Our Story

Take My Picture!

2012-01-11T16:07:00.002-07:00

Abram turns into a little ham when the camera comes out. Even if it's not out, he'll sometimes stop what he's doing to pose and demand, "Take my picture!" How can I argue with that?

Christmas Recap

2012-01-10T22:22:00.010-07:00

Despite our attempts to keep it simple, December was pretty packed. Ward Christmas party. Marty's work Christmas party. Making fudge. Reading books. Walking through several blocks of Christmas light displays. Shopping. Wrapping. Quilting. Mod Podge. LOTS of Primary stuff for Church. Josh Groban's Christmas album. Choosing a live Christmas tree. Decorating the tree. Finding out that none of our colored lights worked. Singing. Family.

When Santa asked Grace what she wanted for Christmas, she didn't even have to think about it. "EVERYTHING!" she said. Um, can you say entitled?

Christmas Eve snacks

Christmas morning

Jacob was ecstatic over his new Bear Grylls pocketknife.

Aunt Constance and baby Brooke

Visiting Grammy on Christmas Eve

Cousin Lily

Abram and Grace played with this nativity set for days. My favorite arrangement was the one where Thomas the train was perched on top of the arch.

I'd have to say that one of the best things we did this year was attend a living nativity near here. A family we don't know puts on the nativity in a makeshift stable in their backyard. There is a musical program, live animals (the Wise Men walk in with three alpacas!), simple costumes, and a real baby in the manger. All of the parts are played by children. There was a beautiful, peaceful spirit there as we took a night off from the busy-ness of the season, sat on hay bales with our children in the chilly stable, and listened in awe to scripture and song. It was the highlight of our Christmas.

A Few Highlights

2012-01-02T21:15:00.008-07:00

I thought I'd better post a few pictures of what we've been up to the last few months before we breeze into 2012. (You know, the year I resolve to post more on this blog.) So, catching up...

This is our "Thankful Tree," the result of a pre-Thanksgiving FHE on gratitude. I love the variety of blessings written by the children, from the everyday to the profound.

Mr. Peeps came back this year, right on schedule. (See this post for the backstory on our elf.) It was adorable to watch Abram jump out of bed every morning and run to find him. He would check every previous place that Mr. Peeps had appeared and say "Nope, Mr. Peeps all gone!"

At our homeschool co-op the children made candy trains. I have never seen our kids more excited about an activity in their lives. EVER.

All of them got very creative. Isaac's train features an armed robbery, an atomic bomb, and Santa drowning in a glacier lake.

Grace has a morbid streak that makes us laugh and raise our eyebrows at the same time. She created a hospital. This was entirely her own idea. When she had finished, she gave me a tour. "Look, Mom...here are the bears, and here is the doctor. The bears are laying down in their beds and they're DEAD. Ha ha ha!!" Weird.

Abram helped grind oranges and cranberries for Marty's traditional Thanksgiving cranberry relish.

Thanksgiving dinner. Marty's Mom was able to join us this year.

Every year, my mom gives our family a "first day of snow" book - to be opened on, well...you know. The children anticipate this day for weeks and eagerly watch the skies for the first flake. Luckily for them, we got a dusting one day in November. The rest of our winter has been extraordinarily dry.

Other than the photographed moments, we have been busy learning, serving, playing, reading, organizing, and preparing for the holidays. More to come...

Halloween (or, Why Can't I Manage to Post Anything Within Two Weeks Of When It Actually Occurred?)

2011-11-09T23:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a big deal in our neighborhood. People drive here from other neighborhoods to trick-or-treat; their parked cars line entire blocks of the street. Some houses get more than 400 trick-or-treaters. It's insanity. And every year we join the mayhem.

Little Abram experienced his first Halloween in which he actually knew what was going on. When I first tried to put his costume on him, he shied away with a look that said, "You could not PAY me to wear that." I spoke four magic words to him: "Wear costume, get candy." He came running, thrust his arms into the sleeves and was ready in 60 seconds. As we headed down the street, he ran from house to house, his black plastic kettle of candy swinging and his stuffed tail wagging behind him. I think this is the best age for trick-or-treating.

Grace changed her mind every day for weeks about what she wanted to be for Halloween. Monkey, princess, tiger, Snow White, fairy, you-name-it, she'd considered it. She settled on being a puppy like her brother.

Isaac was a ghost. Cheapest costume I've ever put together. :)

Jacob put together his own costume. If you can't tell, he was a falconer. (This is his latest passion.)

Despite the chilly evening, a great time was had by all.

Bonus: Now we have a year's supply of Starburst. That counts as food storage, right?

Multiple Choice

2011-10-26T22:55:00.003-06:00

Last week we had haircut day. Can you guess which one of the following haircuts was NOT approved or performed by Mom?

Go ahead. Take a guess.

Double Digits

2011-10-25T14:35:00.000-06:00

Last month, my eldest child reached that magical age of 10. An entire decade. Somehow, 10 seems so much more than 9. It must be the extra digit.

For his birthday Jacob received a compass, a book on chemistry, some fishing tackle, and other "outdoor survival stuff." See a theme here? He's been reading My Side of the Mountain.

According to Jacob, the best thing about being 10 is joining the Webelos den. He has fabulous leaders who encourage his creativity and inspire him to do his best. Happy birthday, Jacob!

I Did It!

2011-09-05T13:10:00.002-06:00

For years I've wanted to enter a sketch in the local Fair, just for fun. This year I finally made the time to do it. Having a deadline forced me to finish something for once. :) It was so much fun for the kids to see Mommy's art at the fairgrounds! I might even do it again someday.

Caution: Toddler in Progress

2011-09-04T22:37:00.001-06:00

Abram turned 2 years old yesterday. It hardly seems possible. Remember when he was born?

A glimpse at Abram's life right now:

He is learning new words at a quick pace, copying everything he hears. His favorite words are milk, buppy (blankie), train, plane and truck.

His favorite book is The Little Engine That Could.

He loves to be outside, take walks, and swing on the swingset.

He sings himself to sleep in his crib every night.

He can sing "Praise to the Man." He also sings the chorus of "All Creatures of Our God and King" at the top of his lungs.

When we drive over a bridge, he yells, "Woohoo! Wheeeeee!" When we get to the end of the bridge, he says "All done wheeee."

He does NOT like water, except in the bathtub. He is deathly afraid of sprinklers.

Last Sunday he disrupted Sacrament meeting when he got his head stuck between the pew and the wall. It took four adult men to free him.

His favorite toys are cars and trucks. He calls them his "hot cars." He takes a handful of them everywhere, even to bed.

When Daddy leaves for work in the morning, Abram waves and says "Bye, Dad, have a good work today!"

He is very polite. When I give him food he says, "Thanks, Mom."

He has a delightful personality. He is generous, happy, and energetic. Except when he isn't. :)

Grandma gave him a Tonka dump truck for his birthday. He calls it his "thank you grandma."

Jacob gave him a necklace that he made in Boise State colors.

Apparently he does have a feminine side.

Happy birthday, bugaroo.

Not Quitting My Day Job

2011-08-07T12:06:00.001-06:00

Recently, I've had the opportunity to take photographs of several friends for various occasions. These are my favorites:

The K Family

I and A's Wedding

S and D's 10th Anniversary

Road Trip Photojournal

2011-07-12T21:45:00.001-06:00

Five days in Utah. Two brothers, two sisters-in-law, three cousins. And Grandma. Met my brand-new niece! Museum of Ancient Life. Children's Discovery Garden at Thanksgiving Point. Temple Square. Conference Center tour. Watched the fireworks from our third floor hotel room. Late nights. 102 degrees outside. My sister-friend Chantal. Lots of fun, but glad to be home. Need a vacation to recover. :)

Now Serving Skilly 'n' Duff

2011-06-21T23:02:00.003-06:00

If you are a fan of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, this post is for you.

Several months ago, my brother David kindly donated his childhood collection of Redwall books to Jacob. At first Jacob judged them to be "too old" for him, so they sat in a box in our garage. In March, he asked me to dig out the first novel in the series for him. He read it in four days. (These are 400-page books.) He is completely hooked. There are 22 books in the series. Jacob has read all but two of them.

I haven't read the books myself, but sometimes it feels like I live in them. Jacob now speaks with a British accent. He uses all sorts of fantastic words that I don't understand. When he calls his brother a "badger," I don't know if that is a compliment or an insult. When he wants food, he says "I'm as hungry as a gluttonous hare." This kid created his own meal plan based on the dishes mentioned in the novels. (The food is a very prominent part of the story.) I can almost see little furry creatures scampering about my feet.

You can imagine Jacob's delight when he discovered The Redwall Cookbook at the library yesterday. He was bouncing-up-and-down excited all day long today.

So tonight, we put on our best British accents and had a Redwall feast.

{October Ale}

{Savoury Squirrel Bakes}

{Guosim Shrew Shortbread}

{Dibbun's Delight}

Jacob declared it the best meal he has ever eaten.

Wot wot!

A Tribute

2011-06-19T22:18:00.002-06:00

Happy Father's Day to the man who:

changes dirty diapers

fixes the telephone, washer, dryer, car, and pretty much everything else

makes dinner every Sunday (except today)

takes the boys fishing even though all they hook is each other

reads stories to Grace every night before bed

works hard so Mom can be home with the kids

sings to Abram when he puts him to bed at night

puts chains back on bikes

mows the lawn, trims the trees, and plants the garden

has a bag of peanut M&Ms in his "office" (car) at all times

loves classic cars, the outdoors, and a good steak

is diligently trying to learn how to do his daughter's hair

plays Uno, Phase 10, and Risk with the kids and is a good sport when he loses

leads family prayer and scripture study every day

takes a child with him when he runs errands, goes home teaching, or does a service project

plays soccer with the boys in the backyard

...and a thousand other things.

I love you, Marty!

My Summer To Do List

2011-06-16T23:24:00.004-06:00

Buy a funnel cake

Read The Lonesome Gods

Complete the temple work for my great-grandmother

Bike the greenbelt

Enter a piece of artwork into the County Fair

Go letterboxing

Walk on the beach

Read a great book to the children outside

Memorize the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling

Take a road trip

Learn to cook a new dish

Plan curriculum for next school year

Make homemade ice cream

Keep a journal

Spend a morning at the farmer's market

Play in the fountains at S. Park

Watch fireworks

Work in the orchard

Learn the theme song from "Pride and Prejudice" on the piano

Hike in the mountains

Photograph a meteor shower

Hold my newborn nieces

Watch "Anne of Green Gables"

Draw a portrait of Grace

Eat smores

Visit Temple Square

Finish reading Plato's Republic

Give the boys a weekly cooking lesson

Have a picnic in the backyard with friends

Anybody want to join me??

