Living on the Edge

On to the Big K (Kindergarten, that is)

2011-08-19T14:09:00.003-04:00

Elena started Kindergarten yesterday. I don't suppose she's any different from other first day of school-ers. She woke up early with a smile, eager to get dressed, and had her shoes on before Lucas had gotten out of bed. This is saying a lot, for those of you who know how early Lucas gets up.

The little lady thought she was already too big for a parental accompaniment into class, but I insisted that I still have a few more years before she gets to play that card. After a few token pictures were taken, she kindly let me know she was fine and that I could now go.

I've tried very hard over the past (almost) six years to not rush the time or to wish away the precious early years. I refused to count the days until she would be in school. I thought it would make me more appreciative of the moments we spent together - easier to accept the marching on of time. Unfortunately, I think it made me more selfish. I want more time with her!!! She is so amazing and sweet and smart and all of the other wonderful qualities moms attribute to their children. I just want to keep her to myself, but I won't. I'll share her.

Today was the second day of school. Elena's enthusiasm to get up at 6:30 is already waned. She pulled the covers over her head and asked if it was almost summer vacation again. Poor thing has no idea what's in store...

Preschool Wrap-up

2011-05-28T17:26:00.003-04:00

We finished preschool last week. Lucas had a great year and a great party to finish things off (thanks to a great home-room parent - the other mom in his class, not me). He loved his tattoos and the face paint. He has made such strides in his development and it is so fun to see him interact with his friends and teachers. He is such a sweet boy and is so aware of the needs of those around him. He has also come a long way in learning how to handle his emotions and communicate productively.

And after three years at St. Francis Pre-School, Elena is an official graduate and ready to go onto Kindergarten. I, on the other hand, am not ready for such a transition.

Sorry to the grandparents. I have a video of the "promotion ceremony" but I"m having trouble loading it. You will have to settle for a fuzzy picture (my camera battery was low and eventually gave out).

Another (Year) Bites the Dust

2011-01-04T15:47:00.010-05:00

Since soccer ended about three months ago, an update on the rest of our 2010 may be needed. It's not that anything earth shattering happened, but I feel a little incomplete until this tiny corner of my mind's "to-do" clutter is cleaned out. It really was a great year (and yes, I realize we're almost 1/12 finished with the next one already) filled with a lot of fun memories. I figured today would be a good day to catch up since it's a snowday and I don't see us going anywhere in the immediate future.

I'll hit the highlights.

1. Halloween. Yes, I am that pathetically behind.

Lucas and Elena got into the tattoos and decorated his face. This wasn't part of his Halloween costume, but I thought it was cute. He is wearing skeleton pajamas if that helps it count.

My little Superhero. He looks intimidating, right? After Halloween we found Spiderman for 75% off. He's been having an identity crisis ever since.

I don't think Elena fully understood what she was for Halloween. She liked the costume Grandma sent her, and that was enough. She told everyone she was a poodle girl.

2. Pre-winter fun. Winter in West Virginia is ugly. Ugly. Until the snow comes. Then you can't get out for days because they plow the roads at a snail's pace. The greyness becomes a little depressing, so we try to get outside as much as possible. This is the middle of December and we got out to enjoy a little warming spell. Although, we go in our snow boots and winter clothes when it's colder too.

3. Jump ahead to the end of December. Elena's first toothfairy experience.

I can't handle loose teeth. Even my own grossed me out. Elena's wasn't much of an exception. The poor thing was so scared until the big moment when that little tooth, hanging by a little thread, finally surrendered to her wiggling and tugging. That night we found a little velvet pocket and tucked the tooth safely underneath her pillow. The tooth was safe, but the loot wasn't as lucky. The tooth fairy left Elena a shiny gold dollar coin. Lucas was a little too tempted by the treasure and stole it from her. That didn't go over well with Elena and it really didn't go over well with Lucas when I took the coin back and returned it to its rightful owner.

4. Christmas. This year we really didn't want to travel. We just wanted a quiet Christmas with as little activity as humanly possible. So we extended the invitation to family - If you want to see us, you need to come to us. Only Drew's parents took us up the offer. Drew had to work Christmas Day and the rest of the weekend, but he was able to come home here and there to get in some presents and food (He had 5 days off over New Year's instead). The kids were able to open presents in three shifts, so they were in Heaven. I made a meal sufficient to feed us for the next week. Drew caught up on rest and his Lost episodes during his break. All in all it was a great holiday.

Lucas can't take a picture without sticking his tongue out. It is physically impossible for him.

Drew was really excited about his Christmas present for me. I will admit that it is the most comfortable t-shirt ever. I might consider living in it.

We always buy live Christmas trees. While living here we have always gone to a tree farm and cut down our own fresh tree. This year we didn't have any time, sadly, and got our tree at a local store. I know lots of people who had good luck buying from this same place, but we started sweeping up daily piles similar to this one starting a couple days after we brought it home. It was a gorgeous tree, and it had needles to spare because it still looked good at Christmas, but I just loved it's quirky tendency to shed needles every time someone looked at it funny.

Love her!

Joining in the tongue fun.

Reading the Christmas Story on Christmas Eve.

Elena was in the sweetest little Christmas production ever. Her school put on this amazing show and the Pre-schoolers were the first act. Lucas was in it too, but I didn't get a good picture of him.

5. The doctor is in. One of the benefits of being married to a surgeon is that he is getting really good at cutting things off our bodies. Elena had a little (well, getting bigger) wart ("bump") on her finger. Drew can't handle seeing growths without wanting to chop them off. So we went into the clinic one day, and after bribing Elena with some ice cream and lunch at her favorite spot (the hospital cafeteria) she was bump free. She was left with a cigarette sized burn on her finger where Drew had cauterized the place where the bump had been. I don't know why I felt like I had to explain this to everyone. I guess I was scared they would call CPS and accuse me of abusing her or something. A month later, the patient is all healed up.

Our exercise in organized sports

2010-11-04T17:24:00.004-04:00

This year I was so excited that Elena was old enough to play soccer and that the deadline hadn't already lapsed by the time I went to sign her up. Oh how I wished she shared one shred of the excitement. She kept at it, and actually did a great job. Their team named themselves "The Seamonsters." Elena's favorite part of any sport is the end when the teams line up and give each other "fives."

The Seamonsters in all their glory.

Elena was pretty excited about her participation medal that she received. In fact, if you come to our house she'll more than likely show it to you.

This is how Lucas enjoys the soccer games. It was a bit cold, so he hid under his blanket almost the whole time we were there.

Love 'em!

A whole hand

2010-11-03T15:44:00.004-04:00

That's right. Elena turned 5 last month. According to her, she is now old enough to pick whatever she wants to eat, lose her teeth, go to kindergarten, be the boss, and so many other wonderful big girl things. We go back and forth on the list quite often. I still can't convince her that five year-olds don't cry.

This five year-old does think it's pretty neat she gets to share October with her daddy's birthday. He's a whole hand plus a few more.

Let's Get Funky

2010-10-30T15:53:00.000-04:00

This is a video that Elena's teacher and principal made. Elena's in the front row towards the left. Please don't blame me if you have this song in your head all day long.

Dum, Dum, Da-Dum

2010-10-15T16:01:00.000-04:00

Wedding bells were ringing this summer. The happy couple (drum roll please): My baby brother and his adorable bride. I'm pretty excited to have another sister-in-law since I don't have any sisters of my own, but I don't think my excitement comes anywhere near Elena's excitement over being the flower girl. I don't even know if the bride's compares. You'll have to let me know, Wy.
The wedding was perfect. Seriously, perfect. Like from a movie perfect. The flower girl and ring bearer were especially adorable. We tied a couple of Lucas's little toy guys to the ring pillow to help hold his attention down the aisle. It worked. Thank goodness. Of course his shepherd/sister made sure he didn't miss a step and posed for her close-up the whole way down to the front.
I didn't get a lot of pictures (attn family: if you have pictures-please send/email them to me), but I get a few that paint the picture.

My favorite photo of the day. Lucas's ring bearer outfit lasted about 2.7 seconds after the "I-dos" and into the "soccer ball" shirt he changed.

We had a lot of fun spending time with the family! We love you, Uncle Trenton.

The best man and the flower girl.

The lone picture of Lucas. He liked the big dance floor. Not to dance, but to be swung around by Grandpa Lee. I think Grandpa enjoyed himself as well.

Speaking of the dance floor-I should mention that we practically had to tear Elena off of it around 11:00 pm. She would not stop. Maybe once, for the cake.

Political Tirade

2010-09-15T15:06:00.003-04:00

I saw this link on Facebook and decided to post it here as well. Government safety nets (medicaid, food stamps, welfare, etc.) and this health care reform insanity are two areas that I have significant interest in. I pay taxes and I'm married to a doctor. This letter, although I don't know the authenticity or if ever made it to the White House, sums up my thoughts pretty well. Read on:

Dr. Roger Starner Jones' short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a "Culture Crisis" instead of a "Health Care Crisis."
It's worth a quick read:

Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one pack of cigarettes every day, eats only at fast-food take-outs, and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer. And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care?
I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture" a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me". Once you fix this "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully, ROGER STARNER JONES, MD

I try to avoid being judgemental at every turn, but I feel if I am going to be paying for safety nets and their abuse then I reserve the right to judge on how people spend their (my) money and how they approach their own health. Don't get me wrong, I understand their place, purpose and the help that they give many people. It's just my opinion that if you are going to use these services it should be because you truly can't afford another option - not so you can, as the lady in the ER demonstrates, spend your money on luxuries like tattoos or cable TV. When I see people pay for their cart full of soda, chips and candy with food stamps I get a little frustrated. When Drew gets medicaid/care patients who smoke $5/pack cigarettes and then expect me to pay for their neck dissection and tounge removal I get a little frustrated.

