a bunch of random photos

We've been sorting photos. Here are a few things I wanted to record.

This is Isaac's face. I think the tape is his nose, not his mouth.

This is Laura. She's amazing. We were to spend Thanksgiving together, but when we ended up sick she brought over TONS of food. We ate for days and it was soooo good. I just love this girl! Look how cute she is with her bounty. I'm so grateful for her.

A great dad shot. He was sorting dress up beads for Natalie and rocking Isaac. Sorting beads must be hard work! I love this photo, and this man.

This is truly the randomest photo. Obviously it was Christmas time when Natalie brought me the camera telling me to take a picture of her. She then walked over, stood by the tree and posed just like this. So I just snapped a few photos without really thinking, but now it's one of my favorites because it tells so much about her---her personality, that the tree was significant to her in some way enough to want to be photographed with it, how's she somewhat serious (her body language).

Can you tell this is a bed? Jared transformed our room into this amazing jungle while I was away. He painted, drilled, sewed (yes with a machine), and designed this all on his own. We had it up for a couple of weeks and had a blast hanging out in the jungle. I cried when we finally had to take it down.

We heard about this place, Thurman's Cafe, where you can get 3/4 pound burgers. Jared had been fasting the day we went and by the time we got in (after almost 2 hours of waiting), he was beyond famished. Look at the size of this thing! So, we ordered 2 appetizers and of course burgers. When the waiter came with our check, he said to Jared "I've worked here for a lot of years and I've seen a lot of eaters. But, I've never seen anyone pack it away like you just did. And that's a compliment!" Good food, fun, and cheap too! We'll have to go there again soon. :)

This makes me want spring so bad. Especially because I found frost on the door lock on the INSIDE of our house this morning. With windchill factor, I think it's supposed to be in the negative teens over the next few days.

Lately when we ask her what she's doing she replies, "Just noth'n." This was from last summer doing just noth'n and that's the way we like it.

The worse it gets, the better the story

Someday I will want this day back.

This morning Natalie would not wake up. "Five more minutes, mom." (Whaaaat the fast forward 10 years.) It was the "There's hot french toast with syrup on the table wating for you...cut up...with milk...and peanut butter...and syrup...and some more syrup..." that finally got her up. She only ate 5 bites! That should have triggered something in me as a mother since she normally downs 2 slices she love it so.
On the way to church she started complaining her stomache hurt (you already know where this is going) and I told her (being a sensitive mother) "Next time you should eat your breakfast so you don't get hungry."
Well, long story short, before the talks even began Natalie had tossed her cookies all over the bench, floor, herself, but amazingly missed the hymn books.
Lovely. Just for future reference...remember all the "syrup, peanut butter, and more syrup goodness" reference I made earlier? It's not goodness and it is not a reverent smell after it goes down and spends sometime with gastric acid. Jared left with the kids and I stayed to put on my "biohazard clean-up" hat. I finished out the meeting which was actually really good and tried not to feel so terrible about the whole thing. Those sitting around us were more than generous by telling me they couldn't smell a thing. I was on the verge of loosing it. Not so much because it was embarassing or anything because stuff like this happens and it's ridiculous to feel ashamed your three year old lost it, right? No, I wanted to cry because so many people didn't think twice in helping me. I wanted to cry because I have sat through church by myself too many time in the past year and a half while Jared's been gone and the Sunday this occurs, he happens to be here. What a blessing. I don't know what I would have done had I been alone...leave church and ask someone to clean it up for me? Yeah right and yet I couldn't have stayed through the meeting with her sick and covered in barf. I promised myself right then to be the first to jump up and help someone else in an bad situation.

Anyway, someday I will want this day back because I will want my sweet baby to hold, my sweet girl to be little again. I will want to relive this day because there is much happiness in life even with all it's gross-ness.