Drumroll Please

2011-06-15T22:22:00.003-06:00

It gives me great pleasure to announce the winner of the 2011 annual Family Home Evening homemade paper boat race:

Captain Zebra of the sailing vessel "Noah's Ark"... and its proud creator and helmsman:

Moi.

Thank you, really. Your applause is very generous.

Note: This is at least the fifth such boat race I have entered, and my first victory. Actually, it's the first time my boat wasn't eaten by the rapids. In all previous races I was beaten by a six-year-old who used an entire roll of Scotch tape to "waterproof" his craft.

Classics, not Textbooks

2011-05-30T22:48:00.003-06:00

My absolute favorite thing about homeschooling this past year has been reading classic books with the children - books that aren't boring, "fluffy," mindnumbing, obscene, silly, or useless (in my opinion.) Real, living books. I realize that the definition of a classic is somewhat subjective; everyone's classics list will be different. I have read that "A 'classic' is a work — be it literature, music, art, etc. — that’s worth returning to over and over because you get more from it each time." I also believe that true classics bring us closer to Christ. They uplift, ennoble, inspire, elevate our minds, teach truth, refine our tastes, and heighten our spiritual senses. "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." That has been the standard by which we have tried to select the books we read.

If you didn't know by now, I am very much a list person. So here is a list of the classic books we read aloud together this year:

The Cricket in Times Square
The Wizard of Oz
Number the Stars
Prince Caspian
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh
Tales of Peter Rabbit and His Friends
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Trumpet of the Swan
Little Britches
Man of the Family
Mary Emma and Company
Walt Disney (Childhood of Famous Americans series)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice Through the Looking Glass
Sarah, Plain and Tall
The Jungle Book
The Year Money Grew on Trees
Poppy
Just So Stories
Pinocchio
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Little House in the Big Woods
Little House on the Prairie
On the Banks of Plum Creek
Farmer Boy
The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
The Door in the Wall
The Story of Dr. Dolittle
Stuart Little
The Princess and the Goblin
The Princess and Curdie
Morning Girl
My Father's Dragon
The Secret Garden
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Treasure Island

This does not include the shorter books we read as we studied history, math, science, art and music, which literally number in the hundreds. What an incredible journey it has been to wander through ancient Egypt, split the atom, explore Pascal's triangle, see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, lose ourselves in Mozart's symphonies, and so much more...

"A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counsellor, a multitude of counsellors." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Bring on Summer!

2011-05-28T08:20:00.002-06:00

Wednesday was our last day of school for the year. I can hardly believe the year flew by so fast. To celebrate, we took a picnic to the park and played all afternoon. We drank chocolate milkshakes and climbed on rocks. The boys pushed each other on the tire swing. Abram went down the slide. Again and again and again. When we finally got home, windblown and sun-tired, we crashed on the couch and read The Secret Garden.

There is nothing like that feeling of the first day of total freedom, with the whole summer stretching in front of you - the anticipation and all of the wonderful possibilities....

So far, this is what summer looks like at our house:

P.S. On Thursday we had breakfast, devotional, and family work as usual. About 10:00, Isaac came to me.

"Mom, can we have school now?"

"Isaac, it's summer. There's no school, remember?"

"Oh man, I forgot! {sigh} ...well, can we have school anyway? Please?"

{See Mom smile.}

The Inner Workings of a Less-active Blogger Mind

2011-04-25T22:23:00.009-06:00

I realize my posts have been few and short lately. And like any good “less active blogger,” I tuck the kids into bed every night, do the dishes (not really – actually, I make myself a chocolate milkshake) and think, “I really ought to catch up on the blog.”

Poof!

(Devil Blogger appears on one shoulder): But so much has happened since you posted anything substantial – how can you even know where to start?

(Angel Blogger vies for equal attention): How about Easter. It was yesterday. You still remember Easter.

Me: Yes, I should definitely post about our traditional Passover dinner, and how we remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

D.B.: But what about chronological order? Shouldn’t you post about Isaac’s birthday first? It was on Saturday. You can’t just skip around in time like that.

Me: True… I certainly can’t neglect Isaac. And his airplane cake. And the fact that he is SEVEN!

A.B.: Great! Now you’re getting somewhere.

D.B.: You know, this wouldn't be so hard if you would just keep up. Good grief, how hard is it to post a couple of photos and write a paragraph now and then?

Me: Do you have kids?

D.B.: Nope, no little devils here. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Me: You have no idea. Get off my back - uh... shoulder.

A.B.: You tell him.

Me: Okay, where was I...? Looking at Isaac reminds me that he is playing soccer this season. He’s never played a sport before – this is a big deal. Oh, and I have to include how he scored the first goal of the season!!

A.B.: Hooray for Isaac!

Me: That reminds me – Jacob had an exciting month too. He won second place in the Pinewood Derby with his car “Firebolt 89.” What a night that was!

D.B.: Wait a minute. You’ve forgotten something. Isaac wasn’t the only one with a birthday.

Me: Yikes, am I really THAT behind? You’re right. Grace turned FOUR in February! And she reminds us of that fact multiple times a day.

D.B.: And…??? (Jeopardy music playing ominously)

Me: I know, I know… I really ought to mention how Marty lost his job three days after Christmas, but it was truly a blessing because there were a lot of things we abhorred about that job, and it gave him the time to make arrangements for his mother to move here from Maryland, and we found an apartment and furnished and decorated it from scratch,

and Marty flew out East for ten days, and in February when he got back he got the perfect job and he’s so much happier, AND it was definitely Divine timing because our new health insurance started EXACTLY 62 days after the old one ended, thereby enabling us to keep continuing coverage and….

D.B.: Snore… Nobody’s going to want to read all that.

Me: Did I ask for your opinion? Get out of here.

So you see why I haven’t posted much? It’s just too overwhelming.

I’d better go. My milkshake is melting.

Leadership Education

2011-03-29T16:15:00.004-06:00

From time to time I receive questions about what curriculum or "school of thought" we use for homeschooling, so here you go. We are implementing Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd), also known as Leadership Education in our home. It is not a set curriculum, but rather a philosophy - a set of principles which we follow. It is based on the Seven Keys of great teaching:

1. Classics, not Textbooks

2. Mentors, not Professors

3. Inspire, not Require

4. Structure Time, not Content

5. Simplicity, not Complexity

6. Quality, not Conformity

7. You, not Them

Some of my favorite things about this method are: There is a strong focus on teaching values and building character in our children, not just pouring information into them. It respects the age of each child and the developmental stage he/she is in. It creates a love of learning and a taste for things which are "virtuous, lovely, of good report, [and] praiseworthy." It does not push or force. (We have had NO tears or tantrums over schoolwork.) It lets children be children. There is an emphasis on learning from the real world - nature, the lives of truly great people in history, working alongside parents, service experiences, relationships, etc. Children are free to learn and grow at their own pace and according to their own inborn talents and interests. It is inspiring (for me as well as the children!) It dovetails perfectly with gospel truths. I could go on.... Studying and applying these principles with the guidance of the Spirit has done incredible things for our family.

If you are interested in learning more about TJEd, you can go to http://www.tjed.org/.

The Force Wasn't With Him

2011-03-23T22:53:00.002-06:00

This injury was inflicted by a lightsaber in the hands of a Jedi who obviously has not received enough training.

My Very Own Leprechaun

2011-03-17T23:00:00.001-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Jacob made this "crown" out of K'nex and wore it for most of the day in celebration.

As we headed off to the library this afternoon, he said "Look Mom, I took off the orange piece so it wouldn't look weird in public." Good thinking.

Little Miss Personality

2011-02-08T22:31:00.003-07:00

{Just a few recent photos of our budding drama queen}

Latest accomplishments:

*Learned to ride a tricycle

*Graduated to Primary ("I'm a big girl, now!")

*Painted pictures on her bedroom wall with a Chapstick

*Stopped flooding the bathroom on a regular basis

*Asked Mama to blow-dry her hair

*Almost mastered putting her shoes on the correct feet

*Hid an entire box of Cheerios and half a bag of frozen green beans under her bed

{Her favorite expression at the moment}

Holy Days

2011-01-30T22:27:00.006-07:00

There's probably an unwritten rule somewhere about writing your Christmas post before February of the next year, so I'm attempting to meet the deadline.

This Christmas was different from any of our previous Christmases, in large part because our children are home all the time now. In past years, December has signaled an onslaught of events, invitations, and school-related obligations, buckets of candy brought home from school parties by the children, endless requests for toys, treats and entertainment, a focus on "neutral" holiday figures like Rudolph and Frosty, and a general lack of true Christmas spirit. I am NOT blaming public schools for this; much of it is done with good intent, and schools are by law no longer allowed to recognize Christ in Christmas. And it was easy for us as a family to get caught up in the busyness of holiday parties and choir concerts because we were expected to participate.

One of the best parts of homeschooling is that we have the freedom to choose our own focus during this sacred time of year. We had a Family Home Evening at the end of November to read and discuss our prophet's words about the true spirit of Christmas. We wanted to plan ways to keep that spirit in our home and to make this Christmas a peaceful, reverent time of worship. Our goal was to have a Christ-centered holy month.

We handpicked a few simple things we wanted to do during the month of December: plan and carry out a service project of some kind, sing Christmas songs together, read inspiring stories, enjoy spending time with family....

We also carefully selected what NOT to do: we would finish our shopping early, and limit gifts to a few useful items; we would avoid focusing on Santa Claus as if he were the center of our celebration; we would keep it simple and try not to overbook ourselves.

The results were glorious. We had a candlelight devotional every night in which we read an inspiring Christmas story from a church magazine or a message from one of the prophets. We invited a few of our ward friends who live alone over for an evening of Christmas music (the children put on a short program) and cookies. We drove around our town and looked at the Christmas lights without worrying about rushing to be on time for anything. For our school time we read A Christmas Carol and excerpts from the Little House on the Prairie books. We memorized Bible verses about the Savior's birth. We studied the life and music of George Handel. The children were speechless as we listened to the Hallelujah chorus. We talked of Christ, rejoiced in Christ, and worshipped Christ.

