TotDs

Home Buying & Sadie Hawkins

2012-02-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

For a few months we've been looking to move and for about two weeks we've seriously been looking and exploring options. I can't deny that it reminds me of finding a date to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

You find something in your price range that seems to have all that you want - school district, location, neighborhood, bedrooms, etc. It's just like that guy who seems to have everything you are looking for - you know the one. Then you go to ask him to the dance but before you even walk up to him you see that he has already been asked by someone else. And the "someone else" has a better offer - a nice steakhouse for dinner as opposed to your reservation at Perkins.

So then your options are a bit more limited. Do you ask the really nice guy with the crooked teeth? Do you find a guy at a neighboring school? Or do you wait... ...and wait... ...and wait and see if a super-duper transfer student moves into your school?

Thankfully, we don't have a ton of pressure to move quickly. After our lease is up it goes month to month but that doesn't mean that we don't want to get this show on the road!

Picky Eater

2012-02-02T12:39:00.004-07:00

These photos were from our trip to Minnesota a few weeks ago. Notice there was no snow (in the upper right picture and not much in the others which melted right away)...in Minnesota...in January. Maybe Al Gore was right about the global warming thing. Kidding! (Although Grandma should appreciate that comment - she's a Fox News through-and-through kinda gal.)

You can tell that John likes being outside. The previous tenants where we currently live had St. Bernard dogs which did a number on the very small fenced in portion of the yard. It is more dirt and large rocks than grass so I decided to take John to the park the other day. (No snow here either - does anyone have snow?) I set him down in the middle of the soccer field and let him go. He had a lot of fun trying to climb up and down the little hills on the sides of the field and just exploring everything. Since his separation anxiety seems to have stepped up a notch the past month I decided to see what would happen if I walked away. He didn't care and just kept playing where he was. He would make a bee-line for a leaf, pick it up, consider eating it then just shaking it or throwing it up in the air. I kept slowing walking away while glancing back at him.

I got about 25 yards away and heard some gagging. I glance back and John is pulling something out of his mouth while glaring at it with the same facial expression he uses when I try to give him asparagus. I walk over too him and he hands me half of an aeration pellet. (I'm not sure if that's a word but you probably know what I mean.) He gives me a look that seems to say "Mom! Why did I eat that!?" He spit out a little bit of it and the rest came slowly as he had gross brown drool coming out of his mouth for about 20 minutes. (No camera to document his first dirt-eating experience...I know you wish I did though.)

We walked back over to the stroller to get cleaned up and give him some water and Kix. That seemed to make everything all better...along with riding on the swings. (Even though this video is from Jolene's house and not from the park that day, you can still see his love of swings.)

Is That Really What You Said?

2012-01-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to learn how to make a good omelette. I found this video and since John can be a bit loud I put on the closed captions. They are a beta version using "Google voice" and you can tell. They are pretty hilarious if you read along. It is a somewhat long video but I used this technique and made myself a pretty good omelette so you get that out of the watching in addition to the odd captions and a very "interesting" instructor. (What is hanging up behind him at the beginning?) Be sure to click the little cc button and choose "transcribe audio".

Flashback: Incessant Promptings

2012-01-22T12:25:00.006-07:00

The following post was originally written in December 2008 -

I've really enjoyed our new ward (church congregation). It has been nice getting a chance to know a diverse group of people. I felt so inspired and uplifted by some of the folks that I decided to bring them some cookies this morning. It was a great reminder of how serving others makes you feel all warm inside.

One of the ladies that I've gotten to know quite well has pretty bad arthritis. A few weeks ago, I had a little prompting that I should ask her if she would like me to type up her memoir/journal/whatever-you-call-it. I thought, "That is a 'beyond-the-boundaries question". (Seriously...if someone asked me that, I would be a bit concerned - especially if it was someone I didn't know very well.) Well, the idea stuck with me and I really struggled to figure out the best way to bring it up. When I brought the cookies this morning, we ended up chatting a bit. I thought to myself "I'm not going to bring it up...it is just sounds too crazy". However, the prompting was persistent and so I said "I have kind of an odd question for you." She looked a bit concerned and said "okay...". I asked her if she kept a journal or if she had a memoir or anything. She said that she had been a diligent journal writer since her teens and that she believed it to be important. She also mentioned that recently it had become less and less that she took time to write. I explained that the reason I asked was that I had felt prompted to ask her if she would like help in typing up her history. She teared up a bit and said that she had been trying to figure out how to compile her journals and stories and put them on the computer. Her arthritis made it very difficult and painful to write or type and she had been praying for a way to make it work.

On my mission, I was very good at following promptings - even if it made me feel a bit foolish. (Of course I spent the day knocking on random strangers' doors so my foolish threshold was quite different.) Since I've been home, I'm sorry to say that I feel I've been a bit lacking in this area. Hopefully this experience will help me to heed more of the promptings and in a more timely manner.

I was thinking of this experience earlier today (in 2012) and it is such a fond memory. In following this prompting, which made me feel foolish, not only did I provide a service for someone but I made an amazing friend. During our visits each week to type, I came to know an absolutely amazing person. When I brought Connie Jean cookies that first morning I'd included a note that emphasized my admiration for her continued optimism - even through her difficulties with arthritis. She gives my grandma a run for the money when it comes to having a fighting spirit. I will always hold dear those memories of sitting at her computer on a Sunday afternoon while she told me about her life and I will draw upon her example of strength in the face of adversity for all my life. You see, frequently the Lord doesn't just bless those we serve but those that do the serving seem to get a large portion of blessings as well. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that knows what we need and provides it for us (even though some times we need to get out of our comfort zone in order to get it).

Feeling Boxed-In

2012-01-19T12:36:00.001-07:00

I really don't have anything exciting to share but just wanted to put a post so that I don't have to look at a Kit Kat every time I want to see if anyone else has been more productive and actually updated their blogs. Turns out I have some pretty awesome (and quite entertaining friends) so if you get bored with my blog feel free to click on over to those folks on the left. I've tossed around the idea of doing a "Shout Out" series but it has yet to come to fruition.

Like most toddlers, John is fascinated with boxes. Maybe he gets it from me? They seem to be his favorite Christmas gift. This video is pretty old but he still pushes this box around. Sometimes he'll push it into his room and fill it up with something then push it back out to the kitchen and put whatever it was in the cupboard. And on and on and on he goes.

He also loves swinging around in the box. I'm a wuss and not so good at it but as soon as Doug gets home John climbs into this box and looks at Doug with these "Please, Daddy!" eyes. It is pretty cute. This video is a bit longer than we usually post but I love the moment a little after the 90 second mark where John just looks up at Doug like Doug is the coolest guy ever. I'd have to agree with Johnny on that one!

I imagine that our next move will be quite fun for John - at least the boxes part.

The Most Nutritious Food

2012-01-12T12:55:00.001-07:00

This was originally posted back in 2007 but it still rings true today.

I truly love kit-kats. I wish they had the nutritional value of spirulina and goji berries. Then they could be their own food group and you would need no other food. Just 5 kit-kats per day. Ahhh...that would be the life. YUM!

(Sorry to Gregorio for going against all that you do.)

What a Difference a Year Makes

2012-01-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that a year ago we were all excited that John could sit up -

And now we have this -

And this -

Tug of War

2011-12-23T09:40:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, Doug got out the heated blanket that his grandma gave us. (The bedrooms get very cold and I think Doug was sick of waking up without any blankets since I would steal them all.) I was excited to see that it had dual control and even more excited to see that Doug's grandma had labelled the controls. We put the blanket on the bed and set the respective controllers on our nightstands. The first night, I started off cozy but started to feel cold in the night so turned up the controller. Doug, who is usually warmer, started to feel warm so he turned his side down a couple of notches. The next night, it seemed I couldn't get warm even when I turned the blanket on full blast. Doug, on the other hand was feeling really warm so turned his side off. Then it dawned on me (and it should have sooner) that the "left" and "right" controllers are dependent not only on the orientation of the blanket but also on the relative orientation of the person deciding left and right. Is it when you are standing at the foot of the bed and looking at it or lying in bed on your back? You would think it would be a quick fix to just switch the controllers but the cord lengths wouldn't allow that - we would need to turn the blanket somewhat. Since we were already in bed for the night, I just asked Doug, "Could you set it at 6 for me?" He wanted a 2 for his side. A few minutes later, I had finally warmed up so I asked him to move it to a 4. Then that felt cool so I asked for a 5. That was good for the rest of the night.

The next night we still hadn't changed the blanket so it was back to making requests for temperature adjustments. (Although Doug is just a 2 through and through.) I started to think this could be pretty fun and every couple of pages of my book I would ask him to adjust the temperature.

Magically, the blanket was switched and I had my own controller the next night. (I still get tempted to crank his up to an 8 when I turn it on before bed...just to see what happens.)

Two nights ago, I half-woke up in the middle of the night and felt kind of cold so I pulled the comforter up higher. A bit later, I woke up feeling really cold and realized that I had the corner of the comforter that is usually up by Doug's head in my hand (and the rest of the comforter was on the ground on my side of the bed). Ooops!...I felt bad that Doug must be cold too. Then I noticed why I felt so cold to begin with - Doug had somehow wrapped the heated blanket all the way around himself. There was no way that he was cold. My part of the blanket (set at a 6, by the way) was under Doug's hip and I was left with the sheet and the small corner of comforter. I think in his past life he was a burrito.

A very merry (and warm) Christmas to you and yours!

My Life According to Amazon

2011-12-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

The other day I saw a tweet about being able to browse years back in your Amazon order history. I thought it would be interesting. Considering how frequently we order from Amazon I figured there would be quite a lot but there seemed to be a significant bump in our purchases since John was born. The following is (most) of my Amazon life.

2006: "Shag" - I must have been feeling nostalgic for college.
Sheet music for "William Joseph - Within" - a long sought-after Christmas gift for a dear friend; however, it was somewhat selfish because I mainly wanted to listen to her play the songs.
PCAT preparation books - ironically the pharmacy school I went to didn't even require the PCAT.

2007: 3 Christmas gifts - "Hairspray", sheet music for Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (yes, same friend as before), and the complete first season (and series) of "October Road".
For me - Ella Fitzgerald's "The Very Best of the Gershwin Song Book".

2008: "Applied Therapeutics" - the largest textbook I've ever owned...and cracked open (maybe) 5 times.
"The Golden Girls - Season 1" - a gift for my mom.
"The Carol Burnett Show - A Reunion" - a gift for (probably) my dad.
Other random DVDs: "The Office" seasons 1 & 2, "City of Joy" and the "Power of One" (both of my 'favorite' movies about 5 years prior), and "Pure Country" just to keep things down to earth.

2009: This was the year of the gifts.
"Two & a Half Men" Season 5 for my mom.
"A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson (an absolutely fantastic but very long book) and "Scrabble Crosswords" for my dad.
"Mille Bornes" card game for Doug.

2010: Leatherman Supertool for Doug.
Prenatal workout videos and other 'about to have a baby' things (like a camcorder case).
"Annals of the Former World" by John McPhee for my dad.
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak for Dianna - as opposed to the usual sheet music. Since we were no longer roommates I couldn't listen as often so figured I'd get her something else.
"The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America" by Bill Bryson. We don't own this (and I haven't read it) so this must have been a gift. Maybe for my dad? I get him books often.
Fossil Tri-fold Wallet for Doug. I was extremely nervous about this Christmas gift. Doug really liked the wallet he had but it was falling apart. However, I was worried I was over-stepping my bounds in picking out a new one. Thankfully he seems to love this one.
NAPLEX review book. Ahhh...we've come full circle from the PCAT books.

2011: This must be the year Amazon came alive to me and I decided to buy things for myself. (Or we moved to the country and other stores aren't quite as easily accessible.) There were a total of 32 orders - compared to a maximum of about 10 before. And there will probably be at least one or two more by year's end.
Still, there are quite a few gifts for others - running accessories for a coworker, puzzles, bath appliques and trains for John, firewire skewers and pit mitt for Doug.
Books: "The Happiest Toddler on the Block", "Stitch by Stitch" (along with a sewing machine - I may be crazy).
DVDs: "The Express", the final "Harry Potter" movie, "Monsters Inc.", "Finding Nemo".
Many, many things for John/childproofing: A little finger slip-on toothbrush, outlet covers, crib wraps, crib, mattress, stroller accessories, play yards, corner guards, cabinet locks.
Random Stuff: a dual USB travel charger for iPods & phones, copy paper, bike light, a couple of different HDMI cables, exercise equipment, sofa slipcover (we got a couch; yea for non-college furniture!), gluten free rolled oats.

Thinking back, one of the main reasons 2011 became the "Year of Amazon" for us is "Amazon Mom" (you don't have to be a mom to do it but you do have to be the primary caregiver). You can get a free Prime membership after you spend a certain amount in the baby store. This includes free 2-day shipping (on most items) for up to 1 year. We signed up for the membership when we got the crib which by itself almost qualified for the year's worth. We'll see if our Amazon purchases decline next year when the free shipping promo ends. (Note: After typing up this little plug for Amazon Mom I noticed on their website that they aren't accepting new members. Doh!)

Let me know if you find anything fun in your Amazon closet!

Bed Head

2011-12-17T18:32:00.005-07:00

Friday afternoon we were discussing what to do for the evening. Doug said, "Well, if you'd like, you can take a shower." I said, "Umm...I took a shower this morning." To his credit, I'd been up most of the night before with the stomach flu and did not feel like using the energy to do much with my hair other than comb it out and let it air dry. (Although, even without lack of sleep and reversible food this frequently occurs.) Also, I did get dressed but eventually opted to put my pajama pants back on. He said, "Oh. Did you wash your hair when you showered? It smells funny." Ouch!

I couldn't get too mad at him considering that a few weeks ago, while giving him a haircut, I forgot to put the guide on the clippers and cut the hair right down to the scalp for about two inches right at his temple. This led to me freaking out (read: rocking in the fetal position while repeatedly saying, "What do we do? How do we fix this?") and Doug saying, "It's not that bad. It's just hair. It will grow back." Doug suggested that we just shave it all but I wasn't excited about that idea. Eventually we ended up doing the clipper guide sizes 1, 2, 3 instead of our usual 3, 4, 5. It was pretty short (see below) but you could still see my blunder. At church the next day I was very conscientious of making sure Doug sat on the side of the chapel so that the scarred side faced the wall. (Apparently I'm vain like that.) No one mentioned it at church or at work and so I guess our patchwork did a good job. And in the end, he and John looked even more alike.

Also, while typing this post, Doug brought home some peppermint bon-bon (aka mint chocolate chip) ice cream to be used to make my family's traditional Christmastime treat of meringue shells with ice cream and my great grandma's chocolate sauce. I didn't even know he remembered that tradition. Even if he says I smell "funny", I've got to love him! Those looking to send me a random Christmas gift - apparently Douglas would appreciate it if I received some non-funny smelling hair products.

