. For some reason I was using the food processor to puree the banana rather than mashing it with a fork. I picked it up and glanced at the bottom to check for chunks...and lost my grip.

After the mess, I wasn't willing to give up, but didn't have much in the house to substitute. I found some of Ethan's strawberry applesauce cups and decided to go for it. In the end, the bread was inedible and my clothes are stained. And we all got a good laugh out of it.

Lesson #4

Be careful what you pack on top of your dryer.

After more than a week of trips to Home Depot to get the right pipe fittings, I was finally able to hook up our gas dryer. Then I turned it on. Each time the drum rotated there was a LOUD thump. I researched online and in the manual. Nothing seemed right, so I decided to just open it up and see if I could tell what the problem was. (Yes. I am the daughter of an engineer.) After removing the top I determined that the seam of the drum was scraping the top of the dryer. The entire top was dented so subtly I hadn't seen it until I knew what I was looking for. I took a rubber mallet to it and now have a fully functional and quiet dryer.

The dent was apparently caused by a box slightly smaller than dryer top. When additional weight was added on top of that, the smaller box left a dent. Don't do this! The repair wasn't hard but was a major pain because of the way the top is attached.

My Favorite Movie

Now, don't laugh. My favorite movie is The Prince of Egypt. Yes, the animated movie. Every time we watch it I am struck by different parts of Moses' early life.

Today I felt his mother's pain as she gave her little baby son to the river and the Lord's hand. Would I be able to have that amount of faith? Even with the alternative?

I was moved by his struggle to decide where he belonged. In pharaoh's house with the man who had ordered his slaughter as a child? Or with an oppressed people he didn't understand?

And today I was particularly moved when Moses was called by the Lord to return and save the Israelites. He clearly felt inadequate, unworthy, and unable to do what the Lord had asked. But he did it anyway. He faithfully obeyed and followed the Lord's instructions. And succeeded! I know that my struggles as a mother pale in comparison to delivering the Israelites from bondage. But the Lord gave me these children to raise. He has given plenty of instruction. All I have to do is faithfully obey Him and follow His instructions and I can succeed.

Jazz Hands

John was reading reviews of some of the local schools and came across a listing of charter schools. He asked if we would ever consider send our kids to one. I said yes, if Ethan or Edward had a particular talent or skill at something and there was a charter school that emphasized it. (Music or science would be areas that wouldn't surprise us.)

John immediately mentioned that maybe we should do more to encourage our little singer. Ethan is constantly singing the songs he knows and making up new ones. I've been thinking about singing more and playing more, and more appropriate, music (Sweeney Todd and some of the Camelot songs are a little much coming out of the mouth of a three year old).

Later that same evening we were sitting at the dinner table talking about the good parts of our day. Ethan burst into made-up song to finish his sentence and ended with jazz hands. I turned to John and said "We need to introduce this boy to show tunes."

Any suggestions? I've never been a huge fan, so I don't know very many. I'd love your help in finding some shows that Ethan would love!

New Blog

No, keeping up with this one is enough for me. I'm posting because one of my favorite people has finally started a blog. I'm not sure how she has the time, but I'm grateful for it.

Kolette Hall and her husband Jason live a hard life. Jason has been a quadriplegic since he was a teenager. Kolette wasn't deterred when they met at the Y and they married. Several years later Jason's specially equipped van malfunctioned, causing the brakes to fail, and he spent more than a year in the hospital followed by many more years of surgeries. Their day to day life is more difficult than I can even imagine, but they somehow manage to be some of the happiest people I have ever met.

I've been privileged enough to see some of how they maintain perspective and choose to be joyful through their struggles. Go here to read their story and here to read Kolette's blog. Her first post is about "Thriving vs. Surviving".

And if you ever have the chance to hear Jason speak, GO! He is hilarious and truly inspiring.

National Cheesecake Day

Did you know that today is National Cheesecake Day? At least at the Cheesecake Factory. It's their 30th anniversary. To celebrate, you can buy slices for $1.50 instead of $6-$8. The catch is that you have to dine in and you can only buy one per customer. So our plan is to go in with some friends (and our kids), share an appetizer, and buy cheesecake all around to take home. Do you think they'll let me count Edward as a customer?

I hope you see this early enough to enjoy it!

Grateful

Today I am grateful for

-Both boys having early bedtimes, so that even when they have a hard time going down, there's still time for me to relax.

-New motivation to be a home-maker. (It still confuses me too. But we're all liking it.)

-John working from home, at least for a while.

-New friends who already feel like old friends.

-The strength to step out of my comfort zone. And to let others into it.

-Not being pregnant again. (Yea. That was scary. Maybe I'll post about it tomorrow. Maybe.)

-The knowledge that John and I are where we're supposed to be in every way. Married to each other, two kids, self-employed, in this town, in this ward, in this particular house, even arriving when we did. We completely felt led here and already know some of the reasons why. (I have to admit that it's a comforting feeling. It took us several years to see just a little of why we were in Boston. Here, it only took a few days. The Lord really does know what he's doing.)

Lesson #3

"Tile floors throughout!" is not a plus.

The Kitchen
The Living Room
The Playroom (from the loft)

They seem like they should be wonderful. They look great. They feel cool in this hot climate. But they have some huge downsides.