We didn't stress out about shopping or wrapping because we kept it simple. (We didn't have a huge post-Christmas credit card bill either!) We didn't bake tons of different cookies and deliver them to all our friends. We didn't have a month-long sugar high and cranky, overscheduled children. We didn't visit the mall Santa and then feel obligated to purchase whatever toy our child told Santa was the only thing in the world he wanted for Christmas (even though he never once mentioned said item to his parents.) We didn't feel that let-down at the end of Christmas day: "What? It's over already? But I didn't get to enjoy it!" We did have time to enjoy it. That was the best part. There was plenty of time for a classic movie like Little Women, an act of service for a neighbor, or a lazy afternoon of reading all cuddled on the couch under a blanket. And there was room in our home for the Savior.

It was the best Christmas we've ever had.

Marty and Abram

Mr. Peeps, our house elf

We brought home a live tree this year! Marty really was happy to decorate it - not sure why he resembles the Grinch in this picture.

Isaac begged to shovel our elderly neighbor's driveway every day; it was really heartwarming.

Abram sees the Christmas tree lights for the first time.

Family - it was wonderful to have all of my brothers and their families in town

Uncle Danny, the human jungle gym

(he swears he's the favorite uncle)

Eclipse (no vampires here)

2010-12-21T01:21:00.002-07:00

Definitely worth missing a couple hours of sleep tonight. Let's hope I still feel the same way about it tomorrow. :)

Things I never thought I'd see/hear/say

2010-12-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

...but have during the course of this semester:

"No Abram, we don't eat the manipulatives." -- Mom

"I want to learn Latin." -- Jacob

"Look Mom, it's a helium atom!" -- Jacob and Isaac, as they formed their gummi vitamins into a nucleus with orbiting electrons at the dinner table

"Is this Turkish March (by Mozart)?" -- Grace

The look on the librarian's face when Jacob asked her to help him find Homer's Odyssey.

Grace reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

'This song was written by George F. Handel." -- Jacob in Primary, when they began singing Joy to the World

"If a pound of butter costs $2.50, then each stick costs about 62 cents. Not exactly, because there are two cents left over." -- Isaac, while baking cookies with Mom

"We don't talk about killing people...except in the scriptures." -- Grace

Never a dull moment!

More Homeschool Adventures

2010-12-12T18:09:00.002-07:00

We dissected owl pellets at our homeschool book club after reading the novel "Poppy" by Avi.

Isaac fed the goats at our friend's farm.

The kids begged me to teach them to play chess. We played several games a day for weeks.

A praying mantis we found in our backyard.
(We actually watched it eat a live beetle!)

Creating ancient cave paintings

Um, I guess we could call this P.E.?

We currently use the Math-U-See curriculum. The kids loved "building" numbers with the blocks.

The Sears tower

The Great Pyramid at Giza

Coming to a Christmas Card Near You...

2010-11-14T16:37:00.007-07:00

My talented friend Tifani took us out for a photo shoot last week. She did an amazing job. Some of my favorites:

It's 9:19. Do you know where your kids are?

2010-11-07T21:19:00.002-07:00

Mine snuck a hymnal upstairs to their darkened bedroom and are singing "All Creatures of Our God and King." With their best vibrato. I don't think it gets better than this. :)

Catch of the Day

2010-11-07T17:04:00.002-07:00

Each month, Marty takes one of the kids out on a date. This month it's Jacob's turn. Armed with worms, marshmallows, cheese-flavored glitter bites, and two kinds of Powerbait, they set out to conquer the fish pond. So this was dinner yesterday. Way to go, Jacob!

Possibly Our Best FHE Lesson Ever

2010-11-02T19:11:00.003-06:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. My children are, in almost all respects, fairly civilized. They all wear clothing. Three out of four can use utensils at the dinner table. Their mouths can form the words "please" and "thank you" if they really want something, and the phrase "I'm sorry" if threatened. They sleep in beds. They will put on shoes if it is below freezing outside. But...

they cannot use a toilet properly to save their life.

After yet another bathroom flooding incident yesterday, this was our Family Home Evening lesson:

Toilet Test

1. When you use the toilet, there are several steps you must complete (besides the obvious.) Please put the following steps in order:

a. Put down the lid
b. Wash your hands
c. Flush the toilet
d. Dry your hands
e. Put up the seat
f. Put up the lid
g. Wipe your bottom

2. How much toilet paper should you use?

a. Half a mile
b. Two rolls
c. A piece the length of this house
d. A piece the length of your arm

3. How many times should you flush the toilet?

a. Zero
b. One
c. Two
d. As many as it takes – just ignore the overflowing water

4. How much will your parents charge you if you clog the toilet again?

a. $10
b. $20
c. $50
d. You don’t want to know

5. When you pee in the toilet, where should you aim?

a. At the flush handle
b. At the middle of the toilet bowl
c. At the floor in front of the toilet
d. At the bathtub

6. If you do not aim correctly, what will be your consequence?

a. You will clean the toilet every single day (possibly for the rest of your life)
b. You will build and use an outhouse in the backyard
c. You will be held personally responsible for Mommy’s mental breakdown
d. All of the above

Monsters on the Moon (A Fairy Tale)

2010-10-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

{my version of Enkidu, half-man half-beast}

After reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, we drew our own mythical characters, and wrote a fairy tale starring them. This process produced lots of giggles in all of us. For your reading pleasure (or, you've been warned):

Monsters on the Moon
by Jacob, Isaac & Mom

Once upon a time, there were two monsters, Shozi and Enkidu. They were half-man and half-beast. They had many adventures together. One day they went to the moon in a monster ship. Their purpose was to take over the moon and destroy the aliens. When they arrived, they met a green, four-eyed alien named Eltenor. The alien was frightened. It spit tar at the invaders in self-defense, and stuck them to a big crater. What will the monsters do now?!

All of a sudden, a meteor hit the moon. It happened to land directly on the alien, smashing him to bits. The meteor was followed by a meteor SHOWER, which washed the tar off of the monsters. (That was lucky.) Now, back to the aliens. There were lots more of them.

The aliens were colored red or green, with black stripes and three eyes. They were furious at the death of their leader. They all cried together, “War on the monsters!!” Organizing their troops, they strapped on their laser guns and rolled out their meteor cannons. The monsters were starting to feel a little intimidated. “I think we’d better get out of here,” Enkidu said. Meanwhile, the aliens pulled out the instruction manuals for their cannons. (They were brand new from Moonmart, and the aliens had never actually fired them before.) Seizing the opportunity, the monsters grabbed the manuals and stuffed them into the cannons. The aliens fired, and the giant paper cannonballs caught fire, killing ten aliens. (That was unfortunate for the aliens.)

Plan B. The aliens fetched their moon buggies, in case a quick escape became necessary. They aimed their laser guns, and fired at the monsters. The monsters activated their force fields, which caused the lasers to ricochet back to the moon buggies, resulting in a giant explosion. The aliens were running out of options (and aliens.)

Plan C. The only thing left to do was escape! The few remaining moon natives retreated to their garages to retrieve their rocketships. Firing up the ignitions, they took off into outer space, hoping to start a new life as Martians. (It wouldn’t be easy – they were ILLEGAL aliens, after all.)

Meanwhile, back at the moon, the monsters planted their flag in the soil. They took a celebratory moonwalk, and radioed back to Houston. Mission accomplished, they headed back to earth, where they were hailed as heroes and awarded a lifetime supply of Moon Pies. They lived happily ever after. Well, at least until their next dangerous adventure….

Back to School (or Not)

2010-10-27T23:10:00.000-06:00

We've been having an amazing time in our homeschool! I plan to post some of our favorite adventures so far.

This one is from Week One.

We are using "The Story of the World" Volume 1, by Susan Wise Bauer for our history curriculum. During our first week, we studied archealogy. Marty and I created an archealogical dig site in our backyard, and let the kids search for "artifacts." They sorted their findings, drew them in their sketchbooks, and charted them according to the grid quadrant in which the artifacts were found. Then we discussed what we could learn about this "ancient civilization" from what they left behind. Fascinating!

I had to laugh, though, at all the trash the boys found in their digging, instead of the large, obvious artifacts that Marty and I had planted. They got so excited over tiny bits of plastic, and rocks that "must be ancient arrowheads!"

You Know What They Say About the Best-Laid Plans

2010-10-12T14:50:00.000-06:00

This summer started out predictably. The kids got off the bus that last day, full of energy and anticipation, ready to begin our adventures. Oh, the joy of seeing months of sun and warmth stretch out in front of us, with their promise of picnics and swimming and ice cream cones! We immediately started in on our summer list of fun. And we had a fantastic time! With Abram getting a little older, I was starting to feel human again, and life was finally settling into a routine. Like I said, predictable.

The Plan: Relish my time with the kids all summer. Do all the things that make the season special to us. Build wonderful memories together. Continue to hold weekly den meetings for my little 8-year-old Cub Scouts. Send my boys back to school in the fall and settle into normalcy once again. I remember thinking, "This is nice. The forseeable future is laid out...no major changes on the horizon. I can just relax and enjoy the ride."

What? You're laughing? It sounded reasonable to me.

And then there was the Lord's plan. (I'd be willing to bet He was laughing too. At least a little.)

At the end of June, a good friend of mine from our Baltimore days stopped by to visit us for a night on her way across the country with her family. I was thrilled to see Angela again, and like good women, we talked all evening. Now, this friend is passionate about two of my favorite subjects: motherhood and education. She described her vision for raising her children, her beliefs about education, and the joy she finds in homeschooling her children. Her words rang true to me and I kept thinking, "THAT is exactly what I want." But of course, my plan was already laid out. And I'm NOT the type of mother who homeschools. I'm not patient or entertaining. I like quiet. I'm uptight and a bit of a control freak. I don't do stupid crafts.

Angela left the next morning (to this day I wonder how she managed to completely turn my life upside down in less than 20 hours,) but her words and the Spirit that accompanied them would not leave me alone. I started to research homeschooling and the particular method that Angela had shared with me. I read and pondered and prayed. I met with local parents who homeschool, and checked out curriculum. When I broached the subject to Marty (purely hypothetically, of course,) I expected him to say I was crazy and didn't I already have enough to do? And remember, I like quiet?? Instead he said: "Well, it's about time! I've always wanted that for our kids." Uh-oh, that's two strikes. Three if you count my 100% supportive mother (who homeschooled my brothers and me for a few years.)

To make a long story short, with the clear direction from the Lord that this was what we were supposed to do, we withdrew the boys from public school and are now having the time of our life teaching them at home. The list of blessings we have reaped so far is too extensive to write here. They will likely make a post of their own sometime in the future.

Definitely NOT part of my original plan, but infinitely better.

That wasn't the end of the changes, though. Three days after my friend left, I was called to be the Primary president in our ward.

The week after that, I was asked to accept a small position with our local Musicale - an association for music teachers and students. Because things always happen in three's, you know.