There Is No "I" in Team

2011-12-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

I went to a new dentist yesterday. During the introductory conversation about how I moved to the area, etc., he said "You said 'we'. Are you married? Kids?" I remember, after a few months of being married, I was amazed at how much I said "we" instead of "I". (A bit "i"ronic the number of I's in that sentence.) It reminded me a bit of my mission. For those unfamiliar, during a mission for the LDS Church, you are constantly with another missionary referred to as your companion. I served a Spanish-speaking mission and I sometimes struggled with using the "I" or the "Yo" form of Spanish verbs since a large percentage of the time I only used the "We" or "Nosotros" form.

I think now, with John added to our family, I have added even more "we" to my vocabulary. (And it seems that I am always referring to myself in the third person to John. Why is that? Is that just some weird inherent parenting thing and does it actually help the kids?) I am so grateful to have these boys in my life. I love "us".

Dear Subconscious, What is wrong with you?

2011-12-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

The following is my dream from last night.

I was driving down 33rd South in SLC. (For those unfamiliar, 33rd is one of those 4 lane road that really is only wide enough to (comfortably) be 3 lanes but instead you "think skinny" while driving down the road and hope the guy driving the car next to you doesn't sneeze.) I was trying to go to Xpedx to get some Thank You cards. (This is probably because, in reality, we still haven't done some of John's thank you notes from his birthday - Sorry Doug's family!) I ended up driving through a one-lane tunnel that was scary enough since it was one lane but it also had a hill that was similar to going up the start of a rollercoaster - you know the kind where you can see behind you since you are tilted back so far. I popped out of the tunnel & over the hump just in time to see a car coming in my lane/the only lane. I was able to maneuver around it and kept going towards a one-lane bridge. There was garbage strewn all over the bridge and a 7-foot tall man dressed in a Chewbacca outfit. (At this point, Doug asked "How do you know it wasn't really Chewbacca?" I guess my subconscious wouldn't go that far off the edge.) After the bridge the road seemed to stop so I looked back and shouted, "Yo Chewy...which way?" He pointed to the right and after looking at it I asked if he meant in a car. He nodded and so I started zig-zagging through random obstacles along the way to get back down to ground level after the bridge. I got close to the bottom and for some reason was now walking. I had to go down a flight of steps which were just a few 2x4's nailed together in a very inconvenient fashion with some 'steps' being 6 feet apart and others a few inches. My way was obstructed by an interesting guy operating a cherry-picker to get to the top of the stairs. He had on a long green hoody and really old, tattered black stone-washed jeans. (Of course they were old, right - they were stone-washed.) He looked kindof like a ghetto drug addict trying to dress as Robin Hood. He finally made it to the top of the stairs and I started to make my way down the stairs as he wandered over to another cherry-picker. He was somewhat in front of me in the cherry picker and had his back to me when all of a sudden this random yellow/green liquid started dribbling to the floor. Shocked I said "Dude...what are you doing!?" He responded "I've just had so much Gatorade!"

At that point, thankfully, John coughed/cried and woke me up. What does this all mean? I'm not sure but apparently I'm a surfer in my dreams - using terms like "Yo!" and "Dude!".

In other news (and to get those disturbing images out of your mind), yesterday I was telling Doug about a parenting book I read that talked about the importance of eye-level for different aspects of discipline. For example, while praising or showing sympathy you should try to be at or below eye-level but for setting rules and reprimanding you should try to be a bit above eye-level. I mockingly joked about being looked down on and disrespected all of my life since my eye-level is very rarely above anyone else's. Doug responded, "Now you're a parent. Now's your chance to use your height overbearingly as much as you want. Well...at least until the kids are 13 and are taller than you." Thanks, Doug!

Why I'm Not a Chef

2011-12-12T15:20:00.001-07:00

A while ago, Doug and I discovered this gluten-free Chicago-style pizza crust recipe. Frequently, gluten-free pizza crust somewhat resembles saltine-crackers baked on a plate and so this recipe was one we had to try. So we did. It was delicious but you make it in a spring-form pan and so the pizza isn't really that large (especially for us pizza-deprived people).

A month or so later, I decided to make it again but thought I'd double it since we have two spring-form pans as demonstrated by our little model who thinks they are jewelry/battle armor. And I'm sure you've all seen the video but it still makes me chuckle and if it does you, here it is.

(TANGENT: We have since moved the spring-form pans since they are no longer a round due to John falling on them and I'm nervous about him getting hurt. However, he is very sad that they seem to have disappeared and he seems to search the kitchen every day. For awhile we left them out but kept the bottoms in them. However, that seemed to frustrate him to no end so now they are just hidden away. END TANGENT)

I was excited about having two pizzas and all seemed to go well during the rising stage. At the end of the baking they were a bit darker than I had hoped but I blamed it on the oven and it's quirky, uneven temperatures. I dished up the plates and we dug in. I thought the crust tasted a little funky - kindof sweet. Doug agreed that it was a little different but stated that he really liked it. I decided I didn't like it - which was a bonus for Doug since it meant he had lunch for the week all ready to go.

About a week later, I was making some PB bars and while reaching for the powdered sugar it dawned on me that I had thought the same container had the tapioca flour called for in the pizza crust recipe. I'd used powdered sugar for the pizza instead of tapioca flour! No wonder it tasted so sweet! To my credit, tapioca flour and powdered sugar really do look a lot alike and we had recently changed containers from one to the other. Plus, considering the exchange, the crust turned out amazingly tasty and of the right consistency.

This past Saturday, I was making some gingerbread muffins and noticed we were getting low on cinnamon. We buy a lot of our herbs/spices/flour at Winco in the bulk foods and so they are just in random bags (usually labelled). I went to search for more cinnamon but couldn't find any although I'd remembered that we recently got some cocoa powder. What a mixed up substitution that could be - frosting made with 1/2 cup cinnamon would be disgusting although muffins with a hint of cocoa powder may not be that bad.

The muffins also called for ground cloves. We had some whole cloves on hand. (They are always handy for delicious wassail.) It was the only time that I have wished I bought the (overpriced) commemorative mortal & pestle from pharmacy school. Instead, I used a regular bowl and the back of the ice cream scoop. It was probably not as quick or effective but it was a lot less expensive and got me my (entire) 1/4 tsp of ground cloves.

And that, ladies and gents, is why I'm not a chef. (Are there any 'gents' that even read this?) It also demonstrates just how tolerant Douglas is. (Although sometimes I make him good treats. See the pictures near the bottoms of this post and this one.)

I wish you all a mishap-less Christmas baking season!

Setting the Screen

2011-12-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

John must know that the college basketball season is in full swing. He has become an expert at sneaking up behind me and not moving until I turn around and accidentally knock him over. Poor kid! I think I've knocked him down 5 times in the last 2 days. Thankfully his resiliency has won out so far and he hasn't gotten too upset about his tumbles to the ground.

He also "built" himself his own little office in one of the compartments of our hutch.

The necessary rearranging for the Christmas tree required a change in office location to the other side of the hutch. He was a little upset for a bit but has now adapted to his new place.

He is still getting used to the tree and has become quite fond of tossing his toys over the banana chair barrier and under the tree. I guess he is a gift giver.

Happy Days

2011-12-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

I was going through November's pictures and noticed just how smiley John was during that month. Between Thanksgiving, the springform pan, new hats and fall leaves he has had a great time.

Why I Don't Home School

2011-11-30T08:28:00.002-07:00

Last night, Doug and I were discussing who had the rights to his eReader for bedtime reading. (Notice it is his.) The conversation went something like this:

D: But I just got a new book from the library that needs to be read in 21 days.

A: Oh...well, what book is it?

D: James Madison.

A: James Madison, the President guy?

D: Yes, "the President guy".

A: Really, honey? What made you think that would be an exciting book? I mean what all did he do that could be considered interesting?

(Note: I sincerely apologize to Mr. Ellingson but I really am less-than-knowledgeable when it comes to history. This is even more pathetic considering that I took Honors American History my sophomore year and then the regular version my senior year (in order to get out of Honors Econ).)

D: For one, he helped write the constitution.

(And here comes my usual tangent.)

A: Hey, I should know about that stuff, huh, since it is near where I served my mission? Well, at least they wrote the Declaration of Independence near there. I don't know where they wrote the constitution. (Don't tell my grandma.) But, dude, those guys that wrote the Declaration of Independence had guts! I mean Britain was this huge powerhouse and they were all like "Ummm...we're leaving this lunch table." Britain was all "Ummm...no you're not." And they were just like "Yes we are!" *Exaggerated throwing motion.* Juice box to the face!

A: Don't you wish I would home school our kids and teach them about history?

D: That would be great but they wouldn't understand the analogy if they hadn't gone to public school.

A: Doh...so true.

I think that since I can never keep Thomas Edison, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Graham Bell straight is another (strong) argument for me to not home school my kids.

And I got to use the eReader! (Mainly because Doug was more sleepy - my analogy must have exhausted him.) I'm trying to learn about some French history and reading The Three Musketeers.

Who needs a TV...

2011-11-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

...when you have entertainment like this!

A Quick Thought: Perseverance & Determination

2011-11-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

This video is from over a month ago and so you can only imagine how good John is moving around now. I find it amazing how often this kid falls down and gets up (without crying) and tries again.

In order to take advantage of the nice weather, we went to a little wild life refuge yesterday. There was a spot where there was a little patio area with bricks. I thought John would like wandering around in the fallen leaves but instead he just kept walking back and forth over the edge of the bricks and into the grass. He would usually trip up a little bit but got pretty good at it. Eventually I convinced him to come further into the grass and play with the leaves. That worked for a few minutes but then he was back to his change-of-terrain task. The new spot he chose to cross was a bit of a different elevation - there was about an inch and a half step up onto the brick. He tripped and went down, causing his hands to slap pretty hard against the brick. I winced and started to move toward him but he didn't even wimper but just got up then tried again. The next time I tried to offer my hand to use for balance during the transitional step but he pushed it away. Turns out he can be really ~~stubborn~~ determined. One time he fell and hit his forehead on the edge of the brick (and I felt like a bad mom) but even then (and even with a little bloody scratch on his head) he just got up and started trying again.

Friends have mentioned that he is pretty tough in the way that he seems to just get back up when he falls but I wasn't sincerely impressed until this day. He is an amazing kid. I'm sure that some future day will lead to him being determined to succeed at something that will drive me crazy. When that day comes I will need to remember what good attributes his perseverance and determination are and make sure we direct it to positive things.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy watching him learn and grow.

You can see a little mark on his lip and bruise on his cheek in the picture from another of his self-imposed tasks. This one led to falling against the bookshelf and did include a few tears.

French Toast Fiasco

2011-11-09T08:05:00.002-07:00

A couple of months ago, I was craving some french toast so decided to whip out the griddle and make some. This was my second attempt at making french toast. (I know...I'm slightly spoiled and pathetic.) The first attempt was quite successful and delicious so I went into the second attempt with confidence. Unfortunately, this time things weren't as smooth. The bread ended up quite flimsy and leading to a large amount of egg-slop all over the place. I gave up and trashed the whole thing.

Nowadays we've been experimenting more and more with finger foods for the kiddo. He seems to get frustrated if he doesn't have at least one way to prove his independence during each meal. (My mom joked that we should call him "Polly" since he eats so many crackers.) I found a recipe for french toast sticks and thought John may like them. I figured that the fates may be on my side since it was not for my own indulgent desires and instead served the purpose of finding a form (although small amount) of eggs that John may like. Besides that, it was baked and so there weren't a lot of concerns about flipping flimsy flatbread.

I had some time when I got up this morning and so I decided to try it out. (For the record, I did only 1/4 of the one month's worth recipe.) Mixing up the batter was simple and dipping the strips (1/3 of a slice of bread) was painless because there wasn't enough weight to worry about them breaking apart. I put them on a cookie sheet and set them in the oven. Easy enough!

While closing the oven, one half of the door handle came unbolted from the door. What?! The door also separated a bit and had a gap on the side. I pushed it shut and then wondered if I'd be able to get the french toast out. At the 15 minute mark, I opened the door and watched as it started to separate on the one side. The tricky part was that it wouldn't stay open. I had to gently and carefully hold the handled-side (practically kneeling on the ground) down while trying to reach around it to get to the cookie sheet and place it on top of the stove. This may not seem like that big of a deal to someone of average height and arm length but for someone only a few inches from dwarfism it is somewhat difficult. (Nothing like some early morning yoga!)

I was somewhat dreading how I would get them in and out after I'd flipped them over. Well, luckily (maybe?) they did not want to flip over. Even with the greased pan they stuck and I ended up with more french toast shreds instead of sticks. I considered just putting the pieces I'd salvaged into a skillet but our burner is broken and sticks up in the air. It seems all-to-easy to burn yourself with this stove. With the way the morning had gone, I didn't want to risk it.

We've also been experimenting with making our own yogurt melts for John. I froze little dollops of yogurt and John likes those but they are (obviously) not portable. We tried dehydrating some yogurt in the oven last night which went okay but not great. I found a website which (supposedly) explains how to freeze dry yogurt but can only find comments and reviews on the page - no recipe.

Does anyone have any ideas/recipes for yogurt melts or other finger foods?

Minnesota Trip: The North Shore

2011-11-08T12:47:00.001-07:00

Another highlight of our trip was heading up the North Shore of Lake Superior. It is favorite spot of mine. If it wasn't so beautiful I may have gotten better grades in college. It is just a couple of hours north of Duluth and in the fall is one of the most best places in the country to see changing foliage. Unfortunately, we were a little early to catch the colors at their peak. However, it was still beautiful and a great chance to spend time with family.

We stayed at a little hotel called The Cliffdweller. Each room has a balcony with a view of the lake. The local restaurants advertise "lake view dining" and so we figured we'd give John our version.

This picture is from one of my favorite days on the trip. We drove some of the trails on the color tour. Mom and Grandma hung out in back with Johnny. There were some really cute moments between John and Great Grandma Norma playing and chatting together.

We did see some leaves that were changing.

We also got some nice views of the lake.

I was quite entertained by how the GPS made it look like we were about to drive into the lake. I tried to zoom it out in order to get an idea of how large the lake is but it really does not do it justice. I trust you all know your geography though. If you are interested in Lake Superior trivia, this site has a few tid-bits for you.

We enjoyed a little time at the "beach" in Grand Marais.

As usual, it was a bit windy by the lake. This led to lots of blinking from the little guy. You can tell from his face that he is pretty content though.

I got to skip some rocks - one of my favorite past times.

John was a bit appalled that I was throwing rocks into the lake and not giving them to him so he could play.

In downtown Grand Marais, we found this interesting lawn mower. (We didn't try it out.) We also went and got pizza at Sven and Ole's. Please tell me you have at least heard a Sven & Ole joke even if you hadn't heard of the restaurant.

I was eating potato chips and John kept looking at them longingly as I put them in my mouth. I ate one in slow motion and this is what happened. Silly boy!

