Fit For Royalty

Kewpie 2 and 3 months

2011-12-18T22:26:00.005-07:00

Kewpie has changed so much just in the last month. She weighed 11 lbs 15 oz at her 2 month appointment. She's not going to let he brothers outshine her too much in the weight dept. She's in 90th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for heighth. She was back at the Dr. less than 3 weeks later, for a very nasty bite on the head from her cousin Leo. She had already gained another entire pound. She has had colic since 3 weeks old, but it seems to have FINALLY vanished (crossing fingers). However, she is the BEST little sleeper. She sleeps through the night a lot of the time, and only wakes up 1 time any other night. She has done this since birth. She has been able to flip over back to front and front to back consistently since she was 2 months old with zero struggle or effort. All that colic gave her tight little belly muscles. I knew I needed a baby girl in my life, but I had NO IDEA how fun I would have dressing and loving her. She has a disposition very similar to "W"s. She's very happy and gives anyone who will talk to her a full body grin. She loves her soft blankie, just like "W", and rubs her face in it whenever she can. Her favorite activity lately is sucking on her bottom lip or fist (if she can manage to get it to her mouth), super cute! Her brothers are so good to her and we are all having so much fun with a little sugar and spice. Especially PBTB, who makes sure to do her hair in the cutest mohawk whenever he bathes her.

Santa Star

2011-12-18T22:16:00.008-07:00

"W" was Santa Claus in his Pre-school Christmas Program. He has THE BEST, "Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas" and he stole the show with his cuteness. 12-16-11

Fast As Fast Can Be

2011-12-18T22:07:00.012-07:00

Can't Catch Me!

We Need a Little Christmas

2011-12-18T21:59:00.011-07:00

Right this very minute. 12-4-11

All I Want For Christmas....

2011-12-18T21:49:00.010-07:00

Double Trouble

2011-12-18T21:46:00.004-07:00

Hey Soul Sister

2011-12-18T21:30:00.017-07:00

I don't wanna miss a single thing you do.....Kewpie's blessing day, beautiful blessing, beautiful baby. 11-20-11

2 Knights, a Night Fury, a Gnome, and a Toadstool

2011-12-18T21:07:00.017-07:00

This was the first yeat that I've knit, rather than sewn, the majority of our halloween costumes. We carved LOTS of pumpkins (well PBTB carved, I designed) and had LOTS of fun!

Kewpie 1 Week

2011-10-25T15:58:00.009-06:00

09/18/2011

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Birth Story

2011-10-10T20:38:00.002-06:00

In honor of my baby girl's 1 month birthday, I thought I should blog about her birth:0) I'm slow, but I have a beautiful excuse. First off, I must change her alias. I had named her Swiss Miss on the blog, expecting her to look like my boys. Well, she doesn't. She came out with so much dark hair I was baffled for a week straight (It should be known the babies in both of our families are born virtually bald. My sister and I didn't have much hair to speak of until we were 2). When PBTB took her in to give her her first bath, he brought her back with a cute little hairdo and I immediately thought she looked like a Kewpie. So, that's her new alias.
She does have blue eyes and shows some resemblance of "W" and I'm told her hair will probably fall out and turn blonde. Only time will tell. Back to the birth story....
Kewpie is very punctual and arrived on her due date. I was kind of a newbie at the whole "going into labor" experience, considering that with "W" my water broke and that didn't really induce my labor and with ET I had to be induced 3 weeks early.
I started getting consistent, every 30 minutes, contractions at about 10:00 am on September 9th. By 5:00 pm they were closer to 12-15 minutes apart. My Mom and I went to get a pedicure and by 11:00 pm they were intensifying and about 10 minutes apart, so we headed for the IMC. At this point, with all the horror stories I've heard, I was pretty nervous that they might send me home.
Arrived at IMC at around midnight, dilated to a 6, sigh of relief. I was staying.
They did the usual, hooked me up to monitors. Baby's heartbeat was lower than they prefer. So, they make me stay in bed. After over 12 hours of consistent labor, that was all it took for my contractions to slow down considerably, 20-30 minutes. After 2 hours, her heartbeat was more normal, so they let me walk. My contractions went back to 2-3 minutes apart and started intensifying again. Check heartbeat, lower again, sit in bed again, contractions slow again. Dr. suggests breaking my water. Done. Like with my first pregnancy, doesn't do much. Then things started getting weird. I was dilated to an 8 without an epidural. They tell me, "this isn't medically possible, but you're only dilated to a 7, maybe even a 6 now." Since lying in bed, once again my contractions slow to every 20-30 minutes. But, they hurt, BAD! I'm getting nervous, the next Dr. comes in and tells me that baby girl is posterior. They have me lay on my stomach with one leg elevated sideways to try and get her to turn back. I start to panic a bit and my body starts fighting the contractions, which makes them more painful. I tell them I need an epidural. They hesitate and I insist I am NOT going to change my mind. And, for my 3rd pregnancy, once again waited just a tad too long for the epidural! At 6:00 am they start me on pitocin to get things rolling, what the heck, already got an epidural. I'm finally ready to deliver around 9:00 am. Of course, baby girl poops, another thing to freak out over. I deliver at 9:17 YAY! Wait, placenta won't come out. Dr. Pieper pulls and pulls, nothing. After 30 minutes she tells me, "You should be extremely grateful you got an epidural. I am going to have to reach in there and get it and then scrape it out. When this happens to natural birth moms, the pain is excruciating and we give them medicine so that they forget the pain (VERSED)." HUGE sigh of relief that I insisted on my epidural. The placenta was shot, as in completely dead in many parts. Dr. Pieper asks if I plan on having more kids. "If so, you must not go past 39 weeks." Being that this is my second failed placenta. Explanation for false negative dilating, deteriorated placenta was slipping down in the way of baby's head, also preventing her from dropping while in late labor, causing my overly painful contractions.
I am sure there are much worse birth stories. I've actually heard much worse. But, this one is, by far, my worst actual birth. The worst pregnancy was a toss-up between the IUGR with #2 and the 1st trimester sickness with #3. I am not a fan of pro-creating at all right now. However, recovery has been good and baby girl is healthy, which is all that matters in the end, right?

ET First Day/First Year CCNS

2011-10-07T20:54:00.005-06:00

I just "knew" that ET would cry his first day of school and it would be a struggle to leave him for weeks. It gave me anxiety just thinking about it. He still wasn't letting me leave him in nursery after almost a year......Boy, did he prove me wrong. I co-oped the first day. And, the next time he had school I left him, he had a great day, no tears. (However, he still cries and won't go to nursery.) My boy is getting so big. His first day was September 6th, 4 days before baby sister was born. He loves his teacher, Stephanie, loves having his own friends. He remembers peoples' names after meeting them once. He LOVES to tell me what he did at school. He makes me so proud.

"W" 1st Day of School x 2

2011-09-01T11:11:00.005-06:00

August 23rd and August 31st. I had "W" enrolled at a co-op pre-school at the University of Utah. He went 1 day and I decided it wasn't where I wanted him to go. He was soooo mad at me. He wanted Miss Tammy, not anyone else. He gets attached after 1 Day?!!! We found another school a little bit closer to home and he loves it. So, his 2 first days of school.

Dragon Birthday

2011-09-01T10:49:00.014-06:00

August 20th. "W" had a Dragon Birthday for his 4th birthday party. My boys picked their birthday themes in January and talked about them all year long. "W" loves animals, especially birds. His favorite animal is an Oryx and his favorite bird is a Blue-footed Booby. His very favorite color is Blue. He memorizes his books and "reads" them to his brother. He is very tidy and never has to be asked to put his shoes in the closet or clothes in the laundry. He loves nature and collects feathers, rocks, and leaves. He loves snow skiing, swimming, and soccer. He works very hard and has an incredible attention span. He loves to play, tease, and wrestle with his brother. He loves to be around people, family or friends, and was so happy about inviting them to his party. We LOVE you "W"!!!