After the meeting, the bishop helped me make sure it was all disinfected properly, etc. So he and I are surveying the damage to the bench and are both quite for a minute when he says, "You know, they are going to replace all the upholstry in here this year." Ha ha ha!!! I asked, "Tomorrow?" We constructed a sort of crime scene with a lot of tape from the library to warn people this wasn't an ordinary wet spot and asked him what I should write on the sign. He said something like, "Vomit was here. Do not sit." It was something like that and very, very funny. After considered all of our possible verbage, I opted for "Bench out of order. Please do not use." Sometimes it's better to let people wonder what exactly happened and leave out all the specifics.

This is my word-of-the-wise for all you readers out there and a note to self. If you have the unfortunate experience of this happening in your ward, do not ask the mother, or father, "Did you know she was sick?" Please! I really was not taking offense, but it sort of hurt my feelings. (Enter sarcasm) What did you expect me to say? That I knew she was sick but I think it's fun to have her throw up in a public place and thank you for just making conversation since you couldn't think of anything else to say off the top of your head? (Exit sarcasm.) Really, it was harmless and completely unintentional, but I heard it one too many times and it kinda rubbed in the "I'm a terrible mom" feeling and sure made the tears brim. I'm sure I've said countless things similar to this that wasn't probably the most tactful thing to say, so I'm much more aware of how what I say will come across to others now. :) Life is the best teacher.

Well, we'll see if anyone sits in that bench next week. (If I can remember my camera I'll snap a shot of the brave---or unknowing---souls.)

the power of words

This morning Isaac "sang" me awake at a very early hour and since my mind often has a tendency to speed up instead of slow back down into sleep, I decied to get up and take advantage of my foggy state. I've been thinking about something someone said and was hoping it was a quote from a conference speech or Ensign article so I starting searching on-line. Although I didn't find the quote I was looking for, I found my brain getting sharper reading through article after article. At first I would simply glance at the text highlighting my search results, but couldn't stop reading. This was my favorite "diamond in the rough"and I think you will like it too. It's titled "Not me---I smoke and drink" by Joan Atkinson. It's the second article on the page, so skim down.

Here's a funny little quote from a book I read yesterday:

"...I was amazed to see how agitated [the girls and women] were, how impatient, how physical their desire for new clothes was. It would evidently take more than a political regime, more than dire poverty to stop a woman from wanting to be well dressed: it was a desire as old as the world, as old as the desire for children." (page 122 of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress)

And, I want to tell you about a great site for kids if you don't already check it regularly. Each idea is simple (because it's well designed) and very kid-friendly. It's called Kid's Craft Weekly created and maintained by Amy Carvan. Very worth bookmarking!!! Here's a photo of Bronco (thanks dad) the Brontosaurus---from Amy's dinorsaurs newsletter. Natalie made him yesterday...with some help. :) Too fun. She went nuts looking at the picture on-line. What a great way to introduce her to what a pattern is and how to follow steps in a process. We attached a string so they could go on walks together. It should be noted though that "he doesn't walk very good."

Today was the BEST day!

Here's what happened good and why it made me so happy.

*Today was simply a continuum of three low-key, easy going days. Technically today's high started Wednesday when we all slept until noon after not getting home from the airport until 1am. Praise my kids for being genuinely good. And then yesterday when we spent the entire afternoon making chocolate-orange cupcakes from scratch just because we felt like it and there were leftovers even into today! ha ha ha I made a half batch on purpose because I have very little discipline when it comes to frosting. Poor Natalie. Even she gets a little weirded out over frosting.


Then at night I finally caught the episode of As Time Goes By (please tell me I'm not the only one who likes late night British comedy on PBS) when Jean and Lionel meet up again for the first time. Pretty funny because Lionel takes Jean's daughter out to dinner and that's how they re-unite. I'm such a fan of Judi Dench.



Well, todaaaay---

*I got some good writ'n in which means a decent outline and one paragraph fleshed out. I've been putting this off because I just don't feel like a "writer" or feel very confident in getting real words on paper in an organized way. This morning I just did it and it just clicked.