We thought it would be wise to take a picture of John with this type of phone since you don't seem very often. (Which seems really weird to me and makes me feel ancient.) He really had no idea what it was other than something big and clunky that had buttons.

Here are a couple of shots of the view from our hotel balcony. During the day.

And at dusk.

After our trek we headed to Minneapolis. Here's John with Great Grandma on the eve of our departure home. (And a quick thank you for your continued prayers and support for Grandma. She had surgery on 11/2 and has been recovering well.)

Grandma's comments at the end of the video about her nose running crack me up.

Minnesota Trip: Grand Rapids Birthday Party

2011-11-04T13:23:00.000-06:00

My mom put together a little birthday party while we were visiting. We decided to have it on John's 11-month birthday. Family and friends were able to come and enjoy the evening. We had it at a local hotel with a swimming pool which John thoroughly enjoyed. I had to beg my mom for years to have a "pool party" and John gets one right off the bat.

He hasn't really demonstrated an affinity for a specific transitional object but the closest thing would be a little Thumper stuffed animal he got for Easter so he had a Thumper cake. (You will see some Thumper at his 12-month birthday party.) My mom insisted that we get a picture of John right next to the cake. This led to John reaching for everything around the cake, me trying to move things out of the way, John sticking his foot in the cake, and my mom getting this "appreciative" look from me.

Even though he stuck his foot in it, he seemed to like how it tasted. The trick was getting the cake in his mouth between sips of milk.

I don't remember if we have posted other pictures of him doing this cup game. He finds cups on noses highly entertaining.

He was very good at taking all the gifts off of the table. Fully unwrapping them was another story.

Thankfully, Grandpa helped him unwrap some gifts.

He modeled his new moose hat (from Dad & Leanne's trip to Alaska).

This is (unfortunately) the only attempt that we had at a family photo with my mom, aunt and uncle. (Good job to me for paying attention to the photographer.)

My good friend Missy was able to come with her boyfriend, Erik, and their baby, Jaxon. It was really good to get caught up with her and John had fun with someone more his size.

John made quite the hauling. You can see a few of the items here. The Gyro Bowls have been a big hit. He loves carrying them around - even without food in them.

I think his favorite part of the party was going for a swim with Dad. They had a lot of fun.

He was quite entertained by splashing in the big swimming pool.

Minnesota Trip: Grandma Mary's House

2011-11-03T09:08:00.001-06:00

Grandma Mary's house was our home-base during our days in Grand Rapids. As always, it was filled with delicious food and warm company. Grandma and Great Grandma had a great time playing with Johnny.

Grandma absolutely loves it when John makes this silly happy face while she is feeding him.

Great Grandma and John also had some bonding time during meals.

Since Barney, the dog, went to the kennel for the week, John thought he would fill Great Grandma's void. He has become very adept at begging for food.

He has really gotten into pushing cars around and seemed to have quite the affinity for this one (which we have subsequently lost - oops).

This picture makes me laugh because he looks so proud of himself.

Grandma's cane was pretty fun to play with (and see how many things he could knock over).

I found this old calculator while digging through boxes at my dad's. John became quite attached and wanted to carry it with him everywhere. (I think he may have thought it was a cellphone.)

Thank you Grandma and Great Grandma for letting us stay with you! We had tons of fun and John enjoyed all the new toys!

I should also note the "birthday boy" shirt was worn because it was his 11-month birthday and we had a party that day. You will be seeing that shirt again soon - for a post about the party in Minnesota as well as the one we had here at home.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T18:35:00.000-06:00

John had a bit of a costume malfunction when he couldn't find his hands...

Minnesota Trip: Grandpa Jack's Cabin

2011-10-24T17:48:00.001-06:00

There are few places in the world that I love more than "The Cabin".

It does not offer much by way of modern conveniences (although it does have running water and electricity). It is my Sacred Grove. It is my place to get away from the rest of the world and find solitude and faith. When I think of my childhood I think of this place. Skating on the lake, hot chocolate, watching UMD hockey games on TV in the winter. Kneeboarding (I know I'm cool), baseball, football, swimming, water volleyball, and racing up and down the trails on my bike during the summer.

I love this place! It is part of me. As such, it was important to me to bring John there and show him around.

He and Doug had fun rummaging through a few things while I was in the garage rummaging through a few of my things.

Tangent - You know how eventually parents get tired of having numerous boxes of junk in their home and you know that you want to save about 0.4% of the things in there so you tell them not to throw it all out until you've had a chance to go through it. Well, this was my chance (although I only made it through half of the boxes). If you are interested in any NKOTB memorabilia, let me know - turns out I saved everything from 5th grade. Also, if you would like a "Homer Hankie" I have about 10. (I guess I could sell such items on ebay for about $5.) End Tangent

Well, Doug hung out with John inside the cabin since it was ridiculously cold (even for Minnesota in September). The fun aspect of that is they found (and took pictures of) all sorts of things that were just 'normal' to me but once they were pointed out were kind of fun.

My great grandfather's fishing license.

A photograph of my grandmother, father (the one in the Boy Scout uniform), uncles and Tubby (the dog) from a newspaper.

Some toilet humor dating back to 1943. (Who knew they were so crass back then?!)

Some paintings my grandma did (the boy is my father) and the old rope clock that fascinated me as a kid.

John also got to check out a few things from the garage. He got to "drive" my dad's old '38 Ford.

He also got to try out the little lawn mower. For the record, as a child I was completely convinced that this thing worked! I would follow my dad around as he mowed the lawn.

I found this random dog puppet that I thought John may enjoy. However, I think my enthusiasm may have spoiled the introduction...

Of course, we also got to hang out with Grandpa Jack! It is so fun to watch how excited my dad gets with his little grandson.

And based on the way John is looking at his grandpa in this picture, I think the feeling is mutual.

We also went for a little hike down to "The Point" - a little sandbar at the other end of the lakeshore property. It is too bad that we were a little early to catch the leaves at their peak.

Here we are down at the point.

If you happen to be interested in some lakefront property and some acreage in Minnesota, we are (unfortunately) selling it. (All the more reason for me to rummage through those boxes.) It may be interesting to some of you that you can advertise with big signs facing the lake (leaning on the pieces of the dock) in addition regular signs on the road.

Happy Birthday John!

2011-10-21T07:13:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that we've already gone from this

To this

What an amazing year it has been!

John felt like knocking off a few more milestones yesterday before the bell struck on his first year. He unscrewed the lid off the Aquaphor, demonstrated that he can clearly reach the blinds in the kitchen window, unrolled the wrapping paper and walked all over it (giggling the whole time), showed a preference to have the matching lids to the tupperware he got out of the cupboard, competed in his own speed test to see how many wipes he could pull out of the container while I was getting lunch ready and played (rolling) catch with a ball for a full 10 minutes. (I was pretty tired by the end of the day.) Once we have his stats from the doctor next week we will do a more official update.

Also, thank you for your continued prayers and support for Grandma. It was cancerous and she goes in for surgery on November 1. Her heart function is pretty low (about 25%) but they believe that with her new pacemaker she will be fine. We have all felt uplifted and comforted by your prayers.

And one day we will get back to chronicling the Minnesota trip. We'll also have a post about Lisa's fabulous wedding and one with John (potentially) devouring a cupcake. We just have to catch our breath first. Don't give up on us!

A Quick Prayer Request

2011-10-14T11:45:00.000-06:00

Hi friends,

Just a quick prayer request. My grandma is going in for a biopsy on Monday of a couple of solid lumps they found in her breast. If it were to be cancer it would be the third time in her life that she heard those horrible words from the doctor. (She had breast cancer back in the 80's and tongue cancer in 2007.) She is 92 and already has more than her fair share of health problems. It would be greatly appreciated if you could just offer a prayer that whatever happens will be in line with God's will and that we will all feel comfort and peace and be able to bear whatever news comes. My mom has been Grandma's primary caregiver for a few years and I know this is taking a toll on her as well.

Here are a couple of pictures of her with her favorite great grandson.

Minnesota Trip: Jolene's House & the Lake Superior Zoo

2011-10-11T05:31:00.000-06:00

Our time in Duluth was short but well spent. John really enjoyed this little rocking horse we found at Jolene's house. (Notice he is wearing a cowboy outfit with little spurs on the legs.) He also thoroughly enjoyed trying to attack the guinea pigs - it made for a constant battle of redirection.

I wasn't sure how much John would get out of the zoo but he seemed to really enjoy it. (I am hoping to fit in a trip to Zoo Boise before Fall has ended but I may have missed my shot.) He got really excited which led to lots of pounding on the glass.

He almost jumped out of Doug's arms in order to get a good look at the goats.

He was a little unsure of the very large grizzly bear though.

It was a lot of fun to spend time with Jolene's kids and watch them interact with John. Lindsey was a bit shy at first but warmed up to us. She and John were entertained by these turtle puzzles.

It is amazing how much Collin has grown. I can't believe he is 7! He was really excited to see John and was quite determined to show John how to (one day) be a good big brother. For example, when we went for a walk in the woods, Collin went in front and carefully held the branches back and out of the way. He was very attentive and aware of John and whenever John fell or bumped himself, Collin would give him a hug or pat his head and tell him, "You're okay, bud." Such a good kid!

In the picture below, John is astonished with Collin's ability to climb on top of the frog. (As if he needs more encouragement to be a "climber".)

Gavin was fighting a cold during the majority of our time there but he did really well with John too. Since he is used to being the baby it took a bit more adjusting than with Collin and Lindsey.

Jolene hadn't spent time with John since she won the Super Best Friend Award. This is (unfortunately) the only picture that we have of them "together" and Jolene's husband, Adam, seemed to avoid all photos.

Thanks to Adam, Jolene and the kids for hosting us!

Minnesota Trip: Minneapolis & the Walker Sculpture Garden

2011-10-04T15:14:00.002-06:00

We have about 350 pictures from our 10-day trip to Minnesota and so I thought I'd break it up into a few blog entries. Have I ever mentioned that during 4 months in Ireland and 20 days in Europe I only took 48 pictures? (The change demonstrates what having a kid does to your picture-taking desires.) I got Jolene's duplicates of her 20 some rolls of film from the Ireland/Europe trip. I found the receipt for the photo development while sorting through boxes in Minnesota. It was $125.00 - thank goodness for digital photos!

As we got off the plane we were greeted by a fun play-area in the airport. (For the record, I was very impressed with the family-friendly activities, etc. in the MSP airport.)

For those who don't know, Charles Shultz, the creator of "The Peanuts", is from Minnesota and so you can find many Snoopy characters around town.

John enjoyed playing in this little rocket ship. He did a great job on the plane as well - especially considering he decided he didn't need a nap...at all...the entire day.

Jolene picked us up and we headed to the hotel. It was really good to see Jolene for the few days we were in town before she had to leave for a trip to D.C. The next post will have fun filled pictures from our adventures in Duluth with her family.

In the morning, we tried to go swimming but the pool was closed so John just played in the bathtub a bit. (We figured we'd let him wear the diaper since he already had it on...and it makes modest photos so much easier.) This kid loves water as you will see in a couple of other pool experiences later in the trip.

Later, we headed to the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Museum. Have you seen this spoon/cherry before? It was really familiar to me but I actually didn't know where it was from until we checked out the website.

The garden was free and a lot of fun. Apparently it was just in some magazine for being one of the Top 10 Free Things to Do in the Country. (I would find the reference but am lazy.)

John was excited to crawl around/through/on the different sculptures. He was also particularly taken with the leaves on the ground. If there was a caption for this photo it would be "Yes! Another leaf!!!"

He also liked to attack the flowers (and hopefully we hid the evidence).

This see-through mirror was really cool. Jolene tried desperately to stand opposite me and align our faces. However, I couldn't not stop giggling because she head to stoop down so far in order to get her eyes at the same level as mine. Jolene became more and more adamant that I hold still so she could do her experiment and that just made me laugh harder. Then John thought it was funny that he was jiggling so much with my laughter. I guess I'll have to wait to learn what my face super-imposed on Jolene's would look like.

It was a great day!

Stay tuned for the trip into the northwoods!

The Gift Code

2011-10-04T11:13:00.001-06:00

I can't decide what I would like for my Birthday from Doug. I'd originally asked for the oh-so-exciting dust buster - we have carpet in the dining area. However, my mom jumped on that one. Doug read this last night to hopefully find some inspiration. I'm afraid I haven't been much help. We've been working on tightening up our budget a lot lately and after trying to cut out so many "want's" it is difficult to justify getting one.

Game of the Day

2011-10-03T12:41:00.000-06:00

Objective: Try to get all of the socks into the laundry basket before John gets one sock out. (Bonus point for John if he used his 'signature move' - holding the sock above his head then dropping it behind him while (sort of) saying "uh-oh".)

Score: John - 386. Anne - 0.

Winning Move: John tips over the laundry basket to dump out all the socks then grabs the basket and scoots away, giggling the whole time.

Due to John's fascination with the camera I didn't get any photos of this game. Here is a shot of him having more fun with laundry and one of him playing "Got Your Nose" with Doug. (FYI - that isn't the laundry 'basket' used in the game although I think it would provide me with a distinct advantage. Maybe next time...) Also, in the laundry picture you can kind of - but not really - see John's top left front tooth.

Camping* at Warm Lake

2011-09-03T15:24:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we got to go camping up at Warm Lake. (For the record, it was not extremely warm but considering it was a lake, it was quite comfortable.) As you can tell from my ridiculous smile, I was excited to visit something that somewhat resembled home.

This was our first real camping trip with John and, as such, required lots of packing. John helped by making sure the cooler was all ready to go.

It was about a 2.5 hour drive to get there. After our arrival, we went for a hike to stretch our legs. We decided that since Uncle Greg is about to run a marathon, he should carry Johnny as part of his training. Greg seemed to handle the exertion just fine but John got a bit sleepy. As a side note, he seemed to like our little backpack carrier so we may need to make it a point to use it more often.

After the hike, we decided to check out the lake. There were a few random dogs wandering around the lodge. This one had a particular affinity for us the first evening. John didn't really have any experience with dogs before and so was quite intrigued by this one.

We enjoyed some of the joys of camping - eating junk food and playing games. John has become quite successful at begging for food. Here he is getting some bites of cookie from dad. (At least he is as passionate about begging for peaches/plums/nectarines as he is for cookies/ice cream/popsicles.)

John was very helpful in shuffling the Uno cards.

The next day we played some "Arkansas Golf". (I don't know what it is officially called. There are a few sets of two tennis balls tied together that you toss and try to get to go around 1 of 3 crossbars.) We got a lot of questions from passersby about this game. We had a very good time playing it. Thanks Grandpa for making/bringing it along! John thought it was fun to play with (read: chew on) the tennis balls and weave his way through the poles.

Then it was time for another dip in the lake. John seems to really like it.

