A Dialogue of the Laws Family

hello

2012-01-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

School Girl and Other News

2011-08-19T20:54:00.000-06:00

We just got our camera to work on our computer again, so I have a back-log of posts to complete this month. I figured I would start with most recent and work backward, since the most recent involves a certain little girl in our family.

Lydia has been waiting for a whole year to go to school, and she started school this week. She has come home every day, and has spoken of nothing but school. What a cutie! In other news, the youngest of our family, Mr. Tiddlywinks by name, has decided as of Tuesday this week that he is a walker. He still has a hard time walking on carpet, as we found out this evening at Brian's parent's house, but he is becoming incredibly proficient at the art of being biped. He chooses when he wants to walk, and will not do it on command. Thus, I do not have a video of the wondrous event; however, I was able to catch him via photograph mid-walk, fully clothed, in the running shower on Tuesday evening.

Baby Bumblebee, Dinosaur Rocketship, and Happy Birthday Cat-Cat's

2011-05-23T11:24:00.003-06:00

Isn't he an adorable 7-month old baby bumblebee? Benjamin got this cute little hat from his Sunbeam leaders, who, sadly, are moving.What might look like a mess of toys, I was informed, is a dinosaur rocketship and launching pad. I love how creative my children are. And last, but certainly not least, we have managed to keep our kittens alive for an entire year (I assure you this is quite a feat). Happy birthday to Klinker and Miss Belle!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

2011-05-19T09:12:00.004-06:00

How does my garden grow? That is a good question, because as of right now, I am still waiting for a sign of green in my garden. It all started Easter weekend...

Brian's grandparents came to visit for Easter. Grandpa told me he wanted to help me get my garden ready, and even brought me some seed potatoes! I might be the only person in New Mexico to attempt to grow potatoes here. Lydia and Benjamin were great helps, and even made hearts in the dirt with their feet prints. You see the quality of dirt I have to work with.Grandpa and I hauled a few loads of top soil to mix in with the garden plot. Benjamin loved helping rake it into place. As you notice, between the first and this picture (a span of about 2 hours), we went from cold and rainy/snowing to sunny and warm. Welcome to New Mexico!
Even Mr. Tiddlywinks wanted in on the action.

A friend of ours tilled the garden for us, and I got a painful sunburn this past Saturday getting the garden planted. I still have some squash to plant, as well as some tomatoes, strawberries and herbs but all -in-all, I am watering and praying that my efforts will bare fruit (yes, pun intended).

(This is how it looked as of this morning. We need to finish our fence and get the planter boxes finished, but I am so excited for my garden!)

Mother's Day Musings

2011-05-09T12:10:00.001-06:00

I love my three kids...they are so full of character and laughter that they keep my days from being dull. That being said, without them, I wouldn't get adorable Mother's Day cards. Brian taught Sunbeams while the ladies got to go to Relief Society yesterday, so I helped him make cute little cards that the little kids could draw on for their mothers. Needless to say, I was glad that Benjamin was in the class, because I got one too!

If you want to know how to make these adorable, yet ever-so-easy flowers, go to get your craft on at the adorable Jones Design Company. My husband was so cute to watch as he was attempting to roll the flowers himself. We make a good team, I might say!

Here's hoping you all enjoyed your Mother's Day...I know I did! There is nothing like ice cream and Wacky Cake for dinner, ahem, and breakfast too!

P.S. I know I need to update...keep watching because I am going to be posting a lot over the next couple of days to catch up.

He's On His Way!

2011-03-29T09:11:00.000-06:00

Guess who is malcontent with simply crawling along as a means of locomotion? You guessed it; Mr. Tiddlywinks has started pulling himself into standing position, and he has even taken a few steps. Sheesh, I don't know if I am ready for this; he is only 5 months old!

My Boys

2011-03-26T22:07:00.000-06:00

This one is five months old! I cannot believe how big he is getting! He and Benjamin play so well together, and one of their favorites is trains. They are adorable together, and I can only imagine what good friends they are going to be!

Clyde the Quick Easter Chick

2011-03-22T12:12:00.001-06:00

I have been itching to create a craft that would take at most an hour to complete, while keeping my house mainly clutter-free for the duration of the project. Well, I found one, and it was so easy that I am going to pass it on to you.

You will need only a basic knowledge of sewing--really just how to sew a straight line. You will also need to brush up on how to sew a french knot, which looks hard, but in all actuality is incredibly easy. There are some great video tutorials out there on how to sew a french knot, so I will not be taking time to explain it. Just google it if you do not know how.

Now, I know you are dying to know what the craft is, so without further ado, may I introduce you to Clyde, the bean bag chick!Now, Clyde is a quirky Easter chick, and as I said before, incredibly easy to make, so here goes with instructions...

You will need: yellow fabric for the body, a contrasting fabric for the wings, orange felt for the beak, a ruler, pencil, paper scissors, fabric scissors, pinking shears, black thread, white thread, a needle, rice (or other fill), and a sewing machine.

First, make the patterns for Clyde's body and wings. I just found two different sized circles in my kitchen and traced them one on top of another onto a piece of heavy paper.

I then used the ruler to connect the two circles on the sides.Cut out the pattern. I just free-handed the wing to how I wanted it to look. Cut the wing pattern also.Next, trace your body pattern onto the wrong side of your body fabric. Fold it in half so you end up with two exact pieces. You don't have to use yellow; you could definitely experiment with different colors. Go wild if you want to! Then "rough cut" the body out, leaving about 1/4" on each side, and pin each side inside the line. Next, use your pinking shears and cut OUTSIDE the line you drew, all the way around.
Do the same with your wings; cut out 4 ALONG the line with your sewing scissors. Next, cut out Clyde's beak. Fold over the bottom to your piece of felt, and cut a triangle. You should end up with a diamond if you did it right.
Like so...
Next, draw two dots where you want his eyes. You do not have to be precise...just eyeball it (no pun intended).
Here is where you will want to know how to make a french knot. You could just sew on little black beads, but where I knew that Clyde would be a child's toy, I decided the less choking pieces, the better. You want to take just the front side of Clyde to sew the eyes on.
Now is where it gets sketchy and I need to be good with my instructions, because I did not take pictures at this point. Sew on the beak by placing it where you want it, and using a straight stitch down the middle of the diamond, a.k.a. the beak.

Separate two of Clyde's wings and place the first, wrong side facing you, on the back side of the front piece of Clyde. Put the other piece of wing lining up with the back wing on top; you are basically making a sandwich of wing, Clyde, wing, and then pin in place. (Look at the "Like so" picture to get the idea.) Do this with the other wing too. You will then want to sew around the wings to attach them.

Next, line up the front piece and back piece of Clyde, wrong sides facing each other, and sew around, leaving a hole in the bottom to put your fill in. I used rice to make him a beanbag, but you could use batting to make him a plush toy, or beans, lentils, basically whatever you have on hand. Once you fill him to your desired fatness, sew the bottom, and enjoy!

My kids really like Clyde. It looks like I will need to create two more siblings to Clyde, as controversy has already arisen as to whom Clyde belongs to.

Mommy Bragging

2011-03-16T11:04:00.001-06:00

So, yes, it has been a while since I last posted. It seems as though my days rush by before I even have a moment to think about what happened. We have been having a lot of fun going to parks and running errands for the past while. Declan is now a crawling baby, as of two weeks ago. Yes, he crawled at 4 1/2 months. He didn't beat Lydia's record, though. (Yes, she was a 3 month old crawler.) I could swear my babies are born running. Isn't he such a cute little Mr. Tiddlywinks with navy blue eyes?