*Natalie didn't ask to watch a single thing which makes me feel like my ideal of less TV is possible---I should note that I think TV is great, especially during the winter months, but not when it's THE thing or a focus. I don't have any photos of here new right hand (glue stick and scissors) but, here's how she spent long periods of time today:




We went to the library and I picked up...
* a Keith Urban cd which I love because he sings in a range I enjoy hearing my own voice in. The first time I heard him was actually on PBS during a taping of up and coming artists (if I remember right it was something like that) anyway, he's now HUGE especially after marrying Nicole Kidman.
*Dolly Parton's Little Sparrow cd. I certainly cannot sing in her range! Did you know she's number 4 out of 12 children? Her version of Shine is on this album and I think it's better than Collective Soul's version (or who sang it?...Creed?). It's a little softer.
*Spindle's End by Robin McKinley. This book has been on my reading wish list for years! It's about time to give it a whirl which I will be doing as soon as bedtime rolls around.
*A picture book titled Country Roads and it has the music in the back of the book!!!! What a treat. This song makes me cry because I feel so happy singing it. It's one of the only songs I know all the words in the right order which makes Jared happy. Brings back memories of Philmont and that makes me feel very, very whole.

*Next we registered Natalie for a gymnastics class and a music class. This really wasn't necessarily part of making my day great, but there were candy machines there with "Crunchy Cheetahs" (cheetos) and she wanted some. I told her today was not a cheetah day, so the minute I turn around I hear her start asking people for money so she can buy cheetahs! What a beggar! I was shocked, a little horrified, but also amused.

*After that we swung by Target on our way home for some dish towels. Well, got the dish towels but also hit a fantastic clearance on shoes. I picked up 8 pairs of shoes for about $20! Unbeatable especially with 3 pairs of boots. I'll laugh if we match in Texas. I added up the original prices---$130. I also picked up some leather gloves for $4. I'll be sending a pair on to my mom.

*Last but not least, updating my blog. Thanks everyone for e-mailing me about my last post. Glad to know you are reading.

Well, that was my day...day and a half...three... Just a lot of happy chaos really. Here's to another great day tomorrow for you and me both!

This is such a phenomenon I couldn't even come up with a title for my post.

Actually, I was a little nervous to type into my blog since I haven't in ohhhh...gee..2 months! A generous 2 months. Amazingly I remembered my login and password (after a few attempts), so, here I am.

Camera-less at the moment, but there are no less that a quarter million photographs to post. Here's how it all started. I had a bunch of photographs and thoughts to record, but put it off for just long enough I felt a little overwhelmed to post them all (lame to fell overwhelmed to do something I enjoy!!!). So Laura got on my case, in a very nice way, and I promised her I would do a top ten and briefly mention everything I wanted to, started it, got to #6 or so and fell asleep. It was all down hill from there. And then the joyfully swamped Christmas season coupled with my mom's wedding and here I am, two months later.

Before I forget, I just found out my cousin, Rachel, reads my blog, so here's a little "Welcome Rachel!" Thanks for reading. And sorry to keep you all the edge of your seats for the past few months. Ha! It won't happen again. Ha ha!

A few things about my kiddos since not post goes by I don't hardly mention them in some way or another. Isaac can now buck himself out of places, but won't really fuss about being stuck. I'll turn around and he's twisted up funny with this look on his face like, "Yeah, I'm not really sure how I got here either." He is a boy in constant motion. His little feet and hands are always circling around. What a squiggler.
Natalie. A huge joy as ever. Santa, bless his jolly heart, brought her "Lightning McQueen" movie for Christmas. I promise you she has it memorized. A few nights ago the ONLY way to get her to bed was to pacify her by telling the "Lightening McQueen" story. I'm pretty sure I'm going to live a long time regretting telling her the story because anywhere and everywhere several times a day it's now, "Mom, tell me the Lightening McQueen story."---like it's some epic ballad to be passed down. And, if you think that's a little over the top, well not a telling has gone by she hasn't corrected me, "It's Guida, mom. The little blue truck is Guida." (verses "Guido"---I'm sooo not pushing it.) And when I'm all done, "Mom, what about the mishermasher machine?" (The scary thrashing machine.) Why I can't remember it after a billion re-tellings, I don't know, but it's so habitual now it's frightening!