After his swim, we set John down in order to let him play in the dirt a bit. At first he was a bit hesitant -

Eventually he got into it but crawling seemed to bug his legs so instead would do this weird bear-crawl. In the end he was just really really dirty - as little boys should be. Thankfully he hasn't been one to stick everything in his mouth or he may have tried to eat some rocks. There were a few that he would hold on to for quite a while and take with him when he moved to a new spot. He also seemed to really enjoy picking up dirt and placing it on a bench and then repeating that over and over and over...

The next morning John helped to make sure that Grandpa wasn't slacking in the morning exercise routine.

In return, Grandpa made sure John got his own giggle-workout.

Later we learned that John isn't quite big enough for piggy-back rides yet. I guess we'll stick with the backpack carrier for now.

All-in-all, we had a great time. A super-big "Thank you!" to Grandma and Grandpa Maxson for all of their help and planning for the trip!! We made lots and lots of memories!

*In this instance "camping" = staying in little cabins.

Cheese Mover, Onion Griller, Cabbage Sourer

2011-09-02T09:59:00.001-06:00

Last night, Doug knelt down in "my spot" at the foot of the bed for prayer. In response to my quizzical look he said, "Did I move your cheese?" I still gave him the look. "Did I grill the onion?" The look became a bit more quizzical. "Did I sour the cabbage?" I finally broke and started laughing.

I don't know what I'll do with these boys between that and this -

They keep a smile on my face, that is for sure!

US Open: Friendly Rivalry

2011-08-30T11:03:00.002-06:00

I know that if you are an avid tennis fan that you have probably already seen this. However, I also know that there is only 1 avid tennis fan that reads this blog. (Hi Sarah!) Even if you are not a tennis fan, you will probably find this video silly. (I end up in tears every time - Fed's face when he giggles cracks me up.) I also love that it demonstrates that being part of one of the biggest rivalries in sports does not mean that you have to be mean to one another or take cheap shots - a lesson that many other athletes in this day and age could learn from.

The Circle of Life

2011-08-29T10:39:00.001-06:00

I was working on some collages for a post about our camping trip and realized that John has been doing a lot of the things I did around his age...

It is funny how things around us can change so much but other things remain the same through the generations.

Yet Another Predicament

2011-08-29T09:10:00.000-06:00

More Confessions of a Slacker

2011-08-23T09:19:00.001-06:00

When I was telling Jolene about my running motivation struggles mentioned in the previous post, she reminded me of another time that we had issues following through on a commitment.

In college, we were in Amnesty International. One day, we had a 24 hour fast/fundraiser for some group of starving people somewhere. We went and got sponsors and did all of the preparatory work. There was an organized breakfast to start the fast and another one the following morning. We ate the breakfast and started the day. We had always had issues attending afternoon classes. This could be due to the fact that we went to school in Duluth. (When I brought Doug there he asked how I ever studied because there were so many gorgeous distractions. If it wasn't so cold, it would definitely have been on our list of potential places to settle down. For those who know Duluth and miss it (or those looking to learn more), I highly recommend the book "Cold Comfort" by Barton Sutter; it is a very entertaining read and makes me homesick every time.)

Doh...the parenthetical thought became the main thought. (That can happen to me a lot.)

As I was saying - we always had a lull in our academic motivation in the afternoons. I'm not sure if it was due to a greater desire to not go to calculus or physics or a desire to go someplace like Gooseberry Falls or the Malt Shoppe and the Lakewalk. (We honestly had the goal of making it to physics once a week but we shall soon see how Jolene and I do at achieving our goals.) This particular afternoon, that lull was accompanied by extreme hunger. We'd been fasting for a whole 6 hours!!! At 3pm we broke down, went to a favorite Greek diner and loaded up on huge, delicious pancakes. (The diner was subsequently closed down due to health code violations...ewww!) But seriously? In college how frequently did you skip lunch and hold off eating until dinner? I did it countless times but could not control it this day when it mattered most (at least to those who pledged their money). Apparently, Jolene and I are quite good at jumping off the bandwagon together.

In all honesty, these silly examples of unified efforts are just a slight indication of the unity we have. That unity usually is working to lift one another up to a higher plane. She is an amazing mom and I hope I can be as great to John as she is to her kids. (I call her probably at least twice a week with parenting questions.) I think I have the best of the best friends.

Here are some pictures of the kid to add to the aesthetics of this post (since I'm too lazy to find pictures of Duluth). However, we are headed there next month (and I am ridiculously excited) and so maybe I really will dedicate a post to the magnificence of my favorite city.

These were taken at the library. Remember how I promised I wouldn't let John grow up not understanding the benefits of libraries? Here's proof that I'm holding true to that. (Never mind the fact that we didn't actually go in the library but just ate shakes outside.)

Also, here is a short video of John snorting. Turn up the volume so you can catch the snorts. So funny!

"I'm a Runner!" (Repeat it until you believe it...)

2011-08-18T09:36:00.004-06:00

I've always wanted to be a 'runner'. However, I never have been motivated enough to do it. My main experiences with running consist of stealing bases in softball or chasing drop shots in tennis. A few months ago the idea of running even 2 blocks didn't even seem like something my pathetic cardiovascular system could surmount.

All that changed when Doug thought it would be fun to train for a 5k. I thought this would be a great motivation to overcome my barriers/inabilities. We thought it would be fun to run a 5k with Jolene while we are in Minnesota in September so we searched online and found one for the right time period. We found a good "Couch to 5k" program. (It is actually the only app we have ever paid for - and it is well worth the money.) I am now on Week 7 (of 9) and run for 25 minutes straight. "Run" may be a strong word; I have a slow 12 minute mile. I like to think of it as only 3 times slower than Louis Zamperini. (Yes, I am reading "Unbroken" and yes, I think it is fantastic.)

Finding time to run has been a bit difficult. Our mornings are quite busy - I can't imagine what it will be like when we have more kids. (That is not an announcement!) However, with the summer heat, mornings seem the best time to go. Since things are somewhat dependent on John's schedule, I need to be out the door shortly after 6 if I want to guarantee that I have time to run.

A few weeks ago, Doug had an injury to his calf muscle. He figured he would just take a week off and then get back on the 5k bandwagon. However, it has proven to be more nagging and it has become apparent that he will not be ready for the race in September. I talked to Jolene 2 days ago and we decided that we would just skip the 5k and do something fun in Minneapolis (children's museum, zoo, Mall of America, etc). Then on the Today Show, (it is my guilty pleasure most mornings), they mentioned that you only burn about 20 more calories/mile of running vs. walking. I felt somewhat abandoned on the bandwagon.

This morning when the alarm went off I gave myself a little pep-talk, "Let's go! Let's go! I'm a runner!" Then the counterargument, "But what's the point? There is no specific goal. There are dogs and birds that chase you and it isn't even worth it calorie-wise!" (Forget the fact that I wouldn't be walking a couple of miles - which would only take about 5 more minutes than running them.) I stretched and thought, "No...I'm a runner!" Mid stretch I curled back up with the thought "I'm a much better sleeper though!"

In the end, I got up and went.

Making the Bed

2011-08-16T09:34:00.000-06:00

Each year around our wedding anniversary we try to read (or listen to) a book about strengthening marriages. (We figure it is a good way to not get too complacent and strive to keep working to get better at family life.) This year we chose to listen to "For All Eternity" by John Lund. It focuses on communication within your family. It discusses the love languages and breaks them down into visual, verbal and touch.

While talking about his wife being a visual person, Dr. Lund gives the example of how she has to have the bed made. I am the same way. Although I was very rebellious as a teenager and refused to make my bed (sorry mom!) nowadays I'm a bit OCD about it. (For the record, I just pull the covers up and put the pillows on top; I do not do the fancy folding under the pillow, etc.) Even if I am in a different room it just irks me if I know the bed isn't made. Since I was relating so much to that part of the book I paused it for a moment to talk to Doug about it. I figured that since he frequently makes the bed also that he would have the same perspective.

I was astonished to learn that he mainly just made the bed because he knew that I would appreciate it. So sweet of him. But really!?...It doesn't matter if the bed is just un-made all day? I don't know how you would go to bed at the end of the day when the bed isn't made - I find such joy in turning down the covers on a made bed before turning in for the night. He didn't know that I was quite so passionate about the bed being made. (I'd mentioned that if I had left home I would at least consider turning around to make the bed.) It is really a foreign concept to me that, if it were not for me, that he would just not make the bed - it kindof gives me the heebie-jeebies. The room would just look so messy without the bed made. Am I weird or are other people like this?

Another random question that we discussed a few weeks ago after seeing this - do you designate parts of your towel to dry designated parts of your body? In my opinion, towels have tags so that you can orient them the same way each day.

A Quick Thought: Loving David

2011-08-12T09:20:00.001-06:00

This morning I was reading in Acts 13 where Paul is recounting a bit of the history of God's dealings with man. Of David, the Lord states, "...I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." I was thinking this morning about how the Lord had to have known that David would fall from grace and yet He loved him anyway. Sometimes, I have been faced with a situation where I have had the opportunity to grow to care for someone with knowledge that I may be moving, they may not fulfill my expectations, etc. In those situations, I have had the thought of "Is it worth it?". For the most part, I can't help myself and end up adding to my group of friends. Some of you may know that my best friend from high school and I had a bit of a falling out when I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For a long time, it hurt a lot. However, if I could go back in time I would still choose to be her friend. I would still choose to care for her so much even with knowledge that when the friendship shifted gears that I would be deeply hurt. (Thankfully, that relationship is on the mend...kindof.) I was taught this morning that the Lord's example is to do the same and to love them anyway.

(A quick disclaimer - I'm not saying that if you are in an abusive relationship to "love them anyway". In that case, please seek out help for your particular situation.)

Stuck

2011-08-10T09:55:00.002-06:00

John's been finding new and interesting ways to get stuck. We'd decided to pack up the exer-saucer but he decided to play with it one last time. You can't tell from the picture but there is another toy near his far hip that made it so he couldn't get his waist free. I have no idea how he got himself in there...

He also decided to see if there was a passageway at the back of the hutch. Turns out, the hutch doesn't allow for much of a turn radius. He eventually got himself out of this one - it involved a bit of a face-plant but he didn't seem too bothered by it because he turned around and climbed right back in there.

A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

2011-08-07T14:09:00.005-06:00

A couple weeks ago Grandma and Grandpa came up to visit us (or at least their grandson). We all had a good time. John especially enjoyed being spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa. Some of the many things he did while they were here include:

Storytime,

Leading Grandpa on a chase around the room,

Playing in the bed of Grandpa's truck,

And teaching Grandma how the music box works.

Grandma also made sure John made a mess with his toys (although, to her credit, she also tried to teach him how to put things into the box).

She spoiled him by giving him his first taste of ice cream. Isn't that what Grandma's do? Anne still has a list of favorite treats to eat when she visits her grandma - Mint Milanos, Walkers Shortbread, After Eight Mints, meringue sundaes, etc.

Grandma and Grandpa also spoiled us by watching John while we went out on both Friday and Saturday to celebrate our anniversary and have some overdue time for just the two of us.

Thank you so much Grandma and Grandpa! We love you!

A Short Venting Session

2011-08-03T12:47:00.002-06:00

So I'm totally over this venting session and so decided to delete the text of this post. However, I shall keep the silly picture of Douglas and video of John.

End of venting. See...it was short. (And now it is non-existent.)

However, I think I still need some baby giggles after that. Apparently, the tape measure is hilarious!

Obstacle Courses

2011-08-02T15:13:00.000-06:00

I mentioned obstacle courses a while back but thought I would show you some of the videos of the adventures.

As soon as he figures out how to walk (consistently) we'll have to come up with more things for him to try.

His latest daily fascination has been the drawer under the stove. He loves to dig out all the cookie sheets, bread pans and muffin pans - apparently their noisiness beats out the fun of the Tupperware cabinet. (He has also crawled into said drawer.) He keeps us busy...which is why we try to create controlled environments of interest (aka "obstacle courses").

Diaper Derby Winner*

2011-08-02T10:26:00.003-06:00

*Winner = one who participated and had (some) fun.

(I'm trying to get my competitive nature to use these new family-friendly definitions.)

Despite our rigorous training sessions that included working on focus -

Some strength training -

And of course some time for rehydration and recovery -

The day of the competition was a bit tricky as far as nap schedule. Here, you can see that he was a bit groggy when we got to the event.

He started to look a bit nervous when checking out the competition -

We attempted to distract him by showing him a big pig but he wasn't extremely entertained.

However, the "course" was about 40 feet and that was a little too far to go without mom and dad. And it was on grass - which usually isn't a problem for him but it seemed to bug him that day.

We finally got him going by baiting him with my cell phone. He started to mount an amazing comeback as the other baby was about to finish. However, as seen below, he didn't love that we kept moving the phone away just as he got to it. He didn't think it was very funny and, in fact, got a bit frustrated with us. (Sorry about video quality.)

In the end, he lost to someone 3 months his senior (who was a couple of days away from being too old to compete). John's a good sport though and later we joined them for lunch. He also got a yellow participation ribbon and we all got some coupons for free DQ ice cream cones. See how excited he is!? (I think he is really thinking, "Can I go back to sleep now, please?")

We wandered around the fair after the race. John slept as we wandered through all the barns (which I'm sure he will be really excited about next year) but woke up for the crafts and home improvement areas. We got this little fan from the power company guy and John just thought it was the funniest thing. (And he still seems a bit sleepy.)

Training

2011-07-27T12:50:00.000-06:00

Not only is John great at modeling the futon but he is an athlete-in-training. Doug was perusing the county fair website and saw that there is a "Diaper Derby". After learning that it was a little crawling race, Doug said "He's great at that, sign him up!!" We were practicing yesterday and trying to determine what his best 'goal object' should be. He does pretty good at going full speed towards a tower of blocks. We also tested out his dolphin but the blocks seemed to be a bigger pull. (Too bad we can't set up the laptop at the finish line.) We thought one of the biggest distractions will be the cheering crowd. To try to simulate the crowd we turned on Danger Mouse and I tried to cheer, whistle and clap loudly. The big event is on Saturday so hopefully we'll be all trained and ready to go by then.

In the meantime, John won't quit his day-job as a futon modeler. He will actually be upgraded to a couch modeler because, thanks to Grandpa Jim and Grandma Linda, we have a couch!! (Yea for non-college student furniture and thank you Grandpa and Grandma!)

It's Like Christmas in the Produce Aisle

2011-07-25T15:58:00.001-06:00

For the past couple of months we have participated in Bountiful Baskets. For those who don't know, (and don't feel like clicking the link), Bountiful Baskets is like a large food co-op where you can sign up on Monday or Tuesday and pick up a basket of food the following Saturday. There is no standing commitment - just week by week. (We've been getting them every other week.) The regular basket (1/2 fruit; 1/2 veggies) is $15 and seems to be a pretty good deal. They also have other things like breads and cookies. I've heard both are good but since they are not gluten-free we have not tried them. We did try their granola which seemed a bit expensive for the amount received but it was quite delicious (and addicting). They have a "Mexican Pack" that is quite delicious that we got a our first week. We had a make-your-own Cafe Rio night at our house.