Duck Races

2011-09-01T10:34:00.011-06:00

August 12-14. This is the second time we've gone to Idaho Falls for the Duck Races (more lovely camera phone pics). It is such a fun thing for kids and a great little vacation spot. We visited Bear World (camera phone erased pics) and the boys loved every second of it. We also somewhat aknowledged our wedding anniversary (11 Years!!!)

Summer Review

2011-09-01T09:43:00.025-06:00

We've been too busy to blog. That's the way it goes every summer. Here are a few mobile highlights.
Dutch oven dinner in Settlement Canyon (by Unlce Jake).

Plenty of water time.Art in the Park. Library visits.Gymnastics. (Both boys took gymnastics, all I have is video and I can't get it to upload.)

Walking for a Cure for Children's Cancer.

Our first tomato from our first garden.Geode Hunting at Dugway Geode Beds.

Lots of Dr. Visits, anticipating Baby Sister.

Playing Soccer.

The biggest yard sale ever...

An invitation to a birthday party.Ogden Dinosaur Museum.

July 24th Weekend

2011-08-30T15:22:00.009-06:00

July 23rd Primary Parade....Faith of our Father Noah. The boys were alligators.

Our weekly visit to Primary Children's Hospital to "see" (bring treats/presents to) Logan. We don't actually get to see him usually, but sometimes.

July 25th The Bees Game.

4th of July, Alb Style

2011-07-06T22:32:00.011-06:00

We had a very different 4th of July this year. We were in Albuquerque and they do neighborhood parades, without floats that the kids ride their bikes in (similar to our 24th parades) instead of a community parade. We also drove 10 hours home afterward. The boys behaved admirably the entire way and we hit I-15 at 10:00 pm....just in time for fireworks show galore all the way up the wasatch front. We stopped on the off-ramp for the grand finale at Thanksgiving Point. IT.WAS.AWESOME! The boys thought we were the best parents ever.

Albuquerque Zoo

2011-07-05T22:39:00.005-06:00

This was a great zoo, with the favorites being the polar bear and the sea lions. It was so hot, so it was nice that it was short, but great collection of bigger animals.

Albuquerque Wedding

2011-07-05T22:13:00.017-06:00

PBTB's cousin Ellen was married over the holiday weekend (July 2) and we drove to Albuquerque for a visit and to join in the festivities. The boys are getting significantly better to travel with, just in time for us to have another baby ;) Only 2 months left!!!! PS, please excuse the bombarding of photos...the boys looked so handsome.

Tracy Aviary & Kenecott Copper

2011-07-05T21:52:00.011-06:00

We invited PBTB's parents to spend the day with us in June and go to the Tracy Aviary and Kenecott Copper after swimming lessons. The aviary was a guaranteed hit with our bird loving boys and I was much more impressed with the copper mine than I thought I would be. Fun day! (I'll spare you the million pictures I took of the back of my kids' heads, happens every time) Love how they pulled the identical goofy face.
"WARNING DO NOT CLIMB ON RAILING" Had to laugh at this pic....as so goes life with 2 boys.

Swimming Lessons

2011-07-05T21:33:00.007-06:00

I am slightly paranoid when it comes to the water, so I wanted to take the boys to some swimming lessons that would give me a bit of peace of mind, if only a fraction. They each had 10 (15 minute) lessons. They went 3 times a week, starting at the end of May. They both learned to float on their back, dive for objects under water, dive from the edge (from sitting), swim with their head under water, and find the edge and pull themselves up out of the pool. "W" also learned the basics of swimming on his back. All done with assistance (except floating and finding the edge and pulling themselves out), but amazing, nonetheless. ET cried the entire 15 minutes until lesson 7, but he was so good at obeying all requests and always told his instructors 'thank you' when he finished. He really learned alot and now LOVES the water. "W" loved every minute of every lesson. "W"(above) and ET (below) at their first lesson."W" practicing at home.

Gateway Chalk Arts Festival

2011-07-04T22:36:00.008-06:00

While we were taking Logan's weekly package to him, we decided to stop by the Chalk Art Festival (June 18). The boys got to color the sidewalk themselves and I was so surprised when we stopped at the spray park. "W" was the hesitant one and ET could not get enough, what the heck!? Are they swapping roles? They both had a blast, even though they were freezing. ET would take off on a dead run at one of us for a huge hug and kiss every time one of the sprayers would go off.
On a side note..."W" gave his first talk in primary the next day, Father's Day. I let him write it himself since he has a lot to say on the subject of Father's. It was the BEST talk. (fail! on pics)

Anyone, Anything, Anywhere

2011-06-11T11:43:00.008-06:00

Have you ever felt so very, very helpless about something so very, very important?...life or death important? I've made it 31 years and haven't really felt it until now. I'm grateful for that. I know that many of you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. My nephew has ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia). He is the greatest kid! He's so happy, always greets people with a smile and a hug. Did I mention he was a 15? How many 15 year old boys do that? He is so genuine and loving and WE LOVE LOGAN! Logan was diagnosed over a year ago and he is currently enduring a major set-back. He has relied on his happy, loving disposition to give him courage to be himself during his battle against cancer. He didn't need me or anyone else to tell him, he knew he could fight this and win! And now, out of my own fear that he might lose his positive self amidst all the uncertainty, I want to do what little I can to make sure he keeps that positive drive when he is going to need it the most. PBTB and I are calling for desperate measures for desperate times. Logan thrives on personal interaction, yet he's terrified to allow any visitors for fear of jepoardizing his treatment and potentially his life. We are setting a goal to put together a weekly care package to drop off to him at the hospital. It will be alphabet based. We are going to start tomorrow. A is for Aspirations! I am calling on every single person that reads this post. Begging you, anyone, anything, anywhere...help us out! PLEASE! Pick a letter of the alphabet and send me something...a note, an idea to use, a lucky penny, a letter of encouragement. We would be grateful for anything. Logan needs to know how many people care about him, are praying for him, are pulling for him. I want anyone who reads my blog to know, no matter who you are...if you take the time to read about my little family, you hold a special place in my heart. It means a lot to me, even if we've never spoken or met. You will hold an even greater place in my heart if you could help me, help Logan feel the love that surrounds him. Give back some of that love that he so freely gives. A little about Logan. Logan is 15. He has 2 older sisters, an older brother and 1 younger brother. He lives in West Haven, UT. He has the cutest, bashful smile. He has had a special glow about him ever since he was born. He has always been more concerned for others than he is for himself. His older brother and best friend, TJ, is scheduled to donate his bone marrow for a transplant as soon as Logan's body is stable. TJ is ready and more than willing. Logan's hobbies are fishing and spending time with is family, especially TJ, who hates to leave his side. I want to thank everyone who has offered to help any way that they can and let them know I'm finally stepping up to give back some of that love that he spreads around. Please e-mail phoebeab@msn.com. Thanks!

Some pics of Logan...pre-cancer

Current...fighting cancer.

ET 2 Years

2011-05-28T09:55:00.017-06:00

This weather is even interfering with my family documenting. I was waiting for a clear day to take ET's 2 year old pics. They were a month and a half late. What do you do?

Mini Me

2011-05-25T23:35:00.002-06:00

Circa 1982 L to R...Mo, Megan, Jacob, Myself (age 2, same as ET)

Me (showing this picture to ET, pointing to myself): Who's that?
ET: E****t
Me (smiling)
ET (studying pic for a while, long pause): I in a dress?
Me (trying not to laugh): No honey, that's mamma.

Easter

2011-05-07T20:41:00.012-06:00

Dyeing eggs.

Mom knows EB personally. A visit with him at Grandma Sharon's. Love that ET wasn't afraid...totally thought he would be.