Benjamin loves creating things as of late. Most have to do with dinosaurs, trains and ships.These are three "dinosaurs" he created one night just before bed time. The one on the left with all the baby toys is a Stegosaurus with a sock head. There is a Tyrannosaurus Rex in there with a red body and "lots of sharp teeth", and the dinosaur on the bottom with the sippy lids is a Pteranadon, a.k.a. bird dinosaur. Most of the time, he uses toys, but sometimes I find all my silverware missing. He built a very ingenious ship with Lydia out of his train tracks, complete with a sail and ship's wheel, and I accidentally deleted the picture!

We also have been traveling a lot the past month, due to Brian's church calling. He is a stake auditor, and we have visited three very small branches; they were so small that our little family of five literally doubled each branch we went to. It made me realize how blessed I am to belong to a church that is the same, no matter the size of the congregation. Here are a couple cute pictures of the kids en route to one of our destinations. I feel so incredibly blessed to have three wonderful children to love and snuggle on a daily basis. There is nothing like the purity of children!

L-o-v-e

2011-02-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

On this day completely dedicated to love, I wanted to take a moment to quickly document a smidgen of mine.

I love being able to wake up to a handsome husband who loves me without condition, who supports my decisions, cheers when I succeed, and gives me a shoulder to cry on. I love having three entirely unique and wonderful children who help me to better myself and show their love for me in every action, rock, leaf, picture, kiss and embrace. This little family has completed me as nothing has. I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love knowing that I can better myself through the gift that our Savior gave to each of us.

My life has truly been one of learning, joy and plenty. I echo the words of Audrey Hepburn: "If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness,...but the joy of everyhing else. It will have been enough."

Three months all around

2011-01-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

So Brian and I have been sorting pictures a lot lately--five years worth of pictures is a lot, just so you know. We have been comparing pictures of our three kids. Who knew that the same mold could produce three similar, yet not, cuties? These pictures are of all our kiddos at three months.

Lydia, January 2006

Benjamin, January 2008

Declan, January 2011

House Happenings

2011-01-28T13:18:00.001-07:00

I needed to take a break from sorting pictures from the last few months to post here on the blog, so I decided to fulfill the request I had from a friend...namely I have not been keeping you updated with what we have done on the house. There are too many to talk about, so I will tell you about the one I am most proud of at the moment. I will give you a before, during and after recap. Mind you, it still needs a few more things done to it, but (This is for you Elise!)

This poor, poor fireplace. It was completely outdated and very understated. Considering it was the focal-point of the living room, it just didn't work.

Enter in demolition and voila, a blank canvas that was way too over-sized for the room still. We contemplated for over a year before we came up with the not-quite final product.

We added a hearth back in, one that was more fitting the size and has storage for fire wood, lowered the mantle, and added slate ledge stone to the face. It completely changes the look of the room. We hope to eventually add a cabinet above the fireplace that will hide a television. We have seen a lot of great ideas and cannot wait to show you what happens! We also are going to get a flat firescreen that matches a little better.

So, what do you think?

Rewind Part Uno

2011-01-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving

We started our Thanksgiving trip by going to the "World's Largest Pistachio" just outside of Alamogordo, NM. Brian had previously looked up things we could do to break the trip up for little ones, and wanted to stop here. It was pretty funny, but the kids only wanted to "get to Morgan's house!" so we did not stay here long.

We packed up our three kids back into the car and went to Alamogordo, NM to meet Julian and Ashley and their three kids at the Train Depot. (It is a model train lover's haven.) We have actually been there before a couple years ago, but we figured since Benjamin and AJ were not old enough to appreciate it, we went back to ride on the train.

Ben did not heed the "No Tresspassing" sign that was so clearly hanging where a little child could not see it, and hopped over the chain to look at the steam engine. He was pretty sad that all he could ride was a diesel-electric train. (This boy knows his trains.)

This is the best picture I got of Lydia, Morgan and AJ. As you can tell, it was a windy day. Benjamin was sitting by me because he wanted to climb out while it was moving.

Benjamin was enthralled by his experience and he begged to ride a second time.

We then went to Julian and Ashley's house and she and I stayed up waaaay too late trying to prep for the Thanksgiving meal.

The guys took the kids geocaching on Thanksgiving morning while Ashley and I finished up the meal. As a side note, kids love geocaching. Give it a try if you haven't already. Lydia still talks about going "treasure hunting."

Ashley pulled out her nice china for Thanksgiving, and let me set her table...I like to go all out so I was excited that she wanted to use the china!Isn't her china gorgeous?

We were able to go to Old Mesilla the day after Thanksgiving and eat in a restaurant that is supposed to be haunted. There is even a room that the ghost is supposed to haunt that you can reserve to eat in. That might be fun for Halloween, but it could also be kind of spooky dining with an intruder. (What is it about the old Spanish buildings that are spooky in and of themselves, even if they are not supposed to be "haunted"?)We rounded off our trip by stopping at Gran Quivara, the ruins of a Spanish mission to the Pueblo Indians. That is the remainder of a "new church" they were building but abandoned. Those specks in the doorway are Lydia, Benjamin, Declan and me.Benjamin fell asleep at Grandma's house just after we got home. As you can tell, it was a very fun, eventful Thanksgiving for all of us, and I am sure we all felt like this when we got home.

Quick update before long post...

2010-11-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Declan and I had our 6-week check-up yesterday. All is going well, and the little man is not so little any more! He is over 14 pounds (the midwife's scales only go to 13 in measuring, she guessed 14 to the bottom, and he completely bottomed out), and is 24 3/4" long! I can't believe how much he has grown since being born. I took dinner a few nights ago to a friend who just had another 9 pound baby, and couldn't believe how tiny he looked--yeah, tiny, right--compared to Declan. He also is growing his new hair, and it's lighter than the hair he was born with!

Stay tuned for the Thanksgiving post!

"Event-full" October

2010-10-20T17:03:00.000-06:00

Our Octobers are packed with fun-filled goodness, and this year has been no exception! Since it has literally been a whole month since I posted, you are getting an "October in Review" post.

After waiting, and waiting some more, Declan Keed Laws was born October 10, making in all, 3 October birthdays. He was a healthy happy 9 pounds 0 ounces, and was 22 inches long. Surprisingly, he has white-blonde hair. This is a feature that floored both Brian and I, especially since we both have dark hair, and we have yet to produce a child with dark hair. Lydia had black hair when she was born, and Benjamin had light brown, so you can see why we are slightly confused. He is such a great baby, only wakes up once a night to eat, and smiles and coos all the time. He has been with us for three weeks as of yesterday, and every moment has been so amazing! He is also a good-sized baby. He had his two-week appointment at the pediatrician's on Friday, and he weighed 11 pounds 8 ounces and was 23 inches long (100th percentile for both). Needless to say, the nurse was astounded at his size, as was our pediatrician.We celebrated Benjamin's third birthday on the 19th. It was a great day. He requested doughnuts and "Munchkin Juice" (a.k.a. chocolate milk) for breakfast, and for his birthday dinner he was adament that he was going to have hamburgers. I cannot believe he has graced our family for three years already! He has such a sweet disposition, and is incredibly cuddly. He also smiles all the time, which helps to keep our home a wonderful place to be. His presents were dinosaur themed, as you will see by the following pictures. Since everything was dinosaurs, I decided to do something different with his cake...kind of gruesome looking, don't you think? I definitely would not want to meet this creature on the street.Lydia's birthday was the 29th. Can I just say that she is such a joy to have around? She knows exactly what she wants, and will not stop until she gets it. She tackles things--playing, chores, etc.--with a fierceness that is completely unrivaled, not to mention she is gorgeous! She also cannot wait to go to school; she reminds me every day that we need to get her purple and pink pencils and a lunch box. What an adorable girl! We celebrated her day on the 24th since Grandma and Papa were going to be in Las Cruces for the Halloween weekend. Her party was all things princess, including a princess barbie she has been asking to have for months, and she even decorated her cake by herself!