The tricky part is that you never really know what types of food you will get. The picture above shows what we received a couple of weeks ago. It really is like Christmas in the produce aisle. Sometimes/Frequently you get a mix of "Great...socks and underwear" (i.e. celery, lettuce), "Cool...what do I do with this?" (i.e. kale, chard), "Hmmm...that's different yet familiar" (i.e. orange and white flesh honeydews) and "Awesome...thank you, Santa!" (i.e. mangoes, blackberries). It has pushed us out of our culinary comfort zone and provided the opportunity to find many new recipes. We've enjoyed it quite a bit and I thought I would share.

Parenting Advice from Unlikely Sources

2011-07-19T14:29:00.002-06:00

The other day, while turning off the Wii, (aka our scale to track John's weight), I caught a glimpse of the Oprah show. Rob Lowe was the guest and I thought, "Hello Sodapop!" Turns out, old Sodapop Curtis had some good thoughts on parenting. Oprah asked him why, with his very hectic schedule, he would work so hard to prioritize being present for his two teenage boys. He got a bit choked up and said something along the lines of, "Well, I realize they won't always be mine; They won't always be in my home. I get them for a little while and then they go off into the world." I got a bit choked up thinking about how I won't always have John hanging onto my legs and trying to follow me everywhere I go. Before I know it he is going to be a big boy and then a young man. Rob made me think, "Cherish this!"

It also reminded me a bit of quote from Hilary Weeks' new book "Bedtime and Naptime...and Bedtime and Naptime: The Simple Joys of a Mom's Life".

I was on a mother-daughter dinner date with Calli, who was nine at the time. Through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, Calli giggled as she recounted a game of freeze tag she played during recess that day.

Then it hit me...

I will spend eternity knowing Calli as an adult. But tonight, right here, right now, and for the next few precious years, I have the rare privilege of knowing her as a child.

What a gift to experience the children in our lives as children!

For a brief moment during the journey of mortality, we get to watch them laugh, learn, experience, grow.

What a blessing it is to watch these kiddos as they are just starting to figure out the world and find joy in so much!

3 Years

2011-07-17T07:41:00.003-06:00

In honor of our wedding anniversary, I thought I would include a little bit of our story. This originally was an email to a friend about dating and then evolved into more of a chronicle of our story with some added advice. It is a bit long but (I think) a good read.

Do you believe in ‘love at first sight’? Probably not. But do you believe in ‘like (or dislike) at first sight’? We prioritize certain attributes (whether physical or personality based) that help us to be attracted to (or not attracted to) a person when we meet them for the first time. A few years ago, I had a lengthy list of things that would get a guy points or lose him points. It included everything from nice shoes to a good voice, from a good sense of humor to an instant spark, from a nice car to pretty blue eyes. I was even particular about names. There were certain names that just turned me off…and others that I found rather attractive. There were also many things on the ‘deal breaker’ list - for example, crooked teeth, telling weird stories for a first date, having a messy car and weird ears. It seems that men get a bad reputation for being too superficial in dating. Sometimes, women can be just as guilty.

A few years ago, after recently moving, I was going to a ward activity in my new ward. I arrived at the same time as one of the men in the ward, Doug. He opened the door for me and we chatted a little bit while walking to the gym. I did not notice that he had any ‘deal makers’ or ‘deal breakers’. We sat at the same table during the activity and I quickly realized that he was extremely shy. I wasn’t really sure if he had a sense of humor since he was so quiet.

Within weeks in my new ward, I got to know a bit more about the guys in the ward and their date-ability. I’d been asked out by a couple of them but not by Doug. One of my friends referred to him as “good old Doug”. He was one of those guys that made a great friend but not one I would date.

It was around this time that I had an important conversation with my friend, Dianna. Both being in our late 20s and unmarried, we were trying to figure out why. With other friends, this conversation frequently led to blaming men for not being proactive enough in dating. Dianna said “We are single because of us…not because of the people we date. We are single because of the way we handle dating, etc.” I realized that I was quite prejudiced in dating. We talked about what types of ‘deal makers’ we should have. Our list included: Is he a worthy priesthood holder who respects and honors his opportunity to do work in the name of the Lord? Is he a good man? (In the Lord’s sense of the word ‘good’.) Does he attend church and the temple? Would he make a good husband and father? Does he strive to do the Lord’s will in all things? Does he demonstrate charity? Does spending time with him help me to “come unto Christ”? I shifted my list to things that really mattered. I also realized that frequently I would avoid relationships that may move me out of my comfort zone. It really struck me that I needed to stop running away from serious relationships. I thought about it a lot. Generally, in life the Lord does not tell us if we are doing the right thing (hence, the importance of faith). However, he will definitely tell us or hedge up the way if we are doing the wrong thing. Elder Scott has said “when you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision.” With that thought, I made the goal not to shy away from or run from any dating relationship unless the spirit prompted me that it was wrong and/or the young man had serious spiritual issues.

A few weeks later, I had a wedding reception to go to that was about 45 minutes away. I was sure that there wouldn’t be anyone else I knew at the reception and figured I should find a date. After considering the possibilities I decided to ask Doug…just to see if there was anything there. My bishop had mentioned repeatedly that I should ask out this nice quiet young man since there was quite a gem underneath the shy shell. However, I was quite nervous about spending that much time in the car with someone so quiet. We had a nice time. Conversation was not too strained. However, there was no spark, no instant chemistry.

About a month later, Doug called me up and we went out again. Again, we had a very nice time and Doug proved to be a perfect gentleman but there was no spark. However, I had made my decision not to shy away or run unless there was a good reason. Doug completely fit my new list of ‘deal makers’ and I finally noticed that he had pretty blue eyes. I’d mentioned in passing on our date about how I kept picking a small, frayed bandage I had on my finger because I wasn’t sure where I had any new ones. When I got to church the next day there was a note from Doug…along with a bandage. That small piece of thoughtfulness really touched my heart. I decided I would keep dating him until the Lord hedged up the way. It wasn’t until about our 5^th date that I felt I was really getting to know him and realized he was even more amazing than I had imagined. (It was also about this time that he threw a snowball at me as we were walking out to the car and I learned he was a bit of a goofball as well.)

I was still a bit concerned about the lack of a spark. Our bishop, who was particularly excited about our courtship, gave me some wise counsel. He said, “Sparks burn out quite quickly; what you want in a relationship are coals. They may not be as easy to recognize but they build a much stronger flame that lasts a lot longer.” Later, he explained that love is something that comes into a relationship often without you even knowing and the depths of your feelings may take you by surprise. President Hinckley stated “True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well being of one’s companion.” Doug and I realized that is what we were feeling. We continued to move forward and were married 6 months later.

Previous to having my new-found resolve about who I would date and trying not to run, I’m sure I would have run from Doug or not have given him a chance at all. I’m absolutely sure of it. Among the congratulations I received when we got engaged, many girls said that they’d always wished Doug would have been interested in them. My friend that referred to him as “good old Doug” said she had that wish because she knew he would always take care of his wife and keep her safe. Each day I love Doug more and more. I am so grateful that I was able to look beyond my superficial list and take the time to truly get to know the fabulous young man who is now my husband and such an amazing father. He is a good, righteous, gentle, humble and loving man who I know will take care of, respect and honor me and our children for all eternity.

When I first met Doug's parents I asked them what they most admired about Doug. They spoke of his strength and sure foundation of testimony. A few years ago, I spotted a plaque that extrapolated that thought a bit. It states, "Strength: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord...He shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3)" I am so grateful to have him as my co-pilot on this journey! And, may I just say, in re-reading those "deal makers", the answer to each is a loud and resounding YES!

Is he a worthy priesthood holder who respects and honors his opportunity to do work in the name of the Lord? My friend Rachael did a lesson on the Priesthood during Relief Society a few years ago. She had surveyed the guys in the ward to ask them what the Priesthood (and their opportunity to hold it) meant to them. She anonymously read their responses. There was one that I was extremely impressed with that demonstrated a humble feeling of responsibility. I found out later that the quote was from Douglas and I just felt so lucky to be the woman who gets to spend eternity with him. Is he a good man? (In the Lord’s sense of the word ‘good’.) Not only is he a good man but he is one of the best. Does he attend church and the temple? He is much more diligent and dedicated than I am in regards to attending church and the temple. Would he make a good husband and father? I could not have asked for a better husband and our children could not wish for a better dad who will be such a great example to them. Does he strive to do the Lord’s will in all things? He seeks guidance from the Lord in his decision-making and follows through on inspiration he receives. Does he demonstrate charity? The "Band-Aid" story was just the beginning of Doug's demonstrations of charity. Does spending time with him help me to “come unto Christ”? He is such an example to me in spiritual matters.

All of that and he has so many other great attributes. And we laugh every day. He's my best friend.

Daily Puzzlement

2011-07-15T16:14:00.000-06:00

I've mentioned previously how fun it is to come up with obstacle courses for John. Today it was more of a little puzzle for him. He was rolling and chasing his ball around and I decided to put it in the laundry basket to see if/how he could get it out. Apparently, I give him less credit than he deserves because he glanced at me and then crawled over to the laundry basket, stood up next to it and purposefully tipped it on its side, providing easy access to the ball. He then looked at me like "See Mom, I can do it!" However, then he stood up and, in doing so, tipped the laundry basket one more time so that the ball was caged inside. With the handles now on the ground it was a lot more difficult to try to tip the basket again. He tried climbing on top, squatting down and looking at the ball inside and pushing it around but to no avail. After about 5 minutes he was on to bigger and better things (like blocks).

So now I know what our puzzle can be for a few days. Once he figures it out, I'm sure I'll get one of these "I know what you are up to, Mom!" looks -

Cabinet Fever

2011-07-14T10:38:00.000-06:00

Where's John?

I think I mentioned earlier than John had finally found "his" cabinet in the kitchen. He now is sure to play with it every day. It starts out like this -

Eventually he is happy with the banging and decides it is time to get down to business.

Don't forget the lids!

He can be quite discriminatory with the lids. He frequently pulls them out one at a time, looks at them from a few angles and then determines who gets to be on the floor and who goes back in the drawer. (I wish he would catch on to the idea that everything goes back into the drawer at the end of the play session but he hasn't quite gotten that yet.)

(By the way, yes that is blue carpeting in our kitchen and may I remind you we are renting.)

He also likes to play with our hutch. As seen below, he is starting to try to use it to step up in order to reach the things on top - usually cellphones and the like. Also, he will climb over you (or try to charm you with a big smile) in order to get to it.

We've been having a bit of fun and putting random toys inside the hutch so when he looks in there he gets a surprise. We are then rewarded with moments like this -

His other daily routine includes ransacking the bookshelf. We have one section with colored papers that he particularly enjoys. He pulls the papers down and has fun crumpling them and crawling back and forth over them like a kid running through a pile of leaves. (A bit of foreshadowing maybe?) Like the lids, he can get a bit discriminatory with the papers. He stops to look at some of them before crumpling them and sometimes it seems he is sorting them in particular piles. (According to my mom, I loved to look through magazines as a kid and would stop to 'read' some pages and then continue destroying it.)

He found a chart about child development and pointed out that he is at the stage where he likes to make messes.

So long for now...

Just a Quick Thought: Eating for Two

2011-07-13T15:28:00.000-06:00

At church on Sunday one person talked about how we depend on our parents for our testimonies of the gospel and of Christ when we are young (if your parents are religious). Eventually, we venture out and build our own testimonies.

I started thinking about this from the parent's perspective. Frequently, when a woman is pregnant she will talk/joke about "eating for two". Eventually (of course) the child "ventures out" and is no longer dependent on the mother's nourishment. In regards to spiritual nourishment it is important to strive to "eat for two". In our study of scriptures, diligence in prayer, and other testimony builders we should remember that we are not only building our testimonies but those of our children as well. They will be looking to us...

Climbing into Sticky Situations

2011-07-13T10:16:00.001-06:00

John has really gotten into climbing anything he can find and gets quite determined to figure out how to do things.

I'd mentioned earlier that he was focused on figuring out how to climb into his carseat. He ended up flipping it onto its side and climbing onto the side panel of it. (Later, that day we moved the carseat out of reach.)

Now that it is only brought out when needed, he gets really excited about it. Here, he decided to make it his own version of a rocking horse.

I seem to somewhat remember that playing under the table was extremely fun. John has already caught on to that.

He also likes to see how small of a space he can squeeze through. (This usually ends badly.)

I'd heard that due to a "fear" of grass, blankets at the park are a great way to corral babies. John has been on the grass a couple of times but I didn't think it was enough for it not to still be a little weird for him. He was hesitant for about 15 seconds then started climbing all over and checking out all the new textures. Then, he decided he was too cool to be seen at the park with mom and dad and just crawled away. (For the record, he only went about 12 feet away and then sat down to look around.)

We like to stick hats on him just to see what he'll do - usually wander around blindly and fall over. Here it was like he was posing at a dog show.

This kid is absolutely obsessed with the refrigerator. Open the door and he comes as fast as his little arms and legs can get him over there. The other day Doug let him play with the stuff on the shelves in the door. John forgot to make sure the door stayed open and ended up in a jam. It was kind of hilarious so I had to take a picture. However, I don't think he appreciated the delay in rescue.

Oh John, what will you get into next?

Angry Birds!

2011-07-12T09:16:00.001-06:00

Last week during my run (read: glorified walking) I had the random thought (read: paranoia) that I should change up my route since I am somewhat OCD and usually do the exact same route every day. This is bad because then Mr. Creepy McCreepster (whom probably doesn't exist) can more easily stalk me. (Remember...I said it was paranoia.) This morning I decided I would break from my habit and not go by the pretty high school with it's nice park and sweeping views of the sunrise. (The views of the sunrise are possible due to the lack of trees...this will be important in retrospect.) I headed down the side streets by our house. I'd only gone a few blocks when I heard this extremely loud chirping over Juanes' singing. I glance up a little and there is a bird circling above my head then he flies behind me. Then I hear the chirping again and turn around to see him dive-bombing me! I think, "I'll just keep going and maybe he'll go away once I get out of his territory." That didn't work - he just recruited a friend to help. I think about how Doug said that when he got chased by a dog he just slowed down and backed away while looking the dog in the eye. Have you ever tried to look a swooping bird (or two) in the eye? Not to mention back away slowly whilst it is honing in like a missile at your head (read: eyeballs)! I started having flashbacks to the movie "The Birds". This was extremely odd since I've never even seen that movie...probably very beneficial in this case. I was officially freaked out because these birds would not leave me alone. I tried to run (back the way I'd come), while spinning around and looking to the sky only to quickly look down when the birds would come. I was also screaming louder than I think I ever have in my life. I'm sure the neighborhood folk thought I was nuts while witnessing my crazy dance. However, not a one came to help. I'll assume they were all asleep. Although, with the aforementioned screaming, I have to wonder about them. After about a minute and a half, (but an extremely stressful minute and a half so it seemed a lot longer), they seemed to leave me alone. I was quite nervous throughout the rest of the run and was hyper-vigilant every time I saw similar birds or trees. (As an aside, a few months ago I was walking that exact same block with John in the stroller and had the odd thought of "What would I do if birds dive-bombed us?" but I just chalked it up to me being paranoid. Hmph!)