Blah. Rant over.

Preschool times two

2010-09-07T15:03:00.003-04:00

For six hours each week I will be a free lady. I pay for this privilege in the form of a tuition check to St. Francis preschool, but it is worth it. Every dollar. Since this will be Elena's third year in preschool, I figured she was ready for a five day (8-1) program and Lucas will be going two mornings a week.
Don't get me wrong, I miss these guys when they're not around but it is so nice to get a few things done (or nothing) while they're having fun with other kids and their fantastic teachers. Elena is doing great so far, and I think/hope Lucas is adjusting to his new found structure. Elena was a little nervous about making new friends since all of her friends from the last two years went on to Kindergarten, but her fears were quelled when she met some of the new girls. Lucas has accepted the fact that his army of little guys cannot come with him to school, but they will instead wait patiently in the car until he comes back.
Here are pictures from the first day (complete with Elena's pillow pet for nap time) and as you can see Lucas (recovering from a run in with the brick walkway in front of our house) was oh-so excited to go to school. The third picture is usually what Lucas looks like upon his return from school. From the looks of it, I think he has an OK time.

Stuck in the past

2010-08-29T17:59:00.002-04:00

This summer's trip home was so fun it still brings smiles to my face. Now that the kids are old enough to entertain themselves, life has become a lot more enjoyable and vacationing a lot more relaxing. The majority of the kids' time was spent jumping on the trampoline, swimming, riding bikes, going to the park, you name it-we tried to do it. My parents transformed their backyard into a little oasis for the kids, and they even tried to keep them contained by putting in a temproary fence. (Nice try, Dad)

To West Virginia's credit, it is sure a lot easier to go down a Slip n' Slide when you actually have a hill.

Summer, I will be sad to see you go.

2010-08-11T09:01:00.002-04:00

It's amazing how life kind of works its own kinks out. After we left Indiana, my dad, mom, me and the kids headed to North Dakota. It was about Beloit, WI when we ran into car problems. A strange rattle we heard in Indiana turned out to be a big clunk in Wisconsin. If you have ever tried to find a mechanic on a holiday (Sunday and the Fourth of July) in the middle of nowhere - you'll understand the mild stress and tension hovering over us. We were stuck there for a couple of days, but it turned out to be one of the best parts of our vacation.

We found a hotel with a pool, the town had a beautiful park, and grandpa couldn't sneak away to go to work while we were stuck. The kids were great, we just played and had fun, and eventually we made it to our destination.

The rest of our trip was smooth. We got up to Minot and spent a few days with the great grandmas. It was fun to see them and spend time with my cousins' kids, whatever that relation is. The pictures above were taken at my Grandma Elaine's house. The trees they're climbing were the ones we climbed as kids. My grandpa would chase us down so no one would get hurt. Now that he's gone, the torch has been passed to my generation as we were all out back telling the kids to get down and be careful. The circle of life I guess.

(the next couple of entries will continue to be a vacation log. more for my purposes than yours. Remember-patience is a virtue.)

The Fourth - Just the beginning

2010-08-10T07:51:00.002-04:00

Drew was done with his Martinsburgh rotation for three whole days before the kids and I left for three weeks. Nice, I know. We did get to have a day in Indiana to spend together with his family. The Swindell family 4th of July is not one to be missed. The three "Fs" were in full force this year. Food, Family and FIREWORKS.

This is the stash of fireworks that Drew's Uncle Mark brings to the party. He puts on such a great show cars stop on the road.

Blessed

2010-08-05T09:28:00.003-04:00

Over the past year I have really worked to make scripture study a priority. I must admit that my motives were purely selfish. I need blessings, and I wanted to win the race. Four years ago Drew and I set the goal of reading the Old Testament cover to cover. We wanted to be finished before he graduated medical school (in 2007). Well, needless to say the task proved to be a little daunting given the two kids we were about to have, the Book of Mormon challenge issued by President Hinckley, the tendency to put scripture reading off in favor of sleep, etc.
So Graduation came and went, the first couple years of residency came and went (again sleep proved to be too powerful of an alternative) and my progress in the Old Testament amounted to having meandered my way through less than the first half by this winter (2009). Then it happened.
I have never been one to stick to the goals I set for myself, especially not ones that take too long. This effort was falling into that category, but I persevered. Drew told me how far along he was and I decided I better get into gear if I was going to beat him. When I hunkered down and dug into my scriptures, a change came to my reading. I loved and devoured the words on the pages. I began to pray more earnestly for understanding of words that had always seemed over my head. Before I knew it I was almost finished. This May, I read the last words of Malachi and began to sob. Not because I was finally finished or because I won the race or because the kids were pounding on my door for breakfast. I was so touched by the spirit and by the testimony I had received that these ancient records are true and relevant. There are lessons pure and priceless tucked away between the historical lineages and time lines that fill the Old Testament. I have gained an appreciation for this (big) book that I had put off reading because every time I tried I couldn't get over the hump I refer to as "The Book of Numbers."
Our Bishop has issued a challenge that our ward read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. I am excited to move on to the "plain and precious" truths found in this record and to share the experience with my ward family. Any of you can join with us! It can't hurt, right? And if you need a Book of Mormon, I know a couple of young men who can get you one. ;)

"I just don't have room for the horse"

2010-07-26T12:26:00.003-04:00

After a few weeks here in Fargo, the time has come to pack up and head back to West Virginia. We came out in a Suburban and will be trying to consolidate everything into a couple of suitcases. I had to break it to Elena that there will just not be room for her stuffed horse. Instead I sent it ahead with Drew, who graciously agreed to carry it through the airport (and even got teased by the slightly feminine flight attendant).

My mom came out and spent the month of June with us while Drew was working out by D.C., and then we tagged along back to North Dakota for the month of July. Two months together. Hmmm. At first I was skeptical, but it actually turned out to be really great. I love my mom and it was so fun to get to spend that time with her. She was a real trooper. My kids can be relentless, and she held her own! Thanks, Mom! Now it is time to get back to real life.

We've had a great trip, and I'll do the picture thing within the next week or so. Be prepared.

Good Things to Come

2010-06-30T14:30:00.000-04:00

I have loved this story since the first time I heard it. We all go thorugh times of struggle and strife, but there is hope in the future. There is hope in the gospel. There is hope in working together as a family to organize our priorities and loving each other and supporting each other.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:12:00.004-04:00

What better way to say 'I love you' than with a pie? I couldn't think of one.

Happy Father's Day, Drew! Words can't begin to touch on how grateful we are for everything you do for our family. You truly are our hero, inspiration, example, and everything in between!

Front Porch Living

2010-06-04T07:17:00.004-04:00

It doesn't get much more West Virginia than front porch living. When we first moved into our house, our porch served as our only yard space for the kids to play. Now we have expanded to the (non-busy) road in front of our house and the neighbors yard across the street (she's 89 and doesn't use it for much). She has a little strip of grass before the drop off, which Lucas tumbled down last week. So, I guess it does get a little more West Virginia.

Rewind to a couple of months ago... When we first realized we were becoming a little to assimilated into local culture:

Fixing our dead car in the street. I don't have pictures, but a couple of weeks later Drew had his car up on bricks in the street. Uh!

I don't know if letting your kids play on the garage roof is West Virginia, but we've definitely witnessed parents worse than us. (Don't panic--the garage is built into the hill (very WV) so the roof levels out with the ground; ie, they couldn't have fallen far.)

And we still have two more years!

Preschool Non-graduation

2010-06-01T05:32:00.003-04:00

Because we started Elena in preschool a year early, the other kids in her class will be moving on to Kindergarten next year and she will come back for another year of pre-school. Although we didn't go to graduation (I guess since she wasn't officially graduating, the teachers didn't think she should go through "graduation - sore spot--moving on) we did get to celebrate with all of the other kids in her class.

It has been a great year at pre-school. Mainly because I can now take Lucas in and out of the school without a tantrum everytime it is time to leave. He just plays for a minute, packs up and says goodbye. Haha. I think Elena made great strides too. She has learned so much academically but also about being a good friend and sister. She is an amazing little kid that I know I take for granted. Her big heart and sweet disposition are such a blessing to me, our family, and those around her. I hope she always knows how proud I am of her.

Huh, It's June?

2010-06-01T05:21:00.002-04:00

The weather has already turned hot and humid, Memorial Day has come and gone, Drew has finished his first of two months in Martinsburg, school is out. It occured to me this morning that May is gone and it's June. I missed May.
I had dreaded May because I knew that Drew would be leaving for a two month rotation in a town about 3 hours from here. My goal was to pack as much into the days so that the kids would be so exhausted by the time the day was over that they would fall into their beds. Thus expediting the process that makes bedtime my least favorite time of the day. For the most part, that goal was accomplished. It also helped that Drew was able to come home on the weekends to take over the duties =).
The kids have been amazing while he is away. I have also been greatly blessed by so many wonderful friends who have been aware of our situation and extended numerous invitations that make the days go so much better!

