From the Block

Blogged out.

2012-01-27T16:02:00.004-05:00

It's time I faced the truth. For awhile now, I have lacked any motivation whatsoever to post to this blog. I am pretty good about snapping shots with my phone and uploading them to facebook with a quick blurb every so often, but sitting down and composing a blog post just isn't high on my priority list.

I feel a little guilty about this. I have lots of blogs I check on daily, or every couple of days. I feel like I'm not doing my part. But... I just don't feel like it.

So, I will try and throw something up here from time to time. I guess what I'd really like is permission from the few of you who read this to continue my slacking.

What do you say?

Stationery card

2011-12-01T11:27:00.001-05:00

Introducing Script Pink Birth Announcement

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Five.

2011-11-19T00:20:00.001-05:00

My baby boy turned five this month. How can that be?

He counted down to his birthday for about three months, he was so excited. When the day finally came, he was one happy kid.

We told him he could pick where we went for dinner, and of all the options out there, he chose McDonald's. Go figure. The boy really wanted a Happy Meal. At least it was easy on the pocket book!

We came home after dinner and had cupcakes and opened presents. Daniel was thrilled with his rain boots and his lightsaber. In fact, he was so excited about his rain boots that he wore them to school all that week, although it wasn't raining. He was wearing them with his jammies when I found him the next morning. So cute!

We had his party the following Saturday. Since our life is a little crazy right now, we decided to have his party somewhere else. I wasn't prepared to have that many little ones over to our house, and honestly didn't feel up to the preparation and execution. We ended up having his party at a gymnasium for little kids, and it worked out perfectly. A leader led the kids (14 of them!) in a fun class for about an hour, and then the last half hour we had cake and ice cream and opened presents.

Daniel loves Angry Birds, so I tried my hand at making an Angry Birds cake this year. In a flash of brilliance, I decided to buy the actual cake from Costco - a chocolate sheet cake - and then just decorate it myself. It worked out great! I made the birds and pigs out of Rice Krispy Treats, covered in fondant, which I colored myself. It was time consuming, but sort of fun. Like edible play dough! We thought it turned out pretty cool:

I worked so hard on those birds, I almost hated to cut the cake! They were technically completely edible, but even I didn't want to eat them, knowing how much they were handled. :-)

Dan was pleased with his cake and generally had a great day. In lieu of the dreaded Goodie Bag (can I get an Amen, mamas?), we handed out cans of Play-Doh to the party guests, with a custom label thanking them for coming. Hey, if you ever need a custom label template for a regular Play-Doh can, let me know. I made one. Break free from the tyranny of the Goodie Bag! This was so easy and pretty cheap, too.

What can I say about Daniel? Danny is such a little light in our family - he really is an entertainer. He is so loving with all of us and tells me he loves me every day, usually right out of the blue. (For example, today we were driving in the car and out of nowhere he said, "Mom? I love you." It doesn't get any better than that.) He gives wonderful big hugs. He loves his baby sister so much and is always gentle and helpful with her. Daniel can also be rather stubborn and is not easily swayed when he sets his mind to something. We hope his stubbornness will parley into determination and be an asset to him someday! Daniel is fun and enthusiastic and we love having him in our family. Happy birthday, Danny Boy!

Photo shoot!

2011-10-31T11:01:00.000-04:00

I took the kids to get their pictures taken on Saturday. I was a little conflicted about this - Brandon has a very nice camera and takes really good pictures. However, Brandon has about a zillion things on his plate right now, and I didn't want to burden him with one more thing. Also, I sometimes think the kids cooperate better for strangers when it comes to pictures, so I hauled us all over to the studio. I'm glad I got it done, although it was a bit stressful and required a little bribery to secure the boys' participation.

Mainly, I wanted to get a picture of Holland in this pink and white gingham dress I wore as a baby. My mom had my picture taken in it when I was 5 months old:

She saved it all these years, along with lots of other baby clothes. A few months ago, she gave me the big tub of clothes and as we were looking through it, she mentioned it would be cute to get Holland's picture taken in the same dress I wore for my 5 month photo shoot. An idea was born!

Holland turns 6 months old this week (how can that be?!?), so she is a few weeks older than I was when I wore the dress. Still, I think it turned out great! We also used my vintage crocheted baby blanket as a prop.

They took the boys' pictures as well, but their individual shots weren't that great. I was also looking for a group picture of the three of them. Let's just say, that was an exercise in frustration! It was incredibly difficult to get all three kids smiling and looking in the same direction at the same time. In fact, I'd say it was fairly impossible. This was one of the best group shots of the day:

Holland cooperated just enough to get some adorable shots. I can't believe my baby turns 6 months old this week!

I made:

2011-10-27T00:57:00.001-04:00

This wreath:

And this sandwich:

First, the wreath. My dear friend Corrie is a craft wiz (I am not). She posted a little tutorial on facebook on how to make these cute wreaths, and I thought I could manage it. So, General Conference weekend, I bought the supplies and set about making my own! It involved a straw wreath covered in ribbon, about 10 rolls of decorative ribbon, and a zillion pins. I cut the ribbon in 4-6 inch pieces, made loops, and pinned them in place. Over and over and over again. My thumbs were quite sore by the end of this process! But I love my wreath and just thought I'd show it off. Ta-da! I'm crafty! For a day, anyway.

Now, the sandwich. Brandon and I discovered we could re-purpose our ancient George Foreman Grill to make panini-like creations! Our favorite: turkey, provolone, garden tomatoes (so delicious!), a smidge of mayo, and wheat bread lightly brushed with olive oil. I'm telling you, these were TASTY. And I do believe the George Foreman Grill enjoyed its summer Renaissance. Welcome back, neglected kitchen appliance!

Seven

2011-10-25T09:38:00.001-04:00

My boy is seven. How can that be?!?

Mason turned seven on October 5th. His birthday fell on a Wednesday, so to celebrate the day we let him choose where he wanted to go out to eat. He picked LaRosa's - always a family favorite. We came home from dinner and had cupcakes and opened presents. It was hard for Mason to wait the entire day to open his gifts, but he survived!

The theme this year was definitely LEGOS. Mason loves Legos of all types, and he was certainly indulged this year! He truly amazes us with his ability to put together complicated Lego sets intended for kids much older than him. His nana gave him this Lego Hero Factory set aimed at 10-16 year old kids, and he worked with incredible focus until he had the entire thing put together, all by himself. Future engineer? Maybe. But if you ask him right now what he wants to be when he grows up, he'll tell you "Lego Store Worker"!

Mason, you are so bright and funny and thoughtful. We love your take on life and your determination. You are such a loving big brother to Danny and Holland and a blessing in our family. Happy birthday, my sweet boy!

The Frogs go to the Zoo!

2011-10-24T10:25:00.001-04:00

Week before last, Danny's preschool class took a field trip to the zoo. My good friend watched Holland (and braved the crying) so I could go and spend the morning with his class. What a day!

First, let me say that when we left in the morning, the skies were clear. By the time I dropped off the baby and drove to the zoo, it had started to POUR. The only rain gear I could scrounge up in the van was a child's tiny umbrella and Danny's jacket, which had a hood. Just walking from the van to the entrance, we were drenched!

I made a quick stop at the gift shop and bought two thin ponchos and a flimsy zebra print umbrella for $20 (highway robbery!). We made our way to the first event on our agenda - an indoor animal encounter. Wouldn't you know it? By the time we left, the skies were clear again. Not a drop of rain. I was a little irritated that I'd spent $20 on rain gear, but then a more optimistic friend suggested I think of it as having paid $20 to guarantee a rain-free morning. So we'll go with that perspective!

At the animal encounter, the kids learned about birds, mammals, and reptiles and got to pet one of each - a ring necked pigeon, some kind of lizard, and a tiny hedgehog. The hedgehog was really a hit. His name was Kenya.

Then we were off to fill out our worksheet, looking for different animals and marking whether they are daytime animals or nocturnal animals. Danny's favorite animals were the bats and the owls!

Mrs. W, Mrs. R., and the Frogs!

All told, we had a fun little morning with the Frogs and Butterfly classes. I'm so glad I could go spend that time with Danny, and grateful to my friend for helping with Holland. A good time was had by all.

Danny's first day

2011-10-24T10:10:00.001-04:00

Traditional Fist Day Photo

Daniel is now in his third year of preschool. This year, he's in the 4 year old Frogs class with the most amazing teacher, Mrs. W. Mason had Mrs. W. for his last year of preschool, so we already knew how fantastic she is!

By the time preschool started in mid-September, Mason had already been in school for 3 weeks, so Danny was more than ready to go.

Outside the doors to the preschool wing

Hanging up his backpack

He wore his favorite color - ORANGE. He hung up his backpack and put his snack away in his cubby, and pretty much didn't look back. We love his preschool and know he's in good hands with the teachers and staff there. I can't believe this is his last year of preschool before kindergarten! We're enjoying our down time together with Holland on the days he doesn't have school. It can be a little tricky getting out the door on time in the mornings, but so far we're managing.

Looking forward to a great year with the Frogs!

Yuck.

2011-09-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

The Thursday before school started, I wanted to do something to celebrate the end of summer and just plain have fun with the boys. A local waterpark was offering a buy-one-get-one-for-$10 deal on their season passes for next year, so Brandon and I discussed and thought we'd buy passes for 2012, which we could use until the end of the summer season.

We went to the park two days in a row, on 8/18 and 8/19. The kids had fun. I couldn't help but notice that the park was a little... dumpy. When I was a kid, this particular park had seemed so awesome. Unfortunately, it now looks like they haven't updated it since then! Still, the kids had a nice time and I thought it would be fun to bring them next summer - and cheaper than a family pass to the municipal pool.

Well.

Exactly one week later, Mason started to complain of a stomach ache. At first, I didn't give it much thought. He seemed otherwise fine. But after several days, I noticed he wasn't eating normally and seemed a bit lethargic. I made a dr. appointment for him for the next day, a Tuesday. Tuesday morning, his teacher called to tell me Mason had had an accident at school and was upset. I went and picked him up right away, and we went to the dr. that afternoon. He really wasn't feeling well at all.

I spent the next day coaxing a stool sample out of Mason. The things we parents do! He was freaked out and embarrassed, and I wasn't too excited about it either. In the end, I had to turn the water off to the toilet and flush it so it was fairly empty of water, tell him he couldn't come out until he went (he was holding it to avoid the whole process), and promise a new Lego toy. 10 minutes later, we were in business.

The next evening, the pediatrician's office called and told me he'd tested positive for cryptosporidium, a waterborne protozoan parasite. Since we hadn't been swimming anyplace else, it's pretty easy to guess where it came from. In case you're wondering, "crypto" is spread via the fecal-oral route. Ew. I think we have the kiddie pool to thank for this. According to the CDC, crypto can live for days in properly chlorinated water.

Mason took a round of meds and is on the mend, thankfully. The public health department called me, because his diagnosis is one that must be reported by doctors and they want to know where you think you contracted the parasite. I told them we had a pretty good idea.

I contacted the waterpark about our diagnosis and asked for a refund on our passes... I, for one, never want to step foot there again! The lady I spoke with showed zero concern for my child and flatly refused a refund. I couldn't believe the way she spoke to me. I later wrote a letter to their attorney, just to explain our experience and complain about their customer service. It was pretty awful. They have never acknowledged my letter. Nice.

I feel terrible that Mason was sick with this and I didn't know. I wish I'd taken his stomach ache more seriously - I just had no idea it could even be anything like this! It turns out, there was a breakout of crypto in the Cincinnati area right around the time we were swimming. Just our luck!

I'll think twice the next time we go to a public pool, that's for sure. This whole thing was unpleasant, on many levels!

Our big first grader!

2011-09-12T14:33:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe, but Mason is a big time first grader now!

School started at the end of August. Mason has always liked school, so he was ready for this new adventure. Here he is, ready to go!

Mason is in the Kitten class this year. He actually has two teachers, and he switches back and forth between their classrooms during the day. Sometimes, they open the divider between the rooms and have activities together.

It's been such an adjustment packing his lunch and having him gone the whole day. It is strange to think that he spends most of his waking hours outside my influence! Still, I'm proud of the sweet, conscientious little boy he is. He is creative and bright - I can almost see the wheels turning in his head when he has an idea. It's really fun to watch.

Just like last year, he climbed on the bus and wouldn't have looked back, except his bus driver suggested it!

And off he went. My big first grader!

Hummingbirds Soccer

2011-09-12T14:11:00.001-04:00

Daniel told me at the beginning of the year that he wanted to play soccer "on a team" this year. Well, this summer, he was finally old enough for a soccer program! I signed him up for a short 8 week co-ed instructional program. The kids would practice for 45 minute or so, and then the last 15 minutes they would play a little scrimmage. The team was called the Hummingbirds!

Daniel love it. He was so excited about his shin guards and soccer shorts. And best of all, at the conclusion of the program, everyone got a TROPHY. Or, as Danny would say, a "troll-fy."

He was so proud. It was fun watching him learn something new and give it his all. He loved scoring goals and learning how to play. In fact, this fall, he's playing on a S.A.Y. soccer team - the Bumblebees! There are more pictures to follow, I'm sure. But for now, here's Danny with his troll-fy.

Tae Kwon Do

2011-07-26T23:19:00.002-04:00

Mason started taking tae kwon do back in March and he is really enjoying it. He takes a class one day a week at a dojang (that's what they call it in tae kwon do!) in West Chester. He started out as a white belt (as all newbies do), and in June he tested up to a white belt with a gold stripe. I was so proud of him! He practiced and practiced for his belt test, and I was nervous for him. But he did it - woo hoo!

Master Martin focuses on teaching the kids respect. Everything is "Yes, sir!" or "Yes, ma'am!" After his very first class, we came home and I asked the boys to wash hands for dinner, and Mason said, "Yes ma'am!" I knew right then I was going to like tae kwon do.

I also love that he is learning how to deal with and defend himself from bullies on the playground, as well as "bad guys" who might want to do him harm. Master Martin teaches self defense skills and even social skills, such as standing up for yourself and not caving to peer pressure. Add to that the obvious athletic benefits, and tae kwon do is pretty much the perfect sport for Mason - who is not at all interested in team sports at this point. Maybe someday.

Above is a video from two weeks ago - Mason breaking a board. So proud of my boy!

The best big brothers ever

2011-07-25T23:43:00.003-04:00

People always ask me how the boys are adjusting to having a sister... Well, let me just say this: They adore her! From the moment she was born, they were anxious to meet her. Brandon brought them to the hospital and they were so excited to see her and hold her. They couldn't wait for her to come home!

Daniel especially loves to hold her. He is so gentle with her and will ask me to give him a pacifier or a burp cloth if he needs it. Such a caring big brother!

Once when he was holding her, he looked up at me with pure joy on his face and said, "I can't believe I'm holding a real baby!" So cute!

As for Mason, he must give her a hundred kisses a day! He says she's "the best baby in the world" and I couldn't agree more.