Arctic Pony Party

2011-04-18T20:25:00.013-06:00

Anytime you ask ET a question for the last month, no matter the question, he'll answer 'pony party'. Our gracious neighbors let us borrow their pony for pony rides and not wind, nor rain, nor snow was going to stop us from having the long awaited 'pony party'. (4-9-11) A little about ET at 2 years old. He is affectionate beyond words. He doesn't go longer than an hour without saying "Momma...I love you....so much.....long", or Dadda, or "W". He even tells me "Momma, I love her" about his baby sister, that he wants to see and touch all day long. He is a parrot and repeats everything out of everyone's mouth, even if you're not talking to him or he'll answer your questions. He loves to antagonize. He says adorable things like "Mom, God made us?" and he loves to touch Mom's face and is obsessed with the mole on Mom's neck, kinda creepy :) ET sings cute songs, ie; I Am A Child of God. He loves horses, balls, and helicopters/airplanes. He loves to be outside (in any weather) and go for rides on the four-wheeler. He is an incredible talker and he is very good at sharing. Unfortunately, he says some undesirable words, ie; (to "W") "You're ornery.....freak!"......oops, don't know where he heard that. We love you ET, Happy Birthday!

Series of Unfortunate Events

2011-04-09T17:24:00.004-06:00

ET got his first set of stitches yesterday (notice I'm not expecting it to be his last). PBTB took the boys with him to the bank to sign some papers. The boys were doing their usual, raising cain, when their feet got tangled, sending ET face first into the corner of a granite pillar. PBTB called me on the way to the instacare and asked me to come assist. Between the 2 boys, this is the third incident involving stitches. The first time I held "W"s head while they sewed his finger back on, the second time my mom offered to hold "W" while they sewed his lip up (I am eternally grateful), this time I was involved in the human child restraint again. So awful. When we got home, I was afraid we wouldn't make it a solid hour without having to go back to the hospital. "W" tripped and hit his head on the corner of the nightstand and started bleeding. They both stuffed things up their noses, that I was afraid was going to have to be surgically retrieved. ET stepped sideways off our step stool and I grabbed his arm just as he was heading for the floor. I was praying I could get them to bed before there was nothing left of them.

It's Amazing...

2011-04-08T18:10:00.005-06:00

how much time you have to knit when there's a girl involved. I don't post pictures of my knitting projects anymore, because I decided a while back that this was strictly a family album. But, I justified this one because it's for the Swiss Miss and it's my first completed knit item for her. I have at least 4 other items in the works. I even made the boys' a quilt for their bed, because I felt guilty.

It Never Gets Any Easier

2011-04-08T17:47:00.008-06:00

There are some gut-wrenching, soul-crushing things that come along with parenthood. I know that's dramatic, but it just kills me to cut off my kids' curls....or pack up clothes....or anything that represents them getting older. Hence the shaggy hairdo's around here. I wait until the grandma's have been nagging for months until I get out the shears. I cut "W"s hair for the first time about a month before his second birthday. With ET I was determined to wait until he was two, I was 5 days early, but it was getting bad. I fought back tears the whole time and then I had to get re-acquainted with the 2 strangers that were running around my house. (failed to get pics of "W") But it didn't stop there....I was a little sulky for at least 2 days, even though he is equally cute, if not cuter. Why is this so hard for me?! ET was not fond of getting his haircut, he shed many tears himself. But, he was pleased with the end result. (my apologies for the dirty face, he'd been in our dirtpile of a yard with PBTB)

March Mosaic

2011-04-08T17:30:00.011-06:00

A few pics from March. We went to St. George for some warmer weather in mid-march and what do you know? It got cold the day we arrived, bleh. We had a nice getaway. It was too short, as always. This time of year is so hard for me. I'm convinced I was born to live closer to the equator.

Eating ice cream cones whenever the temperature reaches 50.

And finally, trying our hand at some seedlings. It's astonishing how quickly you get sprouts, magical.

Today....

2011-03-25T21:43:00.002-07:00

I woke up with less sleep than I would have liked.
Today I woke up an hour before I was supposed to have my boys to a dentist appointment. I remembered the appointment when I woke up, but sometime before the actual appointment I forgot to get all of us ready and leave the house. I remembered just in time for us to be there (not the first time I've done that in my life)....and then it started snowing :(
Today "W" peed on my couch.
Today ET bit "W" on the back and a few hours later bit LuLu on the arm.
Today "W" and LuLu toilet papered my front room with half a bag of wipes while I was sorting laundry.
Today I saw gas was 15 cents per gallon more than I paid 2 days ago.
Today ET made a lovely little mess with kitty litter and water.
Today I suffered through my 5th day of allergies, darn the contraindications of taking pills during pregnancy.
Today ET dumped half of all of his meals on the floor...oh wait, he does that everyday.
Today I was seconds away from running away from home, when my knight in shining armor came through the door.
Today I am grateful for my knight in shining armor.
Today I am grateful that we have enough money to put food on the table....even if that's basicly the extent of it a lot of times :)
Today I am grateful for my beautiful children and my hard-working husband....not a soul on this earth works as hard as he does.
Today I am grateful that we are not living at the mercy of a natural disaster.
Today I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows and meets my needs, a lot of times before I even realize it's a need.
Today I am grateful for good health and the new life that will be joining us.
Today I am grateful for the knowledge that I have so much to be grateful for....even on a day like today.

Shock & Awe

2011-03-12T15:35:00.003-07:00

Yes folks, it's true. We are capable of making baby......GIRLS around here. We will be welcoming baby GIRL, who's pen name will be Swiss Miss (for no reason other than "because I decided to"), on or around 9-10-11.

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite

2011-03-01T20:15:00.004-07:00

"W" turned 3 1/2 in February and he is growing and changing so much I just had to dedicate a post to him.
"W" has been able to make everyone in his life feel loved from the time he was little. Not by kissing or hugging, he's not the most affectionate kid. Instead he just expresses interest in being around you and now, it's evolved into compliments. He randomly tells me things like "Mom, I want you on my team." "Good job!, (ET, Mom, etc.)." "You're being so good!" "Mommy, I'm so proud of you!" Today he asked me what letter his name started with and when I said "W", he told me "Good guess, Mom!" He loves to say "Just kidding" after saying some ridiculous thing.
He is still in LOVE with animals and so concerned with their well-being. Every time I ask him what he did at pre-school, he tells me he played with the animals. Today he asked me (pointing to a picture in an animal book) "Mom, is this a female ostrich?" I didn't know so I had to call PBTB.
I LOVE his little prayers and he even said a prayer in Primary for the first time last Sunday. Along with a scripture. He was so good about practicing his scripture and he did such a good job. We have been told over and over by a lot of credible (pre-school teacher, pediatrician, a speech therapist) people that he has an incredible ability to pay attention. It's funny the things you don't recognize yourself when you don't know any different.
I was struggling trying to teach him his numbers, trying different techniques (songs, books, puzzles) without much luck. His favorite animal is an Oryx. So I bought an Oryx toy and told him he could have it if he learned to count to 5. He spent hours (like 3 or 4) practicing and practicing until he got it. He must be an audio/pattern learner because what finally worked was saying the numbers really fast out loud over and over. Which, I think I was just doing out of exasperation. I couldn't believe he WOULD NOT give up. He wanted that Oryx.
He LOVES puzzles. He has 8 of them and he will put them all together, then break them all apart over and over again for hours.
"W"....I LOVE being your Mom! You are such a great kid and I am so happy every time I look into your happy, excited little face.

Love Is Blind

2011-02-18T13:29:00.005-07:00

We had a quiet Valentine's night around here. PBTB skipped school and we babysat LuLu. The boys loved the doorbell ditching and eating all sorts of candy. Look closely at the photos to see if you are as dense as the rest of our family members. Every one of them had to be told what their Valentines Day surprise was.