The moral of this story is, of course, never to plan anything. And don't even THINK the word "relax," let alone say it out loud. With all sincerity, though, I am ever so glad that His plan won out over mine.

And Speaking of Birthdays

2010-10-10T16:30:00.000-06:00

This little guy turned 1 last month! It's impossible to believe that it's already been a year since his birth. Abram is starting to walk almost constantly, says nothing but "dada" (especially when I try to get him to say "mama,") and is proficient in signing "more." He follows his siblings around, loves to play outside in the grass, and dances to classical music. He is a complete and total joy. Happy birthday, baby.

Nine Years Ago Today

2010-09-14T22:03:00.001-06:00

our lives changed forever.

Happy birthday, Jacob!!

Summer: Check

2010-09-12T22:12:00.002-06:00

Remember the Summer Checklist I wrote in June? We checked off 18 out of 24 items. And here are the photos to prove it.

Letterboxing

(We accidently found a geochache on the same outing.)

Nothing says summer like backyard sprinklers.

Fireworks for the Fourth.

Jacob eating a hot dog during our backyard campout.

The boys listening while I read them ghost stories in the tent.
Notice Jacob's "I'm scared" face - totally faked for the camera.

Cute baby - not on the list, but how could I resist?

Our first trip to the splashpad.

Just playing at Grandpa's house.

The boys washing the mud out of their shoes after picking peas.

Reading "The Wizard of Oz" in the backyard.

Grace and Aunt Constance at the zoo.

Abram, also at the zoo.

Our second trip to the splashpad. Abram was beginning to warm up to the water.

Grace turned into a water-baby overnight.

Snowcones in the park.

We found some fantastic swimming teachers this summer, and both of the boys took lessons. I couldn't believe my eyes when both boys jumped off the diving board after only six lessons.

Abram meets a goat. The goat appeared equally curious.

Grace rode a pony at the Fair! I really thought she would chicken out once she got up there, but I was wrong. She still talks about it constantly. I don't know how I ended up with a horse girl - I've always been afraid of them.

Well, except for this kind. :)

Best. Summer. Ever.

What? It's over???

This is a Test

2010-09-05T23:15:00.003-06:00

Choose the best answer.

1. Why haven't I kept up on this blog like I wanted to?

a. We became unexpectedly wealthy and moved to our own private island in the Bahamas. Internet coverage is spotty.

b. I decided to go back in time. The dinosaurs are fascinating, but alas, no computers.

c. Nobody reads it anyway. I mean nobody but you, Mom.

d. I have four children - duh - I'm lucky to get a shower most days.

2. In order to blog more, I will need to:

a. Skip the showers.

b. Teach the children to be hunter-gatherers.

c. Really move to the Bahamas...or at least somewhere quiet.

d. Invest in a high-quality cleaning robot.

As Promised

2010-08-17T23:50:00.001-06:00

Yes, I'm finally posting pictures of the family vacation we took two months ago.

We had a marvelous time, as you can tell.

The Santa Cruz Boardwalk

Baby meets the beach

Searching for sand crabs

Among the redwoods

Isaac and Mommy going on a ghost hunt

At the Santa Cruz boardwalk

Dipping Abram's toes in the Pacific (somewhat against his will)

Breakfast at the Dolphin

Watching the sea lions at the Wharf

Dinner with Cousin Bev and Art - two of the kindest, most hospitable people you could ever meet

Jacob and Isaac meet Uncle Bob

Abram meets his Aunt Arlene

Happy birthday, Grandma Two!

What a blessing it was to be there to celebrate, and to introduce her to our three youngest children for the first time.

There's No Place Like Home

2010-07-10T12:02:00.001-06:00

So much has happened this summer (all good) that the blog has taken a back seat. I'll attempt to catch up a little bit.

As soon as school let out, we set off for a week-and-a-half vacation in sunny California. (More on that soon.) It was a glorious trip, with the exception of the very last day - when Grace woke up with a stomach virus. To commemorate the drive home, Marty and I penned this song, to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

On the last day of vacation, my family gave to me:

Twelve eternal hours

Eleven o'clock departure

Ten "How much longer"s

Nine construction zones

Eight stops for bathrooms

Seven diaper changes

Six tired travelers

FIVE HUNDRED MILES

Four times Gracie threw up

Three kiddie movies

Two boys a bickering

And I've never been so happy to be home.

Things To Do This Summer

2010-06-05T00:13:00.009-06:00

{he's got the summer dress code down}

Eat a snowcone

Watch fireworks on the 4th of July

Go letterboxing

Feed the ducks

Walk on the beach

Go to the zoo

Make homemade ice cream

Complete the summer reading program at the local library

Visit the Farmer's Market

Watch a movie in the park

Can peaches

Go on a scavenger hunt

Camp out in the backyard

Take a long walk on a favorite neighborhood path

Visit the splashpad

Try a new art technique

Blow bubbles

Take a road trip

Watch the sun set over the ocean

Spend a day at the county Fair

Have a movie night with popcorn and theater candy

Read a bestseller on a blanket on the lawn

Ride a carousel

Roast marshmallows

First Grade, First Grade!

2010-06-03T23:00:00.005-06:00

My Isaac graduated from Kindergarten today. We are SO PROUD. He has had an amazing year with an outstanding teacher who went out of her way to encourage his gift for reading. (He's now reading at a fourth grade level.) He has been counting down the days until he can officially call himself a first grader. Way to go, Boo!

No Wonder We Have Issues

2010-05-27T11:20:00.002-06:00

Lately, Grace has become very interested in categorizing people by gender.

This morning she and I had a little talk:

Grace: I'm a girl, Mom.

Mommy: Yes, you are a girl. What about Mommy? Is Mommy a boy or a girl?

Grace: A boy.

Mommy: No, Mommy is a girl. What is Grandma?

Grace: A boy.

Mommy: Hmmm... What is Abram?

Grace: A boy.

Mommy: What is Jacob?

Grace: A boy.

Mommy: What is Isaac?

Grace: Isaac... Isaac... I don't know.

Roses are Red...

2010-05-16T21:50:00.000-06:00

On Mother's Day morning, I was greeted by a plate of orange rolls and a cup of cocoa on my nightstand...and four very enthusiastic children in my bedroom (okay, one of them just wanted to eat.)

Marty had placed in each room of the house a vase of flowers, a small gift, and a handprint from the giver.

A single red rose from my little Abram.

Yellow daisies from Grace. "Da yellow ones are MINE, Mom!" she told me a dozen times.

Purple daisies from Isaac.

Red carnations from Jacob. Along with a handmade calendar of things he would do all week: do his chores before play without being asked, take me out for a doughnut, do the dishes, make dinner one night....

And gorgeous orange lilies from Marty. He even made his own handprint. :)

I am a lucky Mama!

At Least They're Not Snakes

2010-05-07T09:23:00.003-06:00

For someone who is irrationally terrified of many things lately (e.g., falling into the toilet, taking a bath, sprinklers, faucets in general - hmm, see a theme there?...) Grace's newfound love for WORMS is surprising. She has caught several dozen over the last month as Marty turned over the garden beds. She carries them around - sometimes individually, sometimes in squirming, tangled masses - and talks to them. Often in the third person.

"He-he! He's so beautiful. I love him!"

{Giggle} "He tickles me!"

She feeds them...

"Here you go, worm. Eat your dinner now."

Sometimes she is a little, um... too loving.

"Da worm is tired. He needs a nap."

Uh, Grace... You squeezed him too hard. He's not sleeping...

"Yeah, da worm is dead now. He's really, really dead."

She gently places the limp worm in the ~~mass graveyard~~ shade beneath the maple tree. (She'll continue to check on him periodically, to make sure he's still dead.) Then she's off to search for her next pet.

Six Candles

2010-05-06T08:37:00.003-06:00

My sweet, patient, happy little boy is SIX!

Bakugan, Bendaroos, airplanes and rockets.

Decorating his cake of choice with Mom. (And licking the frosting off the spatula.)

Dinner at McDonald's.

A sunny afternoon of miniature golf.

{That's 6-year-old for paradise.}

Eureka

2010-04-07T23:03:00.003-06:00

{very odd day in November when the boys decided to paint themselves as catfish}

I can't tell you the number of times I have walked into the boys' room, and thought, "What is that smell?? It's familiar, but I can't quite place it..."

Well, I have finally deciphered it:

85% hamster cage

15% wet dog

(We don't own a hamster. Or a dog.)

Sunday Walk

2010-03-29T16:13:00.005-06:00

It's that time of year again. The time when we are aching to get outside and see the sun. We live for empty Sunday afternoons when we can take a family walk on the neighborhood path.

Today we looked for birds (a Cub Scout requirement for Jacob)...

collected rocks...

caught gnats...

and laughed at our own corny jokes.

Come on, Spring.

I can't wait to meet you.

Motherhood: Reality Check

2010-03-24T23:24:00.002-06:00

{photo by my dad}

Today I went to the store to buy five toy gliders and a jar of peanut butter. (Cub Scouts.) Normally I avoid running errands with three or more children at all costs, but this time there was no choice. It had to be done.

After fortifying Grace with two breakfasts and a dose of Sesame Street, we set out. Things went relatively well at the first store. Isaac bought himself a cheap golf set he couldn't live without. We found the gliders and managed to get out of there with only minimal cries for candy, and some irritating kicking of the cart.

We ventured next door to a grocery store to fetch the peanut butter. There were no signs of impending doom as I loaded Abram into a shopping cart. I should have known it was too quiet. Not 60 seconds into the store, Grace completely lost it. This was no simple protest, no minor bout of independence. It was full-on, no-warning, falling to the floor and screaming as shrilly as humanly possible. She would not be comforted, cajoled, coaxed, or carried. (She probably would have been successfully bribed with chocolate, but I refuse to go there.) So I threw her over my shoulder and quickened my pace, pushing the cart with one hand.

The condiment aisle seemed unbelievably far away. As luck would have it, we passed the manager three times. Each time, he eyed us with a mixture of sympathy and terror.

I hastily grabbed the peanut butter and headed for the checkout line. Someone stepped in front of me at the last minute. For ten eternal minutes, we waited as the cashier made not one but two errors with the lady's purchases, requiring a call to the manager (who had understandably retreated to his office.) By this time I had long since removed Grace from the line and placed her some distance away where she would be safe but get the message that she couldn't act like that. She took it down about 80 decibels and resorted to sniffling and pretending to be an orphan to elicit sympathy from passersby.