I snapped this picture on a Sunday morning, as the boys were heading out to church with Brandon (Holland and I were still staying home from church at this point). Love these kiddos!

Holland is truly blessed to have such loving, helpful big brothers. They are always willing to bring me diapers or binkies or whatever she needs. They kiss her and hug her and generally shower her with love. I am so proud of them! I couldn't ask for more.

First weeks at home

2011-07-25T23:12:00.004-04:00

If it weren't for my phone, I don't know that I would have so many picture of the first few weeks of Holland's life! My phone is almost always near me, which makes it easy to snap a quick picture of her cuteness. The pictures aren't the highest quality, but it's better than nothing!

I just downloaded all the pictures from my phone to the computer tonight, so here's a little review of Holland's first few weeks at home.

At first, she was quite the sleeper! She slept most of the day, for the first two weeks or so (although the nights were another story!). Then she started waking up a bit to the world. I've noticed, however, that she is sleeping in most of my pictures! I think that's because when she wasn't sleeping, I didn't really have a free hand to reach for a camera.

So, without further ado, here she is!

Sleeping on our bed at 11 days old. Such a cute little bum in the air!

All snuggled up in her swing, at 12 days old:

There is nothing in the world better than snuggling a newborn on your chest. Nothing. Holland is two weeks old here.

Snoozing in her car seat. She looks so small in there! 19 days old.

She and I spend a lot of quality time in the glider in her room. Here we are, just after a meal. So peaceful! She's three weeks old here.

She was still waking up frequently at night (and not always going back to sleep), so we were all pretty worn out. Even Daddy. She's three weeks old here.

Chillaxin' on my bed. Almost 4 weeks old.

It has been quite an adjustment getting used to having a newborn in the house again, but I love it. Whenever I find myself losing patience, or feeling exhausted as I get up to feed her for the second or third time at night, I remember that I prayed and prayed for this child. She is such a blessing, I refuse to wish away a moment of her baby-hood.

Someday...

2011-07-09T12:16:00.004-04:00

I will update this blog again. I just can't keep up! But I have tons of pictures and events to record from the last two months, so I'd better get on it. Someday. Someday soon.

Introducing Holland Kay

2011-05-26T23:36:00.005-04:00

Our little girl was born May 4th, at 2:29 p.m. via scheduled c-section. She weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. My smallest baby! Holland is named after Jeffrey R. Holland, a dear friend of Brandon's family, and Brandon's father, whose middle name is Kay. Also, as an interesting side note, Brandon lived in Holland for a time when he was a baby - his dad completed a postdoc there.

I realize our princess is three weeks old now and I am just now getting around to recording the details of her arrival... and there is a reason for that. This time around, the c-section did not go quite as smoothly as planned. To be honest, I am just now getting to the point where I can discuss the surgery without crying! But because this blog is pretty much my journal, I want to record the details of the day. Bear with me!

The c-section was scheduled for 1:30 in the afternoon, which was nice, since we didn't have to rush to the hospital. We were able to get Mason and Danny off to school/preschool, and I even had time to drop brownies off at kindergarten for the teacher appreciation dessert bar! Brandon and I got to the hospital about 2 hours early, waited around awhile, and were eventually moved to a room to prepare for surgery.

A nurse started the IV, and hooked me up to monitors to watch the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. I was still having them fairly frequently, but it turns out they weren't doing much! The doctor checked me before the surgery, and I was still only about 1 cm. I don't know if I ever would have gone into labor on my own!

The nurse anesthetist came in to discuss options for anesthesia. We decided on a spinal/epidural combination, which he advised would provide the most complete block and give options for adjusting medication levels during the procedure. He also assured me he'd never had a complication in 10 years! Leave it to me to break his 10 year lucky streak...

At about 1:20 or so, I said goodbye to Brandon for a bit and walked off to the surgery suite. This was the part I was dreading. I hate the whole idea of getting an epidural, and I wished Brandon could have been there with me, but he had to wait outside until everything was ready. A wonderful nurse named Anne helped position me for the spinal/epi combo. I could tell after a few minutes that it wasn't going well. For one thing, it was taking way too long. For another, I felt like the medication was going in more on the left side. He agreed, and tried again. Still no luck. Then, he had to call in reinforcements. I remember looking behind me at him, and seeing blood all over his gloves. Oh man. Then an anesthesiologist arrived, and he tried as well. At some point, they gave up on the spinal/epi combo and decided to do just an epidural. This made me a bit nervous, as I knew it was not as complete of a block, but I just trusted that they knew what they were doing. Still, it was taking too long. I didn't realize how many times they had tried to get that epi in until I was home days later and saw the puncture holes in my back - at least 4 of them. Yikes. They worked on me for 30-40 minutes.

The two anesthesiology guys eventually got the epidural in, and I was positioned on the table for the surgery. I could still move my feet, which I thought was not a great sign, but they did not seem as concerned. Brandon was finally brought in, which calmed my nerves. My doctor, whom I love, came in and things got underway. Brandon held my hand, and I squeezed it tight!

Now to the unpleasant part. There's no other way to say this. While I felt only pressure on the left side of my body, on my right side I felt sharp pain. I told everyone I could feel it, and they tried everything to numb the right side so they could proceed with the c-section. They gave local injections (felt those), they shot more stuff down my epidural. No matter what, the right side just didn't get numb enough. I felt the doctor cutting me. Not at 100%, but I felt it nonetheless. And it wasn't just "pressure."

At some point, I ran out of words and just started crying. I remember the docs quickly deciding to give me propofol and put me under general anesthesia. They put a mask over my mouth and nose and in a matter of seconds I was out. I was intubated. I learned later that Brandon had to leave the room, too. He left a camera with a nurse and waited outside.

The next thing I knew, I woke up in the recovery room and learned that I'd had a baby! I remember everyone talking to me really loudly, trying to get me to wake up. The nurse told me later that I said something about being glad I wasn't in the Civil War, where operations were often carried out in the field without anesthesia. So random!

And then, the best part of the day - Brandon brought me our little Holland. I thought she was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen. The nurse put her on my chest and I felt the most indescribable happiness. She was worth it all.

I am disappointed that I was not awake for her delivery and that Brandon wasn't there to see her come into the world. It was like giving birth in 1960! I'm grateful for the nurses, who took pictures for us. But in hindsight, if I knew then what I know now, I would have asked them to put me under from the outset. The 45 minutes we spent trying to get the spinal block to work and then starting the c-section with an incomplete block were terrible. Even now, it's hard for me to think about it.

The boys were and are thrilled with their little sister. Oh, you should have seen the look on Danny's face when he held her for the first time! They have both been absolutely adorable with her, and helpful to me. Holland is lucky to have two big brothers who adore her.

We're three weeks into it now with Holland, and still getting into the swing of things. We are blessed to have so many friends and family who have helped with dinners and watching the boys. I'm slowly recovering (a little slower than I'd like) from the c-section and getting back to our routine. But I'll be glad when school is out in a week and we don't have to be anywhere on time for awhile!

I am grateful for my wonderful doctor and for modern medicine! I'm grateful for Brandon, who has been my rock through all of this. I'm grateful we have our sweet Holland. She is a blessing I never thought we'd receive, which has made this experience especially sweet. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for our daughter.

One more dawn, one more day...

2011-05-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

One day more!

I can't believe we'll be welcoming our little one tomorrow. I am a mixture of happiness and fear, excitement and worry. I haven't had a newborn in 4 1/2 years - I hope I can remember what I'm doing here. Sometimes I sit in the nursery in the midst of all the pink and try and wrap my brain around the idea of having a daughter. I must admit, after two boys, I can't quite picture it. I'm looking forward to it, though.

I'm also quite emotional, as I think about the fact that this is most likely the last baby for us. This is the last day I'll feel my sweet little baby squirming around in my belly - truly my favorite part of pregnancy. The last day to park in those special parking spots for expectant mothers. The last day to wear this supportive harness-thing to help hold up my heavy belly. The last day we are a family of four, before becoming a family of five. It feels surreal.

Think of us Wednesday, 'round about 1:30. All prayers are welcome for a smooth c-section and a healthy baby girl. We are excited to finally meet her.

8 days

2011-04-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

We are down to single digits. Every day, we update our chalk board countdown to Baby Girl. The boys are so excited and keep saying they can't wait for her to get here. They have plans to hold her and give her hugs and kisses and make her smile. It is really so sweet. I am so glad they are excited and looking forward to their baby sister. They are both very gentle with little babies, it will be fun to see them with her.

I feel like I have a million and one things to do, and I'm not getting anywhere! I am still working through the end of this week and have so much left to finish, it's exhausting and frustrating. My house doesn't feel "clean enough" and the baby's room isn't completely together yet. I still have my bag to pack and a few last minute things to cross off my list. I should lay in some more groceries. I'm lost under a pile of laundry. My 6 year old has been very emotional and prone to tantrum outbursts these last few weeks, and I have been struggling with helping him manage his feelings (he's wearing us both out). I've been a terrible visiting teacher. I feel disorganized and a bit overwhelmed. And at the same time, I seem to have ADD - when I start a project, I can't seem to focus to the end. Sigh.

I'm just hoping our little miss remains content in there until the scheduled c-section - I have a lot to do in the next 8 days!

May the Fourth it is!

2011-03-31T11:39:00.003-04:00

Profile of our baby girl at 32 weeks - isn't she lovely?

I had my 34 week appointment with my OB yesterday, and we scheduled the c-section for May 4th. I had the boys with me for this appointment (forgot when I set it up that this is spring break week), and they got to hear baby sister's heartbeat. It was very sweet.

I really like my OB practice. It's all female doctors, which is nice. My appointment yesterday was with my preferred doctor (she delivered Danny), so I wanted to make sure I could schedule the delivery with her.

Anyway, we set the date for May 4th, a Wednesday. I texted Brandon after we left to let him know, and suddenly I felt this wave of fear! Only 5 weeks left. The baby's room isn't ready at all. And am I ready to have three kids? Yikes. I felt the tears welling up as I thought about all the changes that are about to take place...

Unbeknownst to me at the time, apparently May 4th is Star Wars Day... as in, "May the Fourth be with you." Somehow, given the level of Star Wars appreciation in our home, that just seems right.

Pizza time!

2011-03-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

Danny's preschool class had a field trip to La Rosa's this week, to see how pizza is made. The class was so cute, and Daniel was really looking forward to it. I'm so glad he was well enough to go! He and Mason have missed a lot of fun activities due to illness this winter, so I was glad he made it to this one.

First, they made their pizzas. Here's Danny, putting on the sauce:

And the cheese:

No other toppings for this guy. He's a purist.

While the pizzas were cooking, the kids took a tour of the kitchen, including the walk-in refrigerator and freezer. Brrr. It was all quite familiar for me - my first job ever, when I was 16, was at La Rosa's. Ah, the memories.

Danny enjoyed his pizza and was probably the neatest eater there - for a four year old, he's a little obsessive about napkin use. The little girl sitting across from him had pizza sauce on her forehead and Daniel couldn't help but point it out: "Use your napkin on your forehead!" He's so funny.

And wouldn't you know it, he woke up sick this morning, with a fever, chills, and cough/sniffles! Well, at least he made it to La Rosa's yesterday. He had a blast.

Nesquik: 1, Daniel: 0

2011-03-22T20:38:00.002-04:00

Danny: "Can I have chocolate milk, mama?"

Me: "Sure, go ahead and get the chocolate out of the pantry."

Perhaps I should have added, "but please make sure the lid is on tight before you shake it."

Ow.

2011-03-21T22:26:00.002-04:00

I so want to just enjoy every minute of this pregnancy, but it is a little difficult when it feels like something is trying to rip your pelvic bones apart.

I have had this pain with all three pregnancies, but it has been particularly bad these last few weeks. Apparently, it's called "pubic symphysis dysfunction" and it is caused by physical and hormonal changes that result in bone shifting in the pelvis. It really, really hurts.

I hate feeling like a wimp. I wish I had a higher pain tolerance, or some magical solution. I've tried heat pads and ice packs and none of that does a dang thing. I'm about to buy a heavy-duty belly band to see if that helps at all. The last resort will be physical therapy. I had hoped to soldier through and just put up with it for the last 6-7 weeks or so, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to walk, climb stairs, get dressed, and sleep at night. I can't get up and down from the floor to play with the boys. Some days are better than others, but sometimes it's just plain excruciating, with no possible relief.

In the grand scheme of things, I know I will get past this and - if it's like the other pregnancies - the pain will be gone after I deliver the baby. But for now, I'm a little sad because it's taking some of the joy out of this experience for me. I am grateful every single day for this baby girl. I just wish I could enjoy these last few weeks a little bit more.

If you are, perchance, aware of some magical solution for this, please advise ASAP.

Valentine's Party: Disaster Averted

2011-03-05T12:04:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, Mason's kindergarten class had their Valentine's Day Party. For some reason, it completely slipped my mind. In fact, I did not remember it at all until 9:40 that morning, when the party had already been going on for 10 minutes! I panicked. I had not sent Mason with any Valentines to hand out, and I was fairly certain that was a bad, bad thing.

So. I ran to Wal-Mart, after throwing scissors, tape, and a marker in the van (you never know what you'll need). I bolted to the picked-over Valentine aisle and selected some Nerds valentines and bought them. I ran back out to the car, and sat there in the parking lot, punching out the cards and inserting the little boxes of candy and writing Mason's name in the "from" spot. Then I taped the boxes so they'd stay put. And then I drove like the wind to kindergarten.

As luck would have it, Mason's group was the last to go to the Valentine station, and I was just in time. He was so happy to see me, and hadn't even realized he didn't have Valentines to hand out. Whew.

Here he is, playing Valentine Bingo. So cute! I think they mostly ate their candy heart Bingo markers, though.

Here is my boy, handing out his Valentines. I'm telling you, this was a close one.

They did a picture search and a dot-to-dot picture.

I know there was a cookie decorating station and a card station as well, but I didn't make it in time to see him there. Still, I was so grateful I was able to get there in time to get him something to hand out. It was a close shave, peeps.

Here's his class, sitting so attentively as his wonderful teacher explained the next activity. I don't know how she does it, but that kindergarten teacher has masterful command of those kids. It's something to see!

I love seeing Mason in action in his class - it is so fun to be able to watch him interact with friends and grow in his independence. He is such a good boy.

August 31, 1993

2011-02-26T10:49:00.002-05:00

This is the only picture I have from the day I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I was preparing my talk for this Sunday and reflecting a bit on my conversion experience, I remembered this picture and dug it up. Then I scanned it, so I won't lose it. After all, it's the only one I have!

It was August 31, 1993. Two days after my 19th birthday. Standing next to me is Elder Jared Platt, from St. Johns, Arizona, who baptized and confirmed me. A few friends came to my baptism, including my friend Joel's mom, DeAnne Whiting, who led the music for the service. My friend Corrie's dad was there as well. My roommate came - Kristin Haberkost - as did my friend, Jennifer Cooke. I remember we sang the hymn "Come, Follow Me." I was nervous!