It's true- It is the best

2010-04-30T14:12:00.002-04:00

I made this lasagna for a friend and she called me (I think her mouth was even full) to tell me how delicious it was. We had a second one for dinner later and I will have to agree that it is delicious. I found this recipe online and followed it pretty closely (unusual for me). It is from "Food and Wine" magazine, 2003. It is definitely worth the time and money (so don't skimp on the fresh herbs). The magazine referred to it as the definitive lasagna. It's true.

Grandma's Lasagna
Yield: 10 to 12

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground sirloin
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Two 28-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes, finely chopped, juices reserved
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs, tied together with kitchen string
Pinch of sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 pounds fresh ricotta
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound packaged whole-milk mozzarella, shredded (3 cups)
1 large egg, beaten
12 dried lasagna noodles

Preparation
1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chuck and sirloin and cook over moderately high heat, breaking up the meat into large chunks, until no pink remains. Add the garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the meat is coated. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the tomato puree along with the chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 8 cups, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet. Add the sausage meat in large pieces and cook over moderately high heat until browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain the sausage and break it into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the parsley, basil and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Add two-thirds of the shredded mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Beat in the egg.
4. Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water. Dry the noodles between layers of paper towels.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Line the dish with 4 overlapping noodles. Spread one-half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with one-half of the sausage, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and another 4 noodles. Repeat the layering with the remaining ricotta, sausage and another 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Top with 4 noodles and cover with 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Toss the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan and sprinkle over the lasagna.
6. Bake the lasagna for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp around the edges and the filling is bubbling. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead: The lasagna can be prepared through Step 5 and refrigerated overnight, or it can be baked ahead and then reheated in a 325° oven.

We love "staycations"

2010-04-26T17:43:00.010-04:00

If you love hiking, camping, waterfalls, trees, etc. then West Virginia is the place for you (cheesy- I know). If you don't like trees, then I don't know what you'd do here.

Whenever Drew takes a week off we seem to head to some state park for a couple of days to soak up the serenity that we don't often find at home. This past week was no exception. The original plan was to pack up the tent, the kids and the camp stove for a couple of days away from here. When we realized that we could get a good deal on a cabin (apparently there isn't a high demand during the middle of the week in the middle of April =), we ditched the tent and camp stove (kept the kids) and opted for beds rather than the ground.

There is a pattern developing that each hiking trip we take is basically us trying to keep Lucas from killing himself via some death-defying action. He didn't disappoint. For example, at one point we found him crossing a log that had fallen across the river banks, forming a bridge several feet above the water. Elena is quite the hiker and insists on being referred to as "hiker girl." She has recently developed a hatred for insects and insists on killing any that cross her path. This added a lot of drama to our trip, but I think Holly River State Park is now free from any bugs.

Drew and I enjoyed a few days of no phone service, no television or computers, plenty of space to let the kids run, and we even threw a few rocks into the river ourselves.

Shupe's Schute: Lucas was sorely disappointed when we wouldn't let him go down this water slide.

Drew setting a good example for Lucas. The middle log is the one Lucas crossed.

Elena enjoyed pretending she was this Little Mermaid on her rock. I don't know why I always get stuck playing the evil Ursula. huh?

After all was said and done, I think the kids enjoyed the bunk beds most of all.

Or maybe it was the S'mores.

Power of a Testimony

2010-04-15T08:58:00.001-04:00

This video is an amazing testimony of the Book of Mormon given by Elder Holland during October's General Conference. I had the privilege of giving a lesson on it for a Relief Society meeting. The power and spirit behind his words are unforgettable. This is an edited version that the Church posted as one of the weekly "Mormon Messages."

Click here:
Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Easter Update: Time to Resurect the Blog

2010-04-05T13:23:00.005-04:00

In the spirit of all that is Easter, I am going to attempt posting pics for the first time in ages!! Sorry grandparents and whoever might miss the occasional update, but we're trying.
Life is moving along quickly and I'm hardly keeping up, but we'll just pick up from here rather than trying to recap the past couple months.

Our most recent trauma was the loss of Lucas's hair. Elena came running upstairs and screamed: "Mommy, Daddy is using the thing he uses to get his 'scratchies' off to cut Lukey. And Lukey is crying." What is a mother to think. Drew had gotten tired of people thinking Lucas is a girl, so during one of his meltdowns Drew figured it would be a good time to cut his hair. It is never a good time to cut Lucas's hair. Especially when said child has just covered himself (and the bathroom) in handsoap, hence the meltdown. The end result:

We had a great Easter. Drew was on call, so we stayed close to home but we had a lot of company over to celebrate. I think my favorite guest was one our Muslim friend who doesn't eat pork. I hope he didn't mind the Christian holiday and ham-fest. We made him a steak for good measure =).

The Easter egg hunters:

Then when dinner was over, Lucas did what I think we all kind of wanted to:

Format

2010-01-25T09:01:00.002-05:00

I give up! I have been having so much trouble formatting my posts with pictures, that I decided to add a disclaimer. I am not intentionally making ugly posts, but after an hour of messing with this I give up. You will just have to guess which words go with which pictures and why everything looks like a jigsaw puzzle.I don't know if its me or blogger, but hopefully it is a short term problem.

Denial

2010-01-24T19:10:00.006-05:00

Lucas had a birthday this Saturday. Despite the multiple celebrations, candles, cakes, gifts, singing, phone calls, etc. Lucas still hasn't accepted the fact that he is now three. Ask him and he will hold up two fingers and correct you if you suggest anything other than he is two. =)

Even though Lucas missed the significance of his birthday, I think he enjoyed it all the same.

I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday party and the only request he made was to play at "Jack's House." I tried to offer other ideas, but he just wanted to go over to his friend's house and play. So I called our friend to see if we could come over and play and I would bring lunch. Who wouldn't want to play at "Jack's?"

After his first party, we went over to another friends house where we had a cook-out and celebrated again complete with another cake.

To finish off the night, we lit fireworks in the driveway!! The kids really enjoyed that and it was a fun way to celebrate our little firecracker of a son!

We've come a long way, kiddo!!

Christmas on the frozen tundra

2010-01-19T19:04:00.007-05:00

When we got back to West Virginia after our Christmas trip, I ran into a mom from Elena's school. I told her we had been on vacation and just got back. She told me she hoped we'd been someplace warm. Not Exactly.

When it looks like this outside:

What do you do?

1) Put the kids to work

2) Send the men out to "Hunt and Gather" Supper

3)Make and snitch Christmas cookies

4) Build an Indoor Sandbox in Grandpa's shop

5) Pretend it's somewhere warmer

White Christmas

2009-12-25T18:11:00.003-05:00

I do believe that 17" of snow would qualify as a white Christmas. It is a great opportunity to snuggle with the kids, play with the new toys (and the 50 million little pieces of said toys), visit with family and nibble on Christmas goodies.
This has been a great Christmas and I am very grateful to be celebrating the Savior's birth, life and example.

Light it up

2009-12-23T08:19:00.005-05:00

There's nothing like an Econoline van with the plushest seats ever (courtesy of my brother's boss), two kids snuggled in footie jammies, and THIS to make Trenton's local tour de lights a complete success.

I've seen video of these synchronized light shows and wanted to see one so bad. Trenton put together a tour for his girlfriend and our family. Elena's favorite part was the music from Charlie Brown's Christmas movie. My favorite part - you have to watch the video to appreciate (watch video by clicking on giant "THIS") - but the neighboring house had written in lights a big sign reading "DITTO" with an arrow pointing next door.

"Praise to the Man"

2009-12-22T08:26:00.003-05:00

It has been a true blessing and privilege to study the Prophet Joseph Smith and his teachings over the past two years. In our Relief Society and Priesthood classes we have learned and been edified through the exemplary life and teachings of the man foreordained to restore the living gospel to this earth. A fourteen year-old boy had the faith and integrity necessary to go to his Heavenly Father asking for guidance as to which church to join. The heavens were opened, the Father and Son appeared and declared themselves to him. I was not there. I did not see it. Yet, I have no reason not to beleive it. The spirit has witnessed to me, as it can to all who want to know, that this man was a prophet called during the great coucil in heaven to bring the light of the gospel to a dark world.
He was asked to bare burdens beyond my comprehension. He was worthy of revelation necessary for the building and restoring of Christ's church, the same that was established during Christ's mission on earth. He lived and died in the service of God. He sealed his testimony with his life when mobs hunted him down while imprisoned in Carthage. He sacrificed all, so that we could have the fullness of the gospel here - today. This curch means more to me than anything. The knowledge of my Savior that I have attained through it's techings sustains me daily. Knowing that through the atonement, I can be forgiven of my transgressions and be reunited with my Savior and loved ones in the life to come is an invaluable blessing. Knowing that we have the privilage of recieving personal revelation and revelation through modern prophets and leaders is beyond comforting. Knowing we can go to the temple and seal our families and those who have gone before into a heavenly family brings me joy. These blessings would not be possible save it through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I worship my Savior and Heavenly Father. I do not worship the prophet; instead, I honor him. I love him. I am grateful to him.

(Please visit lds.org or mormon.org if you would like to learn more about Joseph Smith or other LDS related topics.)