Fresh Egg Time Again

2011-02-15T17:07:00.004-07:00

We're getting 7 or 8 eggs a day, with some beautiful new colors of blue. Help take some of these eggs off our hands! In case your new around here. "W" and ET sell them to save money for their missions. ($2.00 a dozen)

Friendly Faces

2011-02-08T09:44:00.014-07:00

It doesn't matter where we go, PBTB will see someone that he knows. Las Vegas, Florida, Hawaii, now New Mexico. It's not that he knows all that many people. It's that he recognizes people. I probably run into people I've met all the time and don't have a clue. I used to tease him about it, but now it's getting a little freaky. At Explora, in Albuquerque, he ran into a classmate from about 7 years ago. She had gotten into pharmacy school there and decided to stay. We went to Albuquerque for some mid-winter warmth, hahahahaha. It was 8 degrees when we got there. We did have a really good time getting re-acquainted with PBTB's cousins. Some we hadn't seen for 10 years. Others, 5 years. The boys loved their new playmates. Thanks, Dave, Kristine, Amanda, and Kyle for hosting us.

For Sale

2011-01-28T13:23:00.010-07:00

We took the kids to the circus to see how much they'd give us for them. No luck. I guess that means I have to go back to correcting they're inappropriate behaviors. I mean, if someone can't profit from them. Especially the short one who shoots everyone he can with his finger gun...the congregation at church, his brother (of course), and any authoritative figure who stands in the way of his mischief.

I Can't Take It Anymore

2011-01-26T21:10:00.003-07:00

Another response to this.
I can't believe I am even typing this, dreading hitting the publish button. I'll have to warn you, my thoughts are going to be all over the place. I've decided to honor my beliefs and opinions and share them. Chef Messy did it and I can too. I rarely post rants/venting of any sort, but this article and the comments/discussions have struck a chord.

The article itself is more amusing to me than anything, but the dicsussions are repulsive and offensive. This may come as a surprise to some, but it's hard living in Utah being a Mormon. For the most part, there is this barrier built between Mormons and Non-mormons and it's getting old. It exists in my own immediate family. If anyone talks of values or morals, its always the "Mormons forcing the issue". Why do you have to be Mormon to believe that pornography is morally wrong and breaks-up families? Why is it the Mormons' fault that we're a republican state? Last time I checked we're not the only republican state.

I cherish the experience I've had with ideas about Mormons in other states. My sister lives in Washington. It's refreshing to me that you can say, "I'm a Mormon" and the only label you get is "religious". I'm more comfortable talking about my religion there than I am here.

Furthermore, I really am a happy person. I like being happy. I really do love being a Mom. It's easy if it's a priority to you. It's hard if you feel like its a burden or your heart lies elsewhere. My husbands a happy person. That's why we really are happy together. We really do fun things. We really do have difficult times. What was this writer thinking classifying NieNie as someone who makes life out to be better than it really is? She was burned over 80% of her body for crying out loud!
I've chosen to stay home with our children. I also happen to have a degree. Knowledge is encouraged and valued in our religion. I could at any time drop my children at daycare and further my career. Oh wait, I am! My children are my career! They are my heart and soul and they give me more depth than I could get in any career. That is my choice, just like it's any other mother's choice to go to medical school or travel the globe. However, I don't accuse them of falsifying the joys of either of those two things. Who's job is it to decide what others get joy out of?
Do I think that Mormon housewives are painting a false picture of their happy lives through blogs? No, I don't.
I also really love being creative and making things. Is it because I have nothing better to do (hahahahaha) staying home and need a creative outlet? Absolutely not, for those of you who knew me pre-children when I had a full-time job. My production and creativity level is running at about 25% and goes down 10% with each child.

'Nuff Said

2011-01-26T13:43:00.003-07:00

Other people are so much better at "telling it like it is". I didn't even know this article existed, but I love Chef Messy's response and have to whole-heartedly agree.

http://www.chefmessy.com/2011/01/go-team-mormon.html#tp

Ted Ligety

2011-01-22T17:32:00.008-07:00

Sometimes I refer to "W"s hair as "Ted Ligety hair". It's irreverent and unruly and will stand straight up if left to it's own right, just like Ted Ligety's. Today was "W"s first day on the slopes (Chickadee, Snowbird). PBTB says he's a natural, he went more than one run without falling at all. He may have something else in common with Ted. It was a blizzard, they were up there for 6 hours and he still didn't want to come home. That's some dedication that he did not inherit from his mama. I last about 5 minutes in the cold.

I'm re-thinking this hobby as I consider the financial commitment, PBTB says it will be good incentive for him to do well in school. Well, yes, that's true.

Built-ins

2011-01-14T15:18:00.005-07:00

It's always a hit when the cousins come for a visit. Built-in playmates. ET hasn't stopped asking for each of them individually by name since they left. Guess he thought our new live-ins were going to be permanent.

My Sunbeam!

2011-01-03T09:03:00.004-07:00

I am so proud of my little Sunbeam. He was so happy to be in with the bigger kids. They had him help hold a sign during singing time, which he was sooo proud of. He also thought it was so special that I gave him his own BOM. Here he is walking around the house in his "man" voice, pretending to read his book, which sounds like a prayer. In true "W" fashion.

Time Capsule

2010-12-29T20:32:00.005-07:00

We were married in 2000. We bought 2 time capsule ornaments that year. One for the millennium and one for our first Christmas together. They each had slips of paper to fill out. We liked them so much we made our own slips for the following year 2001 and again in 2002. Then, I guess we got lazy. So I'm starting the tradition again this year, except on the blog.The Story of our 11th Christmas together.
That Christmas, when the weather was cold, as usual, some snow on the ground, but not fresh. We lived at 129 W 400 S.
At that time, the news was full of stories of things like: A recession recovery, political unrest, charitable communities.
We shared lots of Christmas traditions, including: Our animal advent calendar, Christmas eve pjs, pics with Santa, homemade gifts, Christmas story from the bible on Christmas eve (this time with a production put on by the grandkids, ET was a camel, "W" was a donkey, PBTB was a wiseman, I was the narrator.), christmas presents from celebrities.
and celebrated the season with special people like: our families, welcoming Trish and Leo this year.
We got each other presents like: PBTB got me a yoga starter kit. The boys got me some yoga dvd's. I got PBTB 2 books from the Hunger Games trilogy and a blacksmithing book. (Mostly our gift was the new house.) The boys got PBTB a bert beanie. ET gave "W" a spine covered dinosaur/lizard and "W" gave ET a large puffer fish ball.
But those were fleeting things.....
We knew that for our 11th Christmas, and every one to follow, our love for each other would be the best gift of all.

2010
A time for remembering, a time for sharing, a time for celebration...a time to look back.
Enjoyed: moving into our new house, learning many life lessons on our journey, seeing our boys celebrate birthdays and holidays, teaching our boys
Celebrated: Getting daddy back, Thanksgiving in California, our family members conquering cancer.
Accomplished: building an entire home start to finish by ourselves (ok, mostly PBTB, but I built the kitchen)
Welcomed: Trish Hoy and Leo James Wright
Remembered: To be honest, both of us are lucky that we remember our first names. It's amazing how much you don't retain when you're in survival mode.

2011
Believe in the new year that is given us-new, untouched, full of things that have never been...a time to look forward.
Resolved to: make it to the temple monthly, spend time together as a family and with each other individually, and work diligently to finish up loose ends in our new home. PBTB, work hard in school, take time for himself (seriously difficult for him) Phoebe, learn yoga, practice patience, learn, learn, learn.
Predict that: We will be able to grow our family through marriage and babies. Next year at this time, our house odds and ends will be complete.
Hope for: good health, prosperity, faith, determination.
Plan to: have PBTB start back to school (full-swing), survive, keep up with goals and schedules.
Dream that: We can do our very best to provide for our children and give them every opportunity we are capable of. We stay healthy and happy.