For some reason, the font water was ice cold. I was just praying we could get everything right on the first shot, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to go under a second time! But all went smoothly. It was a great day.

It's so hard to believe that was over 17 years ago! But when I look at the happy girl in this picture, it's not so hard to believe. Boy, do I look young!

I'm so grateful I took the first step, so many years ago, on this path to membership in the Lord's church. It has made all the difference in my life.

Not so fast!

2011-02-23T09:52:00.002-05:00

Clearly, I jumped the gun in proclaiming a state of wellness at our place. A new wave of sickness set in over a week ago, starting with Mason and spreading to me and finally (?) to Danny. Dan and I are still under the weather, and he is missing his big pajama day at preschool today. He was so very sad. I took his temperature this morning (100.6) and had to deliver the bad news. I held him and we cried together - there wasn't much I could do to ease his broken little heart. It really was sad. I'm not exaggerating - he has been talking about pajama day and planning for it for about two months now. This is the one thing I wanted him to be able to attend, and I prayed and prayed for him to be well enough to go, yet here we are. It feels like salt in the wound of one long feverish, sniffly, coughing, puking winter.

Well, aren't I the cheery one?

It wouldn't be this bad if I had more than 3.5 hours of sleep last night, but work is demanding more of me than I can really give right now. I'm worn out, which isn't helping my depressed immune system, I'm sure. I think we all need a long nap, a warm stretch of weather, and good health to restore our spirits.

What we've been doing lately

2011-02-11T14:48:00.006-05:00

I have been a terrible blogger of late. I'm not sure what it is, except that I just don't have the drive lately. Between the boys and all their activities, Brandon's school, my job, the plague at our home, the baby in my belly, and life in general, I find I run out of steam in the evenings and just want to lie down! We have spent the better part of December, January, and February fending off various germs. I kid you not - someone has been sick with something non-stop since December 13th. Our catalog of illnesses includes: 2 rounds of a stomach virus (the second round affecting all four of us); 2 rounds of colds (everyone had at least one; some of us were lucky enough to have them both!); 2 sinus infections plus pinkeye for mommy (I know, right?); and strep throat for Mason. As a result, we've spent a lot of time doing this:

But dare I say it? I think we're finally on the verge of health around here. At least, I hope so...

I will just give a little bit of an update as to what's going on around here. Brandon has school two nights a week, not to mention various MBA projects and team meetings. He was just called as the Sunday School President in our ward. In his "spare" time, he's been logging hours on our basement finishing project. Here's an update on the progress:

This, my friends, is a dry-walled ceiling. Notice all that boxing-in around the vent work - that was time consuming and slow going. Plus, if you know Brandon, you know that he's meticulous about these things. In fact, "meticulous" probably doesn't go far enough. Anyway, in the background, you'll see the framed-in full bath.

Brandon's friend Shawn from school and work was kind enough to volunteer some of his time over the holidays, and Brandon was grateful for the assist. Thanks, Shawn! Sorry you cut your finger.

Even as I type, Brandon is in the basement hanging drywall in what he calls the media room, and what I call the play room:

He's the cutest basement finisher I know.

In the background here, you can see the framing, including boxing-in more pipes. He spent several days actually moving those pipes over (both copper and PVC) in order to maximize the ceiling height in the center of the room. He's been putting up insulation today as well - note the progress there at the left.

I am amazed that he can do all these things. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to do any of this stuff. Seriously, Brandon is the handiest guy I know. There hasn't been a home project yet that he couldn't do - although there have been some I won't LET him do, because I'd rather he not fall off our roof. I'm funny like that.

What else? The kids are busy and engaged in kindergarten and preschool. Mason has started taking tae kwon do, and loves it. Daniel is addicted to carbs. Both boys have discovered the "Clone Wars" cartoon series and are big fans. Mason is really starting to read. Daniel is the best in the house at Angry Birds. Baby Girl is kicking up a storm in there, and we love her already. And I am still trying to drag myself out of bed every morning before 7 to put in some lawyer-time, before this crew wakes up. The house is not as clean as I'd like it to be, and sometimes we have cereal for dinner.

There's our life, in a nutshell!

24 weeks, 2 days

2011-01-19T21:13:00.002-05:00

I have never been one to post pictures of my growing pregnant belly, but I thought I'd at least record my progress here at 24 weeks. Here I am!

I must be getting big - I wore this outfit to preschool drop-off/pick-up today, without a winter coat, and suddenly everyone realized I'm pregnant. I've been hiding it fairly well under my puffy down coat for the last several weeks, but my coat is getting difficult to zip. Anyway, something about this outfit screams "PREGNANT!" People took notice today.

This is my favorite time of pregnancy. I feel good. Our family is finally healthy again (yay!). The nausea is gone. My belly is not so unwieldy that I feel uncomfortable. I have a little bit of nerve/ligament pain in my right inner thigh, but it's manageable at this point. Baby Girl is squirming and kicking and doing flips in there, and I love every minute of it. I smile to myself all day long and thank Heavenly Father for this great blessing.

There was a time when I had nearly given up hope of having this experience again. I spent months and months grieving and trying to come to grips with the idea that I would never hold a newborn in my arms again. I was sad. I thought about it every day. Not all the time, but definitely every day. Every time a baby gear catalog would come to me in the mail, or some well-meaning person would ask me if we were going to "try for a third," my heart would break a little bit on the inside. I spent a lot of time on my knees, doing my best to submit my will to the Lord's.

I took outward actions to try and force myself to accept the situation. I gave away some maternity clothes. I jumped into making over Danny's room - the nursery - into his big boy room. We got him a double bed. We disassembled the crib and moved the changing table to the basement. And I cried at every step.

And then this happened.

This miracle baby - so unexpected. We were shocked. And scared. And thrilled. And then shocked some more.

And once I got over the shock of it all, I couldn't stop smiling. I have thanked God every single day for this baby. She is a blessing I never expected and I am enjoying every day with her.

So here I am. 24 weeks, 2 days. I can't remember the last time I was this happy.

My turn

2011-01-12T12:36:00.001-05:00

Add me to the list. Stomach viruses are the devil.

Epidemic

2011-01-11T15:31:00.004-05:00

Well, well, well. It seems little Daniel touched off a ward epidemic on Sunday. As of today, I am aware of at least four other families of Primary children who are currently sick at home, throwing up. And we can add our Mason to that list, too.

Mason was awake when I went in to get him up for school today. He told me his stomach didn't feel right. This time, I listened! He's been throwing up all day. Poor little guy - he's already so thin. I hate to see him sick and pale. He's spent the majority of the day on the couch, watching Star Wars. Right now he's eating dry Chex cereal and ice chips. I'm not sure how that's going to pan out.

But can I just say this? He's taking it like a champ. He's made it to the bathroom every time he's thrown up, which is a miracle. Bless his little heart. I wish I could do something more to make him feel better.

I am praying I can make it through without coming down with this, too. I just got over a nasty stomach bug in December (followed by a cold, a sinus infection, and pink eye - what a great month!) and I'm not anxious to go there again. But I've been up to my elbows in sickness since Sunday, so if someone's going to get it, it'll probably be me and my depressed immune system. Still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. And washing my hands incessantly.

Once again, I'd like to express my apologies to the children of the West Chester Ward for our part in spreading this ward scourge. And to their moms: I'm so sorry. Just know - I'm right there with you.

So long, farewell...

2011-01-09T20:34:00.003-05:00

Our Primary presidency was released today. I've been in the presidency for two years, but I've been serving in Primary since we started attending our home ward 4 years ago, after being released from the Spanish Branch. I love Primary and will miss it terribly. I'm not sure how to go back to attending my regular meetings! Do they have wiggle songs in Gospel Doctrine class? I didn't think so.

Daniel did his part to make my last Sunday in Primary memorable. He projectile-vomited in the middle of Singing Time. I was sitting right next to him, and I swear, it came out of nowhere. He had been reluctant to go to Primary today, but I thought it was just because we missed church last Sunday and he is out of practice. :-) He had also complained that his stomach hurt during Sacrament meeting, but again, I didn't take it seriously. Bad mama. Lesson learned.

Not to be too graphic, but he threw up in three waves. The first two took me totally by surprise. The third, I caught in my hands. I know. Ew. At least it was my own child - I don't think I could have done it for anyone else.

I took him to the bathroom and stripped him down. Poor baby, he left church wearing nothing but his Yoda underwear and one sock. We wrapped him in some blankets from the car (it was about 10 degrees outside) and I took the kids home. Luckily, Danny managed to keep it together on the car ride home. He did throw up again at the house, but I managed to get him to the sink before disaster struck.

I spent three hours yesterday preparing my Sharing Time lesson for today and planning the bulletin board in the back of the room - only to find out I was being released this morning, just before church. I had so wanted to present the Sharing Time I prepared, but there was no way. Of course, our wonderful outgoing president stepped in and took over, while I attended to Danny. It wasn't exactly how I planned to make my grand exit.

The new presidency was in the back of the room for all the action - as I was leaving, I said "Welcome to Primary!" And with that, I bade them all adieu.

Farewell, Primary! Until we meet again...

Seeing Santa

2010-12-31T14:03:00.002-05:00

Every year on a Saturday in December, Santa pays a visit to my law office. We sign up in advance to come and take a turn sitting on Santa's lap. This year, Daniel was eager to go, but Mason wasn't so sure. He definitely did not want to actually sit on Santa's lap, and wanted me to tell Santa he would just "stand next to him."

I'll tell you what, though - they were serious as can be, rattling off their Christmas lists! Santa's elves gave all the kids a little goodie bag with some snacks and stickers and activity books in it, as well. That, plus the cookies and juice, made for a fun outing. They especially enjoyed looking out my office window on the 18th floor.

Thanks, Santa!

Preschool Christmas Program 2010

2010-12-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Daniel's preschool Christmas program was as cute as ever this year. The kids were separated into three groups, and each group took the stage separately to sing a few songs. Danny's group went first.

Daniel was, for some reason, not very excited about being in the program this year. He was reluctant to go in to his class beforehand, so I wasn't sure how this was going to pan out. He did join his class on stage, though, and even sang along and did a few of the hand motions.

In this picture, Danny is in the front row, to the right of the middle microphone stand, in a red sweater vest.

We got there a little early, so we could get better seats this year. After sitting way in the back the last two years, I thought it might be worth it to shoot for a closer seat. My parents were coming, too, so I wanted to make sure we had room for them.

Strangely, the lady sitting next to us in our pew was not at all interested in leaving room for my parents! When I gently told her I was expecting two more adults, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Hey, I got here at the same time as you!" Well. Merry Christmas to you too, lady!

Thankfully, we managed to save space for my parents and enjoy the cute program. Daniel's class sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "J-E-S-U-S (Jesus was his name-o)." I think they sang one more number, but I can't remember the title! Well, in any event, it was adorable and Daniel did his best.

Brandon had a final exam that night, so he was unable to join us. I was especially grateful my parents were there to enjoy the night. There's nothing much cuter than a stage full of 3 and 4 year olds singing Christmas songs!

Also, if you look closely, you can see my little baby bump there... This was also the day we found out we are having a girl.

Holiday party, kindergarten style

2010-12-29T17:45:00.004-05:00

I was happy to have the chance to help out in Mason's kindergarten holiday party. It was so cute!

There were four stations:

First, Mason's group dressed each other up as snowmen, using rolls of toilet paper, streamers (for the scarves), and hats and gloves. I didn't get a picture of that, but it was really cute! Afterward, the kids worked on dot-to-dot pictures, until it was time to switch groups.

Next, it was BINGO with marshmallow markers and holiday-themed bingo cards. This was a huge hit - although it was hard to keep some of the kids from eating all their marshmallows before the game was over!

Next, the kids made a snowflake tree ornament. Mason was so focused!

And lastly, they had a little snack: fresh fruit and hot cocoa. It was actually refreshing to see the kids enjoying a somewhat healthier snack. Mind you, most of them had already eaten their fair share of marshmallows!

Kudos to the room mom for organizing such a fun little party. The kids enjoyed the break from routine, and I was so impressed with how Mason's teacher kept the party progressing in an orderly fashion. She has amazing control, in that room of 24 kindergartners! I wish I knew her secrets...

Most of all, it was fun to be able to see Mason in his element at school. He gave me a big hug when it was time for the moms to go. I love that I am able to make it to all of the kids' school activities. It's the reason I left full-time employment, and I have never once regretted it. Moments like these make it all worthwhile.

I knew this would happen

2010-12-28T16:56:00.004-05:00

I went out to hit a few post-Christmas sales today, thinking I could stock up on some clothes for the boys for next winter.

Ahem.

Well, I bought two shirts for Daniel and three outfits for Baby Girl.

What can I say? The sales for bigger boy clothes weren't that great yet. But, oh! The cute little baby girl dresses! And the tiny pink cardigan! I succumbed.

I will do my best to control myself from here on out. I promise.

Uncharted territory

2010-12-07T12:11:00.002-05:00

I think it's pretty much been noised abroad at this point, but on the off-chance someone is reading this who hasn't heard yet ... we are expecting a baby GIRL in May, 2011. We are so thrilled.

I am 18 weeks along and finally feeling better. I spent the better part of the last three months throwing up, so this is a welcome change! Baby girl is moving all around in there and I love it - this is definitely my favorite stage of pregnancy. We had an ultrasound last week where we learned the gender. She is healthy and by all accounts doing well in there. Hooray!

The boys were so excited when we told them. They had been saying for months that they wanted a baby - specifically a baby sister. I just wasn't sure what to do with that information, and every time they brought it up I would just say, "Yes, that would be nice." Occasionally they would pray for a baby. I never encouraged it, per se, but I never discouraged it either. It was sort of sweet.

I had longed for another child for some time now, but things had never worked out in our favor. This little baby girl was a complete and welcome surprise, once we got over the shock of it all. Bring on the pink dresses!

In all seriousness, I am truly humbled by this unexpected and wonderful blessing. It is a testament to me that our Heavenly Father knows our hearts and answers our prayers, albeit in His own time. And to think, we had just disassembled the crib and I had given a large portion of my maternity clothes away! I am so grateful for this tender mercy of the Lord. She is a little miracle to us.

Portrait Session Preview

2010-11-17T18:54:00.003-05:00

Here are some outtakes from our portrait session today. The boys were fairly cooperative, mostly because they had been promised Icees and a cookie from Target if they complied with my requests. The bribery was successful! Although I'm fairly certain I ordered too many pictures, and not in the right sizes, because this studio's business model forces you to make your selections under duress, while trying to keep an eye on your kids. Suffice it to say, I ordered enough to get the CD of low-res images. What is this good for, other than posting to your blog? I'm not sure.

Anywho, enjoy the outtakes!

Danny's big day

2010-11-15T07:41:00.002-05:00

Daniel turned 4 this month. His birthday mainly centered around two things: the color orange, and Hot Wheels cars!