To top our October off, we went to the annual Trunk-or-Treat at the church. Benjamin insisted on being a dinosaur and Lydia wanted to be a witch--she had a witch's broom we made, but it got broken from sweeping before she could ride it to the party. Declan was going to be a fish, but I ran out of time to finish his costume. Hopefully I can finish it this week and I will post pictures of him in it when it's done. The good thing is, I was able to finish two adorable costumes in time for the Halloween-a (Ben's word) party.

Dancing in the Rain

2010-09-30T20:05:00.001-06:00

Lydia has loved dancing in the rain for the past couple of years, and the lovely rain storm we had toward the end of last week gave she and Benjamin the perfect opportunity to go do just that. It rained all afternoon, making the sky dark around 4:00 p.m. How I love the autumn! F.Y.I., rain does not wash peanut butter and jelly off the face. After they were soaked through, Benjamin and Lydia begged for pajamas, blankets and hot chocolate--it was only 68 degrees outside. Nothing like wearing pajamas for the rest of the day!

In the Leafy Tree Tops...

2010-09-28T10:49:00.001-06:00

My kiddos are sleeping! They decided that they were going to haul their pillows and blankets outside and nap under the crisp blue autumn sky! How fun is that?

Simple Pleasures of Life

2010-09-20T14:11:00.000-06:00

I was thinking the other day about how easy it is for myself to get caught up in things I "need" to do, and how I don't take enough time to do things I "should" do, like enjoy the beautiful sidewalk chalk drawings my kids draw for me, and the flowers they pick for me from the back yard. Lydia drew a princess with a polka dot bow.
Benjamin drew a witch (who surprisingly looks like Popeye).

How I love those little feet--as well as the babies they are attached to--that snuck into the pictures. May we all enjoy the simple pleasures our children present to us every single day.

Baby Time

2010-09-13T09:03:00.000-06:00

So Fuzz Ball has not come yet. We got the baby car seat over the weekend, and it has already been taken over by babies; Lydia's babies, that is. She was the photographer for this post, so enjoy!

Notice how carefully she wrapped her baby in the blanket. She keeps telling me all the things she is going to do for her baby brother. I think she is excited...she keeps asking me, "Is my baby coming yet?!" She also told me yesterday afternoon that I could go play while she made lunch. It was fabulous!

In other news, I have been feverishly trying to get done with a couple of baby projects that I have been working on before Fuzz Ball decides to make his appearance. Asa and Paula brought me home some adorable burp cloths from their trip to Idaho--yes, I was homesick when they told me they were going--and I realized I had only two burp cloths (the two they brought). I have two kids already and have no burp cloths to show for it...how sad is that?! So I have been making burp cloths with an adorable flannel fabric I found at JoAnn's and birdseye cloth diapers. Fun times here! (And yes, we still do not have a name picked out, as you can tell by the references to Fuzz Ball.) Here is hoping the next post I make is about an adorable little man.

Jell-o

2010-09-07T10:04:00.000-06:00

So I haven't made jell-o for years (at least 10), and when we went grocery shopping this week, Benjamin and Lydia fell in love with the idea of making some. They each got to pick a flavor (Lydia wanted orange and Benjamin wanted strawberry) and we went home to make it! Lydia made her orange jell-o all by herself...I am very proud!
I didn't get pictures of Benjamin making his jell-o, but they loved eating it, and I think we will be making a lot more jell-o from now on.

Bicycle Repair Shop

2010-08-26T16:32:00.001-06:00

After dinner last night Brian was fixing his bike so he could continue to ride to work. (He loves riding to work on the bike trails.) I was finishing up dishes when I looked out and saw my three cuties doing this:By the time I got outside with the camera, Benjamin had lost interest in fixing his bike and was headed off elsewhere. Problem solved when I went over to try to fix his bike without him there... Presto, he was back at his bike! Notice the dinosaur in his hand. He will not do anything without one of his dinosaurs lately (as you can tell from previous posts). Lydia was making sure her chain is working properly.

Benjamin and dinosaur decided they wanted to go help Lydia finish fixing her bike, since Benjamin's was done.

This summer has been wonderful! Bring on fall!

Jungle-B-Gon

2010-08-16T08:06:00.000-06:00

Since we moved into our house a year ago (it is hard to believe we have been homeowners for a year), we have completed a lot of work. However, we have neglected the 1/3-acre back yard, and it has been affectionately dubbed "The Jungle." The kids loved to play in the jungle, but since it was taller than their heads in some places, Brian and I decided it was time for "The Jungle" to go.

This is actually a picture of the pretty little orange wild flowers, since Brian had already started mowing, but you get the point that the whole yard was about this tall, with mainly nasty weeds, dirt, and rocks. Yay for a lawn mower, complete with a handsome lawn mower man!Benjamin was helping me pull some weeds as well as harvest a bunch of spearmint that a previous owner planted in the yard. They obviously didn't realize how rapidly spearmint spreads. Lydia left to get her gloves just before I took the picture.Both kids decided it was time for a tree climbing break. I am glad we have some mature trees they can climb. I do not remember having that opportunity when I was growing up, but my kids get plenty of monkey practice.

Not only did we get the satisfaction that some mowing is complete--we have to finish the yard tonight for Family Home Evening--I looked out the front window after we had come inside and saw this beautiful sight.

There really is nothing like the New Mexico sunsets, and I get to see every one out my front window!

Superman, or "Suit-sa-man," depending on who you ask

2010-08-12T08:37:00.000-06:00

A favorite passtime of ours--or, more correctly, Benjamin and Lydia--is running around outside screaming at the top of our lungs, wearing "Suit-sa-man" capes (name courtesy of Benjamin). Oh the joys of childhood!I caught them during a break in running.No superman day would be complete without their babies wearing superman capes.

Benjamin doesn't walk...he runs everywhere he goes. The only picture I could get of him was when I asked if he could show me his baby in its cape. Lydia just before she started running again.And what day would be complete without a picture of "Squishy" the dinosaur being a superman too?

What did you do during your summer vacation?

2010-07-26T17:44:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking of elementary school lately, and since the summer is winding down, I thought of the paper everyone had to write at the beginning of the school year entitled: "What did you do during your summer vacation?"

To answer that question, I have been sewing, sewing, and, oh yes, sewing. I don't have pictures of all I have been sewing, because not all of it is done, plus half of it is at my mother-in-law's house.

Top priority was making blankets for Fuzz Ball and Lydia. I had a wonderful friend in college who made me an adorable rag quilt that I used as a pattern for a quilt for Benjamin last year-ish. I knew I wanted to make one for Fuzz Ball, so I decided that Lydia needed one too (she has been using the one my friend made me). Well, here are pictures of the two blankets, or "de-de's" as Benjamin calls them.Benjamin picked all the fabrics for this blanket. He did a great job of coordinating colors. He was set on the monster fabric, which you can see here.

Lydia's blanket was a little harder to match than Fuzz Ball's. She would find a fabric she liked, and then we couldn't find enough different matching fabrics to go with it. She finally settled on a cupcake fabric she liked. I think it turned out beautifully!All-in-all I am very pleased with the results. Lydia loves hers, and we will see what Fuzz Ball thinks of his.

Summer days and musings

2010-07-23T08:15:00.000-06:00

So we are in the throws of audit season, and Brian has been on two audits this week (he will be back this evening). He gets to be home this weekend, then back on to the next audit. It makes me think of that cheesy Willie Nelson song that I will not say the title of, because I don't want it stuck in my head all day. I am so glad that he is great at what he does. I love my amazing husband!

Anyway, back to the post I promised when we got home from the 4th of July weekend. Brian's parents were gracious enough to invite us to stay with them in Pogosa Springs, CO for the weekend. There was a parade that was not a parade--it was a political campaign (Lydia was excited for the candy, but they were not allowed to throw candy at the start of the parade, only down by the riverfront.) Benjamin was excited by the old-fashioned fire truck that came by. After we finished with the parade, we went down by the riverwalk where the city was hosting an art fair and had carnival rides. We let the kids choose one ride they wanted to go on. Lydia chose the ferris wheel. I was unsure if she would like it, but she absolutely loved it.

