Wednesday, June 26, 2013

We're Moving!

Ick. This was a few days ago. It is looking slightly better now - more boxes, but they are taped up now.

IT'S MOVING DAY!!! And I do say it with all the panic of The Rats of Nimh, in case you've seen that.

Our trailer with our life's possessions is going out with Don tomorrow morning so this evening we are clearing out the house, and staying with the Herralds (in Jake's room - is it clean yet, Jake? Haha, but is it?? :) till we leave for Minnesota on Friday. That is, the babies and I and Suzette fly out Friday. Dave is driving on Saturday, maybe Tuesday. Oh, and if he is driving on his own, I have been informed he will be driving pantless. Well then.

We have been packing for two weeks and we're ready to get moving! It has been kind of chaotic and stressful - I think the babies have picked up on that. This morning for the first time in their young lives, the mini-anarchists, I mean, angels, threw stuff in the toilet. Dave's phone, Joe's car, and Riley's pacifier. Maybe they just wanted to leave a little time capsule in their first home. Awww. They did look almost reverential when I found them standing in front of the comode, quietly watching Dave's phone flash spasmodically in the deepest part. Seemed...a little metaphorical...for my life right now...

Just kidding, life is good. But nobody but nobody loves the moving process! And I am a little sad just because we have loved our life here and love a bunch of people here. There have been lots of "last trips" and good byes. Teens from Dave's class that he teaches at church keep coming by. Once, to bring him a heart-shaped pizza the kid made at work for him, and another guy brought sunflower seeds and jerky, I guess for Dave's pantless roadtrip? I don't know but it was sweet to hear them awkwardly express from the porch step how they are going to miss him. And Dave gave THEM pairs of funky socks. HIS socks, that they had noticed when he'd worn to church. I wouldn't have thought to give used socks as gifts, but they were thrilled, so...good job, Dave - no doubt the kids will treasure those funky socks for years to come.

Well, enough procrastination. I got stuff to do! Ok, a few pictures, but then - down to business!
Riley's plotting face (note the pilfered cough drops). Luckily, our colds are mostly gone.
 Then, a trip to Lani's Shave Ice from the other day with our neighbors, Kristi and Elaina. We got sweetened condensed milk on Riley's Maui Melon and ice cream in my Mango ice. So delicious! Its in Pleasant Grove on State Street, in case your local snow cone place isn't that cool.
Riley likes to wear her panties on top these days. What can I say - you got to choose your battles.
Dave eating his pizza of love from a student, and wearing his jersey from high school. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to date high schooler Dave. Maybe not that different...haha. I loooove him.
Update June 28th: I am clearly loosing my mind to have pretty much repeated the same post from a few days ago... maybe I'll edit one of these out someday. Or leave it to remind me what its like to slip slowly into madness.
Update of a minute after: ya, I deleted it. It is toooo stupid.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Riley's Day

How do you party with a sick, sneezy 2-year-old? Yes, Riley and Joe are on their snotteenth cold this year so inviting all her little friends over was out of the question - a crying shame because Riley LOVES the other babies. Well, we managed to have a pretty good day regardless. I know because today Riley needed at nap by 10:30 - still recovering I guess!
The first batch of cupcakes. I had oven issues...The second batch was the delicious.
A little backyard swimming.

Sidewalk Chalking

Riley "helping" in the kitchen.



Angie's gift was a stroke of genius - Riley has hardly put her Charlie Brown doll down since she opened it!




Then we went to Dave's last softball game of the season, and along came Charlie Brown and her new picnic basket from Grandma.

And then she found some friends to play in the dirt with.
After baths and after Joe was asleep, we snuggled on the couch and watched Finding Nemo. Riley, you are sooo lucky to have us! :) And we are so lucky to have you. The world changed when you came. For instance, there are a lot more diapers in my days and stretchmarks on my hips. But also far more love and laughter and beauty than ever before. My heart is full. I love your sticky kisses and watching you grow - you are going to do amazing things.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Look Who's 2!