Better Than A Hippopotamus

2010-12-29T10:27:00.012-07:00

The boys on Christmas Eve in their pj's that I always con my mom into helping me with. We both about died when "W" chose his giraffe print fabric, but they ended up pretty cute. And a few pics of Christmas morning.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

2010-12-15T16:05:00.021-07:00

For anyone who was waiting. Here are pics of our house, our home, PBTB's ultimate masterpiece. Isn't it funny how it looks like I've got it all cleaned and organized? It's not, I didn't even dust or wipe down the bathrooms :) I'm tricky like that. That's why no one gets to come visit for another couple years. Ok, ok, I'll try to make it months or even weeks. These are just a few of my daily smile makers. Some aren't ready yet, like my gold dining room and the mantle. We've got projects to last us another couple years.

Kris Kringle

2010-12-14T10:32:00.005-07:00

Despite my very convincing efforts, ET is still not diggin' Jolly Old St. Nick.
I'm happy to have Santa Visits back at a local business.

Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns, and Syrup

2010-12-13T21:12:00.006-07:00

This was my first attempt at making a gingerbread house. "W" decorated his, except the frosting, all by himself. ET just enjoyed the four main food groups. (ET was limited on candy colors, he's allergic to red dye, so no red, purple or orange)

O Christmas Tree

2010-12-06T23:32:00.005-07:00

We were serenaded by ET singing "O Christmas Tree" while we decked the halls.

Wild Animal Safari

2010-12-03T01:08:00.010-07:00

San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Safari (which is in Escondido, strange) was my favorite day. This place is a little chunk of Africa within driving distance. Most of the animals (giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, cranes, ostriches, cape buffalo, flamingos) are just roaming wild on a vast grassland) The scenery was out of this world. And then there are cheetahs, lions, gorillas, tigers, elephants, etc. in their own quarters. The demeanor of the animals was nothing like at the zoo. This place is a true habitat, not just a cage. The sociology of the animals was fascinating. We watched some rhinos in a shoving match for about 30 minutes. "W" did not want to leave. And the best part was a tour on an open bus that took you around to see everything.

Reach For the Sky

2010-12-03T00:48:00.006-07:00

After avoiding the Thanksgiving day crowd at Disneyland, Black Friday couldn't have been any better. But, we had a fabulous time and it was magical, just like it should be. We had a small hit-list which made things laid back and stress free. If you have never been to Disneyland around the holidays, I highly recommend it. The magic of Disney is on steroids. My favorite was It's a Small World (christmas style). The boys' loved the parade. ET yelled "Woody!" when he spotted him in his adorable raspy voice.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T00:19:00.007-07:00

We had a TRUE Charlie Brown Thanksgiving this year. We participated in the Give a Day Get a Day Disney program and had to use our tickets before December 15 and PBTB had some time off for Thanksgiving weekend. Thanksgiving is supposed to be one of the 5 busiest days of the year at Disney, so we decided to go to Knott's Berry Farm on Thanksgiving day. The following Friday we headed to Disney. And Saturday we went to San Diego's Wild Animal Safari. It was a non-stop party and the kids loved every second of it.

"W" liked Knott's Berry Farm the best because they had the best roller coaster. I actually got scared on the same one. But, I got scared on the Log ride, so what does that tell you about me?

ET's favorite part were the horses and the train, but mostly the horses. He's not quite the adrenaline junky that "W" is.

The dinner was delicious. Best Turkey I have ever eaten. Best stuffing I have ever eaten. Awesome mashed potatoes. Awesome rolls. The yams left a little to be desired. The kids couldn't get enough, as you can see.

One Day At A Time

2010-12-02T23:41:00.009-07:00

It's always surprising when you notice that it's been nearly a month since your last post. Life is hectic, life is hard, life is GOOD. We are taking things one day at a time and making small goals and taking deep breaths. I have so much to do that the light at the end of the tunnel is dim to say the least. The last year and a half has been life altering. It's a struggle to get back to what I view as "normal" and I'm resigning to the fact that too much has changed since then and my picture perfect dreams are not reality. That being said, I have so much to be grateful for. My husband is a superhuman and my kids are my everything. They make my heart swell. I can totally relate to the grinch when his heart grows. That is exactly what I feel every time ET says a new word or "W" learns to count or they learn to play together or when I overhear their bedtime conversation. And the absolute best is being able to see them play with their Daddy regularly. They L.O.V.E. their Daddy and having him at their beck and call once more lights up their very being. I haven't done a lot of photo documenting lately, but we've got first major snow and making cookies with Dad. (Love that ET wanted his horse helping)

Peek A Zoo

2010-11-05T22:16:00.010-07:00

"W" assigned costumes this year. PBTB-Lion, Myself-Leopard, "W"-Rhino, ET-Gorilla. I didn't have the energy to make the boys' costumes this year, but managed to throw PBTB and mine together Halloween day. Then, it poured rain for the 15 or so minutes we went trick or treating at the trunk or treat and downtown. (First three pics taken by Lindsay Sundloff at the Pumpkin Walk)

Farm Fresh Eggs

2010-10-21T23:24:00.003-06:00

The boys' eggs are now for sale. We are getting about 5-6 eggs a day (chocolate brown, terra cotta, light brown, and blue-green). They are $2.00 a dozen. They are delicious! Once you've had fresh eggs, you'll never want store bought again. Thanks!
PS; We are in Salt Lake at least 3 times a week if that is more convenient for anyone.

Brought to You by "W"

2010-10-16T12:50:00.003-06:00

"W"; Mom, I want to buy her?
Me; What? (As in, did I hear you correctly?)
"W"; I want to buy her. (pointing to his 8 year old playmate, Indy)
Me; She's not for sale, honey.
.............................................................................
"W"; I want to go show Grandma my chicken eggs.
Me; Grandma's not home.
"W"; Where is she?
Me; She went to the Dr. with Grandpa.
"W"; Oh, she' going to have a baby?
Me; No, let's hope not.
"W"; Oh, I was just kidding (dead serious, straight face)
We had this conversation twice.

ET 18 Months

2010-10-14T23:56:00.009-06:00

My children are polar oposites in almost all respects. ET is my lover, he melts me when he wraps his tiny arms around my neck and he's always generous with his kisses. He's got a radar on me and doesn't like me to leave his sight. The poor kid has struggled with ear infections since January and I think that this might play a part in his clingyness (He gets tubes on Tuesday!). However, I'm easily forgotten if Daddy's around, he's just like his brother that way. He can be quite controlling and sometimes grabs your face for a smooch or pushes you to stand up and hold him. He gives new meaning to the word independent, the kid would rather starve than let someone else feed him and he'll out eat "W" anyday. He loves to run and I don't think he even thought of walking until recently. He bounces out of bed in the morning the second he wakes up, just like his Daddy (no rest for the wicked). He loves to torment his older brother. In spite of his ear trouble, his vocabulary is growing. He says "one minute" (while holding up one finger, appropriately I might add), "thank you", "DuDu" (for LuLu, cousin bestie), "Phoebe" ("W" taught him to call me that, nice of him), "Cheeese!", and "Home Depot". He is so animated with his face and still says "Wow, wow!" when he likes something. He loves to growl and make animal noises (meow, bock). Still, nothing gets his attention like a ball. He's starting to have the same problem with sleeping that "W" did, luckily just as "W" has grown out of it.

Pumpkin Head Harvey

2010-10-14T23:46:00.005-06:00

Our annual pumpkin hunt at the local pumkin patch.

Set in Stone

2010-10-10T12:09:00.001-06:00

We're sooooo close.

Convo W/"W"

2010-10-02T18:08:00.005-06:00

"W"; (holding up his stuffed animal) Did I get this at Home Depot?

Me; No, you got it at IKEA

"W"; Where is she?

Me; Who?

"W"; IKEA

Me; IKEA is in Salt Lake. (that term is used loosely in these parts, pretty much anything between Bountiful and Lehi)

"W"; Where is she goin'?

Me; Honey, IKEA just stays in one spot.

"W"; Doesn't she have a car?