Benjamin is in love with all things that move. So he chose a little car ride. He was so excited because he got to pick his car first, but got so impatient by the end that he hopped out of the car just before the ride was ready to start. Brian put him back in, and they got rolling.

That evening Brian and Asa took the kids to play miniature golf.

Lydia was really good at golfing.Brian took this adorable picture of Benjamin and Lydia just after they got back from golfing.

We went on a hike the next day, and I cannot tell you the name of the waterfalls, because I do not remember. They were beautiful, though.

I love this picture of Brian and Benjamin! They were washing their feet off in the frigid water.

On the way home, we stopped at another hike to see another waterfall. What is it about nature that is so awe-inspiring? I absolutely love gorgeous things, and this waterfall was no exception. No vacation would be complete without the sighting of a bear. Well, okay, this was actually my first sighting of a bear, but it was amazing. We were driving down Wolf Creek Pass and saw a bunch of cars pulled off the road. Before I knew what was happening, Brian swerved off too, and informed me that everyone was gawking at a bear. Well, of course we have to have proof of what we actually saw, so here you go!

Microwave Duty

2010-07-06T11:48:00.001-06:00

We had a fabulous weekend, and until I can get the camera unpacked and pictures uploaded, you are getting a post about what I have been doing this morning, and a few secret tips on how to make one of the worst jobs a snap.

I am what you would call a sporadic microwave cleaner. I won't tell you the last time I cleaned it, probably because I do not remember when that glorious day was. "But Tia," you say, "if you wiped down your microwave every evening, it would remain spotless and you wouldn't have to go at it with elbow grease once in a blue moon." Well, I don't go at it with elbow grease, just wipe it down every once in a while when it seems to be particularly in need. I should have taken a picture, but did not, and there do not seem to be links to dirty microwaves on the internet. I am sure you can imagine a dirty microwave, though. Perhaps all you need to do is open your own microwave to imagine.

You are probably wondering why I said all I have to do is "wipe it down" when I clean it. Don't worry, I used to scrub at the caked on goodness, and it would take a half hour to get it clean, but that was before I worked as a waitress previous to my marriage. For those of you who have worked at a greasy spoon, you know that the microwave is one of the worst places in the kitchen, and it is a waitress' job to clean the microwave. A seasoned waitress gave me this tip, and I am passing it on to you.

**Disclaimer: You all probably have some secret recipe for cleaning the microwave, for those of you who do not, or want to branch out, give it a try.

1. Get a cup.
2. Fill half full of water.
3. Put in microwave and microwave on high for 5 minutes while you unload the dishwasher, etc.
4. Once finished, leave it in for 10 minutes while you do something else.
5. Simply wipe, because the steam loosened everything.

I would suggest wiping the top off first, then work your way down. It goes faster this way. All in all, it takes about 3 minutes of effort to get it sparkling, about 18 minutes total! If you have a particularly caked on microwave, you may want to let the water sit for longer than 10 minutes to let the steam work its magic.

More exciting news

2010-06-21T12:39:00.000-06:00

So We found out that we are having a baby in September, and the ultrasound technician said she is 70% sure it's a boy. Lydia has already started calling the baby "Fuzz Ball" and when Brian asks what we should name him (we're going with the 70% chance) she is adament that his name is going to be "Fuzz Ball." I don't know how well that would go over throughout his lifetime. So we are on the hunt for boy names. Wish us luck!

Speaking of cats...

2010-06-14T13:53:00.000-06:00

If you read my previous post, you will notice I referenced a poem about cats. Well, I was not foreshadowing in any way, but exactly one month ago yesterday we got two free kittens. They are very well behaved, and are cute little things. Lydia wanted to name one of them "Klinker" in honor of one of her favorite books (I think it is my favorite from when I was her age) entitled "Big Bad Bruce" by Bill Peet. I would highly recommend any of his books as the illustrations are fantastic.

Sorry for the divergence; the second cat was dubbed "Belle" because Lydia loves princesses. So without further ado, a picture:Klinker is the kitten with his eyes open, and Belle is fast asleep. This picture was taken the day we got them, and boy have they grown in the past month.They are such great kittens that they will let Lydia and Benjamin tote them around like babies all the time. Benjamin calls them his "young babies," and when they get out of his arms he will run after them shouting, "Young baby, come back!"I love this picture because of the look on both faces...Lydia's of sheer delight, and Klinker's of pure indifference.

Sleeping Accommodations

2010-06-14T13:31:00.000-06:00

Lydia and Benjamin are huge fans of sleeping anywhere but their designated beds. Here are just a couple of places they have attempted to sleep as of late.The infamous "pillow bed."
"Momma's bed" is always a favorite of Benjamin.On top of the kid table?

Reminds me of a poem by Eleanor Farjeon that I had to memorize in 5th grade, entitled "Cats Sleep Anywhere." Read it, and instead of cats, substitute "Tia's kids."

Playing catch up

2010-06-11T16:17:00.000-06:00

So a lot of things have happened in the past little while, and I will be updating rather frequently in the next few days, so you might want to scroll down to make sure you get all posts before you sign off--that is, if there is anyone who still reads this!

Stay tuned!

Perfect Imperfections

2010-04-28T08:25:00.000-06:00

So I have a confession to make. I am not the world's perfect mom. My children don't always look like they have walked out of the pages of a magazine with clean faces, clothes and perfect hair (most of the time I am lucky if Lydia lets me brush hers). My house--gasp!--doesn't always look perfect, and I am pretty sure there are toys stuck in the weeds outside that the kids say are "certainly" put away where they are supposed to be. But even though things are not perfect, especially myself, I enjoy every moment I get to spend with these two little cuties.

We stop and smell the flowers, in our pajamas.

We don't make our beds as soon as we wake up (sorry Mother).

We generally act goofy.

We have scratches and bruises all over ourselves (especially our faces) from playing outside all day long.

We paint outside the lines,

and fall asleep on the floor after a hard day of playing.

Despite our imperfections, I would say that I have the most perfect family I could ever wish for. I would not trade one perfect imperfection for the world.

Happy April to me!

2010-04-01T08:23:00.001-06:00

So I was taking the garbage to the curb this morning, and lamenting that it is April, because my yard is pure dirt with a few cacti to dot the landscape. April is about flowers and green and beauty, but not in my yard, or so I thought.

Well, I was wrong! Out of the corner of my eye I saw a splash of red, and what was it?! You guessed it, a tulip! (Which happen to be my favorite flowers...thank you people who lived here before us for doing at least that right.) I was so excited that I had to grab my camera to document this momentous occasion. I want to know exactly how it has survived all the beatings it has gotten, being stepped on for the past few months to name one.I also noticed that the nasty bush that lives next to the garage pad has put out the most beautiful, delicate yellow flowers. The ones closest to the ground have blossomed because the ground has been pretty warm for the past few days. Another splash of color! So I wish you all a happy spring, a great Good Friday, and a wonderful Easter to boot!

Recent Happenings

2010-03-19T10:42:00.000-06:00

Where to begin...

Benjamin, Lydia and I have been having a lot of fun playing with a little baby during the days. Her name is London, and it worked out that while her mom has to work, she gets to play with us. Lydia and Benjamin are so cute with her. They are always trying to give her toys and kisses. London does not know what to think about the kisses, but Benjamin thinks they are great!