Riley reveling in a fat wad of cash before we put it in the bank, following the sale of the Jeep and Dave's dirt bike.
Packing sucks so I am eating ice cream and blogging instead. Would you believe this little angel maniac is two today?? It is hard to put her big ole personality into words but she has got it goin' on! That Riley is sweet and fun and loving and thoughtful and creative and smart and a real pleasure to be around. Unless you keep her up too late, in which case you best watch yourself. Yeah, she gets that from me.
  • Favorite Food: Popcorn. Also, everything.
  • Games: Stinky feet, Peekaboo, Copycat, Ghosty
  • Words: Hi, Herro, See-ya, Kiss, Mommy, Dad, Joe, Peas, Cheese, Baby, Yum, Cookie, Coke, Happy, Hug, Tickle, most body parts, Bink, Monkey, Pizza
  • Hobbies: Singing, Reading, Babysitting, Running, Dancing, Thrill-seeking, Drawing on stuff other than paper, Socializing and snuggling
  • Doppelganger: Precious Moments Doll
And that's all the time we have for now - the kiddies have decided their nap is over after 45 minutes?? Dang it, I was going to get all our pictures bubble-wrapped!  Boo to packing!

I am excited for the move though, just fyi. Somehow I can't even imagine moving anywhere else but Minnesota these days - it is already starting a little to take the place of UT as "home." Kind of an unexpected development, that.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Supermen

"You just have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be, Clark. Whoever that man is, he's going to change the world." ~ Jonathon Kent
We saw Man of Steel last night and, maybe I don't get out enough, but it kind of blew my mind. I was sucked in from start to finish, and was this close to whipping out my pen and paper to take notes because the whole thing felt like a moral lesson. Seriously, if I needlepoint on a pillow some day, it will be something from this movie. If I get a tattoo on my neck...well, moving on. Fathers Day is tomorrow and I want to say a few things to the supermen in my life.
Dear Supermen,

I am so impressed by you. Without you our world would be a very different place. Homes are under attack - this we know - and evil influences would be happy to take your place. Thank you for being there, for showing up every day. You bring adventure, fun, love, honor, and strength into our lives.
It isn't an easy path. There is a lot of sacrifice involved but your kids know that there is nothing you wouldn't do for them. That in fact you live your life for them, with their needs in mind as you walk out the door each morning, and a big daddy hug ready for when you walk back in. From their birth, you are imparting your wisdom, teaching them how to laugh and love, to dance, to work, to play, even, as the nursery at church can now attest, how to 'bend and snap.' (Legally Blond reference there, but yes, at church today Riley repeatedly dropped her crayon in front of the little boys and said "uh-oooh!" before retrieving it only to do it again. She did not learn it from me!)

Through the years you take on countless science projects and spend your evenings running the homework lifeline, or braving the elements on the sidelines cheering for the kid picking daisies (or his nose) way out in the field, or chauffeuring awkward groups of screaming, giggling teens. You, of necessity, master the art of interjecting humor where you would like to interject a swift kick to the rear. When you want to buy a new car, you buy braces instead. Instead of Die Hard, you go see Disney. And somehow your kids believe you when you say, "My pleasure."

And when they are grown and gone? Thousands of miles disappear to nothing because they know you are still there for them, that you always will be because you always were. Now that is a super power worth having.

We love you, our Supermen!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

New Ride

Oh yeah so we got this new car last week. Meet our lovely new Ford Explorer, of the seven seats and super good deal! Which we got because Dave knows his stuff and and knows how to stick to his guns, and that salesman did not stand a chance, let's be honest. I just love it! It is super comfy and roomy and now whenever we decide to have another baby, one of em won't have to ride on the roof! Fantastic!


Today I took Joe to see the doctor because he has this dark area across his lower back that looks like a faint bruise, but we noticed it a few weeks ago and it hasn't gone away.  He doesn't have pain or swelling that we could see but to be on the safe side, we took him in. Dr. Savage ruled out anything ominous and said that babies do sometimes have extra pigmentation in that area, but they are usually babies of mixed race.