The irritated cashier finally rang up my lone item and I counted out $2.30 in coins (which is surprisingly difficult to do when one eye is glued to your child.) I had to borrow a quarter from Isaac. By now the cashier probably thought I was not only a completely incompetent mother, but destitute as well. I finished the transaction while Isaac entertained Grace by showing her how to push the buttons on the lottery ticket machine. No, I didn't even try to stop them.

Having left my dignity in the peanut butter aisle, I trudged out the door, head down, car seat on one arm, frowny toddler trailing. Grace was somewhat pacified, having been offered the job of carrying the grocery sack. I silently vowed NEVER to enter that store again, and possibly never to enter ANY store with ANY child under 12 for the rest of my life.

As we made our way to the van, an elderly woman with a cheerful smile stopped to admire Abram. She cooed at him and he smiled on cue. He's good that way. She made some conversational comments like, "It's a boy, right? He looks like a boy." With pride in her eyes, she declared that her second great-child would be born soon and she was so excited. Then she said the last words I expected to hear on a day like this:

"Oh, I just love seeing motherhood."

She beamed at me, and disappeared behind the automatic doors.

Talk about uncanny timing. How I needed to hear that! Because it isn't always pretty, or clean, or socially acceptable. But it is motherhood. Even - maybe especially - on the difficult days.

I wonder how often Father in heaven looks down on me in my most frustrating moments - when I'm fumbling with a screaming baby and an overloaded diaper bag, or cleaning up the third cup of spilt milk in five minutes, or explaining AGAIN that we don't hit people - and says knowingly, "I just love seeing motherhood."

Dear Tooth Fairy

2010-03-22T14:03:00.002-06:00

I have finally lost my first tooth.

I've been wiggling it incessantly for three months now.

I haven't been able to bite an apple since December.

But that is history.

My brother (well, his stuffed puppy to be exact) knocked it out yesterday.

Please come to my house and give me a dollar.

I've earned it.

Sincerely,

Isaac

Abram Abridged

2010-03-14T19:31:00.000-06:00

Current Stats:

6 months old

16 pounds

2 teeth (as of yesterday)

Nicknames: bugaboo, squiggly-wiggly, luva-luva.

Can: roll over, sleep through the night (finally!), grab hair and necklaces.

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, milk, being held, listening to the piano, bathtime, and chewing on things.

Dislikes: being put down.

Latest accomplishments: Had his first taste of solid food yesterday.

Behold, the introduction of rice cereal.

What kind of cruel trick is this...?Help! Mommy is torturing me!Wait a minute. Curious...

Okay, okay. I'll give it a try.

Hey, that's not half bad!

Three is the New Two

2010-03-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Last month, Grace turned three. Or "free," as she calls it. Or five, as she insisted for a few days....

So far she has bucked the trend among my children of age three being worse than the so-called terrible year of two. Yes, Grace definitely has her opinions about things - about everything, actually. But we are making progress at finding a middle ground she and I can both live with. And her communication skills are really blossoming now, which helps tremendously. Now she can explain why she needs to borrow thirty diapers, decorate her dresser with orange crayon, or spend an hour at a time in the bathtub. (When I try to take her out, she begs "Two more minutes, finish up, and one more time.")

Anyway, happy birthday precious girl. Live it up. You're only three once.

Maybe by age four she can learn to use a fork. :)

Love Is...

2010-03-08T23:40:00.001-07:00

homemade valentines (at the special request of Isaac, who hinted every day leading up to a certain February holiday, "I hope you make me a valentine!),

and hot cinnamon rolls after church.

Incidentally, Isaac is still making valentines for family and friends. Yes, in March. Holidays seem to last a long time around here.

The New Math

2010-03-03T22:58:00.006-07:00

We all know that children measure time differently than adults do. I remember when an hour seemed like an awfully long time, and summer vacation was literally forever. My kids live in this stretched-out time warp now. (What?! Dinner is in 30 minutes??!! We're going to starve to death!!!)

Yesterday, Isaac let me in on the secret formula:

"A week is half of a long time, and a day is a half of a quarter."

Thanks for the clarification, Isaac. I will try to plan accordingly.

Dusting Off the Keyboard

2010-02-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

On January 1st, I wrote two pages of New Year's Goals.

Study all the General Conference talks between sessions. Eat more fruit. Read The Memory-Keeper's Daughter. Practice empathy with my children. Paint our master bedroom. Write more blog posts. Spend less time on the computer....

I realize these last two are contradictory. The upside is that when I'm not working on one of them, I'm accomplishing the other. Judging by my lack of recent posts, I've made a great deal of progress on the second one.

Anyway, before I go on about basketball season and valentines and Grace's birthday, here are a few random updates on the kids:

Jacob spent the evening of Valentine's day in Urgent Care, where the nurse practitioner diagnosed an ear infection in his right ear, and a piece of red playdoh in his left. Jacob adamently denies knowing how it got there.

Isaac is on the fast track to becoming a national foosball champion. He beats me by a large margin at least twice a day. He is also naturally skilled at ring toss and pretty much any physical challenge I invent to occupy the cooped-up children. Marty thinks it is hilarious that I am constantly losing to a five-year-old. "Oh yeah?" I retorted when Marty teased me the other day. "Well I can beat him soundly at breastfeeding."

Grace's favorite sentence right now is "I don't wanna find somefing good ta do!!" A pretty accurate description of her mood lately.

Abram is delightful and perfect in every way (as only a five-month-old can be.) Although, his perfection is slightly less evident at 2:00 and 6:00 in the morning when he thinks it's happy hour.

The Eleventh Commandment

2010-01-18T14:21:00.002-07:00

During dinner last night, we were discussing the Sacrament meeting talks we'd heard in church. The subject was the Ten Commandments.

In an effort to refresh the boys' memories, I began listing some of them:

Thou shalt not kill

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness.

Thou shalt not covet.

Which was when Isaac interrupted:

Thou shalt not sin.

Our Christmas in Pictures

2010-01-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

"Cheer up, Santa. It's Christmas!"

A favorite family holiday tradition: driving around town to see the best light displays, and decorating sugar cookies.

Christmas Eve at Grandpa's house.

The boys spent most of Christmas Eve playing foosball. And a good portion of every day since, thanks to Grandpa's gift to them!

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring except for two tired parents.

Christmas morning stockings - and the long-anticipated Chapstick.

Grandma and grumpy Santa.

Isaac made a special ornament out of clay for Abram's first Christmas.

Christmas dinner: Grandma's famous ham and scalloped potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato puff, applesauce, rolls, and the traditional and much beloved Aunt Arlene's chocolate cream pies.

The annual game of Settlers of Catan.

(Because we have to have something to do with our hands while we eat pie.)

Santa Abram bids you farewell, until next year....

{Yes, I know there are an overabundance of pictures of Abram in this post. That is because 1) this was his first Christmas and I am his mommy, 2) all the other kids were too busy playing with toys/uncles to pose for pictures, and 3) he has a cool hat.}

Merry Christmas!

2010-01-02T11:57:00.002-07:00

A little late, I know. Our December was a whirlwind of projects, traditions, family get-togethers, and, to be honest, work. The house doesn't clean itself and the children don't suddenly become angels, even if it is Christmas. :)

More pictures to follow....

Message from the Elf

2009-12-04T18:33:00.002-07:00

As I mentioned a few days ago, Mr. Peeps has come to our house to stay with us until Christmas. Each night, while the children are sleeping, he moves to a new location. Each morning, it is great fun to search the house and find him. The children all love this game.

Well, a couple days ago, Mr. Peeps forgot to move. He showed up this morning with the following note:

Dear Taylor children,

I apologize for sleeping
Its different for an elf
By four-hundrend twelve years old I’m tired
even sitting on a shelf.

But I have this little secret
I thought you’d want to know
I borrowed your Dad’s camera
To get your video.

So if you have been good
Or if you’ve been a goof
I’ll have it here on tape
And show Santa all the proof.

So eat all of your vegetables
And be good and kind
And keep the Christ in Christmas
Always on your mind.

Parley E. Peeps, Elf

{penned by my very clever husband - but don't tell the kids}

An Excuse to Post Baby Pictures

2009-12-03T22:41:00.005-07:00

Would you believe it? My baby is three months old today.

And still nowhere near sleeping through the night.

He is something of a night owl. This is him at 10:30 p.m., bright-eyed and ready to play.

This is what he thinks of the camera flash.

Happy birthday, Abram!

From Our Turkeys to Yours

2009-12-01T19:31:00.002-07:00

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

We sure did. Family, The Farming Game, rest and relaxation (ha!). Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit salad, rolls, lemonade, pie, pie and more pie....

And the next day, Mr. Peeps arrived. Bring on December.

Standing on the Threshold

2009-11-23T22:30:00.001-07:00

{portrait by my dear friend Chantal}

Tomorrow I will turn 30. I never thought that would happen. Not that I have a problem with it – it just always seemed so far away. In pondering the last ten years, I find myself quite surprised at the wealth of experiences those years have brought.

I stepped into this decade with a brand-new husband and big ambitions. Graduate from college. Have some children. Raise them in Utopia surrounded by friends and family. Develop my faith, talents, and attributes, all in my well-controlled comfort zone. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated.

Well, that lasted for about five minutes.

I did graduate from college and I did have children, but Utopia and my comfort zone went out the window. Detours and U-turns and stop signs were numerous. Highways became backroads and vice versa. Sometimes I think I accidently picked up the wrong map. But what a ride it has been.

In the last ten years I have been to places I never dreamed I would go. I have walked the beaches in San Francisco and Delaware. I have visited the Sacred Grove in New York, and been through the Nauvoo Temple. I have dined with the Amish in Pennsylvania, and caught catfish off the coast of Florida. I have pulled a handcart in Wyoming and a shopping cart in Baltimore.

In the last ten years, my family has grown. Four children, three sisters-in-law, a niece and a nephew. I have also been blessed to find other “sisters” along the way. Women who have taught, served, befriended, and put up with me. Friends I know I was meant to meet.

In the last ten years, there has been a healthy mix of joy, disappointment, hope, frustration, comfort, loneliness, excitement, sorrow, gratitude, anxiety, and love. Trials I didn’t ask for, and blessings I didn’t imagine. I hope I am a better person for them.

Twenty-nine finds me firmly entrenched in motherhood. Trying to find a balance between selfless and sane. (Not that they should be opposites, but I’m still working on that.) Beginning to accept drastically lower expectations in some areas (like shower frequency or the ability to read more than two sentences of a novel without interruption) and infinitely higher expectations in others (patience, charity, and humility, to name a few.) Searching for hints of fulfillment within the hours of frustration. Waiting for the assurance that it is all worth it.