Then, to add to the fun, we babysat a dog (Gizmo) this past weekend while his owners were enjoying Disneyland. We thought it would be great to see how the kids would interact with a pet, because we have been wanting to get them one. After a couple of bumps at the first, we got along just great, and the kids cried when I had to take Gizmo home. Needless to say, they are going to get a pet soon...stay tuned. (Just probably not one that has to live inside 24/7.) Nope, this post is not done! We had a great Saint Patrick's Day. Lydia insisted that she wanted green eggs, green pancakes, green juice, and green grapes for breakfast. (She has been asking this since last Saint Patrick's Day, so I thought I should make them for her.) Last year the green eggs were left forlornly on plates, because no one would eat them. I added a little more green this year, and am happy to say that they were completely gone.Lydia also wanted a bunny instead of a shamrock pancake, so she ended up with a bunny...the rest of us had shamrocks. Yes, we decked ourselves out in festive green for the holiday. Hope everyone had a great Saint Patrick's Day, and I am going to leave you with a picture of the ingenuity of my children. They figured out this morning that they had enough train track to go around the entry wall. My dirty curtains ended up as the mountain. Toodles!

Rain, Rain...

2010-03-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Today has been a beautiful day in Santa Fe. Beautiful navy blue clouds blanketed the sky all day, and it has been raining intermittently. As I sit here and type I can hear the rain hit the windows and chimney, and it reminds me how wonderful spring is. Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons. There is something amazing about the waking of the earth, the first buds to appear on the trees, and the rain. I don't know that I have ever explained the reason why I titled my blog the way I did. I can remember when I was in high school, and my older brother had to memorize poetry. I would listen to he and my mom recite poetry back and forth, and fell in love with a poem by E.E. Cummings entitled "in Just":

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it's
spring
and
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

I absolutely love how he explains the world of spring from the point of a child. It's so innocent, breathless, rushed (I love how the names are ran together, in the breathless way an excited child would talk). There is something magical in the way he describes the world as "mud-lucious" and "puddle-wonderful." That is the way I like to think of my world of mommy-hood: magical, mud-lucious and puddle-wonderful. It isn't always perfect, but at the end of the day when I think of the many fun things we were able to do, I am grateful that I get a moment to glimpse life through the eyes of my children.

For the love of mud!

2010-03-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

So my kids absolutley love mud. They see it, and, most definitely, it will be tracked in. It also helps that because of all the snow that is slowly melting in our back yard, we have a literal bog/pond surrounded by glorious heaps of mud (i.e. mud pies and castles). Today was no exception. Both kids came in looking like this... Lydia had already headed into the shower, so we did not get a picture of her in all her muddy finery, but here is the muddy finery of both laying in its usual spot by the back door while I ushered them to the shower...
I also thank heaven every day because I have hard floors. Could you imagine trying to clean this up every day on carpet?
I am so lucky that my kids love to play outside and are very content with using their imaginations to help in the entertainment department. Now if I could just get them to play in the mud without getting it all over themselves, that would be helpful to cut down on the load of laundry I do every night when they are finished playing.

Gardening!

2010-02-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

Some people go all out for gardening...take for example, some vegetable gardens in Amafi, Italy, growing on the side of a hill! Now that is what I would call industrious!So we have this absolutely HUGE back yard that is completely unlandscaped--I guess I should say the front yard is completely unlandscaped also, but that is not what I am focusing my thoughts and energy on. Back to the back yard; we decided that since we have such a large area with which to work, we are going to plant our first garden! Gardening brought flash backs of hours of back-breaking work, but I am so ready to stop paying the price they ask for produce here...it is ridiculous! The thought of a garden also brought flashbacks of a book that I used to pore over when I was a little girl that was in the top right corner of the family book case (i.e. untouchables). It was called "Dick Raymond's Gardening Year" and I told Brian about it. He being the sweet man he is, he went and ordered it, and when I got home from my voice class last night, it had come!

(Here is where a picture of the book would be if I could find my camera...umm, yeah, I need to figure out where it went.)

(Here is where a picture of my huge back yard would be, but ditto...)

I sat on the floor and reread it, and it was as wonderful as I remember it being. Do you know that you can grow melons anywhere if you try his tried and true trick for growing melons (he lives in Vermont...small growing season, not enough heat, etc.). He has pictures in the book of all the cantaloupes he grew...they look AMAZING!

Now, I understand that this book was written/published in the 80's, but this man is a genius! More on my garden to come later, with some pictures. I need to go order some seed catalogues!

(By the way, what would you plant?)

Date Night

2010-01-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Lydia loves the idea of date night, especially when Brian and I tell her we are going on a date. She loves asking if she can go on a date with Brian. (Too cute!!!) Last Friday Brian and Asa (Brian's dad) were in Blanding, Utah, so Paula (Brian's mom) and I decided to go on a date. Lydia was so excited to go play at her friend's house, and she told me she needed to get ready for her date too, so these pictures are of she and Benjamin all dressed up to play on their date with friends.

I cannot believe how big she is getting; yes, I think I will cry when she goes to school, but thank goodness I still have a year and a half to prepare myself for that. (Note her love for jewelry.)

My little man is so funny...he is in the stage where he wants to see the picture, even if you are unable to get one taken fast enough. After a few tries, this is the closest I got to him looking at the camera. (Note his love of trains.)

They just look so cute and docile here...

My beautiful little kids have such personality that shines brightly through! I always capture them at their funniest! If I remember correctly, Lydia was starting to lick Benjamin's cheek and Benjamin was growling at Lydia. Such love!

My little readers

2010-01-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

Lydia and Benjamin love to read books. They will sit for hours on the couch or the floor reading their books, and they will shout out things like "Mom, it's a giraffe!" or "Mom, let me read this book to you!" It makes me stop to think what great kids I have!

Lydia is in the habit of cheesing when I take her picture lately...it makes me laugh, and also makes for some interesting pictures.)

A Tired Little Cyclist

2010-01-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Benjamin and Lydia were in the back yard riding their bicycles. I had to take Lydia to go run a few errands, and when we got back, this is what we found.

Turns out he was too tired to take his helmet off before he zonked out!

After-Christmas Slump

2010-01-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

I don't have anything witty to say, and my house is a wreck. Why is it that when you take the Christmas decorations down your house feels barren and lonely? Maybe it feels especially so because my house had no decoration in it before I decorated for Christmas, and now it is feeling especially forlorn. I want to move my furniture around in my living room, but really don't have much to work with. Any suggestions? You will have to pardon the dirty floors, trains/tracks and dirty fireplace. My next project is refinishing the fireplace, so that is kind of a moot point at the moment. I want new couches and new rugs and chairs...something that doesn't scream "Yes, they have had me since they were in college, and we weren't new when they got them and we clash with the freshly-painted walls!" Goodness I'm in a slump! I wish I could sign up for one of those decorating shows where they come in and decorate your entire house for free! That would be nice, but probably won't happen any time soon. I think I am going to take my Christmas money and see what I can do for this tired-looking room. Stay tuned and I will show you what happens!

My Christmas Home

2009-12-14T07:54:00.001-07:00

So, it is completely obvious, from the pictures, that our house is still a work in progress. Try to focus on the decorations only, because if you look at the nasty fireplace which I didn't have anything with which to cover it (I think the Nester would be ashamed of the lack of decorating the fireplace) you may think that I have absolutely no decorating sense, which is completely untrue. Most everything is still in boxes somewhere between here and Timbuktu, which made decorating this year slightly interesting (Christmas and otherwise). So, without further ado, here is my "Christmas tour of home." I am going to start from the outside, in.

This is the garland that graces my front porch. When we got our Christmas tree, I got a much larger one than I needed, because I love to use the pine boughs everywhere, as you will see from my decorations.

I have three wreaths of varying size on the portico. These are two of them. I just made them with boughs and wire. For my first wreaths ever, they turned out wonderful!

Yes, more boughs and plaid fabric. I couldn't get enough this year, as you will see when you continue to scroll down.

This saying is up in my kitchen year-round. The little houses used to be in the nursery at church, but they decided to throw them out. Thank heaven Paula (my mother-in-law) salvaged them. I thought they went perfectly together.