Which begs the question: so which of us is black?

Hmm...the world may never know.

Anyways, that's a load off my mind and hopefully I will sleep better tonight. Loosing sleep worrying is the dumbest - maybe I need to do some bedtime yoga or something. Drink chamomile tea.

But just look at this boy! He had eaten a red crayon and made me do a double take thinking that was blood. Oh Joseph, you are worth a lifetime of restful nights. But let's not get carried away - I am off to bed.



Monday, June 10, 2013

EMM'ers

Yesterday was Cafe Rio with the girls. The MISSION girls! And all their girl babies (Joe didn't mind a bit). It was kind of last minute, so our group was small, but four girls all lived and served together at some time in the England, Manchester Mission and just stayed friends through the years, through college and weddings and babies...Kristi moved to Connecticut but was back in town for her brother's wedding, hence the reunion.
Riley polishing off the BEST salad dressing ever. She might have thought it was a ranch smoothie?
Six babies make for some dicey catching-up, so we found an indoor playground where they could do their thing while we did ours. This is how the spent the bulk of their time: over and over again.

 Joe doesn't know he is still a little baby, I think. 

From the left: Bri (Roberts) Purinton, yours truly, Ashley (Elmer) Green, and Kristi (Willis) Logie
These girls have impacted my life in a big way. They are each such fun, loving, talented ladies and they inspire me.
I love them.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Ah childlike wonder...or very very short short term memory


Peekaboo! I know, I know - thrillville, right? But do you get this excited about anything anymore? Joe gets this excited at least three times a day. Maybe that is why he sleeps so soundly. I for one, would wake up if Riley was launching herself back and forth across the crib only five feet away, singing, "bay-ba, bay-ba, bay-ba, oooooooooh," on repeat, which is what she is doing now... I should never have introduced her to Justin Bieber. That was my bad.

Monday, June 3, 2013

For the Byrds

Monday Funday, right? Meh. 

Well we had a fabulous weekend! Saturday we went to a barbeque at Ron and Terry Byrd's - always a stimulating time there with the Byrds with lots of good conversation and catching up. For those not in the know, Ron baptized my dad when he was 16 and has kept in touch over the years because both Ron and my Dad are well, people persons. And that whole family is lovely - so friendly and fun and boy can they cook!

For those of you IN the know, Terry is doing pretty well - she had 3 disks in her back fused in December (a surgery that has to be redone every few years) but she was on her feet and cooking a ton of scrumptious food when we got there. They have done a lot of renovations on the house recently and the backyard is a dream for the babies - swing set, big wheels, trampoline, etc. I think Ron and Terry are really enjoying their grandkids.

Ron's mother, Lois (who also happens to be related to Mom somehow, was there.
Wouldn't you know it, we discovered she too lives in Pleasant Grove! Too bad we are about to move.


Riley let the boys drive while she manned the radio. At one point her date put his arm around her and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
Ron's cousin Orville: professional violinist and friendly gypsy. Joe was mesmerized.
Also this weekend Allison and I got to go shopping. If you want a great consignment store with tons of cool vintage stuff, visit Bling in American Fork. They are going out of business and are willing to negotiate prices, but you better hurry!
And here: a few shots from the week. The babes are feeling better and getting more delightful each day. Riley loves Joe and he adores her, and now that he can crawl, she is never ever alone. I don't believe she minds.



Riley is a fun-loving girl and keeps us all laughing. Here she is tickling Joe ("kikkling" as she says) and playing peek-a-boo in the bath tub - she is not great at hiding, for you could hear her shrill, excited giggles and chortles from a mile away.

And now, the house is clean, the laundry done, the babies napping and as I have finished my cake, finished this blogging - I am going to read Anne of Green Gables in my bed, because I like to do that sometimes.

Have a blessed day.