We had family over to celebrate the momentous occasion. I was not up to cooking a big dinner (although I did make the cake), so I ended up getting a small sandwich tray from Jungle Jim's. Let me just say - this was one of the best decisions I've made lately. Isn't it funny how everything tastes better when you don't make it? At least, that's how I feel! The little sandwiches were cute and very tasty. Many thanks to my mom, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law for helping pull this thing together. You ladies are the bomb.

Dan was excited to blow out all FOUR of his candles!

And open his presents. Oh my, I could barely convince him to let the rest of us eat first. He was all about the presents this year.

The other current favorite in our house right now is Star Wars. I suppose this is some right of passage, if you are a boy, and we are having fun seeing them discover Darth Vadar and Luke Skywalker and R2D2. Dan got an R2D2 play dough toy from his aunt and uncle and cousins, and it's been a hit. I'm glad my kids have gotten better at keeping the play dough on the table - it's greatly helped me maintain my sanity.

And I can say we are now the owners of TWO light sabers, so there are plenty of battles around these parts. Mason got one for his birthday, and then Danny got one for his, so the Jedis are definitely fighting the dark side at our house. Be careful around Danny, he'll take your head off with that thing.

All told, it was a wonderful birthday for our little guy. I can't believe he's four years old - how the time flies. And I can't imagine our lives without our little crack up, Daniel. He is funny and stubborn and sweet and adorable, if I must say so myself. We are blessed to have him in our family.

Happy birthday, Danny boy!

Mad skillz

2010-10-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

These pictures are somewhat old (from April!), but I thought I'd share them nonetheless.

I mean, Brandon and I can no longer continue to hide our talents.

We snapped these at my nephew Griffin's birthday party, held at a bounce house place/play center. Brandon and I took time out for a little game of b-ball. As you can see, we are gifted.

And a picture with my brother Chris, who had just gotten contacts for the first time in his life. Way to go, bro! I am predicting he will get Lasik in the year 2035.

Mason's 6th birthday: a smash!

2010-10-28T14:13:00.004-04:00

Mason turned 6 on October 5th, and this year we had a party and invited friends and family. Mason had never had a "friends" party before (and I do not plan to do this every year!), so everyone was excited.

We rented a big bounce house for the weekend! This thing weighed a TON. It took several men to haul this thing out of the van and set it up (thanks Kyle and Grandpa for helping Brandon!). But the bounce house was a hit - after all, what 6 year old kid doesn't enjoy a good bounce house?

Mason's cousins all came, plus 4 friends. There was much bouncing.

Some occasional resting.

More bouncing.

A brief pause for a group photo.

And a whole lot of sweaty, thirsty kids! It was a rather warm day for October - the temperature was well above 80 degrees.

My friend Rachael made this INCREDIBLE Hulk cake at the last minute, and it was truly awesome:

We all ate pizza and cake and ice cream.

And played with Mason's new toys. I never realized Hungry, Hungry Hippos was so loud.

A good time was had by all - especially the birthday boy!

After everyone left, I put a movie on for the boys and crashed. I was exhausted - and I never even got in the bounce house!

Happy birthday to our wonderful SIX year old!

Fathers and Sons

2010-10-02T13:32:00.003-04:00

Last night, Brandon took the boys to our annual Fathers and Sons Camp Out - it appears that a good time was had by all! It took awhile to get the crew out the door, and I think they packed about half the house for a one-night stay, but they seem to have enjoyed themselves.

Brandon emailed me these pics last night, once everyone was tucked into bed. What cute campers!

And yes, they're sleeping on an Aerobed. Brandon likes to camp in style. :-) Unfortunately, I think Brandon got the sleeping bag on the ground!

If you're wondering what I did with my time... I got myself a salad and did a little legal work. Definitely a party.

The big time

2010-08-30T23:50:00.004-04:00

We've hit the big time. Mason started kindergarten!

Here he is, waiting for the bus the first day. I was worried he would be anxious, but I think he was just excited to ride the bus.

Here it comes!

He climbed up those stairs like an old pro and never looked back. Sniff, sniff!

There he goes! Take care of my baby, please!

We were excited for Mason's return at lunch time.

An aide helped him get off the bus and showed him where to stand to await the bus driver's sign that it's clear to cross the road.

Mason doesn't like to be peppered with questions, so I didn't' get much out of him that first day. But we did have our traditional First Day Chocolate Chip Cookies. Yum!

It wasn't Dan's first day, but he surely loved the cookies. And he definitely missed his big brother. I'm so glad I had him with me, it helped ease the blow of my baby going off to kindergarten. Danny was my little buddy that morning, bless his heart.

Way to go, Mason! We are so proud of you.

The Gap

2010-08-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

Guess who...

Lost a tooth!

Mason!

The tooth fairy visited. She left a certificate confirming her visit, and a crisp dollar bill. Times have changed, man! I'm pretty sure the Tooth Fairy only left me fifty cents or so.

Exciting times around here, I tell you!

Snips 'n' Snails

2010-08-26T17:45:00.000-04:00

I love being the mother of sons. There's nothing like it in the world.

Now let's go hose them off.

Letting go

2010-08-19T10:50:00.004-04:00

My Mason starts kindergarten next week. I must say, I am not handling it very well! Every time I think of him climbing on the bus I have to fight back the tears. I'm sure he'll do just fine, academically. He's been in preschool for three years, he knows his letters, his numbers, how to count and do basic addition. He can sound out simple words phonetically. He is sweet and sensitive and never a behavioral problem at school. But will he make friends? Will he fit in? Will his teacher see all the wonderful things about him? Will his anxiety hold him back at all? I just don't know.

This is the beginning of it all - from now until he leaves our home, he'll be away from me every day (except for summers) for school. I will see him less and have to rely on him more to tell me what he did all day. He'll venture into the world of teachers and specials and homework and book fairs and everything else that comes with an elementary education. It feels so bittersweet to me.

Danny will be in preschool three days a week, as well, so I will have more time to work and get things done around here. But the thought of having my home empty already during the day feels so premature. I would have loved to have filled our home with more babies, but it hasn't worked out that way for us.

This thought that we may never have any more children has made this next milestone even more poignant. I'm pretty sure I'm the only mother who cried four times during the kindergarten parent orientation last Tuesday. And did I mention Mason lost his first tooth? Everything is suddenly changing so fast, and I am not ready to let go. Not ready at all!

Grateful

2010-07-21T23:52:00.001-04:00

I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in college. I grew up Presbyterian, which is a great way to grow up. I always had a testimony of the Savior and the Bible, so I was well-prepared in that respect to learn more.

I first became interested in the LDS Church through a friend in high school. I knew he was a member of the Church, and occasionally he would invite me to attend events with him. Hey, I invited him to my church, too! But the more I spent time at his church, the more I participated and read the scriptures and visited his house, the more I knew I wanted that for myself. There was something so special about their home, you could just feel it.

It took me awhile to get there, but I was finally baptized when I was 19. I am so grateful to those who shared their testimonies with me and supported me during that time.

A few weeks ago, my high school friend's parents were in town visiting, and I had a chance to catch up with them. Oh, it was so nice! I have such wonderful memories of this family. They were not afraid to share the gospel with me and I still think of them often, when I look at my beautiful family and thank God I am where I am today. I don't know where I would be without the gospel, but I know I wouldn't have Brandon or my two sweet boys. I wouldn't have served a mission. I wouldn't be who I am today.

Thank you, Lynn and DeAnne. I will always be grateful.

Even more Mother's Day!

2010-07-21T23:38:00.002-04:00

In Mason's preschool class, the teachers interviewed each child and asked them questions about their moms for Mother's Day. Here is a picture of Mason's work product, complete with a lovely likeness of me:

In true Mason fashion, he answered every question correctly. What can I say? He knows his mama! Right down to my love for Diet Pepsi and the make and model of my car. So cute.

My Danny was sick on Mother's Day, poor baby. Here he is, napping with Daddy.

He looked so weary!

And didn't want to wake up for dinner.

So we just let him sleep on the couch. Sweet boy!

Meanwhile, I enjoyed this delicious cake, ordered by Brandon and made by the young women at church. The boys made me a wonderful card, and Brandon surprised me with an iPod! I must say, it was one of the best Mother's Days ever. Thanks, guys. I have the best job in the world.

A regular Atticus Finch

2010-07-21T22:54:00.000-04:00

I've been looking through my pictures and I realized I have a lot of catching up to do! Please bear with me.

About two months ago, my good friend got a speeding ticket. I believe she was clocked going something like 50 mph in a 35 mph zone. The fine was just under $200, but the offense was going to put points on her license and significantly affect her insurance premium.

I wasn't sure what, if anything, I could do for her, but I agreed to attend her court appearance with her as her lawyer and see if we could get her a better result. I was so nervous! Let's be clear: I am a patent lawyer. I never go to any court, of any kind. I always say if I'm in court, something has gone terribly wrong.

Anyway, we showed up bright and early with all the other traffic court offenders. Other than the guys who were there on more serious charges, I was the only defense lawyer in the room. It wasn't hard to pick me out of the crowd, and shortly after we began, one of the prosecutors tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to come up behind the bar into the lawyer-only zone. Yikes! We were moved to the head of the line, which was nice, since they were going backwards alphabetically and my friend's last name starts with "C." Ouch.

The judge's wife and I were lawschool classmates, so he and I actually know each other. I'm not sure if that weighed in our favor or not, but in any case, the prosecutor talked to me before we spoke with the judge and offered to reduce the charge to a non-moving violation (about the same fee, but no points on the license!). We agreed! The judge kind of chuckled when he saw me there. He knows very well that I'm just a patent attorney, but he was incredibly gracious and the end result was better than I had hoped for.

It just goes to show that putting some effort into your traffic court appearance can make a real difference. I mean, most of the people there didn't even bother to get a babysitter or put on clean clothes. The girl next to us was wearing a Waffle House uniform. Come on, people! Try!

I know that it was not my expert legal defense skills that secured our reduced charge; rather, it was my friend's effort in bringing a lawyer, dressing up, and taking it seriously. All told, a very successful court appearance. My friend and I were both pleased with the outcome!

She later brought me those beautiful flowers, which was so sweet (although you didn't have to, Rach!). And I've since enjoyed a few haircuts on the house, which was also super nice. It just so happens that my awesome friend is an awesome hairstylist, so we're sort of swapping talents. Although I am not anxious to head back to court any time soon.

Moms and Muffins, part deux

2010-07-19T14:41:00.004-04:00

After leaving Dan's classroom, I headed over to the Frogs class to visit Mason. The kids had made each mom a lovely hat, out of a giant coffee filter. They were beautiful! We all wore our hats proudly.

Of course, there were more muffins to eat. Luckily, I was wearing a skirt with an elastic waist.

Mason showed me some of his favorite things, including the butterflies they had watched develop from caterpillars.

Mason's lovely teachers had made silhouettes of each child. I love how Mason's hair is sticking up in the back!

One more class photo of the Frogs:

And here are all the lucky moms, wearing our new hats!

I must say, I loved my hat so much I wanted to wear it to church on Mother's Day! But I was worried I would block the view of the folks behind me, so I reluctantly left it at home.

Thanks, Mason and Danny, for welcoming me into your classrooms and showering me with love on Mother's Day. I'm a lucky mama!

Bargain earrings!

2010-07-09T23:22:00.003-04:00

I was placing an order on a website the other day, and I saw these earrings on clearance for a dollar. They were described as hoops with wire-wrapped pearl beads. Sounding cute, and being only a dollar, I added them to the order.

When the shipment arrived, imagine my surprise when I unwrapped these beauties:

They're a little... large. And heavy, too. Now I know why they were on clearance.

But don't they dress up a BYU t-shirt?

If you need to borrow them, I have them in gold as well.

Moms and Muffins, part 1

2010-06-28T12:38:00.006-04:00

Backing up a bit, I wanted to share a few pictures from Mothers' Day. The boys' preschool hosted a "Moms and Muffins" day, where moms were invited to spend some time in their kids' classrooms, having a snack and visiting. Lucky me, I had muffins twice in one morning! Perhaps the event would be better named "Moms and Muffin Tops."

Here are some pictures from my visit to Danny's class, the Tiny Turtles:

Dan decorated a cup for me, and inside the cup were several individual serving drink mixes, to drink in the cup. So cute! I'll have you know, I use this cup every morning now. I love it!

There were plenty of muffins. The BIG kind, from Costco. Dan can really put down a muffin.

After our snack, I turned the camera over to Daniel and let him snap away. I tried on hats from the dress-up bin.

So did he.

He also showed me how he can spell his name. What a big boy!

I really enjoyed my morning with Daniel. I'm such a lucky mama!

Trouble.

2010-06-28T12:29:00.001-04:00

These two sweet little boys,

Plus a giant box,

Plus styrofoam,

Equals trouble.

Here are our perpetual little helpers, assisting Brandon with the assembly of his new grill. I don't know what we would do without their help!

Hosers

2010-06-25T12:47:00.001-04:00

Brandon wants to know when we should be concerned. I think it's still early. You?

First bikes

2010-06-22T20:35:00.002-04:00

After the boys earned their scooters, I made them new "Good Behavior Sticker Charts" - this time working toward earning bikes. We were going to get them some bikes this summer anyway, so I just decided to make them conditional on good behavior. It took the boys two months to fill in their charts and finally earn their bikes.

Mason really wanted a bike with training wheels, but Brandon was set against it. He wanted Mason to learn to ride without training wheels, out of the gate. A co-worker of Brandon's gave us his son's old bike, sans training wheels, so we decided to give it a go.

I must say, watching Brandon out in our court, hanging on to the back of Mason's bike and helping him take that first shaky ride brought a tear to my eye. For one, I can't believe my baby is getting so big. And for another, I can't believe how lucky I am to have Brandon. Watching him spend time with our boys and teach them new things just makes me love him more.

As for Mason, he was the perfect mixture of elation and total terror! I couldn't tell if he was laughing or screaming, I suspect it was a little of both.

After two days, Mason was riding on his own! He is still a little shaky and only wants to stop in the grass, but he is definitely riding unassisted. I'm a little amazed! Mason is not really into athletics and isn't the most coordinated kid, so I was worried it wouldn't go well for him. That'll teach me to doubt!

Here he is, proving me wrong:

Dan got a bike, too. His has training wheels, although Brandon is itching to take them off. I bought this bike for $20 off Craigslist. It's perfect for Danny.

A funny note about the bike: I saw it listed on Craigslist in my area for just $20. I drove over to see it, planning to just pay the $20 and not negotiate, mostly because I didn't have change for a $20. When the lady showed me the bike, it still had a sticker on it from her garage sale... marked as $10!

Me: "So, it's twenty, then?"
Craigslist lady: "Yeah."
Me: "Although I see it used to be ten?"
Craigslist lady: "Oh... I... um... Well, we could split it and go for $15?"
Me: "Do you have change for a twenty?"
Craigslist lady: "No."
Me: "I figured."

