Rosie Quote of the Day

This morning Rose wanted to know what everyone's job was. I started going through all the family members on both sides of the family. I simplified their jobs so that she could understand better.

"Daddy is going to put criminals in jail, Uncle Jeromy fixes broken bones, Aunt Becca sews up peoples cuts, Aunt Keri helps people feel happy when they are sad, Grandma Chele is a teacher, *Pacha, designs bridges, dams, waterfalls, and ponds.

"What?" Blink Blink. "Pacha, helps Jesus?"

I couldn't help but smile. "I guess in a way, Pacha does help Jesus."

*Pacha is the name Wiley gave Grandpa Dan, he couldn't say Grandpa right and it always came out Pacha- pronounced Pock-a. The name has just stuck.

Light a Torch Ceremony



Holy reference-I think not. I finally dug my pregnancy clothes out of storage and with remorse and glee on my face packed away the items in my closet that will not work for this "larger than life" state that I'm entering. Remorse because there is something in the back of my head that fears I will never wear those sizes again, and glee because, I don't want to see those clothes ever again.

But it was with remorse and delight that I reorganized my closet with the prego clothes. Remorse-because who wants to wear pregnant clothes- especially ones that I've already worn and always lack in style, and delight because prego clothes are so much more comfortable for expanding tummies.

So I asked Ben to come take the storage bin away and light a torch. I can't stand the idea of any of my clothes, prego or not. Jammies are looking good right now. Real Good.

When have you been the happiest?

This discussion keeps coming up in the house. On Sunday morning we were making lists of our top ten happiest moments. Surprisingly, the birth of my children didn't make the top ten. (What??? shock and awe insert here) Not surprisingly, none of my top 10 involved a purchase of an awesome toy or receiving an expensive gift. None of them were from my own accomplishments like graduating from college. What am I thinking? I know. . . just keep reading.

Most of my top ten happiest times in my life do involve my spouse and children though. The same goes for Ben. Interestingly enough, living in Germany, in a one bedroom apartment with no stove (our kitchen was smaller than our bathroom is now) was both number one on our lists. Yes, Ben still had to work every day, and Wiley still had homework packets to finish, but our lives were so simplified. Discovering a new park everyday was charming, the food delightful, and the company couldn't be beat.



Yesterday, I had another "happiest moment". I took Wiley out of school and we headed up to Park City to have ski lessons. (Ski lessons, lift ticket and rental are only $25 if you are a resident of Utah, killer deal, I know.) After our separate lessons I picked him up and he begged me to let him show me his skiing skills and tricks. We took 5-6 more runs together, stopping for a hot chocolate and a treat in the middle of it. Wiley was gleefully happy. I was overjoyed that he was loving this day with his pregnant mom. Just the two of us.



We arrived home to Dad and two happy girls, long after the sun had gone down and he still couldn't stop taking about his day on the slopes. The end of my day was made even better when Ben started taking about his many hours with the girls and he had loved his day as well. Although, this day doesn't bump my current top ten list around it certainly is up there on my list of "happiest moments".

Can you pin point your top ten?

~Gasp~


Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles. Apparently, I am with child again. I've stopped wincing at the news. The shock and awe is starting to wear off. I've stopped thinking of all the ways I've ruined Eva's upcoming toddler years. I'm trying to think positive here. Eva and new baby will be such good friends, especially because they will only be 16 months apart.

I have a CRAZY summer ahead of me (the baby is due the week school gets out), with 4 kids being in the house you can bet I'm looking into summer camps and day camps. I've even solicited a few people for help with nannying (hopefully they can). Yes, I'm that desperate and unequipped to deal with such a number. 4 kids? What were we thinking. . . oh that's right, we weren't thinking, not expecting . . .

Statistically, families with 4 kids have a 75% chance that three of the children will be the same gender. It is not the usual thing to have all one gender or two of each. Very rare. Our family happens to fit the statistic because we found out that we are having another GIRL.

Our beautiful baby girl is going to join us the last week of May. I'm starting to realize that although I may have a lot of girl clothes, I might want to invest in more girl toys and perhaps decorate a room a little more girl-y. I'm already having dreams of dressing three little girls in matching outfits!