Hey, hey, hey - Goodbye!

2009-12-10T13:15:00.003-05:00

Say good bye to this adorable sight. Not Lucas- just the binkie.

Monday, Dec. 7 marks the end of an era. No more binkie for the little addict. When he started talking like he had a wad of cotton in his mouth, we figured it was time to rip the proverbial band-aid off and send the pacifier to live with the "Binkie Fairy" (thanks J. for the idea).

Nightime and naptime have been a little rough, but since it was Drew's idea he has to get up with him at night.

Does not having any kids with binkies mean it's time for another one? Ha. You wish, Dad!

A hiking we will go...

2009-10-27T12:19:00.005-04:00

One of the few things Drew and I actually have in common (besides basic core beliefs) is our enjoyment of hiking and the outdoors. The fall is a great time to take advantage of the great parks in our area, and as we have in years past, we load up the car and kids and head out for some great day trips.

Swallow Falls, Maryland
What better way to spend a cold rainy afternoon with a sick kid than to head out to see waterfalls? I can't think of any. (disclaimer: Lucas refused to wear a coat. We are not that neglectful!)

Seneca Rock, West Virginia

Last year we took the kids hiking around Elena's birthday and this year we did the same. She asked us if that is what she would be getting every year. I guess it's possible. We went down to Seneca Rocks this year and weren't quite ready for the hike ahead. In fact, it could have been a Sunday School object lesson. We didn't know how far the trail would actually go up the rock or how long it would take. With no snacks or kid-carriers or even good shoes, we headed up.up.up.

It is never a good sign when people measure the distance left by the number of switchbacks you have to go. We made it. I was convinced Lucas would hurl himself off the lookout, and in fact I had to leave him with his dad because I was a little too freaked out to watch. The view was gorgeous and well worth the hike. The kids did fantastic and earned the praises of all those who had to go around us because we weren't exactly leading the pack. A fun day all in all.

A view from the bottom
A view from the top

The best views of all!!

She's almost five

2009-10-14T18:39:00.003-04:00

Elena has a hard time living in the moment. Soon after her fourth birthday (last Wednesday) she informed us that she is almost five and excited for her next birthday.

(Here is the birthday girl with her present)

Reconnection Accomplished

2009-10-14T16:16:00.002-04:00

This month started out with a huge treat to myself with the encouragement of Drew and his paycheck. He had a paper to present in Sunny San Diego and this summer he invited me to come with him. I didn't give him a lot of choice in the matter. San Diego is my little heaven on earth and this was my 6th visit in 9 years. Thanks to Drew's very gracious mother who stayed with the kids for four days, this trip was amazing. My main goal - Reconnect. With Drew, with friends, with family and probably most importantly - myself.
Travel log alert! And my camera broke, so links will have to do.
Just flying alone was a huge treat. I looked at other mothers lugging car seats and strollers and toddlers with understanding and was so glad that for once I could be sympathetic instead of desparate. Once in San Diego I was able to spend a lot of time ALONE wandering the city, trying different restaurants and lounging in our gorgeous hotel. I used to be very brave and very independent and I was able to reconnect with that part of me a little. I toured the USS Midway just for fun and all alone, taking time to soak up the history rather than worrying about soaking diapers. A little ocean front time was also nice.
Drew and I did get plenty of time for ourselves. A couple of dinners out and a trip to the San Diego Temple really gave us a chance to spend quality time talking and just being together.
I also demonstrated my independence and bravery by making a solo trip up to Santa Monica to visit a Gorgeous Museum, The Getty, with one of my favorite friends in this whole huge world. She met me down in LA with her little boy and we had a fabulous afternoon talking and watching him be ridiculously well behaved. My friend mentioned driving in LA is kind of like a rite of passage. It is scary, but once you do it you feel like you've accomplished something. She was definitely right on both accounts.
After my afternoon at the museum I headed down to Newport to visit my aunt, who I love but rarely get to see. We had a blast. If you ever need a tattoo and are down that way, check her out!
Anyway, long story not so short. We had a great - much needed - vacation from reality. If it weren't for that pesky bank account we'd be game for another one soon!

Awwww

2009-09-30T18:48:00.002-04:00

Flippin' for Flapjacks

2009-09-26T09:57:00.002-04:00

I love West Virginia. Where else do they have a festival (a rather large one) centered on celebrating the obscure grain of Buckwheat. Where else does said festival draw thousands to a town whose only stop light is leading out of the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Thursday night we went down to Kingwood, WV for the annual Buckwheat festival, and we had a blast. Really. We meandered through the crowds as we found the volunteer fire station where hundereds were stuffing themselves with the legendary Buckwheat pancakes served at the festival. We really enjoyed this unique treat. Then it was time for the parade of fire engines and marching bands. Elena loved waving at the firemen and festival princesses, and she really enjoyed dancing to the marching bands, complete with pretend baton throws and very real high kicks. We didn't make it to the rides or craft sales; maybe next year.

Tailgating and the PRT

2009-09-14T15:56:00.003-04:00

Personal. Rapid. Transit. It is the smartest thing the city has done in decades. It is a monorail that connects the different campuses scattered throughout Morgantown, which if you've ever driven here you'd understand that any option other than having to drive through Morgantown is brilliant. And the kids love it. We took the "train" this weekend to do some tailgating with friends before the big WVU game. I have lived in several football towns, but nothing compares to the chaos that is WVU pre-game parties. The city literally shuts down (you have to have a special ID to get into the hospital since it shares a parking lot with the stadium (one of the less smart things the city has done in decades)). Parking lots everywhere are full of tents boasting blue and gold. RVs corral like covered wagons over the weekend and when it gets dark the bonfires make it look like a hobo village with really expensive accommodations.

After the tailgate, Drew told me that he thinks tailgating seems like it would be most fun with just the basics - a pickup truck bed and beer. I sadly informed him that since we don't have a truck and we don't drink beer tailgating might not be for him. Here are a couple of pictures from the weekend.

First Day of Preschool

2009-09-13T16:12:00.002-04:00

She started a couple of weeks ago, but that's kind of the schedule we're running on lately.

Parents of 'Tweens

2009-09-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

Drew and I are the proud parents of two 'tweens. "What?" -you may ask. "Did I miss something?" Laney? Lucas? Nope. Our '97 Accord and our '99 Neon. It is a difficult task taking care of 'tweens.

I've heard it's a very tumultuous age. Not a child anymore, not quite a teenager. You need to be careful as to handling them just right because they can give you attitude over the slightest irritation. We just want to make them happy and keep them healthy so they can make it through their teen years. We do whatever we can to take care of them and in return we just ask for a little love in return. Is that too much to ask? At least until Drew finishes his residency, Please!

Remember

2009-09-11T13:55:00.003-04:00

9.11.01

The last piece of the puzzle

2009-09-11T07:57:00.003-04:00

I asked what you guys wanted for your birthdays, but I forgot to post what I got for mine. DREW! He decided to take a day off from work to spend at home. It was the perfect gift after a couple stress filled weeks. He was very sneaky about the whole thing, too! He even got up at his usual time (4 am), got dressed for work (scrubs) and went downstairs to study. It was when he came back to bed for a nap around the time he was supposed to be at work that I figured things out. The kids even slept past 7!

The other present I got:

My stove was delivered (by surprise). Now the final big piece of the kitchen puzzle is installed and working well. I'm so glad. We still need a few small things (like hardware and a window covering) but other than that "we're cooking with gas" (one of my dad's favorite expressions -and he has plenty).

The end is near!

2009-09-10T14:45:00.003-04:00

It still feels like summer and even though the kids are back in school, I am only starting to admit that the end of summer is nearing. We have had a great summer. Due to technical difficulties (a broken camera), I am a bit short on summer pictures. I am waiting to get some from my dad, but for now you'll have to settle for these.

Drew brought this skull home after a plating course. It was Elena's mealtime buddy for a couple weeks. She even named her "Aurora."

Popsicles on the porch. What better way to enjoy summer. They're stripped down in redneck fashion due to my frustration with not being able to get the stains out of their clothes. Plus, it made spraying them off with the garden hose a lot easier. =)

Goodbye summer, see you next year!

What do you want?

2009-08-24T12:43:00.000-04:00

I alsways would get so frustrated when my dad would respond -"Good Kids" whenver asked what he would like for any holiday gift. Now, I understand and completely agree. He never got what he wanted, so I probably won't either. =)

The question has been circulating around the house the past couple of weeks, and I'm looking for answers. (Plus, I'm just curious to see what you all have to say - so please comment.)

What do you want for your birthday?

What I love

2009-08-24T12:26:00.003-04:00

I am in love with:

The fact Lucas smells his blankie tag as if taking a hit of a euphoric drug.

The fact that Elena asks for her food "sweaty." She likes sweaty spahetti and sweaty macaroni and cheese most. Mmmm.

The fact that Drew eats chips everynight before dinner.

The fact that when Elena throws a tantrum she starts crying for Duke (my parents dog that passed away in JANUARY!)

The fact that Lucas refuses to sleep in his bed, but insists on making a nest behind the chair in his room and sleeps on top of pillows, toys and stuffed animals.

The fact that my doctor actually told me that if I'm having trouble losing weight, I should at least be glad I live in West Virginia because I look great relative the the state's population.