So twenty it was. I felt a little cheated, but I suppose it's my own fault for not bringing change. In any case, spending a total of $20 for the boys' bikes seems like a good deal.

I believe they will be well-used this summer.

A little project

2010-06-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

Awhile ago, I decided to make the boys some pajama pants. I'm not sure what got into me! We went to the craft store and I let them each pick out two fabric patterns: rockets and traffic signs for Danny, red plaid and traffic signs for Mason.

Here's the pattern. Simplicity! Easy to sew! I hope so.

Here's my trusty steed. How old do you think this puppy is? It's a Sears Kenmore, and it weighs a ton. I inherited it from a friend, who was replacing it for something much more fancy. I'm thinking she'd had it for at least 20 years, possibly longer. There are no frills here, but it still gets the job done.

Here are my little helpers, playing with tiny spools of thread.

I made pajama pants for about a day and a half, then closed up the sweatshop. My clients seemed satisfied with their commissioned works. Phew!

Masonisms

2010-06-21T14:13:00.002-04:00

We tried to beat the rain to Costco, but didn't succeed. By the time we arrived, it was raining cats and dogs, with thunder and lightning to boot. We sat in the minivan for awhile, waiting for the torrential downpour to subside. After 15 minutes or so, the natives were getting antsy, so I pulled out the Ikea finger puppets. I had a moose and a panda. Mason had the mouse.

Moose: I live in Yellowstone National Park.

Panda: I live in China! Where do you live, Mousey?

Mouse (Mason): I live in Kentucky!

I guess Kentucky seems exotic to Mason.

***

Mason: Mom, how do you get a baby to grow in your belly?

Me (starting to sweat): Hmm. What do you think, Mason?

Mason: Do you just need to eat a lot?

Note - this is by no means an announcement of any kind. But for some reason my boys have been on a baby kick lately. Daniel has even offered up his room for a baby to sleep in, "if it's a boy." The other day, out of the blue, Mason asked me if Heavenly Father really answers prayers. I assured him that he does, and asked him if there was something he was praying about. He said, "I've been praying for a baby but it's not getting here!" And yesterday Daniel suggested we just go get one "at the baby store."

I swear, this is all their own doing. I'm struggling to answer their questions and give age-appropriate explanations to all their inquiries. I don't know what I'm going to do with these two!

Sweet Dreams

2010-06-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

Mason always wants to have some kind of toy in bed with him. Usually, he's so tired he falls asleep fairly quickly. These photos speak for themselves.

Notice his blankie, or "key," right up around his face. He still loves that tattered blanket. It becomes more holey and shredded by the day. If you ask him what he likes about his blanket, he'll tell you two things: the smell, and how soft it is. He loves to sleep with it nestled around his face. Sometimes, in his sleep, he'll reach down and give it a sniff. It is the funniest thing. How I love this boy!

The Big Day

2010-06-19T22:17:00.002-04:00

I realize I am woefully behind in my blogging. For some reason, I just haven't felt like it lately. I finally pulled some pictures off the camera tonight, so hopefully I can do some catching up here.

Although I have a backlog all the way back to Mother's Day, I'm going to skip ahead for now, since today was rather special.

Today was Brandon's big day - his 79 mile bike ride for the Tour de Cure, benefiting the American Diabetes Association. The day started off with a downpour! After a 45 minute delay, they went ahead and started the race in the pouring rain. Brandon rode the first 90 minutes or so in the rain, and then things cleared up and the sun came out. He only stopped twice: once for a water/restroom break at the turnaround in Xenia, and once at mile 53, to change a flat tire. Wow. Here he is, pre-race, before the rain began:

My mom came along with us to greet Brandon at the finish line. We were so proud! It's not every day you bike 79 miles. He was exhausted and hungry and sweaty and grimy, all of it well-earned. Way to go, Babe!

In honor of Father's Day, I thought I'd share this pictures of the Mason's craft projects from "Dads and Donuts" day at preschool. The teachers asked us to trace dad's shoe, and then they cut out the footprint and placed it next to Mason's:

Note, from this footprint it appears that Mason has at least six toes on his left foot, possibly seven. I'm not sure what happened there.

They also interviewed the kids and had them decorate a tie for their dads. Here is Mason's, which is red, of course. His favorite color.

They asked each child their dad's age and occupation:

We love you, babe. Thanks for working at work each day, doing computer and typing the words. Thanks for being such a wonderful example for our boys. We appreciate all you do for us!

I would be remiss if I did not also say a word about our own dads. Brandon and I are so blessed to have the fathers we have. Dad, as long as I can remember I have wanted to make you proud. Thank you for always believing in me. Thanks for teaching me to ride a bike and introducing me to James Taylor's repertoire. Thanks for helping dig all those fence post holes. Thanks for countless juicy burgers and big red smokies and for setting me up with a 2-meter rig. Thanks for loving our boys and giving the best hugs. We love you.

Gordon, you're such an example to us. Thanks for giving us tomato plants, answering our gardening questions, and helping us build the garage storage space. Thanks for telling us stories about smoke jumping and pulling weeds in the forest. Thanks for letting us invade your home in Tennessee, raising the noise level about 100 decibels. Thanks for making the best fruit smoothies this side of the Mississippi. We love you.

Happy Father's Day to the best dads I know!

Using good words

2010-05-25T18:19:00.003-04:00

All around us, our boys are exposed to words we don't want them to use. Even Disney movies use words like "idiot" or "stupid" or even "moron" which, while not really swear words, don't sound nice coming from the mouths of 3- and 5-year old kids. I don't even like them to use the word "hate," and encourage them to say "don't like" or "really don't like" instead.

Some time ago, Mason asked me about the phrase "Oh my God." He asked me if that is OK to say, and I told him it isn't. I suggested he could say "Oh my goodness" if he were looking for something a little nicer to say.

This morning, he brought it up again. While he was putting his shoes on, he said, "Mom, some people say 'Oh my God.'" I acknowledged that this is true, and asked him where he'd heard that. He said "On TV."

I then asked him what he thought about that, and he said, "I won't say 'Oh my God' because it's not nice." I told him that is a very good choice, and asked him if he knows why it's not a nice thing to say. We had a good talk, and I explained that Heavenly Father and Jesus are special, and that when we talk about them it should be in a reverent way. He let that sink in for a moment, and then said, "I won't say 'Oh my God' because I love Heavenly Father and Jesus. I love them both." It was the sweetest moment.

Then Daniel interjected, "Heavenly Fahder can hear us, all da way from Heaven down to Earf!" Why, yes, he can, Danny!

I told them both that I love Heavenly Father and Jesus too, and that Mason made a really important decision to use good words and be respectful when we talk about them. It was truly a teaching moment.

I'm so proud of my Mason! I hope he'll always try to use language that uplifts.

Tour de Cure 2010

2010-05-18T16:03:00.004-04:00

It's that time again!

Many of you know my husband took up cycling a little over a year ago. He originally became interested after he signed up to participate in the Tour de Cure, an annual bike tour benefiting the American Diabetes Association, sponsored in part by his employer.

Brandon participated in his first Tour last May and he's been hooked ever since! He got himself a decent bike, started pedaling, and hasn't looked back.

This year's Cincinnati Tour is June 19th, and we're kicking our fund raising efforts into gear once more. Brandon has set a goal of raising $350 this year.

Diabetes has had a very personal impact on Brandon's family. His wonderful cousin Julie, who is about his age, has been living with juvenile diabetes her entire life. She is the most amazing person you could ever hope to meet - optimistic, generous and outgoing. She has suffered blindness and bone fractures and endured literally countless hospital stays and surgeries - you name it - because of her diabetes. Her strength and her spirit are truly an example to all of us. She continues to fight this disease every day, and we'd like to fight with her.

If you feel so inclined, please visit Brandon's fund raising page and join us in our journey. No donation is too small and we would be grateful for your help.

And think of Brandon on June 19th! He'll be racing 70 miles for a great cause.

A broken heart

2010-05-02T22:34:00.002-04:00

Have you ever prayed for something - a righteous desire, something you would think Heavenly Father would want for you - and not gotten it? I have.

I have struggled lately, trying to understand why this might be. I can't say I know the reason, although I'm certain the reason is probably different for each person. It is easy to place the blame on myself - am I not worthy? Do I need to try harder? Pray more? Study more? Be a better wife/mom/friend/daughter? Give up Diet Pepsi? What IS it?

Like I said, I don't really know. But while I've been pondering, a phrase from the scriptures has come to me again and again. We talk often in the church of having "a broken heart and a contrite spirit." Heavenly Father asks each of us to offer these up to Him. The contrite spirit part I understand - we need to be truly humble and repentant. But a broken heart? When I think of having a broken heart, I think of sadness and despair. Why would God want me to be sad? Although the phrase is poetic and beautiful, it's never quite made sense to me.

A while ago, I decided to re-read the Little House on the Prairie series, from start to finish. I loved the books as a child and wanted to read them again, this time with the perspective of being a mother and having my own house and family to care for. It was so interesting. One book in the series, "Farmer Boy," tells the story of Almanzo Wilder's youth, growing up in upstate New York. His father was more well-to-do, and had a large farm with lots of livestock. When Almanzo was just a boy, he was given a new pair of young oxen to train. Or rather, to break.

He'd learned all he needed to know watching his father. He knew how to gently but firmly train and teach the oxen to follow his commands, to obey him perfectly. He worked with them carefully, every day, training the oxen to respond to his lead and submit to him. And when he was done, they were gentle and submissive. And broken.

Is this not what Heavenly Father wants of our hearts? That we learn to bend and submit perfectly to His will, in all things, even when it is hard and we don't understand? When I think of it this way, it makes perfect sense that our Father requires of each of us a broken heart.

I think, perhaps, that this is the lesson I'm to learn in all of this. It's not an easy one for me. My entire life, whenever I have wanted to achieve something, I have been able to work hard and sacrifice and make it happen. I have always felt God's love and support and been grateful for His help. But this is the first time I've wanted something so much, and not been able to make it happen for myself, no matter how hard I try or how much I pray.

Like I said, I don't know the reason. Maybe I'll never know in this life. But I am going to try harder to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit. I am going to try harder to submit to Him in all things, even when it leaves me feeling a little brokenhearted.

How we spent the afternoon

2010-04-23T20:35:00.003-04:00

I flew downstairs this afternoon, when I heard Mason making the strangest gagging sound. I screamed, "Mason, are you alright?!?"

"I swallowed a rock!" he frantically told me. He was freaking out.

"You WHAT?!? How did you swallow a ROCK?"

"I just had it in my mouth and I swallowed it!"

Apparently, he and Daniel were playing with some souvenir polished rocks from New Hampshire, and he swallowed one. I quickly counted the rocks, trying to figure out which one he'd eaten, but I couldn't tell for sure.

First I called the pediatrician. They had me try and feed him something to see if he could eat/drink. He was complaining that his chest hurt, so to be safe, we headed in to the office. On the way there, they called me to tell me to take him to the ER instead, since we would definitely need an X-ray to find out where the rock landed.

So I called my awesome friend Rachael, who (I now know) aborted plans for a pedicure (her feet were already soaking!) to watch Dan while I took Mason to the ER. I can't believe she stopped mid-pedicure. That is beyond the call of duty! Not just any friend would do such a thing. Thank you, thank you, Rach. I owe ya.

I took Mason to the ER, where they did an x-ray and ultimately confirmed the rock had passed safely to his stomach. And this was no small rock - 23.5 mm! That's nearly an inch in diameter, man.

You know, when I bought those rocks back in Wolfeboro, I distinctly recall considering the choking hazard and thinking to myself, "It's a good thing my kids know better than to put rocks in their mouths." Right.

I've been blaming myself all day - what if he'd choked? What if it had become lodged in his esophagus and had to be extracted? I should have been there! I feel terrible.

And I'm pretty sure Mason's not going to feel too happy when he passes a one-inch rock in the next day or so. But hey, at least it was polished nice and smooth.

I almost uploaded the impressive x-ray, but I didn't want it to become property of the internet. So you'll just have to trust me. Mason has a large polished rock in his stomach. Now, we wait.

Conversation with a 5 year old

2010-04-23T13:41:00.002-04:00

Mason: Mom, are you a patent worker?

Me: Yep, I'm a patent lawyer.

Mason: I thought you were a human.

Slammed

2010-04-22T01:43:00.002-04:00

I know my blogging is spotty, but I am just slammed with work right now. I'm filing my third patent in three weeks on Friday, I'm juggling preschool and volunteer projects and home maintenance, I'm on my own with the kids at least 2-3 days a week (sometimes more) because Brandon's at school, and I'm just beat. If I have a free minute, I just want to zone out and watch Dancing with the Stars.

I have a file of pictures I'd love to upload and write witty things about, but I just can't get to it right now.

So I guess I'll see you when I see you, blogosphere.

Easter Egg Massacre

2010-04-09T18:03:00.002-04:00

Every year, there's an Easter Egg Hunt at the park near our house. And every year, it gets more and more ridiculous. I mean seriously - where are all these people coming from?!?

This year, my good friend came over with her two kids and we walked over to the festivities. Here was the scene, as we approached the open field. At least 15 minutes before the Hunt was to begin:

We assumed our position in the "under 4" area. Yes, Mason is 5, but there was no way I was letting him out of my sight. There were a zillion people there!

Here is our crew, so anxious for the hunt to begin:

It was a little breezy and overcast and it was all I could do to hold these guys off until the starting horn. Meanwhile, more and more people filed in.

I looked to my right:

And I looked to my left:

And thought, my kids will be lucky to get a single egg. They're not exactly aggressive when it comes to things like this.

I looked out to the field, wondering how this was all going to go down...

And just before the horn went off (a fire truck, in fact), it started to rain. Wind+ rain+throng of humanity scrambling for eggs=HYSTERIA.

Mason just cried. He somehow managed to pick up 6 eggs. I don't know how.

Daniel cried, too. He got 7 eggs, but only because of my efforts. It was dog-eat-dog on that field, I tell you. And those parents were cut-throat! We were lucky to get 7.

We walked home as the sprinkles subsided, and I swore this is the last year I attempt the Cottell Park Easter Egg Massacre. It's just no fun!

Further, their eggs were primarily filled with dumb party favor-type items, which were soon discarded. There were cheapo tops, yo-yos, and friendship bracelets. For boys. Whatever.

Next year, I'll do it myself.

2010-04-08T17:29:00.001-04:00

Knoxville Zoo from Bertroid on Vimeo.

My talented brother-in-law Brett filmed portions of our trip to the Knoxville Zoo at Christmas (on his Canon 7D) and put together this cute video. Just thought I'd share!

Hot cross buns

2010-04-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

I made these from scratch, baby.

Hot cross buns are a Good Friday tradition fro Anglo-Saxon times. I decided to give them a try this year!

For the buns, I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe. I think mine may have turned out a little denser than hers, but they were still pretty good.