The other minor problem is that I have to find yet another girls name. We LOVE Eva Sophia's name, but we very nearly named her Claire or Clara. Which would have been a great next baby's name, but alas, my brother and his wife also loved the name and bestowed their child with such a beautiful name. But where does that leave me? Where do I find another awesome name? One that is not overly popular, or that can't be used against her at a later time in life?

So. . . let the name nominations begin. I'm taking names. We usually consult the genealogy lines but, let's face it, the good names are taken unless I want Ethel (which I don't). So please feel free to submit names for our consideration. What names are on your family tree?

p.s. I'm also taking suggestions of names of all girls 10 and older that will take my kids to the park every couple of days come nursing time.

Winter Wonderland

For the last 10 years we have never done Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as just our little family. And we have never had Christmas at the cabin. It's strange and exciting to have the time to ourselves. We had a great Christmas Eve day.


Wiley learned how to make a fire.



We decorated gingerbread houses (although this one looks haunted if you ask me).



We also spent plenty of time outside sledding.



In the evening, we played board games, watched the Muppet Christmas Carol, and spent time playing Disney Princess Enchanted Journey and LEGO Batman on the Wii. Rosa and I also made necklaces, Daddy made cookies for Santa, and Wiley "carved" carrots for the reindeer. We also watched "Joy to the World" and sang Christmas songs around the piano. It's now 9:30 p.m., the kids are in bed, the stockings are stuffed, and Ben and I are cozied up by the fire listening to Christmas music. A perfect day. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

NYC & Airport - Day 3 & 4

Dear Wiley, Rosa, and Eva,

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (That reference will make more sense when you're older and Dad introduces you to A Tale of Two Cities.) First, the best. There was a forecast for snow on Saturday, so we decided to spend the day indoors in the theater. The first show we saw was West Side Story. It's your classic girl meets boy, boy kills girl's brother in a fistfight gone bad under the bridge, all set in Spanish Harlam. Let's just say it's a show only for Mommys and Daddys. Here's Mom outside the theater in her coat on loan from Luke Skywalker at the beginning of Star Wars: Episode V -- Wiley, you know the one -- it's the one Luke wears while riding the Ton-Ton.


After the show, we went for food. We started with dessert -- just like we do at home. It was a place called "Chikalicious" and we ordered a three-course meal. But the best part is this: all three courses were desserts! Here is course #2: Cheesecake.


After dessert we went for a healthy dose of vegetables: fries. These were authentic "Belgium fries" from a place called "Pommes Frites" -- complete with rosemary-garlic, thyme, and our personal favorite, mango dipping sauces. (Mommy got some plain old ketchup just to be safe.) Yummy.


After dinner we set out for one of every tourist's most common experiences in New York. Not the Empire State Building, not the Statue of Liberty, not having an awkward confrontation with a panhandler -- no, I'm talking about trying to find a bathroom in Times Square. Thankfully, the good people of Charmin were there to help us out.

We went up an escalator and entered a world that can only be described as High School Musical meets the latrines. There was singing (about going potty). There was (potty) dancing. There was cheering (about going potty). It was bizarre -- yet strangely motivating. After fifteen minutes of enjoying the show, we were admitted into stalls that would have made the Waldorf-Astoria proud. Each one was as big as a small apartment. Each one had four kinds of toilet paper (so you could sample -- the best one had aloe). And each one had an iPod, so you could listen to your favorite "jam" while you, ahem, enjoyed the facility. This is Daddy emerging from his five minutes of paradise -- by the way, he chose the song "Bad" by Michael Jackson. Fitting.


After we finished, the cast members of the Charmin show invited us to "rate your go." Yes, that's exactly what they called it. Sharalee gave hers a "cartwheeler" and Ben opted for a "champion" -- just one degree shy of the highest level of "moonshiner," which, even after much discussion, we're not quite sure what means. Anyhoo ...


After our Charmin experience, we went to the evening show -- "The 39 Steps" -- which was putatively an adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name, but was remade as a comedy. Very funny. When we emerged from the theater, however, we discovered that what had only been coming down as light fluff before had now evolved into what newscasters later called "one of the top five worst storms in the last 140 years in NYC."

Great. And just on the night before we were supposed to go home.


Which brings us to the worst of times. Currently, Ben and I are nestled cozily in a corner of JFK airport. We have been bumped from two flights and are now spending the night in terminal 14 on a couch that appears to have been designed by Tim Burton to resemble a spleen (see below).