Barack Obama

2010-09-23T14:17:00.007-06:00

(Disclaimer: this post in no way reflects my political views. However, being the good & respectful citizen that I am ;), I taught my 3 year old the name of the President of the United States. Which resulted in the naming of our cat.)

"W" has been potty training since January. Going #2 has been a breeze, maybe one accident. Going #1 has been a royal pain my rear end. About 2 months ago, I had had it. About every 3 or 4 days he would "leak" before he told me he had to go. So annoying. So, in my deperate state, I said; 'If you don't have any accidents for a whole week you get to go to the Zoo. If you don't have any accidents for an entire month, you get a kitten. You get a red star on the calendar every good day that you have.' I knew the Zoo was probably a given, but he must have really, really wanted a kitten, because he didn't miss a single day. Problem solved.

Oh yeah, but I really had to get a kitten. I searched high and low for the perfect kitten. I would show "W" pictures and he would say he liked it or not. One day I showed him a bengal kitten with cheetah spots.....mistake, they're $500-$1200. That's all he wanted after that, a cheetah cat. So, I got creative and it paid off. I found him a year old bengal for the price it would have been to get a kitten fixed.

He is currently a house guest of my parents, until our house has more suitable living conditions for him. He is a great pet and he's so gentle with the boys...I was kinda worried about that. When asked what he was going to name his new cat, "W" instantly replied Barack Obama. Welcome to the family Barack Obama.

Lovely camera phone pics.

Show & Tell

2010-09-09T21:58:00.005-06:00

I don't really have a purpose to this post, other than I took pictures at pre-school on day two, as well, and I wanted to post them. I do love that "W" has show & tell this year. Today he took his hawk feather that Grandpa Bill found on the golf course. Apparently, it was a big hit with the other kids. (Nothing like it dropping 30 degrees from one day to the next, huh?)

Year Two at CCNS

2010-09-08T21:45:00.006-06:00

"W" is so happy to be back at CCNS, it's like he just picked up where he left off. He walked right in, sat down at circle time, didn't give me a second thought. I stand around hoping/waiting for who knows what and then I turn around and leave with an empty pit in my stomach. Your killin' me smalls. (It's nearly impossible to get this kid to smile or look at the camera, it's always a forced "cheeeeese", eyes to the ground)

Antelope Island

2010-09-06T21:33:00.001-06:00

For Labor Day we went on a 1/2 day trip to Antelope Island with my brother, his family, and Burt's parents. It was the perfect day to go and we saw all sorts of wildlife. Bison, antelope, buck, coyote (literally walking alongside our car), water fowl. The bison alone were worth the trip and I really enjoyed a small hike we took to Buffalo Point. I had no idea how beautiful it was there. I would definitely go back. There is also a sandy beach (which we'll save for another day), a great visitor center, and a little Grill, in case you get hungry.

Sonshine

2010-09-06T11:42:00.008-06:00

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~Marc Brown
Photos taken by Cambria Ann.

Wild Thing...

2010-08-28T00:06:00.023-06:00

I think I love you. It was beyond windy for "W's party, but we survived and had a blast. We had Wild Things Science visit. I don't know who was more impressed the kids or the adults. "W" chose a toucan, a parrot, a tree frog, a giant millipede, and a hedgehog to come to his birthday. It couldn't have been any better. Then, face painting, "W" chose a cheetah. He was so cute. All night he kept asking if his cheetah was still there. I guess because he couldn't see it without a mirror. "W" was so happy to have his party after we'd been talking about it for months. Even though Mom completely dropped the ball and didn't mail 1/2 of his invitations, didn't serve cake and ice cream, and completely forgot to do the pinatas.

Importance of Being 3

2010-08-24T22:35:00.022-06:00

Ever notice how important 3 is to a child? 3 blind mice, 3 little pigs, 3 bears, 3 musketeers.....just sayin'. "W" turned 3 on the 24th. He is so fun. He makes me laugh every day with his "grown-up" phrases, his pretend play, and his understanding of the world. He also has me at witts end most days, tormenting his brother, running from me, and his understanding of the world. He likes to make sure things are done "right" (heaven forbid we change how we had done it previously). He still loves animals with all his might. (current favorites; meerkat, gorilla, rhino, gazelle, cheetah, lion, flamingo, hippo, giraffe, zebra, elephant, water buffalo) He is an expert at making his own animal sounds. He still has a giant smile. He is just starting to show his unselfish being, understanding others' feelings. I love it when he tells me I have a cute dress or cute toes or cute shoes with his darling smile. He is up for any adventure, even if it's just going to the store. He's finally learned how to fall asleep on his own, no more melatonin, YAY! He loves, loves people. I could not buy him a single gift for his birthday and this child couln't care less. As long as he is surrounded by people he loves. (which is pretty much everyone) "W", we are so happy you are part of our family. You are one of a kind.

After reading CJane's post on the Bean Museum, we knew that was the perfect place for "W" and we scheduled an animal show. PBTB had just gotten home from Maryland. We picked him up from the airport, then headed for the Bean Museum, Toys R Us, The Museum of Ancient Life, and the Farm at Thanksgiving Point. I can't say he liked one more than another.

Miss You Like Crazy

2010-08-23T22:13:00.000-06:00

PBTB went back to Maryland without us for 9 days (Aug 15-24). We missed him terribly. We texted pics back and forth every day. He ended up being gone 3 days longer than planned which seemed like an eternity. (footnotes; the reason ET looks goofy in that close-up is because "W" had just given him a fat lip (don't know why he's smiling), if you think the close-up of me is scary don't come visit me while my hubby is gone, the random guy is Al from our hotel that "W" befriended, and sorry about the mini pics again.)

Peek A Zoo

2010-08-14T21:43:00.012-06:00

You'll have to forgive my miniature pics. If anyone knows how to retrieve full sized picture messages from your e-mail through Verizon (who so rudely changed methods), I would be very happy to chat. Until then, here is a mini version of our trip to the Hogle Zoo. PS, isn't Zuri, the baby elephant,the cutest thing you've ever seen in your life?

First Egg

2010-08-13T22:03:00.000-06:00

One of our chickens has started to lay! She is laying pretty regularly already, pretty much every day. We think it is Dot, she is the oldest. However, we haven't caught her in the act yet. This is "W" with his eggs. The green egg was laid by the only adult chicken we have, Pratt. The small brown one is from the new layer.

Stay Here Forever

2010-08-12T13:37:00.010-06:00

If you wanna go, Baby let's go,
If you wanna rock, I'm ready to roll,

And if you wanna slow down,

We can slow down together.

If you wanna walk, Baby let's walk.

Have a little kiss, have a little talk.

We don't gotta leave at all,

We can lay here forever

~Jewel~

This is PBTB and my current theme song. Have you heard it (#7)? We've been married 10 years today. Turning 30 and having your 10 year anniversary in the same year shouldn't be allowed. It makes you feel really old. I love you babe!, there's no one in the world I'd rather grow old with.

El Pollo Loco

2010-08-03T22:30:00.014-06:00

I'm ready to blog about my chickens again. It's been a rough go. I had 4 original beloved chickens. Named Dot, Flora, Sabine, and Siobhan. I raised these chicks from the time they were a day old. Then we added 5 more chickens (about 5 weeks old when we got them)...I didn't name these chickens because I thought we might have to give one of them up if it was a rooster. Some of you may know how difficult it is to raise chicks. They're pretty fragile until they feather out. I loved taking care of my chicks!

One day my MIL was feeding our dogs and before she could even bat an eyelash, each of our dogs charged the coop, forced their head in and grabbed a chicken. 2 chickens gone just like that. Of course, it would have been the ones I'd already named. Goodbye Siobhan and Dot. I cried for hours. I found some similar breeds to replace them that were around the same age on ksl.