So I absolutely love my Christmas tree. It is so quirky and fun that it reminds me almost of a Christmas tree you would find in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (which happens to be Lydia's favorite movie right now) with a Country twist. The tree is having a hard time holding up the weight of the lights--slight pause for a laugh--so I had to go minimalist on the decorations. The dried grapefruits and apples have made it through four Christmases, and they are easily my favorite decorations. There are also rusted tin stars (I love everything rusted) that I stumbled upon while up in Idaho last summer.

I love this picture, because it shows the door with the wreath. I think it makes the Christmas tree wonderful. And I have never liked tree skirts...this burlap has been used since we got married to grace the bottom of our tree.

Now we are getting to my favorites. Paula had this cool old frame in her garage (it is a treasure trove) just sitting there. I knew I wanted to put it in my tree, and that dictated the theme of the whole house this year (antique-y doors, windows, mirrors, etc.).

I do not know if you can tell, but I used clothes pins to hold up my fabric garland this year. I think it would have turned out better if I had a more full Christmas tree, but I needed one to fit a small space, so sparse had to work.

We were so excited to get a fireplace in our new home. My problem was trying to make the wood look nice. Well, after using a little innovation with hat boxes and a no-longer-used plant stand, I think it works nicely.

I think my mantle is my favorite part. There is something about grape-vine wreaths that are happy, and they made the mantle wonderful.

More garland...this is my dining table. The flowers are a perfect touch...I love that my husband gives me flowers!

And last, but certainly not least, I promised pictures of the drapes I made out of burlap a few months ago. I did not forget! So here they are! I need to make four more panels for the room with the fireplace (I don't know what to call it yet) and then I think I will never make a curtain panel again, or until I get the itch to do so, which ever comes first!

You can always tell a mom...

2009-12-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

So I am going to get philosophical again...just a warning. You don't have to read this. I have been looking about lately when I am running errands, getting groceries, etc. and have noticed a few things I would like to share. I guess during this time of year it makes me think how greatful I am that I can see my follys and foibles (yes ladies and gentlemen, they are different). So I guess you could call this a late Thanksgiving gratitude post, or early New Year's Resolution list. I will call it a Gratitude Resolution.

First, you can always tell a mom by the far-away looks in their eyes when they are standing in line at a checkout, and yes, I am positive I have that same look 99.9% of the time. Never fail, you stand behind some woman, children in tow, hair askew, clothes a little rumpled, and you think, "That woman has seen it all." It never used to cross my mind when I was single and carefree the things they were thinking about, but I decided that it could be anything from what's for dinner, balancing the checkbook, making sure kids are on time for practices, the mysteries of the universe, even what fun things they are going to be doing when the kids are finally in bed. Imagine the full gamut, and I can almost guarantee it has been thought of with the blank stare on a woman's face. Admit it, you yourself don't always consciously think about what you are thinking about. I know, kind of an outlandish thought, but this year I pledge to remain in the here and now. To always have your mind on other things makes it hard to really truly appreciate the blessings you have right now, including the messes your children make and the burned dinner that was supposed to be perfect. Life is a huge learning experience, and if you are always searching for that veritable needle in the haystack, the little things can be lost.

Second, I have a hard time understanding the way my kids act sometimes. They whine and cry and are obstinate and refuse to eat their dinner, refuse to sleep, etc. You are thinking: "Gasp! Her kids and life are not perfect??!" Well, I guess if my kids and life were perfect, I probably wouldn't be hanging around this place...think city of Enoch. I pledge to embrace my imperfections, all of them. There is a reason I have imperfections, and that is to learn about myself. It's surprising how little we know about ourselves, and I want to learn as much about myself as I can. Another novel idea, I know, but truly empowered men and women are those who can stand on their own two feet, who don't care about the nasty thoughts others have of them, or the nasty thoughts they have of themselves (which brings me to my last point), do. (Interesting word, do, it's probably the smallest word with the longest definition in the old trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary...look it up sometime; there are some very interesting, thought provoking definitions for it.)

Third, and last, I have a habit of looking at the glass half empty sometimes. When things do not go right or I am fed up with people or places or circumstances, I like to go into the "poor Tia" mode. That is such an ugly mode, and it never solves the problem; in all actuality, it makes the situation worse. So I pledge that when "poor Tia" rears her ugly little head, I am going to squash her by looking in the mirror and telling "poor Tia" to go away. I am amazing, just as you all are, and the only way to make things better is to go about with a positive attitude.

Now, dear readers, it's your turn. I didn't put these down for you to feel sorry for me or smug that you don't have the same pitfalls. On the contrary, I wrote this post to get you thinking about how to make your life more enjoyable. Go ahead...give it a try. You do not have to post anything about hating to do the laundry or spending way too much time reading while you should be playing with your kids. What I want you to comment about, if you comment, is your little secret of how you navigate through the bumps of life, so someone might get a great idea from you on how to make their life just a little bit better. Think Gratitude Resolution!

Halloween fun

2009-11-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

So I was given the ultimatum that I have been lackadaisical with posts, especially Halloween pictures of my kids, and thought that since I had a couple pictures on my camera before it died again--we need a new one--I would put them up. The bulk of my Halloween pictures and birthday pictures of both Benjamin and Lydia are on my mother-in-law's camera, so I will be posting the rest rather late. So, for the time being, enjoy the smattering of pictures I have to offer.

Lydia told me at least twenty different ideas for her costume. She would always say, "Mom I want to be ____ for Halloween, okay?" So about two weeks before Halloween, I asked her what she was going to be, and she said she wanted to be a butterfly. So butterfly she was.

She had to be a pink and purple butterfly, no exceptions. So I made her pink and purple wings with a pink and purple tutu. there is a little bit of black in there too.

She was so excited to trick or treat this year, and insisted on using her chicken wire basket she used last year with her chicken costume. She made such a beautiful butterfly, even though we could not figure out the pipe cleaners. Pipe cleaners work in Kindergarten. They do not work for grownups (except for teachers).

I had ideas about what I wanted Benjamin to be, but it was not set in stone until about four weeks before Halloween (yes, I make my kids' costumes, and yes, I am a procrastinator). I saw an idea for a baby owl costume on Martha Stewart and decided to run with it. I changed it drastically, like I made my own wing patterns, and put feathers on the back and front. Benjamin just looked at it and kept saying "pretty bird" all the time.

Well, when I got him to try it on, he would not take it off, including the eye "goggles" (which I will need to reinvent if I ever have another child wear it). By the end of the night the goggles had slipped down around his neck, but he would not let me take them off.

Our ward had a trunk or treat, a.k.a. bags of candy in ten minutes (visions of driving three hours to get a few pieces of candy when I was little flashed through my head the whole time). Ben just absolutely loved his costume, as I said, and ran around the whole time flapping his wings and saying "who, who". That is why all the pictures I have of him are of him running around, or the back of his costume. Works great when you have such a cute feathery back, though.

Aren't those feathers adorable???! I absolutely love how both costumes turned out!

The little owl did not like being in his natural habitat; he wanted to be running around, so the only picture we got of him in the tree was of him crying.

Ben's head grew from the time I measured it for the "hat"...I will need to remake that one too if it is ever worn again.

Will the madness ever end???

2009-10-26T22:24:00.001-06:00

So I think Brian thinks I am having a love affair with burlap. Don't get me wrong, burlap is great, but I may have possibly gone overboard...it all started last year at Halloween, with this as the result: Yes, he is supposed to be a sack of potatoes. It was a very ambitious costume, and it turned out beautifully. I had yardage leftover from Ben's costume, and it morphed into a table runner, napkin rings, Christmas decorations, etc. I thought I was just being resourceful.