Don't cry for us, we're having fun still and are reasonably comfortable. But just everybody pray that we make our 7:26 flight to Las Vegas. Check-in is at 2:26 a.m. -- so if you're up at that hour, feel free to petition on our behalf.

Well, kids, we are excited to see you again and tell you more about our adventures. Hopefully, we'll be on our way while you're still nestled all snug in your beds dreaming of sugarplums and LEGOs and teething cookies ...

Love you,

Mom & Dad

NYC - Day 2

Dear Wiley, Rose, and Eva,

Today we took a ferry trip out to see the Statue of Liberty. We rode on a big boat -- bigger than Grandpa Tim's boat but not as big as the Disney Cruise boat. Mom had a pretzel with cheese dipping sauce.


Next to the Statute of Liberty is another island called Ellis Island. One hundred years ago -- back when your great-great-grandparents were around -- anyone who wanted to come and live in the United States of America had to come to this island first. They had to answer questions and take tests to see if they were smart enough and healthy enough to stay in the United States.


After we got off the boat, we went to the Museum of Modern Art. Mommy's leg was hurting so we got her a wheelchair and Dad pushed her around. We saw some very famous paintings, including a lot that are on the Baby Einstein videos or the Little Einstein cartoons, like this one.


But we also some funny paintings. These are called "modern" paintings. Some of them are interesting, but some of them are, well, a little strange, like this one --


We decided that Rosie has lots of artwork that could go in this museum (and most of her stuff is better than what is already on the walls). Who knows, maybe it will be there someday.

After we looked at the paintings, we had dinner, including the best cup of hot chocolate we've had in New York (probably just as good as they ones they serve on the Polar Express). Then we got some dessert and went back to Uncle Dan and Aunt Minna's house to rest. We hope you are having fun having a sleepover at Grandma's house. We miss you.

Love,

Mom & Dad

NYC - Day 1

Dear Wiley, Rosa, and Eva,

Last night I surprised daddy with a trip to New York. We flew through the night and slept when we arrived for a few hours. We read books and twirled in the living room with your cousins Hannah and Jane.



It is so cold here. We are bundled up with coats, hats, and gloves and still the air from the ocean is so chilly. This is a picture of us at a famous place called Rockefeller Square. The tree is about 75 feet tall. We went to lots of amazing places today. But one place we went called FAO Schwartz (a huge toy store) had two cool things made out of Legos. Wiley, can you tell who they are?




We love and miss you.

XOXO
Mom and Dad

Dear Santa,

Here is my Christmas Wish List

1. Eat any and all amounts of cheese balls and logs without the consequences.
2. Show up to every party, with the food steaming and the table set.
3. Help Rosie be more "girly". Someone besides me needs to be the teacher.
4. Have someone send out Christmas cards for me. (I'm not doing Christmas cards otherwise)
5. Have wigs and hair pieces come back into style. Grandma Ruth knew how to "rock" the look.
6. Send a chef over right around 5:00 p.m. each day with groceries, ready to get to work.
7. Not feel guilty for not sending out neighbor gifts ie cookies, treats, etc.
8. Like Snugglies, I'd like for the Muumuu's to make it big this style season as well. Every young 20-30 something-year-old should have one right? Lined in fluffy goodness too. Maybe even a coordinating hair wrap to go with the Muumuu would be nice as well.
9. New slippers.

You might think that I'm joking about these, when in fact, I'm not.

Thank you Santa.

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Offset Printing- The following card is an example of an already popular artist Holly Brooke Jones. But you don't have to be as well know as her to make it to print.


Offset printing- This card is by Lisa Nelson.


Letterpress! If you don't know what a letter press is Google it. Imagine a 100 year old press, the large kind- think Guttenburg, or think colonial, with real ink and a person manually setting each card, yeah it's that cool.

This is art work designed by the well known artist Jacob Carter.
I have ordered a number of cards from this site. Truly amazing pieces of art that you share with your friends. Keep in mind these are not cheep Hallmark cards selling 5 for a buck at Albertsons. This is art put into a card. I've been really impressed by the quality of paper CardInk is using, one of my obsessions is paper- so if you know paper like I do, you will love their 100% cotton paper- letter pressed works of art.

Check them out! CardsInk.com my new obsession. For those of you wondering, no I have not submitted any art work yet. It is on my to do list. When I do you will know because I'll be begging you all to go on and vote for my art work!!