When I got home Doug said, "So how was it?" I said emphatically, "Bring on Mr. Creepy McCreepster - at least I can kick him!" Then I explained my terror-filled experience as Doug attempted to look concerned (but I could see a large grin creeping up the sides of his mouth.) Doug joked that I should run with my tennis racket. I think I'll be going back by the high school next time. Maybe I'll get some mace. Either way, I know that my sympathetic nervous system is firing on all cylinders.

What I Crave: Lemonade-Stand Pie

2011-07-11T15:34:00.001-06:00

I have been craving this all day. I've sent the recipe to a couple of friends already and thought I might as well share it with you all as well. It is easy, deliciously refreshing during this summer heat and can be made in a somewhat healthy manner. (Thanks to Kathy Schroeder from the wonderful Homestead Ward for sharing.)

1/3 C dry lemonade drink mix (Crystal Light for less sugar)
1/2 C cold water
2 C softened vanilla ice cream (or fat-free vanilla yogurt for a healthy option)
1 tub whipped topping (again, you can do the fat-free version)
1 graham cracker crust

Place drink mix in a large bowl. Add water and stir until dissolved. Add ice cream/yogurt. Beat with mixer until well blended. Stir in whipped topping. Freeze until firm.

P.S. There is no picture (and only craving - no indulgence) because unfortunately I do not have any ingredients for gluten-free crust (and the local stores don't carry them). There goes my Plan B for making up for missing free-slurpee day...

Joy in the Little Things

2011-07-11T08:49:00.002-06:00

John gets extremely excited about very simple things. One of his favorite toys as of late has been our "bag of bags" and here you can see how happy he is to play with his bath towel. I should mention that this was after 5 minutes of punch-drunk towel antics.

Happy Monday! Enjoy your free slurpee! (Unfortunately the closest 7-eleven to us is 200 miles away.)

Afternoon Fun With Dad

2011-07-07T14:36:00.001-06:00

I don't know who is more excited for Doug to get home from work. Doug seems awfully happy to be home and playing with his little guy. John is the epitome of a "daddy's boy" and loves their time together. They really do bring out the best in one another.

Speaking of Doug, last night he had to put a compress on his eye. Due to the rice bag on his head, he couldn't read his book before bed. I, however, was at the climax of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was a really intense moment when Doug starts saying loudly "Woe woe woe is me! Woe woe is me!" I teased him that all his woe's sounded like a new version of NKOTB's "The Right Stuff" which just furthered his determination to distract me from my book. I ended up reading the same sentence about 17 times while listening to him woe-ing. I get this behavior in addition to him telling me that he told everyone at work that I beat him up and that is why his eye is all swollen. (FYI - we have not had a repeat performance of this.) No wonder John finds him so entertaining!

I Triple Dog Dare You!

2011-07-05T13:19:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I deserve such a concerned look...

You know how (teenage) boys sometimes like to make some ridiculous concoction and then dare each other to drink/eat it? (Becca - I'm sure Jon has some disgusting stories from our high school days when he and Jayson would do this.) Sometimes I feel like I'm the "mixer" for John. For example, today I planned to give him broccoli and carrots for lunch with some pears for dessert. (If only I would eat as healthy as he does!) The broccoli was frozen florets and the carrots were previously pureed and frozen in ice cube trays. I put the broccoli and a little bit of water in a glass and microwaved them. Then I added the cube of carrots and a large hunk of butter (because the kid is still so scrawny) and microwaved it a bit more. It was a bit runny so I added some formula to try to thicken it up before blending it. It was still runny so I added some full-fat yogurt. It was still runny! I added even more yogurt. (By now it was about 5 heaping tablespoons of plain-flavored yogurt.) The combination had an interesting aroma to say the least. It was still runny and so I mixed in puffed rice cereal when I gave it to him. Good kid that he is, he gobbled it up without too much complaint. Speaking of good kids - he slept through all of the horrendously loud fireworks last night. They kept me up and the ones the neighbors were shooting off right outside John's window kept screeching, popping and booming over the monitor but he slept on. (This is a great improvement to last July 4th when he made it known that the loud noises were not welcomed in his happy in-utero home.)

A Little Predicament

2011-07-03T17:59:00.000-06:00

This is what happens when John comes up with his own obstacle course. He seems to like to push the laundry basket around the house and here he decided he wanted to grab the sticker on the inside. Silly kid!

Strawberries & Cream

2011-07-03T17:53:00.000-06:00

In honor of Wimbledon I thought I would share a (very) easy recipe for strawberries and cream. I was first introduced to the combination on a trip to the Manti Pageant. My friend Chantry lives in Manti and when I told her that my friends Dianna and Jenn and I would be coming down, she offered to let us have dinner at her house beforehand. (Little did we know that she also arranged to drop off her car in the most prime exiting spot from the pageant so we would have an easy 'get away' and avoid the traffic afterwards.) I had met Chantry at work and was always amazed at her nutritious, in-season fruits and veggies in her lunch. She is also one of the kindest people I know and so when she gave me directions that included "It's the house with the white picket fence", I had to laugh a little bit and how wholesome that sounded. I'm sure dinner was delicious but what I remember was the strawberries! I am/was not one for condiments of any sort and so I was a bit hesitant when her mom brought out a dish with strawberries, a bowl of some white cream and a bowl of brown sugar. Chantry explained that you did the strawberry first in the cream and then in brown sugar. It was divine! We were sitting on this porch watching the sunset off in the distance over the mountains and the moment was just perfect. I had the thought of "If this is the kind of peace that Chantry felt while growing up, no wonder she is so kind and sweet!"

So I give unto the lazy-Anne no-picket-fence (of any color) version -

Just combine some brown sugar and sour cream. I've heard all sorts of ratios so just do what looks/sounds/tastes good to you. (Or, for something more decadent, you can do the separate bowls for dipping.)

Note to Self -

2011-06-30T07:45:00.002-06:00

If making powdered milk to use right away, (especially on something such as shredded wheat), do not use semi-warm water. (Bleh!)

Mr. Analyzer

2011-06-28T20:15:00.003-06:00

In the Dreams & Rock Climbing post, I alluded to John trying to figure out how to climb into his carseat. That is just one of his endeavors as of late. He recently discovered "his" cupboard in the kitchen filled with tupperware which has kept him quite entertained and provided new opportunities to play. Next to it he also has a little drawer with all the lids. He was seated and pulled the drawer out. He had a lot of fun with the lids but when he decided to turn over and crawl away, his legs got stuck. That was quite traumatizing for him and he hasn't tried it again since. I'm sure it won't discourage him for long though; he gets pretty determined when he has found something new. Other things that have piqued his interest include:

While standing up he likes to determine if he can figure out how to pick things up. He's learned not to step on whatever it is he's trying to grab and has gotten pretty good as of late, picking up "heavy" stuff likes shoes and water bottles.

He likes to open and close any door he can find and try to slide things under the doors. Before bed tonight he was quite determined to figure out how his diaper pail worked. He kept pushing down on the foot pedal (but not hard enough) and then looking at the lid to see if it was open. This went on for about 5 minutes. Then he decided to play with his wipes container - a very common occurrence. This time he stood up and then slid the container underneath him like he was hiking a football and then sat down on it. As is the norm after most accomplishments, then he turned and smiled at me. So cute (and slimy) in this particular picture!

Then I smile back at him.

He has almost started walking. He can repeatedly stand up without support but then he can't quite figure out how to walk. It is kind of funny because he stands and then just gets this look like "If I move I fall so what should I do?!" He can cruise along furniture really well and if we're nearby he'll dive into our arms (giggling the whole time). If we are too far away, he kind of pauses and tries to find the next thing to grab onto in order to get from A to B. I just love watching him study things and try to figure out how to overcome challenges. (Setting up little obstacle courses in the living room has been fun.)

Our Little Break Dancer

2011-06-27T14:36:00.000-06:00

Instincts

2011-06-24T09:12:00.001-06:00

At about 5am, I woke up due to rattling and scraping sounds coming over the baby monitor. Then I heard men's voices. My heart started pounding as I worried that someone may be trying to get into John's room. (It is crazy how strong that fear can be.) Logically, I was 95% sure that it was just the neighbor up and doing something right outside John's window and what is the point of potentially waking John up if that's all it is. But...that other 5% was intense enough for me to go check. Of course, he woke up. Doug got up when he heard John start crying (since he is super-amazingly-helpful husband) and I explained it may have been my fault that John woke up. Doug went back to bed after giving John a quick hug and making sure we were all set. When I went back to bed after I put John down I had this conversation with Doug.

Me: I guess next time I think there is an intruder in the house that maybe I should get you up too instead of just going to check on it myself.

Doug: No...that's okay. I have faith in your Mama-Bear instinct.

Me: Well - there was actually an intruder; he was hiding in the sink. (Another spider - and I say "Grrr!" to our property management place.) Did you hear me scream?

Doug: Nope.

Me: What happened to your Protector Papa-Bear instinct?

Doug: It was asleep...hibernating.

Dreams and Rock Climbing

2011-06-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

Last night I dreamed that I had to make a minnow-flavored (as in the little fish) gelatin frosting for an angel food cake. I don't know what that means and I don't think I want to know. Not one bit of it makes sense. My first thought this morning was "Really, Subconscious...that's where you go when I'm not watching after you? That is just gross!"

In other news, John may grow up to be a rock climber. Yesterday he wedged himself between the chair and the futon and pushed his back against the futon while climbing his feet up the side of the chair. Since I was sitting in the chair, I missed the photo op but here is a video from a couple of weeks ago of him trying to figure out how to climb into his carseat (I love the little smiles at about 22 and 36 seconds and the hamming it up at the end) and a picture from last week when he finally figured it out.

Irish Scones

2011-06-20T13:37:00.000-06:00

During my study abroad in Ireland, we had a day dedicated to learning how to make Irish Scones and Irish Brown Bread. I lost the soda bread recipe but I've made the scones quite a few times. The lady that taught us came in to one of the little cottages we lived in and showed us what to do. Her recipe was something like getting the secret family recipe for a decadent dessert - where there aren't really measurements but Grandma has been making them for so long that she just knows how much of everything to add. After some trial and error, Jolene and I were able to get things into something we could repeat. (We were both biochem. majors in college and so really liked to have concrete, logical instructions. Since then, Doug has broken me of this habit and I just eyeball most of my measurements which conveniently leads to less dirty dishes.) In any case, here is the recipe.

Mix the following by hand in a large bowl:
2 C Flour
1/3 C Sugar
1/2 Stick Margarine or Butter
1 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Add 2/3 C raisins/craisins (or chocolate chips if you are on this side of the pond - they didn't have them in Ireland)

Add milk slowly and mix until reaching desired consistency. (Sorry about no definite measurement here. "Desired consistency" is about where it all sticks in one ball or a little before.) Roll dough in flour and gently knead (I usually only knead it 4-6 times.) Flatten to about 1" thick and cut out 1 1/2" pieces with small glass or cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450 for 10 minutes on middle oven rack. This makes about 12 scones.

Sticky hands gross me out and so I just mix them in the mixer and use my hands when I get to the kneading step. I haven't noticed any difference in the outcome. Also, I usually use a bigger glass to cut them out and make a double batch. When we'd make them in Ireland there were 5 of us in the cottage and the scones never lasted past breakfast. If you try them out, let me know what you think.

Stick It In Your Ear

2011-06-16T16:45:00.001-06:00

One of our daily "projects" as of late has been to try to get John to eat his puffed cereal all by himself. Yesterday he was very good at throwing it on the floor after he picked it up and the day before he would just squish it in his hand. Today I had high hopes as he started to bring his hand to his face. Then he proceeded to go right past his face and tried to put the cereal behind his ear. Oh well. We're getting there.

Here is a fun video of John's first experience with puffed cereal. During Memorial Day we were able to visit with my friend Karen and her family. Not only did John find a friend in Karen's little boy but also tried to steal all his toys (and food).

Stuck on You

2011-06-14T12:42:00.000-06:00

Remember Step 8? This is what happens with John's attempts to get the plugs. It's all fun and games until the tape doesn't come off your hand.

P.S. We did find a more functional and aesthetically pleasing outlet deterrent.

What About Eunice?

2011-06-14T09:56:00.000-06:00

Saturday night Doug and I watched "Bringing Up Baby". Apparently it is the inspiration for one of my all-time favorite movies - "What's Up Doc?" I thought Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn were fantastic. I thought Cary Grant had better comedic timing than Ryan O'Neal. (Besides, when I look at Ryan O'Neal I see Bones' Dad.) I've never been a huge Barbara fan (except for "What's Up Doc?") and am a Katherine Hepburn fan. However, I liked Barbara's Judy Maxwell a bit more than Hepburn's Susan Vance. One thing that did disappoint greatly was that "Bringing Up Baby" did not have a "Eunice". Madeline Kahn's debut performance in "What's Up Doc?" as the quirky and hilarious Eunice Burns really makes that movie. I may need to watch some "What's Up Doc?" before the week is through. (I tried to find a nice little clip of Eunice-ness to share but was not successful so I will leave it to you.)

Self Potrait

2011-06-13T15:09:00.000-06:00

A Day at the Park

2011-06-12T15:06:00.001-06:00

Friday afternoon was beautiful so we all went to the park of a bit of fun in the sun. John wasn't sure about the swing at first but seemed to warm up to it eventually. He really liked crawling in the tunnel. Later he thought it was fun to reach through the 'windows' of the tunnel and steal Doug's sunglasses (which something he seems to be mastering).

Now What?!

2011-06-10T20:54:00.001-06:00

Today I found out officially that I passed my board exams for Idaho. (Phew!) But now what? I feel as though I've been studying for at least 4 hours out of my day since we moved and when not studying or caring for John I've been worrying about one or the other. I feel as though I need to fill that time with something productive.

My accomplishments thus far include:

I've read a few books and worked on finding a job. I do not want to work full-time so it is has been a bit tricky to find job options that fit my schedule.

You've probably noticed that I've been giving this blog a bit of a makeover. And I hope to be a better (i.e. more frequent) blogger.

I finally completed a mormon.org profile (see the "I'm a Mormon" button on the left) although it could definitely use some revisions and additions.

I'm working on a "family update" blog entry/email. By "working on" I mean thinking "I really need to do that but there is so much to include. I'll just do it later." I did just spot an email that Doug sent to some of his coworkers. I may need to just amend that a bit. (I'll do it later.)

I've been trying to be more organized in meal planning. By "more organized" I mean having a plan other than "So, Doug...want a baked potato for dinner?"