Then, our neighbors, who were moving soon, asked if they could use our coop for one larger chicken so they could have fresh eggs until they moved. Sure, didn't see any problems with that. I had already combined my 2 flocks and it had gone pretty well. I didn't realize that it's a VERY bad idea to combine younger and older chickens. They were ok at first, but after a few days I found my lovely little Flora pecked nearly to death by the older chicken. We retrieved her and the first week was pretty iffy. I cried hard for hours and then decided I couldn't shed another tear for these chickens....they were too fragile. Both eyes and most of her head and back were a giant scab for weeks. In the end, she made a near full recovery. She was left with only one eye. During her recovery, she stayed in the house with my MIL. They became great friends. Flora loved to roam the back yard.

While we were back east, my MIL forgot that she had left Flora out to play and let the dogs out to feed them. Goodbye Flora, you were everyone's favorite. I was sooo sad, but I already vowed no more tears.

We now have 11 chickens and we're pretty positive that none are roosters. They are between 4 and 5 months old. They should start laying in the next 1 to 2 months. I can't wait!

I just barely got up the nerve to name the rest of them.

Pratt (White Aracauna, named after the neighbors who left her with us, light green eggs)

Dot Returns (Silver Laced Wyandotte replacement, white eggs)

Trellis (Welsummer replacement, terra cotta eggs)

Sunset...Sunny for short(backup Welsummer, terra cotta eggs)

Sabine (Cuckoo Maran, only one of my original 4 babies left, chocolate brown eggs)

Plume (backup Cuckoo Maran, chocolate brown eggs)

Monson (Black Aracauna, blue/green eggs, has a boy name because we thought she might be a rooster)

Norah (Brown Aracauna, blue/green eggs)

Maude (Brown Aracauna, blue/green eggs)

Mavis (Brown Aracauna, blue/green eggs)

Pippy (Rhode Island Red, brown eggs)

PS the only one who loves the chickens more than me is "W"

Highlights

2010-08-02T22:00:00.026-06:00

Photos taken with the DSLR while we were back east.

Wound Up

2010-07-27T20:34:00.002-06:00

The plane ride home was every bit as miserable as I had imagined. If you follow along around here, my kids don't sleep while traveling. That combined with waking them up at 4:30 am was a train wreck. But, it's over, and we survived. We came home kissed, kissed, and kissed again, then had celebratory watermelon. Good call, Grandma!

Arundel Mills

2010-07-26T19:23:00.008-06:00

We have to leave on a 7:30 am plane in the morning....bleh! We didn't want to drive an hour to the airport so we switched hotels to a place nearby. Which also happens to be near Arundel Mills mall. So, of course, we did a little last minute shopping. Like our luggage wasn't bulging already. "W" went on these Eurobobbles. They were so cool. They have a big zipper on them. They stick the kid in the bubble, then blow it up with air. Then the kid gets to roll around like a hamster for 5 minutes. It was hilarious and "W" drew a little crowd because he was so little and having so much fun. We're all sad that our suite life has come to an end, but we're soooo excited to get back home.

Jerusalem Mill Village & Ladew Gardens

2010-07-25T20:19:00.021-06:00

Today we visited Jerusalem Mill Village. On Sundays, they do demonstrations of blacksmithing, cooking, woodworking, and gunmaking. During special events they do colonial re-enactments, including vintage baseball games (too bad we missed that). Afterwards we went to Ladew Gardens, a topiary garden. I had been stoked about it all week. When we got there, the sun was shining and I was worried about it being way too hot to walk around. We walked in the gift shop to buy tickets and looked around a minute. By the time we got back outside there were huge dark clouds rolling in. We ran and took a few pictures before it started dumping on us. I was so bummed. What we got to see was gorgeous and there were swarms of butterflies all around.

Sesame Place

2010-07-24T22:15:00.013-06:00

My favorite thing about this theme park is that little kids can go on everything. "W"s favorite was the roller coaster. He couldn't stop giggling with delight. ET was too little for that (the only ride with age restrictions), didn't like the lazy river, but loved everything else. I think that this was definitely the boys' favorite adventure so far.

Amazing Glace

2010-07-21T22:07:00.006-06:00

I went to a little shop similar to Color Me Mine today. I painted some plates for the boys and a few Maryland souvenirs. PBTB took the boys to eat and I just got to paint for about 2 1/2 hours. Sometimes I forget how good it feels to create. It doesn't matter what it is. I haven't knit/sewn/even read a book in way too long (months).

A picture of the boys eating a cookie.....we stop everytime we see a bakery and test out the goods.

And, a picture of "W" in the tubby. This is what we do when PBTB's at work and ET's asleep.

Washington, D.C. Part II

2010-07-18T21:33:00.013-06:00

Today we went to Arlington National Cemetary and watched them switch out the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns. Then we headed to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History ("W" was so funny in the African mammal room. He ran from animal to animal saying "cheeesse", so I would take his picture.) and then the Holocaust Museum (sorry, forgot to take pics, here). Again, it was HOT, HOT! We are glad to be back "home", as "W" calls it. (Poor kid is going to have a rude awakening when he finds out we don't have a swimming pool and a billiard room.)

National Mall, D.C.

2010-07-17T20:15:00.011-06:00

I just have to say, my kids are such troopers. It's so hot and humid (I can barely stand it) and they never have melt downs when we drag them all over the city so we can sight-see. Today we hit Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, the White House, and the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.

Gunpowder Falls State Park

2010-07-15T19:37:00.008-06:00

It took us 2 weeks to figure out that there was a beach closer than Ocean City (2 1/2 hour drive). It's only a 15 minute drive. There were many tears shed when we had to go back to the hotel.
PS Grandpa E is not urinating in that picture, but we were laughing like he was.

Roy's Baltimore

2010-07-14T19:45:00.003-06:00

The boys are all equipped if we get to make it to an Oriole's game. We took PBTB's parents to Roy's tonight for dinner. The 2 restaurants we've been to in Baltimore don't have kids' menus. They just bring them something from the kitchen (ie; noodles/quesadillas) as soon as you sit down....brilliant! For dessert Roy's brought them ice cream in a dish with their names wriiten in chocolate on a cookie shaped like a palm tree. Awesome!

Smithsonian National Zoo

2010-07-11T20:20:00.006-06:00

PBTB's parents are coming on Wednesday, they want to spend most of their time in DC. I knew that we wouldn't make it to the Zoo (not at the top of the priority list), so we made a special trip today. I have this thing about taking pictures of the animals at the zoo....I don't see the point. And trying to get your kids to look at the camera instead of the animals is a joke. So, we're limited here. (PS; can you believe this zoo is free?!...just pay for parking.)

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

2010-07-10T22:05:00.015-06:00

Today we traveled to Dutch (actually supposed to be Deutsch, the Amish originate from Germany) Country. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. We didn't ride a buggy or visit a working farm. We went to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm instead. It rained (dumped) on us for the first half and we were just about to leave when it cleared up. Good thing, because the most fun activities were closed until then. The highlights..."W" built a wooden train (with instruction), Giant Bounce Pillows, "Sand"box (filled with corn instead of sand), Giant Sling Shot, Steam Engine Train, & a Hay Chute Slide.

Inner Harbor

2010-07-09T21:54:00.011-06:00

Today was PBTB's birthday. We celebrated by going to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and visiting Little Italy and the National Aquarium. It was lots of fun. The aquarium had a dolphin show that the boys were so excited about. Dinner was fabulous and then we bought PBTB a football sized eclair at an italian pastry shop for a birthday cake (eclairs are his favorite and I only had to wait in line 30 MINUTES!, geez)

Bel Air

2010-07-08T21:51:00.012-06:00

I thought we found the "mother" of all playgrounds today. But, then I saw another similar one somewhere else (still, not as big). Then, I realized they might make fantastic playgrounds here because I don't think you can really play on the "grass" (if that's what you wanna call it). The heatwave is ceasing, hooray for that!