The fact that I found Lucas, having escaped from the house, and playing in the middle of the real road with his pretend cars.

The fact that Drew put the kids to bed two times last week so I could take a break.

The fact that a friend dug up fresh basil plants from her yard and gave them to me when I was commenting on how Drew let all of mine die while we were gone this summer.

The fact that Lucas tells me he's poopy by hunching over and humbly saying, "Mommy, stinky gross." He repeats this phrase throughout the diaper change. Yes, Lucas. It is stinky gross!

So grateful for all the things that make me smile.

Motivation

2009-07-20T21:40:00.002-04:00

I hope my family recognizes the growth that has occurred within me since returning to W.V.
I hate doing the dishes, but have done them nightly since getting a new kitchen. It is amazing how the drive to keep things looking nice can make you do such crazy things. I guess Drew realized this is what it would take to get him out of dish duty (at least temporarily).

Have Dones and To Dos

2009-07-17T19:48:00.003-04:00

Here's the deal: Anything bold is something I've done. Copy the list and adapt it to what YOU'VE done!

Started your own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than you can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sang a solo
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea
Taught yourself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown your own vegetables
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitch hiked
Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a Marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught yourself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing
Seen Michelangelo’s David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had your portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Got flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
Bounced a checkF
lown in a helicopter
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten Caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
Broken a bone
Been a passenger on a motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book
Visited the Redwoods
Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had your picture in the newspaper
Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone’s life
Sat on a jury
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Got a tattoo
Had a baby
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee

A notch up

2009-07-14T16:20:00.002-04:00

Drew has climbed a notch on the residency to tum pole. It's official, on July 1, 2009 Drew became a third year resident. He is still considered a junior res., he still takes first call, he still is basically a peon - but - we are one year closer to being done (two yrs down three to go). Oh yeah, and no more consults at the end of the day.
This may not mean much to you, but to me it means he could knock off one or two hours at the end of most days. To me it means he may actually get to see his children on a semi-occasional basis (instead of random-occasional). I thought they were going to pop something when he showed up yesterday for dinner (only to have to go back to work, but hey). Elena actually said "Daddy's home and it's not dark." To me it means I may actually have to start making real dinners again.

Flood follow-up

2009-07-07T12:15:00.004-04:00

I was going through some pictures on my dad's camera and found these. They were taken during the flood this spring. I was running through my parent's neighborhood this summer, and although many people have replanted their yards and tried to repair, there are still many signs of the damage done this spring. Sidewalks are buckled, fences were torn apart to allow way for the floodwall, dirt paths and patches are beginining to sprout grass. I was visitng with a neighbor who is new to Fargo, and he was amazed that people whose houses were perfectly safe (on the other side of the double dikes) would sign up for overnight shifts of water/pump patrol. Even the FEMA representative commented to him about the initiation and independence the community showed in preparing and protecting their city.

Anyone want to build a sandbox? This is the first load of sandbags that were brought in for the dikes being built along the river.

Volunteers building the wall in my parent's and their neighbors yard. The wall would eventually be about 5 feet tall. The Fargo-Moorhead area estimated over 100,00 people volunteered in the flood fight. 3.5 million sandbags were filled.

Nothing like a snowstorm in March to set you back. You can see the wall and the river in the back yard.

Moving to higher ground. With a dike being built in the back, along the river, and in front, through the street, my parents needed to move everything out of their basement. My dad and brother chose to stay at the house and help run pumps and dike patrol for their neighbors. They brought in food storage and generators, just in case.

The war zone that was my parent's front yard and driveway.

This is a view of the dike from the second story of the "dog house." This picture was taken after the flood (the water is still very high, but not threatening). The water came up to within two feet of the top.

This is a picture of the dike that was built in front of their house. The brick mailbox is my parents. A staircase was built over the wall, so people could access their homes if necessary.

Who misses these faces???

2009-07-07T09:41:00.002-04:00

I bet their Dad does. We've been a little MIA on the blog scene thanks to our month-long hiatus to North Dakota. We're having a great time!!

T-ball and the Terrells

2009-06-19T09:22:00.005-04:00

A friend of ours and I decided to sign our daughters up for t-ball this year. We wanted to see how it would go. It went. Elena did a good job when she was in the mood, the rest of the time was either spent digging in the dirt on the infield or hunting for snacks in the dugout. I didn't actually get to watch a lot of the games because Lucas was insistent upon being next to the stream where he could spend the entire hour throwing rocks. I must add, I was impressed by his throwing abilities.

I think Elena was most excited by the end where they would line up to give high-5's and then huddle for the team cheer. Can you imagine 12 little 3 and 4 year olds chanting "1, 2, 3 Maniacs." Yes, that was their appropriate team name. The Li'l Maniacs.

Renovation Realities

2009-06-14T15:15:00.006-04:00

Well, it won't make a very interesting episode of "Renovation Realities" on HGTV, but hopefully it would qualify for "Bang for your Buck." I'm referring to our recent kitchen undertaking, or rather overhaul. The story: basically, we scrimped and saved our change in a special jar (Huntington Bank) and called in our oh so useful family members, and this week we accomplished our goal of remodeling our outdated and almost dilapidated kitchen. There were some re-plumbing and re-wiring issues, but I left that to the pros (i.e. my dad and his friend), and other than a few manageable glitches the project went very smoothly. Here are some befores and afters (hopefully you will be able to differentiate between the two):

(I even included the "before" mess)

The pics don't do the job justice, but I'm really happy with the way the project turned out. With the exception of a few finishing details and a new stove (keeping fingers crossed that the jar has a little left in it), our kitchen is done. We were able to get it all done in about a week. Thank heavens! I'm ready to cook up a storm and have you all over.

Preschool wrap-up

2009-06-10T12:41:00.004-04:00

Elena loved preschool, I loved preschool, all around it was a great situation. The kids were all great friends (we've even set up a weekly play group for the summer), the teachers were saints sent straight from heaven. Here are a few pictures from their end-of-year party.

Lucas enjoying the sandbox.
Parachute game (Elena prancing around the perimeter)

The card I made for each of the teachers

Bowling
The swings

Each t-shirt has the hand print of every kid in the class.

A few of the kids with Miss Stefanie

A few cards

2009-06-10T12:34:00.003-04:00

Here are a few cards I have made recently. The aren't fancy, but maybe that will inspire someone. The first I made for my niece's birthday, and the others I put together as a gift for my "secret sister" at church.

Somedays are like that

2009-05-20T13:10:00.004-04:00

5:15 a.m. - Drew leaves for work. The loud roar of his Neon (more like a soft whine) somehow wakes Lucas up and I go in to convince him that although the birds are chirping and light is peeking through the window it is not time to get up. He is sitting on top of his armoire perfectly content (he opened the drawers and used them as stairs).
6:30 a.m. - I lose the battle of sleep and go into Lucas's room and lay on his floor while he empties all of his dresser drawers (I'm too tired to care).
6:35 a.m. - Elena hears this and decides she doesn't want to be left out. I convince her that snuggling would be fun and we lie on the floor together and try not to become targets of Lucas's throwing practice.
7:00 a.m. - I finally accept that the day has begun and head downstairs to get the screaming nut jobs their breakfast.
7:15 a.m. - Time to get the kids ready so Elena can get to school by 8:00. This usually involves an argument between Elena and myself as we settle on what she will wear to school. Her choice is consistently her little apple shift dress.
7:55 a.m. - Race like and Indy car to get to school. There is not penalty for being late, just bruised pride considering we had been up since 6:30.
8:01 a.m. - Lucas makes his MWF appearance at the Wal-Mart fish tank department where we proceed to watch the fish for what seems like an hour but is usually only ten minutes. Proceed to kill time until Elena's pick up.
12:30 p.m. - After lunch I find Lucas on top of the entertainment center. Laying there like it would be the perfect spot for a nap.
1:00 p.m. - A stray cat manages to get into the house. One adult and two children are chasing this animal with different agendas. They think it would be a fun pet and I just want it out.
1:05 p.m. - Crisis averted. The cat decided he wouldn't want to live in this nut house and exits.
2:00 p.m. - The kids lay down for naps after an exhausting game of stay away from mommy (their favorite outside activity). Quiet time for me that I should use to be productive but generally don't.
4:00 p.m. - Back to reality. The kids come down wanting their snack. I oblige.
6:00 p.m. - Dinner time. Usually a power struggle. I realize I am no match for them and they escape, Elena having eaten only enough to secure a treat and Lucas having eaten anything we let him dip in sour cream.
7:30 p.m. - Bath time. They need it. Like Elena says (because I told her once and she will never forget) her "butt is stinky."
8:00 p.m. - Good nights and a gentle reminder that the bathroom is not a personal playground after mommy goes downstairs.
8:05 p.m. - Drew gets home from work and asks me how my day was. This post is for him.

Mourning

2009-05-18T17:47:00.002-04:00

I lost a dear friend today, or at least what felt like one. Over the last seven years we have spent every Sunday evening together. I probably turned to this friend more than any other to help me cope with the wave of sickness that accompanied my first trimesters with both kids. This friend was my go to if I needed a larger-than-life sidekick to bring to parties or dinners. The kids have become quite attached too as they have shared in the joy that this friend brings into our lives. Goodbye beloved popcorn bowl. I will miss you.