The transition from college student to stay-at-home mom hasn’t been easy. For a while I mourned the absence of A’s and the lack of measurable accomplishment. Nobody cheers when I load the dishwasher, practice the piano, or de-clutter a closet. Motherhood requires a different grading curve. But I am beginning to understand…. Every meal I cook, every load of laundry, every book I read aloud to a child, every homework sheet I sign, every game of Uno, every thank-you note I write, every lullaby I sing, every scrape I bandage, every kind word, every trip to the park, every lesson I teach, every hug and every kiss count for something. Not in somebody’s grade book, but in somebody’s life book. What I do matters. The last ten years have taught me that.

Going into 30, I’m taking these life lessons with me and hopefully beginning with a bit more perspective. No less ambitious, but perhaps more centered.

Part of me knows that the only difference between 29 and 30 is one second’s time. But another part knows that that second is the difference between two eras. The last ten years are stored up, with all of their experiences and emotions, in the person I have become. The next ten years lay ahead of me like an unexplored scenic highway, full of promise, opportunities, and unexpected side streets.

One more step and I will enter that road.

I hope I have the right map this time.

Couch Potato

2009-11-18T15:18:00.004-07:00

We've been having a standoff here lately between Mommy and Boy-who-wants-to-play-video-games-24-7. (It should be noted that by "video games," Boy means educational computer games. We do not own a Wii, an X-box 360, a Nintendo Game Sphere or whatever. We don't even own a cell phone.) Every day the conversation goes something like this:

Isaac: "Mom, can I play a video game?"

Mom: "Sure, as soon as you earn it."

Isaac: "Awww, Mooommm!"

End of discussion.

He rarely pursues this argument any further because he knows that to earn the privilege of using the computer, he must a) do his chores and b) get some exercise. (One downside of him being such an avid reader is that he doesn't move much anymore.)

Today's version went like this:

Isaac: "Mom, can I play video games?"

Mom: "No. You've been sitting on your bum all day. I don't think I've seen you move once."

Isaac: "Yes I have. I walked!"

Mom: "Oh yeah? When did you walk?"

Isaac: "I walked to the table to eat some pretzels and walked back here (the couch)."

A total of about 30 feet. I'm not impressed.

But it's okay, because now that brother is home from school, there will be more "exercise" than I can stand.

Mommy, Save Me

2009-11-11T11:27:00.002-07:00

Oh the joy of having a big sister. :)

Signs That It's Monday

2009-11-09T13:38:00.006-07:00

It's almost 2:00 in the afternoon and I haven't had an opportunity to shower yet.

I paid the bills this morning, only to discover that I had put a 42-cent stamp on every letter I've sent in the past two weeks. So if you didn't get your thank-you card yet, that is why. Ugh.

Grace's Fisher-Price minivan is stuck repeating "Potty...potty...potty...potty...."

A headline on the front page of today's newspaper reads "Germany celebrates fall of Berlin Wall." Except I read "German celebrities fall off Berlin Wall." Really, I was close.

The kids are fighting over who gets to put stuff away. Yes, gets to.

My afternoon plans consist of making cherry cheesecake for FHE tonight, and trying to come up with a lesson addressing one of the kids' many behavioral problems without making it sound like said lesson is actually aimed at them.

I'm blogging instead of doing the dishes.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Oh, the Love

2009-11-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Isaac and Abram

The Zoo Went Trick-or-Treating

2009-11-06T12:22:00.005-07:00

This year we had a panther, a gray wolf, a ladybug, and a baby monkey.

Not the happiest monkey in the world. (I think he wanted the M&Ms.)

Grandma dressed up as Grandma.

The great Sort and Trade. Notice Jacob's serious expression as he contemplates the Skittles.

At first Grace was deathly afraid of her own costume, but as soon as the concept of "wear costume = get candy" sank in, she was totally on board.

Milestones

2009-10-30T23:15:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, October 10th, Jacob was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Marty performed the ordinance and gave Jacob a beautiful blessing. We were thankful to have most of my family in town for the occasion. My father and my brother David were able to assist in the confirmation. I can't believe my "baby" boy has reached this important milestone already. We are so proud of you, Jacob!

The next day, Sunday, we blessed our baby Abram in Sacrament meeting. It was truly a special weekend for us as we reflected on the past eight years with Jacob - how much he has grown in both body and spirit - and at the same time, celebrated this brand new life.

What a wonderful time this has been for our family! These are the moments that shine through the monotony and difficulties of everyday life, and make it all worth it.

Things I Really Don't Enjoy

2009-10-20T14:38:00.004-06:00

{Based on a true story}

Getting up at 1:30 a.m. And 4:30. And 6:30.

Dinosaur Train.

Grocery shopping with three children age 5 and under.

20 mph school zones with a screaming toddler kicking the back of my seat.

The way the kids use a whole bottle of shampoo in a total of three showers.

The words "He kicked/pushed/bit/ran over me first!!"

Mysterious wet spots on the carpet.

The entire hour before dinner every day. Nothing good ever seems to happen during that hour.

Things I Really Do Enjoy:

Naptime.

Amusing Grace

2009-10-15T13:01:00.000-06:00

A few humorous/heartwarming moments brought to you by Grace:

*We very much enjoyed the LDS General Conference earlier this month. The kids behaved very well, and we actually got to watch all four sessions. Grace turned to me after Elder Holland's talk and said, " 'At was a good story, Mom. 'At's a good story." It was the only comment she made during the whole conference. Even a 2-year-old could appreciate the power of that talk.

*During the second session of said Conference, we participated in the sustaining of our Church leaders. Grace wouldn't raise her own hand, but she did raise Tickle-Me-Elmo's.

*Grace LOVES to pray. She often says the blessing over dinner. (Yes, Grace says grace. Ha ha.) Every time it was her turn, she would look at me and say solemnly, "A chocolate cheeses, Mom." What? I couldn't figure it out, and finally concluded that she was voicing her wish for the dinner menu.

This went on for weeks. Every time: "A chocolate cheeses, Mom." Yesterday it dawned on me.

"I talk to Jesus, Mom."

*Grace is very concerned/perplexed by the baby monitor we keep on our kitchen counter. She thinks the baby is IN the monitor. Whenever he cries, she runs to the speaker and yells desperately, "Uh-oh, a baby, Mom!!" as if she expects me to rescue him from the depths of the appliance.

Yesterday, Grace discovered the other half of the monitor in my bedroom where Abram sleeps. "Another baby, Mom!" she exclaimed. I taught her the word "speaker" and tried to explain the concept on her level. ("See, there's the baby, and there's the speaker.")

A little later... "Look, Mom - it's the spirit! Spirit upstairs, spirit downstairs!" Feel free to come up with your own Sunday School analogy.

*Grace continues to learn new Primary songs, and sings them continuously. The boys think this is very entertaining because she makes a few predictable "alterations":

from I Am a Child of God: "...and so my needs are grapes."

from I Love to See the Temple: "I'll prepare myself while I am yum..."

*I took Grace to the doctor last week for a flu shot. The nurse put a little round bandaid on her thigh, with the customary princess sticker on top. All day long, Grace admired that sticker-bandaid. She was very upset when we finally had to take it off. Yesterday she found her Thomas the Train sticker book, peeled off a dozen large round stickers...and stuffed them down her pants.

Profile of a Newborn

2009-10-02T23:30:00.001-06:00

...or my favorite things about this stage:

Big yawns.

Superman stretches.

The wide-eyed look he gives me when he wakes up, which seems to say "Where am I, and how did I get here?"

The way he just drapes himself on me and falls asleep.

Fuzzy baby hair that smells like vanilla after a bath.

Tiny baby feet.

That pursed-lip, wrinkled-forehead face he makes when he stretches.

Fleeting, sleepy smiles.

Snuggles with Mommy.

And of course, the sounds: tiny squeaks, coos, and grunts.

Now that is perfection. Quite a payoff for a few lost hours of sleep.

Big Sister

2009-09-30T13:44:00.002-06:00

Grace has adjusted really well to being pushed out of the baby spot in our family. She is completely fascinated with the new addition. When we brought him home, she hovered close to examine him.

"He has a mouth too, Mom!" (shocked, as if this was the strangest thing in the world)

"He has eyes too, Mom!"

"He has a nose too, Mom!"

And her favorite, "He has belly butt too, Mom!"

She has taken upon herself the job of chief diaper-fetcher. And she is the first to notice when he needs one. "A stinky ba-by, Mom!!" she announces several times a day.

She also loves to hold him. "I hold it," she demands. Then she stares into his face and says, "Look, he smile, Mom. (giggle) Baby loves Grace."

Perhaps the most telling sign that she is happily settled into her new position as the girl surrounded by male siblings: She now calls everyone simply "Boy." Even Grandma.

To Daddy, she calls "Come here, Boy!" "Eat y'dinner, Boy!" "Sit down, Boy!" To get the full effect, you really must read that with an accent, like "Boy-eee" with a question mark on the end. It is hysterical.

Birthday Mayhem

2009-09-30T12:08:00.007-06:00

{I know this is a little late. We've been very busy not sleeping around here.}

In our family, we do "real" birthday parties - meaning the birthday child can invite friends - at ages 8 and 12 (and maybe 16 - we haven't thought that far ahead yet.) So Jacob has been looking forward to this for years.

I don't have time to write a novel (and you don't want to read one,) so in summary: 4 friends, pizza, balloon swordfight, presents, kiddie go-karts, bumper boats - LOTS of times, miniature golf, arcade games, tickets = prizes = candy.

There you have it.

Jacob and Ashlynn in the bumper boats.

The aftermath of the bumper boats. You can't really tell from the photos, but Marty and I are soaking wet. I have to say, Lara, this was mostly Ashlynn's doing. :) She led the others in chanting "Get the grownups! Get the grownups!" And she has really good aim.

Grandma came along to celebrate with Jacob and to help wrangle our youngest two. She made it possible for Marty and me to have fun too. Grace had a wonderful time with her.

Well, that had better last him for the next 4 years!

Fun Run

2009-09-24T22:30:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday, Jacob and Isaac participated in a local 1-mile children's race. Jacob ran it last year, but this was Isaac's first time. Both were very excited.

Front and center, ready to go. (Jacob and his friend Ashlynn had a strategy this year - start in front, stay in front.)

Jacob "trained" for a couple weeks prior to the race. Although personally I think he trains all year long - sometimes I wonder if he knows any other way of getting around besides running. Especially in the house.

We estimate he ran it in about 7 1/2 minutes. He definitely improved on last year's time. Way to go, Jacob!