Lady Liberty, Jersey Side

2010-07-06T20:55:00.007-06:00

On Monday, we had plans to visit the Statue of Liberty and then head home. When we bought tickets to go over on the ferry, no line. When we went to go get in the ferry line, they told us we had to go back inside and go through security. CATCH, that line was over an hour long. Do I need to remind you? Still in the middle of a heatwave. No air conditioning. We got in line and all I could think about was forcing my already whining babies to walk through a line without them understanding why for over an hour and another 30-40 minutes in the direct sun. I went out and sold our tickets for $12 less than we bought them for and was happy to have lost the money to be able to get out of line. Then we drove around the other side of the park and took pictures from a distance. New York City is probably manageable touring with small children, but not really in the middle of a heatwave. I got an awesome pic of the boys with my DSLR and that made it all worth it, will share when I get home. Also, does anyone else get really annoyed when they don't water the lawn at national parks? I'm sure they're just conserving/making a statement. But, c'mon the place looks like hell. (BTW Is it just me or do I look like I have polygamist hair in that picture?)

NYC Part II

2010-07-06T20:28:00.017-06:00

We had good intentions to go to Chinatown, Little Italy, and Soho. But, it was Independence Day and we got off the train at the World Trade Center. I thought, what better day to visit the 9/11 tribute? Well, that wasn't so exciting for the kids, so it took us twice as long as normal. But, WOW. It tears your heart in two all over again, but it builds you up with pride for your neighbors all over again, too. The memorial will be done for the 10 year anniversary next summer and it's going to be amazing. I don't think I've gone more than 2 hours without thinking about 9/11 for the past 3 days.

We did make it through a small portion of Chinatown before we decided to call it quits and saw City Hall and the US Supreme Court (towering, forgot pics DANG!) on the way. I've never felt so tiny in my life. And, yes, folks, we missed the largest fireworks show in the country and it was right outside our hotel. Why? Because my kids just could not make it one more step. I have no regrets. There is nothing worse than looking into a tired, miserable baby face. And that's just how we roll.

New York City

2010-07-03T20:34:00.011-06:00

Things we learned about New York City...the subway is not so disgusting (however the PATH train is), don't look sideways...someone might charge you $5 (you get (over)charged for e.ver.y.thing), if you ask enough (2-3) people...you will find someone who is capable (speaks clear enough english) of helping you, best not to wait until your hungry to look for a sit down restaurant in Manhatten, the Central Park Zoo has no lions (Alex), no zebras (Marty), no hippos (Gloria), and no giraffes (Melman), they do have lemurs and penguins (which are almost as hysterical as in the movie).

Something else we learned in general. All slides should have an endless supply of cardboard pieces hanging around (they make the slide go twice as fast)

Jersey City

2010-07-02T18:30:00.007-06:00

Here we are! I'm already amazed and we've only been here 30 minutes. We're doing the speed version of NYC over the next 2.5 days. The Macy's Fireworks should be incredible (from 5 different barges on the Hudson River) and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is playing.

Middle River

2010-07-01T17:01:00.005-06:00

So, this wasn't the most exciting place, but it all can't be spectacular, right? We needed something a little lighter for dinner, so we picked up Subway and ate underneath some trees in a neighborhood along the waterfront. Headed up to New York tomorrow for the long weekend. Can't wait!

Crab Shack

2010-06-30T20:39:00.008-06:00

This restaurant (if you can call it that) was a hit before we even got our food. They had picnic tables set up on sand and the kids just got to play the whole time. (When they weren't attacking PBTB for more crab) There was live music too and it's a good thing because I think we were there for over 2 hours. It's a lot of work for all you can eat crab. (North East, MD)

The Suite Life

2010-06-29T19:51:00.009-06:00

We are having a such a great time. I am so glad we decided to come and that everything fell into place. It is beautiful here and the boys are loving all the Daddy time they could possibly handle. All the things that I was worried about have become for naught. The heat is completely manageable, the people are more friendly than they are where we live, the neighborhood is super clean, the boys are falling asleep just fine for the most part and living in a hotel room is not half-bad.....no cleaning, no cooking, no stressing. This may change after a month, but for now, we're living the suite life :) PS probably only mobile uploads until I get home. I don't think I have a way to upload pictures to my laptop from my camera.

321....Blastoff

2010-06-27T07:48:00.004-06:00

We're off to Maryland for a month. Jury's still out on if we're excited about that.

Friday Harbor

2010-06-27T07:37:00.007-06:00

10 years ago, this year, PBTB and I went to the San Juan Islands for our honeymoon. We had the pleasure of returning to Friday Harbor for a friend's wedding a few weekends ago. The wedding was beautiful....out of a fairytale. It was amazing to see what had changed in 10 years and reminisce. (No pics of us at the wedding, what was I thinking?)

Here's a pic of the boys on the ferry.

The Devil Made Me Do It

2010-06-07T21:35:00.004-06:00

Life is more crazy than I can handle right now. My boys are full of wild and I am barely hanging on most days. I have a newfound respect for single parents. PBTB is working about 17 hours a day between day job and the house. He's a superhuman and sleeps less than 6 hours every night, sometimes as little as 4. He never takes a day off. The other day "W" asked PBTB...."Daddy, do you want to come play at my house?"

Today, as a distraction technique, I pulled out the sidewalk chalk. ET ate it and "W" roughed ET up for eating it. "W" thinks he is the general and it's his job to keep the babies in line. ET and the CPK get shoved, pulled, or choked to the ground on an hourly basis for doing something they shouldn't. Either that or screamed at or stepped on. Then, before I can say anything he marches his little butt to time out.

ET loves to antagonize and will do anything to get a rise out of his brother. Isn't he a little young for that? Good thing he can already run really fast. If you tell him "no", he gets this devilish grin on his face and does it faster. The worst part of my kids being so naughty is that, a lot of the time, I can't stop laughing, even when I'm fuming. What am I teaching them?! I think that I must be hysterical most of the time.

ET First Words

2010-06-07T12:27:00.006-06:00

I waited until "W" was 16 1/2 months before I posted first words, but I'm going to do ET's @ 14 months. It's interesting to compare and see what ET might be saying in a few months.

WORDS
Mamma
Dadda
Thank You
Cookie
Daisy (Granparents' dog)
Uh-oh
Ball
Night-Night
Bye-Bye
Wow
(Pretty sure he tries to say drink sometimes, but not very recognizable)

ACTIONS
Waves
Kisses
Consistently Catches Balls (for over a month....I can barely get "W" to catch a ball)
Talks on the Phone
Points (a lot of the time to the ceiling or the direction he'd like to go)
Brushes Teeth
Combs Hair
Grabs Anything He Can With Finger & Thumb (crazy fine motor skills)
Claps
Blows Kisses
When he eats snacks, he wants one in each fist and one in his mouth, he won't eat the last one in his fist until you offer him more.
He literally runs everywhere he goes and he's a little pigeon-toed (more so on one side than the other....very amusing)

Precious Stones

2010-05-31T11:17:00.009-06:00

Crystal, Jade, Ruby, Emerald, Coral....a few names of those attending my niece's wedding, Saturday. She asked me to do the flowers and I thought I'd take a few pics, too. She had a very sweet ceremony in the canyon. The weather turned out beautiful.

Home is Where.....

2010-05-27T00:09:00.004-06:00

You stay 'til 2 am or where you crash your head? I'll get back to you on that one. Sheetrock.check...paint.check...finish electrical.WIP...flooring.next...outside finishing touches.who knows? It's getting close. I may delay another update 'til it's completely finished. (We've gotten mixed reviews on our choice of exterior paint. We LOVE it! Sorry to offend neighbors :)

Honner and Lilo

2010-05-27T00:01:00.003-06:00

My sister came to visit for Mother's Day, it's become tradition. This time was special, it's the first time we'd met the newest addition to their family. Sadly, it was the best kind of crazy and I didn't get any pics of him. "W" and ET loved the new baby. "W" even tried to take him to bed with him one night. He also has his own names for his cousins, Honner and Lilo. Miss you guys, already! (OK!, so this picture was staged, but they really do love each other)