On this day, May 18, our beautiful, huge, breakable popcorn bowl entered into eternal rest (in the trash) due to injuries suffered during a fall. Being too tempting for Lucas to resist, he pulled the bowl down off the counter in search of remnants from last evening's festivities. Having joined our family on a wedding gift registry outing, it has been with us longer than Drew and I have been married. It could withstand several long-distance moves, but it was no match for our little boy. A moment of silence please.

Progress

2009-05-18T08:24:00.003-04:00

I look for joy in the small things =). Yesterday at church everyone sat together with hands in laps long enough to get through part of the Sacrament. The peace lasted a total of two minutes. Progress, people, progress.

Random Run-in

2009-05-07T21:45:00.003-04:00

I love random run-ins. I love running into people at the store I see on a regular basis. I love Facebook for the randomness it provides (I mean we weren't really friends in high school, but why not be facebook friends?). Today I experienced my favorite kind of random run in. The long lost friend kind. Drew and I took the kids up to Pittsburgh to go to the Children's Museum, and while he was chasing Lucas down a hallway he bumped into a friend of ours that we haven't seen in seven years. He was a guy that went to Ukraine (and BYU) with us way back when. He's doing his residency up in Pitt., so we ended up spending the evening with him and his family. So fun.

Wouldn't it be nice..

2009-05-06T10:48:00.002-04:00

if vacation could last forever?
Drew was able to take this week off from work and we have been eating up every minute we get with him. Elena is so excited that she actually gets to eat breakfast with her dad. Every night she asks him if he will be home in the morning and most nights the answer is "no," but this week it's all "yes"es.
The first part of his vacation was spent with a whirlwind jaunt down to Cincinnati. A place that is quickly becoming one of my top cities. Anyway, Drew was able to meet up with his life-long friends for their annual guys-night out. The kids and I stayed with the family of one of the other musketeers and had our own fun. We all had so much fun, even Lucas.
The last couple days have been spent running aroud trying to get some work done around the house mixed in with unadulterated family time. We actually had an FHE that started before 7:3o and celebrated a major holiday all together. Cinco de Mayo counts when its one of the few you get.
We have a few days left with Drew before it's back to work, but we are loving it while it lasts!!

Leftover Ham?

2009-05-06T10:27:00.002-04:00

I have a friend who is trying to use up her leftover ham, and this recipe came to mind. It is so good that even my kids eat it. It is pure comfort food complete with butter, cheese and potatoes. Not for the faint of heart. I found it in a Taste of Home cookbook.

Mom's Ham Casserole
2 c. cubed, peeled potatoes
1 lg. carrot, sliced
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 T. chopped green pepper
2 T. finely chopped onion
2 c. chopped ham
4 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1) Place potatoes, carrots, and celery in a pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain.
2) Saute green pepper, onion and ham in 3 T. butter until tender. Combine with potato mixture in baking dish.
3) Melt 4 T. butter in saucepan, stir in flour. Add milk, salt and pepper. Stir. Cook until thickened (about 2 minutes). Add 1 c. cheddar cheese after removing pan from heat. Pour sauce over mixture in baking dish. Stir to combine. Top with 1/2 c. soft bread crumbs.
4) Bake 25-30 minutes.

These measurements are according to the cookbook. Feel free to adjust the amounts based on what you have. For example, I usually have extra ham, so I make a few more vegetables and a little extra sauce. Whatever you like.

Hope this helps, G.J.!

Obsessed

2009-04-27T10:16:00.002-04:00

I'm obsessed with the kids' obsessions. Elena - Day of the week underwear. She likes to stay current. Lucas - Frosty the Snowman. Gotta love 'em.

Miracle of Saline

2009-04-22T11:41:00.010-04:00

Saline has been around forever.
It truly is a miracle. Many beautiful places carry the name.

It allows some people to swim without the fear of drowning.

Many people breathe easier after a shot of this wonderful solution up their nose. It is used in hospitals to keep hearts pumping and people alive (so they can pay their bills).

Most importantly, it is what helped Lucas go from this:To this:

Lucas was admitted to the hospital last week after catching rotovirus (a nasty stomach virus I wouldn't wish on anyone). We found him sleeping in his laundry basket when he first got sick. It progressed to constant vomiting and diarrhea, which eventually led to a little boy who couldn't even sit up on his own. We took him into the ED where they started him on a saline drip to treat his severe dehydration. It took almost eight rounds and the threat of a catheder before he finally started doing what he was supposed to (peeing). As you can see from the last picture he is all better and making up for lost time.

I'm so grateful for our access to healthcare in this country. People complain about the high costs and long waits and everything else associated with the industry, but when it comes down to it we are so blessed to have the technology and facilities we do. Drew was saying that rotovirus is a top killer of children in third world countries because it often leads to dehydration and they don't have access to the simple treatment of saline.

I also want to give a huge THANK YOU to all the support and help we got from friends and family.

Recent Paper Projects

2009-04-11T15:58:00.006-04:00

I think I might start posting pictures or recent cards and scrapbook pages. Good idea or not so good? Maybe they can jump start your own project or just give me motivation to actually get to work on my own.

1) A basic thank you card. Stamped and embossed with copper - the photo doesn't show the shine very well. I stippled the cream strip with similar ink. Embossed "Thanks" in white over embossed copper. Inked all edges in brown ink. (excuse the thumb - I wasn't getting a very good shot unless I held it just right.)

2) A scrapbook page I did for my Dad's birthday present. I displayed it in a 12x12 shadowbox.

Could this be comfortable?

2009-04-09T11:20:00.004-04:00

I honestly don't know how this kid sleeps. He insists on sleeping with his garage, a whole little police station, three dinosaurs, Buzz Lightyear, his entire car collection (that he keeps neatly stored in a plastic bin), four specific books, a bead maze mounted on a giant wooden block, a giant elephant, three blankets, a sippy cup, and whatever else he deems necessary. I guess there is a reason he's little. Last night, he was sleeping with his head under the parking garage. Whatever induces sleep is fine with me!

What she learns in school

2009-04-09T11:15:00.004-04:00

One day Drew and I were in the kitchen and Elena just started reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I was so glad to hear that they are still having kids say it in school. She has been coming up with all sorts of knew knowledge that I know she didn't learn here (sadly - I would love to take credit for teaching her something). This video is really sweet.

2009-03-31T08:09:00.002-04:00

A couple pics and a video. The first was taken in Indy a few days before Lucas was born. The second was a couple of weeks ago at the park.

Lucas's favorite pastime. He is always hiding in the laundry basket. He carries it around on his head so that all he has to do is drop down and he's covered. He will watch movies covered in his little turtle shell, peeking through the holes.

The Right Stuff

2009-03-30T22:23:00.003-04:00

I really liked this slideshow. The news/media started portraying the flood stories as a hopeless situation and what they found instead was, ironically, hope. A renewed hope in people.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/weather/03/30/fargo.slideshow/index.html

I have been asked why would someone want to live in my hometown. This is really what it comes down to. It is a community. Having lived through a very similar situation before, I have a special place in my heart for what is going on in Fargo. I know that it is hard to capture the spirit and determination through videos and photos, but bare with me as this may be for myself more than anyone else.

By the way, my family is back in their home although they need to climb over a seven foot dike to get in and out.

2009-03-28T10:53:00.003-04:00

Here is an article that my family was in. I'm really proud of his positive attitude and fighting spirit. They aren't giving up on their house or their neighbors. Even if it means sleeping in shifts and taking levee duty at 2 in the morning when there is snow on the ground and it's only a few degrees out.

Update on my family

2009-03-27T19:58:00.004-04:00

I just thought I would post this since a few of you have asked about my family via telephone, email, etc. My family is now under a mandatory evacuation from their home. My mom is staying with a neighbor, across the street. That might sound odd, but there is a seven foot dirt dike between the houses. My dad and brother are currently staying at the house, but have an escape plan laid out if needed, and emergency supplies just in case. They are staying to pump water that is seeping through the dike. The situation isn't dire, but they could still use a few extra prayers.

This is a great video. I am so proud of my hometown. No matter what happens it is a great place to live with absolutely amazing people. Most of the scenes with homes shown are from my parent's neighborhood.

In my own backyard

2009-03-27T13:38:00.005-04:00

This is not a picture of my parents yard, but a few houses down. My parents are ready to leave if there is a mandatory evacuation, but right now they're still holding down the fort. They now have a dike in the back of their house AND in the front. The one in the front won't help them much, but it will be a backup for the rest of the city if the sandbags can't hold the water.

A good reminder that no man is an island:

this is a great slide show. sorry if you're tired of looking at flood stuff. it is just forefront in my mind.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29868108/displaymode/1247/

2009-03-25T16:34:00.002-04:00

Here is an article I found on a friends site that reminded me of the great people in Fargo that are helping out.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090324/ap_on_re_us/flooding_pulling_together

My parents were informed today that they need to pack up their basement because one of the dikes ahs already broken a few miles south of where they live. They may need to evacuate because another dike is being built in front of their house as back up. I am so glad they live around so many wonderful people who are willing to help in such an emergent situation.

Fending off the Floodwaters

2009-03-24T11:41:00.003-04:00

I just got off the phone with my mom. She is currently slicing sandwich buns and making food to feed the dozens of college kids and community volunteers who are helping build a sandbag dike in their backyard. The Red River in Fargo, ND is expected to crest at record levels this week, and with more rain and snow on the way there is no telling when this will all be over. My parents live on the river, but should be OK. However, they have several neighbors in real trouble and due to overland flooding and other water outlets, the whole city is in some degree of trouble.