For the icing, I did not use PW's recipe. For one, it looked too simple to taste good. And for another, it involved a raw egg white. I knew Brandon would never eat them if he knew raw egg was involved, so I searched the internet for a good basic icing recipe that didn't involve cream cheese (I didn't have any in the house).

I found this one, and it was mighty good (I cut it in half, though):

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter (salted)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Now, to make this icing totally white, you could use 1 cup of shortening instead of half butter/half shortening. Also, you can use the imitation clear vanilla flavoring to keep the icing white. But the butter makes it taste yummier.

I made half with raisins and half without. The raisin ones were definitely better. And my oven runs hot, so I didn't bake them as long as PW suggests.

All told, they looked wonderful and tasted OK. I would have liked for them to be a little lighter or fluffier, but they were good for a first try. We'll try again next year!

Easter parties!

2010-04-07T17:53:00.002-04:00

My boys each had Easter parties in their preschool classes the Thursday before Easter. Their preschool is located in a non-denominational Christian church, and I love that they celebrate the Savior every day (not just on holidays). But the holidays are fun, too!

In Mason's class, a few moms volunteer to run each of the parties throughout the year. Like the Christmas party, I volunteered to do a craft with the kids.

I found a cute idea for making paper Easter lilies online and they turned out very nice. I did all of the prep work in advance - cutting out petals and leaves for every child, punching holes and gluing the petals so they would be easier to assemble. I apportioned everything in baggies, so all the kids had to do was assemble. Even so, it took a lot of help from the grown-ups. Lots of fine motor skills at use!

After the craft, the kids listened to a poem about jelly beans and we had a quick egg hunt out on the playground:

And he's off!

Each child got a cute little bag with a copy of the poem on the front. Here's Mason, surveying his loot:

After the egg hunt came snack time. Here's Mason sitting next to his best friend at school, Grant:

Another mom made sugar cookies for the kids to decorate with icing and sprinkles. Man, can those kids add sprinkles! You could hardly see the cookies, for all the sprinkles on their plates!

For story time, another mom read a wonderful story about Jesus and Easter and gave each child a special cross cookie from a tasty local bakery.

Here is the dynamic duo, showing off their beautiful cookies:

Mason's party was a big success and I was glad to be able to be a part of it. I figure this is the reason I stay home with my kids - so I can be present for these little celebrations and experience them along with my boys. It was a fun day.

Dan's class also had a party, although without parental attendance. His teachers believe (and I agree) that the little guys don't behave the same way when their moms are in the room, so they plan and execute all the parties. For his special day, they made their own baskets, made an Easter craft, and had an egg hunt. He got quite a haul for a three year old!

It was a wonderful way to kick off Easter weekend. I really love their preschool, and I love that my boys love it, too.

Out with the old!

2010-04-06T11:53:00.003-04:00

Mid-March, our washing machine gave up the ghost. This KitchenAid set had served us well since we bought our first house. We obtained them second-hand from some friends, who basically gifted them to us, asking only that we make a donation to Brandon's brother's mission fund in return. That was an easy deal!

Last year, Brandon fixed replaced the motor in the dryer, but it had never really worked well since. He suspected it needed a new moisture sensor. So when the washer died, we decided it was time for a new set.

Brandon scoped out a sweet deal on a new Maytag set, but they couldn't be delivered until after Easter! A week went by with no clean clothes and things were starting to pile up. Just when I bagged up 7 trash bags of clothes, ready to haul it all to my mom's for a Saturday of laundry, Brandon broke open the washer to see if he could fix it.

Now, this is Brandon we're talking about. Of course he could fix it!

He identified the broken part, we found a parts store open on Saturday, and I went and bought it. An hour and a half later, he'd repaired the washer for a grand total of $20. I'm telling you, that man can fix anything.

Well, we'd already ordered the new set and decided to go ahead with the order. And since the washer was repaired, now we could sell the set on Craigslist! Brandon timed the listing perfectly - we sold the old set on Saturday and received the new set the following Monday (yesterday). We sold them for the exact amount of the Ohio Energy Star rebate we missed by buying the Maytags a week too early, so that worked out nicely as well.

The Maytags arrived yesterday. Holy cow. Washers and dryers have come a loooooong way!

I feel ridiculous to be so excited about a washer and dryer, but I am. They are super awesome.

For one, they are digital. Wow. They are also smarter me, I'm thinking. Here's Mason, looking in the transparent lid!

Check out that display! I'm going to need to read the manual, I'm thinking.

The dryer is a sight to behold as well. Again, digital. With a clear door.

Here is Mason, demonstrating the lint trap. He's our newest laundry technician. Some day, I'm pretty sure he'll be fixing things just like his dad. Two peas in a pod, I tell you.

For the inaugural load, I washed the new fabric for the boys' PJ pants (note - Mason is wearing one of his). No kidding - the dryer dried the fabric in about 10 minutes, maybe less. Nice!

I'm washing a load of towels right now. It's very exciting.

Preschool: the home edition, Day 4

2010-03-28T20:01:00.000-04:00

I lost my motivation for blogging some time in February, so I neglected to share the details of our fourth day of home preschool. Without further adieu, here we go.

For our fine motor skills/writing practice, we started the day with worksheets. Daniel stuck to mazes, while Mason also tried some connect the dots:

Daniel really does love mazes. He did this one all by himself:

Mason is pretty good at mazes, too. His were a little bit more challenging, but he did well:

Then, we broke out the Tangrams. I had previously purchased this set through the Scholastic Book Fair and stashed them away for a rainy (snowy!) day. They were a hit!

At first, we tried them at the table, using the magnetic book and a cookie sheet:

But before long, the boys moved to the fridge, where they could really spread them out.
I was impressed - Mason made this helicopter all by himself:

The Olympics were going on at the time, so we broke out the wax paper for a little carpet skating.

In my exuberance, I briefly imagined I was Evan Lysacek and tried to do a fancy spin. My carpet Olympic dreams were shattered when I fell, landing squarely on my shoulder. Seriously folks, that wax paper is slipperier than you'd think! As it turns out, I'm no Evan Lysacek. And while I don't have a photo of my sad wipeout, I think that's probably for the best.

We ended our preschool day with lunch and a movie. A good time was had by all, but we were so glad when the roads cleared up and preschool was back in session!

Finally!

2010-03-27T20:00:00.001-04:00

All of the snow we received in January and February has melted.

That means this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

Is finally gone! Now, I love a snow day here and there as much as anyone, but this quickly got out of hand. Mason had EIGHT snow days in January and February, forcing his preschool to adopt a new make-up policy. (What global warming?) Thankfully, he'll be making up five of those days at the end of the school year. I wouldn't care so much, except I pay tuition. :-)

I will admit that I'm a little odd: I love winter. I love sweaters and snowmen and fireplaces and hot cocoa and snuggling under cozy blankets. Sometimes, I'm almost sad when it warms up and I can tell that winter is on its way out. But this year, I can honestly say I got my fill. Bring on the spring!

Tumbling for Toddlers

2010-03-26T22:22:00.002-04:00

Since January, I've been taking the boys to a tumbling class at our community rec center. I was looking for a physical activity that would build coordination, balance, and confidence. While Daniel seems to have a lot of natural athletic ability, these things don't come as easily for Mason, so I thought we'd try out tumbling.

They really like it!

Depending on how many kids are there, one or two teachers lead the class in stretching exercises and circuits of jumping, rolling, climbing, walking on balance beams, etc. They even spot them as they swing on the uneven parallel bars or do back handsprings over giant foam mats. The classes are 45 minutes long, so they get a lot done.

For a while I brought a book or magazine to read, but after a few weeks I realized that was a lost cause. I am having too much fun watching! I love to see them try new things and gain confidence when they find they can do them.

Mason and Dan both enjoy their class, but I am especially happy to see Mason trying some of the more challenging activities. He always looks over to me for assurance and I give him a big double thumbs up. He is such a sweet boy.

At the end of every class, they each get a little stamp on their hand or foot:

I doubt my boys will grow up to be Olympic gymnasts, but for now we're having fun tumbling.

Out of the best books

2010-02-27T15:53:00.002-05:00

I love to read. For me, it's an escape from my daily worries, an opportunity to forget about myself and enjoy a great story. I usually read fiction, although lately I've really gotten into a study of Tudor England. But that's a topic for another post!

Anyway, the month of January was insane for me, work-wise. My work load was suddenly doubled, due to some emergency projects, and I was completely slammed. I was up until 2 and 3 and 4 in the morning every night for nearly three weeks. I was tired and cranky and close to tears for much of the month. I wasn't a very patient mommy and I felt like I lived on my computer. No fun for any of us!

During January, if I had a moment to read, I will admit that I didn't pick up my scriptures. Not once. If I wanted to wind down at the end of the day, I opted instead for some light fiction. In the midst of my craziness, I just didn't feel like the scriptures would offer me any insight into my particular troubles. And if I'm really being honest, I'll admit that my dedication to my daily studies had lost steam long before January. I told myself that reading scripture stories every day to the kids was enough for me, and for awhile I believed it.

Now, we were (and still are) doing wonderfully with our Family Nights, our daily prayers, and managing our callings. But my daily personal scripture study had become much less... daily. During that long month of January, my prayers were fervent and I felt the Lord's sustaining aid whenever I called on Him. I met my deadlines, I kept my family going, and I rejoiced when the last patent opinion was signed and delivered. I do not doubt that my Heavenly Father answered my prayers for help, even when I was less than perfect in my dedication to Him.

Toward the end of the month, though, I started to get this nagging feeling: I should really read my scriptures. I talked to Brandon about it, but still didn't pick them up! Then one night, after several days of feeling the impression, I finally picked up my scriptures before I went to bed. Brandon was already asleep, so I pulled out my book light and my Book of Mormon, even though it was well past 1 a.m.

And then something happened.

As I started to read, my soul was filled with the most powerful feeling of peace I have ever felt. It was almost tangible. I felt it flood through me, like a wave. I felt like I was coming home, in some way. The feeling was so strong I didn't want to stop reading. I read several chapters by the light of my tiny fluorescent book light, enjoying every moment and soaking in that feeling. I have never felt that way reading the scriptures, not even on my mission. It was indescribable, really.

I can't say that anything I read was particularly relevant to the specific trials I was facing at the time, but the feeling... the feeling I felt while I read certainly was. All the peace I had been missing in January came flooding back in one great wave. It felt like a miracle.

I share this, I guess, because this blog is also my journal, and I don't want to forget the witness I received of the importance of personal scripture study. I was immediately, incredibly blessed for following that prompting to read. I have kept up my studies since that night. And I will honestly say that that feeling has not returned in the way it did the first night. But every night as I read, I feel the comfort of knowing that I am being obedient. I have gained new insights into verses I have read a hundred times. And while the specific scriptures may not have anything to do with my personal trials, I know I will be blessed in those trials for my efforts to study His word.

Now, before I reach for a novel at night, I reach for my scriptures.

Found!

2010-02-14T00:13:00.001-05:00

I finally found my flip calendar.

It was in the pantry, behind some canned goods, of course.

Preschool: the home edition, Day 3

2010-02-11T23:39:00.003-05:00

I'm not going to lie. Day 3 of our home preschool was ... rough. We've been stuck inside the house the majority of the week and we're starting to go a little stir crazy. Still, after preschool was canceled AGAIN due to a 2-hour delay in our school system, I geared up for another day of homeschoolin' it.

Today would have been "chapel" day at preschool, so after our opening Rectangle Time (discussion of the calendar/weather) we began on a religious note. Mason is giving the 2nd Article of Faith in church this Sunday, so we had a little practice session.

For whatever reason, my boys love to pretend they are talking into a microphone. All I have to do to get them to practice for primary is grab a candlestick and tell them it's a microphone. Works every time!

Mason surprised me by knowing every word of his Article of Faith. Go Mason! I tried to get them to practice the accompanying song, but it ended up being mostly a solo by mom. And we all know how catchy and fun the 2nd Article of Faith Song is!

After "chapel," we hit the books. Or worksheets, rather. I set Danny to work tracing lines and zig zags using worksheets I found online. For Mason, I printed off pages of easy words to read (-at words, -ar words, -ot words, etc.) and we read them together. After he read a whole page, I put a red check mark on the paper. He seemed to really get into that: "Mom, I need a check mark!"

We did a few more mazes. As I mentioned yesterday, Daniel is a whiz at mazes! He did this one all by himself:

Have I mentioned he's THREE? Mason loves mazes too, but sometimes gets frustrated. He did this one mostly by himself:

Then we read some simple sentences. Mason was so proud of himself! Isn't learning to read a miracle?

After reading and writing, it was time to paint! This is where things started to fall apart. Daniel was really impatient and cracked into the paints before we were ready. He spilled orange paint on the carpet and I was not a happy mother.

Danny is quite sensitive sometimes, so as soon as he sensed I was unhappy with him, he ran and hid in the bathroom and refused to paint.

And peeled a little piece of wallpaper off the wall.

Then I was REALLY unhappy. Let's be clear: I don't like that wallpaper. But I certainly don't want it peeled off right this minute!

When I went in the bathroom, I found Daniel sitting on the toilet, rather unhappy:

And then I saw this:

Oh, it wasn't good. I told Danny he'd done a huge no-no, and he clearly felt bad. He refused to come out of the bathroom and never painted a thing.

Mason, however, painted his picture as well as Danny's:

At some point, Dan went to hide upstairs. I finally lured him down with the prospect of bowling. We broke out the Toy Story bowling game my mom gave the boys for Christmas. The carpet is actually a little too wrinkled to support the pins, so we set the pins up on the tile.

Dan dried his tears and bowled.

Mason had great form! So funny: when he stepped up to the "lane" the first time to bowl, he said, "Here goes nothin'!" I laughed. Where did that come from?

I was the pin-setter and ball-returner.

After bowling, we read some stories for Rectangle Time. No Value Tales today - they chose these books:

While I made lunch, they hit the rice sensory station again:

After lunch I baked a few more chocolate cookies. I always make a batch of cookie dough and keep it in the fridge, baking off a few at a time. Hence, more cookies.

I think the kids are tired of me taking their pictures.

I managed to corral them to quiet time, after which they watched a movie. Sensing a theme? Today we switched it up with "The Incredibles."

Honestly, I could never do this on a daily basis. I'm really looking forward to their preschool being back in session tomorrow!

Preschool: the home edition, Day 2

2010-02-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it snowed some more. Although Wednesday is not a preschool day, the kids take tumbling that day, and tumbling was canceled. Soooo... here we go again!

We started the day with a little writing practice. Daniel went to town on some mazes. This kid loves mazes! He's pretty good with them, too, for a three year old! Here's his letter A maze, which he completed with a little help from mom:

Mason did a letter M maze, and then practiced writing some numbers. I had noticed yesterday that he wrote most of his numbers backwards, so I thought we could work a little on those.