Any other recommendations on how to spend all of my free time? Any must-read books? Until I was married I didn't know that libraries functioned for something other than free internet. (Which is rather embarrassing considering the number of library-associated friends that read this. Or maybe they stopped reading it because it didn't contain nearly enough intellectual stimulation. If you are reading - I'm sorry for my library ignorance. I will ensure the same doesn't happen to John.)

Ojala that is a Spider

2011-06-10T15:12:00.001-06:00

While sitting at the table with John this morning I glanced over and saw something crawling around on the window. I absolutely detest spiders. They have a paralyzing effect on me. However, our current duplex-renting situation has provided for (too) many opportunities for me to try to face my fears. (There are gaping holes in the wall around the AC unit. Don't ask me about our energy bills and the non-responding maintenance guy.) It turns out that if they are creeping towards John - the spiders, not the maintenance guys - the 'mama bear' instinct overcomes the paralysis. (And I promised Doug I would try to be brave so as to not give John a complex.) This is my procedure:

1 - If no imminent danger, open bathroom door and lift toilet lid. If imminent danger save this for step 4.
2 - Grab tissue (or two depending on how big the spider is and how likely I am to feel the 'squish' when I grab him).
3 - Shout "Stay away from my son!" while grabbing the spider in the tissue. (This is just so the other spiders that are around get the point.)
4 - Sprint to the bathroom and throw the spider in the toilet.
5 - Close the lid then flush. (Otherwise he could jump out while increasing to the size of a person, grab me and drag me into the depths of the sewer.)
6 - Once flushed, check to make sure he really went down. If not, repeat steps 5 & 6 being extra careful since he is a survivor and therefore has greater ability to grab me.
7 - Hyperventilate a little bit.
8 - Drag John away from the power outlet he has surely found during my absence. (He has demonstrated quite an affinity for these. We have protector-plugs in but they fall out - I believe this is related to the upkeep by the property management which also leads to spiders getting into the house. I put tape over the plugs to keep them in the holes. John likes to pull the tape off. Later this afternoon, we will be installing some other covers where you change out the wall plate.)

Oh yeah - this morning. So this morning there was a bug on the window. I said "Ojala that is a spider!" (Ojala is a fantastic Spanish term for which there isn't a good English translation. Attempts include "God-willing" or "I hope".) John looked at me and said (with his eyes) - "Mom, why would you want that to be a spider? You hate spiders and they give you the heebee jeebies. And that one looks particularly large." (It was about an inch long.) I respond, "Well, Johnny, one of the few things that make mom a bit more scared than spiders are wasps and bees and the other day we had a giant wasp (about an inch long) in the house." I really am somewhat paralyzed when it comes to stinging and flying insects or I frantically run until I get inside or find some other victim to stand by that will hopefully be more attractive to the venomous attacker. (It would be pretty bad if I chose John as the 'other victim'.) But seriously, ask my mom how many times the lawn mower rolled down the hill and into the garage wall as I sprinted for the house or my dad how I would be in the middle of an at-bat and run to him (the pitcher) and give him a hug (but really trying to get the bee to sting him instead).

To my 7th Grade Science Teacher - I am so sorry that all those things you taught us about bugs being neat and cool didn't stick with me. I dissected all sorts of things in college. (I'm better with things that are dead.) I did experiments on mice during graduate school - and actually stopped not because I thought it was gross but I thought they were cute (while in a cage and not crawling on my hand or anywhere else for that matter).

This morning it was a spider - and he was on the outside of the window (thank goodness!) so I didn't have to do anything. However, it apparently still left an impression (albeit a very tangential impression). (Maybe I have some repressed issues that need to be addressed.)

Enjoy a photo of the kiddo exploring the great outdoors (but in no imminent danger of insect attack).

"Defender of Entropy"

2011-06-08T21:14:00.001-06:00

John likes to cause chaos (and/or ruin any organization you have attempted) wherever he goes. He is also very motivated by anything electronic. If you have a phone or computer he will target it with as much determination as a 12 year-old girl who just spotted Justin Bieber at the mall.

Songs for John

2011-06-06T18:56:00.003-06:00

I think every mom probably makes up songs in order to keep her kids happy. Here are some of John's favorites:

"Stuff on Your Bum" (used while putting on Aquaphor after a diaper change)
"Boys Night"
"Please Don't Spray Me...We'll Be Quick Quick Quick"
"I Spy a Boogie in Your Nose"
The name of any food to the tune of "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof (adding the word "the" if an additional syllable is required.)
"Mess-maker" to the tune of "Matchmaker" from Fiddler.
"Give Me Food in My Tummy...Let It Be Yummy Yummy Yummy" to the tune of "Give Me Oil in My Lamp"
"You're OK...Cha Cha Cha"
Some fun Spanish ones include: "Para Que? Para Que?" (to the tune of William Tell Overture) and "Vamos Vamos Vamos"

There are many more but that is all I can think of off the top of my head. For all songs it is best if you incorporate clapping although that is difficult with "Please Don't Spray Me". (For that one I usually resort to beat-boxing - albeit pathetic beat-boxing consisting of many "chicka-booms".)

Got Milk?

2011-06-06T09:59:00.004-06:00

A Little Pizazz

2011-05-26T09:50:00.001-06:00

Last night I was working on a couple of chores and Doug was poking around the kitchen trying to find a treat. Eventually I talked him into making these easy PB & Chocolate Chip Cookies -

1C Brown Sugar
1C PB
1C Chocolate Chips
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

(See...easy! And don't require substitutions to make them gluten-free. Go make them...now.)

I happened to be in the kitchen when Doug pulled them out of the oven. They were red!

I was trying to figure out what chemical reaction could have occurred in our oven that would cause such a color change when, with a slight smile, Doug said "What?"

"Honey...why are they red?!"

With a much broader smile he said, "I thought they needed a little pizazz. Plus the red food coloring was all the way in the back of the cupboard and he was lonely!"

I don't know what I laughed at more - the randomly red cookies or Doug's explanation.

Also, I don't think I use the word "pizazz" often enough in regular conversation.

P.S. This morning while trying NOT to eat a cookie for breakfast, Doug chimes in and says "I think it is the red that makes them tempting!"

Have you started making them yet? (No need to add the food coloring unless you want a bit more pizazz.)

He Said She Said

2011-05-15T20:35:00.001-06:00

One thing Doug and I strive for is having good, open communication. For the most part, I think we do a decent job. The other day, however, was an entirely different story.

Anne's point of view: Doug got off early from work one Friday. My mom was visiting and so we were trying to determine how to spend our afternoon together and whether or not we wanted to bring John with us. We discussed going on a quick lunch date, making a trip to the grocery store, and going to Costco. Costco was a bit of a 'must' because we had ink cartridges that needed to be refilled in order for me to finish printing my study materials. The lunch options we had included a little Mexican place near our house and Qdoba near Costco. We decided John may appreciate a little outing and decided to bring him with us. As we got off the freeway to go to Costco, I realized I did not have my phone (if I had this would not be a blog-worthy story - and I don't know if it is anyway). Doug said he was going to put gas in the car and that he would just drop me off at the door so I could get the process started for the ink cartridges. I dropped off the ink cartridges and forgot to pay attention to how long the wait was. I figured it is "1 hour photo" so within an hour and probably a lot less considering it didn't seem very busy. However, like I mentioned, I did not have my phone and so I didn't know what time it was when I dropped them off. I wandered around and decided to get some free food while I was waiting - but not too much because we were going to lunch at the little place by our house on the way back. I had some really, really good pulled pork, some delicious soy milk and some frozen fruit. I kept wandering through the big open section so I could keep an eye out for Doug and John once they finished filling the car. I looked at books and clothes for John. I decided that a significant amount of time had passed and so wondered to the photo pick-up area and looked for my envelopes. They weren't there. I thought maybe they were busier than I thought and so I wandered a bit more and kept an eye out for Doug. I stayed up near the electronics since it was near the door. I checked out the 3D TV and had a guy ask if I needed help. I said, "No...I'm just looking for my husband." Even with the huge lines at the pumps I figured they must be done and I may have missed spotting them so I wander up and down every aisle, standing on my tiptoes in order to see past all the people, trying to find my husband and son. (If only I'd had my phone!!) I notice that my receipt states the drop-off time and so I try to find a clock so I know how long it has been. (That particular Costco has no visible clocks...trust me, I looked.) I went to the Verizon kiosk to see if any of their phones had the time but they weren't synced. However, I asked the girl at the kiosk and she let me know. It had been about 45 minutes. (Seriously...where were my boys?! And why was it taking so long to fill the ink cartridges?) I check the photo envelopes and still nothing. The same guy asks me if I've found my husband yet. Nope. I sit there watching "Tron" for awhile and get a bit creeped out by CGI Jeff Bridges. I keep an eye on the photo people and glare at them now and then because they seem to be kind of lazy for being so behind (since it has certainly been over an hour since I dropped off the ink cartridges). I'm starting to get a bit worried about the boys - John is probably starving and it is really hot to be hanging out in the car. I don't even know if they are still in the car. (Oh phone why did I leave you?!) What if something happened and they rushed to the hospital? (Did you know I have a bit of an issue with worst case scenarios?) And where is the car? How will I find them? Finally I go up to the photo counter with the thought "Be nice...they are more receptive when you are nice!" I say "I just want to make sure I'm looking in the right spot - are the ink cartridges over there?" The nice man says "Nope...they are behind the counter." I calmly say, "Oh, cool" while thinking "You couldn't have just asked the girl who kept checking the photo envelopes what her name was!? How dare you use up my entire free afternoon that I've decided to take a break from studying?!" I grab the ink and then head out the door in order to try to figure out where the boys are and if they are okay. I look around the parking lot when I step out and see Doug waving at me. This is when he explained his version of the story -

Doug's point of view: I thought we'd settled on Qdoba and so the plan was to drop off Anne, fill up the car, pick her up, go get lunch then get the ink cartridges after. I fill up, drive around the parking lot for a bit. John falls asleep while driving so I don't want to wake him up in order to take him in. I find a spot kind of near the door and park the car. However, I can't see the door from where I am and so I sit out on the trunk so I can keep an eye out for Anne. Then I wait...wait...wait. Then I check the clock. Then I wait...wait...wait. Then I check the clock. Then I wait...wait...wait.

We go to Qdoba and eat quickly (due to a baby who has decided this game is not fun anymore). And that's all.

Then I found $5. (That's for you Kristin.)

And here is a video of the kid as a reward for reading the whole thing... (fast forward to the 2 minute mark if you want to see the giggling and then at about 2:50 Doug gets kicked in the face).

Fill In the Blank

2011-05-13T12:05:00.001-06:00

Yesterday Doug was reading aloud a letter we received thanking us for signing up as organ donors. He was reading along and then paused at a very opportune moment for me to fill in the blank. He had been reading about which organs they use, etc. and then said "If you want to start saving lives immediately...(pause) _______ ." "Die!" I said. (It makes sense...it's not nice but it makes sense.) Apparently that is not what they were getting at but talks about how you can go to their website to learn about blood drives, etc.

We are hoping to do a 'real' blog post soon. I'm done with step one of boards and so have a bit more time. Now I just have to read 100 pages of statutes and rules and the like about how soap is not a cosmetic. All you lawyers out there have my admiration for making any sense of how one thing can be an article of another thing but not such article as that article such that it was an article as found in section 137-11293.

In the meantime we are trying to keep up with this crazy speedy mover who just wants to get into absolutely everything and climb over whatever he needs to in order to get to it.

6 Months

2011-04-21T09:10:00.003-06:00

Happy Happy Half-Birthday Little John!!!

Rite of Passage

2011-04-15T08:58:00.007-06:00

Doug and John went on a few adventures last Saturday while I was trying to get some studying done. When they got home I asked how things went. In regards to their trip to Lowe's, Doug said "He was really good...he knows it is a sacred place for a guy." I'm sure that was the first of many many father & son treks to the hardware store. (However, Doug has a new strategy when doing home improvement of buying anything he could possibly need, keep the receipt, use what you do, then return the rest. This started after 4-trips to the store in one day while installing new sinks.)

I must admit that I really like going to Lowe's as well. It reminds me of when I go to a bookstore or a library and think "If only I made more time to read, I could learn so much!" At Lowe's, I think "If only I made more time to learn, I could do so much!" The same thing happens at Michael's.

After their shopping trip they went for a really long walk - a little over 2 hours. (Apparently John fell asleep and Doug decided to just keep walking while John napped.) Here is a picture of when they got back. (I think John is still a little sleepy.)

Then they watched some Saturday baseball. John got a little into it.

How John Passes His Time

2011-04-10T21:27:00.001-06:00

First thing in the morning (while still in pajamas) he chews things...

Then he gets dressed and chews some more...

Then he chews his hands (there are countless pictures of this)

After lunch he chews his hands some more...

Then he takes a break to ponder what else he can chew...

He decides his new car might be a good chew toy...

He thinks "yes...that was good"...

He tries again...

After dinner he chews his bib...

And after his bath right before bed he chews his toes...

There is a lot of chewing going on here.

Hamming It Up with Dad

2011-03-10T13:10:00.007-07:00

(Click on the picture for a bigger version.)

In these pictures, you can see John's personality develop. Notice his distinctive smiles and expressions. It was especially evident Sunday afternoon after Doug came home from church. He was holding John and he was playing with his tie. I got out the camera and tried taking a picture of them playing together, but he saw the camera and immediately turned toward me, quit playing, and stood up to pose.

In the following pictures you can really see some of his different facial expressions. He certainly has fun exploring what all his face can do. He does have a rather entertaining single eyebrow raise that he does but we have been unable to catch that on camera.

Little Bookworm

2011-03-06T18:48:00.005-07:00

It is a good thing that John received so many books for Christmas because he is showing that he likes to "read" them. These pictures don't even have him demonstrating how excited he gets about "Brown Bear Brown Bear". When Grandma Linda watched him for a week and half while we were moving he really started to get into books and that one was the first he really liked.

He likes to grab the pages and see if there is any different textures. (However, we don't have any "touch and feel" books yet.)

He really likes this "Mirror Me" book with mirrors on every page. He tries to lean in and rest his head on the other baby's forehead. He definitely has certain pages that he seems to like more than others and at least tries to turn the pages to get to the pages he likes. He also really likes to just close the book but then gets upset until I open it up again...only for him to shut it right away.

Any recommendations of other great books for him?

Some "Real" Food

2011-03-06T14:12:00.006-07:00

John was all ready to try some solid food. He seems to really like his booster seat although he has already starting playing the "I dropped it" / "Mom fetch" game with his rattle and other toys.

He decided he could spoon feed himself better than if daddy did it. However he was out-voted and we've gotten better at pinning his arms down while trying to slip the spoon into his mouth. (The required hand-eye coordination is quite similar to playing complicated video games...like Qbert.)

We jokingly told him that we would ship him to China if he did not eat his vegetables. Apparently, putting him in the box got him a bit concerned.