This emergency reminds me of 1997, when the same thing happened and I was able to be part of the largest community-wide effort to fill and stack sand bags I had known. We worked all day and night in freezing temperatures and snow/rain. I remember people from church showing up at a moments notice to move all of the basement furniture up to the main floor. It was renewal of faith in a teenager's perception of humankind.

This year it's worse and thankfully there are more volunteers to help. People are really stepping up and helping out strangers. They are cancelling schools and universities to free up volunteers and those volunteers are filling up buses as they're transorted to local areas of need. Check out this link to see some great pictures of the volunteer effort. I have been on my parents to get some pictures of what's been going around around their neighborhood, but they've been a little busy.

Keep the area in your prayers, and hopefully the levees will hold. We lost one city in 1997 when a dike broke. Hopefully Fargo will fare better a decade later.

Sandcastles out of cornstarch

2009-03-20T13:40:00.004-04:00

My adorable, sweet, perfect children (gagging on the sarcasm) decided to take advantage of a distracted mommy and to create the biggest mess I've had to clean up to date. Lucas got into a barely opened box of cornstarch and spread it to his heart's content. When I first discovered the little angels, the mess was contained to the kitchen. It took about two second for them to spread the superfine dust from the back door to the front door. I am still cleaning up the chaos. It is on every bookshelf, tabletop, appliance, etc. Here are a few pictures of the darlings before things got really good. I figured I should put down the camera and wrangle up the snowmen. Oh, the pictures aren't blurry, the corstarch created a thick haze that took half a day to settle.

Here We Go, Bison!!

2009-03-20T12:52:00.003-04:00

Anyone following the tournament may have heard about the NDSU Bison. This is their first year of eligibility for the D 1 NCAA Tounement and they made it!! Elena has a message for them!

Facelift

2009-03-16T18:21:00.002-04:00

So, since I won't get a facelift (or the nose job I've wanted since I went on a date with a guy who told me my nose looks like a butt - a cute butt, however) I decided to give my blog a little tweek. Nothing too exciting, just a new name. It isn't like going from a buttface to a supermodel or anything. Obviously I was scarred by the lack of social grace this guy demonstrated, but a butt? Really?

Killing me with kindness

2009-03-13T16:41:00.002-04:00

Today I have been smothered by the kind deeds of others and I feel like I should bake everyone cinnamon rolls. This morning I went to get my transmission checked out at a transmission shop. They didn't find a problem with the transmission itself, but they did a few other repairs that they saw. They didn't charge me a dime. Then this guy at Wal-Mart saw my overloaded life and took my cart and put it away for me. The lady at the car-rental place upgraded us and gave us an additional discount for the weekend. To top it all off, Drew is taking the kids for the weekend. They're off to Detroit to visit his family. I'm floating on a cloud. (I'm still waiting for someone's neck to start bleeding or head to fall off that would make Drew stay too late at work and cancel the bliss). I really should be baking and delivering goodies to everyone.
I guess making soup and cheesecake for a stake activity will have to suffice for now.

Protective Glass?

2009-03-02T19:16:00.003-05:00

Driving to the store today, I was stopped at a red light. A car stopped in the intersection in front of me (perpendicular to my car). I proceeded to watch the driver dig for what must have been the Holy Grail of boogers. He did this without the faintest thought of the outside world. I think he found his hidden treasure.

I love watching other drivers because we all (with the exception of the booger hunt, for most of us I hope) behave like our cars are little bubbles that we can see out of, but no one can see in. I sing to the radio - like a full blown rock star sometimes. Of course the driver next to me can't see this because I'm behind my protective glass. He must be laughing at something else.

To those of you with tinted windows who think you're soooo smart, well - I hate to tell you, but they only help so much.

Ice, Ice Baby

2009-02-26T13:15:00.004-05:00

Last week I took the kids to a "mommy and me" activity at the ice rink. They rough up the ive and let the kids go out and play in their boots. The kids had a lot of fun - even Lucas (we had minor tantrum episodes). When I was a kid every elementary school had an outdoor ice rink next to the playground and we would ice skate, play hockey, run around do whatever all winter long. I adore watching the kids enjoy the same type of activities.

The rink puts out balls and sleds and other activities for the kids to do.
They also put a little snow pile out on the ice for the kids to play in.

Hockey champs.

You'd think I married a centipede

2009-02-25T19:26:00.003-05:00

He doesn't have stinky feet. He only goes one place each day (work). I don't really understand how or why. It just happens. This is not even a full week of socks and it doesn't count the dress socks I already folded and put away. For some reason I hate washing and folding socks and I continually question Drew as to how many times he changes socks each day.

The aftermath of neglect

2009-02-05T08:36:00.004-05:00

While I was on the computer one day, obviously neglecting the kids, Lucas was taking advantage of the opportunity (please ignore the messy kitchen, that gets neglected, too).

Those are Hershey kisses all over his mouth in the first picture. So much for my stash, I guess. I counted six wrappers laying on the counter.

The Circus

2009-02-05T08:32:00.002-05:00

Elena and Lucas appropriately named their favorite game, "Circus." They rip the cushions off the couch and have at it like a couple of acrobatic monkeys. I don't mind because it will seriously occupy them for at least half an hour before bed. Here are a few pictures for our upcoming circus billboard:

Influences

2009-02-05T07:51:00.003-05:00

I was reading Ecclesiastes 3 last night and the tune to the popular song came into my head. I could not help, as hard as I tried, reading the passage without humming. I started laughing then. Great. I don't feel like I was committing some heinous sin, but I was just amazed at how little control I had over my thoughts. It was a gentle reminder how easily culture and media can be internalized.

Speaking of internalizing media - whenever I read a book, especially a period book, I begin to talk and think in the dialect or style the book is written. For example, I'm reading a book about the deep south in the early 1900's. If I'm reading and the phone rings, I have to remind myself to answer the phone in a normal voice instead and not use the southern accent I'm sure I've perfected, in my own head. And I have to keep supressing my urge to use the words, "I reckon" and "yes'm." I'm pretty sure Drew was ready for me to finish my Jack Kerouac phase so I would stop talking like a beat poet or the European books that bring out my finest English accent.

War of the wet

2009-02-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

I am not usually an advice seeker (in fact my eyes usually roll back into my head anytime I see the unsolicited kind coming my way) , but this time I'm open to any suggestion you may have. We finally had Elena potty trained to stay dry through the night. She had been accident-free for over a month. All of a sudden she started having nightly accidents. She refuses to wear a pull up and I really don't want to go backwards. We (by that I mean ME) have been getting up with her in the middle of the night to take her to the potty in order to avoid the accident. I was just wondering how any of you may have conquered the nighttime potty-training. Let me know and I promise I won't roll my eyes.

I did find this little contraption, but I don't know if I'm quite at that point =).

Signs of winter

2009-01-30T09:12:00.003-05:00

I don't really need a ground hog to tell me that winter has set in.
My laundry is getting done at an alarmingly slow pace. Elena has been home from school more than she's gone. My car begs me not to make it try and climb the crazy hills around here. I still haven't unpacked from my trip to North Dakota. The mailman hopes he doesn't have any mail for me because he knows the hike up my porch to the mailbox could be his last. Drew parks facing the wrong direction on the street so he doesn't have to slide down our hill when he leaves for work. Snow pants and ice skates are adorning my front entry. The kids act like uncaged animals any time we go out in public. I put autostart and a garage on my Christmas list for next year. I started a new calendar to wring in the new year. My children have our collection of Disney movies memorized.
Despite the lack of sunshine and presence of ice, I'm loving winter! I get to snuggle with the kids under a cozy blanket while they memorize their Disney movies. I don't really mind not getting things done around the house, which greatly improves my mood. I get to sleep in when Elena doesn't have to go to school. It's always an adventure when we drive someplace. We are playing all of the fun games they got for Christmas. We're eating soups and stews like there's no tomorrow. Let it snow, let it snow (just not too much =).

I think it's us

2009-01-20T08:00:00.003-05:00

Congrats to our closest hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers for their upcoming trip to the Superbowl. If one didn't know better they might think we have something to do with their success. After our second year in Indianapolis the Colts won a Superbowl. After our second year here, well GO STEELERS. What do you think?
Actually, it probably has nothing to do with us - considering where football ranks on my list of interests.

We're doing well and slowly getting into our groove after our winter trek to North Dakota. My family made it out here for Christmas and we drove back with them. The trip was long and snowy. We followed closely behind a Wal-Mart semi because we couldn't see the road and they always know where they're going, right? When he pulled off we figured we should follow suit and camp out for the night at a little hotel. We made it finally (after 32 hours) and spent two great weeks up in the frozen tundra I call home. The temperature averaged -15 over the course of our visit, so we spent a lot of time inside.

Now we're back! Elena has had two of her three preschool classes cancelled due to weather, so we're getting a little antsy around here. Lucas is turning two this week, so we have that to get ready for as well. So not too much, but enough for me. I'm still stretching my legs and trying to get life organized.

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-24T14:33:00.003-05:00

I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!! I love my Savior and am so grateful for this holiday when we get to celebrate His birth, His life and His example.