Isaac ran a good race too. I'm proud of him for doing something outside of his comfort zone.

I asked the boys after the race if they had a good time. Jacob shouted in the affirmative. Isaac said "No, it was too tiring" with a roll of his eyes.

Quote of the Day

2009-09-18T20:51:00.005-06:00

Grace: 'Matoes in my pocket!

{Guess how many cherry tomatoes can fit in a toddler's pocket? Answer: 5. Turns out they'd been there for a couple hours.}

Mommy: Grace, we don't put 'matoes in our pockets.

To My Firstborn

2009-09-14T21:00:00.004-06:00

Happy birthday, Jacob!!

Eight years old and eager to embark on new adventures. Like Cub Scouts.

I am so very glad you are part of our family.

I love you!

Trailing Clouds of Glory

2009-09-13T21:35:00.001-06:00

Dear Abram,

We've known for ten years that you were waiting for us.

We thought we were welcoming you two and a half years ago, on a rainy day in February. Imagine our surprise when your sister greeted us instead!

Perhaps out of chivalry you agreed to let her go first.

In the time since then, we have eagerly waited and prayed for you to come to us. Maybe you couldn't wait any longer either - you were nearly three weeks early!

In the hospital that night, as the sun set outside our west-facing window, we wondered excitedly when we would see your beautiful face. What would you look like? Would you be healthy?

The hours passed slowly and painfully, each more humbling than the last. We waited and prayed and endured.

Finally, the moment of your birth approached. You entered this world with a healthy cry one minute past midnight. We like to say you chose your own birthdate.

There is something deeply sacred about that hour when the veil is parted, just for a moment, and one of God's children bravely begins his earthly journey.

In that hour, a mother's love is pure and complete as she places her life on the altar for another's sake.

There is sanctification in her pain, and perfection in her sacrifice.

In that hour, there is peace to conquer anxiety, hope to replace despair, innocence to make up for agony, and glory to overshadow affliction.

In that hour, a mother walks with God.

I believe that angels keep watch at the threshold where a precious child of God crosses into mortality. I like to think that someone held you close and kissed you goodbye just before I held you for the first time and kissed your tiny wet head.

A bridge of love from one existence to the next.

You were never alone.

I hope you can remember heaven, little one, if only for a while.

"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!"

-- William Wordsworth

One Week Old

2009-09-11T10:55:00.002-06:00

...and celebrated the occasion with his first bath yesterday.

And he actually liked it.

Abram Nathaniel

2009-09-07T13:21:00.006-06:00

Born Thursday, September 3rd, at 12:01 a.m.

6 pounds, 11 ounces

19 inches long

I Wasn't Done Yet

2009-09-01T19:34:00.005-06:00

It's that time again, and I wasn't ready! I mean, I had all the school supplies, the back-to-school clothes, the backpacks. We had met the teachers and memorized the bus schedule. And the boys were bouncing-off-the-walls excited.

But I wasn't done with summer! I wasn't done swimming, playing Monopoly, taking walks to the park, or eating watermelon. I wasn't done with afternoon movies or late-night reading or watching the kids ride their bikes. I wasn't even tired of having them home yet! How did three months fly by that fast??

But the bus came anyway, and off they went.

And I have the (kiddie) pool all to myself. Well, except for Grace.

Summer's Last Dance

2009-08-30T21:02:00.000-06:00

Summer went by way too fast. The boys went back to school this week, and what better way to spend their last day of freedom than a picnic in the park and a long game of tag with Daddy.

And with a father's blessing and a loaded backpack, we reluctantly sent them back out into the real world.

Memory Lane

2009-08-26T13:18:00.007-06:00

Once upon a time, I met a tall, dark, handsome man at a cabin in Sundance, Utah. It was my first weekend back at college after the summer. He happened to sit in the chair next to mine. We exchanged biographical information over the movie Men in Black.

"I'm from Idaho, where are you from?"

"Maryland." I made a mental note: too far away. I like Westerners.

"I'm 18. How old are you?"

"25." Another strike against him.

"What are you studying?"

"I don't know yet." Okay. Cross this one off the list. (Not that I had a list. I was only 18, remember?)

Yes, this sounds judgmental, but it worked out well because he didn't like me either. He was looking for someone else, and I did NOT fit the description.

So we went to church and FHE group together. I tutored him in calculus. He drove me to physical therapy and the grocery store. We went caving, out to dinner, for drives up the canyon and long walks along the Provo River. We hiked Squaw Peak and met for lunch at the WILK. We practiced the quickstep and the cha cha for our social dance class. We played ultimate frisbee and volleyball together. We attended football games, ward activities, devotionals, and Homecoming together. All with a strict "just friends" policy.

Every weekend, the conversation was the same:

"We're just friends, you know. I don't like you like that."

"I know. That's fine with me."

"Good. Do you want to go out for ice cream?"

"Sure."

Until one day, several months later, the unthinkable happened.

HE CHANGED HIS MIND.

We were engaged in June and married in the Salt Lake Temple in August.

And this month, we stepped back in time for a few days, revisiting the places of our past and reliving the memories. Marty planned the trip entirely by himself, and kept all the details a surprise. It was the most wonderful anniversary present ever.

Highlights:

A memorable walk along the Provo River.

A view from the lookout on Y mountain. Marty claims he arranged the fireworks show down below just for us.

Visiting my brothers and sisters-in-law and meeting my first niece Jade and nephew Ryan!

A drive up Provo Canyon. The night before we got engaged, Marty set up a candlelit dinner and Scrabble game on the top of this hill, overlooking Deer Creek Reservoir. It has been "our spot" for a long time.

Two nights at the Anniversary Inn, the same place we spent our first anniversary nine years ago.

A beautiful session at the Salt Lake temple. We spent the day touring the grounds and enjoying the atmosphere. (It was so quiet without the kids!) Oh, and a fabulous lunch at The Garden.

A viewing of the new Joseph Smith movie at the Legacy Theater.

Dinner at The Roof, serenaded by piano music. This was the view from our table. Marty took me here on the night he proposed, and I asked him to bring me back for our tenth anniversary. He remembered.

Thank you, Marty. For ten adventurous years, and the perfect gift to celebrate them.

Ten Years Ago Today

2009-08-14T23:30:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe it's been that long.
Happy anniversary, Marty!!

{Photo by Diamond Photo}

Oregon, The Saga: Part 4

2009-08-14T10:14:00.009-06:00

Day 6: We visited Yaquina Head lighthouse and visitor's center.

Whale watching near the lighthouse. We were so lucky - we spotted a few gray whales! Such a magical thing to see.

Cobble Beach, named for the basalt cobblestones that make it up.

They had amazing tidepools there. And lots of harbor seals, including a baby seal who perched on a large rock near the shore, watching the tourists. Grace loved it.

The cobbles were very interesting, but difficult to walk on.

Dinner at the Chowder Bowl. We highly recommend the place. We liked it so much, we ate there the following night too. If you go, ask for James.

Our last day in Oregon, we spent relaxing on the beach in front of our condo. Playing frisbee, exploring tidepools along the jetty, building sandcastles, and trying to catch sand crabs in the waves.

Grace was very reluctant to touch the sand at first, but warmed up to it eventually.

Now that both boys can read, family board games are a lot more entertaining.

Farewell, Newport. We will miss you!

This was our rainy view of Portland, where we spent three hours in rush hour traffic, and still managed to get home in less time than it took us to drive the "short" route there.

Jacob showing off his souvenirs. Not shown: the dead starfish that rode home with us and required immediate disposal.

The End

Oregon, The Saga: Part 3

2009-08-13T23:08:00.010-06:00

We spent the fourth day of our trip at the Newport Aquarium - definitely a highlight for all of us.

Up close with a harbor seal.

Grace petting a starfish.

The otters really liked Marty.

We took a break for lunch at a nearby restaurant, then walked the pier and chatted with some people who were crabbing.

The sea lion feeding/show.

Jacob and Isaac looking too happy to be in a shark's mouth.

Quick family portrait.

On the fifth day, the boys made an attempt at kite-flying on the beach. Not too successful, unfortunately. I think it was the only time during our trip that it wasn't windy.

Beachcombing at Agate Beach.

Mart's best find: a nearly-whole sand dollar.

Grace just liked collecting the sand.

Sightseeing down at the Bayfront.

The murals that covered the buildings there were remarkable.

The boys' favorite part of the day - a trip to the Newport Candy Shoppe, where they sell lollipops bigger than your head.

Oregon, The Saga: Part 2

2009-08-12T23:55:00.000-06:00

The "Devil's Punchbowl" - it fills with water at high tide, and is supposed to be spectacular to see during a storm.

Tidepools.

Isaac searching for crabs.

Jacob's catch of the day.

The kids really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in the tidepools, and beachcombing for treasures. We came home with dozens of sand-coated mussel shells and dead crabs.

Grace wasn't fond of the wind or the waves - a bit too loud for her taste.

{From here, we drove up to Lincoln City for an unanticipated visit to a medical clinic - turned out Grace had come down with strep throat the day we drove here. Poor thing! We were very blessed to find a clinic that 1) accepted walk-ins, 2) was open on a Saturday, and 3) took our insurance.}

Marty trying to convince Grace that the water isn't so bad. Grace didn't buy it.

The boys' first venture out into the waves.

Grace didn't know what to make of the jetted tub filled with bubbles, but after a while it became her favorite thing. Unless we turned it on.

Exploring the pier down at the Bayfront.

Our lucky sighting of a sea lion "in the wild." The boys were thrilled and talked about it (even to complete strangers) for days.

The sunset view from our balcony.

Oregon, The Saga: Part 1

2009-08-07T22:03:00.000-06:00

We took our first-ever "real" (longer than a 3-day weekend) family vacation this summer. It was AWESOME. And since we've been back for six weeks, it's about time I post the photos.

Our drive to the Oregon Coast. Mapquest says 9 hours. Translation: 14 hours. We mistakenly took the scenic route, which was gorgeous but isolated. Think 200 miles between open gas stations and bathrooms. Not a good route for two little boys who suddenly had to go every 20 minutes.

{One of our bathroom breaks. Fortunately, this campground had facilities.}

It rained off-and-on, and the mountain portion was very windey. We would not have made it if it weren't for Baby Einstein. Whoever invented DVD players in minivans deserves the Nobel prize. We stopped in Corvallis for a late dinner, and finally made it to our condo in Newport at 11:00 pm local time.

Our condo right on the beach!

The owners really did a nice job with decorating and providing amenities. The place was so clean and comfortable.

The master bedroom loft. A perfect balance of privacy and ability to keep an eye on the kids.