The Laugh

2011-02-27T17:33:00.001-07:00

Smarty (No) Pants

2011-02-24T12:35:00.002-07:00

4 months and 3 days and this kid has already figured out how to undo the sticky tab on the right side of his diaper (consistently). He hasn't figured it out when he is dressed yet so it is just a matter of keeping it on between changes and getting everything covered with a layer of clothes. He doesn't seem to like clothes anyway so maybe this is just his new found way to prolong the 'freedom'. Until the clothes are on it is a fun game of me sticking, John removing, me sticking, John removing, me sticking and then holding his hand while trying to get him dressed the rest of the way with one hand. (My mothering skills have not come that far yet.) However, the sticking/removing cycle is just foreshadowing of the next 20 years.

Prince John

2011-02-23T13:22:00.004-07:00

It is known that we frequently refer to John as "Little John". (Hence the Robin Hood beanie baby that may one day be his best friend). I also call him "Little Prince" once in a while. Today I lost the "little" and called him "Prince John". Ironically this coincided with a new found desire of sucking/smacking his lips. (He doesn't suck his thumb because he is too busy gnawing on his fingers but it certainly sounds like Prince John sucking his thumb.) I will try to get a video of it one of these days.

4 Month Stats

2011-02-23T08:10:00.003-07:00

Turns out that our little diaper model is just that...little. He is 'tall' with a length of 25" but he weighed in at 12lb 2oz (more than 2lb less than his goal of doubled birth weight). The doctor isn't too worried but said we should monitor it. Other than that, he checked out perfect and was surprisingly strong. (That could be due to the fact that the hour wait in the waiting room with sick kids wanting to "touch the baby" had him kicking and screaming to be home, fed and asleep.) The doctor said we can start solid foods anytime within the next two months and that will also probably help with his weight. So we are mentally preparing for this new venture and making shopping lists for things like a booster seat and bibs.

As an aside, I really like our pediatrician here. His last name is Babbel (as in "the tower of" with an extra 'b'). I don't know how to pronounce either one.

The Move

2011-02-20T13:56:00.009-07:00

After a very hectic, stressful few weeks, we are finally moved in and are all starting to get settled into and adjusted to our new home. Thanks to everyone for all their help, prayers, and well wishes as we have dealt with the challenge of moving in addition to some of the unexpected complications.

We ended up having to stay in a hotel for a few days which meant John got to take his naps in the big bed. He seemed to enjoy it.

It is hard to believe John will be four months on Monday. You can see in the pictures how big he is getting. He continues to charm us with his quick smiles and calm temperament (unless he is fighting a nap).

Here he is getting ready for church for his last week in Murray. We will certainly miss our ward there.

Some accomplishments and milestones he has reached lately include:

Laughing (or at least a small giggle) when we tickle him.

Rolling onto his stomach from his back. He hasn't quite figured out how to roll back onto his back regularly and doesn't like being on his stomach for very long. That will probably change once he figures out he can go places by crawling. Ironically, if we place him on his stomach he can figure out how to roll on to his back.

He discovered his toes recently and now loves to grab and hold onto them or to bend over and make sure they are still down there.

A friend has loaned us their Exer-saucer, which he has enjoyed so far. It allows him to satisfy his love of standing and to play all at the same time.

He has become very adept at grasping and grabbing his toys. He also likes to grab his pacifier and play with it, putting it in and out of his mouth or rolling it around his mouth with his tongue. He seems to be a bit of a thinker and an analyzer as shown by his ability to figure out how all the toys work (within a day).

He has gotten too big to take baths in the sink. We bought him a new bathtub, which he absolutely loves. He has room now to splash and play in the water and it is always fun to watch him squawk and coo with pleasure as he plays in the water. I'm sure swimming lessons or at least some time in the pool are not far away. Here he is trying it on for size.

And here is one last picture of the cute little guy.

Zamzows

2011-02-02T06:35:00.008-07:00

While up in Boise for Doug's interviews a few weeks ago, I spotted a sign on the road that said Zamzows and thought it was a pretty fun word. (Just say it aloud...possibly twice in quick succession.) I got a bit more acquainted this weekend since our hotel was right near a Zamzows. Without googling it, I want to hear your guesses as to what Zamzows is. Obviously, if you've been there you know and you are blessed - I have yet to experience it. However, here are my alternatives as to what it could be.

A martial arts place - Punch one - "Zam!" Punch two - "Zow!".

Along the same lines, it could be a text bubble in a batman comic, "Bam! Whack! Zamzow!"

A driver's ed company (not for drivers you want on the road) - Left turn - "Zam!" Right turn - "Zow!"

An internet service provider with such high speeds the only way to explain it is "Zamzow!"

Something to say while trying to censor yourself - "Zam-Zow-It...I stubbed my toe!"

Any thoughts?

( I think this is the most z's I will ever have in a post.)

And for those of you looking for a picture of cute John, here you go -

Something to Tide You Over

2011-01-24T11:23:00.003-07:00

We are moving on February 9th and so will be quite busy trying to get everything in order but I thought I'd do a quick entry to give an update on things.

John turned 3 months last week and is just growing and growing. Some of his new favorite things to do are splashing, yanking on rings/ribbons, putting everything in his mouth, standing (sometimes he doesn't want to lie down anymore so a exer-saucer or something of that sort is on the top of our list once we move), consistently sleeping through the night (and then deciding that isn't cool and he needs to wake up at about 2 to eat - any advice on that one?). Some of his least favorite things include putting on a shirt, bright lights in the morning and dealing with saline nose drops.

As for Doug and I, we are doing well. We are moving because Doug got a new job at the Caldwell Cancer Center a little west of Boise. He is the entire lab at the site and so it will be something new for him. I'm extremely proud of him! (And I just realized I'm logged in as Doug so it will sound like he is tooting his own horn. Those of you that know Doug realize that is extremely unlikely.)

This also means that we are looking to rent out our condo if anyone is interested or knows of someone who may be interested. It is a bit sad since we have put so much work into it and now we have to say goodbye. You can see some little collages Doug did of our renovations here. (We had hoped that we were fixing it up to sell it but the market just isn't helping us out with that plan.)

Alright - here is the part with all the pictures and videos:

Here you can see some of John's new found mobility -

This video cracks me up. John sure is vocal when talking to himself in a video -

Here he is making sure we have our boxes all sealed up -

This picture demonstrates just how far he can toss that pacifier when he doesn't want it -

It may look like I have him wrapped around my fingers but it is really the other way around -

Road Trip

2011-01-09T15:11:00.001-07:00

We had to make a trek up to Boise this past weekend. It was John's first road trip and apparently all that sitting in the car helped him learn how to do this...

Sweet Tooth x 2

2011-01-05T20:15:00.006-07:00

So remember when I was mocking Doug for wanting to eat the chocolate sauce straight up? (If not, see the previous post.)

Well, we still haven't purchased any ice cream or anything with which we can use the sauce. The other day I was looking at the container and the edges had been scraped a bit more than I remembered. Knowing Doug's sweet tooth I figured he couldn't resist and, besides, I wasn't totally serious about him not just eating plain. I decided I wanted to know what all the hoopla was about and so I grabbed a spoon and had a couple of spoonfuls. (And it was pretty darn good.)

Tonight the guilt finally got to me and I told Doug I had a confession to make about the chocolate sauce. Well...it turns out that he hadn't had a single bite since I had mocked him. (Apparently I should not be a container-scrapings assessor.) Oops! I feel the need to allow him to eat as much of it as he wants now. (Doug...if you are reading this, can I please have a couple of scoops?)

Speaking of confessions - at Christmas, Doug was trying to tell a story about a tree falling outside our window. I interjected numerous times in determining the time and day of the week of said tree travesty. I finally conceded that it was Sunday after Doug reminded me of him leaving for church when he noticed it but I would not give in to it being later in the morning. My reasoning was that I was up with John and Doug was asleep. On the weekdays that has to occur sometime well before 4am when Doug gets up for work and Doug's version of the story had the tree falling around 5 or 6. (Yes...4am. I thought I had to get up early.) Well, it dawned on me that if it was a Sunday, Doug could very well still be in bed at 5 or 6. So, yes, Douglas was correct on that part of the story as well. Sometimes I need a mute button.

And yes...I'm going to have a spoonful of Nutella (instead of the sauce) on my way to bed.

Sweet Tooth

2011-01-01T11:26:00.002-07:00

We received some fudge sauce from our neighbor for Christmas. We had a little bit of ice cream in the freezer so the other night we tried out the sauce. It was delicious and led to this conversation this morning -

Doug: Do you have any plans for the fudge sauce or should we just spoon it?

Anne: Spoon it onto what?

Doug: My mouth.

I have yet to give in to such a frivolous use of the sauce.

2 Months

2010-12-28T06:33:00.013-07:00

John is getting bigger and bigger every day. At his 2 month appointment he was 10 lb 12 oz and 23.5 inches long. He is also learning all sorts of new baby tricks.

He likes to read (which is good considering how many books he got for Christmas). His favorite seems to be "The Christmas Story" but these contrast books definitely grab his attention. He also likes to "tell" stories. (I will try to figure out how to post a video of some of the little sounds he makes.)

However, sometimes reading makes him a bit tired -

This may be carryover from in utero time when I would read every night in order to fall asleep.

We live in the Rivendell Condos and John decided to demonstrate his elfishness.

He did have a little "My First Christmas" outfit as well. (This is just with the few gifts that hadn't already been packed in the car.)

Other little tricks include smiles that start on one side and spread across his face - much to the delight of all who witness it. (Sorry the picture is blurry.)

Sometimes he plays hard to get with his smiles and hides them with his hands or whatever is available.

He's also starting to like Tummy Time a bit more and likes to show off his push-up abilities.

But, after a good workout, he needs to get cleaned up. This is another favorite part of his day - bathtime with dad.

He certainly keeps us entertained and happy.

John's Blessing

2010-12-15T11:42:00.007-07:00

Two Sundays ago we had John's baby blessing. It was a beautiful day and John didn't cry at all during church. We had a nice get together afterward with and family. (We don't have copies pictures of the three of us together yet so the separate shots will have to do.)

Thank you to Jolene for the cute outfit and thank you to all who helped out with the open house.

Finally, here are some family pictures -

It's Been a While

2010-12-15T10:36:00.017-07:00

I intend to do a lengthy post with lots of pictures but that depends somewhat on how long our baby swing will work its magic. (Thanks Dad for the swing!)

John is growing and growing. He'll be 8 weeks tomorrow. We've had a lot going on lately.

John's eyes are still blue although they really seem to depend on what he is wearing.

He started to lose his newborn hair from top to bottom and so instead of calling him Little John, Doug has started calling him Friar Tuck. It is starting to come back in on top but is really really light blond...which isn't too surprising considering that I was really blond as a kid and Doug still is pretty blond.

He had a great visit with Grandma Mary and Great Grandma Norma. Great Grandma had a little prayer/song that she performed for John called "Oh Johnny". It was quite adorable.

Grandma Mary was extremely helpful and always willing to hold John so that I could get some things done around the house. I miss having her here in the mornings. She also made us a large supply of her famous Swedish meatballs and made some meringues so that I could have my absolute favorite dessert (meringue shells filled with mint chocolate chip ice cream and topped with my Great Grandma Emma's "old soft" hot fudge sauce).

Here is the obligatory 4 generation picture.

Grandma Mary is a big Vikings fan. The Vikes aren't doing so hot this year and then the metrodome collapsed. John was a bit saddened by this.

John has discovered the luxuries of kicking back with your legs crossed as well as cute little hoodies. (Yes...this is mainly for the pictures and I couldn't think of good captions.)

He is also becoming a lot more alert and is getting better at focusing and grasping things. He doesn't "reach" for things yet but if his hand is on something of a different texture he likes to pull at it a little bit. (Many of my collars are getting stretched out by this process.) He has also started putting his arm around you when you hold him. (Which I find quite adorable.)

One Month & Grandpa Jack

2010-11-21T08:52:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe our little John is one month old today! Time has flown by, but we have enjoyed every moment, even the late night feedings and diaper changes. He is starting to get bigger and has a few outfits that won't fit him much longer. He is also starting to be more expressive and can almost smile. He also likes to look around and has taken more interest in his surroundings, especially the animals on the wall above his bed or the mobile on his playmat.

He can also roll over from side to side.

Slowly he is starting to sleep better at night. We had a couple of nights where he stayed asleep in his bed for 3 to 4 hours. We have also had fun watching his many movements. He has a strong kick and likes to lift his arms, especially when sleeping. Doug also started training him to do the touchdown sign while watching football.

Happy Thanksgiving! We were glad to have Grandpa Jack visit last weekend. It was fun to watch him interact with his little namesake. We are looking forward to the visits of the rest of the grandparents this week!

I'm Smitten

2010-11-13T08:58:00.003-07:00

Maybe it is because he is mine but I just think he is absolutely adorable. He can easily melt my heart with just a look.

Apparently Doug is a bit smitten as well. Last night was the first night in a while that Doug has not somehow "sleep-fathered". A couple of nights ago, I felt Doug stirring a bit and I glanced over at him. He sat up, very carefully picked up his pillow and started gently rocking it. He even leaned in and kissed it. I said "Hun...what are you doing?" He said "I'm rocking John." "Doug...that isn't John." He squinted at the pillow a bit and then said "Yes, it is." I then squinted at the pillow thinking maybe Doug was right. I determined the pillow wasn't John and asked Doug "Are you sure?" Doug said he was. Then I asked "How did he get in our room?" That finally convinced Doug that the pillow was, in fact, just a pillow. Somewhat dejected he set the pillow down and rolled over to go to sleep. I jokingly handed him my extra pillow and asked him if he wanted that for comfort. (He didn't think that was extremely funny.) The next night, Doug propped himself up on one arm and started stroking the pillow. I said "Doug...what are you doing?" Apparently he was a bit more conscious because right away he said exasperatedly "Ugh...I guess I'm just dreaming" and laid down again. What a sweet (and very attentive) father!

Ode to a Best Friend

2010-11-09T10:38:00.009-07:00

My best friend, Jolene, came to visit for a few days and help out with John. She is currently getting ready to go to the airport and I already know that I will miss her (and her help so much)! However, I'm sure her own 3 kids (and her husband) will be very glad to have her back home. Here is a short list of things she has done during her trip.

Scrubbed our condo from top to bottom (really...as in she took everything off the counters to scrub them well, did the tops of the door frames, etc.)

Brought fun little presents for John - including a fantastic quilt for the little guy

Dressed him up in some cute clothes

Provided advice on every aspect of motherhood

Did many loads of laundry

Made yummy meals

Babysat so mom and dad could have a date

Loved and adored our little guy

Before she came she had sent us multiple outfits and sheets and books and...just everything

Made multiple trips to the store to buy stuff for us

Made some scrapbook pages for John's baby book

Took some great family photos of us all

Took over baby duty for the ENTIRE NIGHT on CONSECUTIVE nights so mom and dad got some sleep

Provided invaluable emotional support and encouragement

Seriously...could I ask for a better friend?!? I really don't think so! So here is to you, my friend, for being absolutely amazing!