Interestingly, I had printed off mazes for the letters D, A, and N for Dan, so he could do his name. Then I printed off the letter M for Mason. I realized later our collective mazes spell the word DAMN. Whoops!

After writing practice, it was time for skating! I cut squares of wax paper and we all scooted around the carpet. Listen, it's slipperier than you'd think.

But we got the hang of it. And everyone went through two pairs of "skates."

After skating, I broke out the Bendaroos. These came recommended from a friend and former mission companion, who is currently entertaining her brood under about 3 feet of snow in D.C. The boys found them interesting, but had a hard time making anything out of them. Except Mason made a gun, of course. They are very into guns right now, for whatever reason. Perhaps because they are boys.

I made some glasses.

Mason tried them on and asked if he looked like Harry Potter, which I found amusing, because I'm not sure how he knows what Harry Potter looks like! Perhaps from the covers of the books, which are on his bookshelf?

After Bendaroos, we read another Value Tale book in our Rectangle Time. I couldn't find a good one on a president, so I went for the value of sharing, as told through the story of the Mayo brothers:

These books are a little too long to hold the boys' attention, so I've started skipping through some of the dialogue to move things along. Still, they liked this one because it had pictures of microscopes and germs.

After lunch, I sacrificed a new bag of rice and created a "sensory table" of sorts. The sensory table is Mason's favorite thing at preschool.

We've been reading "Cloudy with a Change of Meatballs" a lot lately, and Dan pretended his bin was the town of Chewandswallow. Here it is, raining rice:

Mason also worked hard signing his name on valentines for his class party on Friday. That is, assuming they have school! It's a lot for him to sign his name 10 times in a row, so we broke it up a bit. He got better as he went, my sweet boy.

This afternoon, I made chocolate cookies and we all had a treat. Mmmm. Chocolate.

We finished our day with a little quiet time and, of course, a movie. "Bolt" again. Go figure.

Sadly, I've about exhausted my ideas, and I just noted that preschool is canceled AGAIN tomorrow. Looks like I'll be consulting the internet for tomorrow's lesson plans.

Preschool: the home edition

2010-02-10T20:22:00.002-05:00

For those of you who don't know, it's been snowing like crazy here in Ohio. Preschool was canceled yesterday, so I was forced to take matters into my own hands. Here's the run down of our home preschool, day 1.

First, I wrote our names out on construction paper. Then, I gave each boy a bowl of Cheerios and we glued the pieces over our names. We discovered that all our names end in "n" and ate a few Cheerios along the way.

Then, I grabbed a bag of multi-colored craft pom poms, as well as some paperclips and safety pins, and mixed them together. I gave each boy some of the mix and had them work together to sort the items. They separated the pom poms by color and the paperclips and safety pins by shape into a muffin tin:

Then, I gave each boy a mixture of the pom poms, and had them separate them again and "graph" them onto a grid.

We counted how many they had of each color:

We finished our school day with "circle time" - although it was really "rectangle time," since we sat on a blanket. In honor of Presidents Day, we read this Value Tales story about Abe Lincoln and the value of respecting others:

They both thought it was too long, and could not quite comprehend that as a boy, Abe Lincoln lived in a log cabin with a dirt floor and slept on a bed made of leaves! Frankly, I can't really comprehend it either! So glad for our comfy home...

After this, we had lunch and a little quiet time, followed by a movie (Bolt) with popcorn. When Brandon was done working in the office (he worked from home due to the snow), he took the boys out to play in/shovel the snow.

I think I wore them out. They were asleep as soon as their little heads hit the pillow! If you've got to be snowed in, this is the way to spend the day!

If you give...

2010-02-06T20:10:00.002-05:00

Mason is in the Frogs class at preschool. Throughout the year, the kids take turns bringing home the "Froggy Fun Bag," which is filled with different froggy things to do, including coloring pages and stickers, games, books, and of course FROGGY. There is a journal in the bag and, with a parent's help, each child is asked to make an entry showing how Froggy spent his time. At 4 and 5, most of the kids cannot write this out themselves yet, so it's more of a group effort. For our journal entry, Mason and I wrote a little story about Froggy.

Let me say at this point that the "If you give" books are super popular at our house. We have all of them and the boys love them and have them memorized. So when we started talking about what would happen if you gave Froggy some flies, Mason started making up an "if you give" story. He really had the idea down! I largely dictated and provided some input here and there. Anywho, here's our story:

If you give a froggy some flies,

He might want some juice to go with it.

When you give him the juice, he might spill some on the floor.

Seeing the colorful juice on the floor will make him want to paint a picture. He'll ask for a paintbrush and paints. He'll paint a car.

Seeing the car will remind him he wants to go for a ride. You'll take him for a drive in your Cozy Coupe. He'll ride in the back with your puppy and blanket to keep warm.

After awhile, he'll offer to push you in the car.

Pushing the car will make him thirsty, so he'll ask you for some juice. And chances are, if you give him the juice...

He'll want some flies to go with it!

Cozy Coupe car wash

2010-02-04T17:42:00.005-05:00

Daniel is terrified of the car wash. Whenever we go through, which I'll admit is not very often, he completely freaks out. The last time we went, I had to reach back and hold his hand after I put the car in neutral. He clenched my hand with a death grip and wailed the entire time! Poor baby!

Mason used to have the same reaction, but lately he's more fascinated than frightened. After our last trip, he asked me to "make" him a car wash at home. Oooookay...

Note: please do not fixate on my kitchen counters in the following photos. They seem cluttered. Although, now that I've said that, you are sure to fixate. Sigh. Oh well.

Anyway, here's what I came up with: I stretched the Swiffer Max between the island and the counter. (Sidenote: what ever happened to the Swiffer Max? I swear, you can't find the refills anywhere. Such a shame.) Then, I tied scarves around the handle so they hung down like those car wash thingies. Mason added the cardboard roof, and voila! A car wash for the Cozy Coupe.

The battle for the Cozy Coupe then commenced, and I spent the next thirty minutes refereeing various skirmishes. I finally brought Dan's train ride-on car up from the basement and that seemed to help a bit. Here are some shots, minus the roof:

Well, it was a hit. Now, go make yourselves a Cozy Coupe car wash!

Lost.

2010-02-03T09:10:00.002-05:00

I have a few things that I love because they belonged to my grandmother or great aunt - a set of silver, a small chalkboard hanging in my kitchen, a milk glass rooster, a set of tea cups and saucers from all over the world. I grew up seeing these things in their homes. Now they are in mine and I have found that I love to see those familiar objects around and think of the great ladies who once loved them.

One of the little things I love is a small, flipping metal calendar that belonged to my grandma. I think it was originally a souvenir from Arizona, but it sat on a shelf in my grandma's house my entire childhood. Every day she faithfully flipped the calendar to the correct date.

I happily ended up with the flip calendar when my grandma's house was sold. It has sat on the shelf above my kitchen sink for years now. Until about last Friday.

Mason has always been fascinated with it and periodically asks to play with it. I've only ever let him see it under supervision, as it's old and I could easily imagine him jamming the internal parts. But last Friday night we had the missionaries over for dessert. We were supposed to have Brandon's home teaching family over as well, but they canceled at the last minute. The missionaries came anyway, so we had a quick lesson and I served dessert. As I was getting it ready, Mason sensed my moment of distraction and asked for the calendar. And I gave it to him, without any lectures about taking care of it because it means something to mommy.

And by the time the missionaries left, the calendar was nowhere to be found. 5 days later, it still hasn't turned up.

I'm so irritated with myself for giving in in that moment of distraction and letting him do something I normally wouldn't. And I'm angry that he can't remember where he put it. And I'm angry that he didn't take care of something that has sentimental meaning to me. Whenever I look on my shelf and see my calendar is missing, I feel angry all over again! And there's nothing to do. I can't punish him anew every time I notice it's missing! I just have to let it go and hope it is found someday.

I know it's just a silly trinket, just a thing. I know I shouldn't care. But I do! I flipped that little calendar every day and thought of my grandma Chaney.

Perhaps it will turn up - maybe later today, or next week, or next month. In the mean time, I've learned a little lesson: don't give in during moments of distraction and let the kids do things I normally wouldn't allow. It is so hard - I think they sense my distraction and exploit it to their own benefit (for example, they always ask me for snacks and TV when I'm on the phone!). It's so easy to just give them what they want so I can go about my business. Next time, I will be more careful.

Prayers of a three year old

2010-02-01T19:22:00.003-05:00

Danny loves to say prayers lately, and it's all we can do to keep a straight face. He's very "stream of consciousness" in his approach, which makes for some very cute prayers. Here's an example, from today's lunch:

"Heavenly Fahder, fank dee for dis day. Fank dee for our lunch, so we can have applesauce and I can have dis juice box from yesterday dat I didn't finish yet and Mason can have a new one. In Jesus Christ amen!"

Or last Friday, when we had the missionaries over for dessert:

"Heavenly Fahder, fank dee for dis day so we can have dessert and get our jammies on and Mason can get his jammies on by hisself and we can read books and go to bed in Jesus Christ amen!"

Sometimes he names everything on his plate, at dinner:

"Heavenly Fahder, fank dee for dis day and for our dinner. Fank dee dat we can have soup and crackers and apples and dat udder fing I don't know what it is. Fank dee Daddy's home for dinner and we can have bafs later in Jesus Christ amen!"

Sometimes he throws in things he's hoping for, but that we haven't really discussed yet:

"Heavenly Fahder, fank dee for dis day and for our brekkie and so we can go to preschool. Fank dee so we can go to Target later and have a hot dog and an Icee in Jesus Christ amen!"

From the picture above, you'll see that sometimes his prayers are answered! There he is, at Target, eating a hot dog and Icee. See? Sometimes we really are the instruments through which others' prayers are answered!

Seriously, though, listening to our boys' heartfelt prayers is certainly a precious blessing. Heavenly Father must smile at the prayers of these little ones. I know we do!

Still here!

2010-01-20T17:52:00.002-05:00

Hey.

I'm still here. I have been totally slammed work-wise these last two weeks, with little time to update the blog. Or sleep, for that matter. But I just had to post something to replace that flank steak picture on the front of my blog. I'm tired of looking at raw meat!

So, here's a shot of Danny, snapped by my brother-in-law Brett on our outing to the Knoxville Zoo on Christmas Eve. I'll post more about our trip when I have some more time. Until then, here's a sneak peak.

Mmmm. Flank steak.

2010-01-10T20:40:00.003-05:00

If you've seen the movie Food Inc., please try and put it out of your mind for a moment while I tell you about this delicious meal! And it's easy, too. I like easy.

All you need are two ingredients and a grill:

1 flank steak
Your favorite steak rub

I use this one, from a local butcher shop called Holzman's Meats:

Holzman's sells their own spice blend ("Texas Longhorn Gusto") and it's fantastic, but I am sure there are any number of choices in your grocery's spice aisle.

Basically, I just sprinkle both sides of the flank steak liberally with the spice blend and rub it in. Then, I put the steak in a zipper bag for a few hours in the fridge. Take the steak out about an hour before you plan to grill it, so it isn't so cold when you throw it on the grill (the Holzman guys gave me that tip).

I won't lie - Brandon is the grill manager around these parts - but as I understand it, he grills it for about 10 minutes per side, then checks it. The length of time will depend on the thickness of the steak, so really it's up to you. When you take it off the grill, let it rest a few minutes before you cut into it, so the juices can redistribute. Slice against the grain in 1/4 inch thick slices (or a little thinner). Delicious!

Even my kids love it. In fact, for Danny's third birthday he requested it. So go cook up a flank steak! It's a crowd pleaser.

Digital art gallery

2010-01-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but I just don't have space to keep all the adorable art projects my kids bring home from preschool. I hang some of them up on the pantry doors for awhile, but ultimately we just can't keep everything.

My new approach: take a picture to digitally archive the work, and then discard. It saves space, and still lets us preserve the memory!

That said, here is a brief gallery of some of Mason's preschool works of art:

Some of these are from the beginning of the year, some are later. Most of this was given to me at Mason's preschool conference in November, hence the emphasis on fall projects. He is doing so well with his letters and numbers. Just this evening, we were reading books together and I would point to random words and he would sound them out, mostly by himself. I can't believe he's already starting to read - how amazing! He was rather pleased with himself, too. My bright little Mason.

Downtown Santa

2010-01-07T20:47:00.002-05:00

Every year, Santa pays a special visit on a Saturday to my office building downtown, for the children of the firm employees. We sign up in advance, with our kids' names and ages, which adds a nice touch when Santa welcomes them by name. I like to take the kids to see the firm Santa, since the line is minimal, there are free snacks and activities, and the Santa has a real beard.

While we waited our turn, there were coloring pages and cookies and punch. Daniel never turns down a cookie. He's like his mom in that way.

I thought the kids would sit on Santa's lap together, but Mason wanted to speak to Santa privately, so Dan got his own turn as well. Here he is, telling Santa he wanted "plane GeoTrax." Santa had no idea what that was.

All of the kids got a little goody bag from Santa, with treats and crayons and an activity book inside:

Mason took his visit with Santa very seriously. He didn't want to sit on Santa's lap, but he was anxious to tell him he wanted GeoTrax for Christmas and to confirm that he'd been a good boy.

Look at that serious face!

After Santa, we went up to the 18th floor to give the boys a tour of my office. Here's Danny, checking out the view from my window:

And here's Mason, finally smiling:

Thanks, Santa, for visiting with us!

Tis the season - to party!

2010-01-04T22:47:00.005-05:00

This holiday season, the kids and I did a lot of partying!

First, we had a fun party with some friends, to kick off the month. Two of my girlfriends and I got our kids together - 8 in all - and planned a little afternoon Christmas party. There was a quick and rowdy game of musical chairs (well, musical dishtowels, really):

A craft: We made reindeer candy canes (this was my contribution to the party). They turned out adorable!

My friend Teneal led the kids in making reindeer food (oats and colored sugar mixed together) to sprinkle on the ground on Christmas Eve. They were excited about that. And, of course, there was candy cane EATING:

There were lots of smiles, running, and laughter. And a little bit of whining. And then a movie to calm down (thank you, Disney). A good time was had by all, and the moms were exhausted!

The next week, the boys each had Christmas parties in their preschool classes. Once again, I was in charge of the craft in Mason's Frogs class. Can you guess what we did?

Yep, reindeer candy canes. Why mess with a good thing?

Here I am, instructing in the ways of applying antlers:

And here is the gallery of finished product:

The kids decorated ornaments with their pictures in them, which were cute:

They also "ice skated" on the carpet, by sliding on squares of wax paper. I don't have a picture of that, but I thought it was so clever! They had fun.

One of the moms read a lovely story about Jesus's birth:

There was a special snack, including tiny cupcakes, to celebrate Jesus's birthday. Check out this picture - I must have snapped it just as another mom's flash went off. Weird!

At the end, we played a Christmas Trivia game with the kids and everyone won a prize. Most of the questions were about Jesus, but Mason correctly answered the secular question about Santa's place of residence. "The North Pole!"