The view from our third floor balcony. There is a lighthouse in the distance.

More to come....

Where's Waldo - I Mean, Jacob?

2009-07-20T23:35:00.000-06:00

Can you spot the Jacob in this picture?

Marty and I found him here during a rousing game of Hide and Seek yesterday (or as Grace calls it, "Hide and Sink.") Never a dull moment.

Dear Isaac

2009-07-16T21:40:00.000-06:00

It's been a rough summer for you so far. Strep throat twice, and a week-long bout of tonsillitis. And that was just June. Last Friday the day finally came for you to have your tonsils taken out. You've been dreading this day for the last six weeks, despite our attempts to play up the ice cream factor. The doctor gave you a comic book to help you know what to expect. You kept it in your bed for weeks and memorized it. Every few days you asked me "how many more days until...?" And the day finally arrived.

I know tonsillectomies are quite routine and safe as far as surgeries go, but nothing is ever routine when it's your own child. We worried and prayed for you, of course. Some brethren from the ward came over Thursday night to help give you a blessing. On Friday morning, Daddy drove you to the hospital. You had to be there at 6:15, but you were surprisingly cheerful considering the hour and what was to come. I met you there an hour later. You were already back in pre-op, dressed in Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird and Sylvester. The nurse (you had the best nurse - she was obviously born to work with kids) was checking your vital signs when I walked in. She said your heart rate sped up when you saw me. How sweet! You cradled blankie and kitty tightly and watched cartoons that we don't get on our channels at home. You were really excited to see Transformers, and didn't seem to care what was going on as long as no one got between you and the TV.

After meeting briefly with the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, and waiting some more, it was finally time for them to take you to the operating room. The nurse asked if you wanted to ride on the gurney or let her carry you. You said "I want my daddy to carry me." Sadly, that was not allowed. You looked up at us with that frightened Do I have to? look, but you bravely lay down on the gurney. You didn't cry or protest as they wheeled you out of the room and down the hall where Daddy and I couldn't follow. That was the hardest part for us - watching you go alone.

The surgery was very quick, and we were only in the waiting room for 25 minutes before the nurse came to tell us you were done. She had warned us beforehand that you might not be happy waking up from the anesthesia. "There are two kinds of kids," she said. "Some wake up like they're waking from a nap. Others wake up really, really mad." (We laughed - you're so gentle and easygoing, it was hard to picture you mad!)

Nevertheless, you turned out to be the latter kind. You were NOT happy at all, and we had to wait a short while before they would allow us to be with you in recovery. When we finally got to come back, the nurse was holding you and you were crying. She handed you to me, and made us comfortable in a reclining chair. You were pretty hysterical for a while. I don't think you knew where you were or what was going on. You just kept crying that your throat hurt and you didn't feel good. We sure hated to see you in so much pain.

Eventually we convinced you to take some pain medicine, and you spent the next hour and a half sleeping in our arms. Then we took you home - you were very glad to get out of there! You slept all the way home in the car, and for the rest of the day too. By evening you felt a little better, although you cried remembering how scared you had been and how it had hurt when they took your IV out. I cried with you. You cheered up some when you finally got your ice cream. :)

You've been living on pudding, bananas, and ice cream for the last week. (And not complaining about it, I might add.) We even went out Saturday evening for snowcones - a special treat. You've had rough moments, of course, but overall your recovery is much better than expected. It is wonderful to see you running around outside and playing. And you've said more than once how glad you are that it's over. "I'll never have surgery again!" you exclaim.

Isaac, I'm so sorry that you had to go through all this. It's a lot for a five-year-old little boy to endure. I am so very proud of you. You have been unbelievably brave throughout the last several months - doctor's appointments (sometimes three a week), various antibiotics, weeks of being too sick to do anything but watch movies.... Hopefully now you can get back to summer the way it should be. I love you!

Love,

Mom

Fourth Festivities

2009-07-10T17:00:00.000-06:00

We had a very relaxing Fourth of July, which was just what we needed. For the first time in years, Marty had the day off from work. He took the boys to a large auto show in the morning, where they saw all sorts of loud motorized things and even got to make their own model Corvettes!

Picnic in the backyard for dinner.

I've always wanted to make one of these patriotic Jello desserts. Just once.

After dinner, we drove to a nearby small town to see the renowned annual fireworks display. We were not disappointed! We managed to get a perfect viewing spot, away from the crowds but quite close to the action. The show was VERY impressive. Isaac spent the first half of it in the van (he decided this year that fireworks are too loud,) but ventured out after a while.

Notice Grace's viewing posture:

Grace surprised me, though. She went from "Done! Go home!" to "Wow! Pretty! I wike it!!" in less than ten minutes. She wants to do it again; every day now she tells me "It's a fireworks day!"

Family Portrait

2009-07-02T23:42:00.001-06:00

A rare occasion when all five (and a half) of us are in front of the camera at the same time.

{Taken at the Boise Temple on Saturday, where we enjoyed a lovely Primary activity.}

Look Mom, We're Aliens!

2009-06-27T23:26:00.003-06:00

Their words, not mine.

Father's Day - The Aftermath

2009-06-26T09:54:00.002-06:00

I know this is a little late, but I wanted to post about our Father's day, lest Marty forget sometime in the next 12 months how deeply he is loved and appreciated.

If I had done my job as family photographer on Sunday, you would see close-up shots of thickly sliced homemade French toast - stacked high, dusted with powdered sugar, topped with piles of strawberries and a swirl of whipped cream... a tiny crystal pitcher of maple syrup... steaming sausage links lined up on a crystal platter... and a goblet of milk, all served to Marty in bed on a beautiful wooden tray complete with heirloom white cloth napkin and red rose cut from our garden.

{Insert photo of Marty's three-hour uninterrupted nap here. Oh, and presents.}

Fast forward several hours to dinner, and you would feast your eyes on broiled sirloin steaks, gigantic baked potatoes adorned with sour cream and chives, and succulently ripe slices of summer watermelon. And of course, dessert: Tillamook mountain blackberry ice cream, accompanied by homemade shortbread cookies and chunks of Ghirardelli dark chocolate.

Unfortunately, I was a tad busy, and didn't manage to snap any photos until the next morning; hence all you get to see is what was left of my kitchen. You'll just have to use your imagination.

Jesus Loves Grace

2009-06-12T00:01:00.001-06:00

Lately, I've had the privilege of watching Grace's spiritual side blossom. She has really enjoyed family scripture study for the past few months. She got so excited when we read the book of Alma - she misunderstood and thought we were reading the book of Elmo. :)

She is also learning how to behave during Sacrament Meeting. When the sacrament is passed, she can be heard repeating softly to herself: "Jesus loves Grace." Sometimes she sings Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, producing giggles in the row in front of us. Last week she got a little rowdy, and I gently encouraged her to quiet down. She looked me in the eye and said "Shh. Is a quiet time, Mommy."

Grace is very particular about what I play on the piano now. Every time I try to practice the choir songs I need to learn, she stands next to me shouting I Am a Child of God!!! until I play it for her. (All three verses.) She'll often sing along.

This week, she took her first turn at family prayer. She actually asked us if she could say it. Barely audible, she repeated each sentence I said: "Thank Thee for scriptures.... Thank Thee for a prophet.... Please bless us to be safe...." She was so very proud of herself. A priceless moment.

And There Was Silence for the Space of 24 Hours

2009-06-11T22:44:00.003-06:00

Well, almost.

Marty took the boys on a father-son campout last weekend, leaving Grace and I alone to spend a little girl time. We picked up Chinese food, watched a chick flick, and did some scrapbooking. {Okay, Grace went to bed early - having skipped her afternoon nap - and I movie-watched and scrapbooked by myself. Not that I'm complaining.} I had to laugh at Grace's fortune cookie message, though: "Impatience may be appropriate at this time." That about sums up her life these days!

The boys returned Saturday afternoon with dirty clothes, and tales of "the one that got away." And there hasn't been a moment of silence since. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Hello, Summer!

2009-06-04T22:27:00.003-06:00

Break out the popsicles and bring it on.

Summer Means...

2009-06-02T20:50:00.007-06:00

Fresh salads

Joyriding

Baseball

Tree-hugging

Swimsuits and Ponytails

More time to laugh

And it all begins tomorrow!!!

{I'm so ready.}

Chocolate-covered Gracie

2009-05-28T15:05:00.000-06:00

It is unbelievable how much ground one cubic inch of chocolate on a stick can cover in the space of half an hour (the time it takes for us to drive from the mall to our house.) This is what I get for bribing the children to behave while we shopped for maternity clothes.

Amazing Grace

2009-05-18T16:32:00.008-06:00

A few of her favorite things right now...

This is where I keep finding Grace - out back on the patio, pants down, sitting in a flower pot. Especially if it's not bath day.

She loves to be outside. "I wanna play ou'side" is a request I hear many times a day.

Occasonially she plays quarterback.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but she is completely obsessed with books. She won't go to bed without at least a couple, and we can hear her "reading" to herself in the dark long after bedtime. She also refuses to go anywhere in the car without her stash. I've tried to teach her the concept of "one book" because she gets so frustrated trying to carry six or eight at a time. She will repeat the words with enthusiasm - "one book! ONE book!" - but can't seem to apply them.

She also loves piles. Of anything, but especially - you guessed it - books.

She recently learned to take the covers off our heating vents. (They're installed in the floor.) Now she makes piles inside the ducts. A few days ago Marty went to put a cover back on and found the following stuffed inside: five board books, a flashlight, a toy camera, a bag of crayons, two pencils, and two ping pong balls. I'm guessing this lowers our energy efficiency.

We've reached the two-year-old run away stage, where if I'm not holding her hand, she's gone. She can run a solid quarter mile without stopping. (Mommy can't right now, and Grace knows it.)

She definitely has her two-year-old temperamental moments, but overall she's a happy, determined, carefree little girl.

P.S. I just noticed that in half of these photos, Grace is not wearing pants. That's very typical. Yes, I dress my daughter. But taking off her pants (several times a day) seems to be Grace's chosen way of asserting her independence right now. I do insist that she keep them on in public. :)

The Graduate

2009-05-16T23:00:00.002-06:00

My baby brother graduated from college today. Now he's off to new adventures: law school and fatherhood. Congratulations, David!!

It's a...

2009-05-14T10:30:00.002-06:00

100%

absolutely certain

no question whatsoever (so they tell me)

...BOY!!!

Speaking of Motherhood

2009-05-11T16:38:00.002-06:00

We are expecting a baby in September! We find out tomorrow if it's a boy or girl. Any guesses??