Well, here is where I may have gone too far. We have two large front windows sans covering; a.k.a. everyone can see into our house at night. So I did what any avid sewer would do...skip over the pre-made curtain panels at the store, and go directly to the fabric aisle; window mistreatment here I come.** Here was my thinking:

Angel Tia complete with wings and halo: "You must stay away from the burlap aisle...there is too much burlap in your house."

Devil Tia, you get the picture: "Buying twelve yards of burlap won't hurt...plus you will be saving so much more money than buying pre-made."

Angel: "But you will save your time!"

Devil: "Who needs to save time; it's all about frugality!"

You may wonder why the seemingly ovbious choice gets to be played by the devil...yes, the devil won out...but it is perfectly logical. I love to start projects; ask Brian. The finishing of projects, however, sometimes gets drawn out. I started these curtains last week, and six yards of burlap are sitting in my dining room with my sewing machine begging to be hemmed and hung up. Two panels are hung beautifully, but I had to take a break from the burlap. Staring at it while sewing it was giving me a monotonous beige headache, so I decided to make this post about burlap. Any Idahoan would completely appreciate burlap; Brian might not, so much. It may be because of the fact that our dining room is no longer a dining room, but a perpetual sewing room for the past week, or the fact that he is not an Idahoan. You decide, but I think I had better go finish some curtains! (Devil Tia is smiling sweetly on my shoulder.)

Oh, I will post pictures of my curtains when I get new batteries for my camera. Until then, I leave you in anticipation of the coolest curtains you have ever seen!

**If you want to learn about window mistreatments, visit this blog with cool mistreatment ideas (I completely owe this gem find to Elise, my good friend who just moved to Rio Rancho, NM): nestingplacenc.blogspot.com.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

2009-10-11T20:27:00.001-06:00

So we decided that since I have never been, and the kids would love it, we would attend the balloon fiesta Saturday morning. We got up at 4:30 in the morning and headed to the train station to catch the 5:03 train to Albuquerque. Ben didn't want to wake up, and it wasn't until we were on the train that he started bouncing off the walls with excitement. Lydia kept asking if we got up in the night...to the perspective of a three year old, yes, we did get up in the middle of the night. We had so much fun, and it was only slightly cold...nothing that would make you think, "gosh I'm cold!" There were literaly a hundred thousand people there, no joke. It is a 360 acre field, and we were all there, crowded among the balloons as they were filled with hot air and launched. There were lots of "zebras" running around (kind of referees, but they literally call them "zebras.") getting the 700+ balloons safely off the ground. It was such an awe-inspiring site, and we will definitely go next year! Enjoy the pictures.

This is the first row of balloons getting ready to launch at about 6:30.

Benjamin and I enjoying the show.

Two of my cuties standing in the cold watching the balloons.

Rosy cheeks and noses.

The first few balloons lifting off.

This is the balloon we parked ourselves next to during the mass ascension. We thought it was an old lady...

as you can see by the pink fingernails...but...

it ended up being a Cupid complete with wings!

Lydia and Benjamin each had their different favorites...

Ben's favorite was the "fi-fi". He would not stop talking about it, except for the ten minute power nap he took on the train ride home.

Lydia could not stop talking about "Alpha Bader" (she can say Darth Vader, but she emphatically insists that: "No, he is Alpha Bader, not Darth Vader.")

It was a fantastic experience, one I would recommend to everyone before the end of their lifetime, so I guess I am suggesting you put it on your bucket list.

Bathtub renovation!

2009-09-30T11:38:00.001-06:00

So for those of you who have been waiting impatiently, I will post the first mostly-finished "makeover" of our home. When we bought the home, our master bathroom was a wreck...a 1970's wreck, that is. Here is a picture of the shower/bathtub combo...

Yes, that is a sunken-in tub...very deep. Visions of "I've fallen and I can't get up" kept running through my head the first time I saw it. I actually attempted to get in, and let me tell you, I don't know how anybody would want to shower/bathe in that monstrosity and attempt to get out of it wet.

Ever since we were married, we had really bad showers. Too small, not enough water coming out, nozzle head at the level of your chest, etc. Well, no more. We got rid of the sunken in shower; my wonderful little brother mudded in a shower pan (basically made it from scratch) and I have spent the last month tiling...it wouldn't have taken so long if I was without kids, but Paula (mother-in-law) was gracious enough to watch kids while I was finishing up. These pictures don't really show it, but the shower head is almost to the ceiling...yes, even a tall basketball player could easily shower in it. We put in two shower heads, and I can hardly wait to take my first shower in it!

I still have a little bit more tiling to do, but the bulk of tiling is done. I told Brian that when we fix the other shower (not sunken-in, but chest level again) we are just going to put in a pedestal bathtub like such...no tile!

Haircut!

2009-09-28T20:44:00.000-06:00

So this is not Ben's first haircut, but his hair was really long (as you can see by the previous post), so we decided to give him a haircut after Family Home Evening. He laughed when the clippers touched him, so it took a lot longer than it should have, but it turned out really cute!

He is such a handsome little man, and he looks a lot older now that his hair is shorter. Plus, his curly hair makes it really adorable. Yes I do take pictures of Lydia, but I couldn't find the cute pictures I took of her the other day, so you have Ben again. I will post for Lydia tomorrow, so until then, dear readers, good night!

My cute kids!

2009-09-22T17:06:00.000-06:00

I would have to say that my kids are so adorable! Lydia had a friend named Andrew over today; he loves to climb trees. We have some old apple trees in our back yard, so obviously he climbed right up! Benjamin got it in his head that he could climb a tree too; I had to put him in and get him out, and he didn't move a muscle while in, but I got some really cute pictures of him. I also love that the leaves are changing color! Autumn is my favorite season, hands down!

Fear of a black president?!

2009-09-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

So I know I just posted, but I really think that things are getting out of hand. Since life has been so crazy and I haven't been keeping up on politics like the "faithful" political scientist I am, I was quite surprised to see the news about the Representative from South Carolina being lynched for speaking his mind on President Obama's speech in the House. (Google it if you don't know what I am talking about...Joe Wilson "you lie" comment.)

What is asinine is the fact that Jimmy Carter, lousy president he was (yes, I did say it), came out to say that Rep. Wilson is being racist. Racist?! Since when did someone speaking out about their feelings on an issue turn into racism? The only reason this came up is because the president is black, but that is entirely beside the point. Had someone said that to President Bush or any of the other white presidents, no one would have batted an eye. Might it have something to do with the fact that the president's approval ratings have fallen faster than any one president in history? Might it be the fact that we have been lied to as the American public that "change" and "hope" were on the way? May it even be the fact that He is less than a year into his term and he has pulled the "religion" card out of his belt? (He does speak like a black televangelist, not like the leader of a nation, after all, so why shouldn't he do it?!) No, ladies and gentlemen, this whole issue came about because the world is out to get our "poor" president. And yes, if speaking out and saying that the president is lying through his teeth means Rep. Wilson is racist, that makes me racist as well.

(Side note: if you want to see the reference to the Jimmy Carter comments, go to AOL news. It should be the top story for now.)

Back from Idaho...

2009-09-16T10:03:00.000-06:00

We made a blitz trip to Idaho this past weekend to go to my mom's wedding. (By blitz, I mean 32 hours driving in a 72 hour stretch...groan!) The kids were great, and we were able to stop in Twin Falls to see Brad and Katie (Brian's brother, for those of you who do not know). It is still so funny to me that Brad is in my old stomping grounds, and I am in his...kind of weird, I know. Anyway, back to the story, we stayed with Brad and Katie and went to 1000 springs and Niagra Springs while we were there. We got some really cute pictures of the kids that I thought would make a fun post this time.

Lydia would not let me do her hair that morning; she is probably the only person I know who can leave their hair alone and it will still look fabulous.

Baby Ruth (Brad's daughter) was thrilled to be in the hot sun...isn't she adorable?!