Even after I'd cleaned them, our feet were turning black. So I used some trial and error to find a mop that captured the dirt in all the crevices and in the deep grout lines. The mop works really well, but needing to use it nearly everyday is frustrating. Sweeping is nearly useless, although I do it to get the bigger messes. That means I mop or let Edward scoot around on filthy floors. Yuck. Maybe if I get Edward a microfiber outfit...

Then there is the problem of the pain. Yes, both boys have fallen and cried already. They'll learn to be a little more careful. But I'm talking about the pain in our feet, knees, and hips from walking on such a hard surface all day. In the playroom we decided to put down foam pads to help the kids be more comfortable (and to decrease the echoing.)

Ethan's first tower on the new floor
We do have carpet upstairs, so we at least have a soft place for our feet to get a break.

Lesson #2

Wrap your furniture.

Heres why
Luckily enough, this was an old slipcover that I already had a replacement for. Other items needed some cleaning though.

The wood furniture did not survive unscathed either. Most of it was only partially wrapped, as teasing was making some of the guys self-conscious about doing it. You can clearly see where the wrapping ended in the scrapes and dings. And of course the drawer that fell out of the unwrapped tv cabinet is completely broken. Someone make sure that the teaser's wife sees this so that their furniture survives! (We really should have asked him to deal with it or go home. It was NOT helping.)

Sorry about the rant. I'm determined to be more pushy about wrapping the furniture next time.

More Lessons to Come...

...when we can find the cord for our camera. Luckily we have a HUGE memory card in it, so we're still snapping away. But any photo we've taken since we left Boston is stuck on the card for the moment. If I don't find the cord soon, I'll pick up a card reader so that I can share with you.

A quick overview is that we're loving life right now. We have a great house, John is working from home (so he pops in to help us out a few times a day), I'm finding a new desire to be domestic (I know. Bizarre.), and we've jumped right into the ward. Except for missing our friends and dealing with the heat, life is good.

Ethan is enjoying that he has two rooms just for him! For now, at least. The boys have their own bedrooms and we've turned the formal dining area into a playroom. Ethan just loves that there is a large area for him to set up his trains where he can leave them out. His only really sad times are when we're going to a playgroup or to church and he asks if his friends will be there. I say yes, b/c he's already made new friends. So when he says "Yes! Benjamin and Julia and Aliya will be there" I have to clarify and he pouts for a few minutes.

Edward is developing by leaps and bounds now that we're on a more regular schedule. He's finally sitting up and has developed a strange little method to move forward. He has the crawling leg motion down, but just can't figure out moving his hands. So he gets up on his hands and knees, scoots his legs forward, pushes up into a better downward facing dog pose than I can do, then pushes his hands backward like he's doing a swimming start and flops forward. It's slow, and he'll only do it if things are just out of reach, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Edward is also really into eating solids. Before we left, his dr said that he could have three meals a day if he wants it. And that he was clearly showing enough interest to try some finger foods. At six months! As soon as we introduced them, he got it. He doesn't have the pincer grasp, but he immediately figured out how to open his hand and push things into his mouth. For a while he didn't even want to be spoon fed, but a few new foods (pureed chicken and rice in particular) changed that. He gets so excited that he shakes his head back and forth the entire time. It's a messy process.

That's us for now. Once we have the pictures I'll post more.

Lesson #1

Don't forget to turn on the utilities BEFORE you move in.

Yup. We're in a hotel less than a mile from our house because we didn't know the utilities would be turned off. ALL of them. We might have toughed it out with no electricity and definitely could go without gas for a few days. It was the lack of water that did us in. No toilets with a three year old? No way. The basics will be turned on tomorrow. We'll deal with the others, like garbage pickup, sewage fees, and internet, later this week.

Ah. New house, new lessons to be learned.

Travel Updates

John has been posting audio snippets of our trip on his blog. Go take a listen!

...And They're Off!

It's official. We've left Boston. And we're feeling homeless. At least for the next week or so.

The Way Our Minds Work

John is writing again. Specifically poems in his William Tell series. (Ask him to read you a few. He gets so animated and excited.) It's clearly something that he loves doing. And it makes me happy that he's doing something he loves.

John was writing on his flight out to TX (a house hunting trip) and noticed a gentleman across the aisle doing sudoku. He looked at his notebook and had an epiphany about how he and I think.

When creating, the blank pages we use are different. John writes organically. He gets a hint of an idea, pulls out a blank piece of paper, and writes. No planning. No structure. He just writes. My mind works differently. I start with some sort of structure. Like the sudoku page.

Why? Obviously, John is very much a creative thinker and my mind is intensely logical. But there is more than that. We create in ways that feel right. That are comforting. For John, that means freedom to let things go anywhere they want. Too much structure unnerves him a little b/c he worries it won't come out right. I'm afraid of the blank page. I need to know that if I use the structure and follow the process, it'll come out "right".

Somehow this works for us. We make well thought out decisions because we're able to think about things from different angles. We're good at different things, so (as much as we can) we divide up chores, child care, and the like so that we're playing to our strengths. But I don't think we've ever realized it before. It's funny to think about how differently our minds work.