Everyone went home with a balloon and a bag of goodies. It was hectic and crazy and certainly an ambitious party agenda, but fun nonetheless.

Mason seemed to love that I was there with him in his class. Later in the day, he thanked me for coming to his party. What a sweet boy!

Daniel's party was much more low-key. Parents weren't included, which was perfectly fine with me, since it was at the same time as Mason's party. They had a special snack and story, sang Christmas songs, and decorated gingerbread houses out of graham crackers:

We ate Daniel's after lunch! It didn't last long. Daniel also came home with a stack of holiday crafts and a gift for us, sealed in a bag (another craft!):

All told, it was a very festive preschool day and the boys enjoyed themselves.

This year, I coordinated the class Christmas gifts for the teachers in each of the kids' classes. I collected money from those who wanted to participate and purchased gift certificates to a local mall (with restaurants, movies, shops, etc. - something for everyone!). I personalized ornaments for the teachers from each class and put everything together in gift baskets with some chocolate. Here is the assembly line of gifts, under construction:

And here is the finished product. Don't you think cellophane makes everything look professional?

All this partying wiped me out, but it was worth it. I feel so fortunate that I can be home to go to their parties and organize class gifts and teach them how to make reindeer candy canes (twice!). It's exactly where I want to be.

Cozy gift idea

2010-01-04T11:12:00.003-05:00

Why, hello! The holidays are over, and once I dig myself out from under all the photos, I'll be posting them here. Until then, I thought I'd share an idea I came up with for an easy gift for friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. To begin, you will need:

A can of hot chocolate - I used Stephen's Mint Truffle. Yum!
A scarf - I used a simple fleece scarf from Old Navy
Two kinds of coordinating ribbon, to layer together
A gift tag

Basically, I took a fleece scarf and folded it such that the width of the scarf matched the height of the can of cocoa. I folded the sides in toward the center, so no edges were showing, and then folded the scarf in half lenghtwise. Then, I wrapped the scarf around the can, tucking the fringe-ends in first, to hide them.

I wrapped the wider ribbon around the can and taped it to hold it in place, then I layered the smaller (coordinating) ribbon over the wider one, and tied a bow. I actually found some narrow ribbon with scarfs printed on it, which I thought was so perfect!

Add a gift tag, and voila! Here are four I put together, with different ribbon combinations:

I ran out of my brown/blue ribbon, so the last one I made was a little more Christmas-y. I think it would have been cuter with a green or red scarf, but I went with what I had on hand.

I thought they turned out quite cute. You could also experiment with different scarf types or colors and different ribbon choices. Extremely crafty people could even make their own tags or scarfs, etc. Total cost per gift was under $10, and the scarf-plus-cocoa makes for a cozy holiday gift!

Excuse me while I go pat myself on the back.

While shepherds watched their flocks

2009-12-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

For family home evening this month, we've been focusing on the story of Jesus's birth. The first week, we set up our nativity set piece by piece and talked about each person and the role he or she played in the nativity. The boys were very interested in all the little pieces and enjoyed unwrapping them and setting them in place. I've been really impressed with the respect they've shown the nativity set, which I inherited from my grandmother and is very special to me. Good job, boys!

Each week since, we've focused on a different person or group of people. First came the shepherds! At ages 3 and 5, Danny and Mason really enjoy dressing up for family home evening and acting out scripture stories. So, the boys dressed up in their best shepherd attire and we gathered their stuffed animals up to be their "sheep." Brandon (the angel Gabriel) and I read aloud from the Bible and the boys acted out the part of the shepherds. Here they are, being "sore afraid":

After the angel's visit, our little shepherds went to find baby Jesus in the manger. So cute!

This past week, we talked about the wise men. I hid a felt star and the boys tried and find it while I sang a Primary song - louder as they got closer, softer as the got farther away. This game is an FHE favorite!

I love this time of year and I've truly enjoyed our family nights this month. We've been doing our best to remind the boys that Jesus is the reason we celebrate this time of year. I love to hear their little questions and see them learning the the story of our Savior's birth. I am a very blessed mama!

Cookies!

2009-12-20T22:23:00.002-05:00

The first weekend in December, I broke out the refrigerated cookie dough and made cut-out cookies with the boys. As you can see, it was a messy project. They were very enthusiastic helpers, as you will see.

Let me say at this point that I have never really found a cut-out sugar cookie recipe I like. For that reason, I just took the shortcut and used the stuff in a tube. Less effort, and less to clean up. Because trust me, I still had PLENTY to clean up.

We rolled out the dough and cut out the shapes. After baking and cooling a bit, I quickly iced with green icing, and then the boys went to town with sprinkles. Their motto: you can never have too many sprinkles.

Mainly, they couldn't wait to eat their creations:

Mason must have snagged the camera at some point, because I found a string of off focus, strangely composed photos mixed in with the cookie shots. I did find this one, however, which I thought was sort of artistic for a five year old (and also indicative of the fact that he can barely see over the kitchen island):

A messy, sugary, sprinkly good time was had by all. And then I vacuumed.

An angel

2009-12-06T14:33:00.002-05:00

I just got back from visiting my grandma at her nursing home. Once a year in December, they host a holiday meal for residents and their families, and today was the day. I met my mom and two of my aunts out there and we enjoyed a nice turkey lunch with grandma and pictures with Santa.

My grandma Alberta is 91, turning 92 in March. She is still very sweet, although she can't remember much anymore. She laughs at almost everything I say, even if it's not particularly funny. She's always trying to get me to eat her lunch, which I politely decline. And she loves to give me hugs, which I gladly accept!

Any time I have ever been at the nursing home, a nice man named Ed has been there, visiting his mother. And I'm not kidding - I've never visited my grandma and not seen him there. Ed always walks around to each table at meal time, greeting each resident by name. He jokes with my grandma that she's his girlfriend and always gives her a little peck on the cheek. Her face lights up.

Well, Ed's mother passed away a few weeks ago. And yet, when I was there today, so was Ed. Working the room. Greeting each resident by name. Giving my grandma a kiss on the cheek. Even though his mother isn't there anymore.

What an angel.

Inquiry

2009-12-05T17:37:00.000-05:00

Does anyone read this anymore? Just wondering.

Preschool Christmas Pageant

2009-12-04T22:00:00.001-05:00

Mason's preschool had its annual Christmas Program this week. There were three groups, separated by age, and each took to the stage in turn to sing a selection of three songs. It was much the same as last year, although thankfully without the throw-up incident in the lobby.

Mason's class was in the second group. They were so cute! They sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. How sweet. It's so fun to see all the little ones, in the Christmas best, singing and waving their arms around to such classics as "J-E-S-U-S (and Jesus was his name-o)."

If you know Mason, though, you know that group singing is not his thing. Further, he is not fond of a crowd. He repeatedly expressed his concerns to me about participating in the program, and I just told him all we ever expect of him is that he try his best. I was just happy he stood up there with all the kids. True, he didn't sing a word. And he fiddled with his face most of the time he was up there. And every time the crowd applauded, he covered his ears. But I was proud of Mason for getting up there and trying, even though it's not something he enjoys.

Here they are, getting set up on the risers. Mason is in the second row from the top, fourth from the left, wearing a navy vest and tie.

And here they are, waving their arms around. I love how Mason is looking at everyone here - as if to say, "What in the world are you all doing?!?" I'll give him this, though - he's not one to succumb to peer pressure!

My parents came to watch as well, which was nice. I love that my boys have their grandparents nearby, to attend these special events. In the end, it's always a sweet little program. The kids are cute, they do their best, and it is a nice way to kick off the month.

Good job, Macey. I'm proud of you.

My little Picassos

2009-12-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Both my boys love to paint at preschool, but I've never mustered the courage to break the paints out inside the house. I've let them paint outside before, but for multiple reasons I have shied away from indoor use of the easel. The boys are a little older now, though, and pretty good when it comes to containing their art supplies, so I thought we'd give it a go.

I set the easel up in the entryway, on the tile, and then put an old shower curtain underneath. I put the boys in some old t-shirts and let them go to town. They had such fun!

Judging from their masterpieces, I'd say they are abstract artists in the making. Still, it was a blast and they were really good listeners about keeping the paint at the easel and off the carpet. I was impressed!

Good times.

Giving Thanks

2009-12-02T23:26:00.002-05:00

Mason's preschool class hosted a "Thanksgiving Feast" the other week. He was so excited for me to come to his Feast with him. Thankfully, my sweet sister-in-law agreed to watch Danny so I could celebrate with Mason at school. They are super strict about the "no siblings" rule. Thanks, Anne!

We each signed up to bring an item to the meal - either a main course dish, or a dessert. Mason fell in the main course category, so we brought rolls. I figured, rolls are always safe with the 5 and under crowd, right?

As an aside, I think the Pilgrims would have been shocked by our menu: hot dogs, applesauce, Oreos, juice boxes, cupcakes, and more. Just like the first Thanksgiving! There was some corn in there somewhere, but I saw the lady who brought the corn leaving with her bowl still rather full. The Cheetos were pretty popular, though.

Anyway, Mason's adorable teacher had worked with the kids to make their special Feast attire! They dyed white t-shirts using coffee, then cut and decorated them to look like Indian vests - so cute! They finished the look with bead necklaces and feather headdresses. It was all quite adorable.

Here's a shot of Mason with his wonderful teacher, Mrs. W. Truly, she is amazing. She loves those kids! They are lucky to have her.

I love this time of year. I love the fall leaves, the cooler temperatures, the beginning of the holiday season. I am especially grateful this year for all our blessings - our kids, our jobs, our health, our families and friends. We are so blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turner Farm

2009-11-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

Fall just isn't fall without a trip to a pumpkin patch! This year, we accompanied Kyle and Anne and their little ones to Turner Farm, to feed the animals and pick out pumpkins.

First order of business: picking turnips to feed to the sheep. I thought this would bore them, but they actually got into it. Here are my little turnip pickers, hard at work!

After we'd filled our baskets, we took a hay ride in the wagon - pulled by horses - out to the sheep. We lifted our little ones over the electric fence and headed out to distribute the goods.

The boys had fun, feeding their turnips to the cute brown sheep. The sheep, I think, had already been fed turnips several times that day, so they weren't exactly surprised to see us. But a few still came around for a snack.

Then, we piled back in the wagon and headed for the pumpkin patch. Apparently, it's been a bad year for pumpkin farming. The crop was completely picked over, and then supplemented with pumpkins from the grocery store. Oh well.

You can't imagine how muddy it was. These pictures do not do it justice. By the time we got done, we were all a muddy mess!

On the way back, we stopped and fed some turnips to the pigs. Again, Danny was really into it. Mason wouldn't even come near - and kept his hand over his nose most of the time. I didn't think the pigs were that smelly, but Mason disagreed!

It was a fun - and rather muddy - adventure, but we had a great time. Thanks, Turner Farm!

Oh no, I di'int...

2009-11-13T14:00:00.001-05:00

...just drop the black bean lasagna in the oven.

After spending two hours making it.

Leaving us with nothing to eat on Sunday night.

Prompting me to sob uncontrollably on the floor in front of the open, lasagna coated oven.

Forcing me to make spaghetti and meatballs in the microwave in about 10 minutes.

And requiring us to spend a half hour cleaning out the oven.

Yep, I did.

Tub crayons: a bad idea

2009-11-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

I got Mason these "Rub-a-dub Draw in the Tub" bathtub crayons for his birthday. It seemed harmless enough at the time. Wow, was I wrong.

I put the kids in the tub, walked out to get their things reads for bed, and came back to this:

In VERY small print on the back of the box, it says "May stain grout." Yes, yes it may. In fact, it does. Significantly.

The sad little duck-shaped sponge that came with the crayons was completely ineffective on the grout. Truthfully, it barely removed the crayon marks from the tile. Yikes.

My sainted mother-in-law spent hours cleaning our tub, using a combination of bleach, Kaboom, and the Mr. Clean eraser. Thank you, Nana. Your grout cleaning skills are second to none.

So, to sum up: tub crayons. A bad idea.

A rare find!

2009-11-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

A picture of just the two of us, dressed up, on a date. This doesn't happen often, folks!

Here we are, at my sister-in-law's sister's wedding reception. It was quite fun! Nothing draws the ladies to the dance floor quite like "Baby Got Back." Kudos, Sir Mix-a-Lot.

Carpet Picnic

2009-11-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, I let the boys eat their lunch on a blanket in the family room. We call it a carpet picnic. For some reason, they think this is just fantastic.

I like it, because they always stay sitting down and actually eat all their lunch! I'm sure, though, that this wouldn't be the case if we had carpet picnics every day. The key is to space them out, so it's still a novelty when Carpet Picnic Day rolls around.

Anyway, carpet picnics: try it! You'll like it.

The big 3

2009-11-09T10:13:00.000-05:00

My baby turned 3 this week!

His birthday fell on a Monday, so for Family Home Evening we had a little celebration. I had told Danny that, since it was his birthday, he could pick what we had for dinner:

Me: "Danny, it's your birthday! You can pick what we have for dinner. Do you want hot dogs?"

Danny: "Um, no. Steak."

Well, allrighty then. Steak it is. Danny ate his dinner on our "You are special today" red plate:

Since he's not a fan of icing, I decorated a little cake with powdered sugar and a template. Very easy!

Danny opened his presents from us, including a wooden food set you can "cut" and a Marble Run. That Marble Run has been a huge hit, all week long.

Friday night, we invited my parents, my brother Chris and his family, and Brandon's brother Kyle and his family over for a little party. The boys (and Leah) ran around like nuts all night long, and we just let them.

Danny got some more fun things, but I must say he has really taken a liking to this little toy dinosaur:

It coos and moves its arms when you stick your finger in its mouth. Weird! But he loves it and slept with it in his bed last night and is carrying it around with him today. I told him he could be the baby T-rex's daddy, and he said no, he can't, because he's just a kid. Such a realist.

Danny's second cake is sort of an inside joke. My boys both LOVE to play games on the internet, including this game called Random Defense. It's a strategic game of sorts, where you earn and place guns, research centers, etc. around the board and try to beat the advancing foe. Remarkably, they are both quite good at it! Danny loves to play Random Defense, so his cake is a Random Defense cake.

Danny was excited to blow out his candles one more time.

Daniel is just a joy to have in our family. He is sweet and funny and full of light. We couldn't imagine life without Danny. Happy birthday, baby boy!

Father/Son Campout

2009-11-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, our ward had a Father/Son Campout. Our boys are a little young to camp overnight (in our opinion, anyway), so Brandon just took them for the evening and then brought them home to sleep in their own beds. Still, they had a blast! Or so I'm told.

Here are our little campers, gathering 'round the fire:

I believe the menu included chili, hot dogs, and s'mores. Mmmm. S'mores.

I'd love to tell you more about it, but I wasn't there, as I am neither a father, nor a son.

I went shopping and bought a cute scarf. Thus, a good time was had by all!