"Battery Exhausted"

2008-12-19T18:12:00.003-05:00

This week has been stuffed with Christmas activities and other bustlings. We were stranded for the beginning part of the week, but by Wednesday afternoon I had walked to the service station (with two kids and their huge car seats in tow) and retrieved my car, new radiator and all. Back in business. This was just in time for our Christmas cookie decorating party hosted by a friend of ours.
This brave family hosted a dozen mini-cookie decorators and their parents. Sadly, I forgot my camera and don't have any pictures of Elena working away with the pink and green frostings. With half a week of errands to run, we spent Thursday in the car hopping from store to store trying to track down all we needed for our parties today (this included a hunt for reindeer antlers that seemed to be evading us).
This morning Elena had her Christmas party at preschool. It was so fun to see all the little kids romping around high on sugar and Christmas excitement. I had my camera and was ready to go when the screen flashed: Battery Exhausted. So, no pictures of this event either.
After this party we rushed home to get ready for Elena's Birthday Party for Jesus that she wanted to hold. We were able to have a few families over to celebrate and it was a lot of fun for us. We even collected a few toys that we are going to take to a local charity. I hope to make it an annual event. In all of the motions, I forgot to take any pictures of this one too.
So-sorry to Drew and grandparents who would have liked to see some sort of record of these fun activities, but just know the kids were cute and had a blast!

Dreams

2008-12-16T16:19:00.001-05:00

Me: When you grow up and get big like Daddy, what do you want to be?
Elena: A penguin

North Dakota, here we come =)

Timing is everything

2008-12-16T12:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday morning I was reading a friends blog entry about holiday stress. I remember thinking to myself, "I'm doing pretty well managing the holidays this year." Why would I think such an audacious thought the week before Christmas? With only one week until Christmas and a two page to-do list I am now home-bound with no car and two cranky kids! Yikes. Now my stress is kicking in.
Yesterday we ran into some major problems with my car and are having it towed and looked at today. Hopefully it will be a quick fix (inexpensive would be nice too) so that I can get to work on the other things I have to get done before this weekend. I guess we'll start working on the in-house projects first.

Rite of Passage

2008-12-13T19:04:00.006-05:00

Supposedly most kids, at one time or another decide to play barber shop on their own heads. Well the day has come for Elena. She decided, in her words, that her hair was too long. Now, in her words also, it is too short. I didn't know exactly how to react when I found the mound of hair on her table. I was angry, sad, amused, etc. I at least knew I had to capture this momentous occasion on camera.

Before the trip to the salon for a touch up:

The end result:
My dad always thought she had too much hair around her face, now that it's all cut off maybe he'll be satisfied. =)

To roll or not to roll!

2008-12-08T17:30:00.003-05:00

Cookie making is upon us. Sugar cookies, no brainer - you have to roll them out. Snickerdoodles - again a no brainer. You roll them into balls. The dilema arises when you get to the drop cookie category. I'm a roller. I'm an obsessed, controlling roller. Drew is banned from helping because he couldn't care if his cookie dough balls are the same size or perfectly spherical. The recipes tell me to just drop rounded tablespoonfulls onto a cookie sheet. I can't do that. Drew doesn't understand why not. I get it from my mom, and her whole family. All rollers.

Well, Saturday I decided out of time constraints to drop my cookies onto the sheet. Much to my satisfaction, Elena informed me: "Mom, you have to roll them into balls. They have to be this big and round." I've created a cookie monster, but at least I can trust one of my family members to help me.

Delinquent

2008-12-03T09:18:00.004-05:00

Maybe it is the age, maybe it is the excitement of the holidays, maybe she is tired of her little preschool stalker - I don't know what it is, but Elena got her first time out in school on Monday. She hit the little boy that won't leave her alone and they ended up in a little scuffle. (I think the teacher broke it up before a winner was declared, although I know Elena could have taken him.)

Today she decided she was upset so she punched Lucas in the head. For as much as the kid knocks himself around, he sure didn't take that well. I'm just paranoid that Elena is going to turn into the "mean kid" or something. Hopefully the phase is short lived and nothing a few time-out can't cure.

Giving Thanks

2008-12-03T09:02:00.002-05:00

We have so much to be grateful for and it is nice that tradition allows us at least one time a year to celebrate and remember all of those blessings. Our list was topped off by the fact that Drew had the whole weekend off. Thursday, Friday, Saturday AND Sunday! We were able to take the weekend and go to Indiana to visit friends and Drew's family.
We were able to meet our newest nephew and Elena had a blast playing with the baby.
Now we're ready for Christmas!

The day has come!

2008-11-26T07:58:00.003-05:00

I know a lot of other places have already experienced this joyous sight, but I just wanted to share the excitement I felt when I saw this sight yesterday (one I haven't seen in YEARS!)

(The gas prices - not the snow)

How we spent a day in the snow

2008-11-26T07:54:00.003-05:00

We spent last Saturday morning sledding with some friends. I think the kids had two different ideas of how they wanted that day to go.

Elena:

Lucas:

Little Squirt!

2008-11-26T07:50:00.002-05:00

My little squirt did it! He used the big potty last night for the first time. It was really quite amusing, and I am by no means thinking he is ready to go for the big P.T. (potty training). He was in the tub and started shouting, "Got go potty!" over and over. So, I got him out set him on the potty and he just started going. Then he thought it was so funny he kept trying to watch and trying to go more. I thought he was done, so I got him off and he walked down the hall still laughing hard. I guess he really thought peeing all the way down the hall was just as fun as on the potty. Anyway, he came back to the potty to do MORE.

Sorry for the TMI post, but I was just so excited I had to share.

Another good one

2008-11-18T13:35:00.002-05:00

Elena was sitting at the dinner table and telling us about her day at school. She informed us that her friend H__ told her that he wanted to marry her. She told me, "I tell him no. Not until six more years." Then today we were trying on a few of her church dresses to see if they still fit and she started dancing around singing, "Now I can get married. I marry you Mommy."

We were in our sacrament meeting on Sunday when Lucas wriggled loose from our pew went over to his Nursery teacher and started yelling "cookie, cookie,cookie" with his outstreched hand. I guess he knows who to go to for a snack.

A dutiful post

2008-11-04T20:49:00.004-05:00

I wouldn't be fulfilling my blooging-mom duties if I didn't post a few pictures of our Halloween week. We had a lot of great parties to go to and a wonderful evening of tricks and treats. (the only trick was Drew getting home in time for the 5:30-6:30 city-wide trick or treat) Elena had a great time trick-or-treating. Especially once she realized that all she had to do was say the magic words and people would just give her a handful of candy. That's my girl!

Elena had to dress up like a saint for her preschool party (it's a Catholic school) and she was the patron saint of Mexican Children. There are patron saints of just about everything. The only way to make Lucas content was to let him get into the candy a little early. We basically kept stealing from the treats just to keep him going. This is the only non-screaming pic I have of him with his penguin hood on.

Huh?

2008-10-31T13:39:00.005-04:00

Last night Drew was out with the missionaries, so it gave me an opportunity to talk to Elena about missionaries and what they teach people. She looked at me, very excited, and said that she wants to be a missionary when she gets big. I was so happy, I gave her a hug and told her that sounded like a great idea. Then she thought for a second and said, "Or I'll just have babies instead." I have no idea where that came from.

Don't be fooled

2008-10-31T13:31:00.003-04:00

Noodles are not just harmless, chewable foods.

Just to give you an example of my crazy day yesterday: I cut my finger on spaghetti. Spaghetti. What? Spaghetti. A noodle.

I was rushing to get dinner (something I was eagerly preparing all afternoon since we hadn't had a nice meal in awhile) and I realized the pot I needed was dirty and I had to wash it quickly. I was using my hands to get out the dried spaghetti noodle and the darned thing sliced my thumb open. Who does that? Be cautious of your pasta. Or do your dishes promptly to avoid any issues.

Do you have any good stories?

What would you do?

2008-10-26T17:30:00.003-04:00

Drew's mom was in town this weekend. She and Drew took the kids up to Pittsburgh for a trip to the Children's Museum. This means that I was going to have most of the day to MYSELF!! What? Yes, to myself. I've been dreaming of this possible day and all the things that I would accomplish if I were to ever have such time alone.

The vision:

Paint the basement (between the 70's paneling and the 70's chair that Drew refuses to part with it's all a little much)

Sleep a little bit

Organize the kids' closets and shoes

Go through the storage room and make a Good-Will and a Craig's List pile

Read something thought provoking

Go out to lunch by myself with my thought provoking reading material

Get my hair-cut
Catch up on laundry

(The day is only so long - I know)

What I didn't do:

What I did do:

I went to Lowes to buy some brackets to fix Elena's closet shelf and rod that decided to crash to the floor the night before

I played with a power tool in order to fix the closet

I ate Taco Bell in front of my computer and watched a couple episodes of The Office: Season 1 via Netflix

I read thought provoking blogs and meandered around on the Internet.

In other words: I did nothing! You know what? It was amazing!

Why Bother

2008-10-25T15:55:00.006-04:00

I was blog hopping and found a friend who's husband finished dental school the same year Drew graduated from medical school. Her husband is doing a two year orthodontics residency. She had a ticker counting down until his graduation. Hers provided a little more light (8 months) than the one I created:

1 year four months down.