We've been traversing hither and yon in search of ye old perfect residency program. We've found quite a few good ones. It will be such a hard choice and I genuinely would be happy in our top 6. How thankful I am for a match and for decision deadlines I cannot even put into words. One last interview and we can (ha ha ha) start making a decision regarding his rank order list. Whew. I actually LOVE this! Stressful, yes. Expensive, bigger yes. Something we've been looking forward to for oh so very long, yes yes!

So there's this book I've heard sooo much about for months and months from everyone. "Oh, it's so great." "It's amazing." "It's the book of the decade." "I think you'll just love it." And on and on. "It's about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire." Ohhh...thanks but that's not really my type of book. Glad ya liked it, but yeah, not my style. So, I sit through book club (I know, know, why go to book club when you didn't even read?) about the sequel to this book still thinking to myself, yeah yeah yeah. Sure glad I didn't bother with the first one because amazingly, the second one is about not only vampires cont'd, but werewolves. Yes, that's right, werewolves. Riiight. So, fast forward a few months to Christmas and it hits me that this book would be perfect for my younger sister. Right up her alley. Couldn't find it anywhere...sold out. So I settled for a Babymouse novel instead (which ended up being sooo not up her alley and hopefully will be able to swap her the space age ant farm she gave me for it).
Anyway, I get here to visit her and what's this? She owns them both and surprise, surprise tells me, "You've just gotta read these!" I succumb. No, that's not the right word, within pages, pathetically, I could not put it down. That phrase is so cliche with me now, but I've never meant it more truly. Picture this: every room in my mom's house has someone sleeping in it. (By the way, I'm here for her wedding.) It's late at night and I brought this little flashlight you wind up to charge the battery---praise be I thought to throw it in my bag. Since there's no where to go but my own room (with my two kids asleep) I'm winding up this flashlight and reading. How appropriate it was a YA book since it hasn't been I can't tell you when I had to use a flashlight to stay up reading. It wasn't until the clock struck 2am and after winding this flashing light countless times I finish it. I was getting sooo frustrated that the flashlight wasn't lasting long enough and I had to stop reading to wind it up again.
So, with all the festivities I had to wait (sheesh...a wedding over reading???) a couple of days before starting the next book, and I have to tell you, "You've just gotta read it!"
The second one was as good as the first if not better developed and better written. Thank you Stephenie Meyer. Thank you.
And, because I don't want to spoil anything by giving all my opinions and actually I really don't want to hash it out, I'll just tell the the books, but I'm warning you. Clear out your schedule, hire a babysitter, prepare to pay for it for a few days after getting no sleep by reading all night---I think you'll really like it. Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. Book #3 due to appear this summer!!! Aaaand, everyone, heads up: she's writing one from Edward's point of view. The first chapter is posted on-line. Oh, quick bio about the author that I got a kick out of. She's a young stay at home mom with three kids. Mormon, BYU grad. I guess she gets asked why a nice girl like her would write stories about vampires. Ha!

Since I'm in the "great new reads" mode, here are a few more. Jared and I listened to Portuguese Irregular Verbs and we just about fell off our chairs it was so funny. The only reason we didn't fall off was because we were in the car with seat belts on. If you read it, make sure to make it through the third book in the series when Professor Von Ingelfeld inadvertently becomes president of Columbia. Alexander McCall Smith. Witty, witty man. Wait, can a man be witty? Isn't that a little feminine? Ugh! I so need my thesaurus. (Which was a Christmas dream come true. That and a dictionary.)

Next, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. This book kinda swept me away. It's about a girl who teaches herself how to write by keeping a journal of her life (the "capture" part) in a falling apart castle (the "castle" part). Enjoyed every word and made me consider a few things about life and relationships. Also, Stephanie hosted an excellent book club about it. Thanks, Steph!

Lastly, The Persian Pickle Club. I've been meaning to read this for quite some time. Another great book. Each time I put down a great book I wonder, "How come I didn't know about this book before?" and "How do authors come up with their stories, characters, twists and turns?" My jaw drops.
Anyway, this a book about women, married life, and I must say, I genuinely felt terror at one point in the book. Well written.

Well, that wasn't so hard---blogging again! I'll have to remember that the next time I put off posting. :)