They were fascinated by the little fish in the crystal clear lake at Niagra Springs. You could see the vegetation in the bottom...yeah, it was that clear.

Ben looking in the crystal clear pool.

Ben decided to kick it root down on the way home. This is his new favorite pose while he is in his car seat (he also pulls his legs up so his knees are on either side of the seat). He is still covered with peanut butter sandwich for breakfast (you probably think that is all we eat in our house...but not so, just for the record)!

Lydia was coloring, as you can plainly see. What you cannot see is that our car was a wreck!

Ben before we left being a cutie!

In other news, our house is getting closer to being done. We have been painting and tiling up a storm. It is looking really nice, but I will wait until it is done to post pictures...you will be able to see the before and after pictures when I do that. Plus, it still looks like we haven't done very much, when in all actuality we have done a bunch to get it livable!

I can't believe that my kids are another year older, almost. Lydia will be four (Oct. 29) and Benjamin will be two (Oct. 19). (Benjamin is getting a train cake for his birthday and Lydia is getting a ladybug cake.) How time flies when you are having fun! My kids are so amazing and adorable; active, energetic and curious. Lydia has started reading words and can count to twenty. She loves playing in our huge back yard, and I love that they come in smelling like dirt...lovely smell! Lydia also is great with cooking. She loves to help make dinner and treats. Benjamin has started asking questions like, "Train, where are you?" "Where are you" and "I love you" sound a lot alike, but you can tell the difference. He is also very wonderful about picking up his toys and putting dishes in the dishwasher. He helps with laundry and shares amazingly well. He also loves pointing out body parts, and still calls his belly button his "duh duh." I am completely blessed to have such amazing children!

One last piece of news, and I am going to go...I decided that I am going to attempt to make challah bread today...wish me luck! Maybe I will post pictures of the results...which reminds me I want to share my favorit web site with everyone. Go to her site, and drool over all the yummy things she makes.

http://www.smittenkitchen.com/

So it has been years!

2009-08-20T12:45:00.001-06:00

Okay, so maybe not years, but it has been a while since I last posted. We officially moved out of our nastified rental here in Santa Fe, bought a house, and are currently in the middle of fixing it up...yes, it was a serious fixer-upper, but as the prices of homes in Santa Fe are astronomical, we get what we can take. It is an adorable house, and it is actually in a fantastic part of town close to where we were living before. Plus I totally think we are the closest people to the church building...score!

Anyway, I need to go do more work on the house (more prep work for painting), so I will have to post pictures later...it might be another five weeks, but at least you will get them...let's call it a before and after shot of our home...stay tuned!

Twinners!

2009-07-08T21:03:00.001-06:00

When I was at BYU-Idaho, I had a good roommate who would always use words like "twinners." That word has stuck with me, and I have evidence that my two darling children could be "twinners." Just look and see for yourself.

Benjamin, age 20 months, blackberry jam on his face.

Lydia, 18 months, raspberry jam (with p.b.)

Even their hair (color and style) is exactly the same! Besides the fact that Benjamin is slightly skinnier than Lydia was at the same age, it is an indisputable fact that my children could have been "twinners." Now we know that neither of them were switched at birth.

Happy Birthday America!

2009-07-05T18:15:00.000-06:00

I love being able to talk about this great land we live in. There is nothing better than celebrating its birth by having a barbecue, watermelon, ice cream, and topping it all off with some fireworks. (On a side note, the only thing I remember from my high school chemistry class--which was a long time ago--is that the "blue" fireworks are actually purple, because they have been unable to isolate a solid element for fireworks that burns blue...cool, huh?)

But back to America. The fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays, and I echo Brian's mom's sentiments that not enough is done to celebrate the beautiful birth of our nation. So we rigged up some decorations, cleaned up our patio, and invited some people over. We had planned with Brian's parents, sister and her family, and some close friends of ours to come to our house for a barbecue and outdoor fun, then go to the prime spot in our neighborhood to watch the fireworks. Yesterday dawned nice and warm, so I pulled out some Christmas lights, stars, and red garland to decorate our patio. I don't have a picture of it now, but I might take some later.

Due to rain that showed up mid-morning, and lasted off and on until 5:00, we were almost afraid that our Fourth of July celebration would be moved indoors, which would have been a shame. The decorations were already up, and I didn't have time to decorate the inside of my house, so I was praying the whole time that it would stop in time for things to dry off and be ready for a classic American barbecue. Thank goodness that it stopped in time, because our dining room would not have fit ten adults and four children.

Dinner was wonderful and the company was even better. Jeremy and Megan (our friends) brought some sparklers over for the kids. Benjamin actually burned his finger on one because he decided to touch it. Oops! But I guess he will learn to leave hot things alone.

We then went to the park just behind our house to watch fireworks. Last year there was no one there when we drove past and thought: "Now that would be the ultimate place to watch fireworks here in Santa Fe." This year, however, it seemed as if it was the hot place in the neighborhood. It was still lots of fun, and I wish I would have had my camera to take pictures of my cute kids. There were kids swinging on the swings with sparklers, and it seemed like everyone there was shooting off fireworks.

Lately Lydia has been really scared of loud noises, but because Benjamin was so interested in the fireworks, Lydia was actually not scared. Benjamin was running up and down the line of people, tapping on our faces, and saying our names and pointing to the fireworks. It's almost as if he was saying, "Look at how cool this is!" I wanted to tell him, "Benjamin, you are missing it because you are so interested in seeing if everyone else is watching."

So Happy Birthday America! We wish you the very best and hope for many more wonderful celebrations to come. (Also, this is a shout-out to all the men and women past, present and future who give their time, talents, and sometimes lives to ensure that I can enjoy the freedoms that I most-of-the-time take for granted. Thank you for all your hard work!)

Introduction to Blog-dom

2009-06-30T15:25:00.001-06:00

I finally decided that I was going to give in to peer pressure and start a blog. It also helps that I can keep my family posted on the goings-on of our cute little family; nonetheless, no matter my excuse, I started one. My hope is to document the lives of my beautiful children to remind me on the days that I feel like I could use a huge break from being a mom, that life is too short to try and wish it away. So I guess I am doing this more for myself than for any readers that might come along.

Benjamin, who decided that he was not going to nap today, sat talking, screaming, crying "Mama!" at the top of his lungs for two hours. I had been sitting with Lydia (the only way I can get her to nap), and went in to see what he was doing. Well, my little man was pacing around his crib like a caged lion. He had taken his shorts off, thrown his blanket and "hipomopotamous" out of the crib. It was too comical! I had to sit down and laugh for a minute, because I had been slightly angry when I went in. Yeah, naps are important, but memories of cuties is more important than that.

Lydia called her uncle Nate on Sunday night to see if he wanted to go camping (we may or may not be going, depends on numerous factors that I will not go into). They somehow got cut off, and Nate called back. She said, "Thank you Uncle Nate for calling me back." There was a pause, and she cupped her hand over the mouth-piece and whispered, "he said, 'not a problem.'" She really is quite the little girl. I am very grateful that I get to learn so much from her.

As a completely unrelated side-note, you may be wondering why exactly I have chosen the blog title that I have. First off, I love puddles, but sadly, there are not enough puddles in Santa Fe. Rainy days are wonderful; they make you want to curl up with your favorite book in a over-stuffed arm chair next to the windows so you can enjoy the sound of the rain on the panes of glass. Secondly, my favorite poet is E.E. Cummings. He is fairly well known, but I fear, not well appreciated. My favorite poem is "In Just." It basically documents spring from a child's perspective, and one of the lines states: "when the world is puddle-wonderful". My other favorite talks about the world being "mud-lucious," but that didn't quite jive as a blog title.

So good-bye for now, my readers. I cannot call you faithful, because as of right now, there are no readers; hopefully, one day, someone may stumble upon my attempt at preserving the "spring" of my children's lives and laugh, as I have, at their antics.